Chapter 6: A Great Gift, Becoming the Queen Mother's Daughter-in-law
The Ji family members knelt on the ground.
The eunuch who came to deliver the message was not in a hurry to announce the decree, but helped the old lady up first.
"Hello, old lady. The Empress Dowager has not been with her family for a long time. She is very worried about them and has specially summoned the female members of her family to have dinner together at the Cining Palace."
After saying this, the eunuch looked around among the kneeling women and found Ji Qingwu kneeling in the corner.
He continued, "The Queen Mother learned that the Fifth Miss of the Ji Mansion had been found. She wanted to share in the joyous event and specifically instructed that the Fifth Miss must also come along."
Mrs. Qiao turned around and gave her daughter a wink.
Ji Qingwu knelt down and walked a few steps, then bowed and said, "Thank you, Queen Mother, for your concern."
After the eunuch who announced the decree left, Ji Qingyuan stood up and when she passed by her, she saw Ji Qingwu's brows were furrowed.
Ji Qingyuan raised her lips slightly and said meaningfully: "It seems that my aunt thinks highly of my fifth sister. This is your first time in the palace, so you must behave well and don't lose face for the Ji family."
However, Ji Qingwu frowned and felt her knees aching from kneeling. She couldn't help feeling helpless when she thought about having to kneel again before entering the palace.
He asked, "Fourth sister, how many times do you have to kneel when you enter the palace?"
This question made Ji Qingyuan's expression freeze for a moment.
Until the green figure left, she was still wondering what Ji Qingwu meant.
Is it a mockery that every time she enters the palace she can only meet the empress dowager but not the emperor?
Ji Qingyuan clenched the handkerchief in her hand.
As an older sister, you should give a "big gift" to your younger sister.
————
Cining Palace.
The green tiles, red walls and glazed tile roof sparkle in the sun.
Ji Qingwu walked in slowly, and saw an elegant and magnificent scene before his eyes, every corner of which exuded royal majesty and dignity.
Aunt Shixi, who was beside the Queen Mother, led the Ji family into the main hall.
"Madam, ladies and young ladies, please sit here and rest for a while. The Queen Mother is changing her clothes and will be here soon."
Madam Ji nodded and thanked her, "Thank you, Aunt Shixi."
Ji Qingyuan looked at the plate of pastries beside the tea table and praised, "Aunt Shixi, are there new types of pastries in the palace? They are really innovative. I have never seen such delicate and elegant pastries."
Shi Xi smiled and nodded, "Fourth Miss, the Queen Mother knows that you like to eat these, so she specially ordered the kitchen to prepare them."
Second Madam Wu immediately said, "Your Majesty knows exactly what Yuan'er likes to eat. You dote on her too much."
Shixi smiled but said nothing.
Old Madam Ji coughed a few times and glared at the Second Madam.
They are not allowed to talk about their masters in the palace, and they have no right to discuss who the Empress Dowager favors.
Wu knew that she had said something wrong and shut her mouth awkwardly.
Seeing the mother and daughter on the other side, Shixi's eyes showed a bit of surprise.
The first wife, Mrs. Qiao, came from a prominent family. She had always followed the rules and etiquette without any mistakes, and no one could find fault with her.
But, the fifth girl who just returned home...
After Ji Qingwu sat down, her back was straight, her head slightly raised, her eyes were as calm as water, and she did not glance around, not even a second glance at the exquisite pastries beside her.
In everyone's eyes, he appears calm, neither humble nor arrogant, elegant and refined.
Even though Shixi had seen many ladies in the palace, he still couldn't help but admire the Fifth Lady's graceful manners. Although her appearance was not as beautiful as the Fourth Lady's, her overall temperament was much better than hers, which made the Fourth Lady look a little petty.
Ji Qingwu didn't notice what everyone was thinking.
It’s not that she doesn’t want to move, but she doesn’t dare.
It was true that Qiao had put a lot of things on her head before she left.
A hibiscus jade hairpin and a purple gold hairpin inlaid with peony were inserted in her high bun, and she also wore painted silver sashes on both sides of her head.
She seemed to be frozen in place, not daring to move her head or neck.
Ji Qingwu still admired Ji Qingyuan in his heart. Her head was covered with gold, silver, pearls and jade weighing more than five kilograms, but she could still move freely.
"The Queen Mother has arrived!"
Following the father-in-law's loud call, Ji Qingwu followed Qiao and saluted.
When the empress dowager walked past her, her steps seemed to pause for a moment, and then she walked to the throne and sat down slowly, with her two aunts Shixi and Fanghua accompanying her.
The voice was gentle: "Get up, we are all family."
After the Queen Mother and Old Madam Ji exchanged a few words of greeting, their eyes turned directly to the woman sitting at the back.
"This must be Qingwu."
Ji Qingwu, who was named, had no choice but to stand up and kneel again.
This kneeling ceremony was performed so gracefully that not only could no one find fault with it, but it was actually pleasing to the eye.
This was something Qiao taught her before she left. After Ji Qingwu performed the ceremony, she felt sweat starting to form on her back.
"Qingwu, come forward and let me take a closer look."
Ji Qingwu lowered his head and followed the order, then stopped at the golden steps, his nostrils filled with the scent of sandalwood.
In fact, the Queen Mother had been observing her vaguely since she entered the room. Now she was just looking for an excuse to let her get closer so that she could take a better look at her appearance.
"Raise your head and get closer to your aunt."
The Queen Mother's eyes were profound, as if she had brought back some memories.
"When Qingwu was a child, I held her in my arms. She was very obedient." The Queen Mother smiled and said, "At that time, we were still in the Yong'an Marquis's Mansion. I remember that on the second day after I held Qingwu in my arms, I diagnosed her as pregnant."
The Queen Mother remembered this lovely child clearly.
Madam Ji also nodded in agreement: "Yes, Your Majesty remembers it correctly. At that time, Your Majesty was pregnant with Princess Qingyun."
Princess Qingyun is the empress dowager's favorite and the emperor's half-sister.
Ji Qingwu raised his head and met the Queen Mother's gaze.
The Queen Mother smiled and looked at her for a long time before turning to the palace maid standing beside her and ordered, "Shixi, go and get the gift that I prepared for Qingwu this morning."
He emphasized the word "this morning" in his tone.
Shixi was stunned for a moment, then took the order and left.
The gift was a jade bracelet. The jade was warm and transparent, and it was not an ordinary item.
The Queen Mother said, "Originally there was a pair, but the other one was accidentally broken. I have kept this one carefully and have never worn it again. However, at my age now, I am no longer suitable for such a green jade. Qingwu is in her prime, so it is just right for her to wear it."
Ji Qingwu did not miss the look of surprise in Aunt Shixi's eyes.
Come to think of it, the gift that the Queen Mother prepared for her at the beginning was not this jade bracelet, but something else.
Her heart moved, and she realized that the origin of this jade bracelet must be extraordinary, and there might be some other meaning behind it.
Just now, the Queen Mother looked at her for a long time and seemed to be quite satisfied with her, so she gave her this reward.
At the same time, Ji Qingyuan's face became very ugly.
She stared at the brocade box in Ji Qingwu's hand, her eyes full of jealousy and envy.
She said sourly, "It is a great grace from heaven that my aunt gave this to my fifth sister."
This jade bracelet was a gift from the Marquis of Yong'an on their wedding night when the Queen Mother married into the Marquis's mansion as his second wife.
Ji Qingyuan begged several times but failed to get it.
But the Queen Mother only met the fifth sister once and then gave the bracelet to her!
The ceremony of wedding together.
It is a gift given by newlyweds to express friendship to each other, but if it is given to the younger generation, it is usually passed on to the daughter-in-law, and it can symbolize the love between husband and wife.
Being the Queen Mother's Daughter-in-Law...
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
