Jiang Yuwei's hands, which had been sweaty, felt surprisingly at ease as the princess held them. She smiled and whispered in reply:
"Your Highness, if you like it, I'll make more for you later."
Just as the two were talking, they heard the eunuch outside shout:
"The Empress Dowager has arrived!"
Everyone hurriedly stood up and bowed, and the Empress also stepped down from her seat and helped the Empress Dowager to sit down.
Just as Jiang Yuwei was about to peek at the Empress Dowager's beautiful face, she saw Princess Qinglan standing beside the Empress Dowager with a smile on her face.
Jiang Yuwei frowned immediately, feeling that something was going to happen today. After all, Qinglan always regarded her as a thorn in her side. Today, she should try to be more restrained.
As Jiang Yuwei was thinking this, she heard the Empress Dowager slowly speak:
"Alright, no need for formalities."
The Empress Dowager looked at Qinglan and smiled:
"Qinglan, tell me, how long has it been since you last came to the palace to be with me?"
Qinglan smiled as she poured tea for the Empress Dowager.
"Grandmother, haven't I come to the palace to keep you company?"
Jiang Yuwei frowned as she watched the two's intimate actions, and whispered in the princess's ear:
"Why does Qinglan address the Empress Dowager as Imperial Grandmother?"
The princess glanced at it with a faint smile and replied:
"Qinglan's mother is the Empress Dowager's goddaughter, and Qinglan has been raised in the palace since she was a child."
Jiang Yuwei realized that General Sun's identity and understood that Qinglan was just one of the royal family's means of controlling the Sun family. As for how genuine her relationship with the Empress Dowager was, it was impossible to tell at the moment.
Logically speaking, the Empress Dowager should have no shortage of children around her. Qinglan has lived in the palace since she was a child, so perhaps she has some genuine affection for the Empress Dowager. In that case, the matter becomes quite complicated.
Right now, Jiang Yuwei couldn't help but connect what she saw today with the incident that day when Ning Huaizhi got drunk at Jingweifang and appeared in front of outsiders with Qinglan.
While Jiang Yuwei was lost in thought, she heard the Empress Dowager, who was sitting above her, speak.
"You never come to the palace to see me. If you spent the time finding a suitable husband, that would be fine, but you just happen to be someone who never gives me peace of mind."
No sooner had the Empress Dowager finished speaking than one of the concubines sitting below her spoke up.
"Your Majesty, I think Princess Qinglan is already in the throes of first love. Haven't you heard? She often goes in and out of Jingweifang with a general. It's all the talk in the capital."
Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager frowned.
"Consort Sun, you mustn't spread rumors about this. Don't tarnish the young lady's reputation without cause."
Upon hearing this, Consort Sun, who was sitting below, stiffened and quickly replied with an awkward smile:
"Your Majesty, please don't be offended. I only heard this secondhand. You can ask the princess to find out the truth."
The Empress Dowager glared at Consort Sun, then turned her head slightly to look at Qinglan, who was peeling lotus seeds for her.
"Qinglan, is what she said just now true?"
Upon hearing the Empress Dowager's question, Qinglan lowered her head even further, her ear tips turning red.
“Grandmother, there is such a general. He was originally a subordinate of my grandfather. Now that he has come to the capital, I have had a few meals with him. Don’t worry, we did not eat alone.”
The Empress Dowager, with her keen insight, immediately understood Qinglan's thoughts upon seeing her shy demeanor, and thus smiled and said:
"You silly girl, you have someone you like but you don't even tell your grandmother. You've made me worry for nothing."
Upon hearing this, Qinglan quickly and shyly handed over the lotus seeds she had just peeled.
"Grandmother, please don't worry about Qinglan. Please try these fresh lotus seeds I just peeled."
The Empress Dowager glanced down at the lotus seeds lying neatly in the dish, then reached out, picked one up, and began to chew.
"You've always been a filial child. Tell your grandmother, which general have you taken a fancy to?"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuwei gripped her teacup tightly, and cold sweat began to bead on her forehead.
The princess, who was drinking tea with her head down, seemed to notice Jiang Yuwei's change. She assumed it was because Jiang Yuwei was too nervous since it was her first time meeting the Empress Dowager and the Empress. So she reached out and patted Jiang Yuwei's leg under the table to tell her not to be nervous.
Jiang Yuwei turned her head slightly and forced a smile as she looked at the princess.
At this moment, Princess Qinglan, sitting beside the Empress Dowager, first chuckled softly, then secretly shifted her gaze to Jiang Yuwei's face, looking at her with interest before speaking softly:
"Yes, it is the Great General Ning Huaizhi who guards the border, in response to the Empress Dowager's question."
These words struck Jiang Yuwei like a bolt from the blue. This Princess Qinglan had caused a scene in her own courtyard and in the Prince's mansion, and Jiang Yuwei and Ning Huaizhi both had ways to refuse her.
Now that Qinglan has actually brought this matter to the Empress Dowager's attention, if the royal family gets involved, how confident am I that I can refuse her...?
The princess sitting next to Jiang Yuwei looked at Princess Qinglan in shock upon hearing this. She never expected that Qinglan would admit to liking Ning Huaizhi in front of so many people.
Thinking this through, the princess finally understood why Jiang Yuwei had been so restless and nervous earlier. So the princess gently patted Jiang Yuwei's hand and whispered words of comfort:
"Yuwei, don't be afraid, I'm here."
Jiang Yuwei turned her head and gave the princess a grateful look. Before today, she had been a little apprehensive, as royalty valued status above all else.
She wondered if the Prince Jing's Mansion would question her status as a village woman if they truly accepted Ning Huaizhi as their son. What if Qinglan then jumped out and said she wanted to marry Ning Huaizhi?
Will the princess and prince marry Qinglan because of her status?
Hearing the princess's words today, she realized that she had indeed been worrying unnecessarily. After all, Ning Chunlin was able to keep someone of Xu Qianqian's status in the mansion, which showed that the princess did not care much about these things.
Thinking of this, Jiang Yuwei smiled bitterly. That's right. The Prince Jing's Mansion is a powerful entity, and it doesn't necessarily need to rely on marriage alliances to solidify its position.
But today, Qinglan openly admitted to the Empress Dowager that she liked Ning Huaizhi. It's hard to say whether the Empress Dowager will intervene in this matter because of Qinglan.
Just as Jiang Yuwei was in a state of utter confusion, she heard the people below begin to whisper among themselves.
"Isn't Ning Huaizhi the husband of that Madam Jiang from earlier?"
"Yes, he already has a wife, how else..."
"Keep your voice down, lest the Empress Dowager hear you and get angry!"
At this moment, the Empress, who was sitting on the high throne, frowned slightly upon hearing Qinglan's words and glanced at Jiang Yuwei.
The Empress Dowager gently tapped Qinglan's hand and said reproachfully:
"I was wondering why you haven't had time to come to the palace to visit your grandmother lately. It turns out you have someone on your mind."
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