Su Zhiruan followed the palace maid into the Cining Palace.
At that ti, the Cining Palace was very quiet. After entering, Su Zhiruan saw the Empress Dowager and the Noble Consort.
She was very calm, and then she paid her respects, "This servant pays her respects to the Empress Dowager, and to the Noble Consort."
The Empress Dowager did not imdiately tell her to rise but instead scrutinized her while holding a teacup.
Su Zhiruan had a very proper appearance; she had also seen her own reflection in a copper mirror when she arrived, which would be described in modern terms as a face that symbolizes national peace and prosperity.
Unlike the Noble Consort, who tended to have a bewitching beauty, Su Zhiruan's dignified kneeling posture gave off a feeling of clarity and purity.
It had to be said that the Empress Dowager's favorability towards her shot up imdiately, as this type of unbowed person only needed one glance to beco likeable.
"Susu, how is it, eating the pastries granted to you by the Emperor, are you feeling particularly proud, particularly joyful?" the Noble Consort directly attacked with her words, without any courtesy, her tone laced with weapons and traps, even wishing she could send her directly to the death cell there and then, "This consort believes that a servant like you should be—"
Her words were cut off midway, as she was stopped by the Empress Dowager, who simply raised her hand a little. The Noble Consort had been covertly watching the Empress Dowager, as her biggest reliance was the Empress Dowager now.
"Susu, true to your na, you don't seem like one who would cause trouble," the Empress Dowager began with a warning, then smiled, picking a grape from the colorful cloud-glazed plate, her tone unhurried, "I won't hide from you, before eting you, I thought you were a demon who could make the Emperor neglect his duties, but—"
She drew out her tone for quite a long ti, enough to make one's heart rise and fall thrice. If soone were not ntally strong, they might have been scared by these sudden shocks, but Su Zhiruan knelt appropriately, with not a single fluctuation of emotion on her face.
The Empress Dowager nodded in satisfaction and then said, "However, after eting you in person, I now know that the rumor might have been a misunderstanding. You are a good child. It's alright for you to stay by the Emperor's side, but you must counsel the Emperor to be equitable in his attention. If the Emperor still hasn't visited the harem this month, then it will be I who decides, and you will no longer be tolerated."
This was a trap.
Su Zhiruan, who had been a working-class person in her previous life, naturally knew that these seemingly ordinary orders were a trap set for her.
The Emperor was not fond of the harem to begin with; his decisions could hardly be swayed by a re palace maid.
That was precisely what the Empress Dowager had in mind. She slowly waved her fan, continuing with a smile that made her seem like a kind elderly woman, "Of course, I am not a heartless person; there's another option."
"Auntie! Why give her any choice! As your servant sees it, the one just ntioned is fine--if she completes it, keep her; if she doesn't, send her to the death cell! Your servant thinks it's quite good!" Hearing the Empress Dowager ntion a second option, the Noble Consort imdiately cast a disdainful glance at Su Zhiruan, and then looked back to the Empress Dowager.
"Noble Consort, don't be hasty," the Empress Dowager at this mont smiled as if she were a benevolent elder, not at all revealing her deanor when she gave the order to Su Zhiruan, "This second choice is to bear the Heir. If you can achieve this, then you will be a great hero of the Wang Dynasty."
Upon hearing this condition, the Noble Consort instantly breathed a sigh of relief.
She was no longer worried now.
The reigning Emperor had been on the throne for five years, with more than three hundred concubines in the harem, yet not a single one had been with child over these years.
Expecting Su Zhiruan to accomplish this in one month was as likely as expecting the goldfish in the Imperial Garden to learn palace etiquette within a month—utterly impossible.
Just at that mont, the old nanny entered from the door and paid her respects, "Empress Dowager, soone has been sent by the Emperor."
The Empress Dowager showed a bit of interest.
Her summoning Su Zhiruan was with the intention to kill three birds with one stone: first, to let the Noble Consort vent her anger; second, to see what abilities Susu truly had and then find a way to deal with her or whisper into the Emperor's ear; and third, to gauge her standing in the Emperor's heart.
"Let the person in," the Empress Dowager said to the old nanny, then turned her head towards Su Zhiruan, "You may rise."
Su Zhiruan did as instructed, stood to one side, and even her figure did not waver in the slightest.
Her etiquette was very good; indeed, it could be said she was among the best in the entire Wang Dynasty.
The little eunuch walked in from the entrance and knelt down at a respectful distance from the Empress Dowager in the outer chamber, "This servant pays respects to the Empress Dowager and to the Noble Consort."
"Rise," the Empress Dowager waved her fan with an authoritative tone, "What did the Emperor ask you to say?"
"Replying to Your Majesty, the Emperor instructed this servant to convey to the Empress Dowager: he knows that Miss Susu is with you. If Your Majesty is displeased, feel free to beat or kill her. There's no need to test His Majesty."
Upon hearing these words, Su Zhiruan did not burst into tears or despair. Instead, she marveled in her heart.
It is well said that no one knows a son better than his mother, and the reverse is true as well—no one understands a mother better than her son; certainly, that son would be Shen Qi.
Although this was Su Zhiruan's first encounter with the Empress Dowager, from those few words, she gleaned sothing.
If Shen Qi had made a conspicuous move to take her away, it would certainly have created discord between mother and son, and she would have suffered terribly as well. In contrast, with such words spoken, the Empress Dowager might see her as an unimportant transparent figure, perhaps even forgetting about her shortly.
The Noble Consort, upon hearing this, showed elation on her face; her expression was one of triumph. She glanced at Su Zhiruan and started toying with her armor, "So it turns out the Emperor doesn't care about you, you little wretch, at all. Really, I was worried for nothing. Go on, roll back."
The Empress Dowager knew her son's nature. The ssage he sent could be either true or a lie concocted to save this Susu.
Yet it might also reflect his true attitude.
Both guesses left the Empress Dowager uncertain.
Thinking it over, she felt she truly had too much idle ti; she was already the Empress Dowager, not embroiled in past palace struggles. Just a lowly servant, after all, unable to stir up much trouble. With that thought, she dismissed the matter with a wave, "All right, go back now. Serve the Emperor well."
The little eunuch and Su Zhiruan both bowed, "This servant takes his leave."
Su Zhiruan followed the little eunuch out of the grand entrance of the Cining Palace.
After walking a good distance, the little eunuch finally spoke, "Miss Susu, please return to the Emperor's side quickly. In fact, His Majesty initially wanted to co himself and only sent this servant after walking so distance."
"Thank you, Eunuch," replied Su Zhiruan. She hadn't expected Shen Qi to decide to co personally, which was beyond her expectations. After all, their relationship had only been consummated the night before. Logically, as the Emperor, he didn't need to make a fuss about a common palace maid.
Soon, they arrived at the Imperial Study Room.
The little eunuch had other duties in the inner palace, so he left first.
Su Zhiruan tiptoed into the Imperial Study Room and then bowed, "Greetings to the Emperor."
Shen Qi knew it was her. He simply straightened his sleeve and gave her a brief glance, "You're back? Now grind the ink for Us."
Su Zhiruan stood up and, unbidden, went over to his side to expertly begin grinding the ink.
In a mont unseen, Shen Qi quietly heaved a sigh of relief.
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