Chapter 150: An Unwelcome Guest
Chapter 150: An Unwelcome Guest
According to imperial custom, if a son born to a concubine ascends the throne after the death of the previous emperor, then the empress and the new emperor's birth mother can both be granted the title of Empress Dowager.
For example, in the case of Emperor Xi, the current Grand Emperor still lives, so the status of the women in the harem remains unchanged. However, should the Grand Emperor pass away, both the Empress and Consort Li would become Empress Dowagers.
This was the reason for Meng Qianqian's confusion as to why the Grand Emperor had not conferred the title upon his own mother.
The Grand Emperor was not a mere puppet emperor during his reign. He held real power, and unless he himself was unwilling, no one could force him to do anything.
Meng Qianqian couldn't understand it, so she decided not to think about it anymore.
She had her own grudges to settle, so she didn't want to worry about other people's affairs, especially since the Grand Emperor's mother wasn't exactly a close relative of hers.
Next, they made their way to the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, but it took a long time to get there.
Tan'er exclaimed, "Sister, the palace is so huge!"
Meng Qianqian nodded. The emperor's home was indeed massive.
"Wow!"
Baoshui pointed to a small flower by the roadside.
"Flower," Meng Qianqian said to her.
"Flower," Baoshui immediately imitated, wriggling out of Meng Qianqian's arms and plucking the flower in an instant.
Sometimes, this little girl's hands were faster than Meng Qianqian could react to.
"Quan Gonggong," Meng Qianqian addressed the eunuch.
Koi Mizu smiled awkwardly. "It's fine, it's fine. These flowers in the Imperial Garden, Miss Baoshui... she can pick them."
Meng Qianqian: You're digging your own grave.
True enough, at the mention of her being allowed to pick them, Baoshui immediately threw away the flower in her hand and toddled towards the biggest and most vibrant peony.
"Wow!"
They were all hers! All of them!
Koi Mizu was on the verge of tears.
Those were the Empress's peonies...
Meng Qianqian hurried to catch up and pulled the little one out of the flower bed, but not before she had managed to wreak havoc on three flowers—one in each hand and one in her mouth.
Seeing the trembling legs of Koi Mizu, Meng Qianqian hugged Baoshui and said, "I will apologize directly to the Empress, and I will bear all the consequences. Quan Gonggong, you don't have to worry."
Koi Mizu was immensely relieved. "Thank you, thank you, Madam!"
In the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, Meng Qianqian met the Empress, the mother of the nation.
This was Meng Qianqian's second time visiting the palace.
The Empress's attire today was noticeably more formal than the last time. She wore a bright yellow phoenix robe, with a nine-tailed phoenix hairpin adorning her head, her face artfully made up, and on her wrists, she wore phoenix bracelets symbolizing her status.
This also showed the Empress's respect for Meng Qianqian.
"Your subject wife, Meng, pays her respects to Your Majesty the Empress. May Your Majesty the Empress be blessed with longevity and good health." Meng Qianqian performed the kneeling ritual gracefully and flawlessly.
Baoshui was too young to know how to pay respects, so she was held by Banxia as she greeted the Empress verbally.
The Empress said, "You may rise."
Meng Qianqian said, "Your subject wife dares not. Your subject wife plucked the Empress's flowers, please let the Empress punish me."
The Empress's gentle gaze fell on Baoshui, who was still clutching the flowers. "It is their fortune to be favored by Baoshui. Emerald Cloud, take Baoshui to pick some flowers."
Baoshui: "Wow!"
Meng Qianqian noticed that the Empress's affection for Baoshui didn't seem feigned, so she nodded and let Banxia follow the palace maid, Biyun.
A matron beside the Empress personally helped Meng Qianqian up.
Meng Qianqian thanked the Empress again.
The Empress then turned to Tan'er and said, "You must be Tan'er."
Tan'er tilted her head. "Empress, you still remember me?"
The head matron by the Empress's side laughed. "Such a bold little girl, who could forget?"
The Empress nodded.
Tan'er giggled. "Empress, you look so beautiful today!"
The Empress was the Grand Emperor's second wife and was only twenty-five years old this year, ten years younger than Consort Li. However, as the mother of the nation, she had to maintain the dignified demeanor of an Empress, and because of her youth, she had to dress in a more mature style to assert her authority over the more senior concubines in the harem.
Today, she was dressed in a rare youthful style, making her especially eye-catching.
The Empress teased gently, "Well now, who is more beautiful, the Empress or your sister?"
Meng Qianqian quickly replied, "Your beauty, Empress, outshines us all like the sun outshines a firefly."
The Empress smiled faintly. "No wonder my cousin often praises you."
As if on cue, the Empress looked towards the entrance where Wang Furen had just arrived.
"Here she comes now," the Empress remarked.
Wang Furen had come to the palace upon hearing that Meng Qianqian was paying her respects. She had missed the grand wedding and couldn't visit in the following days, so she could only meet Meng Qianqian in the Empress's palace.
Accompanying her was a fifteen-year-old young lady who bore a striking resemblance to Wang Furen. With watery eyes, a powdered face, and red lips, she curiously yet shyly sized up Meng Qianqian.
Meng Qianqian smiled and nodded at her.
"Greetings, Empress," they said in unison.
The two of them greeted the Empress with respect.
"Please rise, cousin. There's no need for such formality," the Empress said.
Wang Furen stood up and pulled the young lady next to her towards Meng Qianqian. "Ruo'er, come greet your sister Meng."
"Sister Meng," Wang Ruo said softly in greeting.
Meng Qianqian had heard about Wang Ruo from Zhou Nanyan several times. She was described as shy, and indeed, she seemed just that upon their first meeting.
"Ruo'er, my dear sister," Meng Qianqian said warmly, as she and Wang Furen shared a close relationship, so she didn't stand on ceremony with Wang Ruo.
"Ruo'er returned to the capital the night before your grand wedding," Wang Furen said, and then she couldn't help but complain about Wang Yu again. "It's all that Wang Daniu's fault!"
Wang Yu's original name was Wang Zhixing. As a child, he was given a derogatory name because of his weak constitution, first called 'Niu Dan', and later changed to 'Daniu' when he started school.
Nowadays, only Wang Furen dared to call him Wang Daniu; others wouldn't dare to be so bold.
Wang Furen pulled Meng Qianqian to sit down, while Wang Ruo sat next to the Empress.
It was evident how much the Empress doted on Wang Ruo.
Wang Furen inquired about the events of the wedding day. Although that unprecedented and extraordinary wedding had already become the talk of the town, she still wanted to know more details.
"It was an eight-palanquin procession that walked down Chang'an Street, circling half of the capital city. It even passed by the Wang family's door. I thought they were marrying off someone else... I should have gone out to catch a glimpse!"
Meng Qianqian glanced at the Empress, who was listening intently, seemingly quite interested in her wedding as well.
As they chatted, a little eunuch at the door announced, "Princess Wanping requests an audience."
Wang Furen muttered, "Why has she come here?"
Princess Wanping was the eldest daughter of the Grand Emperor and the first Empress. Her status was esteemed, and she never showed any regard for the women of the harem.
"Let her in," the Empress said.
"Yes," the little eunuch replied.
Soon enough, Princess Wanping entered the main hall, adorned in shimmering pearls and jewels. She held her head high as she gave a perfunctory greeting to the Empress and didn't even address her as 'Mother'. After all, she was older than the step-Empress, so it would be awkward for her to use such a title.
"I just visited the Grand Empress and heard that there were guests in your palace, Empress," Princess Wanping said.
Meng Qianqian, Wang Furen, and Wang Ruo greeted her with respect. "Greetings, Princess Wanping. May peace be with you, Princess."
Princess Wanping's gaze fell on Meng Qianqian's face. "So, you are Meng Qianqian?"
Her tone carried a noticeable chill.
Meng Qianqian wondered if she had offended Princess Wanping somehow. Why did she seem so unfriendly?
Great Villain: Where's my scene?!
(End of Chapter)
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