Chapter 158 Opportunity
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Jiang Shanshan, braving the drizzle, returned to Zhaoyang Palace with unsteady steps. Hai Momo, seeing her disheveled appearance, exaggeratedly exclaimed, “Miss, where have you been? How did you get soaked in the rain? Come in quickly, let me wipe you dry.” Then she scolded the palace servants following Jiang Shanshan, “You blind fools, don’t you know how to find shelter when it rains? If you ruin the noble’s clothes, see how I deal with you.”
“Momo, please don’t blame her. There was something in the middle that delayed us. I was worried that Her Majesty had waited too long, so I had to hurry back in the rain,” Jiang Shanshan said softly and gently. “It’s getting late. I should leave the palace now. Is Her Majesty available? I need to inform her of my departure.”
Hai Momo smiled, “Her Majesty is waiting for you.”
Jiang Shanshan entered obediently, bowing and kneeling down. Empress Dowager Min smiled, playing with a silver hairpin in the bird food jar, and said lightly, “Get up. You’ve been gone for so long, did you go to seek shelter from the rain?”
Jiang Shanshan replied honestly, “Your Majesty, the servant girl went to Changxin Palace as commanded.”
Empress Dowager Min’s eyes flashed with a hint of sharpness. “Oh? It seems the Great Empress Dowager heard you were coming to the palace and wanted to compensate you.”
Jiang Shanshan lowered her eyes and said softly, “The Great Empress Dowager is indeed kind.”
Empress Dowager Min signaled for the maidservant to take the birdcage away and walked slowly to Jiang Shanshan. She reached out her hand, adorned with bright red, and pinched Jiang Shanshan’s chin, forcing her to look up at her and smiled, “Such a pitiful beauty. Old Six really has no taste.”
Do both the Mother-in-law and daughter-in-law enjoy pinching people’s faces like this? Jiang Shanshan remained silent in disgust.
Empress Dowager Min leaned closer to her and whispered, “Are you content? Your charming and talented fiancé suddenly became someone else’s husband overnight. It’s clearly not your fault, yet you’re treated like a mouse on the street, having to endure everywhere and endure grievances, but still have to pretend to be happy and worry about the safety of yourself and your family day and night?”
Asking knowingly, otherwise why give you pearls? Am I crazy? Jiang Shanshan’s eyes reddened, and she choked, “When the lord orders the servant to die, the servant has no choice but to die. This is the servant’s fate!”
Empress Dowager Min sneered, “Fate? It depends on whose fate it is! I heard the newly crowned top scholar is very good, young and talented. The most rare thing is that he comes from a humble background and has no bad habits of noble sons. The Great Empress Dowager is kind, and this marriage is truly in your best interest.”
Jiang Shanshan said with grievance, “Since he is a young talent and has caught the eye of the Great Empress Dowager, he must be really good.” Then she couldn’t help but cry.
Empress Dowager Min smiled, “Okay, okay, don’t cry. I know you’re the most virtuous. How can such a good girl be given to outsiders? Of course, we should keep her for the Yuwen family. Since you still have feelings for Ying Wang, I’ll fulfill your wish.”
Jiang Shanshan hesitated for a moment and whispered, “I am grateful for Your Majesty’s grace, but His Highness Ying Wang does not like me, and he already has a principal wife…”
“I understand what you mean,” Empress Dowager Min smiled knowingly and whispered, “The Marquis Changxing’s family is noble, and you should indeed be the principal wife. But what can we do? You are matched with Fu Mingzhu, so if you want to fulfill your wish, you can only compromise and become a concubine. If you want more, you can only rely on yourself to fight for it.”
Jiang Shanshan hesitated for a moment and said softly, “Your Majesty, this servant girl dares not…”
Empress Dowager Min waved impatiently, “What’s there to be afraid of? Just remember, when your wish comes true, don’t forget who truly treats you well.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Jiang Shanshan said with a secret smile, pretending to be very frightened and uneasy before retiring and leaving.
After Jiang Shanshan left, Empress Dowager Min played with the huge golden pearl and sneered, “She and her nephew are planning so well, but I won’t let them have their way! The letter from Zhongshan Wang has arrived, but that old hag dares not give face to Zhongshan Wang and instead arranges a marriage with some newly crowned top scholar! Jiang Shanshan came to me before and said she didn’t want to be the principal wife of Anyang Wang and wanted to be the concubine of the Sixth Prince. Now that the old hag has spoken, she’s willing to relent and marry a commoner’s son just to make the old hag relax her vigilance. She’s truly someone who can endure and is worthy of great use. Momo, what do you think?”
Hai Momo smiled, “Second Miss Jiang is a clever person and deserves Your Majesty’s support.”
Empress Dowager Min sneered, “I really want to see how Fu Mingzhu will react to such a strong opponent in the future. The days in Ying Wang’s mansion will definitely be very interesting. Yuwen Chu wants to use the Fu family’s power, so I’ll add fuel to the fire and see if he has the luck to survive, or if he’ll burst his stomach!” Yuwen Chu and his Mother were honest people before, so she didn’t have any conflict with them. But since they want to completely align with the Fu family, don’t blame her for being ruthless.
Hai Momo whispered, “There’s something I need to inform Your Majesty about. A palace maid in Changxin Palace happened to see something inadvertently, and she couldn’t help but be afraid and told her close sisters…”
Hai Momo leaned close to Empress Dowager Min and whispered a few words softly. Empress Dowager Min was shocked and covered her mouth, unable to believe it, “Really? Not a mistake? Eunuch Rong really has an affair with that old hag?”
Before Hai Momo could answer, she slapped the table again, excitedly saying, “Yes! I almost forgot. There was a period of time in the past when Consort Zhou always used Eunuch Rong as an excuse. Emperor Wenzong was so angry that he almost killed Eunuch Rong. Although he escaped by a stroke of luck, Eunuch Rong was beaten and thrown into the horse stable. He suffered a lot during that time. Later, he became fat from eating. When Emperor Wenzong died, the old hag couldn’t wait to transfer him back, claiming to rectify the situation. Consort Zhou abused him, but in reality? Hmph~”
In the early years, that Eunuch Rong was truly like a jade tree in the wind. Although he became a eunuch, it didn’t affect his graceful and elegant demeanor, like a young nobleman or a talented scholar. Standing there, even she couldn’t help but want to take a few more glances, let alone that unloved old hag… Empress Dowager Min paced back and forth twice, then smirked, “I was just worried that there wouldn’t be a good opportunity for this matter, but a lucky chance has come.” She sighed again, saying with deep emotion, “The late Emperor left early, leaving behind orphans and widows, me and the Emperor. Although it’s been very difficult, we can’t just sit back and watch the Great Empress Dowager make a disgraceful move, especially at her age. Otherwise, when I go underground in the future, how will I have the face to meet the late Emperor?”
Hai Momo said expressionlessly, “It concerns the dignity and prestige of the country, so of course, Your Majesty cannot just watch the Great Empress Dowager make mistakes. Otherwise, where would Emperor Wenzong, the late Emperor, and His Majesty’s face go?”
Empress Dowager Min and Hai Momo exchanged a glance, smiling tacitly.
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