Chapter 616 – Glass Bottle
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Yuwen Bai grew impatient and said coldly, “What, are you unwilling? It’s human nature to be reluctant, but if you protect him, don’t blame me for being rude to you! Do you want to live yourself, or do you want others to live?”
To live herself, or to let others live?
Fu Zifei silently thought for a moment, and made up her mind. Of course, she wanted to live herself; as for anything else, she couldn’t care less! She nodded slowly and obediently said, “I’ll do as Your Majesty says.”
Yuwen Bai grinned, “Very good, very obedient. If you do well, I’ll make you the head consort in the future.”
Fu Zifei turned her head away, looking at the gray peach tree branches outside the window, and whispered, “So, am I considered Your Majesty’s person from now on?”
“Of course, you are. I’ll treat you well in the future. If anyone bullies you, just come and tell me, I won’t let them off lightly.” Yuwen Bai handed her a thumb-sized glass bottle and said, “On the Winter Solstice day, add this to his food.”
Fu Zifei trembled, “But, what if he…”
“He won’t.” Yuwen Bai gritted his teeth, “Remember, you must do it. If you don’t, I’ll know.”
Fu Zifei silently pocketed the glass bottle and whispered, “Last time I met with Your Majesty, the Great Empress Dowager punished me afterwards. This time, the palace attendants who accompanied me knew about it. I’m afraid the Great Empress Dowager won’t spare me when I go back.”
Yuwen Bai looked at Fu Zifei with a sarcastic smile. Clearly, she was afraid that after the incident, she would be implicated because she had met with him. She wanted to use him to get rid of those two palace attendants, but she had to say that the Great Empress Dowager wouldn’t spare her and wouldn’t allow her to meet with him. If the Great Empress Dowager didn’t allow her to meet with him, how could she be selected to enter the palace?
Fu Zifei felt uncomfortable under Yuwen Bai’s gaze and said with an attempt to cover up, “Your Majesty, what should I do when I go back?”
Yuwen Bai cleared his throat and said, “Hmm, you’re really a good seedling. The old woman finally picked the right person this time. Mu Gugu has already come to find you. When she comes, I’ll stage a play with you for her. If the old woman asks you, just say that I grabbed you to vent my anger because I failed to poison Fu Mingzhu with snakes.”
Fu Zifei’s heart tightened, “What play does Your Majesty want to stage with your servant?”
Yuwen Bai smiled, “You’ll know when the time comes.”
Just then, a palace attendant outside said, “Your Majesty, Mu Gugu has arrived.”
Yuwen Bai stood up and looked at Fu Zifei intently. Fu Zifei was frightened and forced a smile, “Your Majesty…”
Yuwen Bai raised his hand and slapped her face. Fu Zifei screamed, and Mu Gugu arrived just in time, kneeling down immediately to plead, “Your Majesty, calm down, calm down. What did Miss Zifei do to offend Your Majesty?”
Yuwen Bai took out a snow-white handkerchief to wipe his hands, then casually threw the handkerchief on the ground, saying lightly, “It’s nothing. I was just teasing her.” With that, he left.
Fu Zifei covered her face in humiliation, looking at the snow-white handkerchief on the ground, her heart filled with hatred. Mu Gugu stepped forward to help her up, but Fu Zifei pulled her hand away, allowing her to examine her injuries, “It’s alright, just a bit red, not swollen. When you return, apply a cloth and roll a boiled egg over it.”
Of course, it was all right. After all, it wasn’t her who was hit, nor was it her who was in pain. Fu Zifei raised her eyes, looking at Mu Gugu coldly.
Mu Gugu was startled by the hatred in her eyes. After a moment of silence, she sighed softly, wanting to advise but finding no words to say.
The two returned to Changxin Palace. The Great Empress Dowager, frail and haggard, was wrapped in a fox fur cloak, clutching a hand warmer tightly in her hands, staring unhappily at the memorials in front of her. Mu Gugu gently reminded Fu Zifei, “There’s another snow disaster.”
Fu Zifei thought coldly, what did a snow disaster have to do with her? Even if half the people in the world died, it wouldn’t concern her. As long as she could live well herself, that was enough.
When the Great Empress Dowager heard the sound, she looked up, “Back already? I heard that just now in Zhaoyang Palace, the emperor took poisonous snakes to bite Ying Wangfei?”
Sure enough, she was a dead old woman. She knew that Fu Mingzhu had been frightened by snakes, but she didn’t know that she had been threatened and beaten by Yuwen Bai. So no matter what she did, the dead old woman deserved it. Fu Zifei timely showed a frightened and relieved expression, leaned close to the Great Empress Dowager, and hurriedly said, “Yes, your grandchild was frightened! I wanted to help my aunt, but she had already thrown the snake away! It’s fortunate! Otherwise, how could it be good?”
The Great Empress Dowager nodded, “No one was injured, right?”
Fu Zifei smiled, “No, only Min Baoyun fainted and fell.” She spoke eloquently about several interesting things, making the Great Empress Dowager smile slightly, “I heard that the emperor also stopped you and brought you to Qingling Pavilion. He didn’t do anything to you, did he?”
Fu Zifei lowered her eyes, “No, he just slapped me. He said, looking at me reminded him of the Fu family, so he felt itchy.”
“You’ve been wronged.” The Great Empress Dowager instructed Mu Gugu, “Go and fetch the box with the rhinoceros carving of the moon.”
Mu Gugu brought out the box, and the Great Empress Dowager gestured for Fu Zifei to come over and look, “Look at the emerald jewelry inside, it was awarded to me by the late emperor, the best and most complete set in the world. It’s yours now.”
The emeralds in the box were the size of fingernails, like dewdrops in the forest, shining with a green light. Even Fu Zifei, who was used to seeing good things, was dazzled by this whole set of emerald jewelry. She looked at it for a moment and said with some joy, “How could I, as your granddaughter, deserve such a precious gift?”
The Great Empress Dowager shook her head, “No, wealth is just an external thing. It doesn’t count for much. If I could, I would hope that all of you would be happy and safe. Put it away.”
“County Prince Sien is here.” Sang Shen brought Yuwen Fu in. Yuwen Fu first paid his respects to the Great Empress Dowager, then looked at Fu Zifei with concern, “Sister Zifei, are you okay? I just heard about what happened to you and hurried back to see you.”
Fu Zifei dared not look him in the eye, lowered her head and said, “I’m fine. Your Highness should focus on your studies in the future and not do such things again. Otherwise, how can you live up to the Great Empress Dowager’s expectations?”
“Sister’s advice is correct. But I’m just too worried about you.” Yuwen Fu smiled and knelt down to apologize to the Great Empress Dowager, “Grandson was wrong, please punish me, Grandmother.”
“Enough, you’re just worried about your sister, don’t do it again.” The Great Empress Dowager, for the first time ever, didn’t get angry, but looked meaningfully at Fu Zifei, “You two have a good relationship, and I’m happy about it. Fu Er is really good to you. I hope as an older sister, you won’t let him down.”
Fu Zifei smiled guiltily, “Of course, I will treat His Highness well.” The glass bottle hidden in her sleeve was very cold, but she didn’t want to think about it anymore.
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