Chapter 88: Attention
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Mingzhu thought to herself, “You may not let me go out, but Empress Dowager Min is determined to have me attend.” However, she didn’t say it aloud, pretending to be obedient, “I don’t care to go anyway. She hates me on sight, and I’m not crazy enough to rush into unpleasant situations.”
Madam Cui was skeptical, “It’s best if you don’t want to go.” However, she had made up her mind that if there was indeed a summons from the palace, she would feign illness for Mingzhu.
Thinking about the matter concerning Yuwen Chu, she felt annoyed again and urged Mingzhu to leave, “Go back to your room. I get irritated just seeing you.”
Mingzhu smiled and said, “But you’re my dear mother, I love seeing you.” Taking advantage of Madam Cui’s inattention, she planted a kiss on her cheek and then escaped with a laugh.
Madam Cui both loved and hated her, sighing as she spoke to Sun Momo, “This troublemaker, I must owe her from a past life. She really drives me crazy.”
Sun Momo smiled and said, “But it’s also love that drives someone to live on. Old servant still remembers, that year when the young miss was only three years old, Madam fell seriously ill and seemed hopeless. The young miss, such a little child, stayed by your side, dutifully taking care of you, even though she couldn’t hold the bowl steady. She had to sleep with you at night to fall asleep. Master advised her a few times, and she cried, saying that if her mother couldn’t make it, she couldn’t live either. They say such a young child can’t understand life and death, but she seemed to know everything.”
Madam Cui remembered that incident and felt warm in her heart, sighing for a while before saying, “I really can’t do anything about her marriage. The Great Empress Dowager just won’t relent, thinking highly of Yuwen Long, and Master has no say in it either. Thankfully, the incident with Ying Wang was suppressed. Otherwise, if it were known outside that she caused Changxing Marquis’s family to call off the engagement, who knows what scandal would have arisen?”
Sun Momo comforted her, “Madam, just open your heart. Children have their own blessings. You can’t rush things.”
Just then, a report came from outside, “The palace envoy has arrived.”
Madam Cui hurriedly got up to change clothes and asked, “Is it from Changxin Palace or Zhaoyang Palace?”
The steward replied, “It’s from Zhaoyang Palace, Hai Momo.”
Madam Cui’s heart couldn’t help but skip a beat. This Hai Momo was one of the most formidable people by Empress Dowager Min’s side, with a sharp tongue and diplomatic skills. Sending such a formidable figure, Empress Dowager Min probably intended to embarrass Mingzhu at the banquet.
Worried about this, when she met Hai Momo, after exchanging pleasantries, Hai Momo indeed said, “Madam must be aware that the Wusun has sent an envoy to our Kingdom to strengthen alliances. The Empress Dowager intends to host a banquet to entertain the Wusun princess and has invited prominent ladies from the capital to attend. Your household’s young ladies are indispensable guests. The Empress Dowager has instructed that they must dress up beautifully for the occasion.”
Madam Cui had experience dealing with such matters and readily agreed.
However, Hai Momo added with a hidden needle in her words, “The Empress Dowager values matters of national dignity and face the most. She’s afraid that someone might have a headache or fever and be unable to attend, harming the friendship between the two countries. She’s concerned for the young ladies. Now she wants to know if any of the young ladies are unwell, so she can send a court physician to treat them immediately.” Pausing slightly, she smiled at Madam Cui.
How big of a deal was this? It had escalated to a matter of national dignity. Madam Cui felt bitter and said with lowered eyebrows, “Our Mingzhu is in excellent health at the moment.” Whether she would be fine later, however, was uncertain.
Hai Momo wouldn’t let it go, “That’s even better. You know, because of the last incident, there were some villains causing trouble, making both palaces uneasy. The Empress Dowager even scolded the person involved and expelled them from the palace. Every time the Empress Dowager mentions this, she feels guilty, saying miss was wronged! She’s been wanting to send someone to comfort the miss for a long time, but there’s always been something to attend to. Before I left the palace this time, the Empress Dowager said it was her fault for not managing the palace properly, causing the miss to suffer and be punished. It’s all her fault. So this time, she’s planning to take the girl into the palace as an apology, both to compensate her and to fulfill her filial piety to the Great Empress Dowager. Madam Fu, please have the girl pack her things.”
This caught Madam Cui off guard. She hesitated for a moment before hastily refusing, “My daughter is unruly and unworthy to disturb the Empress Dowager’s peace. I’ve been teaching her manners at home these days. It’s better to let her learn first before paying respects to the Empress Dowager.”
Hai Momo said, “In that case, I’ll report back to the Empress Dowager, and on the day of the banquet, Miss Mingzhu will definitely come to pay her respects to Her Majesty. Madam, do you think this is appropriate?”
If she didn’t comply, they would forcibly take her into the palace now? Would you agree or not? Madam Cui sensed the implied threat in her words and became even more worried but had to agree with a full mouth.
Satisfied, Hai Momo left, and Madam Cui sent someone to inform Fu Cong of the situation. Fu Cong only replied with four words: “Listen to whatever happens.”
Seeing his certainty, Madam Cui relaxed slightly and called Mingzhu over to instruct her, “No causing trouble, no being overly aggressive, no meddling in others’ business. You must behave yourself.”
Mingzhu agreed to each point. In the blink of an eye, it was the day of the palace banquet. Mingzhu had just finished dressing up when the carriage sent by Empress Dowager Min arrived. Madam Cui worriedly asked someone to slip some silver and inquire, “The Empress Dowager is truly compassionate. With so many noblewomen in the city, have all the palace carriages been dispatched?”
The palace servant giggled, “Not at all. Only Miss Baoyun from the Empress Dowager’s family and the young ladies from your household were specially sent for. The others came to the palace on their own.”
Madam Cui fretted once again, not knowing how many plots and schemes awaited Mingzhu ahead. Mingzhu, however, wasn’t afraid. With a smile, she boarded the carriage to the palace. As they approached the palace gate, they coincidentally met the Wusun envoy leaving the palace. The palace servant pointed out to her with a flattering tone, “The tall figure in the black robe is Kundu Wang of Wusun.”
Through the window screen, Mingzhu saw a crowd surrounding Kundu Wang, among them were clearly Yuwen Chu and Yuwen You. Yuwen You was indeed holding that beautiful falcon in his hand, smiling as he spoke to Kundu Wang, while Yuwen Chu had a calm and composed demeanor, elegant and serene.
In Mingzhu’s eyes, this expression appeared malicious and very playful. While cursing inwardly, she couldn’t help but blush, intending not to look at him, yet unable to retract her gaze. She knew he couldn’t see whether she was paying attention through the window screen, but she felt uneasy due to guilt, hating herself for being idle. Why bother paying attention to him anyway?
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