Princess Shunhua looked at Jiang Zhiyu with some surprise.
“Your biological parents are long gone? How pitiful! It’s alright, now that you’re in the Marquis’s mansion, life will be easier. Take good care of yourself, use some moisturizing cream, and you’ll be able to heal your hand!”
As she spoke, she took off the bracelet from her own wrist and put it directly on Jiang Zhiyu’s wrist.
This was also a jade bracelet, but it was made of mutton-fat white jade, with a warm and delicate
texture.
The two bracelets, one white and one green, hung on Jiang Zhiyu’s wrist, making her wrist appear even more slender and fair, making one want to touch it.
Princess Shunhua stared at Jiang Zhiyu’s wrist for a while before looking away.
This skin was truly whiter and more delicate than jade.
Having grown up doing farm work, she still possesses such a beautiful complexion; she’s clearly a natural beauty.
If she were sent to the harem…
Princess Shunhua thought, her gaze towards Fan Suwan changing.
This Lady of Zhongyong Marquis is truly ambitious.
One biological daughter wasn’t enough; she’s brought in an even more beautiful one.
Is she afraid her biological daughter won’t capture the Emperor’s heart?
Indeed!
After all, Jiang Jingshu’s appearance can only be described as dignified. There are
plenty of women like her in the capital, if not countless.
But this Jiang Zhiyu is not only stunningly beautiful, but her temperament is also quite different; there’s truly no one like her in the harem.
Princess Shunhua looked at Fan Suwan meaningfully, about to speak, when the shrill, piercing voice of a eunuch came from afar.
“The Empress Dowager has arrived!”
The people who had been chatting just moments before all fell silent and solemnly bowed to the Empress Dowager.
Jiang Zhiyu bowed along with the others, but her eyes secretly glanced at the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager was forty-four years old and had two sons and a daughter.
Her eldest son was the current Emperor, her daughter was Princess Yong’an, and her youngest son was Prince Chen.
Although she was already a mother of three and nearing fifty, she looked like a woman in her thirties.
Not only was her hair jet black and shiny like brocade, but her face was also almost wrinkle-free.
Jiang Zhiyu was looking at the Empress Dowager when her sleeve was gently tugged.
“Cousin!”
Jiang Jingshu said softly.
“Don’t stare directly at the Empress Dowager like that!”
Although Jiang Jingshu’s voice was soft, the Imperial Garden was extremely quiet at this moment, without even the chirping of birds.
Her sudden words were heard by many people.
Fan Suwan’s heart trembled, and she stared at the two of them with wide eyes.
She was not only glaring at Jiang Zhiyu for staring directly at the Empress Dowager, but also at
Jiang Jingshu for making the matter public.
Princess Shunhua looked at Jiang Jingshu and Jiang Zhiyu with great interest.
It seemed that these two did not get along well!
Jiang Zhiyu turned her head, her face showing no fear, only curiosity.
“Cousin, how did you know I was staring at the Empress Dowager? Could it be that you were staring at her too? That’s how you knew I was looking at her?”
Jiang Jingshu’s heart skipped a beat upon hearing
this.
She had thought that Jiang Zhiyu, entering the palace for the first time, would be too frightened
to speak after being exposed for staring at the Empress Dowager.
But unexpectedly,
Jiang Zhiyu
had thrown the question back at her directly.
Jiang Jingshu was at a loss for words.
Jiang Zhiyu moved closer to Jiang Jingshu and asked again,
“Cousin, why aren’t you saying anything? If you were respectfully bowing your head and not looking around, how would you know I was looking at the Empress Dowager? Could it be that you, like me, were stunned by the Empress Dowager’s beauty and lost your focus?”
Fan Suwan’s heart leaped into her throat.
Jiang Zhiyu dared to casually judge the Empress Dowager’s appearance—her audacity was astounding!
“Jiang Zhiyu!”
Fan Suwan scolded in a low voice,
“Shut up!”
Jiang Zhiyu was puzzled,
“Aunt, why should I shut up? The Empress Dowager is very beautiful! Don’t you think so, Aunt?”
Fan Suwan’s face turned pale instantly, and she was about to kneel down to beg for forgiveness.
The Empress Dowager heard the commotion and walked over.
“I heard from Chen’er a couple of days ago that the young lady from the Marquis of Zhongyong’s
family is quite interesting, and seeing her today, it’s indeed true!”
Fan Suwan was filled with trepidation and quickly apologized,
“Your Majesty, please forgive me! She’s only been in the capital for two days and doesn’t know the rules, which is why she spoke so recklessly. I will definitely punish her properly when I return!”
“Punish her for what!”
The Empress Dowager glanced at Fan Suwan,
“You don’t like this personality, but I like it very much. I heard from Chen’er that your name is
Zhiyu? May I call you Ayu?”
Jiang Zhiyu looked at the Empress Dowager with a smile,
“Okay!”
“I like your straightforward and unpretentious manner!”
The Empress Dowager smiled even more happily,
“Come here, sit next to me today!”
Jiang Zhiyu didn’t move, but looked at Fan Suwan expectantly,
“Aunt, can I go?”
Fan Suwan, who was being asked, didn’t feel happy at all; instead, her heart was beating even faster.
The Empress Dowager has already given the order, yet Jiang Zhiyu isn’t obedient and even needs to ask for her opinion. Could she possibly disobey the Empress Dowager?
Fan Suwan forced a smile,
“The Empress Dowager likes you; it’s your blessing. Just listen to her.”
“Then I’ll go!”
Jiang Zhiyu spoke cheerfully as she walked towards the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager touched Jiang Zhiyu’s face, “What a clever girl! I like her even more!”
With that, the Empress Dowager grabbed Jiang Zhiyu’s hand and led her away.
Seeing Jiang Zhiyu sitting with the Empress Dowager, Jiang Jingshu almost pinched her palms until they bled.
What did Jiang Zhiyu have that made her so special?
Why did she win the Empress Dowager’s favor on their first meeting?
Just because of her face?
First, she used that face to seduce Prince Chen, and now she’s using that face to get close to the Empress Dowager.
What if she didn’t have that face?
Once she lost that face, let’s see how she’ll seduce everyone!
As Jiang Jingshu was thinking this, she suddenly saw the Empress Dowager look over.
Although the Empress Dowager’s eyes were indifferent, Jiang Jingshu was still startled and quickly lowered her head, afraid that the Empress Dowager would see through her.
The Empress Dowager only glanced at her before looking away.
“Ayu, Jiang Jingshu is very hostile towards you. She might be planning something against you. Should I help you deal with her?”
Hearing the Empress Dowager’s words, Jiang Zhiyu’s lips twitched.
Although they were seated high up, far from the others, and the Empress Dowager’s voice was soft,
was it really appropriate to say such things in front of so many people?
Jiang Zhiyu and the Empress Dowager had met three years ago.
At that time, Emperor Zhaoming had just ascended the throne, and the Empress Dowager was poisoned by a poison called “Crimson Face Poison.”
Initially, there was no physical pain after being poisoned.
However, for the poisoned person, each day was equivalent to a year.
Given the Empress Dowager’s age at the time of poisoning, she would have aged and died within two months.
After being poisoned, the Empress Dowager summoned renowned doctors from across the land, but none could cure her.
When the Empress Dowager arrived at Shennong Manor, she had aged like an eighty-year-old woman.
Within twenty days, the Empress Dowager would have perished.
It was under these circumstances that Jiang Zhiyu saved the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager stayed at Shennong Manor for three months.
Initially, the Empress Dowager treated Jiang Zhiyu as her savior.
However, as they spent more time together, they gradually became familiar and developed feelings for each other.
The Empress Dowager practically treated Jiang Zhiyu like her own child, yet their interactions resembled those of a close friend despite their age difference.
Even after leaving Shennong Manor, she sent a letter every three days and showered the manor with gifts, filling several storerooms.
Now, seeing Jiang Zhiyu in the palace, the Empress Dowager was genuinely happy.
To be precise, two days ago, upon learning from Xiao Yanchen that Jiang Zhiyu had arrived in the capital, the Empress Dowager was already impatient, eager to bring Jiang Zhiyu into the palace immediately.
However, she restrained herself.
Although she didn’t know why Jiang Zhiyu had suddenly reunited with the Marquis of Zhongyong’s family, or why she had suffered such hardship as a cousin in the Marquis’s household,
since Jiang Zhiyu had chosen this path, she wouldn’t disrupt her plans.
Fortunately, she had finally seen Jiang Zhiyu.
She could now use the excuse of instant attraction to keep Jiang Zhiyu by her side.
Even if she couldn’t reveal Jiang Zhiyu’s identity or let everyone know about their relationship, she still wanted the people of the Marquis of Zhongyong’s mansion, and even other powerful figures in the capital, to know that she liked Jiang Zhiyu, and that no one should dare to bully her!
The Empress Dowager’s display of affection for Jiang Zhiyu shocked everyone present.
Among them, Fan Suwan and Jiang Jingshu were the most shocked.
Especially after seeing the Empress Dowager whispering to Jiang Zhiyu, their intimacy growing, Fan Suwan was even more alarmed. Jiang
Zhiyu was so fortunate!
She had captured the Empress Dowager’s heart at first sight!
With the Empress Dowager’s favor, even if Jiang Zhiyu was just a cousin of the Marquis of Zhongyong’s mansion, she might even be able to aspire to the position of Princess Consort of Chen.
Although Fan Suwan said nothing, Jiang Jingshu, standing beside her, saw her expression and felt increasingly resentful.
It was all Jiang Zhiyu’s fault!
Having already lived in the mountains for seventeen years, why couldn’t she just stay there?
Why did she have to go to the temple to burn incense?
Why did she have to encounter Fan Suwan?
Why did she have to return to the Marquis’s mansion!
“Jing Shu!”
Fan Suwan suddenly called out in a low voice, startling Jiang Jing Shu.
Jiang Jing Shu quickly composed herself, “Mother, what’s wrong?”
Immersed in her joy, Fan Suwan didn’t notice Jiang Jing Shu’s emotional change, only whispering, “Zhi Yu has gained the Empress Dowager’s favor, which is also a good thing for you. Even if it’s just for Zhi Yu’s sake, the Empress Dowager will like you a little more!”
Fan Suwan thought she was considering Jiang Jing Shu’s best interests.
But after hearing these words, Jiang Jing Shu felt extremely embarrassed.
She was actually being asked to benefit from Jiang Zhi Yu’s good fortune?
What was the difference between that and slapping her in the face? Just
as Jiang Jing Shu was about to refuse, the Empress Dowager’s voice came from above.
“Many talented women have come to the flower-viewing banquet today. I wonder if I will have the honor of feasting my eyes on them.”
“What are you saying, Mother! Since you wish to see, just let them perform for you! If they can please you, that is their good fortune!” A
gentle voice suddenly rang out.
Jiang Zhiyu looked in the direction of the voice and saw a handsome man in a dragon robe walking towards them.
It was Emperor Zhaoming.
Beside Emperor Zhaoming was Xiao Yanchen, dressed in a black robe.