After grooming and whatnot, it was finally time for the fl to meet the empress dowager. She was dreading the meeting but didn't have a choice but to submissibly go.
The night before she and the emperor didn't consummate their marriage and it would've been fine if they would've kept it a secret between themselves. However, as soon as she was done explaining her decision to the emperor he released a powerful energy that made her drop to her knees.
Although she was prepared for a little bit of anger, his reaction scared her silly. She has always been treated nicely. She was a lady from a noble household who was well versed in the four womanly arts and had a beautiful appearance. Although she wasn't a beauty who could destroy a nation, she was beautiful enough to make people look twice at her.
Thanks to that she has always been proud of herself. She wasn't a snob but she knew her self worth and always liked to express her opinion. She basically acted like a girl from the modern times. Yet, no one has ever gotten angry at her for saying things like they were.
They found it cute.
In fact that was the reason why many people thought she was interesting and wanted to mess with her. Even her older cousin fell in love with the cute little girl who always spoke her mind and made him want to protect her. So that she could always remain innocent and bright.
Unfortunately, she was now part of the emperor's harem. A place full of schemes and liars. Not to mention that the emperor was a brutish man, who caused her a lot of pain.
She didn't want to marry him but was still forced to enter the palanquin. Then she braced herself and told him the truth. Yet, her words were greeted with rage. She expected him to be a little offended and she was prepared to talk some sense into him. But his reaction was too much!!! He released a very oppressive aura that made her fall to get knees and made her feel an inexplicable pain in her chest.
She was a sheltered noble lady so she never experienced physical pain in her life. However, he didn't even touch her and she suffered. Then maids informed her that he ran to his consort.
Although she was glad she didn't have to give herself to him. She felt angry.
The sun hadn't even come up and the palace was filled with rumors about what a disappointment she was. Plus, it wasn't gonna take long before the common folk knew that she wasn't graced by the emperor. She was gonna be publicly shame and her house was gonna suffer because of it.
The only good part about the whole thing is that, her older cousin was gonna find out that she managed to protect her innocence.
She definitely was going to find a way to be with him and escape this hell.
After doing preparations she finally arrived at the empress dowager's palace.
Although, she technically had the position of empress, she was still nervous to meet the woman who led a nation and made her father suffer.
Once the guard announced her presence, she unconsciously straightened her back and walked straight to the empress dowager.
She felt nervous as hell but still managed to walk straight.
"Chenqie, greets empress dowager and wishes her good health," she said as she bowed and waited for a response.
"You may rise," said the empress dowager.
She was sitting elegantly on her throne with a group of maids and eunuchs standing behind her. They looked docile and respectful. While she looked elegant and strong.
Even if you didn't know her story, you would probably guess from her aura that she was someone smart and deserved respect.
The Fl got up and her eyes nervously darted from the empress dowager to the floor. She looked like she was ready to be eaten. Which made some of the maids in the hall feel pity for her.
Still they didn't say anything and waited for their master to speak. They didn't know what she was gonna say but they sure knew it wasn't going to be pretty.
Her family was the one who asked for the marriage. But the daughter couldn't even keep the man in the bedroom for one minute. Seriously!!!
This wasn't something to joke about. The emperor and empress didn't consummate the marriage. They were the two people the citizens were supposed looked up to and they didn't do the deed.
At least people couldn't say that there was something wrong with the emperor due to the fact that he stayed with his consort.
At this moment the empress dowager couldn't be more pleased by the presence of Sang Yunxie. She's truly a keeper!
However, now the empress dowager had to deal with this. Although she wasn't to pleased by her presence, she never imagined that she was gonna caused a scandal as soon as she entered the palace.
She looked at the fl up and down, trying to figure out what happened.
The fl's appearance wasn't bad. In fact she was quite beautiful. Her son didn't hate the thought of getting married. He was actually looking forward to it. So what the heck happened!!??
Anyhow, the empress dowager couldn't let th the fl just stand there. If not other people would say say that she was bullying her. Not that it matter anyway.
The empress dowager sighed and said, "empress, please take a seat." As she ordered the eunuchs to help her.
"Chenqie, thanks mother empress," said the fl trying to break the ice. Although it was true that she was the empress dowager, she was also her mother in law. Which meant that she had the right to call her mother.
Not to mention, that she couldn't just leave the palace at her own will. She had to stay here for a period of time. Her plan was to curry favor with the woman that carries more power than her. So that she could protect herself from the other poisonous concubines.
However, the empress dowager wasn't too fond of her new title.
"Empress, if aijia's not mistaken your marriage to the emperor is not yet official. Is aijia mistaken?"
The fl knew she was gonna bring up the topic, she just didn't know it was gonna be this soon.
The empress was looking at her with sharp eyes and didn't even bother to smile. As she waited for a response.
"Mother empress, I feel like there was a misunderstanding," the fl started to explain.
It was obvious that she was gonna say a lie since her hands kept playing with a handkerchief. But the empress dowager was still curious to know what she was gonna come up with.
At least this way her intelligence could be measured.
"You see, the emperor wasn't feeling well. So Chenqie suggested he visited the palace of imperial consort Sang. Since many people have praised what a great doctor she is. Unfortunately, the emperor never returned to my chambers and stayed with her."
This bitch!! Thought the empress dowager.
She expressed her concern for the emperor and blame Yunxie of being a seductress in the process. Making herself look like a poor victim who's husband was stolen. Not to mention that she looked so innocent while saying it.
"Oh my! That must've been really difficult for the empress. However, aijia's bit confused. Why didn't you called the imperial doctor, instead of sending you're husband to another woman in the middle of the night?" Asked the empress dowager with a genuinely confused expression.
The fl was dying during the entire exchange. Yes, she lied to the empress dowager. But if she hadn't lie, she was meant to be bully by the other concubines.
Not to mention that her dad was gonna be extremely disappointed in her.
So she braced herself and thought of a way to respond. "Chenqie thought that imperial consort was the best doctor in the palace and decided that it was best if he went to her."
Like that she completely rebutted the empress dowager and managed to save some face.
Still, the empress dowager was having none of it and said, "I see, but empress you haven't answered aijia's original question. Is your marriage to the emperor official?"
The fl thought of lying again. But quickly decided against it. She didn't have the handkerchief with the blood to prove the union and she couldn't just create one out of nothing. Plus, the emperor hadn't even stayed with for more than ten minutes.
So she went for the safer option and didn't lie. However, she wasn't gonna let this opportunity pass.
As soon as the empress asked the question, she held her handkerchief to her face and put on a pitiful expression. However, as she was about to talk, a guard announced the presence of the emperor.