Chapter 270

Everyone was secretly surprised but didn't dare to say much. When the Empress Dowager heard the word "wedding," her face darkened, and she was clearly a bit annoyed, but what she said was not like that at all: "Let the men handle those complicated things. However, Concubine Qing is right. How about this: Ling'er is going to marry Prime Minister Lou as his wife, so she still needs to learn palace etiquette. I will ask the Emperor for an imperial decree for you to enter the palace to learn etiquette openly, so that you sisters can have a good gathering."

"Empress Dowager..."

"That's enough, it's settled." The Empress Dowager waved her hand, not allowing her to say more. Qingfeng still wanted to speak, but Big Sister suddenly gave her a look, preventing her from speaking again. Just a worried look brought Qingfeng a long-lost warmth.

The Empress Dowager was trying her best to get Big Sister into the palace, and she definitely didn't have any good intentions. Qingfeng was thinking about how to get her sister out of such a dangerous situation when a shrill, high-pitched voice of a eunuch came from far to near: "The Eastern Empress Dowager has arrived."

Eastern Empress Dowager? Lou Xiyan's aunt! What was she doing here?

Just as the eunuch's shouting voice fell, a woman dressed in dark red, magnificent attire, surrounded by eunuchs and palace maids, entered the hall. Her well-maintained face and tall figure made her look younger than the Western Empress Dowager, only in her early forties. With magnificent clothes and golden hairpins, she was imposing. By comparison, the Western Empress Dowager looked much simpler and more approachable.

Her sudden arrival made a group of concubines panic, and they hurriedly stood up to pay their respects: "Paying respects to the Empress Dowager, may the Empress Dowager be blessed with peace."

"All rise." Without looking at the women kneeling on the ground, Lou Suxin walked toward Yang Zhilan.

Yang Zhilan hurriedly stood up to greet her and smiled: "Sister, please sit down. How do you have time to come to me?"

"I heard that you were holding a banquet in the palace, so I came to join in the fun." Lou Suxin swept her eyes over everyone and asked casually: "Where were we just now? Continue."

Unfortunately, everyone lowered their heads and no one dared to answer; everyone seemed a bit afraid of her. The Western Empress Dowager patted Zhuo Qing's hand affectionately and smiled: "I heard that Xiyan is getting married, but he hid the bride so well. I specially invited her into the palace today to see. She is indeed a smart and clever girl, and she is pleasing to the eye. Just now we were discussing asking the Emperor to issue a decree to summon Ling'er into the palace to learn royal etiquette, so that she can also accompany Concubine Qing. Both sisters have been away from home for so long, they must have a lot to say."

Her gaze just drifted past her lightly. Zhuo Qing suspected that Lou Suxin hadn't seen her appearance clearly at all. With a bit of arrogance, Lou Suxin said loudly: "So that's what it's about. Xiyan has been in poor health since he was a child, and he is prone to illness in the spring and summer. Ling'er knows acupuncture and can treat him when he is ill. He insisted on begging me to let Nanny Wu go out of the palace to teach Ling'er etiquette. I couldn't resist him, so I agreed."

The Western Empress Dowager clearly knew how to assess the situation, changed the subject, and smiled: "So that's how it is. Since it concerns Xiyan's health, let's drop this matter. It's rare for you to come, sister, let's have a meal together."

"Good." With both Empress Dowagers sitting there, the atmosphere, which was not very cheerful to begin with, suddenly became dull, and everyone found this meal very difficult to eat. After the last dish was served, Lou Suxin put down her bowl and chopsticks, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then led Zhuo Qing out of Xixia Palace.

Qingfeng looked at Zhuo Qing's receding back, worried endlessly. This Eastern Empress Dowager was so overbearing, appearing suddenly today to take her sister away, she didn't know what her intentions were?

Princess Zhaoyun was the Western Empress Dowager's only apple of her eye. Prime Minister Lou's marriage was spreading like wildfire in the palace. The Western Empress Dowager's banquet for Qing Ling this time was definitely not as polite as it looked on the surface, but she didn't expect that it had just begun when it was disrupted by the Eastern Empress Dowager, and in the end, the person was taken away. Anyone with a discerning eye could see that the Western Empress Dowager's mood at this time was definitely darker than her complexion.

Everyone said their goodbyes one after another. Just as Qingfeng stood up, Yang Zhilan suddenly said: "Concubine Qing hasn't been in the palace long, stay and talk to me."

Qingfeng's steps stalled. Sure enough, what was to come would come. Yang Zhilan couldn't keep Big Sister, so now she was going to find trouble with her? Qingfeng walked back to her original seat coldly. She didn't have much fear in her heart; soldiers come to block, water comes to cover. The Empress Dowager couldn't be more terrifying than Yan Hongtian.

When Zhen Zhen walked past Qingfeng, she glanced at her. The complex light in her eyes made Qingfeng feel inexplicable. It didn't look like pity, nor did it look like gloating. That glance was too short, and Qingfeng didn't have time to identify the emotions in it before she had already left gracefully.

Consort Hui? Was she given this title because she was exceptionally intelligent? Qingfeng was curious about this elegant and exquisite woman who was unfathomable.

"Concubine Qing, come, come to my side."

Qingfeng was still watching Zhen Zhen's receding back when Yang Zhilan's consistently gentle voice sounded behind her. Qingfeng turned back and realized that the people in the hall had long since dispersed. Except for an old nanny standing beside the Empress Dowager, all the palace maids had been dismissed, and Fuling behind her was also gone. She must have been driven out too.

Qingfeng walked to Yang Zhilan and stood by her side. Before figuring out what the Empress Dowager wanted to do, Qingfeng lowered her head slightly, her gaze politely stopping below Yang Zhilan's waist, without rashly offending her.

Yang Zhilan secretly sized up the woman beside her. Her body was like a weak willow, her skin like congealed fat, and the half of her face without the scar was beautiful enough to make one's heart palpitate. Although she lowered her eyebrows and was submissive, she was also neither humble nor overbearing, and generous. The Qing family could not be considered a famous family in Haoyue, but it was a scholarly family. The daughter they raised should have good upbringing. Yang Zhilan was quite satisfied with her performance and said with a smile: "Sit."

Qingfeng sat down as instructed.

Picking up the hot tea handed over by the nanny, Yang Zhilan smiled: "Are you used to living in the palace?"

Qingfeng replied faintly: "Used to it."

"As long as you are used to it. A woman who has entered the palace can only face the four palace walls to live her life. I was afraid you would be bored."

Bored, that's an understatement! Qingfeng snorted coldly in her heart. Yang Zhilan keeping her here wouldn't just be to talk about these irrelevant things. Qingfeng hoped she would finish speaking quickly. She only wanted to leave here as soon as possible and find out about Big Sister's situation after being taken away by the Eastern Empress Dowager.

Qingfeng remained silent, her brows furrowed slightly. Yang Zhilan had lived in the deep palace for a long time and had seen countless people, so she naturally knew that she had lost her patience and didn't want to exchange pleasantries with her anymore. Yang Zhilan said bluntly: "I understand. It's not easy for you sisters to come from Haoyue to Qiongyue, and I also feel heartache for you. Xuan'er and Xiyan are childhood sweethearts, and their feelings are very good. It's only a matter of time before they get married. Ling'er is a very spirited child. I am very relieved to have her and Xuan'er take care of Xiyan together." She watched Lou Xiyan grow up. He was gentle, soft, and harmless on the surface, but he actually had his own plans in his heart and was difficult to fathom. It was impossible not to let him marry Qing Ling. The important thing was to keep Xuan'er's position as the legal wife. It was hard to persuade Lou Xiyan, so she could only start with the Qing sisters.

Take care of him together? Did the Empress Dowager mean to let Princess Zhaoyun and Big Sister marry Lou Xiyan together? After all, their sisters were outsider women, so it was probably impossible to be Lou Xiyan's legal wife. Marrying into the Lou family together with the Princess without distinction of size might not be a bad way, but? It was truly wronging Big Sister. Yang Zhilan saw her thinking seriously, and the corner of her mouth raised slightly. If Qing Ling married Lou Xiyan, Qingfeng would also be considered a relative of the Prime Minister of this dynasty, and her position in the palace would be consolidated. She wouldn't be stupid enough not to know how to grab this big tree!

Taking a light sip of fragrant tea, Yang Zhilan sighed in a low voice: "Ling'er receiving Xiyan's deep love and becoming a concubine of the Qiongyue Prime Minister is her good fortune, and it is also your good fortune. It's just that you must know how to make good use of this good fortune. The most important thing in being a person and doing things is still to have a clear mirror in your heart, know when to advance and retreat, and know the big picture."

Concubine?!

She wanted Big Sister to be a concubine?! Qingfeng raised her head to look at Yang Zhilan, only to see her holding a white jade teacup, tasting tea with a relaxed and peaceful expression, the corners of her mouth slightly raised with a smile. Even if her clothes were plain and her words were gentle, the look of being superior that naturally revealed between her eyebrows was so dazzling.

Have a clear mirror in your heart, know when to advance and retreat, and know the big picture! Qingfeng mocked herself. She finally understood; it was she who was self-righteous. In the eyes of these incomparably noble royal families, being a concubine was already elevating them! Qingfeng stood up abruptly, looking down at Yang Zhilan sitting on the wooden chair with a pair of spirited eyes, and said loudly: "The Empress Dowager's words are reasonable. Our sisters have never thought of climbing the dragon and attaching to the phoenix, but Prime Minister Lou is the head of the family and the Prime Minister of a country. Who he wants to marry, how can a woman be able to influence it."

Qingfeng said the word "woman" particularly loudly, squinting her phoenix eyes and staring coldly at Yang Zhilan. The implication could not be clearer. She couldn't afford to offend Lou Xiyan, so she came to trample on their sisters? Don't even think about it!

Qingfeng suddenly seemed like a different person. Yang Zhilan was stunned for a time. Nanny Su behind her came back to her senses and scolded in a low voice: "Presumptuous!"

Was this considered presumptuous? Qingfeng sneered, bowed perfunctorily, and said: "It's getting late, Qingfeng doesn't dare to disturb the Empress Dowager's rest, I will take my leave." She had already understood the Empress Dowager's intentions, and she couldn't possibly persuade her sister to be a concubine for the sake of her own comfort in the palace. Staying here was meaningless.

The Empress Dowager didn't give an order, yet she said she wanted to leave. In this harem, no one had ever dared to be so rude, it was simply lawless! Nanny Su stepped forward, about to teach Qingfeng a lesson, but Yang Zhilan raised her hand slightly, signaling her to retreat.

Yang Zhilan had already come back to her senses. Looking at the unruly Qingfeng before her, she still smiled as kindly as before and said: "You are also tired, retreat."

Qingfeng turned and left. Watching her arrogant and unreasonable back as she strode away, Nanny Su couldn't help but spit: "This Qingfeng is really unappreciative."

"Forget it, which woman who has just entered the palace doesn't have a bit of arrogance." Yang Zhilan didn't take Qingfeng seriously at all. It was too easy to rectify her; the most difficult thing to handle was Qing Ling. Lou Suxin coming to Xixia Palace tonight to take the person away must have been Lou Xiyan's request. What kind of charm did that woman have to fascinate Lou Xiyan like this?! Xuan'er? What should she do?

The night wind rose, sweeping the sultry humidity of summer, without a trace of coolness. The lotus leaves in the pond were blown crooked by this increasingly wild night wind. From afar, it looked like green waves rolling, and the newly grown pink flower buds seemed likely to be broken by the wind at any time. It looked like there would be a heavy rain soon.

(End of chapter)