Chapter 286 – Gossip Kills (1)

“Old Madam is in the palace?”

Transfixed on the woman in the mirror, Lu Wushuang was intently painting her eyebrows. Every day, she made sure to take meticulous care of her beauty, who knew when the emperor may decide to grace her with his presence …

When she heard Qiu Yan’s words, she put down the brush in hand and turned to look at her maid.

Why didn’t Grandmother come to see her when she entered the palace?

Lu Wushuang frowned in displeasure. “These days, this w.a.n.g fei has been paying my respects to the empress dowager. She is as indifferent to me as before. Do you want me to just watch Empress Dowager talk and laugh with Xu Huiru? If so, don’t ask me to go to the Cining Palace in the future again.” She bellowed.

In order to make amends, she had followed her maid’s advice and religiously visited the empress dowager every day. The originally stiff rapport between her and her mother-in-law remained unaffected. She had almost reconciled to the fact until she saw the old woman’s chatting and laughing with Xu Hiuru. Upon the disparity in treatments, the fire of humiliation had been long stewing in her heart.

Aunt He was helpless. Although she was the one to offer the advice, she had only done so with good intention. Little had she known that the other concubines were seen in a better light than her mistress. But she was not rueful over her words, she knew it was the best and only recourse they had now.

“Your Highness, you have to be patient. Hasn’t Xian Fei Xu been paying her respects to Empress Dowager every day too? With time, the empress dowager will naturally acknowledge your filial piety.”

“Until when should I wait?” Lu Wushuang was surging with impatience. It had been days since her confinement had been lifted and yet Mo Rongzhan still hadn’t come to see her. Has he already forgotten their times together?

“Your Highness, didn’t the emperor show any favor to anyone these days? Even Xian Fei Xu hasn’t seen the emperor for several days. This is your chance, so you should often visit Empress Dowager’s palace to pay respect.” Aunt He tried to persuade her.

Lu Wushuang hesitated and considered her maid’s words. She realized those words weren’t wrong. Since the arrival of the new concubines in the palace, there had been no word of the emperor visiting anyone let alone bestowing a favour, except for that one time when he had been to Xu Huiru place. But nothing after that. In the end, she accepted the reality- Since no one had seen the emperor, it was only natural to strive for it.

“Your Highness, Princess Royal, and Princess Liu Hua have entered the palace.” Qiu Yan came in and whispered.

“What are they doing in the palace?” At once, her face darkened.

If there was something that beat Lu Wushuang hatred of Xu Huiru, it was the words- Liu Hua. Every time she found out that this woman had entered the palace, she had been angered to the limit.

Qiu Yan cautiously replied, “Replying to Her Highness, they went to Cining Palace.” But before her mistress could blow her top, she hurriedly added: “Empress Dowager did not see them immediately and had Princess Royal wait outside for a long time before letting them in.”

Lu Wushuang’s eyes brightened. “Is that so?”

Isn’t Empress Dowager the most indulgent of Princess Royal? She used to be very polite to her imperial sister-in-law, how could she treat her coldly today?

“I shall go and greet Empress Dowager!” Lu Wushuang said excitedly as she thought that if the empress dowager hated Princess Royal and her daughter, she would not let the latter enter the palace.

Aunt He sighed in her heart. She didn’t know when her mistress would wake up from the fact that she was still as favoured as before, and the emperor was only angry with her and still loved her. But who could make her see the truth? … Her former status and days of glory would never be revived.

If the emperor had her in his heart, he would have come to visit her. Why wait until now? If one does not serve the empress dowager well, perhaps even the position … an imperial concubine, would be lost in the future. She kept her thoughts to herself, after all, she was riding a tiger she couldn’t dismount.

Lu Wushuang was very excited to go to Cining Palace to enjoy the scene of Princess Royal being treated coldly. When she arrived, she was immediately invited in.

In the main hall, in addition to the Old Madam Lu were Princess Royal and Princess Liu Hua with their ghastly pale faces.

“Ten thousand blessings to Empress Dowager. This w.a.n.g fei greets Her Highness.” Lu Wushuang’s smile had never been sweeter, her att.i.tude extremely respectful.

“w.a.n.g Fei came. Give her a seat.” The empress dowager glanced at Lu Wushuang lightly.

How could she not know why Lu Wushuang came to see her every day? Now, she was not the only concubine in the palace, besides the emperor didn’t like her. She hoped to see the emperor here.

Lu Wushuang sat down, turned to look at Old Madam Lu, and asked with a smile, “Grandmother, why did you enter the palace?”

She didn’t come to see me when she entered the palace, but came to find the empress dowager? What happened?