c34 (2/2)
“Yes.” Xin Yue Ning has lost her patience thus Shui Xin did not continue to persuade. She slightly bowed and quietly retreated.
*****
Shens.h.i.+ (modern time: 3 pm – 5 pm) has long pa.s.sed and under the layers of embroidered bed drapes, the person lay quietly there after bathing for the entire day.
Opening the curtains at the window, Fu Ling lowly advised, “Mistress, you have not eaten for a day, please have some bird’s nest porridge.”
Qing Feng’s back faced her while she was lying down and turned a deaf ear to what she had said. Fu Ling walked closer and set down on the edge of the bed whispering, “This servant heard a news today.”
The person on the bed still ignored her, Fu Ling deliberately said loudly, “It is about Miss Qing Ling.”
After speaking, Fu Ling no longer talk and the inner chambers is filled with silence. A moment later, the previously person with no reaction suddenly turned around and anxiously spoke, “What news?”
Fu Ling took the advantage to hand over the bird’s nest porridge over.
Staring at her, Qing Feng sat up and took the bowl. While scooping the porridge into her mouth, she asked, “What exactly is the news?”
She eventually ate something. Fu Ling secretly gave a sigh of relief before replying, “Prime Minster Lou have requested a decree from the Emperor yesterday, to marry Miss Qing Ling as his official wife.”
The spoon in Qing Feng hands paused and she asked unbelievably, “Really?” Official wife! Even though in her heart, this position is what her Eldest Sister truely deserved, but… Lou Xi Yan wanted to marry a non-local female as his official wife. Is that possible?
“Yes.” Fu Ling’s affirmative answer made Qing Feng surprise turn into a form of disturbance and she asked, “Where did you hear this from?”
“This news was spread in the Palace since morning. Heard that when Princess Chao Yun heard this news, she almost fainted. Both the East and West Empress Dowager rushed over to comfort her. This thing will not pa.s.s like this. Only afraid that you will be implicated into the matter…” Miss Qing Ling is located outside the palace and have Prime Minister Lou’s protection thus naturally nothing will befall on her, but there will be impact on her.
“What is there to be afraid of?” Qing Feng softly snorted, “Lou Xi Yan is not afraid, I also do not have anything to fear.” She is only carelessly living in the palace. “I don’t want to eat already.” She handed the bowl back to Fu Ling and Qing Ling asked curiously, “There are two Empress Dowager in the Palace?”
“En.” Fu Ling look at that the half eaten bird’s nest porridge in her hands and secretly shook her head but did not comment anything on it. She stood up and place the bowl on the low table at the side before replying softly, “The West Empress Dowager is originally the favourite concubine of the Late Emperor and she borne two sons and a daughter, of whom is the Emperor. The East Empress Dowager is the Late Emperor’s official wife and the Empress. She did not have any children all these while and the Late Emperor place the Emperor under the care of the East Empress Dowager to adopt. After the Emperor ascended to the throne, then there was the t.i.tle of East and West Empress Dowager. In addition… The East Empress Dowager is the paternal aunt of Prime Minister Lou.”
Paternal aunt? So it was like that. No wonder Yan Hong Tian treated Lou Xi Yan with significantly higher tolerance. With Lou Xi Yan’s type of ident.i.ty, for Eldest Sister to marry into the Lou family, it would be even more difficult. However Qing Feng was not very worried about Eldest sister because Lou Xi Yan had already requested a decree from the Emperor, so he must have a plan in place. ‘Prime Minister Lou marrying a non-local female as his official wife’ kind of news, if it wasn’t spread by someone with hidden intentions, will anyone in the palace will dare to do it? Qing Feng’s lips slightly raised, it would seems that Lou Xi Yan is sincerely treating Eldest Sister. If he really manage to be her husband, it would be Eldest Sister’s good fortune.
“Your Ladys.h.i.+p.” Outside the screen, Lan-er carefully called out softly.
She scolded her yesterday because of the suppressed anger in her chest, even though Qing Feng need not apologise to Lan-er, her tone of voice was obviously much milder, “What is it about?”
Lan-er sighed secretly and replied softly, “Someone from Xi Xia Palace came to reply Empress Dowager’s imperial decree, requesting you to head to Xi Xia Palace for a banquet at Yous.h.i.+ (modern timing: 5 pm – 7 pm).”
Trouble indeed came so fast! Qing Feng expression was slightly heavy as she impatiently replied, “Say that I am not feeling well and will not go.”
The Empress Dowager conferred a feast, even the Empress don’t dare to not go. If she were to return the message as such, a calamity will indeed befall on them. Lan-er hesitated for a moment but didn’t dare to say anything, thus she only cried back a “Yes”. Just when she was about to withdraw, Qing Feng suddenly exclaim, “Come back.”
Lan-er waiting outside the screen for a while but there was no response from inside. She raise gradually to look over and saw Qing Feng sitting on the bed with her head slightly down. She was unable to tell what sort of expression it was. Suddenly Qing Feng raise her head and replied, “Answer back indicating… I will be attending the banquet on time.”
“Yes.” Lan-er quickly straighten her body to avoid Qing Feng’s gaze and quietly withdrew.
Qing Feng barely propped her body up using the bed curtains, unsure if it is the effect of the bowl of medicine, there were waves of throbbing at her abdominal. Qing Feng clenched her teeth and forced herself out of the bed before saying lowly, “Fu Ling, help me to dress up.”
“Yes.” Fu Ling quickly approach to support Qing Feng to sit down before the bronze mirror. The sunlight from outside the window shone on her face. Fu Ling could clearly see that her face was so pale that it scared others and the red marks on her necks and faint bruises on her wrist were clearly visible.
Fu Ling was worried, her looking like this, how would she attend this obvious ill-bearing banquet?
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