Chapter 409 - He Yuxiu Saw Consort Zhao by Plot (2/2)

He Yuxiu’s eyes flickered, and she came up to ask with a smile, “Are you talking about Her Highness, Consort Zhao? Where can I seek an audience with her?”

“Just in the pavilion in front, but there are eunuchs and guards outside. No one is permitted to come in. It is a pity to let the pool of lotus go to waste. It is impossible to see the early lotus in this season outside the palace.”

Seeing He Yuxiu was strange but kind, the two ladies answered regretfully, because they had enjoyed the scenery there, but all the people were driven out there at the Consort Zhao’s arrival. It was a waterside pavilion with a pool of locus beside. In this season, a few flowers had bloomed pleasantly above the water.

He Yuxiu didn’t come to appreciate the lotus with them, so she just exchanged some greetings and then deliberately s.h.i.+fted the topic about the routes to the pavilion. After getting precise information, He Yuxiu hurried to the road that the ladies pointed to her. At the same time, behind her near the flowers, a woman wearing the palace dress held the fruit tray in her hands and traced back He Yuxiu slowly.

“How dare you! Her Highness is resting in the pavilion in front. Retreat now!” Two guards stretched out the swords and blocked He Yuxiu with stern faces. Viewed afar, a pavilion was exactly there where Consort Zhao was surrounded by a group of palace maidservants. With the breeze pa.s.sing by, the ornament and jewelry jingled. Consort Zhao did look strikingly opulent.

Imagining that she would live such an opulent life, He Yuxiu was too agitated to be scared, so she said to the guards peevishly, “Elder Brother, would you kindly make an exception for me this time and go to report that I am Her Highness’ niece from her paternal family? And I come here to beg for an audience especially.”

Her Highness’ niece?

The two guards looked at each other and saw the doubt in each other’s eyes. For so many years in the palace, they had never heard that Consort Zhao had any family members.

“How dare you! Where are you from? Dare to pa.s.s yourself off as Her Highness’ niece?” A harsher guard scolded coldly and pointed his sword at He Yuxiu, showing no intention to let her in.

“Get away!”

“My dear guard, I am really the niece of Her Highness. Please help me to report to Her Highness. I will be at your disposal if I am fake.” He Yuxiu was reluctant to drop the idea, but did not dare to come forward. Seeing it was not far from the pavilion, she yelled suddenly, “Her Highness, I am your niece from your paternal family. Please grant an audience to me!”

When the two guards saw He Yuxiu did not leave but made a loud noise instead, they got angry, and one of them came up to directly drag He Yuxiu’s clothes to pull her out. It was in the palace where no one was allowed to create a disturbance, let alone a moderate woman. If it disturbed His Majesty and he looked into it, the two guards would be killed without a doubt.

“Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Her Highness gives an order to allow the woman’s audience.” A eunuch ran over and wheezed.

The two guards released her, looked at each other, and retreated.

On the ground, He Yuxiu was almost scared to death, just staring blankly at the eunuch running to her and unable to react. Just now, when she was dragged by the guards, she thought she was going to die.

“You are Her Highness’ niece?” The eunuch came over to stand beside and looked disdainfully at the embarra.s.sed woman on the ground. The eunuch thought that the woman looked pretty at the age of 15 or 16, but the palace was full of beautiful women, so her appearance was just cla.s.sed as a common one in the palace.

Although she had many ornaments on her hands and head, none of them were precious. She seemed not to be a lady from a high, n.o.ble family.

Given her coward appearance, she lacked the air that a girl from an eminent family should have, and looked too frumpy to be presented. And now she fell on the ground with a disheveled look, which was rather unsightly.

Being in a state of shock, He Yuxiu raised her head and answered pitifully. “I, I am.”

The eunuch threw a glance at her and said indifferently, “Come with me.” Then, the eunuch simply turned around and led the way even without paying a salute to He Yuxiu. Obviously, the eunuch did not take her seriously. He Yuxiu who had come to herself gritted her teeth secretly with anger, but she also knew that it was not the time to get cross and that all the things should be left till she met Her Highness, Consort Zhao. He Yuxiu’s senior uncle and second young uncle had said that Consort Zhao was so conscientious that she would not act like Consort Xian who had forgotten her origin and driven her paternal family members to a remote place and let them live and die there, and enjoyed a luxurious life in the palace herself.

In the pavilion, Consort Zhao sat there, wearing a gorgeous palace suit, like a beautiful woman about 20 years old. She was looking mildly at the awkward He Yuxiu.

He Yuxiu did not dare to take more looks at Consort Zhao, but took two steps forward, knelt down respectfully, kowtowed and said, “He Yuxiu pays respects to Your Highness, and wish Your Highness a long life and good health.” She had not expected that things would go on so smoothly and that she could see Consort Zhao so easily. She was in such an excited mood that her voice began trembling slightly.

He Yuxiu thought, “My elder uncle and father racked their brains to see Her Highness, but both failed. But I could accomplish it today after I entered the palace just for a while. In this regard, I should take a big share in the glory and wealth in the future.”

“You are He Yuxiu?” Consort Zhao did not let her stand up but looked at her carefully. “Raise your head.”

“I am He Yuxiu.” He Yuxiu raised her head slowly and looked up at Consort Zhao. Just now, she did not dare to move. But now she felt a bit relieved inwardly and dared to looked at Consort Zhao carefully.

Although the woman sitting above was not young, she was still exceedingly fascinating and charming and wore luxurious clothes. Looking at the glittering clothes, He Yuxiu could not help but swallow and tried hard to s.h.i.+ft her eyes from them, thinking that judging from the treasures on Her Highness, Her Highness did gain great grace in the palace.

At the thought that Her Highness would probably grant some of the treasure to her, He Yuxiu felt a surge of excitement run through her.

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