♂?，，

  Ming Xuan was very surprised, the other day her grandmother had sent Guan Yaya to deliver a gift to Shu Fei, she knew that it was highly likely that she would be summoned into the palace soon, but she didn't expect that Empress Pei would send someone over first.

  "She hesitated and asked, 'Is it an oral decree or a written edict? Is it only transmitted to me alone, or is there someone else as well?'"

  "His Majesty's decree," said the eunuch hastily, "the eunuch who transmitted the decree is still waiting in the outer courtyard, and the officials of the mansion have already prepared the carriage for going out, which is parked at the second gate, only you are summoned."

  She said with a worried expression, "You've just married and have never met the Empress before. Logically speaking, this first time shouldn't be just announcing your entry into the palace alone, should it? The Consort Shu has recently become pregnant, no matter what, she is still your sister. Will the Empress not vent her anger on you because of this?"

  It's not impossible that this worry is unfounded, otherwise it shouldn't be just Xuan alone entering the palace. At the very least, Concubine Min should have accompanied her, as they are both legitimate daughters-in-law of the main house and elder sisters of the Empress.

  There must be some reason for it.

  Ming Xuan currently does not have an imperial edict, and entering the palace doesn't require wearing court attire. She chose to wear dignified and elegant guest clothes, with a light dusting of powder on her face, revealing a slightly mature makeup look. On her head, she only wore a pair of sparse hairpins with a golden moon shape, dressing in a moderate and dignified manner, without losing the elegance of a noble daughter-in-law, nor overstepping her bounds.

  She looked left and right in the copper mirror, seeing that there was no mistake, then whispered, "Mother, to be honest, this time the Empress Dowager summoned me to the palace, I don't know what it's all about, I have no idea in my heart, fortunately she has issued a decree inviting me to enter the palace, thinking that she won't do anything unfavorable to me."

  These words made Sheng Jiang's expression even more solemn, and she hesitated before saying, "Why don't I find a way to inform the master about it? If the Empress Dowager keeps you for too long...it would be better..."

  Ming Xuan interrupted the words of Yan Niangniang, shaking her head and saying, "Hui Fei and Shu Fei are both pregnant at the same time. The Empress Dowager is busy with them and can't even take care of two people, let alone deal with a nameless little servant like me. Moreover, the Emperor is on a military campaign in the west, and my brother has not yet left the capital. Even for his sake, the Empress would not dare to move against me at this time."

  The old man is a outsider. He can't enter the inner palace, and even if I go find him, it's just to let him worry about me for nothing."

  She suddenly changed the subject, "I'll let Dan Hong follow me into the palace, and you stay here to guard the courtyard. If I don't return by dusk, then go find Master, and think of a way to send my message to Yongning Marquis's residence. Eldest uncle doesn't care about my life or death, grandmother has a kind heart but is powerless, but brother will not abandon me."

  Whether it's groundless anxiety or not, necessary arrangements should still be made before attending this suspicious banquet.

  Yan's nanny nodded in agreement, and then pulled Dan Hong over to whisper to her. "I accompanied the old lady to the palace twice before, and the rules inside are much stricter than outside. This time, the Empress Dowager summoned Da Niang to enter the palace, I think it's probably a warning. When you follow her in, be careful with your words and actions. No matter what happens, you must follow Da Niang's lead and not act on your own again."

  She paused slightly, "Don't take what the nanny said to heart. During the previous emperor's time, there was a Wu Guifei who managed the harem when the empress was absent. One day at Changchun Hall, she met with the ladies-in-waiting and one of them brought a maidservant who spoke out of turn and said something unpleasant. Wu Guifei was enraged on the spot and had that maidservant beaten to death."

  Dan Hong was taken aback for a moment, then nodded hastily and said, "I remember what you said, Auntie. I won't dare to speak randomly or act recklessly. Everything will be done properly and according to the rules, as per your instructions."

  Ming Xuan's eyes, however, held a different color. If she wasn't mistaken, the one who had been beaten to death by Wu Guifei at that time was none other than Liang Shi, the personal maid of Pei Xiang's widow, Madame Liang. The previous gossipmonger had mentioned this matter before, although it wasn't very clear. But if it weren't so, why would Yu Zhen Shitai, who had left the worldly affairs behind, look at Wu Guifei with a different gaze?

  Her mother-in-law, Princess Yongjia of Guangdong, was a junior whom Yu Zhen Shitai extremely loved.

  The Princess of Yongjia died prematurely in childbirth and suffered a difficult labor with severe bleeding, and in such a tragic event, the figure of Liang was seen everywhere.

  The horse carriage quickly arrived at the imperial city, and Ming Xuan did not lift the curtain as she had done before. Caution was one of the reasons, but the main reason was that she had no good feelings towards this palace where her sister's lively life was buried. If it weren't for the unavoidable circumstances, she wouldn't even be willing to step into this place half a step.

  She had never met Gu Mingrong, but her study was filled with the traces left by Mingrong. The poems, the paintings, the embroidered pieces, and the letters that recorded her thoughts were all over her mind, constructing a vivid outline of Mingrong.

  Even if Ming Xuan was a wandering soul from another world, she now had the same blood flowing through her veins as Ming Rong. Every time she thought of this woman who should have been as elegant and refined as a bright moon, but was only in her early twenties when she died, it was as if she was still in the prime of her life, yet all that remained was a desolate white skeleton, rotting away in the quiet, deserted temple of the imperial mausoleum.

  It's hard to calm down.

  After entering the Anhe Gate, Pei's carriage was no longer allowed to pass, and there were already palace sedan chairs waiting on the side. The eunuch who delivered the edict was very polite, bowing his body and asking Mingyuan to change into a soft sedan chair. She lightly moved her lotus steps, lowered her head and entered the sedan chair, the silk curtain fell, and through that brief moment of opening and closing, she saw the cold palace wall, icy, ancient, desolate.

  This place she avoided was where the noble ladies of the Zhou Dynasty flocked to.

  This tiny palace is also the center of power in the world.

  Upon entering the Kun Ning Palace, the eunuch who had delivered the imperial edict invited Ming Xuan to come down, and a female official took his place. The female official was about 27 or 28 years old, with a dignified and elegant appearance, and an extraordinary aura about her. At first glance, it would be easy for someone not in the know to mistake her for a member of some noble family.

  She slightly bowed and said in a calm tone, "Pay respects to Madam Pei, I am Xing Yu, the maid serving by the side of Her Majesty the Empress. The Empress has been waiting for some time in the main hall."

  Ming Xuan hastily expressed her fear and followed Yingxiu's aunt into the main hall.

  It was the height of summer, and even if she didn't move, she would still sweat profusely. The luxurious clothes she wore to receive guests were thick and heavy, and the carriages and sedan chairs on the way were all airtight, so her underclothes had long been soaked through. But as soon as she stepped into the Kunning Palace, a cool breeze surged out from inside the hall, lowering the temperature of her slightly sweaty forehead.

  Ming Xuan didn't dare to look around, and wherever her eyes fell, she saw that at the four corners of the main hall, there was a large purple gold tripod furnace, with wisps of white smoke rising from it. It seemed that ice blocks had been placed inside, causing the heat in the hall to dissipate, making it feel like being in a vast and cold place.

  She thought to herself, nowadays ice is very valuable, even the wealthy Yongning Marquis's household only dares to take out a small block or two every day to dispel the heat. Looking at the coolness in the imperial palace, it's likely that just this one expense would cost a lot of gold. This palace really is a money pit.

  Inside, a gentle voice called out from the main seat, "Is it Big Sister who has come?"

  Ming Xuan knew that this should be Empress Pei, but she didn't dare to answer randomly, nor did she dare to raise her head to look around. She just followed the lead of the female official and performed the grand ceremony of paying respects.

  The queen's gentle and soft voice sounded again, "Get up, come on, give the great grandma a seat."

  Ming Xuan busied herself thanking everyone, and only then slowly took her seat. In the instant she sat down, she quickly glanced at the empress with a sideways glance. She didn't get a very clear look at the empress's face, but just from the outline, it still seemed more like Yang Shi's. However, this voice was soft and gentle, vastly different from Yang Shi's sharp tongue, which was quite astonishing.

  She still didn't dare to lift her head, sitting upright and staring at her own hands with downcast eyes.

  The queen smiled and said, "I was thinking that after the elder sister entered the house, she had not yet been seen, so I announced the elder sister to come in and chat. However, the elder sister kept her head down, and all I saw was a black back of the head. What kind of thing is this?"

  If this were said by someone else, it would naturally be a joke. But coming from the mouth of the empress who is revered as the mother of the heavens, it's not something to be taken lightly. If someone with malicious intentions were to seize upon this and claim that this is an act of great disrespect, it could lead to punishment.

  Ming Xuan's heart skipped a beat, and she hastily stood up, bowed her head to show respect, and said in a low voice, "I'm a newcomer to the palace, unfamiliar with etiquette and rituals. I hope Your Majesty will forgive me."

  She felt a little apprehensive, the empress wouldn't summon her to the palace for no reason, most likely it was to give her a warning, if she wasn't careful and made a mistake, the one who would end up suffering would be herself.

  The queen hastily said, "Xing Xiu, quickly help the eldest lady up. As a family of close relatives, they keep kneeling down and getting up, how can we have an intimate conversation? This is also related to Eldest Sister's recent marriage into the palace. Once she becomes more familiar with the palace after frequent visits, things will not be so awkward."

  Ming Xuan slightly raised her head, "Yes."

  This time she finally saw the appearance of the empress, and indeed, like Yang Shi, she was a stunning beauty.

  Compared to Yang, the Empress Pei's eyebrows and eyes had a few more degrees of kindness and compassion, which made her overly bright complexion soft and gentle, and her entire demeanor added a few degrees of tolerance and magnanimity, this was the unique posture of those who had been in high positions for a long time, as if they were about to look down on all living things.

  Empress Pei was also sizing up Ming Xuan, whose face was exquisitely beautiful, although her makeup seemed a bit old-fashioned, but couldn't hide her natural beauty. Just look at the white skin on her neck and the slender wrist that shone with luster, no wonder she had completely captivated Pei Jingzhen in just over a month after marrying him.

  She smiled all over her face, looking very happy. "I've long heard from my mother that elder sister-in-law is a beauty, and even surpasses second sister-in-law. Today I see it's true!"

  Ming Xuan hastily replied, "Your Ladyship is overpraising me!"

  But in her heart, she couldn't help but sneer. Just now when she raised her head, she clearly saw the shock at the bottom of Empress Pei's eyes. However, in an instant, the empress's face only showed enthusiasm and joy. Indeed, she was the carefully nurtured granddaughter of Prime Minister Pei, not like Yang who wore her heart on her sleeve.

  Ming Xuan couldn't help but sigh, even if she was as noble as Empress Pei, she was just a woman wearing a mask in the palace, unable to express her true feelings. What's the use of having a high status?

  She gazed at the woman in magnificent attire on the upper seat, faintly revealing a smile. Her right hand unintentionally brushed across her face. She knew what shocked the Empress Dowager - it was because she had a face that bore a seven or eight out of ten resemblance to the late Crown Princess. If she looked thoughtful, it was shock, not disgust...

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