The Prime Minister's Darling
Chapter 540 - 540 270 Reunion (Two updates combined into one)_2

Chapter 540: 270 Reunion (Two updates combined into one)_2 Chapter 540: 270 Reunion (Two updates combined into one)_2 Xiao Liulang paused, pinching the handkerchief in his hand.

Eventually, he did not withdraw his hand, but gently wiped her forehead.

Eunuch Wei had prepared a chamber for the two of them and invited them to rest.

“I don’t need to, you go and rest,” Gu Jiao said to Xiao Liulang.

Xiao Liulang hesitated: “I don’t need to either.”

Gu Jiao stayed up all night with the patient.

Xiao Liulang stayed up all night with her.

The palace was shrouded in deep silence, with silhouettes projected in the cold window, branches and moon clung to each other in the cloud, a night of tranquility.

Early in the morning, Empress Dowager Zhuang went to court to continue her affair of political regency behind a curtain. Almost all the officials were present, except for the drowsy Marquis of Xuanping, including the newly appointed Principal of Guozijian and the Grand Marshal.

Empress Dowager Zhuang sat behind a string of black pearls, dignified and dignified.

The time for morning court passed, but the emperor did not show up, and the ministers began to whisper to each other.

“Why hasn’t the emperor come yet?”

“Did he forget the time? Or is he unwell?”

It’s not possible that he was infatuated with the imperial harem and would stop attending morning court. After all, everyone knew that the Emperor had recently become obsessed with elixir and vowed to remain celibate for two years.

Or was he angry with Empress Dowager Zhuang?

It’s not surprising to think about it. On the first day of Empress Dowager Zhuang’s return to court, she appointed a new Grand Marshal, forcibly seizing the military power that belonged to the Marquis of Xuanping. It would be strange if the Emperor was not enraged.

However, the longer the emperor kept silent, the more powerful Empress Dowager Zhuang seemed to the court officials, and they unconsciously submitted to her.

Just as the court officials were feeling a complicated mixture of emotions, Eunuch Wei’s voice came from outside the Jinluan Hall: “The Emperor arrives——”

Civil and military officials knelt down in a row, each holding a ceremonial tablet.

The emperor, head high and striding confidently, walked through the center of the grand hall, arrived at the top of the stairs, stood in front of the Dragon Throne, and bowed to Empress Dowager Zhuang behind the curtain: “Mother, I apologize for my tardiness.”

Empress Dowager Zhuang appraised him calmly, a flicker of surprise in her eyes: “The important thing is that the emperor arrived.”

The emperor laughed lightly: “It appears mother is disappointed?”

Empress Dowager Zhuang tilted her chin and spoke indifferently: “The emperor is overthinking. It would disappoint us if the emperor did not come. Since the dragon body is in good health, let’s start the morning court.”

The emperor let out an icy laugh, turned around and sat on the Dragon Throne. His royal demeanor was intimidating: “Morning court!”

Meanwhile, Xiao Liulang and Gu Jiao had a simple breakfast at Huaqing Palace before leaving the palace.

Xiao Liulang took her small first aid kit and held it in his hand. The box didn’t seem heavy, but it was amazing how many medications it contained.

The two passed by Jinluan Hall.

The carriage was parked near Jinluan Hall. Eunuch Wei personally escorted them home.

Nothing important happened during the morning court, so it ended quickly.

Empress Dowager Zhuang left Jinluan hall, and sat in her Feng Nian, a kind of sedan chair. Her Feng Nian was carried by eight strong lifters, surrounded by gauze curtains. Outsiders could vaguely see a graceful figure inside, but they couldn’t see clearly.

As Gu Jiao and Xiao Liulang went east and Empress Dowager Zhuang’s Feng Nian went west, they travelled along the same axis.

Just as the Feng Nian turned a corner towards the Imperial Harem, Empress Dowager Zhuang, as if sensing something, suddenly raised her hand. The lady-in-waiting kneeling beside her quickly said, “Stop the sedan.”

They stopped the Feng Nian.

The lady-in-waiting asked, “Empress Dowager, what’s wrong?”

Empress Dowager Zhuang paused for a moment, turning to look back but before she could catch a glimpse, Zhuang Yuexi’s voice came from the front saying, “Grandmother!”

Empress Dowager was slightly taken aback by the term “Grandmother”, she stopped turning back and ordered someone to draw back the curtain.

She looked at Zhuang Yuexi.

Zhuang Yuexi was wearing a simple teal dress with narrow sleeves, which was the current trend in the Capital City. She was confused because the Capital City had always preferred wide sleeved and gorgeous dresses.

The more prominent a young lady was, the wider and more magnificent her sleeves would be. Only the girls from poor families would wear narrow sleeves because they needed to work.

Last time she noticed Empress Dowager liked the trendy cinnabar makeup, she wondered if Empress Dowager would also like the trendy dresses. It seems her guess was right.

Empress Dowager seemed quite pleased.

Empress Dowager’s eyes softened, she said to her, “Get in.”

Zhuang Yuexi was overjoyed.

Could she really sit in Empress Dowager’s Feng Nian?

Even the princesses hadn’t sat in the Empress Dowager’s Feng Nian before.

Zhuang Yuexi, honored beyond measure, climbed aboard!

There was a soft rug on the floor of the Feng Nian made of the finest snow fox fur which was like stepping on a cloud. There was such a glorified feeling of being on top of the world.

Compared with a carriage or a sedan chair, the atmosphere in a Feng Nian was much more majestic. Sitting next to Empress Dowager Zhuang, Zhuang Yuexi felt that the view of the palace looked different from this height.