Transmigration: From Farmer To Empress
Chapter 423: First Update on Shangsi Festival(1)_1

Chapter 423: Chapter 423: First Update on Shangsi Festival(1)_1

The Jade Palace, where the Empress resides, has two courtyards, both front and rear. The front hall of the front courtyard is the Jade Palace itself, consisting of five spacious rooms, three of which are in a portico, along with an additional three rooms each in the east and west wings. However, the Empress doesn’t usually stay in the front yard but resides in the Flower House in the backyard instead.

The Flower House, named for the hundreds, if not thousands, of rare flowers growing within it, also has five spacious rooms, along with side rooms on each side. Three temples each on the east and west, the colourful glazed tiles, the frescoes painted beneath the eaves, the modest and serene palace maids and eunuchs all contributed to giving the entire palace a rich royal atmosphere.

At this time, the Empress of the Great Jin Nation was reclining half-sitting on the couch in the warm pavilion within the Flower House. She was dressed in a bright red satin floral and bird patterned embroidered shirt, a golden thread embroidered long skirt, her shiny jet-black hair casually pulled up into a bun on top of her head, and she was resting her eyes on a pillow.

Beside the couch, a palace maid was kneeling on a small stool, gently pounding the Empress’ legs with a pair of beauty hammers.

"Your highness!"

Li Zequan, the Chief Eunuch of the Jade Palace, walked in quietly with a bow, whispering: "Your Highness, the wife of Duke Li Guo is here, she is waiting outside your hall for an audience with you."

Empress Mo slowly opened her eyes and said, "Mother is here? Please—"

She sat up from the couch and the palace maid on the stool quickly put down the beauty hammers, kneeling on the ground to help her put on her brocaded shoes embroidered with a nine-tailed colorful phoenix holding a pearl.

Just as she was putting them on, Lady Liu, the white-haired wife of Duke Li Guo, had already been led in by Li Zequan. She was wearing the delightful attire of first class honour and holding the hand of a maidservant. When she saw Empress Mo, she bent to bow.

"Lady Liu of the Duke Li Guo’s Mansion pays respect,"

"Mother!"

Empress Mo had already put her shoes on and got up to stop the elderly woman’s kowtow, reaching out a hand to help her up.

"How many times have I said it? Outside, Mother may follow the rites of a lord and servant with your daughter, but in my place, we can dispense with all that etiquette!"

Lady Liu laughed gently, saying, "Your Highness, lord and servant rites should not be wasted. As the Empress, you should set an example for the other concubines. If you insist on refusing the rites for the sake of filial piety, it could cause trouble for you and His Highness King Qin in the future. Please, allow your subject to perform the rites; otherwise, she won’t be at ease!"

With no choice, the Empress sat down reluctantly, turning her body to the side, and resignedly received her mother’s obeisance.

Once the ritual was over, Empress Mo herself stepped forward, helped her mother up, guided her to a seat on the couch, served her tea and laughingly said, "Mother, you chant scriptures and worship Buddha every day, why do you have so much free time today? Don’t you need to go to the Buddha hall?"

"The reason I didn’t go is because your father and I were discussing our son Yi’er’s marriage affairs yesterday. Didn’t His Majesty mean to propose marriage between our Yi’er and the daughter of a great general from Jin Kingdom during the previous year? Why haven’t we heard anything more about it? Your father and I are not comfortable with the silence. So, we have come over to inquire about it ourselves," Lady Liu said.

Hearing her mother’s mention of this, the Empress felt a headache forming. She massaged her brow and said, "Mother, there is much you don’t know about this. This topic is quite complicated. Let your daughter explain everything slowly..."

In the world outside the window, a gentle breeze blew. The palace maids and eunuchs who served outside the hall stood still as sculptures, creating a hushed tranquility in the courtyard. There was only a vibrant-green parrot hopping about the magnolia tree as though playing or seeking food...

"So, Yi’er insisted on not marrying the daughter of the Li Family because of that girl from the Mu Family?"

In the warm pavilion, the Old Lady Liu had a sudden moment of realization.

"Indeed!"

When it came to Mu Caiwei, the generally cold countenance of Empress Mo grew ever colder, and she seemed full of anger.

"It’s all because of that presumptuous woman, ignorant of her place, daydreaming about occupying the place of Yi’er’s official wife, influencing Yi’er to refuse marriage, and even that disobedient son was charmed by her and did as she wished. He actually disregarded everything else just to avoid marriage!"