Transmigration: From Farmer To Empress
Chapter 507 Du Meiren Second Watch (4)_1

Chapter 507: Chapter 507 Du Meiren Second Watch (4)_1

Upon hearing this, Princess Zhao Yang’s anger subsided a little, and she said coldly, "Wu Nanny, listen well, no matter the means, I must make her yearn for life but unable to live, and yearn for death but unable to die!"

Wu Nanny nodded in compliance, replying, "Yes, Your Highness, rest assured. This old servant will surely find a way to vent your anger and fulfill your heart’s desire!"

Reassured by Wu Nanny’s guarantee, Princess Zhao Yang’s anger gradually subsided. She cast a chilling glance at Cai Wei’s receding figure, sneering, "Slut, you think you’re marrying into Liaodan to become a royal consort? A toad wishing to eat swan meat!"

...

The Qingfang Garden was a palace located at the northwest corner of the palace, secluded and rarely frequented due to its disrepair, with dilapidated structures everywhere.

Accompanied by several eunuchs and palace maids, Cai Wei made her way to the Qingfang Garden. As soon as she stepped in, she was met with a palpable desolation.

Outside the entrance, the thick red door was mottled with age. The green bamboo and flowers in the courtyard, carelessly grown and lacking lushness due to neglect, matched well with the dilapidated palace!

Upon entering Qingfang Garden, Cai Wei met Du Meiren, originally from the State Duke’s Mansion.

Du Meiren was in her early thirties, pretty with a simple and clean style. With her tranquil and elegant demeanor, she appeared worlds apart from the flashy ladies in the State Duke’s Mansion. If it weren’t for the fact that she bore a slight resemblance to the old Madame, Cai Wei would scarcely believe that Du Meiren came from the Duke’s Mansion.

"An Le pays her respects... to Auntie!"

Although Du Meiren was her adoptive mother in name, Cai Wei felt uneasy calling anyone else ’mother’. Moreover, she was not one to easily accept a mother, so she decided to call her auntie instead.

Upon hearing Cai Wei’s address, Du Meiren gave a faint smile without dwelling on the choice of title.

"Rise quickly, there’s no need for such formalities. Let me have a good look at you!"

Du Meiren held Cai Wei’s hand, leading her to sit next to her. After a long observation, she laughed and said, "Niece, you’re indeed very beautiful, even more so than your own mother!"

Cai Wei laughed, "Auntie, you flatter me too much. I have heard that back in the day, you were a nation-falling beauty. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have been chosen to enter the palace."

Upon hearing this, the smile on Du Meiren’s face quickly turned bitter. In a voice tinged with melancholy, she lamented, "Such *nation-falling* beauty is not always a good thing. If I had been born less beautiful, I wouldn’t have been selected to live in this remote, forsaken place, rotting away; if your mother had been less beautiful, she wouldn’t have had to flee in the night, narrowly escaping death. However, among us, your mother is the fortunate one. She was able to escape, to live her own life. As for me, I’m destined to spend my entire life trapped in this cage, in the depths of the palace, never to see the sun again."

Hearing her melancholy words, a wave of sadness washed over Cai Wei.

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sound of Du Meiren’s voice.

"Look at me, I was lost in rambling and forgot to ask if you have eaten yet?"

A little embarrassed, Cai Wei replied, "Not yet. I was initially selling things at our shop at home, then I was summoned into the palace, and then I came here to see Auntie. I haven’t eaten yet!"

Du Meiren scolded playfully, "You silly girl, why didn’t you say so earlier if you were hungry? There’s no need to be formal with your auntie!"

Afterwards, she quickly called someone over.

Given the low status and lack of favor bestowed upon Du Meiren, she only had four palace maids and a eunuch to attend to her. The meals served daily weren’t exquisite; only four dishes, a bowl of soup, and a bowl of white rice were served every meal - a far cry from the meals she would have at home.

"Eat up! The food was delivered late today, which is good, otherwise it would have been cold by now!"

Du Meiren affectionately watched Cai Wei as she added a serving of mung bean sprouts to her bowl.

Having risen early to return to the city, working tirelessly at the dessert shop for the entire morning, Cai Wei was famished. Though the food served at Du Meiren’s wasn’t particularly delicious, it was certainly better than staying hungry.

Thus, Cai Wei hungrily ate her fill before she realized, with a pang of guilt, that she had eaten all of Du Meiren’s food. What would Du Meiren eat?

"Have you had enough?"

Du Meiren passed a suitably warm cup of tea to her, holding a handkerchief against the teacup to prevent her from getting burnt.

"Yes, I’m full now," Cai Wei bashfully responded. "I’m sorry for forgetting that Auntie hadn’t eaten yet while I gobbled up all your food."

Du Meiren gently replied, "Missing one meal isn’t a big deal. I’m not that hungry anyway. Even if I eat in the evening, it’s still the same."

Cai Wei pursed her lips, her fondness for Du Meiren growing. She seemed much more genuine and less hypocritical than the rest of the Du family. Her gentle and mild demeanor, like a pleasing drizzle, always left people with a sense of ease and comfort!