The head eunuch of Cining Palace, Qing An, delivered the bestowed gifts and then withdrew. Liu Liu was also a little tired. Although the internal injuries were not serious, her energy had not fully recovered. Thus, she waved her hand, ordering all the consorts to withdraw.
"This consort is tired, you may all leave."
Jia Li, leading the consorts of the Eastern Palace, left Weiyang Palace in a rage. She was too stimulated and feared she would say something unpleasant if she stayed any longer, so she'd better leave quickly.
Upon returning to Guangyang Palace, she unleashed a tremendous storm of anger, frightening the eunuchs and maids into utter silence. They knelt on the ground, silently thinking that appearances could indeed be deceiving.
Who would have thought that Jin Jiali, a beauty of the capital, would be so spoiled and willful?
Lou Sijing was much more composed than Jin Jiali. Although she was also uncomfortable, she managed to maintain her composure. After politely bidding farewell to the Empress, she left Weiyang Palace to return to her Changxin Palace and sulk.
In short, none of the eunuchs or maids could fathom the empress's thoughts. Nothing untoward happened.
Liu Liu felt somewhat vexed. She understood that the emperor and empress dowager's gifts would stimulate those women. They must all think she was showered with favor, but in reality, nothing had changed. She was still herself, and the emperor was still the emperor.
"Your Highness, please rest for a while."
Cui'er asked softly. Liu Liu nodded slightly, "Alright." She stood up. Cui'er reached out to help her down from the platform. Just as they were about to return to the sleeping quarters, Xiao Anzi walked in, bowed, and reported, "Your Highness, Princess Jielan requests an audience?"
Liu Liu frowned, her eyes showing a hint of coldness. She had nothing to say to Jielan. She had initially thought they would become friends, but unexpectedly, her ulterior motives had almost harmed her. Why would she want to see such a person now? She waved her hand, speaking indifferently.
"Please send the princess back. Tell her this consort is tired and wishes to rest."
Seeing the empress's displeasure, Xiao Anzi naturally did not dare to utter another word and retreated slowly.
Cui'er helped Liu Liu into the sleeping quarters to rest. She stayed by her mistress's side, seeing that she slept restlessly, her forehead furrowing and then relaxing, clearly troubled by something. Her heart ached. She reached out and held her mistress's hand, stroking it gently until she fell into a peaceful sleep.
Liu Liu slept for a short while. Due to the significant changes of the past two days, her sleep was not deep, and she soon woke up slowly.
"Your Highness, you are awake. Do you feel any better?" Cui'er asked anxiously. Liu Liu's lips curved into a gentle smile, like warm sunlight, softly illuminating Cui'er. She knew Cui'er had been worried a lot these past two days and gently comforted her.
"It's alright, don't worry too much. I'll be fine soon. But I'm very hungry, I'd like to have something to eat. "
Cui'er was overjoyed to hear her mistress's words. The mistress and servant exchanged happy smiles, casting the unpleasant matters behind them. Liu Liu suddenly asked Cui'er with a touch of strangeness.
"Qiao'er, why has she been so quiet lately? I haven't seen her say much, and she always seems absent-minded. You should pay more attention to her. She's so young. I'm afraid someone in this palace might bully her, and she's too timid to say anything, suffering in silence."
"Yes, I understand. Your Highness, please don't worry," Cui'er thought about it and felt that Qiao'er had indeed been acting strange lately. She always hid in a corner by herself. When Cui'er called her, she would appear flustered. Could this girl really have been bullied by someone?
Cui'er helped her mistress to get up and chose a pale green, floor-length skirt embroidered with golden threads depicting a budding yellow spring flower, overlaid with a layer of flowing misty silk.
Her soft, black hair was elegantly coiled into a cloud bun, adorned with a hairpin of emerald green plum blossoms. Matching emerald earrings dangled from her earlobes, swaying gracefully as she walked, making her appear charming and pretty, shedding all previous harshness. She was entirely refreshing, devoid of the extravagance of royalty.
"Your Highness, do you like it?" Cui'er held up the bronze mirror to Liu Liu's face. Liu Liu glanced at it, then playfully nudged Cui'er with a smile. This girl only knew how to amuse her. Fortunately, she had her by her side, accompanying her all along.
"Alright, let's go out for something to eat."
Cui'er quickly put down the bronze mirror and reached out to support Liu Liu. The two walked out and saw Xiao Anzi standing outside the sleeping chamber, his expression uncertain. As soon as he saw them, he opened his mouth as if to speak, then lowered his head, hesitating.
Liu Liu glanced sideways at Xiao Anzi. This fellow must have done something she had forbidden him to do, which was why he looked so pathetic. She spoke coldly.
"Speak, what have you done that you shouldn't have?"
Xiao Anzi was startled by Liu Liu's cold expression and immediately knelt down, saying quickly, "Princess Jielan hasn't left yet. This servant saw her standing outside, so I took it upon myself to lead her into the main hall."
Hearing Xiao Anzi's words, Cui'er went to his side and whispered her complaint, "You! You know Your Highness dislikes it when people question her words, and yet you did this. Truly asking for a beating!"
Xiao Anzi, already filled with fear and anxiety, turned even paler upon hearing Cui'er's words. He quickly kowtowed and pleaded.
"Your Highness, please forgive me. This servant deserves death. This servant thought that Princess Jielan, as a princess of a nation, should at least be mindful of appearances. This servant feared that His Majesty would blame Your Highness, so, so?"
Liu Liu understood Xiao Anzi's good intentions and nodded, waving him to rise.
"Alright, if she's come in, she's come in. I've had enough rest anyway. Let's go see what pressing matter Princess Jielan has that she insists on staying here."
Liu Liu flicked her sleeve and walked towards the main hall first. Cui'er followed closely. Looking back, she saw Xiao Anzi still kneeling and spoke angrily.
"Get up! What are you still kneeling for?"
"Oh, this servant understands," Xiao Anzi, after being scolded by Cui'er, quickly got up and followed closely.
In the main hall of Weiyang Palace, Princess Jielan sat quietly, motionless. She had already drunk three cups of tea and still had not seen the Empress.
She had heard Xiao Anzi say that the empress was resting, so she waited here without any impatience. She merely wanted to apologize to the empress. Whether the empress accepted it or not, she would do what she had to do.
As Jielan was thinking, she heard the sound of jade pendants clinking and the rustling of jade curtains. The beautiful Empress, as fresh as a flower, floated over as lightly as a yellow cloud.
Jielan slowly stood up, looked at the Empress walking towards the high seat, and bowed gracefully.
"Jielan pays her respects to the Empress."
"Princess, you are too polite. Please be seated," Liu Liu said with dignified grace. However, her voice carried a hint of distance, devoid of their previous camaraderie.
It seemed the empress was angry with her, and Jielan felt a little sad. Although she had just arrived in Tianfeng, she had heard of the empress's astonishing zither skills and thought they would become confidantes. But she hadn't expected Feng Lie to like this empress. Women were always selfish.
"May I know why the Princess is insistent on seeing this consort?" Liu Liu's ethereal and detached demeanor was like an unfathomable thin mist, causing Jielan's heart to feel a moment of confusion and doubt. Was what she was doing truly appropriate?
"Jielan has come to apologize to Your Highness for what she did yesterday." After speaking, Jielan bowed to Liu Liu again. Liu Liu nodded slightly, her cool expression softening a little. She simply did not want to embarrass Princess Jielan.
In fact, for anyone who had ever betrayed her, there could never be any further connection between them. She was a person of great principles, and between her and Jielan, there was nothing to begin with.