Scent Of Time

Chapter 43

When I entered the Empress Dowager’s palace, her face was the same as always; it was still difficult to distinguish between happiness and anger. After I made a bow, the Empress Dowager’s voice sounded.

“Rise. I haven’t seen you for two days, and you have lost weight.”

After Aunt Su helped me up, I settled beside the Empress Dowager. I raised my hand to receive a wooden box from Qian Zhi, got up, and said, “Empress Dowager, this time I came to the palace to thank you for your kindness and return this bracelet to you. I failed your intentions.”

Empress Dowager did not take the wooden box I handed over. After a long time, she said, “What yours is yours. Why bother returning it to me?”

I still kept my handing position. “This is what the late Emperor gave to the Empress Dowager. I, an outsider, do not dare to accept it, nor should I.”

The Empress Dowager reached out her hand to pull my wrist. I looked to meet her gaze, and she said, “What outsider? Even if you and Lan’er didn’t have fate, there is no need to treat me as an outsider.”

Seeing the Empress Dowager insist on not accepting, I returned the bracelet. The Empress Dowager pulled my hand and did not let go: “I’ve seen your performance since the marriage. You know when to go forward and backward. It’s Lan’er misfortune that you two reached this point. I’m not the kind of foolish mother-in-law who will only favor their children, so in the future, you do not have to be detached from me. You can come over to see me in this palace if you want. Save me from loneliness.”

I nodded and responded. The Empress Dowager’s words were sincere, without a hint of small-mindedness or calculation.

“How are your parents? The assassins were too rampant. They were blatantly attacking without putting the royal family in their eyes. We even dragged your elder brother. To track them down, the Emperor has suffered and seems to have lost much weight.” The Empress Dowager seemingly unintentionally said. I frowned, hung my head, and turned deaf.

The Empress Dowager saw this and said: “Speaking of which, two days ago, I forgot about the decree. When I thought of it, I heard the Emperor already made one.”

Keeping silent would be too much, so I replied, “Thank you, Empress Dowager. I entrusted someone to send a letter to the palace; only then did the Emperor think of issuing the decree.”

The Empress Dowager’s gaze spun around on my face. I pretended not to know, and she added, “Because of the assassination, the Emperor rarely came to the harem these days; even I rarely see him. I sent someone to deliver some food to him the day before yesterday, but he wasn’t there. The Emperor has always been steady; I’m not sure why he quietly slipped away from the palace.”

“If it is the dusk before yesterday, then the Emperor went to seek me,” I answered.

The Empress Dowager looked at me with slight surprise as if she hadn’t expected me to admit it.

I continued to speak: “His Majesty sympathized with me because I’ve just lost my brother and honored my father, so he delivered the decree.”

The Empress Dowager was silent momentarily before speaking, “The Emperor acted out of propriety this time. You should not take it to heart. Next time, I will not let him disturb your peacefulness.”

My heart sank. The Empress Dowager has already stated her meaning very clearly. Could I still pretend not to know?

“Empress Dowager, when the matter of the assassination at the palace banquet comes to light, my father and I will return to our hometown. We won’t return to the capital in this lifetime.”

The Empress Dowager’s eyes blinked rapidly, seemingly not responding, “Why?”

I hung my head, stroked the box in my hand, and spoke, “This capital city is…the place where my elder brother grew up. Whether for me or my parents, staying for a long time is not easy.”

The Empress Dowager froze and looked at me. I responded with a faint smile and eventually heard her sigh, “Good…this is good.”

After a few moments, I got up to say goodbye and heard the regretful voice of the Empress Dowager: “You—do not blame me. The royal family has always cared about face. If it is a sibling rivalry scandal, I’m afraid I can not protect you.”

My feet felt like stepping on the ice, and my blood froze. I turned to the Empress Dowager and heavily kowtowed while speaking: “I know. Thanks to the Empress Dowager’s reminder.”

Even after I left Empress Dowager’s palace and stood in the sun, I still felt cold. I knew it would be challenging, but I did not expect it to be so demanding from the beginning.

“Miss ……” Qian Zhi, beside me, couldn’t help but speak.

My face must have been terrible because her eyes were worried. I pulled the corner of my mouth, but before speaking, I heard a voice: “Seeing Princess Consort Jin — Miss Hua again, it’s a coincidence.” Such an apparent slip of the tongue couldn’t help but make people look sideways. I turned to see Noble Consort Qi walking towards me in a brocade robe and exquisite makeup, making her look even more radiant.

“Indeed, it is a coincidence. It seems like every time I go to the palace, I get to see Noble Consort Qi,” I replied.

Noble Consort Qi was stunned and immediately returned to her usual smile, “This shows that we’re fated. No wonder I felt familiar when I first met you.”

This gesture of goodwill was too obvious.

Noble Consort Qi continued, “I’m a committed person. If Miss Hua can come to the palace more often in the future and go to my place to sit, I can have more people to chat with. Then, this palace will not be too cold.”

There were so many people in the harem, yet you felt cold?

I gently brushed my fingers across my hand before speaking, “I see that Noble Consort Qi is exceptionally gracious. I was fortunate to be invited by Noble Consort before, and I wonder if I would have the honor to go to Noble Consort’s palace today?”

Noble Consort Qi froze, seemingly not expecting her polite words to be serious; at that moment, it was not good to refuse, so she led me to her palace.

“What has Miss Hua been busy with this time?” Noble Consort Qi has been looking for topics to avoid making the atmosphere too cold.

“Nothing much, just tracking down the murderer who killed my elder brother,” I replied indifferently.

Noble Consort Qi looked at me surprisedly: “Isn’t this something the Officer should be doing? Why is Miss Hua meddling in it?”

“Some aspects restrained officials when investigating cases, so it’s better to investigate it alone. Besides, that assassin was targeting me at the time. I can’t let it go like this.” I answered carelessly.

Noble Consort Qi paused momentarily, looking at me with probing eyes. She said, “Ms. Hua is skillful.”

My hands clenched for a split second, and I couldn’t keep breathing smoothly. When I was desperately trying to hide my abnormality, Zhong Xiwu’s voice rang out, “Why are you two together?”

Zhong Xiwu’s figure appeared from a distance, followed by a group of eunuchs. Noble Consort Qi saluted with great insight, and I followed.

Zhong Xiwu’s gaze swept past me to look at Noble Consort Qi: “Where are you going?”

Noble Consort Qi respectfully replied, “Reply to Your Majesty. I met Miss Hua by chance and invited her to my palace for a talk.”

Zhong Xiwu’s brow lightly frowned. “I have something to talk to Hua Qian about. You go back first.”

Noble Consort Qi did not reveal any hint of annoyance and replied with a smiling face, “Then I will leave first.”

Only after Noble Consort Qi’s figure walked away did Zhong Xiwu look at me. His gaze carried softness.

I found my voice and said, “Where did His Majesty find such a virtuous consort?”

So non-competitive, submissive, and virtuous.

Zhong Xiwu raised his eyebrows before speaking, “Are you jealous?”

My heart was troubled, and I didn’t want to say more. I turned around and left, but Zhong Xiwu sidestepped and blocked in front of me: “When I heard that you came, I put down my official business and came to look for you. Why do you want to leave as soon as you see me?”

“If the Emperor wants to see me, I stayed in the Empress Dowager’s palace for an hour. Why didn’t I see the Emperor come? On the contrary, you appeared after I met with Noble Consort Qi. What is the reason for this?” I retreated and asked.

Zhong Xiwu frowned, “Are you angry about something?”

I took a deep breath to calm down before speaking, “It’s me who was reckless. Please forgive me, Your Majesty.”