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The news of Empress Dowager Zhuang's loss of appetite soon reached the Zhuang Family.
Grand Preceptor Zhuang was worried that Empress Dowager’s phoenix body was ailing, so he asked the imperial physician to examine her pulse. However, there was nothing wrong with Empress Dowager's pulse; the imperial physician estimated that it was heart trouble. contemporary romance
"Perhaps... the Empress Dowager has been away from the palace for too long, and coming back so suddenly made her a little unaccustomed."
Grand Preceptor Zhuang said coldly, "She has lived deep in the palace all her life, shouldn’t having gone out of the palace be the problem?"
She simply returned home now, so what was there to be unaccustomed with?
"Maybe... letting a family member spend more time with her will solve the problem." The imperial physician advised.
Grand Preceptor Zhuang thought about this possibility and sent Zhuang Yuexi and Zhuang Mengdie to the palace overnight.
Empress Dowager Zhuang didn't feel much relieved when she saw Zhuang Mengdie, but when she saw Zhuang Yuexi behind Zhuang Mengdie, her expression suddenly froze.
Zhuang Yuexi's attire was still as gorgeous as her previous dresses, except that there was a red peony painted on her left face.
This was the most popular makeup in the capital nowadays. Since the Zhuangyuan parade, the young ladies in the capital have started to design their faces with cinnabar makeup. Zhuang Yuexi didn't like this kind of rustic makeup at first, but when Empress Dowager touched her left face that day, she expressed that something was missing.
Then she guessed, could her Grandaunt be talking about the current cinnabar makeup?
So she painted it on herself.
It seemed to work. Empress Dowager seemed to like it very much.
Empress Dowager Zhuang beckoned at Zhuang Yuexi.
Zhuang Yuexi obediently sat down beside the Empress Dowager, and she could feel that after coming back this time, the Empress Dowager's attitude towards her was different from before. Since young, she was not a pampered daughter, and although she was excellent in everything, the most favored one at home was actually her good-for-nothing younger sister.
Even the younger sister that his eldest brother took to visit Jiangnan was that straw bag named Zhuang Mengdie.
"What did you have for dinner?" Empress Dowager Zhuang took her hand and asked.
Zhuang Yuexi was flattered and replied, "Grandniece had some congee for dinner."
Empress Dowager Zhuang said, "That won't do. That’s too little. You are at the age of growing up, so you should eat more. Come, pass on the meal!"
People in the Empress Dowager’s palace were overjoyed, what a good idea from Grand Preceptor Zhuang indeed. With the two young misses in the palace, Empress Dowager immediately got back her appetite.
A dazzling array of dishes was presented on the table.
Empress Dowager Zhuang didn't ask the palace maids to serve them, but personally served a big bowl of dishes for Zhuang Yuexi, "Eat more, you're simply too thin to give Aijia a little great grandson later."
Zhuang Yuexi blushed, "Empress Dowager…"
She wasn’t married yet.
Zhuang Mengdie asked in surprise, "Empress Dowager, are you going to set up my sister’s marriage?"
Empress Dowager Zhuang frowned and looked at Zhuang Yuexi, "Set up your marriage? Aren't you married?"
"Uh?" Zhuang Yuexi was stupefied, "Empress Dowager, I am not."
Empress Dowager Zhuang looked in a trance.
Then who got married?
What about her little great grandnephew?
"Empress Dowager, are you all right?" Zhuang Yuexi held Empress Dowager Zhuang's hand with concern.
Empress Dowager Zhuang couldn't remember. She shook her head, "It’s nothing, maybe Aijia remembered wrong. Then again, you're already sixteen this year, and you'll be seventeen in half a year. It's also time to set up your marriage."
Zhuang Yuexi mumbled, "Yuexi doesn't want to get married yet. Yuexi wants to stay at home a bit more to serve her parents, and also accompany Empress Dowager from time to time."
Empress Dowager Zhuang said, "You can still go back to your maiden’s family after marrying. No one will dare to wronged the daughter of the Zhuang Family."
Zhuang Yuexi picked up the chopsticks again and said nothing.
Empress Dowager Zhuang still didn't eat much of this meal. The joy that Zhuang Yuexi brought to Empress Dowager when she entered the palace seemed to fade away when Zhuang Yuexi said she wasn’t married yet.
Zhuang Yuexi didn’t understand what was going on, and even Empress Dowager Zhuang couldn’t understand it herself.
The next day, Empress Dowager Zhuang went to court and attended to state affairs from behind the curtain.
The Emperor publicly issued an imperial decree appointing Old Chief back to the position of Imperial Academy’s Chief.
"Does imperial mother have any objection?" The Emperor leaned sideways, looking at Empress Dowager Zhuang behind the beaded curtain.
Empress Dowager Zhuang's thin lips curved up faintly, "Aijia has not seen this old friend for several years and longed to see him again. Emperor has done well to confer him the title, the Imperial Academy will be handed over to Lord Huo then. "
Old Chief held the ceremonial tablet in his hands and knelt in the emperor's audience hall. There were only a dozen or so steps between them, but they seemed to be separated by thousands of rivers and mountains. He said, "Long live His Majesty the Emperor, long live! Long live Her Majesty the Empress Dowager, a thousand times, a thousand years!"
Empress Dowager Zhuang smiled faintly and said, "Aijia also has an imperial decree to announce."
Here it comes.
The Emperor pinched his fingers together.
Empress Dowager Zhuang announced without hesitation, "The post of National Supreme Commander has been left vacant in our dynasty. After discussing with several officials, Aijia felt that it was better to appoint one. The Fast Cavalry Great General is a man of great courage and skill, a warrior of great strength and unparalleled strategies, he has fought for the country for generations, and above all he is loyal to His Majesty. He is suitable to be the National Supreme Commander of the State of Zhao, what do you think Your Majesty?”
National Supreme Commander, wasn’t this above Marquis Xuanping’s position?
Empress Dowager Zhuang didn't object to his bestowment of the Imperial Academy Chief title, which gave him enough face. If he rejected Empress Dowager's imperial decree now, Empress Dowager would have a way to prevent Old Chief from taking office.
There was originally a delicate balance between them, but Empress Dowager opened her lion’s mouth too big this time!
National Supreme Commander? Why didn't she just abolish him and become the Emperor herself!
Empress Dowager Zhuang: "If Your Majesty has a problem with it, we can discuss this another day."
The Emperor’s nails dug into his palm, he said, "Zhen don't mind. Empress Dowager’s intention is my intention."
After the court meeting, the Emperor returned to his own palace with a livid face.
Empress Dowager Zhuang also returned to Renshou Palace.
Everyone thought that Empress Dowager Zhuang won this round, but only Empress Dowager Zhuang knew that she was unhappy.
The moment she entered Renshou Palace, the look of arrogance and willfulness on her face disappeared, and she fell into endless loneliness again.
Raz P.'s Thoughts
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