Chapter 231: Chapter 231
Mid-October coincided precisely with the Empress Dowager's birthday celebration.
Early in the morning, before dawn had even broken, An Ning was personally dug out from her warm blankets by her dear mother. After a round of washing and dressing, it was already an hour later when mother and daughter finally stepped out.
Not far away, Yang's father along with an excited Yang Wan had been waiting for quite some time.
Her gaze lingering momentarily on their strikingly similar, equally radiant and breathtakingly beautiful faces, Young Lady Yang Wan's smile slightly faded. When it was time to depart, she stepped forward instead and, together with Madam Lin beside her, eagerly supported their grandmother's arm.
Yu, who had been about to call out to them, stiffened slightly. Exchanging a look with Little Brother Yang nearby, An Ning quickly moved to her mother's side, one before and one after, wrapping themselves around their mother as they crowded into the rear carriage.
"Mother, hurry up! It's freezing to death out here!"
Clutching tightly to his woolen hand warmer, Little Brother Yang looked utterly pitiful. Despite having an extremely gorgeous little face, his current appearance resembled nothing more than a frozen, bedraggled little turtledove.
One that had been ruthlessly painted in garish colors at that. An Ning beside him similarly blinked her large eyes.
Seeing the two of them , Yu couldn't help but chuckle. Being broad-minded by nature, her earlier displeasure vanished instantly.
Before long, the two carriages set off one after another toward the palace.
Not far away, watching the family depart with her own eyes, Chuncai's tears flowed even more fiercely.
With three young ladies in the family and such an important event as the Empress Dowager's birthday celebration, only the eldest and third young ladies were going, leaving the second young lady behind alone.
Wasn't this clearly indicating that her young lady wasn't valued?
"Madam has gone too far this time, wuuu..."
In the western courtyard, seeing her young lady still practicing calligraphy without missing a single stroke at this hour, the unaware Chuncai couldn't help but sob.
"What madam? Haven't you realized yet? This is clearly Father's intention. All these years, regarding mine and younger brother's affairs, aside from the general household expenses, when has the legitimate mother ever interfered?"
Was there any point in deceiving oneself?
Setting down the final brushstroke, Yang Yuan's face now showed neither sorrow nor joy.
Disappointed? Of course she was. But at this moment, it wasn't particularly surprising either.
When it involved Third Sister, no matter how mysterious or lacking evidence it might be, what did it matter? Even with just one chance in ten thousand, the one to be sacrificed would only be her, could only be her.
Just like that brush washer in Father's study that she had loved so much before. No matter how many times she gazed at it longingly, how many pouches she embroidered until her eyes were red, how many poems she wrote that matched Father's preferences—none of it compared to a single casual glance from Third Sister.
Someone who clearly disliked literary pursuits so much, yet with just a casual remark about how interesting the pattern was, could make Father abandon his beloved object without batting an eye.
Forcing down the bitterness in her heart, Yang Yuan let out a scornful laugh. The goat-hair brush in her hand fell to the ground with a clear, ringing sound:
"I'm afraid once this critical period passes, what awaits us master and servant is a destiny of growing old alone in temple estates..."
Or perhaps being given a random dowry and married off far away, with no possibility of ever affecting Third Sister or the Yang residence again.
As these words fell, Chuncai nearby instantly turned pale with fright.
"Young... young lady, how could it come to that!"
You are the master's own biological daughter!
How could it not come to this? Staring fixedly at the painting in her hand, Yang Yuan's gaze darkened.
With grandfather passing early and the wife's family powerless, in this situation of having almost no support, he could still climb step by step to his current position.
The father she had so admired and looked up to since childhood was never a soft-hearted man.
Even if he had softness, that person would definitely not be her.
After a moment of contemplation, Yang Yuan quickly made her decision.
"Chuncai, help me one last time..."
"The future of us master and servant depends on this one chance..."
Under the maid's nearly trembling gaze, Yang Yuan slowly leaned forward and spoke in the softest possible whisper.
Almost simultaneously, as soon as An Ning arrived, she was pulled over by Lady Mu of Muyang County who had been waiting early in the gardens.
"Oh, no wonder Mu Yang was so impatient earlier—it turns out Ning has arrived!"
Before a crowd of inner and outer court ladies, the Empress Dowager Zhou showed no hesitation in displaying her affection for the two before her.
Before they could even perform their greetings, Lady Attendant Dai nearby had already stepped forward to personally help them up. She then ordered seats to be brought and placed them left and right beside the Empress Dowager.
After many days of interaction, An Ning had long shed any sense of unfamiliarity. Without standing on ceremony, she generously took her seat below.
Regardless of how astonished Old Lady Yang felt inwardly, the various court ladies who witnessed this scene also became thoughtful.
Moments later, music and dance gradually rose from the pool area.
Amidst the sounds of drums and strings, before long, a thin, sharp voice came from beyond the dance floor:
"His Majesty arrives! Her Majesty the Empress arrives!"
Including An Ning, everyone instinctively rose to their feet.
Though she had spent no short time in the palace, this was actually An Ning's first time seeing the current Sage Emperor. Nearing forty years of age, his features were severe and sharp-edged. As he walked forward step by step in his bright yellow twelve-chapter dragon robe, every movement exuded the supreme dignity unique to a nation's ruler.
Notably, even during such celebratory times, the newcomer's face showed no particularly obvious smile. All etiquette was performed strictly by the book—the imperial majesty was certainly present, but any warmth belonging solely between mother and son was likely completely absent at this moment.
Clearly, the Empress Dowager was quite accustomed to this.
In the great hall, the music and drums continued.
If one could say the relationship between the Empress Dowager and Emperor merely lacked warmth while still maintaining proper decorum, then the Emperor and Empress before them were purely a plastic marriage through and through.
Fearing her young friend might attract unwanted attention, Mu Yang had pulled her to their seats beside the Grand Princess early when the banquet began, not far from the upper seats.
Even the only time she raised her cup, that emperor completely ignored her. After several such instances, the face of a nation's empress had been thoroughly trampled upon.
For a nation's empress to be reduced to such a state.
Even An Ning couldn't help but gasp in surprise.
Seeing her confusion, and considering that A-Ning would likely need to frequently enter the palace in the future, Mu Yang feared her young friend might not understand the circumstances and accidentally say something wrong or violate taboos.
During a break to freshen up, Mu Yang leaned close and spoke in the softest whisper only the two could hear: "A-Ning, don't be surprised. Ever since Imperial Consort Shu died in difficult childbirth that year, Uncle has been all along."
"Mother said that back when Imperial Consort Shu first passed, Uncle nearly took up his sword to personally strike down the Empress. It was only through Grandmother and all the civil and military officials at court desperately blocking him that..."
What otherwise would have happened was all too obvious.
At this point, even Mu Yang fell silent. However, the moment her words faded, a barely audible light cough came from behind:
"Mu Yang, the banquet has already begun. Why are you two hiding back here?"
"Mother was just asking about you earlier..."