Chapter 112: Chapter 112
Soon, the news that the eighteenth prince, Jun Ning, who had not died in the Cold Palace years ago, had now exited and was disguised as a woman to seek imperial favor, reached the ears of the Empress Dowager.
Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager remained silent for a full quarter of an hour.
Over the years, Emperor Yongning had been longing for a daughter, so children in the harem were born one after another, but unfortunately, they were all sons.
The Empress Dowager observed this with schadenfreude in her heart. Follow current novᴇls on 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭•𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦•𝘯𝘦𝘵
She thought her son might be fated never to have a daughter in this lifetime.
She had once advised Emperor Yongning to give up, and each time, he would nod vigorously in agreement. Little did she expect that agreeing was one thing, and doing was another.
Had he not given up yet?
Not only had he not given up, but he had also gone so far as to let his son disguise himself as a woman to provide him with psychological comfort?
It was truly incredible.
The Empress Dowager angrily put down her embroidery work and said to the Chief Maid, "Maid, go and summon that eighteenth... no, the eighteenth prince here. I must see why he would abandon his princely status for such degradation."
The Chief Maid accepted the order to summon the person.
The Empress Dowager continued, "The Emperor really is something, how can he be so easily swayed by such a person? It’s truly lawless, and I must definitely cleanse this evil wind and wicked atmosphere this time."
Nanny Liu, who was attending her, hurriedly advised, "Empress Dowager, calm down, your health is important."
The Empress Dowager took a deep breath and then picked up the tiger-head shoes materials she was embroidering, murmuring, "How can I quell my anger when someone pretends to be my granddaughter?"
"How about the Empress Dowager continue embroidering these tiger-head shoes? You might be able to shift your focus, and perhaps it won’t be as frustrating."
Mentioning the tiger-head shoes made the Empress Dowager even more sorrowful, "These tiger-head shoes for my granddaughter, I’ve embroidered them year after year, more than a dozen pairs, but I’ve been waiting in vain for a granddaughter."
The Empress Dowager, full of emotion, said, "In another few years, I won’t be able to embroider anymore. By then, even if there’s a granddaughter, I won’t be able to do anything."
Over the years, Emperor Yongning wanted a daughter, and the Empress Dowager secretly wished for one too.
Although she usually watched Emperor Yongning seeking a daughter without success with schadenfreude, in her heart, there was a faint sense of regret for not having an obedient and cute granddaughter.
For this reason, she had embroidered pair after pair of tiger-head shoes for a little girl, as a form of solace.
Before Jun Ning, Emperor Yongning used to regularly play with the tiger-head shoes made by the Empress Dowager.
"Empress Dowager, the legitimate daughter of Prince Xiao Yao is also your granddaughter!" Nanny Liu advised, "Even if there isn’t a princess to wear your tiger-head shoes, the Commandery Princess from Prince Xiao Yao’s household can!"
"How can that be the same?" The Empress Dowager shook her head disapprovingly, saying, "Prince Xiao Yao is not my biological child, there’s a layer of distance, no real connection. The Emperor is my only son, his daughter is my real granddaughter."
Nanny Liu thought for a moment, "That’s true."
"Alright, tidy up a bit. It won’t look good when people are brought over to see this mess." The Empress Dowager reminded.
"Yes, Empress Dowager."
Nanny Liu hurriedly gathered the items on the table and rekindled incense in the room, waiting for the Chief Maid to bring Jun Ning over.
Jun Ning had just finished her run, sweating all over.
Qiong Hua personally helped her wash and change into the recently delivered clothes from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, a red narrow-sleeved ’Liu Xian’ dress embroidered with blooming peonies in gold thread, looking exquisite.
It was said that it took the five best embroiderers in the palace a whole month to finish it on Emperor Yongning’s orders.
Wearing this dress and the jewelry recently crafted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs for Jun Ning on Emperor Yongning’s orders, Jun Ning appeared much more distinguished.
"Our Yiyi looks beautiful," Qiong Hua praised.
"I prefer green dresses, not red ones," Jun Ning said as she took the white jade gold necklace from around her neck and bit it, "I wonder what kind of jade this is? It looks pretty and feels nice, but I don’t know if it’s real or fake jade."
There were many counterfeit jades in the market, all polished from stones, not real jade.
It was impossible for amateurs to tell the difference.
Qiong Hua lightly tapped Jun Ning’s forehead, "What nonsense are you spouting? Be careful or your father might get angry if he hears."
"He won’t be angry; he knows I like green dresses."
"As for the jade piece, if he knew I was fretting over whether it’s real or fake, he’d definitely arrange for a jade master to give me a lesson."
Qiong Hua nodded, "Listening to it like that, it doesn’t sound bad. Yiyi, how about you really go for a lesson? After the class, you’ll know how to distinguish real jade from fake ones."
"No, no, no." Jun Ning shook her head violently, "I hate attending classes."
In the past life, studying was already exhausting; there’s no need for it in this life!
"No, when Ah Yu’s injury is healed, you will go study with him," Qiong Hua said, "I have already discussed this with your father, and he supports it too."
"Supports?" Jun Ning lamented, "What an earthly burden! How could Father let his most beloved precious go study? Studying is so arduous!"
Jun Ning had already decided to go back and have a good talk with Emperor Yongning to exempt her from this hardship.
"Yiyi, studying can enlighten the mind and broaden wisdom, you must study," Qiong Hua encouraged earnestly.
"But Mother, if I go study, I won’t be able to see you," Jun Ning choked up, looking as if about to cry, "Yiyi can’t bear to part from Mother, I want to be by Mother’s side every day."
Hearing this, Qiong Hua became troubled too, "Mother can’t bear to part from you either, but...you can’t miss out on studying because of this..."
"Can’t we delay it for a few more years? Yiyi is still young."
Jun Ning thought she might as well get by for a few more years.
Qiong Hua thought for a moment, indeed Jun Ning was still young, plus, since she was a girl and wasn’t competing with princes for the throne, there really wasn’t the necessity to work so hard.
Perhaps it might just be best to wait a few more years.
"Alright, in two years, Yiyi will go study," Qiong Hua said.
Having achieved her goal, Jun Ning smiled. Just as she was about to leap into her mother’s arms for a good hug, she was interrupted by the sudden sound of approaching footsteps.
"May I ask if Hua Pin is here?"
"Is the eighteenth princess here?"
"We are here on the orders of the Empress Dowager to summon the eighteenth princess."
Two teams of palace attendants appeared in the Cold Palace, each raising their chins high, carrying a sense of scorn and disdain for the environment of the Cold Palace.