Acuerdo de Mu Yucheng

Capítulo 16

In the drizzle, two carriages passed each other. The servant in the straw raincoat lightly jumped onto the carriage and drove the horse in front towards the palace gate, gradually disappearing into the misty rain and fading from the eyes of the still contemplative man.

"You startled my royal uncle."

Inside the car, Zhao Defang raised her clear eyes and gazed at the silent woman who had been silent the whole way, and said with a light smile.

Wanlan paused slightly, raising her eyes to ask silently.

“Since you were four years old, you have often lived in the palace. The small building where you used to live is still in the Empress’s Anfu Palace. Whenever you have free time, you run to the palace. But I don’t know when you started to be afraid of the Second Imperial Uncle. You often avoid him and even if you meet him, you will never call him ‘Imperial Uncle’.”

The Second Imperial Uncle? That must be Zhao Guangyi, who will soon step onto the historical stage as Emperor Taizong of Song.

Recalling the man's cold gaze and domineering aura just now, she wondered how such a sharp-witted person could have such obvious and intense emotions towards a young woman like Jiao Wanlan. "So, my calling him 'Royal Uncle' just now aroused his suspicion?" Would this man, destined to ascend the throne, so easily accept her amnesia?

"I have already explained to the Imperial Uncle, so you don't need to worry."

That's not what she's worried about.

Wanlan tilted her head and lifted the carriage curtain with one hand, looking out at the misty, rain-drenched street with astonishment. The road the carriage was traveling on was very wide, with a fence and a canal dividing the road into three lanes in the center. Their carriage was traveling on the right side, and the canal was lined with flowers and trees, vying for attention in a lively display.

Wanlan blinked gently.

This is the Imperial Street in front of Xuande Tower. The middle of the three lanes is the Emperor's Imperial Road, with pedestrian walkways on both sides.

Further ahead is the Xuande Tower, the palace gate.

Everyone says that the palace gates are as deep as the sea. She only hopes that although Jiao Wanlan is considered half a member of the royal family, she won't have too many ties with the royal family. She doesn't know why Zhao Kuangyi dislikes Jiao Wanlan, but she doesn't want to have anything to do with him anymore.

Noticing a light drizzle drifting in with the wind, Wanlan slowly lowered the curtain, glanced down at the sleeping child in her arms, instinctively wrapped the soft blanket tighter, and asked without raising her head, "What is the Empress's attitude towards my amnesia?" Would the Empress Song, who doted on Wanlan so much, accept Wanlan now, so different from the past?

Zhao Defang raised an eyebrow, feigning mystery, "You'll find out in a moment."

His attitude surprised Wanlan. She didn't expect him to be so unconcerned. Could she finally put her mind at ease after a day and night of anxiety?

As they talked, the carriage approached the foot of Xuande Tower. Wanlan couldn't hide her curiosity and slight excitement. She reached out and pushed open the carriage door to the side, marveling at the building before her. The lower part of Xuande Tower was made of brick and stone, with five doors, gold nails and vermilion lacquer, carved with dragons, phoenixes and flying clouds. Above were gate towers, with side towers and gate towers on the left and right, all covered with glazed tiles.

As far as she knew, the Bianjing Palace was rebuilt on the site of the former Bianzhou Prefecture. The palace city was only about one-tenth the size of the Tang Dynasty's Daming Palace. Most of the government offices were located outside the palace city, mixed with residential houses, and gardens were also scattered outside the city. The outer court still had three courts. However, due to the limited area, it could not build three halls like the Tang Dynasty's Daming Palace.

The carriage entered through the central gate of Xuande Tower, and a grand hall came into view – the Daqing Hall, used for grand court ceremonies, equivalent to a grand court session. Slightly to the west behind it was the Zichen Hall, used for daily court sessions. West of the Daqing Hall was the Wende Hall, known as the "Main Hall." Behind it was the Chuigong Hall, used for regular court sessions. In addition, there were the Huangyi Hall (used for banquets), the Yuhua Hall (for observing banquets), and the Ziyun Hall, all located slightly west of the Zichen Hall.

After passing through the palace hall and entering the palace, the carriage passed Chongzheng Hall, the place where the emperor reviewed affairs, and Jingfu Hall behind it. It then went around the palace wall of Wansui Hall, where the current emperor resides, and drove all the way into Anfu Palace.

Chapter 16, My Heart Is Still Unsettled, Waves Rise (2)

When Wanlan got out of the carriage, she was startled by the crowd in the courtyard. From the palace gate to the courtyard where the carriage stopped, two rows of neatly dressed palace maids in pink stood straight in the drizzle. As she followed Zhao Defang out of the carriage, the palace maids curtsied in unison and said, "Welcome, Your Highness and Your Highness!" Their voices were clear and distinct.

Wanlan was dumbfounded, standing next to Zhao Defang, who was holding an umbrella, holding her child, unable to react—she knew the etiquette she had to accept as a princess, not to mention that she knew that Jiao Wanlan had grown up in the palace since childhood and was favored by Empress Song. Such a woman seemed to be born to be a princess who looked down on all living beings.

Unfortunately, she wasn't.

Although I was mentally prepared, it couldn't compare to experiencing it firsthand.

Perhaps noticing her sudden change in demeanor, Zhao Defang raised her voice softly, "You may all step back." As she spoke, she pulled her body close to her chest to protect her from the drizzle that was slanting under the umbrella, and said warmly, "Let's go inside. Mother must be getting impatient."

The two walked hand in hand along a long path paved with small, colorful stones toward the palace eaves not far away. However, just as they stepped onto the platform, as Zhao Defang turned to close her umbrella, a person hurried out from behind the four vermilion carved doors that opened inward. Upon seeing Wanlan, he greeted her with a smile.

"You've finally arrived! Come in quickly!" As the visitor spoke, he naturally took the child from Wanlan's arms and carefully examined Wanlan from head to toe. "Are you wet? The weather was fine yesterday, but it started raining today for some reason. The Empress was awakened by the chill last night and couldn't fall back asleep, worried that you wouldn't be able to come today. This morning, seeing that the rain was getting heavier instead of lighter, she was just thinking of sending someone to tell you not to come."

Wanlan smiled slightly, "Yuanniang, I'm fine. I came by carriage all the way here, how could I have gotten wet?"

"That's good. Come in and warm up with me." Yuan Niang, carrying the child, led her across the threshold, continuing, "Although we didn't get wet in the rain, the weather is much colder than yesterday. You've been traveling for quite a while..."

Yuan Niang seems to have forgotten about Ze Hua.

Wanlan listened attentively, a smile playing on her lips as she glanced at Zhao Defang, who was silently following beside her. Seeing him sigh helplessly at her, she almost chuckled aloud.

After entering the hall and passing a large screen covered with Suzhou embroidery silk, there was an archway behind the screen with a beaded curtain hanging down. A person was sitting on a soft couch behind the archway. Zhao Defang reached out and lifted the jingling beaded curtain. The woman in gorgeous clothes who was sitting there stood up and stepped down from the couch to meet Wanlan, who was bowing her head and passing through the curtain. She immediately grasped Wanlan's slightly cool hand.

Wanlan was slightly taken aback, staring in astonishment at the young woman before her.

The woman was dressed in a dark purple brocade robe with wide sleeves, her black hair tied up high and secured with a single jade hairpin. Her face, as beautiful as a jade flower, was adorned with delicate eyebrows and phoenix eyes, exuding an air of nobility. She was smiling at her with a gentle and graceful demeanor.

"Lan'er, you've finally arrived! Your mother has missed you terribly. Are you feeling better? Should your mother summon the imperial physician to come and take another look?"

"Empress Dowager..." Wanlan was speechless. This woman was clearly about the same age as her, and she called her "Empress Dowager" with great difficulty. Zehua's adoptive mother... Empress Song, who was twenty-five years younger than Emperor Taizu of Song, was only twenty-five years old now, one year younger than Prince Yan, Zhao Dezhao.

"Mother, Wanlan is fine, so please don't worry," Zhao Defang said with a smile.

Empress Song breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "I heard from Yuan Niang about how you almost had a difficult childbirth, and then I heard that you had amnesia. I wanted to take some time to go and see you in person, but unfortunately your father is busy with the sacrificial ceremony to Heaven, so I couldn't leave the palace at this time. Seeing that you are all well, I am truly relieved."

"I'm alright," Wanlan smiled faintly. She hadn't expected Empress Song to accept her amnesia so easily, and she couldn't help but feel a sense of unreality. As she walked towards the soft couch, Wanlan sincerely said, "Thank you for your concern, Mother. I know I was wrong and have come to apologize."

Empress Song pressed her down onto the soft couch and said with a gentle smile, "What crime are you asking for? What wrong have you done? This is not something you can control. As long as everyone is alright, that's good enough."

After speaking, she turned her gaze to Yuan Niang, who immediately stepped forward and handed the child to her. Empress Song carefully held the child, her beautiful face beaming with a captivating smile, leaving Wan Lan, who was standing nearby, stunned. She knew that Empress Song had no children, which was why she had taken Zhao Defang into her care. But having children was something every woman longed for, and being childless was probably Empress Song's lifelong regret.

"Mother, please sit down too." Wanlan stood up, helped the Empress to sit down, and then sat down beside her, quietly watching her tease the child who was staring at her, her smile gentle and graceful.

Seeing that the two women were completely unaffected, Zhao Defang didn't care about being ignored again. He leaned down and whispered something in Yuan Niang's ear before heading out. Just then, he brushed past a palace maid who came in after going around the screen. Before he could figure out why the palace maid was being so rude, he saw the palace maid kneel down and say, "Your Highness, Prince Jin requests an audience."

Zhao Defang was taken aback at first, thinking that his uncle might be looking for him. He turned around, about to explain, but his gaze met the Empress's astonished expression. The one with the strongest reaction was Yuan Niang. She took a big step forward and slapped the palace maid across the face with a loud "smack," shouting sharply, "You daring servant! Didn't I tell you beforehand that Her Majesty was meeting with the Princess of Qin today and that no one was allowed to disturb her? She wouldn't see anyone! How dare you barge in so rudely! What is your punishment?"

The palace maid lay prostrate on the ground, trembling slightly, but dared not utter another word.

The Empress sighed, "Yuanniang, forget it, let her go. Invite Prince Jin in and see what he wants."

Yuan Niang hesitated for a moment before waving the palace maid away. She was about to go out to invite Prince Jin when someone slowly walked in from behind the screen. Xiao Rong was very indifferent. He glanced at Yuan Niang with his sharp eyes and then looked at the Empress. He cupped his hands in a salute and said, "I apologize for disturbing the Empress's peace."

The Empress turned slightly away from him, her voice unusually cold, "Very well! I wonder what brings Prince Jin to my palace today?"