Before she could finish speaking, she was interrupted by a sudden knock on the door, followed by Meng Junheng's voice: "Wan'er, are you asleep?"
Meng Wan was taken aback, then looked at Feng Qi, who had also stood up and was looking over. Their eyes met, and Meng Wan opened the window: "We'll talk about this later. My older brother is here, you should leave quickly."
Feng Qi's face darkened noticeably, but Meng Wan didn't give him a chance to argue, shoving him twice.
Seeing this, Feng Qi didn't want to say anything anymore. She glanced at her one last time before leaping lightly out of the window.
Only after the person had vanished without a trace did Meng Wan close the window.
"Brother, it's so late, is something the matter?"
The door opened, and looking at Huangfu Qian, Meng Wan asked with a light smile.
A hairpin was handed to her: "It really did fall outside Desheng Gate and was picked up by the Third Prince. He was worried that you wouldn't be able to sleep because of it, so he specially brought it back to you. I hope I didn't disturb your rest?"
The hairpin was nothing more than a fabrication she made up based on Huangfu Qian's lie; it wasn't anything important. But Meng Junheng genuinely believed it was left by her mother and even brought it back late at night. Meng Wan thanked him profusely.
After receiving the hairpin, the brother and sister talked for a while before watching Meng Junheng leave. After he left, Meng Wan returned to her room and thought about what Feng Qi had said earlier. What was his last sentence again?
--
The next morning, the weather was warm. After breakfast, Meng Wan and Huan Yan tended to the flowers and plants in the courtyard.
The previous days of heavy snow kept the flowers and plants from seeing the sun, but now that the weather has finally cleared up, we should let them see the light properly.
The sun was shining brightly, its warmth comforting them. Huan Yan and I moved some rattan chairs and sat down, gazing up at the azure sky, clear and bright as if half-washed by water. A few lazy white clouds were scattered across the clear blue sky, making it a particularly pleasing sight.
After an unknown amount of time, footsteps sounded outside, followed by Mu Ci, who was serving in the outer room, stumbling in: "Miss..."
Compared to Huan Yan, Mu Ci was usually calm and composed, so it was rare to see her so anxious. Meng Wan opened her eyes and raised an eyebrow slightly: "What's the rush? Did you see a ghost?"
"No, no." Mu Ci took a few deep breaths, patted her chest, and then said, "It was Her Majesty the Empress who sent someone to invite Miss to the palace. They are waiting at the front right now. Master told Miss to pack her things and go over quickly."
The Empress summoned her? Meng Wan raised an eyebrow and quickly sat up from the rattan chair.
She had met the Empress a few times before, but all of them were after she married Huangfu Qian. Although the Empress had always treated her politely, she had never been warm towards her. Last night, they had only met briefly. So, this time, under circumstances that contradicted her memories of her previous life, she actually invited her to the palace, which was truly astonishing.
What does she want from me?
V7's Sharp Edge Dazzles (Part Two)
The weather was warm, and fluffy clouds drifted in the sky like willow catkins. The azure sky was vast and boundless.
Sitting in the sedan chair, I looked out at the pavilions and towers through the curtains lifted by the wind. Every five steps there was a tower, every ten steps a pavilion; the corridors were winding and the eaves were soaring high.
The two dragons carved on the eaves, with their golden scales and armor, are so lifelike that they seem about to take flight. Under the azure sky, the golden glazed tiles gleam with a golden light.
It truly lives up to its reputation as the imperial palace. Compared to it, even the magnificent Prime Minister's residence is now insignificant.
Especially when the sedan chair arrived at Huaqing Palace, the magnificent pavilions of Huaqing Palace were reflected in the shimmering Huaqing Pool, where duckweed covered the ground, making it green and clear.
Meng Wan alighted from the sedan chair, and a palace maid came to greet her. Since Huan Yan could not come in, the maid bowed respectfully before helping her up: "This servant is Yue Ji from Huaqing Palace. Her Majesty the Empress specially sent this servant to wait for Miss Meng here."
Meng Wan quickly bowed, her gaze lowered to the ground, a polite smile on her lips, her posture upright and unwavering.
Upon seeing this, the palace maid who called herself Yueji nodded slightly, her gaze lingering on Meng Wan's beautiful face before silently helping her into the hall.
If the exterior of Huaqing Palace can be described as magnificent and grand, then the inner palace is truly resplendent in gold and jade.
Inside the bedchamber, the beams were made of sandalwood, the lamps were made of crystal and jade, the curtains were made of pearls, and the column bases were made of gold. A six-foot-wide agarwood bed was surrounded by a silk canopy, embroidered with pearl and silver threads of begonia flowers. When the wind blew, the silk fluttered, as if one were floating in a cloud-covered mountain or a dreamlike sea.
It is absolutely gorgeous.
Within the layers of curtains, a figure could be vaguely seen, seated there—undoubtedly the Empress. Meng Wan glanced at her briefly before bowing respectfully: "This humble woman greets Your Majesty the Empress, may you live a thousand years!"
The voice was neither too loud nor too soft, each word clearly flowing from the mouth, like a cup of fine Shaoxing wine, mellow and lingering.
There was a rustling sound, and a palace maid pulled back the curtain. The Empress stepped down gracefully and personally helped her up, saying, "I have been waiting for you for a long time. You have finally arrived."
His words were accompanied by a gentle smile in his eyes.
Meng Wan glanced up briefly.
Wearing a peony-colored palace dress, she appeared both elegant and simple. Even though she was past her prime, it was not difficult to see the traces of her beauty in her youth at first glance.
However, the smile was too deliberate, which made it seem somewhat cold and lacking any sense of intimacy. In particular, her eyes seemed to be able to see into people's hearts.
Meng Wan glanced at it only once before hurriedly lowering her eyes: "This humble woman is late, please forgive her, Your Majesty the Empress."
Before she could even land, she was firmly pulled up. The Empress personally helped her to her feet, looking at Meng Wan's beautiful face with a dignified and gentle smile: "No need for formalities, please get up."
Holding her hand, Meng Wan sat down next to a palace maid who had already found a seat for her, but she secretly grumbled to herself.
In her previous life, she did not have much interaction with the Empress. The few times she met were after she married Huangfu Qian. However, it was clear that although the Empress appeared dignified and virtuous on the surface, she was actually very shrewd.
Because she had never had any children, she had been raising the fifth prince, whose birth mother had passed away, all these years. Originally, she had intended to groom the fifth prince, Huangfu Yu, to be emperor, but unfortunately, she made a miscalculation, allowing Huangfu Qian to gain the upper hand. So later, she had targeted Huangfu Qian many times, but because of the prime minister's help, even though she had repeatedly framed him, Huangfu Qian's throne remained secure, and in the end, she could only accept it.
But now everything is starting over. Meng Wan is not yet the Crown Princess, yet she has summoned her. Meng Wan guesses that it must be because of what happened last night. After all, being praised by the Emperor to his face has probably spread throughout the entire capital. And what the Empress wants most is to please the Emperor, so there is no reason for her not to go along with the Emperor's wishes.
Sure enough, as her thoughts drifted, she thought, "Yesterday's banquet was too busy, and I didn't have a chance to have a proper chat with you. There are no outsiders here now, so I invited you to sit down."
Meng Wan hurriedly lowered her head, feigning fear.
Seeing this, the Empress gave Yueji a wink. Yueji understood and went into the inner room. Soon after, she came out with a box. The Empress took it and handed it to Meng Wan. Then she smiled and said, "His Majesty has praised you highly, saying that you are exceptionally intelligent. I think you are also a clever child and I like you very much. In the future, you must come to the palace to talk to me often when you have time."
Meng Wan nodded repeatedly to express her gratitude. Just then, someone outside announced that the Seventh Prince had come to pay his respects. According to custom, Meng Wan could not stay any longer and hurriedly got up to take her leave. After hearing the Empress's instructions to come to the palace another day for a chat, she followed Yueji out of the side hall.
At this moment, Liuli, who was by the Empress's side, walked up to her and said, "Your Majesty, I don't understand why you treat her so well. Although she is the daughter of the Prime Minister and is highly praised by His Majesty, you are giving her too much face by doing this."