Tang Yinmian stood in front of the gate of Guanghan Palace. She squinted and looked up at the familiar gate. The hanging plaque was no longer dusty and shabby as before. Instead, the three gilded characters written in a bold and flowing style were dazzlingly shiny in the sunlight.
Looking at the wide - open gate, Tang Yinmian summoned up her courage and stepped forward.
She was now a person in the Cold Palace. She should have returned to the Cold Palace after the Emperor's order, but thanks to the Queen's order, she could return a bit later.
Nalan Qingshu was her last chance to get out of the Cold Palace.
She took a few more steps and happened to see the person in front of her.
Today, it was Xiaoshunzi on duty at the gate of Guanghan Palace. He saw this lonely Lady Tang from afar.
"Xiaoshunzi, this humble maid requests an audience with Lady Chen Zhaoyi. Please kindly inform her," she said with her head down, seemingly too ashamed to look up.
Xiaoshunzi was a shrewd person. Without showing any other expressions on his face, he smiled so that his eyes turned into crescents and said, "Lady Tang, please wait a moment. This servant will go and inform her."
Tang Yinmian nodded. Only after he left did she raise her head.
In the past, when she came to Guanghan Palace, she didn't need to be announced. Now, everything had changed.
She knew the importance of this visit to plead for help, so she stood properly at the gate waiting.
Xiaoshunzi quickly walked into the palace to inform. The smile on his face just now had disappeared. He lifted the beaded curtain and walked in.
Qingshu was holding the children and teasing them at the moment. The palace was filled with laughter and the clear laughter of the babies.
"Shuer, these two children are growing bigger and eating more every day. Look at how strong they are," Wen Sheng said, holding the little prince in her arms with an uncontrollable smile on her face.
The little prince ate a lot and grew fast. Although he was quiet, sometimes when he kicked his legs, his strength was quite great.
Nalan Qingshu pursed her lips. Looking at her daughter with a rosy complexion in her arms, she couldn't help but bend down and kiss her smooth cheek.
She looked up at her mother in front of her. Just as she was about to speak after some thought, she saw Xiaoshunzi lift the beaded curtain and walk in.
"Your Ladyship, Lady Tang requests an audience."
Hearing this, Qingshu's movement of holding the child paused. She looked at Zhuyao, her attendant beside her, and said, "Guess what she's here for?"
Zhuyao snorted, "What else could it be? The Emperor's order has already been issued. She's probably thinking that Your Ladyship is in favor, so she's come to take a chance."
"Your Ladyship, don't plead for her."
Since that Lady Tang had silently distanced herself from Your Ladyship last time and then defected to the Queen, she knew that this Lady Tang would surely become Your Ladyship's opponent in the future.
It would be best if she could stay in the Cold Palace forever!
Nalan Qingshu lowered her head and kissed the child again. She called the wet nurse in to take the two children down to feed them. She tidied up her sleeves and said casually, "She's staking all her hopes on me, her good friend."
Now that she was at the end of her rope, she naturally had to bet on their friendship, but Qingshu wasn't a nostalgic person.
"Shuer, at least you haven't fallen out yet. You still need to maintain the superficial friendship. Otherwise, you may get into trouble," Wen Sheng said as she drank a sip of tea and stood up. "I'll go and see your younger brother. These days, he's been taking the medicine prescribed by the Imperial Hospital and often wakes up suddenly during sleep. You should have a good talk with that concubine."
Qingshu nodded, looking a bit reluctant as she watched her mother's back.
Before losing her memory, her mother and father had made a lifetime commitment, and the late Emperor had also bestowed a marriage.
Now that her mother's identity was clear, according to the rules, her mother should live in the peaceful and stable Prince An's Mansion outside the palace.
It wasn't like when she lived in the palace and could see her every day.
She sighed and then looked at Xiaoshunzi and said, "Take her to the side hall. I'll come right away."
Xiaoshunzi nodded and turned to leave.
Qingshu changed into her usual clothes and loosened the hair bun for paying respects. She casually tied up a simple hair bun and put on elegant velvet flowers and hairpins.
Just as she walked to the side hall, she saw the familiar but much thinner back through the swaying beaded curtain.
She walked in slowly and lifted the beaded curtain. "Sister Tang."
Tang Yinmian was sizing up the more luxurious furnishings in the hall than before. The more she thought about it, the more resentful she felt, thinking that God was unfair.
Hearing this familiar tone, joy appeared in her eyes. She turned to look at Qingshu. "Shuer..."
Remembering Qingshu's status, she reluctantly got up and saluted. "This humble maid pays respects to Lady Zhaoyi. May Your Ladyship be in good health!"
Qingshu didn't even look at her. She walked straight to the main seat and sat down.
"Sister Tang, please rise."
"This is the scented tea you like to drink."
While taking a sip of the tea, Tang Yinmian carefully sized up Qingshu.
Nalan Qingshu felt her gaze but didn't say anything. She just let her look.
"Shuer, I always feel that we've become a lot more distant..."
Qingshu's expression remained unchanged, but there was a hint of mockery in her eyes.
Distant? She had never distanced herself from Tang Yinmian for any reason. On the contrary, it was Tang Yinmian herself who had given her the bracelet with musk, defected to the Queen, and distanced herself in various ways.
What right did she have to say such a thing now?
"Really? I thought Sister Tang was angry with me, so she stopped interacting with me. From Sister Tang's words, it seems like it was this palace that deliberately distanced herself," Nalan Qingshu said as she curled her fingers and slowly tapped on the table. The only sound in the hall was the tapping sound.
"Shuer, it was my fault in this matter. I believed the rumors and distanced myself from you..."
Qingshu gave her a half - smiling look. "Really? Then why did Sister Tang get involved with the Queen?"
Tang Yinmian bit her lip in humiliation. Tears welled up in her eyes. She looked at Qingshu pitifully. "Shuer... It was because I believed the rumors that I became distant from you. I'm here today to ask you to plead with the Emperor to let me out of the Cold Palace..."
Nalan Qingshu wasn't moved by her act. She finally broke a bit of the courtesy and said, "After all, Sister Tang was sent to the Cold Palace because of the Queen's order to serve the Emperor, right? Sister Tang should go and plead with the Queen."
Whoever's subordinate, that person should be responsible for saving them. Since the Queen couldn't do it, she came to plead with her.
Tang Yinmian's eyes were blank. Seeing Qingshu's attitude, she knew that Qingshu was unwilling to help. But besides Nalan Qingshu, she had no other way out!
Thinking of this, despair enveloped her. She lifted her half - worn skirt and knelt down in front of Qingshu with a thud. Her originally clear voice was now a bit hoarse as she sobbed.
"Shuer... No... Lady Chen Zhaoyi, this humble maid knows her mistake. Please save this humble maid. For the sake of our past friendship... For the sake of the fact that I once saved you from distress, you must help me. Otherwise, I'll have to die in the Cold Palace. I don't want that!" She knelt forward and tried to grab Qingshu's hand.
"I saved you! You can't just watch me trapped in the Cold Palace!"
Nalan Qingshu dodged her touch, and her eyes turned cold.
Save her? How? So just helping her up and saying a few words of encouragement was considered saving her?
Then what about all the times she had pleaded for Tang Yinmian?
"Sister Tang, I don't expose you because I cherish our past friendship. Please don't force me to tear off this last bit of decency," she said.
"It was you who distanced yourself first, and there's also that bracelet. Do you really want me to expose this matter and let you bear the crime of harming the imperial heir?" Nalan Qingshu sneered as she tidied up her wrinkled dress.
Hearing this, Tang Yinmian's face turned deathly pale. She looked at Qingshu in panic.
"Your situation has nothing to do with this palace. First, this palace has never stopped you from serving the Emperor. Second, this palace has never forced you to do anything you didn't want to do. Third, the fact that you were sent to the Cold Palace after being promoted by the Queen to serve the Emperor has nothing to do with this palace."
"Emotionally or rationally, the person you should look for isn't me."
"Your father and brother in your family have made meritorious deeds. That was clearly the best card in front of you, but you didn't know how to use it. Instead, you only wanted me to take risks to help you. Back then, you wanted to harm me for your own self - interest. Now, I can also refuse your request for my own self - interest."
"Lady Tang, please go back."
After she finished speaking coldly, she stood up and walked out of the side hall.