The news that Wei Dongling had entered the palace quickly reached Yu Zixi's ears. He whispered a few words to Tian Qi, who then took his orders and left.
This was Wei Dongling's first time entering the palace.
After getting off the carriage, some palace servants came to receive them. They bowed respectfully to Qi Jinxuan and then led the two of them to pay their respects to Concubine Xue.
The graceful and noble Concubine Xue bore a slight resemblance to the Crown Prince. Thanks to her good maintenance, she looked only in her early thirties. When she saw Qi Jinxuan coming to pay respects, she quickly got off the main seat, helped Qi Jinxuan up, and warmly offered her a seat.
When she saw Wei Dongling present the pair of gold - inlaid jade bracelets, she liked them so much that she immediately bestowed a whole set of delicate headdresses on Qi Jinxuan.
After the two of them exchanged pleasantries for a while, the other noble ladies also arrived one after another. Concubine Xue offered them seats one by one, and the women began to chat with each other.
Among the crowd, a tall woman in a peach - colored dress stood up and respectfully asked Concubine Xue, "Your Ladyship, I wonder if the Crown Prince will join us in the imperial garden to enjoy the flowers today?"
Wei Dongling thought to herself, "Humph! With his lame leg, how can he accompany you to view the flowers?"
Concubine Xue smiled and replied indifferently, "The Crown Prince has to entertain the distinguished guests from the Western Liang Kingdom today. I'm afraid he doesn't have the time to entertain you all."
Hearing this, the woman in the peach - colored dress showed a disappointed look on her face.
Wei Dongling quietly stepped back and greeted and chatted with the servants brought by the noble ladies.
She soon learned that the girl in the peach - colored dress was the daughter of the Minister of Rites and a cousin of the Empress Dowager. She had grown up with the Crown Prince since childhood and had been eager to marry him ever since she came of age.
Wei Dongling couldn't help but feel sorry for this woman in her heart. She thought the girl must be blind.
But what was even more ridiculous was that most of the women present today were here for the position of the Crown Princess. No wonder the gifts they brought to Concubine Xue were more and more precious.
Tsk tsk tsk. It seemed that she wasn't the only one who was blind.
After the ladies finished chatting, they went to the imperial garden to enjoy the flowers. They would have lunch in the side hall at noon. It was said that Concubine Xue had specially arranged 108 kinds of delicious dishes cooked with fresh flowers to entertain the noble ladies.
Wei Dongling felt extremely bored, so she decided to go out for some fresh air. She asked a palace servant for the direction of the restroom and strolled there slowly.
Although it was her first time in the palace, for some reason, the stone lions on the arch bridge in front of the imperial garden made her feel inexplicably familiar, as if she had seen them in a dream.
The winding corridors in the imperial garden were full of twists and turns. Wei Dongling looked back carefully. When she turned around, she bumped into a man.
A palace servant scolded loudly in her ear, "How dare you! Whose servant are you? How dare you bump into a distinguished guest?"
Wei Dongling was terrified and quickly bowed her head, saying, "I didn't mean to offend. Please forgive me!" When she lowered her head, she saw that the man in front of her was wearing gorgeous clothes. There was a jade - inlaid belt around his waist, and there was a jade cicada pendant hanging on the belt with a sky bead on it!
Wei Dongling looked up in surprise and saw a tall and fair - skinned man looking down at her.
It was precisely Young Master Mingyang from Xuyang Winery in Liaocheng!
A thunderbolt went off in Wei Dongling's heart, and she began to sweat faintly on her forehead.
Young Master Mingyang had never seen Wei Dongling before. He waved his hand at the palace servant beside him indifferently and walked away.
In a hurry, Wei Dongling gritted her teeth, took off the gold hairpin on her head, and quietly stuffed it into the hand of a palace servant. She asked, "Excuse me, sir. Which distinguished guest is that man who just walked by?"
The palace servant looked at the heavy gold hairpin in his hand, then at Wei Dongling, quietly put away the hairpin, and replied, "This is the prince of the Western Liang Kingdom."
The prince of the Western Liang Kingdom?
Wei Dongling gasped. So the iron ore smelted by the Zhao Mansion was actually sold to the Western Liang Kingdom?
Seeing Wei Dongling standing still, the palace servant kindly reminded her, "Miss, be careful when you walk. If you bump into a master in the palace, you'll be beaten with a board."
Wei Dongling quickly thanked him and then asked, "Excuse me. Which direction is the Jingyang Palace?"
The palace servant looked at Wei Dongling in surprise, then casually pointed to a place not far behind, "This is it."
After thanking the servant, Wei Dongling lowered her head and walked away in a hurry.
Thirteen years ago, there was a big fire in the Jingyang Palace, and Concubine Chen, the daughter of the former Prime Minister Su, was buried in the fire. Although Yu Zixi had reminded her that this was a major taboo in the palace and she shouldn't act rashly, Wei Dongling rarely came to the palace, and the Jingyang Palace was just around the corner. She felt like a cat was scratching at her heart.
Looking back from afar at Qi Jinxuan, she was carefully admiring the charming flowers in the imperial garden with the other noble ladies.
After much hesitation, Wei Dongling stamped her foot and rushed straight to the Jingyang Palace.
The clothes she was wearing today were a bit too bright. There were many guards in the palace. Afraid of being exposed, Wei Dongling didn't dare to jump onto the eaves. She had to walk carefully along the palace wall.
After the Jingyang Palace was renovated, it seemed that the fire had left no trace. Wei Dongling walked around all the pavilions and yards. There were already some concubines living in the gardens. Everything had changed.
Wei Dongling sighed and turned to leave. But then she heard a palace servant shout from behind, "Who are you? How dare you break into the Jingyang Palace without permission!"
Wei Dongling quickly bowed her head and saluted, saying, "I'm in a hurry to use the restroom. I got lost on the way and accidentally barged in. Please forgive me!"
The palace servant sneered repeatedly, "Looking for the restroom and coming here? I think you're here to steal something!" After saying that, he loudly called the guards.
Wei Dongling turned around and climbed over the wall. She wanted to rush back to the imperial garden in a hurry, but a team of guards came from the front. She had no choice but to turn around and run away.
"Stop!" There were more and more guards behind her. Wei Dongling ran as fast as she could, scolding silently in her heart.
Running all the way, she didn't know which way led back to the imperial garden. When she turned around, there was another team of guards blocking the way in front of her! Without hesitation, Wei Dongling jumped over a palace wall and plunged into a desolate palace courtyard. But she lost her balance. She tripped on the stone steps and fell. The money bag in her sleeve rolled out. Several copper coins scattered on the ground, and the delicate jade pendant broke into two pieces with a snap.
Wei Dongling was so heart - broken that she almost cried.
She had thought about pawning it earlier to get some silver. Now it was all gone.
Just as Wei Dongling was on the verge of crying, she saw a foot step on the broken jade pendant. She couldn't help but look up and saw an old white - haired granny.
The granny realized that she had stepped on something foreign. She moved her small foot, bent down, and picked up the money bag and the jade pendant on the ground.
Wei Dongling quickly got up and scrambled to pick up the copper coins on the ground. But then she heard the shouts and the sound of pounding on the door from the guards outside. She was so anxious that a thin layer of sweat appeared on her forehead.
The white - haired granny looked at the broken jade pendant in her hand, grabbed Wei Dongling's hand, motioned for her to be quiet, and quietly led her into the house.