Wei Dongling had already met her imperial grandmother before!
When she accompanied Qi Jinxuan into the palace, she was crippled by Granny Gao beside the queen. Fortunately, the young master of the Shangguan family, Shangguan Yun, came to her rescue. But just as they reached the palace gate, they were accosted by Princess Qi, Murong Yunxi, who claimed that the empress dowager wanted to see Young Master Yun. So, in a hurry, Shangguan Yun took Wei Dongling to meet the empress dowager.
At that time, her imperial grandmother was quite dissatisfied with her!
Wei Dongling followed the emperor into the Taiji Palace.
Inside the palace, the empress dowager, along with a group of concubines and princesses, had already been waiting there.
As the emperor walked towards the main seat, he laughed heartily and said, "I've been busy with government affairs and am a bit late. Mother, please don't blame me."
Wei Dongling knew that the emperor was protecting her, and she couldn't help feeling a bit self - reproachful. She shouldn't have dawdled in the general's mansion for so long.
All the concubines quickly got up to pay their respects to the emperor.
Sitting on the main seat was the empress dowager. At this moment, she was smiling kindly, looking up at Wei Dongling beside the emperor. She waved her hand at the emperor and said, "The emperor is diligent in government affairs and loves the people. Mother is only too pleased. How could I blame you?"
The emperor nodded and smiled faintly. Wei Dongling quickly stepped forward and bowed deeply, saying respectfully, "Your granddaughter, Murong Wanlin, pays respects to her imperial grandmother! May her imperial grandmother enjoy boundless happiness and good health."
The empress dowager looked carefully at Wei Dongling's delicate and proper appearance. Every word and deed of hers was proper. With a kind smile, the empress dowager said, "Come here quickly! Let this old woman take a good look at you!"
"Yes." Wei Dongling stepped forward respectfully and knelt beside the empress dowager.
The empress dowager scrutinized Wei Dongling's face carefully. Indeed, she bore a slight resemblance to the emperor! The more the empress dowager looked, the more satisfied she was. She waved her hand and ordered her servants, "Reward! Go and fetch this old woman's jade ruyi made of emerald, that pair of purple - gold agate jade bracelets, and the red coral jade pendant, and give them all to Princess Five."
"Yes!" The servant rushed off.
Wow! Was there such a good thing just by recognizing a nominal grandmother? Wei Dongling was overjoyed. She quickly bowed to express her gratitude.
It seemed that this empress dowager grandmother didn't remember at all that she had met Wei Dongling before!
She didn't wear makeup when she went out before. Now, after changing her clothes and dressing up carefully, she wasn't recognized. No wonder people said that the difference between a plain face and a made - up face was like night and day.
Just as Wei Dongling was overjoyed, she heard a woman's coquettish and plaintive voice, "Imperial grandmother is so partial! Granddaughter has been asking you for that pair of purple - gold agate jade bracelets for so long, but you never agreed to give them to me! Now that elder sister is back, imperial grandmother has become so generous. Granddaughter is going to be jealous!"
The voice sounded familiar. The half - sincere and half - joking coquetry made Wei Dongling can't help but look up.
She saw Princess Qi, Murong Yunxi, dressed up gaudily. She threw herself into the empress dowager's arms and coquettishly refused to let go. From time to time, she also glanced at Wei Dongling.
The empress dowager held Murong Yunxi's slender waist and said with a laugh, "You naughty girl! Hasn't this old woman rewarded you enough things on weekdays?"
Murong Yunxi coquettishly said, "No! I just want that pair of purple - gold agate jade bracelets!"
Just as the empress dowager was about to coax her, one of the concubines sitting below spoke up and ordered Murong Yunxi, "Yunxi, don't be rude. Sit back quickly."
Wei Dongling looked over there. The speaker was wearing luxurious clothes and had an extraordinary bearing. Presumably, she was Murong Yunxi's biological mother, Concubine Rong.
At this moment, Concubine Rong's gaze was also looking at Wei Dongling. Wei Dongling quickly lowered her head to pay her respects. When she looked up again, Concubine Rong's gaze had already shifted elsewhere.
When the grannies taught her the palace etiquette, Wei Dongling had roughly understood the situation of the concubines in the harem.
Since the Zhao family was exiled, Queen Zhao had not been deposed. However, she had been stripped of her power to assist in the management of the six palaces and was under house arrest in the Ten - Thousand - Buddha Pagoda. She had to chant scriptures and pray every night and was not allowed to take a single step out.
After the crown prince lost his power, Concubine Xue was demoted three ranks and became Concubine Xue. At this time, she should be sitting in some inconspicuous corner in the back row. Wei Dongling didn't have the time to look carefully.
As for Concubine Rong, Murong Yunxi's biological mother, three years ago, under the protection of the empress dowager, she gave birth to a young prince for the emperor. Therefore, she had leaped to become the emperor's favorite concubine. After Concubine Xue lost her power, Concubine Rong took over the power to assist in the management of the six palaces. Leaving aside her rank, Concubine Rong was already equivalent to the mistress of the harem in terms of power.
Even when the emperor went out of the palace privately, he claimed to have the surname Rong. It turned out that he had borrowed Concubine Rong's surname. This showed that her position in the emperor's heart was definitely extraordinary.
When Murong Yunxi heard her mother's rebuke, she was naturally unhappy. She clung to the empress dowager's arm and refused to let go. It wasn't until the empress dowager nodded and agreed to reward her a green jade screen that she returned to her seat contentedly.
Wei Dongling couldn't help but curl her lips in her heart.
Look, they were both princesses. Murong Yunxi had the protection of her biological mother and was deeply loved by the emperor and the empress dowager. How could she, a nominal and lonely princess, compare with Murong Yunxi?
After the emperor took his seat, he ordered the servants to serve the meal.
The empress dowager asked Wei Dongling to sit beside her. She looked at her happily and said with a soft laugh, "I have to say, Princess Five really looks like the emperor!"
Immediately, a concubine echoed, "That's right! Look at her nose and chin! She's just carved out of the same mold as the emperor!"
Wei Dongling lowered her head and smiled faintly, allowing everyone to look her up and down. She quietly glanced at the concubine who had spoken. This concubine was good - looking, and her rose - red dress was particularly eye - catching. It seemed that her rank was not low. Wei Dongling politely nodded at her, and she returned a sweet smile.
Everyone chattered and echoed, praising that Wei Dongling really looked like the emperor, which made the empress dowager laugh from ear to ear.
Murong Yunxi glanced at Wei Dongling several times from her seat. The more she looked, the more solemn her expression became. It seemed that she had probably recognized Wei Dongling.
From an inconspicuous corner on the right, a venomous look was cast over. Sensing the malice, Wei Dongling looked up.
Oh, wasn't this the biological mother of the deposed crown prince, the demoted Concubine Xue! At this time, Concubine Xue was no longer as elegant and noble as before. Although her makeup was proper, she looked extremely haggard. Perhaps it was because of her worry about the crown prince's deposition that she had over - exhausted herself.
Wei Dongling met Concubine Xue's venomous gaze and returned a faint smile. Her smile was full of meaning: Weren't you quite showy back then? You held a flower - viewing banquet to choose a concubine for your good son. Well, now what? The crown prince has been deposed. He's completely finished!
Concubine Xue saw the meaning in Wei Dongling's smile, and her look towards Wei Dongling became even more venomous.
A voice said with a soft laugh, "Princess Five does bear a slight resemblance to the emperor. But on closer inspection, she looks more like the late Consort Chen back then."
As soon as these words were spoken, the whole place fell silent.
No one in the palace had dared to mention the name of Consort Chen for many years. But now, during this family banquet when everyone was gathered happily, someone actually said such a spoil - sport thing.