Sure enough, just as Dongfang Yi had expected, the Empress Dowager's expression immediately turned solemn. Countless emotions were entangled in her aged eyes.
"What's your opinion, Empress?"
The Empress Dowager looked straight at the woman in front of her, slightly narrowing her eyes.
"Your Majesty, I don't have any special opinion. I'm just here to inform you. It's still up to you to decide what it really means and what to do." Dongfang Yi said with a slight bow and a smile.
Although she came with a clear purpose, in front of this extremely intelligent woman who had been through many ups and downs, being too straightforward might arouse her disgust. So pretending to be humble and dull was the best strategy.
Although the Empress Dowager was quite pleased with her words, she wouldn't forget how Dongfang Yi had defied her before.
Thinking of this, the Empress Dowager let out a cold snort, which seemed to come from the back of her throat, deeply expressing her dissatisfaction.
"Empress, there's no need to be so high - sounding. If you want to take over the Mid - Autumn Festival banquet, just say so directly." The Empress Dowager stared at the woman opposite her with a knowing look.
Dongfang Yi couldn't help but let out a couple of silent laughs in her heart. She thought that they had finally got to the main topic, the Mid - Autumn Festival banquet. So she continued to add fuel to the fire, "I'm just here to convey the Emperor's intention. But I really trust Concubine Shun. Moreover... the Emperor dotes on her so much..."
At this point, she paused and looked up at the Empress Dowager opposite her. As expected, she saw the old woman clench her hand that was holding the teacup tightly, and her expression became even more displeased.
She finally took the bait. Dongfang Yi had watched so many ancient Chinese palace intrigue dramas in modern times and deeply understood that all empress dowagers hated concubines who received exclusive favor from the emperor, for fear that they would lead the emperor astray.
However, the truth of the story often had nothing to do with the women. The downfall of a dynasty was only due to the emperor's incompetence and the loss of the people's support.
"Humph! Concubine Shun is just a concubine. How can she handle such an important event as the Mid - Autumn Festival banquet? It was because you were too useless before that Concubine Chu always took over. Now, seeing your current state, you should be able to handle it!"
The Empress Dowager said word by word.
Although she didn't like Dongfang Yi, after all, she was the empress, representing the dignity of the Dongsheng Kingdom. Concubine Shun was just a low - ranked concubine. If rumors spread, where would the dignity of the royal family be?
Hearing the Empress Dowager's words, Dongfang Yi let out another couple of silent laughs in her heart. She thought that no matter how shrewd the Empress Dowager was, she couldn't escape the wiles of a modern person.
"Your Majesty, this may not be appropriate..." Dongfang Yi said, widening her eyes in feigned surprise. Her tone was full of disbelief, as if she had never expected the Empress Dowager to say such a thing.
"As the empress, shouldn't you share the Emperor's burdens?"
Looking at the spineless and useless appearance of the woman opposite her, the Empress Dowager frowned even more tightly. Her disgust for Dongfang Yi deepened, thinking that having such an empress in Dongsheng was truly a misfortune for the country.
She didn't realize at all that the woman in front of her had a whole belly full of bad ideas.
"However, Your Majesty, I'm also helpless. The Emperor wants Concubine Shun to handle it. I can't force him to change his mind..."
Dongfang Yi looked as if she was being forced to do something against her will. She lowered her head very low, afraid that if she saw the Empress Dowager's serious expression, she would burst out laughing and all her efforts would be in vain.
The Empress Dowager just let out a cold snort, then picked up the tea on the table and drank it all in one gulp. From her actions, one could imagine how valiant and heroic she had been in her youth.
"Concubine Shun is not worthy of making the Emperor angry with me for her. As the empress, you should have the self - awareness of an empress. Don't be unable to deal with just any little concubine."
The Empress Dowager looked at Dongfang Yi with a look of disgust, very dissatisfied with her weakness.
It was fortunate that Donghua didn't accompany Dongfang Yi into the Empress Dowager's palace. If she had heard the Empress Dowager's words, she might have retorted in her heart for quite a few times. After all, she had seen Dongfang Yi's methods clearly. There was not a trace of weakness in her, let alone being unable to deal with concubines.
"Your Majesty~" Dongfang Yi suddenly let out a coquettish laugh as if she was pinching her throat. Even she herself was instantly disgusted by the sound.
"Your Majesty, you're so kind to me. You're really reasonable and always thinking about the dignity of our royal family." Dongfang Yi continued in a flattering tone.
Although she knew that the Empress Dowager didn't have any real kindness towards her, if saying such things could make her happy and help her achieve her goal, why not?
Looking at her, the Empress Dowager's eyebrows were almost knitted into a knot. She thought that this girl wasn't like this when she first entered the palace. Although she was also weak and annoying, why had her personality suddenly changed so much and become so worldly and talkative?
Thinking of the time in the Empress's palace when the woman in front of her had stood up and defied her, the good impression that had just emerged in her heart was instantly extinguished.
After all, she was the Empress Dowager, second only to the Emperor and above all others. How could anyone dare to confront her like this?
"Enough! I'm tired. You may leave."
The Empress Dowager still said with a cold face, then turned around and sat back on the cushion where she had been meditating.
Her gesture clearly showed that it was a dismissal order, without any intention of asking Dongfang Yi for her opinion.
Seeing this, Dongfang Yi bowed slightly and said, "I'll take my leave." Then she left the Cining Palace. After all, she had accomplished what she wanted to do, so there was no need to linger. Sometimes, too much is as bad as too little. Saying too much might only make people more bored.
After Dongfang Yi left the palace, the noble woman sitting on the cushion suddenly opened her eyes that had been closed during meditation. She thought of Helian Qi again and thought that he had been doing more and more foolish things.
Letting Concubine Shun handle the Mid - Autumn Festival banquet was just the tip of the iceberg. She had also heard from her informants about the renovation of the imperial mausoleum. Not to mention that this matter itself was unwise, but what was even more hateful was that he had actually appointed that cunning old guy Nangong to handle it.
The imperial mausoleum was surrounded by mountains and the terrain was extremely dangerous. It was very easy to do something without being discovered. The old man Nangong had always been against the royal - loyalist faction. Making such a decision now would surely chill the hearts of the royal - loyalist faction.
Thinking of this, the Empress Dowager couldn't help but let out a deep sigh. She was helpless that she was old while the Emperor was in his prime. She really shouldn't ask too much about the affairs of the court. But she was confident that she could make the decision about the Mid - Autumn Festival banquet.
The Nangong family couldn't be allowed to monopolize both the court and the harem. Since it was said that the Mid - Autumn Festival banquet should be handled by the most noble woman in the harem, it should be reasonably and completely handed over to the empress!