After Dongfang Yi left the Empress Dowager's palace, Donghua asked excitedly, "How was it, Your Ladyship? What did the Empress Dowager say?"
Her curious look made Dongfang Yi couldn't help but want to play a trick on her. So she lowered her head, looking sorrowful, and said, "Alas... The Empress Dowager doesn't agree. She really loathes me."
Hearing her words and seeing her sorrowful face, Donghua immediately became nervous.
"It doesn't matter, Your Ladyship. Actually, the Mid - Autumn Banquet won't prove anything. If Concubine Shun wants to host it, let her."
Looking at the earnest expression on the woman in front of her trying to console her, Dongfang Yi burst out laughing, "Hahaha, I'm kidding you, Donghua. The Empress Dowager has promised to help me get the power to host the Mid - Autumn Banquet!"
"Really?!" Donghua let out a sigh of relief and said excitedly, dancing with joy.
"Donghua, from now on, don't call yourself 'this slave' in front of me. Just say 'I', okay?" She frowned and said.
She never liked such rigid forms of address. Especially after today's incident, she deeply felt that Donghua was a very cute girl, so she wanted to remove the estrangement between them.
Although Donghua served under Helian Qi, she didn't fully report this incident to him. Dongfang Yi already felt very grateful.
"Your Ladyship..." Donghua widened her eyes, not knowing what to say for a moment. She had always been humble, especially in front of Helian Qi. From the moment he saved her, she knew that she would always be just a servant.
But now this woman in front of her gave her a sense of self - esteem she had never had before.
"Thank you, Your Ladyship!" Tears seemed to well up in Donghua's eyes.
"Don't call me Your Ladyship. It makes me sound so old. I think you're just a few years younger than me. When there's no one around, call me sister from now on." Dongfang Yi said playfully.
"Okay, Your... Sister!" Donghua replied even more excitedly.
After that, the two of them walked towards the Queen's palace, chatting and laughing one after another.
...
On the other side, in the Qianqing Palace.
Helian Qi was bent over his desk, dealing with official documents. One of the documents in front of him was submitted by Prime Minister Dongfang, still urging him to give up the plan to renovate the imperial mausoleum.
Seeing this, he still picked up the pen beside him and drew a big cross on it heavily. The bright red mark stung his eyes.
He of course knew that renovating the imperial mausoleum was a thankless task, but it would also make those with evil intentions show their true colors.
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but let out a long sigh, as if giving himself great comfort.
Suddenly, he heard Father Li's voice from outside, "The Empress Dowager is coming—!"
Hearing this, Helian Qi couldn't help but frown and stared fixedly at the palace gate.
After a while, an old woman dressed in luxurious clothes and wearing a gold hairpin and swaying tassels walked in.
Wasn't this the Empress Dowager? At this moment, she was walking slowly towards the man in front of her. Her eyebrows were knitted together, as if hiding some unspeakable things in her heart.
"Why has Mother come?" Helian Qi squinted his eyes and asked.
Since the Empress Dowager had gotten older and the Cining Palace was located in a remote area, she rarely came to the Qianqing Palace. Now that she came in a hurry with such a solemn expression, something must have happened.
The Empress Dowager let out a cold snort, a sound that seemed to come from the back of her throat.
"Your Majesty is becoming more and more unpredictable these days. Even I can't figure you out. It seems that my days are numbered!" She looked at the man in front of her with a sharp glint in her eyes.
Hearing her words, Helian Qi frowned even more tightly. His fists clenched slightly. He wondered if his mother had discovered his plan.
Before he could finish his thought, he saw the old woman in front of him raise her hand and slap the table heavily. Then she continued in a booming voice, "Your Majesty, do you think Concubine Shun is qualified to host the Mid - Autumn National Banquet?!"
There was deep anger in her words. After hearing this, the stone in Helian Qi's heart dropped. He thought that this was what she was talking about.
But then he wondered how his mother knew about this so quickly. Thinking of the gentle and docile Concubine Shun, she didn't seem like the type to tell this to others casually.
He remembered that Donghua had said that Concubine Shun had gone to the Queen's palace and told Dongfang Yi about this. So now that the Empress Dowager knew about it, it was easy to figure out. But Donghua didn't report it to him...
Thinking of this, an indescribable feeling rose in his heart. It wasn't anger because Donghua didn't report it to him, but curiosity that Dongfang Yi would be interested in the affairs in the palace.
He still remembered how carefully that woman faced the things she liked. Thinking of this, the corner of his mouth couldn't help but curl up into a smile.
This smile happened to fall into the eyes of the Empress Dowager beside him. Of course, the old lady didn't know what her son was thinking at this moment. She just thought that he was smiling because he thought of Concubine Shun.
Her son, who was originally cold - natured, was now smiling so brightly because of a woman. The more the Empress Dowager thought about it, the stronger the displeasure in her eyes became.
"Your Majesty! I'm asking you a question!" The Empress Dowager roared angrily at the man in front of her.
Only then did Helian Qi come out of his thoughts. As soon as he looked up, he saw that his mother's eyes were almost on fire. After a moment's thought in his mind, he knew what she was thinking.
So he put away the smile on his face and replaced it with a cold expression, saying, "Then what does Mother mean? I'm very willing to hear Mother's opinion."
Seeing that his attitude was quite respectful, the Empress Dowager's anger in her eyes subsided a little. But her chest was still heaving as she said, "Since there is a Queen in the harem, the Mid - Autumn National Banquet should be hosted by the Queen. This will prevent others from saying that our royal family has no rules and that a mere concubine can casually appear in important occasions."
After she finished speaking, she looked at the man opposite her with an unshakable expression, as if indicating that this decision could never be changed.
Helian Qi looked at his mother's appearance and remembered that it had been a long time since he last saw Dongfang Yi. Thinking of this, his chest felt hot, and the sudden surge of longing was irresistible.
"Then follow Mother's words. The Mid - Autumn National Banquet will be hosted by the Queen, and Concubine Shun will assist. " He said so, and didn't forget to include Concubine Shun. After all, he had promised this before, and this arrangement was still reasonable.