The events that took place in the palace had all the palace servants on edge. First, they heard that the emperor had fallen seriously ill with wind - cold and was unable to attend court. Then, it was said that the queen had offended the empress dowager and was thrown into the dungeon in a fit of rage by the empress dowager. Yet, no one dared to utter a single word of protest.
All these were clearly heard by Princess Shangyang, who was in a corner of the harem. She had always suspected that the emperor's illness was fishy. Before she could go to visit him, she heard the news of the queen's imprisonment.
This made her even more uneasy, and her suspicions became clearer. So, she decided to visit the empress dowager.
This was the first time she had visited the empress dowager since she returned to the palace. She didn't like to wander around the palace, and besides, her relationship with the empress dowager had never been good. But now, for the sake of Dongfang Yi, she had no choice.
After entrusting Yi'er to the king's uncle, she arrived at Cining Palace within an incense - burning time. The first person she met was Nanny Li of Cining Palace.
When Nanny Li saw who it was, her face showed a moment of surprise. Then she said, "It's the princess. This old servant has only heard that you've returned, but never had the chance to see you."
Princess Shangyang gave her a faint smile and then said, "Nanny Li, you look much older."
"You, princess, are still as radiant as before," Nanny Li replied.
It was rare to see her being so respectful to someone other than the empress dowager, which showed the princess's status in the harem back then.
"I'd like to see the empress dowager," the princess said directly after a brief exchange, as she had important matters to attend to today.
Unexpectedly, Nanny Li said, "The empress dowager is not feeling well and is not suitable to receive guests."
Hearing this, Princess Shangyang knew that this was the empress dowager's way of deliberately avoiding her.
She frowned and then raised her voice and said towards the palace, "If the empress dowager doesn't want to see me, I'll wait here until she does!"
Shortly after, a deep female voice came from inside the palace, "Let her in!"
Only then did Nanny Li gesture for her to enter.
As soon as Princess Shangyang entered the bedroom, she smelled a strong scent of incense. She couldn't help frowning and saw the woman sitting in the curling incense smoke.
She couldn't help but smile bitterly. As people got older, the empress dowager was no exception in being so afraid of ghosts and gods.
But before she could think more, she saw the woman in front of her open her eyes and then said coldly, "Shangyang, after all these years in the countryside, your temper has become so vulgar. There's hardly any trace of royal etiquette left."
The words were clearly referring to her unruly shouting just now.
But Princess Shangyang didn't seem to care at all. She just curled her lips and said, "You're right, empress dowager. I never thought I'd have the chance to return to the palace in this lifetime."
"Humph," the empress dowager snorted disdainfully after hearing her words. Then she said, "So, what brings you here today?!"
She didn't believe that the woman in front of her was here just to catch up. She had been back for so long and never once came to see her. Now, rushing here in such a hurry, there must be something important.
"Empress dowager is wise. I do have something to ask. I wonder if the emperor is facing any difficulties now."
She emphasized the word "difficulties" heavily, as if hinting at something, because she had already suspected that something might have happened to the emperor, and that was why Dongfang Yi was imprisoned.
After hearing her rather suggestive words, the veins on the empress dowager's forehead popped out. She never thought that after all these years, this woman's words could still be so annoying.
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but shout, "This matter has nothing to do with you. It's our royal family's business. Since you've married into another country, it's not convenient for you to interfere."
Saying this, she picked up the tea beside her and took a sip. Then she added, "Allowing someone like you to live in the harem is already the most lenient thing I've done."
These words were full of insults, as if telling her to recognize her own status and not to try to boss around or be presumptuous in front of the empress dowager.
Her words were extremely unpleasant. Princess Shangyang's face froze for a moment after hearing them, but then she quickly regained her composure and said, "I, of course, know my own status. But empress dowager, if you just throw the queen into the dungeon like this, won't it damage the royal family's reputation if it gets out? And the queen's father is Prime Minister Dongfang. Aren't you afraid of provoking the dissatisfaction of the court?"
After hearing her words, the empress dowager's heart skipped a beat. She had already thought about these things and realized that throwing the queen into the dungeon was inappropriate. But in a fit of anger at that time, she had no choice but to make such a decision.
"I never thought that after all these years, you, Shangyang, still talk so sharply!" she said coldly, with a sneer on her lips.
Back then, when she was still a queen, Princess Shangyang's name resounded throughout the capital. Everyone sang praises of her beauty. Some even only knew of Princess Shangyang in the Dongsheng Palace and not of her, the diligent queen.
Just thinking about these things made her angry. It was this woman in front of her who had snatched the glory that should have been hers.
It was a pity that beauty was not necessarily a good thing for a woman. In the end, wasn't she also harmed by her own beauty, having a bad marriage and being abandoned.
Thinking of all this, the empress dowager looked at the woman in front of her, who had been aged by the years and no longer showed the charm of the past. Then she added, "The past days will never come back. You, Princess Shangyang, are no longer the woman who was regarded as a goddess. Now, only I am the ultimate winner!"
Princess Shangyang looked at the slightly crazy woman in front of her. Her heart sank bit by bit in her chest, as if something had been torn apart. Then she showed a bitter smile and said, "I never wanted to be regarded as a goddess."
Saying this, she left Cining Palace without looking back.
The woman left behind couldn't control her expression anymore because of her words. Then she swept the tea set on the table to the ground with a wave of her hand.
"You didn't want to be regarded as a goddess?! But you did it! And what about me?!" she roared loudly.
Nanny Li, who heard the commotion outside the palace, immediately rushed in. It had been a long time since she last saw the woman in front of her showing such strong emotions.
Those who used to fight for power with her in the harem had completely disappeared with the passing of the former emperor.