Chapter 139: Beneath The Wedding Dress
Empress Dowager Shen had already ostentatiously brought this niece into the palace in order to push Shen Yizhu onto the empress position, which was equivalent to telling the world her intentions.
Firstly, at present besides Mu Shuyun this rival, she had no need to lay low; secondly, if she hesitated and let Shen Yizhu return to the mansion to get married, it would also damage her reputation as an unmarried lady.
So even if the Emperor’s side had exposed his edge, Empress Dowager Shen was already in a dilemma.
After returning to her room and washing up, Yue Tang dined under the lamp and had the maidservant Zixia who was tidying the bed pass word for Lan Qin to come in.
Lan Qin and Mei Qing came in together.
Yue Tang said, “A while ago, you two organized and cataloged all the courtyards front and back in the Prince’s Mansion. Have you finished everything?”
“All organized,” Lan Qin nodded. “From large houses to small blades of grass and trees, every piece of paper and inkstone, everything has been accounted for.”
“What about all the storerooms? Have you opened and checked all the boxes?”
“All boxes have been opened, locks changed, and seals reapplied.”
“Were there any things related to Consort An or the First Prince?”
Lan Qin paused, stepped forward to serve her a bowl of soup: “Nothing much comes to mind for Consort An’s things, but there are plenty from the palace grants. Moreover, the First Prince was very close to the Princess in the past, and he gave many things.
“If the Princess wants to find something, tell me, perhaps this servant remembers.”
Yue Tang looked at them: “Dou Yun said that when Father King was alive, he once sent him to the back gate of Palace City to pick up a package of things from the nannies by Consort An’s side.
“After this package reached Father King, Dou Yun never heard of its whereabouts again.
“Check carefully again, do we have any old things from Consort An or the First Prince hidden in our storerooms?”
Lan Qin and Mei Qing both paused, then simultaneously asked her: “In a hurry?”
“There are really too many things. Even though they’ve been cataloged in booklets, reopening the storerooms and moving them around will probably take a day or two.”
“Not in a hurry. Just search carefully.”
Yue Tang took a sip of soup.
She looked up to see them retreating to the doorway, then beckoned again: “Go tell Wei Zhang to find Zhou Yun’s original travel permit and send Xiao Huo to his hometown to check.
“Also have Ye Chuang keep a closer eye on him these days.”
Being able to withstand questioning from both Yue Tang and Yan Bei, at least some of Zhou Yun’s words were true.
But his claim of being a bodyguard in the past, only gaining such outstanding kung fu from wandering the rivers and lakes, was clearly unbelievable.
Last time Ye Chuang went with her to watch Mu Shuyun, he was quite sharp and was the first standout among the new batch of guards.
Having him watch Zhou Yun should be no problem.
After finishing the dinner that was already a night snack, the lights in the Prince’s Mansion gradually went out.
At this time in Yongfu Palace, Empress Dowager Shen was still sitting on the couch lost in thought by the lamplight.
Shen Yizhu brought the calming soup and placed it by her side: “Aunt, it’s late, rest early.”
Empress Dowager Shen looked up: “Today when Yong Jia came out of Zichen Hall, where did you go?”
Shen Yizhu’s hand placing the tray paused.
Empress Dowager Shen looked at her sternly: “What did you go to her for? She can’t become one of our own, you know that?”
Shen Yizhu stood with hands clasped, nodding slightly.
Empress Dowager Shen sighed: “You’re still too young. Girls like you and Mu Shuyun can’t even last three moves under her hand.
“Do you know how much the Former Emperor and Empress Mu doted on her and cared for her? At that time there was also the First Prince in the palace, though born to a concubine, his mother was also an Imperial Consort!
“The effort the Former Emperor poured into her was as much as for the First Prince! And with the loving and virtuous Empress Mu’s favor, not only did she learn civil and military strategies, she also learned inner palace household matters from Empress Mu’s hand.
“She is fundamentally not an ordinary Imperial Clan Princess!”
“Aunt,” Shen Yizhu stepped forward and sat beside her, “Yizhu knows. On the day of the palace banquet, the first sight of the Princess in Yongfu Palace, I felt she shone like the sun.
“If all women in the world need to rely on their husbands for glory, the Princess can shine on her own.
“Later in Zichen Hall, no need to say more. She unhurriedly lured the Mu Family into the trap, then silently led them into the pit, steady and calm throughout, controlling the overall situation. How could Yizhu match even one tenth of her?
“Even less dare to provoke her rashly.”
“Good that you know.” Empress Dowager Shen’s tone softened a bit. “We both know about the Imperial City Department matter. How could it be such a coincidence that Prince Jingyang happened to catch the Mu Family’s guard there?
“But today the Emperor still issued a decree to punish Mu Chang, which shows he indeed has dissatisfaction with the Mu Family. It also shows he thinks Yong Jia is worth him doing this.
“Next, Prince Duan’s Mansion and the Mu Family will inevitably enter a life-and-death struggle. This is a good sign for us. That girl is very capable. If she can suppress the Mu Family, we can reap the benefits.
“But if we get close to Prince Duan’s Mansion, we will instead become targets for the Mu Family.
“With Mu Shuyun’s death, the Mu Family already hates me. Why rush to the forefront?”
After saying this, Empress Dowager Shen sighed in annoyance again. “Originally, removing Mu Shuyun this obstacle would make your hope of entering the central palace greater.
“But with things blown up this big, it’s instead not suitable to act rashly.”
Shen Yizhu looked at the now cold soup, got up to move it away, lit a calming incense stick, then went behind Empress Dowager Shen to massage her shoulders.
Empress Dowager Shen pulled her back to sit: “If you enter the palace in the future, this place will also be your battlefield.
“What are your thoughts?”
Shen Yizhu was silent for a while, then looked up and said: “Aunt thinks of the Shen Family everywhere, exhausting herself, Yizhu is deeply moved.
“However, just now Aunt mentioned that the Princess and the Mu Family have now become enemies. Yizhu instead thinks, rather than sitting and waiting to reap benefits, better to proactively ally with the Princess to take down the Mu Family together, lest prolonged delays breed trouble.”
Empress Dowager Shen was moved: “All day hunting geese, yet inevitably pecked by a goose. How do you know she will treat us sincerely?”
Shen Yizhu gently pursed her lips, gaze deep: “But the Princess has already saved me.
“That day when Mu Shuyun schemed against me, I was indeed tripped up in the small garden.
“If not for the Princess secretly passing me a message and guiding me back to my room, the Mu Family’s plot would have succeeded nine times out of ten.
“Aunt must know very well that if the Emperor had a choice, he definitely wouldn’t choose to make me empress. With that little wooden figurine found, even if he knew it was a trick, he would use it as an excuse to vent, first dashing my hopes. Our Shen Family would also suffer.
Empress Dowager Shen was shocked: “How did I not know about this?”
Shen Yizhu stood up: “At that time Yizhu couldn’t confirm if it was the Princess. That morning the censor came to the palace to make an accusation, very urgently, Yizhu didn’t have time to say.”
“Then how did you later know it was her?”
“Because Yizhu went to find her.” Light reflected dazzlingly in Shen Yizhu’s eyes. “When Yizhu sought confirmation face-to-face from the Princess, she tacitly acknowledged it.”
Empress Dowager Shen sat in silence.
“Aunt,” Shen Yizhu sat down again, “Look at that day in the hall. The Princess could have mentioned this matter and pulled Yizhu out to testify for her.
“But she didn’t mention herself at all.
“Admittedly, the Princess did that at the time also with the intent to target the Mu Family, not wanting them to succeed. But afterward she didn’t claim credit from us. If Yizhu didn’t proactively go to her, she might never mention it!
“And when I sought confirmation, she didn’t say a word, nor did she take advantage to claim this favor— so I think the Princess is a person of high integrity, at least with her own principles.
“A person like this, if we can get her to side with us, shouldn’t betray the Shen Family.”
Empress Dowager Shen listened with fluctuating emotions, took a deep breath, got up and paced: “What do you know? How many bowls of rice have you eaten? And you can see through a person like her?
“In just these few months since she returned to the capital, how many people have died by her hand? Have you counted?”
Shen Yizhu smiled: “In that case, Yizhu admires the Princess even more.
“She never wronged anyone, yet those people still poisoned her and her son for fame, profit, and power.
“She kills them one by one, making the wicked face justice, so that the law and justice in this world gain dignity.”
Empress Dowager Shen stared dazedly at the girl before her. She spoke eloquently, strange light swimming in her eyes, like pursuing a star from heaven, unable to suppress her excitement.
Empress Dowager Shen looked away, expression obscure.
“Dignity of law and justice?” She paced forward slowly, murmuring, “What’s the use of that? Power is what matters.
“Power can protect lives, can make a family prosper.”
“Aunt!” Shen Yizhu’s expression dimmed, slowly following her steps. “But this time without the Princess, we couldn’t have so easily uncovered Mu Shuyun’s conspiracy.
“We do owe the Princess a favor. Even if we can’t become allies, at least we can’t lack Aunt’s magnanimity.”
Empress Dowager Shen turned, thought for a moment, went behind the phoenix desk: “Since you think this trip is necessary, this widow will issue an invitation, you deliver it to her tomorrow.”
Light returned to Shen Yizhu’s face: “Yizhu will certainly handle this errand well!”
Empress Dowager Shen looked at her meaningfully, chiding lightly: “You this girl, will only learn the hard way after bumping into walls and getting bruised.”
Shen Yizhu pursed her lips and smiled.
The next day after morning court, Empress Dowager Shen returned to the palace. She dressed neatly, took the invitation personally written by the Empress Dowager, and went out.
Passing that day’s small garden, she stopped and looked at several lush pots of orchids on the rack, walked over, selected the best two pots, and had her maidservant carry them.
The maidservant said: “These are the ones Miss specially planted for the Emperor.”
Shen Yizhu still had her carry them: “The Emperor is busy with state affairs, doesn’t have time to appreciate flowers.
“Carry them carefully, don’t break the leaves.”
……
Afraid Yue Tang would wait impatiently, Lan Qin discussed with Mei Qing and started spreading out the account booklets last night. They had Wei Zhang find a group of capable guards, divided into two teams. Each led a team to open the storerooms and take turns inventorying.
By late morning, they hadn’t found the item, but had another discovery.
Yue Tang happened to receive a message sent by Yan Bei, saying the new batch of guards would arrive before noon.
Originally planning to go out, she changed her mind, called Han Yi over, and ordered the Imperial Guard Department side to prepare for handover.
Smelling the herbal scent on Han Yi, she asked: “How is your mother’s illness?”
Han Yi looked haggard: “Suffered a lot in earlier years, has chronic ailments, hard to endure every winter. Already under devoted treatment, thank you Princess for your concern.”
Yue Tang thought: “If you’re worried, don’t come these few days. Focus on filial piety.”
Han Yi showed a troubled expression.
Yue Tang picked up the document beside her: “Go. While Prince’s Mansion affairs are not too many now, Lan Qin and Wei Zhang can manage. Later may not be able to spare you.”
Han Yi’s emotions surged, bowed in thanks.
Lan Qin and Mei Qing passed him, greeted, and came in: “Princess, see what we found?”
The two beaming, holding some bright red garments and two large wooden boxes, came in.
“What is this?”
“These are the wedding dress and crown ornament Princess Consort wore when she married!” They spoke while displaying the brand new and gorgeous wedding dress. “Over twenty years passed, still very well preserved.”
Yue Tang had never received relics personally given by Princess Duan. Because the mother-daughter relationship was distant, after Princess Consort passed, Yue Tang hadn’t proactively cleared these things.
But now seeing them with her own eyes, she still involuntarily walked over.
“Back then Mother wore it to marry into the Prince’s Mansion, then full of anticipation became the female master of the mansion, and successively gave birth to Brother, second brother, and me.
“They probably still carry Mother’s lingering scent.”
She couldn’t help holding the wedding dress against herself.
Lan Qin was moved: “Princess didn’t dress up grandly for her own wedding. Why not try it on now?”
“Yes!” Mei Qing excitedly agreed. “Princess Consort’s garments rank only one below the Empress. Speaking of it, now Princess also matches Princess Consort’s rank. Princess dress up formally, consider it us witnessing your wedding back then!”
Urged by them, Yue Tang smiled: “Alright.”
The two immediately helped her change and dress up.
Princess Consort’s garments ranked only one below the Empress, the clothes alone had several layers, plus crown ornament, one can imagine how elaborate.
When fully attired, seeing the figure in the bronze mirror with towering pearl crown, splendid garments trailing to the ground, Lan Qin and Mei Qing stared dazedly, even holding their breath.
Yue Tang was born stunningly beautiful, but before her unique temperament, facial features became secondary merits.
At this moment wearing the dragon-embroidered phoenix-stitched wedding dress, as if her status also elevated a layer, adding compelling presence that made one involuntarily want to bow head!
“Princess dressed like this, this servant feels like…”
“Princess, the Bureau of Military Affairs side brought guards over. Also Doctor Hua from the Prince’s Mansion side has arrived.”
Just as Lan Qin hesitated with words to say, a little eunuch’s report came from the doorway.
The three in the room turned together, and Hua Lin who had just reached under the door met Yue Tang’s figure, his steps jolted suddenly, then abruptly retreated two steps: “…Empress?!”
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