Chapter 79 The Empress Dowager's Fury

The Empress Dowager, speaking in anger, gestured and sent a jade Ruyi to the ground from the vermillion wood bed. With a crash, it shattered.

Little Li's heart trembled. His face turned pale, his legs felt weak, and he quickly responded, "Your Highness, please do not anger yourself. I will immediately send someone to inquire. Your Highness, please wait a moment."

"You may go."

The Empress Dowager let out a deep breath and waved to signal Duke Li to leave. She then instructed the palace maids outside her chambers to help her up.

In the Phoenix Palace, Mu Qingyao had already woken up. After rinsing and washing, she calmly began her breakfast.

She had forgotten to pay her respects to the Empress Dowager.

Her maids, Meixin and Mochou, were anxious. However, their mistress was eating slowly and unhurriedly. For each dish that arrived, she would first admire it, then taste it, and finally offer her critique.

This entire process took a full hour for breakfast, and it still showed no signs of ending.

"Your Highness?"

Meixin tentatively called out. Mu Qingyao paid no attention, her gaze shifting to the next lotus-shaped pastry. She looked up and asked the palace maid beside her, "What is this?"

"Replying to Your Highness, this dish is the Honeyed Phoenix Pear. It is a signature dish of the imperial kitchens. It is said to involve one hundred steps, which is why it tastes so delicious."

The palace maid explained diligently. Mu Qingyao's eyes lit up, and she quickly picked up a piece to taste.

It melted in her mouth, with the sweet and sour taste of honey and the fragrant crispness of pear. It also seemed to contain the flavors of several other fruits. It was truly delicious.

"Mmm, it is indeed very good."

Mu Qingyao nodded with satisfaction. The greatest benefit of being in the imperial palace was that the food prepared by the imperial chefs was exceptionally delicious, something unobtainable elsewhere. Since she was here, she might as well taste everything.

"Miss?"

Meixin called out again. This time, Mu Qingyao finally noticed her. Seeing Meixin's displeased expression, she raised her eyebrows in curiosity. "Meixin, what is it?"

Mu Qingyao put down her chopsticks. She had finished eating and drinking her fill. Patting her stomach, she let out a rather unladylike burp and waved to the palace maids to clear the dishes. "Clear them away."

"Yes, Your Highness."

The four palace maids responded calmly and efficiently cleared the dishes, removing them one by one. Soon, the side hall became quiet.

"Your Highness, look at the time. It's already quite late."

Meixin reminded her mistress. It seemed the Emperor had exhausted her thoroughly last night, causing her to forget the time.

Upon hearing Meixin's words, Mu Qingyao looked up at the sky outside and nodded in agreement. "Mmm, the sky is indeed not early. Who asked the Emperor to torment me so late last night."

After Mu Qingyao spoke, she heard muffled laughter beside her. She looked up at the two maids, their faces flushed, as if they had misunderstood. She quickly corrected herself, "It's not what you're thinking!"

Then she found it amusing. She couldn't tell the two maids that she and the Emperor had played chess for half the night. She suspected they wouldn't believe her even if she did, so it was better not to say anything.

Mu Qingyao quickly changed the subject. "Meixin, do you have something to say?"

Meixin immediately rolled her eyes, nearly fainting. It seemed their mistress had truly forgotten. No matter how she hinted indirectly, her mistress simply didn't understand.

"Your Highness, you should pay your respects to the Empress Dowager."

"Ah, pay respects?" Mu Qingyao finally came to her senses and stood up abruptly.

She then remembered another matter. Feng Xi was currently in the Empress Dowager's hands, as the Emperor had mentioned during their chess game last night. She should go and retrieve him.

Now that she was the ruler of the six palaces, many servants within and outside the palace might not obey her. Having Feng Xi would make things easier for her.

In any case, as long as she held the position of Empress for one day, she would not allow anyone to act wantonly under her watchful eyes.

"Alright, let's go."

Meixin and Mochou breathed a sigh of relief. My goodness, Meixin was sweating profusely.

Sometimes their mistress was incredibly intelligent, and other times she was a bit muddled, not paying attention to rules and details. It seemed she would have to remind her in the future to prevent her from suffering losses in silence.

"Mmm," the three of them stood up, preparing to leave the side hall and head to the Empress Dowager's Chang Le Palace.

At this moment, a palace maid entered to announce.

"Reporting to Empress Your Highness, Noble Consort Your Highness has come to pay her respects."

"Noble Consort Your Highness, Chu Yuyan?" Mu Qingyao raised her eyebrows, her expression turning somewhat cold, her demeanor radiating a chill.

The announcing palace maid was startled into silence. Earlier, their mistress had seemed quite amiable, but unexpectedly, she was now so frigid. That blazing icy aura rivaled that of the Emperor.

"Yes, Empress Your Highness. Should you see her, or not?"

The palace maid cautiously replied, lowering her head and awaiting her mistress's command.

"See her. Lead her to the main hall." Since she had come to pay respects, why shouldn't she be seen?

She wanted to see what Chu Yuyan was up to.

By all rights, Chu Yuyan should hate her. The position of Empress should have been hers.

Or rather, she and the Empress Dowager thought it should have been theirs, but now she occupied the Empress's seat. How could Chu Yuyan not hate her?

"Yes, Your Highness." The palace maid retreated.

Mu Qingyao looked at Meixin and Mochou beside her. "Let's see Noble Consort Your Highness first, and then we'll go pay our respects to the Empress Dowager."

"Yes, Your Highness," Meixin and Mochou bowed. One led the way, and the other supported Mu Qingyao as they stepped out of the side hall.

Several attendant palace maids waited outside the hall, following behind them towards the main hall.

In the resplendent main hall, a carpet of crimson was laid out, with gauzy curtains hanging down. A faint scent of light chrysanthemum incense burned in a golden tripod.

At the head of the hall sat a phoenix chair inlaid with gems, its seat covered with a luxurious brocade cushion. On either side were exquisite low tables, displaying fine tea sets. The entire hall was exceptionally opulent.

Mu Qingyao sat regally on the phoenix chair as two palace maids led Chu Yuyan in.

Chu Yuyan appeared somewhat haggard, with dark circles under her eyes.

This woman did not seem to have slept well last night. For what reason?

Was it because the Emperor had stayed in her chambers?

She hadn't expected there to be such a stubborn woman in the palace, one who, knowing the Emperor would take concubines, still clung to that one love?

Perhaps soon, that lingering obsession would be gone from her heart. Emperors had always been fickle in their affections. To survive in the harem, one could only cast aside all unnecessary thoughts, and then perhaps live a little more happily.

Therefore, she would never remain in this palace; leaving was only a matter of time.

"Yuyan pays her respects to Empress Your Highness."

Chu Yuyan was dressed in a pale pink, wide-sleeved gown, the hem embroidered with hibiscus flowers. She wore a white silk gauze draped over her shoulders, giving her a charming and delicate appearance.

If this woman had not entered the palace, she would surely have found a man who deeply loved her. It was a pity that by entering the palace, she had lost that eligibility.