"Your Highness the驸马." Xue Xingyue hurried forward to bow as Meng Jiangming emerged from the mansion.
Meng Jiangming merely glanced at her, nodded, and then directly boarded the carriage.
Xue Xingyue walked alongside the carriage, awaiting its departure. Suddenly, Meng Jiangming's voice came from within, "Xiao Yue, you come up too."
Xue Xingyue trembled. Meng Lie, already seated in the carriage, lifted the curtain and looked at her, saying, "The 驸马 wants you to get in the carriage."
No matter how displeased she was, she could not refuse. Meng Jiangming was now her master. She was no longer the most noble Princess Xingyue of Xue but a lowly servant, so she had no choice but to comply.
With this thought, Xue Xingyue boarded the carriage. Upon entering, she saw Meng Jiangming with his eyes closed. She knew he wasn't truly closing them, but rather observing her from the corner of his eye.
She straightened her back, avoiding direct eye contact, and allowed Meng Jiangming to scrutinize her.
After a long silence, she heard Meng Jiangming speak, "Xiao Yue, you don't like sharing a carriage with me, do you?"
"What are you saying, Your Highness the 驸马? It is my honor to share a carriage with you. How could I not like it?" If only it were true. Of course, these were Xue Xingyue's inner thoughts.
Suddenly, a low laugh was heard, followed by Meng Jiangming saying, "Xiao Yue, you are quite skilled at lying."
Xue Xingyue frowned and quickly said, "I am truly terrified. Everything I say is the absolute truth, with no falsehoods. I beg Your Highness the 驸马 to see clearly."
Meng Jiangming looked at the subservient Xiao Yue before him, feeling a sense of self-mockery. How could someone like this be the aloof and proud Princess Xingyue?
Meng Jiangming closed his eyes and said no more.
Xue Xingyue breathed a slight sigh of relief. It seemed she had passed Meng Jiangming's test again.
If Meng Jiangming could sense it, what about Empress Dowager Jia? No, she should be called Empress Dowager now, shouldn't she?
With this thought, she clenched her fists slightly. Meng Jia, we will meet again.
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, His Majesty's arrangements are complete," said Zi Luo, the Empress Dowager's personal head palace maid.
The woman before the bronze mirror, supported by Zi Luo, rose to her feet, her beauty peerless, her bearing regal.
"Let's go!"
"Yes," Zi Luo replied.
"I heard that Your Highness the 驸马 will also be attending?" the Empress Dowager asked Zi Luo as she walked.
Zi Luo nodded. "Yes, Your Highness the 驸马 has already entered the palace."
"Go and summon Your Highness the 驸马. I wish to speak with him."
"Yes, this servant will have someone invite Your Highness the 驸马 over immediately."
Meng Jiangming's carriage had just entered the palace when it was stopped by the Empress Dowager's palace maid. Although Xue Xingyue inside the carriage did not see the visitor, she was very familiar with Meng Jia's confidantes. Even sitting there, unable to see the person outside, she knew it was Meng Jia's personal head palace maid, Zi Luo.
"This servant pays her respects to Your Highness the 驸马," Zi Luo said, curtsying towards Meng Jiangming.
"So it is Aunt Zi Luo. Is the Empress Dowager looking for me?" Meng Jiangming asked.
Zi Luo replied, "Yes, the Empress Dowager wishes for Your Highness the 驸马 to come over for a chat."
Meng Jiangming nodded. "Alright, I will go. Please lead the way, Aunt Zi Luo."
Zi Luo curtsied. "This servant will wait ahead."
Meng Jiangming nodded. He glanced at the motionless person inside the carriage and said, "Xiao Yue, you wait here for me. You are not permitted to leave the carriage without my permission."
Xue Xingyue was startled. Although she didn't know why Meng Jiangming had issued such an order, it suited her perfectly. After all, there were too many familiar faces in the palace, and she did not wish to encounter them yet.
Seeing her obediently comply, Meng Jiangming's expression seemed to soften. He alighted from the carriage and left.
"Aunt Zi Luo, do you know why the Empress Dowager seeks me?" Meng Jiangming asked.
Zi Luo replied, "This servant does not know."
Meng Jiangming felt a sense of unease. Since Xue Tianyue had ascended the throne, he had rarely visited the palace.
Now, with the Empress Dowager actively seeking him out, he did not expect anything good to come of it.
Soon, they arrived at the Empress Dowager's sleeping quarters. Zi Luo went in to announce his arrival and then emerged. "Your Highness the 驸马, the Empress Dowager requests your presence."
Meng Jiangming nodded and entered the sleeping quarters. Behind the curtain was the familiar face, yet it also seemed somewhat strange. After all, he had not seen his aunt for a long time.
"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty the Empress Dowager. May Your Majesty the Empress Dowager be in good health!"
"Jiang Ming, you have not visited me in a long time. Are you still angry with me?" The woman's voice came from behind the curtain, her tone indifferent, yet tinged with a certain coolness.
Meng Jiangming replied, "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, how could your subject dare to be angry with you?"
The Empress Dowager chuckled softly upon hearing this. "You say you are not angry, yet you no longer call me aunt."
Meng Jiangming faltered for a moment and said, "You are now the Empress Dowager. Your subject feels it is inappropriate."
The curtain was drawn aside, and a woman in opulent palace attire walked out. Meng Jiangming's gaze fell upon the golden thread embroidered shoes, and he slowly raised his head. It was the same face he had seen before, unchanged in appearance. What had changed were the avarice and desire that now gleamed in her eyes.
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager."
The Empress Dowager reached out and helped him up. "Call me aunt. It sounds so formal when you call me Empress Dowager."
"Aunt," Meng Jiangming said.
The Empress Dowager nodded and patted Meng Jiangming's shoulder. "I know you blame me in your heart, but Jiang Ming, you must understand that at that time, if Tian Yue had not ascended the throne, the Duke of Ning's mansion might not exist as it does today. Do you understand?"
Meng Jiangming lowered his head. "Aunt, I understand."
"Good child, rest assured, your aunt will not treat you unfairly."
"Yes," Meng Jiangming replied.
"Come, sit!" The Empress Dowager took his hand and led him to a soft couch.
"Aunt, is there something you need?" Meng Jiangming asked. He did not believe the Empress Dowager had summoned him merely to discuss these matters.
"I heard that you have no concubines or maids in your household?" the Empress Dowager said.
Meng Jiangming started and looked up. "Did the Duchess of Ning say that? She truly is a meddler."
The Empress Dowager replied, "Jiang Ming, why do you speak that way? She is your mother."
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, I am currently not in the mood to marry. I beg you not to force anyone upon me." Meng Jiangming stated.