Chapter 142: The Audience
The eldest daughter of the Marquis of Wuding, the wife of the martial and accomplished Emperor Wuzong, had actually come to such an end.
Fu Tingyun couldn't help but sigh.
It seemed every family had its own troubles—even the Empress Dowager was no exception.
With this thought, her earlier trepidation faded.
"Then I'll just wear an ordinary dress to the palace," she said. "Dressing too lavishly wouldn't suit my status, and if seen by noblewomen like the Empress Dowager, they might regard us as upstarts, which wouldn't be favorable."
Zhao Ling nodded.
Fu Tingyun chose a lake-green gauze blouse embroidered with intertwining branches, a white gauze skirt with silver-threaded patterns, and a silver hairpin adorned with white southern pearls. She retired early and rose at the hour of Yin the next day to dress and prepare. Accompanied by Zhao Ling, she set off for the palace.
Along the way, her legs felt weak, and she kept asking Zhao Ling, "Who are the people around the Empress Dowager?"
"After the Empress Dowager entered the palace, she claimed that those who had served her before were either gone or too old to continue. She asked the Empress to arrange new attendants for the Cining Palace. The only one you need to be mindful of is an old woman called Aunt Ying. She served the Empress Dowager when she was still the Empress, later accompanied her in seclusion at Yuming Mountain, and after the Empress Dowager reunited with the Emperor, she only made two requests: one was to find her younger brother, who had been exiled to Tieling Guard, and the other was to ask the Emperor to appoint Aunt Ying's nephew as a deputy commander."
Fu Tingyun was visibly moved.
When they arrived at the Gate of Divine Prowess, it was just a quarter to the hour of Mao. Zhao Ling whispered a few words of advice—"The Empress Dowager is just an ordinary person; treat her as an elder, no need to be afraid"—before leaving for the duty room. A Sen and Yu Wei waited with Fu Tingyun for another two quarters of an hour until Eunuch Zhong and the young eunuch who had visited their home the day before arrived with smiles.
Fu Tingyun finally calmed down.
After exchanging pleasantries, A Sen and Yu Wei remained outside the palace gates while Fu Tingyun followed Eunuch Zhong. The Golden Crow Guard inspected their waist tokens before allowing them to enter.
The crimson walls seemed endless, with brick-paved paths stretching in every direction. Eunuchs in blue robes and palace maids in green greeted Eunuch Zhong with bows and salutations. He responded with slight nods, exuding a reserved arrogance. Fu Tingyun, however, had to keep smiling and returning the greetings until her face ached from the effort. Finally, they turned into a courtyard.
The courtyard was small but impeccably tidy, bustling with eunuchs coming and going.
At the sight of Eunuch Zhong, a young eunuch called out, "Eunuch Zhang!" and announced, "Eunuch Zhong has brought the guest."
A eunuch in his early twenties, with delicate features, stepped out.
Eunuch Zhong hurried forward to bow, his attitude full of respect, which made Fu Tingyun inwardly wary. She followed suit with a humble bow.
Eunuch Zhang glanced at Fu Tingyun and said, "Miss Fu, come with me," before striding out of the courtyard.
Fu Tingyun quickly followed, only to realize she was alone. She turned back and saw Eunuch Zhong engrossed in conversation with another eunuch. It dawned on her then that Eunuch Zhong had merely escorted her into the palace—someone of higher rank would take her to meet the Empress Dowager.
Keeping her eyes downcast, she followed Eunuch Zhang in silence.Passing through a bluestone-paved path flanked by red walls, traversing a large garden, and walking along a covered corridor adorned with gold-traced blue-green floral patterns for nearly half an hour, Fu Tingyun finally entered a reception hall.
"Miss Fu, please wait here while I inform Eunuch Li," said Eunuch Zhang, exiting the hall before Fu Tingyun could rise to see him off.
A palace maid entered to serve tea.
Fu Tingyun expressed her thanks and discreetly slipped the maid two four-fen Silver Sycees.
The maid looked surprised, whispered her gratitude, accepted the gift shyly, and withdrew quietly.
After the long walk, Fu Tingyun was parched and drenched in sweat.
She quickly adjusted her attire before sitting down to sip the tea.
Though the tea leaves were ordinary, they quenched her thirst perfectly, leaving her oddly satisfied.
The hall remained silent. After sitting for a long while without anyone appearing—let alone offering more tea—Fu Tingyun grew uneasy. She wanted to check the time, but the open doors revealed only a few Grand Tutor chairs and tea tables.
She couldn't help feeling disheartened.
Light footsteps sounded outside the hall.
Fu Tingyun immediately straightened her posture.
A round-faced, cheerful-looking palace maid of about fifteen or sixteen entered. "Miss Fu, please come with me," she said with a smile.
Fu Tingyun thanked her and followed the maid out of the hall.
Moving along the covered corridor, they entered a courtyard.
The seven-bay main residence, ancient pines as thick as an armspan, glass-inlaid window lattices, cranes strolling leisurely in the courtyard, and rows of silent palace maids and eunuchs standing like a forest under the eaves made Fu Tingyun realize she had arrived at the Empress Dowager's palace.
She took a deep breath and, at the maid's gesture, stood respectfully by the palace doors, waiting for the announcement.
Faint laughter drifted from within.
Fu Tingyun wondered curiously who could be with the Empress Dowager.
The thought had just crossed her mind when the round-faced maid returned, smiling, and ushered her inside.
Smoothing her sleeves lightly, Fu Tingyun followed the maid through the doors.
Mirror-polished floor tiles, crimson brocade carpets, rosewood furniture, bright yellow drapes, and understated yet luxurious sacrificial red, blue, and sweet white incense burners, boxes, and vases greeted her. The presence of maids and eunuchs standing solemnly by the pillars and curtains added to the room's imposing atmosphere.
From the eastern chamber came the merry laughter of young women.
Fu Tingyun entered with downcast eyes.
The laughter ceased abruptly as four or five pairs of eyes turned toward her.
Not daring to look up, she knelt respectfully during the maid's announcement: "Miss Fu has come to pay her respects to the Empress Dowager."
"Rise," came the Empress Dowager's cool voice, echoing through the hall.
Fu Tingyun thanked her promptly and stole a quick glance around the chamber.By the window on a large heated kang sat a woman in her sixties, with graying hair, a lean face, and piercingly bright eyes. She wore a plain, half-new, half-old sapphire-blue Hangzhou silk sleeveless vest, without a single piece of jewelry on her person. Below her sat a young woman in the prime of her youth, slightly plump with a full-moon face, her eyes brimming with laughter. She was dressed in a blue-green silk gown adorned with four persimmon calyx patterns, her jet-black hair adorned with a gold-inlaid jade grape-and-squirrel hairpin, and her ears graced with southern pearls the size of lotus seeds—exuding an air of dignified elegance. Standing beside this young woman was a girl of about fourteen or fifteen, with bright eyes and white teeth, wearing a peach-red gauze gown with floral sprays and roundels, and a red-gold necklet with a mutton-fat jade lotus pendant—her noble bearing tinged with vivacious charm, making her quite eye-catching.
The woman in her sixties sat in the seat of honor, likely The Empress Dowager. But who were the young woman in her prime and the radiant girl? To have a seat before The Empress Dowager and converse so freely, they must surely be figures of wealth or nobility.
As Fu Tingyun pondered this, she heard The Empress Dowager address the young woman: "This is the betrothed of Zhao Ling, the left commander of the Feather Forest Guard. His Majesty mentioned she is a woman akin to Wang Baochuan and asked me to bestow a marriage upon them. Upon hearing this, I wished to meet her. Little did I expect Her Majesty the Empress would bring Miss Meng here today, and with her witty and humorous words, she made me lose track of time. Truly, this must be fate!"
Fu Tingyun was startled, but before she could dwell on The Empress Dowager’s mention of "a woman akin to Wang Baochuan," she hastily knelt and kowtowed to Her Majesty the Empress.
The young girl’s gaze immediately filled with curiosity as she looked at Fu Tingyun.
Her Majesty the Empress accepted Fu Tingyun’s greeting with a smile and gestured to the girl beside her, saying, "This is the Nineteenth Miss of the Duke of Fu’s household, a cousin of Marquis Yingchuan—no outsider. You should meet each other!"
Another unexpected figure.
Fu Tingyun exchanged greetings with Miss Meng.
The Empress Dowager then instructed the palace maids to bring brocade stools for them.
After expressing their thanks, the two sat side by side on the stools.
Her Majesty the Empress observed them and said to The Empress Dowager with a smile, "Look at these two—like spring orchids and autumn chrysanthemums, each with her own charm."
The Empress Dowager gave a faint smile. Unlike most who would inquire about Fu Tingyun’s origins, parents, or age upon first meeting, she instead asked how she had come to the capital with Zhao Ling.
Fu Tingyun couldn’t help but breathe a quiet sigh of relief.
Since Zhao Ling had already disclosed their circumstances to His Majesty, it would be discourteous to be evasive before The Empress Dowager. Yet speaking of those unsavory matters in front of so many people filled her with shame and discomfort... She felt a surge of gratitude toward The Empress Dowager, whose seemingly aloof demeanor concealed such thoughtfulness.
Her Majesty the Empress listened with fascination and remarked to The Empress Dowager, "No wonder His Majesty wanted you to bestow the marriage—it truly sounds like something out of a storybook."
A fleeting wistfulness passed through The Empress Dowager’s eyes as she replied, "What is written in books is but the affairs of this world." Quickly regaining her composure, she asked Fu Tingyun, "The wedding is set for the sixth day of the eighth month?"
Fu Tingyun respectfully affirmed, "Yes."
The Empress Dowager nodded and spoke a few words about "the husband being the guiding principle for the wife," then instructed one of her female officials to reward Fu Tingyun with a pair of gold hairpins.
Not to be outdone, Her Majesty the Empress also offered advice on "the wife’s duty lying in reverence and obedience" and ordered a pair of gold rings to be bestowed upon her.The Empress Dowager then picked up her tea.
Fu Tingyun rose to take her leave.
The female official and the round-faced palace maid who had brought her to see The Empress Dowager led her out of the grand hall. They followed the covered walkway back to the flower hall but did not stop there. Instead, they passed through another covered walkway beside the flower hall and exited the palace gates.
Having lost her sense of direction, Fu Tingyun smiled and asked the round-faced palace maid, "Esteemed sister, where are we going now?"
The round-faced palace maid replied cheerfully, "To receive the rewards bestowed upon you by The Empress Dowager and Her Majesty the Empress!"
Feeling somewhat embarrassed, Fu Tingyun followed them to a secluded courtyard. The female official and the palace eunuch in the courtyard signed the documents, with the round-faced palace maid serving as a witness. They then retrieved a pair of golden hairpins and a pair of golden rings.
Fu Tingyun expressed her gratitude repeatedly and offered silver as tips to the eunuch, female official, and palace maid. Only then did she take the golden hairpins and rings and follow the round-faced palace maid back out.
As they passed by a small garden, she overheard someone say, "What? Has that Miss Meng entered the palace again?"
Unable to resist, she turned her gaze toward the sound and saw two palace maids walking past the flower-covered wall.
Fu Tingyun glanced at the round-faced palace maid and noticed her frown slightly.
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Dear sisters and brothers, I humbly ask for your pink votes...
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(End of Chapter)
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