A gust of wind blew, and goosebumps covered her entire body.
She was so cold she couldn’t stand it anymore!
But she was not willing to leave just yet.
So, she had no choice but to chat awkwardly, braving it out.
"Honored Lady Cheng, I didn’t come here today for anything special, just that it’s snowing and I was bored alone, so I thought to come over for tea and snacks with you!"
Honored Lady Cheng gazed at her quietly.
A cold smirk played on the corners of her lips.
"Sister?"
"Honored Lady Du, who exactly are you calling ’sister’?"
In the Harem, the terms ’sister’ are not only based on age but also on status. Has anyone seen someone daring to call the Empress ’sister’? No! That would be too audacious, wouldn’t it?!
Therefore, what Honored Lady Du did was a great disrespect!
Now, reminded by Honored Lady Cheng, Lady Du felt even more embarrassed.
"I’m sorry... Honored Sister Cheng!"
Honored Lady Cheng was more favored and had entered the palace earlier than her. Whether in seniority or age, she was above her! Thus, she had to call her ’sister’ respectfully!
Honored Lady Du continued the awkward conversation.
"I..."
"Honored Sister Cheng, I brought some boxes of pastries, specially made by the Imperial Kitchen, just for you to try!" Honored Lady Du stammered.
Honored Lady Cheng was so amused that she laughed.
Do I have the word ’fool’ written on my face? Or do you think... we are close? Special creations from the Imperial Kitchen, my foot! As if they would cater to someone like you! Those few plates of dry pastries, who would want them? I can have any delicacy I desire here, can’t I? Ha!
"I won’t have the pastries. The Imperial Physician instructed me not to eat indiscriminately. Please forgive me, Honored Lady Du!"
Honored Lady Cheng’s words were distant and cold.
Honored Lady Du’s heart chilled by half in an instant—was this... rejection?
She was contemplating with her head down, wondering what to do.
And then, Honored Lady Cheng’s palace maid, Huan Cui, suddenly spoke up.
"My lady, in a quarter of an hour, it will be time for your Peaceful Pulse check!"
"The Imperial Physician will be arriving anytime now!"
Honored Lady Cheng gave a faint smile and nodded.
"In that case, please go back first, Honored Lady Du!"
"We’ll talk about tea and snacks another time!"
"Huan Cui, see our guest out!"
"Yes!"
Huan Cui lowered her head and concealed a smile, then quickly stepped forward.
"Honored Lady Du, this way, please!"
A string of words left her with no chance to even catch her breath.
The sense of loss in Honored Lady Du’s heart was immense! She had approached so many factions, but not one was willing to take her in! Rejected by Consort Xian Pin, by the Empress, and now this—rejected again? Not even willing to share a cup of tea, was she that disliked? Yet... she dared not linger around!
So, carrying her things, she hesitantly led her people away.
...
「Qingya Residence」
Xiao Xizi received the news at once.
Before the midday meal, while making small talk, Xiao Xizi recounted all of Honored Lady Du’s recent actions, not forgetting to add his own commentary at the end:
"’My lady, that Honored Lady Du, is really too...’ shameless!"
Xia Ruqing sipped her tea and sneered.
"She’s desperate! She so wants to be favored! Honestly, with her level of emotional intelligence, even if she were favored, she wouldn’t last long before being brought down! Why bother with all this!"
"In the palace, it’s fine to live a modest life; it’s fine if the Emperor doesn’t think of you. As long as you don’t offend anyone and manage well, life won’t be too bad. But... for someone like Honored Lady Du, who willingly allows herself to be used as a pawn, that’s a different story. It’s quite possible that angering some noble might cost her life."
So... Xia Ruqing just smiled calmly.
"Ignore her, let’s see how long she dares to jump around!"
...
「The end of the year was drawing closer by the day.」
Xia Ruqing knew that her elder brother had married and that her younger brother had come to the Capital City. However, several days had passed, and she still hadn’t been able to see her younger brother. But the thought that her sister-in-law would be able to enter the palace on the second day of the new year made her excited.
"This year I finally have something to look forward to!"
"In the past, I’d only see other people’s mothers or family from their maternal homes entering the palace!"
"My place here has always been so cold and deserted! It’s also quite disappointing."
"Now... I will also have a sister-in-law, and I’m really happy for my elder brother!"
In the future, with her brother in the Capital City, she would finally have significant support. In the future, their Xia family would rely on her brother and younger brother to uphold the family’s honor!
Zi Yue then said with a laugh, "That’s right! On the second day of the new year, Lady Hou will be able to enter the palace. By then, My Lady, you should treat her well!"
"Of course! She is my dear sister-in-law after all!"
Though that’s what she said, Xia Tingfeng wasn’t actually of legitimate descent. So, by convention, Lady Ni should not be addressed as elder sister-in-law by her. But Xia Ruqing didn’t care about that.
A sister-in-law is a sister-in-law, who dares to object?
...
「A couple of days later, on the twenty-third of the twelfth month.」
The day of the Little New Year, Zhao Junyao finally finished his work.