Chapter 1312 - 984: Minister Song Visits
After seeing the Empress’s dowry and the rumors circulating in the palace about the thirty thousand taels of silver she brought being directly put into the National Treasury, all the families of the selected concubines became uneasy.
On the third day, the wife of the Minister of Rites entered the palace to seek an audience with the Empress Dowager.
At this time, Xie Pan’er was accompanying the Empress Dowager in making small garments.
These small garments were for Zhu Xiuxiu’s unborn child.
When Wang Dongxue was pregnant, she made two outfits, but because she was busy learning palace rules during the selection process, she couldn’t find the time.
But now, Zhu Xiuxiu’s pregnancy was different.
She was the Empress, and since the concubines hadn’t yet entered the palace, she had some leisure.
Suddenly, upon hearing the wife of the Minister of Rites sought an audience, she wondered why the woman had come.
The Empress Dowager explained to her.
"The family of the Minister of Rites has a granddaughter, eighteen years old, a few years older than you. The Emperor has selected her as the Virtuous Consort, one of the Four Consorts.
Unless there are any unforeseen events, she should enter the palace in three months."
Xie Pan’er didn’t respond upon hearing this.
But the needle in her hand pricked her own finger.
She winced in pain, stood up to apologize, and said she’d go to the backyard to check on the Great Phoenix.
Thus, she avoided a meeting with the wife of the Minister of Rites.
The Empress Dowager Shao shook her head at the sight.
The child still hasn’t mastered herself!
The wife of the Minister of Rites entered Cining Palace and spoke with Empress Dowager Shao for nearly half an hour before leaving.
But she didn’t leave the palace immediately. Instead, she gave a young palace maid a few taels of broken silver to find out that Xie Pan’er was in the rear garden watching the Great Phoenix, expressing her desire to admire the bird as well, and headed to the rear garden.
Xie Pan’er was feeling uneasy and didn’t notice someone approaching. Thus, when the wife of the Minister of Rites greeted her, she was startled.
Seeing her panic, not accustomed to others saluting her, the wife of the Minister of Rites snorted coldly and whispered, "A pheasant, even if transformed into a phoenix, could never become a true phoenix!"
Upon hearing these words, Xie Pan’er frowned and, with a displeased expression, asked.
"What does Madam mean by this?
Are there pheasants among us here?
Why do I only see the noble Divine Bird here, towering above the crowd?"
The wife of the Minister of Rites was taken aback, glancing at the Great Phoenix.
Suddenly, the Great Phoenix let out a long cry.
A few small birds suddenly fell from the sky.
The small birds shivered on the ground, kneeling in reverence to the Great Phoenix.
This scene left the wife of the Minister of Rites dumbstruck.
Seeing her expression, Xie Pan’er chuckled softly.
"See, the Divine Bird is a Divine Bird. Even if it rests on the ground, not soaring in the sky, it looks like a common pheasant, yet those in the sky, no matter how they flit about, dare not act rashly before this Divine Bird!
Madam, don’t you agree?"
Upon hearing Xie Pan’er’s words, the face of the wife of the Minister of Rites immediately turned extremely unpleasant, nearly shredding the handkerchief she held.
She bit her lower lip fiercely and struggled for a while before squeezing out a sentence.
"The Empress is the Empress. Whatever you say is naturally true, who would dare to argue otherwise?"
Xie Pan’er laughed softly.
She reached out to stroke the Great Phoenix’s neck and said nothing.
The wife of the Minister of Rites bit her teeth to take her leave.
"It’s getting late; it’s time for me to leave the palace.
I must take my leave now."
Watching the wife of the Minister of Rites’ departing figure, Xie Pan’er felt quite baffled.
Thinking of the woman’s daughter entering the palace as the mother of the Virtuous Consort in three months, Xie Pan’er felt quite irritated.
She didn’t even want to look at the Great Phoenix anymore and turned to return to Kunning Palace.
At night, when going to bed, the Emperor instinctively reached out to hold her, but she evaded him outright.
Seeing this, the Emperor knew she was upset. Yunxiang had already quietly informed him that Madam of the Minister of Rites had entered the palace today and had deliberately made sarcastic remarks about his young Empress.
Of course, Yunxiang did not fail to tell him about the Empress’s pricked finger.
Everything was conveyed to the Emperor.
Now, seeing Xie Pan’er’s demeanor, he knew trouble was brewing, and he’d better hurry to coax her, or else he’d end up sleeping in the study tonight, right when he’s getting accustomed to pleasure.
"What’s wrong with my Empress? Who made you angry?
Speak up, and I’ll vent your anger for you!"
Seeing him like this, Xie Pan’er’s anger surged even more.