Ambitious Favored Consort: How To Become A Wangfei

Chapter 128: Past and Present

For the past fourteen years, Cining Palace has always been the most lively palace in the Forbidden City. Now only three days have passed, but Cining Palace has declined to such an exent.

The decline has nothing to do with the scenery or structure. The glazed tiles of Cining Palace still shined brightly, but every day, less and less people were there

Once Emperor Xiaozong and Emperor Wuzong died, neither of the two Yao empresses survived. The eyes of the people in the palace are the most snobbish. Seeing that Empress Dowager Yao has no chance to recover, they naturally fled Cining Palace.

In the former prosperous Cining Palace, only a few sweepers were left. Tang Shishi walked to the door, and an old maid saw her and hurriedly ran in to report.

Du Juan frowned and cursed from behind: "The Empress is here, yet they dare run away? What audacious servants."

Tang Shishi waved her hand and said, "It's fine."

The court ladies and eunuchs lined from front to back, and walked into Cining Palace behind Tang Shishi. Tang Shishi looked around and asked, "What is this mess here?"

A eunuch who wanted to flatter Tang Shishi, replied: "Return to the empress. Yesterday the Empress Dowager of the East Palace moved from Kunning Palace to Cining Palace. Everything was moved here, but it hasn't been put away yet. It looks a bit messy. What are you doing, didn't you see the empress? Throw the mess quickly and don't block the way for the Empress."

Tang Shishi saw the dressing boxes, books, and clothes piled up randomly on the ground, and felt irony in her heart. Once these were honors that only an empress could only enjoy, and in only two days, it became a "mess" that stood in the way.

Tang Shishi stopped the eunuch's movements and said indifferently: "The Empress Dowager has just moved to Cining Palace, and is resting. How can she have time to pack up? Just leave it there. I'll go see Empress Dowager Yao."

The eunuchs repeatedly reminded her to be careful, and escorted Tang Shishi into the east hall. Pushing open the door, the light inside was dim, but Yao Pei'er did not open the window, and just sat on a chair, staring at the window in a daze.

Tang Shishi covered her mouth to not inhale the damp smell in the air. The east hall of Cining Palace has been unoccupied for a long time, and was used to pile up debris, but now Yao Pei'er moved in without thorough cleaning. 

Seeing that Yao Pei'er didn't notice Tang Shishi, the eunuch sharply shouted, "The Empress is here, can't you be more polite?"

Yao Pei'er heard that Tang Shishi was coming, but she didn't want to move and still sat blankly. It wasn't until she heard this that she showed some vigor and laughed at herself: "Empress...Yes, the Empress has changed."

Tang Shishi was pregnant and didn't want to be in the damp and cold palace, so she didn't move, and just stood at the door watching Yao Pei'er. It was overcast today, and the hall was gloomy. Yao Pei'er leaned in the shadows motionless, like wood, not moving at all. Tang Shishi in contrast was standing in front of the door, with slaves like clouds behind her, and spring blossoming.

Tang Shishi suddenly remembered that when she was selected, on the first day she entered the palace, she and the other beauties lined up in Chuxiu Palace and saw Yao Pei'er's phoenix carriage passing by the east wall of Cining Palace. During that time, they had to bow down, and with their identites as beauties, they had no right to even look at the Empress.

At that time, Yao Pei'er was so beautiful, and all the ladies watched Yao Pei'er in envy, and quietly lamented Yao Pei'er's life. She was born as the daughter of Princess Nanyang, and had a happy childhood. Once she became an adult, she immediately entered the palace and became the empress.