To Be A Virtuous Wife

14

The Imperial Palace of the Da Long Dynasty had been rebuilt on the foundations of the previous dynasty's palace. At the beginning when the members of the He family had overturned the despot of the previous dynasty, they had taken care of many of the licentious yet famous and powerful families. So when they furnished their imperial palace, they tried to go the route of simple yet grand.

Qu Qing Ju followed the guidance of the palace girl as she walked forward. She passed by one grand building after another. No matter how frugal the founding emperor had been, while the present Da Long dynasty's excess were not equal to the lavishness of the previous dynasty, but it was still beautiful clothing, delicious food, and amusement abound.

"Duan Wang Fei, please walk this way," The person leading the way was a palace maid that had a rank and was of some use to Jing fei. This palace maid's attitude, from the calm one when they came, had instantly changed around and put herself in a low position. From a little palace maid to her present position, her most important asset had been a pair of perceptive eyes. From her first look of Duan Wang Fei today, she had understood. Duan Wang Fei was different than before.

Regardless of whether niangniang did or didn't like Duan Wang Fei, she was only a palace maid and didn't have the courage to offend this kind of a Duan Wang Fei. She respectfully guided them into the entrance of Zhong Jing Palace and retreated to one side to allow Ding mama, who served by niangniang's side to take them inside.

The high-quality Yun[1] brocade slid soundlessly across the smooth ground. She looked at the red of the dress and dazedly raised her head. She could only see, against the light, that red shadow walked each step steadily and calmly.

"Wang fei and the two ce fei, please sit, niangniang would come out soon," Ding mama directed the little palace maid to serve tea and personally placed a cup of tea in front of Qu Qing Ju. She smiled and said: "This old servant congratulates wang feifor a successful recovery."

"Ding mama is too courteous," Qu Qing Ju sat on the chair and held out her hand to falsely help her up, "It was due to the good fortune of mufeiand wang ye. These days, I haven't been able to come to mufei's side and serve, it was unfilial of me as an erxifu. Niangniang wasn't angry but concerned, it was all my fault."

Ding mama's gaze fell onto the blood red bangle resting on that porcelain wrist. She smiled, bowed and said: "Niangniagn knew it was because wang fei's body wasn't well. She wouldn't be angry over such a small matter. For wang fei's body to get better, that was what niangniangreally wishes for."

Qu Qing Ju smiled and lowered her head slightly. This Ding mama was a trusted confidant of Jing fei. She always had a smile on her face and the feeling people had upon seeing her was friendly. Even the original Qu Qing Ju had like her very much. But when she had met her today, she felt that this Ding mama wasn't a simple character.

There were no simple women in this imperial palace. Ding mama had been by Jing fei's side for many years and was the most trusted and relied upon. Her attribute couldn't be this friendliness. Beside the venerable Jing fei, there couldn't be simple people.

"I caused mufei to worry," Qu Qing Ju sighed, her expression slightly pained as she said, "I was heavily ill these past days, I had thought … … thankfully I recovered."

Ding mama had heard the news that Duan Wang Fei almost didn't make it. At the time, she had, on behalf of niangniang, left the palace to bestow many gifts. No wonder Duan Wang Fei was drastically different than in the past. She probably had been frightened by that illness.