Pampered Consort of the Fragrant Orchard

Du Xiaoli brought Xia Yuan and Ying Ge to the Empress’ palace. On the way there, palace maids and eunuchs greeted her when they saw them.

“Greetings to Princess Anle.” A higher-rank palace maid greeted Du Xiaoli.

“Please inform the Empress, Anle has come to greet her.” Du Xiaoli said to the palace maid.

“Princess please wait a moment. This slave will go and inform the Empress.” After the palace maid curtsied, she turned around to go into the main hall. Soon, she came back out and gestured to Du Xiaoli, saying, “Empress invites Princess to enter.”

“Thank you.”

Du Xiaoli’s group of three entered the main hall and saw the Empress playing with Crown Prince Han Luheng. Han Luheng was only about four years old, and was playing on the Empress’ lap.

“Greetings to the Empress.” Du Xiaoli led Xia Yuan and the other girl to kneel.

“Hurry and be at ease. Take a seat.” The Empress let Han Luheng down, straightening her clothes. “This Empress was just discussing with those maids when you would enter the palace! I didn’t expect you to arrive so early.”

Du Xiaoli sat to the side, smiling as she said. “Anle doesn’t understand much and doesn’t know what to do during this marriage send-off, so I thought it’d be best to enter the palace earlier and make use of this time to ask for advice.”

“This is also true, however this Empress also doesn’t know too much about this. Later, this Empress will have some of the old palace maids go speak with you,” the Empress said.

“Thank you Empress.” Du Xiaoli smiled.

“Last time, the matter of the Academy Competition truly troubled you. This Empress has always been curious about the competition. It’s a pity those maids are such fools. Today, since we’re free, why don’t you tell the Empress about it?” The Empress said.

“Okay, which part of the competition does the Empress want to hear about?” Du Xiaoli asked.

“This Empress doesn't know what part of the competition is more interesting. Why don’t you choose something interesting to talk about?” The Empress said. “Someone, take the Crown Prince back to rest.”

“Yes, Empress.” A nanny came forward, greeted them, and took the Crown Prince away.

Du Xiaoli looked at the Crown Prince, her gaze flickering slightly as she smiled at him.

As Han Luheng passed by Du Xiaoli, his gaze was somewhat lifeless, and he had little reaction to her smile.

About two hours later, Du Xiaoli left the Empress’ palace and was preparing to go to Han Mingxiang’s palace when Eunuch Sha came out from the side.

“This servant greets Princess Anle.” Eunuch Sha came in front of Du Xiaoli.

“Does Eunuch Sha need something?” Du Xiaoli queried.

“Princess, the Emperor summons you.” Eunuch Sha replied.

“Eunuch Sha, lead the way.”

Du Xiaoli walked for a distance, before glancing back.

This palace’s atmosphere was too strange. Soldiers heavily surrounded the outside of the Empress’ palace, as if the Empress was being imprisoned. And if she hadn’t come to greet the Empress, how would the Emperor know where she was?

Could it be that the Empress had made some kind of mistake, forcing her under house arrest?

However, having seen the Empress, she didn’t seem like she was under house arrest. She had also been able to enter the palace without hindrance, so it seemed the Empress wasn’t forbidden contact from the outside world either.

How bizarre!

“Eunuch Sha, how does the Emperor know that I’m here with the Empress?” Du Xiaoli asked, unable to contain the question in her heart.

Eunuch Sha smiled, saying, “In this palace, there is nothing the Emperor doesn’t know.”

Du Xiaoli felt that Eunuch Sha’s words carried some hidden meaning, but it wouldn’t be good to inquire further.

After walking for some time, Eunuch Sha brough Du Xiaoli to the Imperial Study and told her to wait a while. He entered first to inform of her arrival, before coming out and leading Du Xiaoli in.

“Anle greets the Emperor.” Du Xiaoli curtsied to the Emperor.

The Emperor was reviewing reports. Hearing Du Xiaoli’s voice, he didn’t raise his head, only telling her to be at ease before going silent. After he finished looking at the report in his hands, he looked up at Du Xiaoli and asked with a smile, “You visited the Empress?”

“Yes. Xiaoli is staying in the palace, thus went to greet the Empress.” Du Xiaoli said, silently adding, “basically reporting for duty.”

“Mm. The Empress runs matters of the harem, if you enter the palace you do have to inform her.” Han Mingze said. “What did you talk about?”

“Not much. The Empress just asked this younger sister to describe some interesting things from the Academy Competition. She listened quite happily, and also spoke of some funny matters that happened outside,” Du Xiaoli answered.

“Nothing else?” Han Mingze asked.

“Responding to the Emperor, that was all, nothing else.” Du Xiaoli responded.

The Emperor’s attitude was also so strange, who knew if he was concerned about the Empress or if he was…

Hearing Du Xiaoli’s words, Han Mingze softly hmm-ed, before changing the topic, “What do you think of Changle’s marriage?”

What?!

Du Xiaoli looked up in surprise at Han Mingze. Only then did she realize there wasn’t a single person in the entire Imperial Study other than the two of them, not even Eunuch Shan was there!

MoonWhisperer, skyrise's Thoughts

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