Lu Wanning stormed all the way, coaxed and flattered by the maids of Guanjugong. She didn't stop until she reached Shoukang Palace. Looking back, she tidied her hair and asked the maid, "Is my hair in a mess? Can you tell?"
The maid paused for a moment and shook her head. "Your Highness the Princess looks extremely beautiful."
Lu Wanning stood sulkily in the corner and refused to move.
The maid urged repeatedly, "Your Highness, it's cold outside. Your Highness should go in earlier. Don't catch a cold."
Lu Wanning shook her head. "No. I'm so angry. If I go into Shoukang Palace, I'm sure to shout it out. Big Brother has scolded me several times, saying that I'm grown up and shouldn't always enter the palace to let the Empress Dowager and the Queen worry about me. I couldn't hold it back just now in Guanjugong. I can't let it slip this time."
The maid's eyes flickered. She didn't say anything more but just accompanied Lu Wanning for a while. Then she escorted her into Shoukang Palace and rushed back to report.
Lu Wanning walked all the way into the inner room. Watching the thick curtains being lifted layer by layer, she finally reached the innermost part and saw the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager was lying on a recliner. The pungent fragrance in the room was meant to refresh one's mind, but the Empress Dowager still looked drowsy.
Nanny Gui gently patted the Empress Dowager on the shoulder. "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, the Princess is here."
After patting for a long time, the Empress Dowager became a bit more awake. She turned her head and smiled at Lu Wanning. "Ning'er is here? Come here, come to me."
Lu Wanning felt sad. She rushed forward and knelt in front of the Empress Dowager, burying her head in the Empress Dowager's lap and saying in a muffled voice, "Grand-aunt..."
Although the original owner was bold and unrestrained, she was always told that she could occasionally act coquettishly and call the Empress Dowager "Grand-aunt" and the Emperor "Uncle Emperor", but on normal days she must call them "Your Majesty". Afraid of forgetting, the original owner always addressed the Empress Dowager and the Emperor formally. Today, however, she was completely different from before. Her voice was soft and sweet, extremely endearing.
The Empress Dowager stroked her face and said, "I'm old. There's nothing I can't let go of. Ning'er is about to get married soon. I only hope that my Ning'er will live a carefree life."
Tears welled up in Lu Wanning's eyes like a bursting dam. When she heard Second Brother say the same thing before, she just felt extremely happy. But now, when she heard the Empress Dowager say it, she felt extremely sad. It was like a last will, piercing her heart everywhere.
Feeling the cold tears, the Empress Dowager smiled. "Silly girl, what's there to cry about?"
Lu Wanning looked up and saw Nanny Gui's evasive eyes. She knew that Nanny Gui already knew about her withdrawal from the engagement but had kept it from the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager was too old and in poor spirits. She was just holding on.
Lu Wanning thought for a while and said over her shoulder, "I've brought you a gift. Hey, where is it?"
Nanny Gui quickly sent a maid to fetch it and then said with a smile, "Does the Princess still remember to bring a gift for the Empress Dowager? I hope it's not another flower from the imperial garden."
When Lu Wanning was a child, hearing that it was the Empress Dowager's birthday and having prepared nothing herself, seeing that other noble girls had all prepared gifts, she ran to the imperial garden and picked the crape myrtle flowers that the Emperor loved most, making the Empress Dowager and the Emperor not know whether to laugh or cry.
"Nanny Gui is making fun of me."
The Empress Dowager also became interested. She let Nanny Gui help her up. Although her eyesight was dim, she was already looking eagerly. "What did Ning'er bring for me? Let me have a look quickly."
The maid stepped forward with a tray. Nanny Gui lifted the cloth covering it, and there was a beautiful jade screen inside. On it was a lifelike crane spreading its wings as if about to fly, and beside it was a line of characters reading "May you live as long as the southern mountain".
The Empress Dowager squinted and looked at it. She reached out to take it and stroked the jade screen. She was extremely happy. Pointing at the characters, she asked, "Who wrote this?"
Lu Wanning asked with a smile, "Can Grand-aunt tell?"
The Empress Dowager laughed heartily and tapped Lu Wanning on the nose. "It's Yu'er's handwriting? You're such a considerate girl. Why didn't you ask your father to write it?"
Lu Wanning pouted and said, "Father's handwriting is too bold. He might spoil my jade screen."
The Empress Dowager pretended to be angry. "Hey, how can you talk about your father like that?"
Lu Wanning asked, "Does Your Majesty like the gift I brought?"
The Empress Dowager hugged her into her arms. "I like it. There's no gift that suits me better than the one from Ning'er."
Just then, the Empress Dowager started to cough violently. She seemed to be on the verge of collapse again. Nanny Gui quickly ordered the maids and eunuchs to come over. They helped the Empress Dowager to the bed and let her lie down. Then they fetched the medicine and fed it to her, and put a ginseng slice under her tongue.
Even so, the Empress Dowager still held the jade screen tightly with both hands.
Lu Wanning's eyes felt swollen. She couldn't bear to see such a scene and didn't know what to do.
After Nanny Gui helped the Empress Dowager lie down, she reached out to take the jade screen, but the Empress Dowager suddenly tightened her grip.
"Ning'er, little Ning'er."
Lu Wanning quickly wiped the corners of her eyes and walked over quickly. She knelt in front of the bed and held the Empress Dowager's hand. "Your Majesty, Grand-aunt, Ning'er is here. Ning'er will be obedient."
The Empress Dowager opened her eyes. She seemed to be trying to recognize Lu Wanning. After a long time, she finally smiled. "My Ning'er has grown up and knows how to handle things. I can rest assured now."
Lu Wanning nodded vigorously. "Grand-aunt, don't worry. Ning'er has grown up and is sensible. Ning'er will not only stop others from worrying about me but also try to do better and protect Father, Mother, and my elder brothers."
The Empress Dowager could hardly hear her. She seemed to be talking nonsense. "Xi'er?"
Nanny Gui said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, it's a palace banquet today. Without the Emperor's permission, the Prince can't come to Shoukang Palace."
"Xi'er..."
Nanny Gui said again, "Your Majesty, the Princess Consort, the Crown Princess Consort, and the Second Lady should be here soon."
The Empress Dowager opened her eyes. Looking at Lu Wanning, she said seriously, "Xi'er, you've won a great victory. Be obedient and return the military power to the Emperor. Do you understand?"
Nanny Gui was greatly shocked. Her eyes widened in surprise as she nervously looked at Lu Wanning.
Lu Wanning held the Empress Dowager's hand. "Grand-aunt, don't worry. Ning'er will go back and tell Father."
The Empress Dowager seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. She said again, "You must return it. Xi'er, you're good in every way. I know your loyalty, but you're just too loyal. Xi'er, I have nothing to miss in this world. I'm just worried about you."
Lu Wanning knelt up straight and buried her head in the Empress Dowager's palm. "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, don't worry. Ning'er has grown up. Ning'er will persuade Father. Okay?"
The Empress Dowager couldn't hear Lu Wanning at all. She just continued to mutter, "Xi'er, you're just too loyal and have no sense of defense. You don't know that the court is not the battlefield. There are more places for scheming. It's really hard to guard against your enemies. Xi'er, be obedient. Military power is useless. It will only bring disaster to the Lu family. I said before that this title of prince, although it seems glorious, is actually a hanging sword over the Lu family's head..."
When Lu Wanning was sent out by Nanny Gui, she was already crying so hard that she could hardly catch her breath. The Princess Consort felt extremely heartache when she saw this. She hugged Lu Wanning in her arms and asked carefully but couldn't get any answers.
It was Nanny Gui who explained gently, "The Empress Dowager is seriously ill and a bit delirious. She talked nonsense in front of the Princess and scared her."
The Princess Consort was even more worried. She quickly asked, "Is Her Majesty all right? Why don't we go in and take a look? The Prince is very worried about the Empress Dowager's condition."