Shi Muwǎn happily tucked a flower into her hair. In the past, she would have been too shy to do so, but now that her head was adorned with numerous ornaments, one more flower wouldn't make a difference.
She hummed an off - key tune, hands clasped behind her back, looking like a little city guard.
She wandered around the imperial garden for a long time but still couldn't cover the whole area. Dragging her heavy clothes, Shi Muwǎn was exhausted and decided to head back with her entourage.
On his way back after assisting the new emperor, Huo Qizhou passed by the imperial garden again. He saw Shi Muwǎn walking out with only two attendants. The jade - like flower on her head stood out prominently against the green grass, like a flower independent of the world, a pure blossom in the midst of temptation.
Perhaps Huo Qizhou's gaze was too obvious. Shi Muwǎn turned around curiously and saw the national teacher in white standing not far away, seemingly looking at the flower on her head.
She shyly touched the flower on her head and then quickly plucked it and hid it in her wide sleeve.
Huo Qizhou silently watched her actions.
"Good day, National Teacher," Shi Muwǎn greeted him with a beaming smile.
"I pay my respects to the Empress Dowager."
"Where are you headed, National Teacher?"
"I've finished teaching the emperor's lessons for today and was about to return," Huo Qizhou replied indifferently.
Shi Muwǎn knew that he didn't like her and didn't want to pester him and make things awkward. So she waved her hand and said, "Take care on your way, National Teacher. I'll be off."
Without waiting for his response, Shi Muwǎn clasped her hands behind her back and left an aloof figure.
Huo Qizhou watched as a white jade flower fluttered out from her sleeve and landed at his feet. Somehow, he bent down and picked it up.
Thinking of the sight of her just now, Huo Qizhou found her even more strange.
In the past, wherever she went, she was carried in a sedan chair with a large entourage following her to show her imperial dignity as the Empress Dowager. She also always favored gorgeous and luxurious makeup.
Today, she actually adorned her head with a small white flower. Paired with her face, it gave her an air of innocent girlishness. Her fair and delicate face had a playful smile as she greeted him.
She was being overly familiar.
Huo Qizhou frowned. What was he thinking? He casually threw the white jade flower away and turned to leave.
Recalling her gaudy makeup and the unreasonable look with her arched willow - leaf eyebrows, Huo Qizhou thought that she must be up to no good.
She had teased him quite a few times before.
In a place where neither of them noticed, a figure in purple - red emerged.
"Empress Dowager, she still has her eye on the National Teacher!"
Concubine Rui snorted. The National Teacher's good looks were well - known throughout the land. Given Shi Muwǎn's brainless nature, it was impossible for her to give up easily.
It was simply disgraceful. She didn't even consider her own status. It was improper.
She didn't deserve to sit on the throne of the Empress Dowager.
The last time she tried to outsmart someone but ended up worse off, completely offending Huo Qizhou. Concubine Rui thought she had finally calmed down, but it seemed she still hadn't given up.
How could Shi Muwǎn be worthy of him!
Before entering the palace, Concubine Rui had always admired Huo Qizhou. As a noble lady from a prestigious family and a beauty, she was inevitably controlled by her family in terms of marriage. Knowing that she had no chance, she hid her admiration from afar.
Unexpectedly, the late emperor took a fancy to her and brought her into the palace. Since then, her family had risen in status, and she could often see the man she had admired. She felt extremely lucky.
However, Shi Muwǎn appeared. She was good at nothing but throwing her unreasonable tantrums. Even though the late emperor didn't like her and never visited her chambers, due to the influence of the Shi family, he had to endure her willfulness and let her act like a tyrant in the harem.
Her mother's family declined in a court change.
She was then abandoned in the palace, and her lovely child also lost his life in the dark harem.
Even Huo Qizhou was entangled with her and was even teased by her.
She was jealous!
Why was Shi Muwǎn so lucky? She dared to do things against the natural order, yet always remained unscathed and even became more arrogant.
While her family had made just one mistake, they were completely ruined by the late emperor with no hope left.
Concubine Rui's autumn - water eyes, once praised by the late emperor, were now filled with gloom. She wouldn't let it go so easily.
Shi Muwǎn would receive the punishment she deserved.
Zhu'er noticed that her mistress was in a bad mood. Every time Concubine Rui encountered something related to the Empress Dowager, she would turn extremely vicious. But on normal days, she was very kind, making it hard to tell which was the real Concubine Rui.
Zhu'er touched the scar on her cheek and shivered involuntarily.
Concubine Rui had beaten her severely, but the medicine she had given was extremely precious.
Such capriciousness was even scarier than the tyrannical Empress Dowager. After all, the Empress Dowager showed signs before losing her temper, while Concubine Rui could lose her temper without warning, and the next second, a gloved slap would land on one's face.
Concubine Rui closed her eyes to calm herself down. Then, with a smile on her lips, she said, "Let's go. Back to the palace."
"Yes, Empress Dowager," Zhu'er let out a sigh of relief and relaxed her stiff body.
...
The case of Shi Muwǎn's assassination remained unsolved due to the lack of clues and leads. The only thing the palace could do was to strengthen the patrol of the guards.
The envoys from the Youyou Kingdom could finally embark on their journey back home.
Mo Sang led a group of people into the palace to explain their intention and formally bid farewell to the Great Liang.
The Great Liang was in decline, while the Youyou Kingdom was a powerful one. During this period, due to the new emperor's enthronement and the assassination incident, the envoys had been repeatedly detained in the Great Liang, which annoyed many of them.
Fearing that they would speak ill of the Great Liang after returning, some ministers proposed that the Empress Dowager host a banquet to entertain the envoys and soothe their emotions.
After all, it was not advisable for the new emperor to fall out with the surrounding powerful countries.
Moreover, the reason the Youyou Kingdom had sent envoys to congratulate the Empress Dowager on her birthday was that Shi En had built a strange viewing pavilion for the Youyou Kingdom's emperor. Since it was related to the Shi family, it needed to be handled with more caution.
After discussion and getting Shi Muwǎn's consent, the matter was settled.
The envoys seemed reluctant to stay a moment longer and quickly set the date for their return. The palace began to prepare for the banquet and selected many fine items from the treasury to send to them as an apology.
The envoys' expressions improved a bit. After all, these items didn't need to be handed in and would go straight into their own pockets.
...
On the eve of the envoys' departure, many people gradually gathered in the Western Palace Hall.
Shi Muwǎn was still dressing and grooming herself in the Shoukang Palace.
Suddenly, light snow began to fall outside the window.
The previously listless Shi Muwǎn was instantly excited!
She was a native of the south and had never had the money to travel. She had truly never seen snow since childhood.
Every time she saw snow in videos on her phone, she would watch them several times before scrolling down contentedly. Now seeing the snowflakes like catkins outside the window, she was extremely excited and couldn't wait to climb out of the window and roll in the snow.