Shi Muyuan wondered if this third elder brother would be easy to get along with. There was a faint sense of anticipation in her heart.
Just then, Ze Ze rushed in in a hurry, shouting, "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, something terrible has happened!"
"What's going on? Why are you in such a panic?" Xiao Xiao stopped him and handed him a cup of water to calm his nerves.
Ze Ze stopped, took a few gulps, and then said, "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, Concubine Dowager Qi and Concubine Dowager Ruan are quarreling."
"What?" Shi Muyuan was also stunned.
After listening to Ze Ze's breathless account, Shi Muyuan learned that the two had quarreled over a piece of fabric.
Spring had arrived, and the Bureau of Imperial Wardrobe in the palace naturally had to make new clothes for the ladies in each palace. They presented the fabrics to the ladies for them to choose. As the Empress Dowager, Shi Muyuan had already made her selection.
But today's incident was all because of Concubine Dowager Qi.
Concubine Dowager Ruan and Concubine Dowager Shen were on good terms. When the people from the Bureau of Imperial Wardrobe went to Concubine Dowager Shen's palace, the two ladies were having tea and chatting merrily. So Concubine Dowager Shen and Concubine Dowager Ruan chose the fabrics together.
Unexpectedly, Concubine Dowager Qi was so overbearing that she insisted on taking one of the fabrics all for herself to make new clothes. When she learned that Concubine Dowager Shen had chosen the same fabric, she went straight to Concubine Dowager Shen's palace and demanded that she choose another piece.
This incident should not have happened. The fabric was quite precious, and originally only Shi Muyuan was supposed to wear it. But Shi Muyuan thought it was unfair, so she only made one set of clothes for herself and distributed the rest to the other concubines dowager.
Normally, there should have been enough fabric for each of the remaining concubines dowager to make one set of clothes. But who would have thought that Concubine Dowager Qi would cause such a problem. After Concubine Dowager Qi went to see Concubine Dowager Shen, the other concubines dowager didn't dare to choose that fabric anymore.
However, Concubine Dowager Ruan had been favored by the late emperor, and her family background was not bad either. So she stood up to Concubine Dowager Qi. Now they were still quarreling.
As Ze Ze was talking, a maid came to report that Concubine Dowager Qi and Concubine Dowager Ruan were leading others towards the Palace of Longevity and Health, saying that they wanted Shi Muyuan to judge and give them a fair verdict.
Shi Muyuan suddenly felt a splitting headache. But as the mistress of the harem, these matters did fall within her jurisdiction.
Helplessly, she waved her hand and said, "Please invite all the concubines dowager to the front hall."
"Yes, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager."
Shi Muyuan asked Xiao Xiao to help her get dressed and then went to the front hall. Before she even arrived, she could hear a commotion in the front hall, just like the bickering of small peddlers.
Shi Muyuan took a deep breath and walked in.
"His Majesty the Empress Dowager is here!" Ze Ze shrilled in a high - pitched voice.
The noisy people in the hall stopped and bowed towards Shi Muyuan's position.
"Greetings to Your Majesty the Empress Dowager. May Your Majesty be in good health."
"Be excused. Rise."
"Thank you, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager."
"What on earth is going on?" Shi Muyuan asked directly.
Concubine Dowager Ruan wiped away her tears and stepped forward. "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, you must stand up for me! Your Majesty is so kind - hearted and left such beautiful fabrics for us sisters to make clothes. But that woman Qi Yusu is so overbearing. She actually wants to monopolize it. Where is the justice in that?"
As soon as she said this, although no one responded, Shi Muyuan still felt some resentful looks cast on Concubine Dowager Qi.
Concubine Dowager Qi knew she was in the wrong. She didn't want to come to Shi Muyuan at first, but that woman surnamed Ruan was incredibly strong and actually dragged her here.
She didn't remember that the Ruan family was a family of military officials!
It was really strange.
"Does Concubine Dowager Qi have anything to say?" Shi Muyuan asked her.
Concubine Dowager Qi quietly glanced at Concubine Dowager Rui beside her, hoping she would help. But Concubine Dowager Rui just looked at her with an innocent expression as if she knew nothing.
It wasn't Concubine Dowager Rui's fault. She had been behaving herself recently and didn't dare to cause any more trouble, for fear that the Duke would scold her again.
"What's wrong with you, Sister Qi?" Seeing that she didn't say a word for a long time, Shi Muyuan asked.
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, she's probably feeling guilty and doesn't dare to answer." Concubine Dowager Ruan snorted.
"What are you talking nonsense about?" Concubine Dowager Qi frowned.
"Am I talking nonsense? Then sister, tell me where I'm wrong." It seemed that Concubine Dowager Ruan was not easy to deal with either. Before, she had just stayed quietly.
"This fabric was bestowed by Your Majesty the Empress Dowager. According to our ranks, Sister Rui and I are the highest. We can do whatever we want with it. How dare you butt in? Have you forgotten that you were just a little Zhaoyi even though you are now a concubine dowager like me?"
"What kind of fallacy is that?" Concubine Dowager Ruan said angrily.
Concubine Dowager Rui beside them also frowned secretly. She wondered if Qi Yusu was really stupid or just pretending. She even dragged her into this. She was really unlucky. She had wanted to live in peace, but now it was all messed up.
"Isn't it true? You've worn the fabrics I left over many times before. Why can't you stand it now that you've become a concubine dowager?" Concubine Dowager Qi sneered.
Seeing that the two were about to quarrel again, Shi Muyuan quickly interrupted, "Stop arguing! You're both concubines dowager. How can you quarrel like this!"
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, please stand up for me!" Hearing her speak, Concubine Dowager Ruan quickly knelt down.
"I understand." This matter was not easy to handle. She originally planned for each of them to have one set of clothes made from this fabric. But if she said it out loud, it would surely displease Concubine Dowager Rui and Concubine Dowager Qi. Then these two would surely cause more trouble secretly.
Shi Muyuan sat on the main seat without saying a word. The people below also kept silent, waiting for her decision.
"I gave this fabric out of concern for all of you sisters. I thought the Spring Festival was coming soon, so I wanted to make beautiful new clothes for you. Concubine Dowager Qi, how could you think of monopolizing it?"
As soon as she said this, Concubine Dowager Qi, who was already in the wrong, seemed even more unreasonable.
Concubine Dowager Qi opened her mouth but didn't know how to defend herself.
Finally, Concubine Dowager Rui stepped in to mediate. After all, she couldn't afford to cause any more trouble recently.
"It was Sister Yusu who was impulsive. I apologize on her behalf. Sister Yusu is younger and was spoiled by the late emperor before. She still has some childishness. Sisters, please forgive her. Of course, all sisters can wear the clothes made from this fabric."
Qi Yusu was indeed the youngest among them except for Shi Muyuan. But they were all in their twenties. Who would indulge her?
But since Concubine Dowager Rui had come out to express her stance, everyone naturally didn't want to be impolite and took the opportunity to end the matter.
"Since Sister Rui has said so, we'd better not continue to make a fuss. Let's just let this matter go. We're still good sisters." A concubine dowager came out to smooth things over and tried to break the deadlock.
"Since that's the case, it's fine." Concubine Dowager Ruan was still angry, but she knew that making a scene like this was not a solution. Concubine Dowager Shen also pulled her arm to calm her down.