By now, everyone had turned their eyes to Zhao Shuning.
Since coming to the State of Cangwu, Zhao Shuning had witnessed two grand ceremonies. One was the funeral of the eldest prince, Gu Xingran, and the other was this one.
Although Concubine Xiao didn't have as much pomp as Qin Anxin, she was still the most favored concubine in the Cangwu royal palace. The king doted on her so much that sometimes he even offended the queen for her sake. So, even though Concubine Xiao's airs were not as great as Qin Anxin's, none of the palace servants dared to show the slightest neglect.
Concubine Xiao said, "Lift your head and let this palace have a good look at you."
Zhao Shuning raised her head.
By now, the sky had completely brightened.
Concubine Xiao looked at Qi Yue beside Zhao Shuning and seemed even more furious. She had taken every precaution to prevent her son, Xun'er, from choosing Qi Yue, the daughter of a criminal official. But unexpectedly, he had set his sights on another lowly maid from the Laundry Bureau.
Moreover, the peach blossom birthmark on the maid's face was even more prominent. If it weren't for some unexpected event, she would never have stormed into this filthy Laundry Bureau.
"With such an ugly face, I really don't know what Xun'er sees in you," Concubine Xiao said, which shocked everyone around.
Qi Yue was even more incredulous. Everyone in the world knew that Concubine Xiao hated the maids from the Laundry Bureau, not to mention a maid with such a prominent birthmark on her face. But this time, she had come to the Laundry Bureau early in the morning for such a maid and brought so many palace servants and eunuchs with her.
"Get into the sedan chair," Concubine Xiao said.
Before Zhao Shuning could react, a luxurious sedan chair appeared in front of her.
"What...?"
"Granny Lan, this palace would like to ask you for a maid. You won't refuse, will you?"
"This old servant wouldn't dare," Granny Lan knelt in the courtyard, burying her head low.
"That's good."
"Your Highness, this old servant dares to ask. I wonder if this maid in our courtyard has ever offended you?"
"No, she hasn't. From now on, this maid... What's your name again?"
"Ningning."
"Yes, this Miss Ningning will be my son, Prince Chengxun's woman. Although she used to be a lowly maid in your Laundry Bureau, her status will be different from yours from now on. This palace has said what it needs to say. You can figure it out for yourselves."
Everyone buried their heads low and didn't dare to say a word.
After Zhao Shuning got into the sedan chair, Concubine Xiao also got in. They were actually sharing the same sedan chair. Fortunately, the sedan chair was spacious enough, so there was no need to worry about space.
But Zhao Shuning was puzzled. She had already been beyond her expectations that Concubine Xiao could tolerate her becoming Prince Chengxun's woman. Although she knew that it must be Gu Hanxun who had done a lot of lobbying to achieve this result.
But why did Concubine Xiao have to share the same sedan chair with her?
Was it to show the people in the palace on purpose?
Was it a sign that she had recognized her status?
Concubine Xiao clearly disliked her so much, but why was she willing to endure so much for her?
"You're the Ningning that Xun'er mentioned?"
"Yes, I am."
Now that she had borrowed the name of the imperial concubine, she must be extremely careful. She didn't know if Gu Hanxun had told Concubine Xiao about their plan.
Although Concubine Xiao was Gu Hanxun's biological mother, based on Zhao Shuning's understanding of Gu Hanxun during this period, he probably wouldn't tell Concubine Xiao about their affairs.
So, she had to show proper respect on the surface.
"Xun'er said that you were extremely beautiful before entering the palace?"
"Ah? I guess so."
She didn't know what Gu Hanxun had told Concubine Xiao, so she could only follow her words.
"This palace really can't tell that you're so deeply in love with my Xun'er. He had never entered this palace's bedroom before, but now he actually begged this palace for you once."
"Your Highness, you're overestimating me. Well, this maid and Prince Gu Hanxun... No, Prince Chengxun are deeply in love with each other. This maid has already secretly fallen in love with him. This time, thanks to Your Highness's kindness, in the future, the two of us will surely serve Your Highness well."
"To be honest, a woman like you with a birthmark on your face, this palace would never approve of you."
Zhao Shuning forced a smile on her face and didn't say a word.
Concubine Xiao continued, "But there's nothing I can do. Since you're pregnant with my Xun'er's child and my Xun'er insists on marrying you, this palace has no choice but to agree."
"Ah?"
Zhao Shuning widened her eyes.
Why did Gu Hanxun use this trick?
He didn't even discuss it with her!
Seeing Zhao Shuning's reaction, Concubine Xiao became suspicious.
"What? Did this palace say something wrong?"
Seeing this, Zhao Shuning quickly placed her hand gently on her flat abdomen and showed a motherly look on her face.
"Your Highness is of course right. It's just that this maid didn't expect Prince Chengxun to tell you such things. This maid's status is humble. It's already a great honor for this maid to have caught Prince Chengxun's eye. This maid originally thought that she would spend the rest of her life in the Laundry Bureau with this broken body. But unexpectedly, he told you about this. Such a devoted Prince Chengxun really touched this maid deeply."
Zhao Shuning almost pinched her thigh while saying these words.
Gu Hanxun, you'd better pray that you don't fall into my hands. Otherwise, I'll surely let you taste the bitter feeling of having to keep silent.
Concubine Xiao looked at Zhao Shuning and sighed.
"Alas, you poor child. It must be this palace's sin. If I had known that he would end up with someone like you, I should have let him marry Qi Yue, the fallen daughter of the Duke's Mansion, back then."
Zhao Shuning lowered her eyes and swallowed her anger again.
This Concubine Xiao! Couldn't she speak properly? She was now pregnant with her "precious grandson," but she actually called her "someone like you."
But no matter how angry she was, Zhao Shuning still forced a smile on her face.
"Your Highness is right. It's this maid's good fortune to have caught Prince Chengxun's eye."
Concubine Xiao nodded in satisfaction. She reached out her hand to touch Zhao Shuning's face, but then retracted it as if it was dirty.
"Is there any way to remove the peach blossom birthmark on your face?"
Zhao Shuning didn't say a word.
Concubine Xiao said, "But I heard from Xun'er that you went to great lengths to enter the Laundry Bureau for him and even carved a peach blossom on your face. A woman who is willing to ruin her own appearance just to take a distant look at the man she loves, this palace really admires you for that."
Zhao Shuning forced a bitter smile.
Gu Hanxun, Gu Hanxun, what on earth did you tell your mother?
Did she really think that she had carved a peach blossom on her face just to be caught and sent to the Laundry Bureau so that she could take a distant look at him?
How could he make up such a story?
What was even more amazing was that Concubine Xiao actually believed this story. Not only did she believe it, but she was also deeply touched by it. That was why she had come to the Laundry Bureau in person to pick her up and take her to Prince Chengxun's palace.