Chapter 31: Audience with the Emperor
Before setting off, Gan Qiongying made some preparations in advance.
First, she had Manyue prepare knee pads in case she was punished with kneeling.
But having watched many dramas where kneeling was a frequent occurrence, she couldn’t endure such torment. In those shows, kneeling often lasted at least two hours, and just watching made her kneecaps ache.
“Manyue,” Gan Qiongying thought these preparations weren’t enough, “tell the small kitchen to make some pastries—small, thin pieces. Radish cake would be good; it’s not as dry.”
“Yes, I’ll go right away,” Manyue replied repeatedly before rising. She couldn’t help but wonder: with so many delicacies in the palace, why was the Princess bringing radish cake?
“Wait,” Gan Qiongying turned to look at her reflection. After worrying about so many things since morning, how could she still look radiant? Was the face of a supporting female character in novels this resilient?
“Redo my makeup,” Gan Qiongying instructed again. “Use lighter lip color, and powder my face paler. I should look as sickly as possible.”
Though she didn’t understand, Manyue worked deftly. While helping Gan Qiongying change clothes, she followed her instructions by adding two extra inner garments and selecting simpler attire. The hair accessories were also modest—appropriate enough not to be disrespectful, yet not overly extravagant.
Inside the clothes, she sewed pockets to hide the soft radish cake.
The cake was soft and thin, making it hard to detect when worn close to the body. Its faint fragrance could easily be masked by the scent of cosmetics.
Soon, Gan Qiongying was fully equipped. The knee pads were thick, and she tried to take smaller steps than usual. With her wide skirts, no one would notice anything unusual.
Manyue followed behind Gan Qiongying as they walked toward the gate. Their demeanor was completely different from the previous night, and Gan Qiongying wished the path would stretch on endlessly.
Before long, she saw the carriage waiting at the gate. To her surprise, she also spotted a familiar figure standing nearby—it was Lihua.
Had Lihua actually come to see her off?
Was the sun rising from the west today?
A smile unconsciously spread across her face, something she didn’t even notice herself. While still some distance from the gate, she called out, “Husband.”
Just those two words made Lihua feel his ears grow warm again. He nodded slightly, the movement almost imperceptible, but it was a genuine acknowledgment.
Gan Qiongying quickened her pace and walked up to Lihua, beaming brightly. “Does it still hurt?”
She directly took Lihua’s hand, gently holding the one that wasn’t cut, and played with his slender fingers. She cradled the bandaged, injured part and lightly tapped it with her fingertips.
Lihua’s fingers trembled slightly, clearly feeling somewhat uncomfortable.
Both their attendants were present, and a eunuch from the palace stood nearby, but he didn’t pull his hand away. Instead, he nodded again.
“I’ve already instructed the kitchen to prepare your favorite dishes for lunch and dinner. You didn’t eat much this morning,” Gan Qiongying said with reluctance in her eyes, gently stroking his hand. “I’ve informed Chen Wa at the residence. If you need to go out, just order them around. Remember to eat on time.”
This time, Lihua spoke, though only one word: “Okay.”
Gan Qiongying didn’t know why Lihua had personally come to see her off, but such an opportunity was rare and not to be missed. The eunuch had been waiting for her all morning and was surely sent by the Emperor. She had to put on a good show of marital harmony and unity.
If he were to report what he witnessed today to the Emperor, it would confirm her current obsession with her Consort. Later, when dismissing those hundred or so male consorts, things would naturally become much easier.
Thus, she was helped into the carriage. After taking her seat, she lifted the curtain and said to Lihua with reluctant longing, “I’ll return as soon as possible. I still prefer having dinner with you and sleeping together.”
Those phoenix eyes brimmed with tender affection. Lihua, whose ears were already warm, was taken aback once more by her words. Meeting Gan Qiongying’s gaze for a moment, he quickly averted his eyes.
His neck began to flush red as well—this time, he was genuinely embarrassed, especially with so many people watching.
Feeling uneasy under Gan Qiongying’s stare, he immediately shifted his attention to the eunuch beside him.
This eunuch happened to be someone Lihua knew. His merchant guilds were spread throughout Nánzhào, and in Yindu, there was the Yuanchen Merchant Guild. Although some high-ranking officials and nobles looked down upon merchants, no one disliked silver.
This Eunuch Li also had some business ventures and had dealings with Lihua’s merchant guilds.
He knew that this Eunuch Li had grown up alongside the Emperor since childhood and was deeply trusted by the Son of Heaven in the palace.
His features were dignified, with a pair of prominent protruding ears that stood out. His skin was somewhat pale, and his figure was plump—truly the appearance of a fortunate man.
San Jiu stepped forward and handed over a sufficiently heavy money pouch. Lihua presented it to Eunuch Li with both hands, saying, “The Princess has an impatient temperament. When she enters the palace, I hope you can offer some guidance to ensure she does not anger His Majesty.”
Eunuch Li seemed slightly surprised but showed no sign of it. He merely smiled gently and reached out to pat Lihua’s hand holding the money pouch. “That goes without saying. The Princess is someone I’ve watched grow up since she was little.”
Hearing this response, Lihua felt relieved and secretly let out a sigh.
In truth, Eunuch Li had a kind and amiable appearance but was not necessarily easy to deal with. However, the two had met several times before. While they couldn’t be considered familiar, the other party’s attitude made it clear that the Emperor’s summons for Princess Duanrong to enter the palace was not for the purpose of reprimanding her.
On the way to the Imperial Palace, Gan Qiongying spent the entire time earnestly recalling the plot.
Yet the book provided very little description of this part. She only knew the Emperor’s final fate: after the palace coup, the Emperor fled the palace but could not escape disaster, ultimately perishing in a great fire.
However, aside from the Emperor, the Empress Dowager was an even more troublesome figure in the palace. The book mentioned that this old witch interfered in internal affairs, colluded with the Regent to control the court for years, and repeatedly attempted to usurp the throne.
Gan Qiongying raised her hands, pressed them together, and bowed toward the empty air, praying that she would not run into that old witch.
Gan Qiongying’s head felt like it was about to explode from all her thinking along the way. When the carriage finally stopped, she even breathed a sigh of relief.
Gan Qiongying lifted the carriage curtain and looked up to see the majestic and solemn palace gates. The guards stationed at the gates all knelt and paid their respects.
Soon, she alighted from the carriage and boarded a sedan chair. Her attendants and maids were not permitted to accompany her and were instead taken to an inner courtyard to wait. Only the eunuch by her side remained with her.
Everyone longed to step into this Imperial City, but with each step Gan Qiongying took, her heart trembled.
When she first transmigrated, she had also wondered what the Imperial City would be like. But now that she was actually here, she felt no excitement whatsoever.
The entire Imperial City was like a massive, dormant beast. The painted beams, carved rafters, soaring pavilions, and flowing crimson were all firmly suppressed by an ancient, heavy solemnity. Armored guards stood solemnly along the city walls and palace pathways, visible everywhere. The only feeling they evoked was one of oppression and profound gravity.
After alighting from the sedan chair, she walked for another half an hour before finally arriving at the Qingming Hall, where the Emperor had summoned her.
Eunuch Li supported Gan Qiongying as they walked. From a distance, she saw the young eunuch at the door bow in greeting before immediately scurrying off to announce their arrival. She had originally thought there would be some buffer time, but instead, she was directly led into the hall.
The moment she stepped inside, Gan Qiongying truly wanted to turn around and flee immediately, but that was nothing more than a pipe dream.
The interior of the hall was not as ornate as it appeared from the outside. The entire space was filled with oppressive dark tones, with the only splash of brightness coming from the person seated behind the desk. Today, he wore a deep purple robe and a golden crown atop his head.
A faint scent of ink lingered in the air. Gan Qiongying noticed a pile of memorials stacked high on the chair beside him, and a young eunuch standing nearby held another stack in his hands.
Gan Qiongying only glanced briefly, not even taking the time to get a clear look at the person, before quickly averting her gaze.
Following her premeditated plan, she stood at a distance not too far from the desk, knelt properly, and performed a grand ceremonial bow.
“Duan Rong pays respects to Your Majesty. May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings.”
Yet, long after her words faded, the hall remained enveloped in dead silence.
At that moment, the sound of writing also ceased. The crisp clink of a brush being placed on its stand echoed distinctly in the hall, making the room so quiet one could hear a pin drop.
Gan Qiongying kept her head lowered steadily. She could anticipate that the real Princess Duanrong would never perform such a grand bow to the Emperor, given that she had even ignored his summons.
But she couldn’t afford to do the same. First, she didn’t know how the two interacted in the original storyline, and misjudging the boundaries could easily cost her her life.
Second, she had no intention of continuing to defy the Emperor. She planned to play the role of a “repentant and reformed” good princess who had “seen the light” after a serious illness.
After all, when she first transmigrated here, it was during the period when she was recuperating from falling off her horse while chasing Zhongli Zhengzhen—which could also be considered a “serious illness.”
The hall remained silent for a long time.
Unable to resist, Gan Qiongying stole a glance from the corner of her eye. She noticed that the eunuch who had escorted her earlier, who had been relaxed and exuding a lazy demeanor, now had his plump body tensed up like a fleshy worm poked by a finger. He was breathing so heavily it seemed as if he had visibly shrunk a size.
Was it… that shocking?
Gan Qiongying began to feel a bit panicked herself.
Just then, the person behind the desk seemed to be adjusting his sleeves. She heard the rustling of fabric, followed by a series of hurried footsteps heading in her direction.