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  "Your Majesty, it seems His Majesty still cares quite a bit about the Eldest Prince," Zhaohua remarked as she brushed Wumian's hair.

  "After all, he’s his own flesh and blood. It’s only natural he wouldn’t simply turn a blind eye," Wumian replied, gazing at her reflection in the mirror. Compared to when she first arrived at the pace, she looked far better now. Though still slender, her complexion was rosy, her entire appearance soft and pleasant.

  Yet, as she stared at herself in the mirror, she realized she couldn’t quite remember what she used to look like. It was as if this face had always been hers.

  She didn’t dwell on it. Or rather, whenever the thought surfaced, it seemed as though it wasn’t something worth pondering.

  "Guifei must be fuming this time," Wumian said with a smile.

  "Your Majesty has done everything by the rules. If she’s angry, then so be it," Linshui spoke up, surprisingly the one to comfort Wumian today.

  Wumian was dressed in a water-red ruqun today, with a thin outer jacket of white silk embroidered with crimson peonies. Around her neck hung a single strand of pearls.

  In modern times, such a neckce would’ve looked tacky if paired with contemporary clothing—but not here, not now.

  The neckce itself was finely crafted, each pearl round and lustrous, the rgest resting at the bottom.

  Her hair was styled in a high coiled bun, adorned with ornaments of pure gold, coral beads in shades of red and pink woven throughout. A pair of dangling hairpins framed her face, their tasseled ends swaying and shimmering with every movement.

  "How about these earrings, Your Majesty?" Zhaohua asked, pulling out a pair of ntern-shaped earrings from a cquered box. Each earring held two rubies above and below, with a single pearl nestled between them.

  These pearls were not among the ones gifted by the emperor recently but had been part of Wumian’s dowry from her wedding—superior in luster and quality.

  Wumian nodded approvingly. "Zhaohua always has the best taste."

  This girl—docile, simple-hearted, not particurly quick-witted—but when it came to matters of dress and adornment, there wasn’t a single maid in Fengyi Pace who could outmatch her.

  "As long as Your Majesty likes them." Zhaohua smiled as she carefully fastened the earrings for Wumian.

  While they spoke, the dies who came for morning greetings had mostly arrived outside.

  Wumian had deliberately dressed up carefully today. After all, a person couldn’t possibly look pin every day, right? It wasn’t as if she cked the means.

  The court dies filed in one after another, bowing in unison.

  "Greetings to Your Majesty, the Empress."

  Wumian smiled gently and motioned for them to rise. "Be seated, all of you."

  "Your Majesty looks stunning today," Jiang Zhaorong was the first to offer a compliment. "Your fair skin paired with this ensemble makes you look even more radiant, like fwless jade. And this hairstyle—what’s it called?"

  "Oh, nothing special. Zhaohua just arranged it on a whim. It doesn’t have a name," Wumian replied casually. "If you like it, have one of your maids learn from her."

  There were no strict rules against certain hairstyles for lower-ranked consorts; only specific ornaments and crowns were restricted.

  "Then I must thank Your Majesty." Jiang Zhaorong smiled sweetly in response.

  The consorts all gnced over and had to admit—today, the empress was truly radiant, so dazzling it was hard to look away.

  Guifei’s mood soured instantly. She was nearing thirty, and yet the empress? The empress was not even twenty.

  Even if she could currently suppress the empress in authority and manage the inner pace, what about the future?

  She took a slow, deep breath, careful not to let any displeasure show on her face. In the end, she knew what she truly needed was a prince.

  “It’s been sweltering these days. There’s barely anyone visiting the Imperial Garden. Yesterday, I took a stroll and saw quite a few mandarin ducks. They were beautiful,” said Qu Baolin with a smile.

  “In this heat, you still had the heart to admire mandarin ducks? Could it be you were thinking of His Majesty?” Fang Baolin teased.

  “Don’t joke, Sister. We’re all mere concubines. If anyone’s the mandarin ducks, it’s His Majesty and Her Majesty the Empress,” Qu Baolin replied sweetly.

  Wumian ughed. “People always say mandarin ducks symbolize lifelong devotion, but that’s a misunderstanding. In truth, mandarin ducks change partners countless times. They’re hardly a symbol of fidelity. If you want a true emblem of loyalty, look to the wild geese. Those are the ones who mate for life.”

  “That’s true. Some geese, after losing their mate, would rather throw themselves off a cliff than live alone,” Min Fei sighed softly.

  “It seems I’ve been ignorant,” Qu Baolin murmured, somewhat thoughtful.

  “Let’s not speak of such things. I haven’t paid much attention to Li Fei tely. How has she been?” Wumian gnced at Linshui. “Go check on her ter, ask after her well-being.”

  “Her Majesty is so considerate toward Li Fei. I’m sure she’ll be grateful. His Majesty didn’t say much, but he did remind me not to disturb her. So I dared not visit,” Guifei spoke up.

  In other words: It’s not that I don’t care—it’s that His Majesty forbade it.

  Wumian ughed lightly. “Ah, our emperor is certainly fond of Li Fei. But who could bme him? She’s sweet and beautiful—what a lovely girl.”

  She turned to Guifei and added, smiling as though without a care in the world, “Of course, so are you. If I can still look as beautiful as you when I reach your age, I’ll count myself blessed.”

  Guifei…

  There was no way she could lose her temper. Even knowing the empress was being subtly barbed, how could one accuse her of it? She had delivered those words with such apparent sincerity.

  Xian Fei covered her lips to hide a small smile. The empress, as she was now, truly knew how to provoke.

  Thus, morning greetings concluded in this strange, almost harmonious yet tense atmosphere.

  As for Guifei, she was furious beyond words. She was certain the empress had come at her on purpose—but for now, she dared not act rashly.

  Once the others had left, Wumian sat there, debating whether to take a nap or go for a stroll. If she slept now, it felt like a waste after spending so much time dressing up. Shouldn’t she at least step out and let others admire her?

  But she was also a little sleepy…

  Fortunately, a message from the Taiji Pace solved her dilemma.

  “A visit to the Empress Dowager? Right now?”

  “Yes, Your Majesty,” replied pace attendant Mao Sanwang, bowing low. “His Majesty has suddenly decided on it. If it’s convenient for you, would you accompany him?”

  “Did His Majesty say if I should dress more casually?” After all, they were leaving the pace.

  “His Majesty didn’t mention it. We’ll have guards with us. You need only come.”

  “Very well. Let’s go.” Regardless, she would bring a change of clothes, just in case.

  Wumian departed with Linshui, Feixu, Yanming, Xinliu, Dukang, and Baiduo in tow.

  When they arrived at the Taiji Pace, sure enough, the emperor’s eyes brightened the moment he saw her.

  “The empress is especially beautiful today.”

  “Thank you, Your Majesty.” Wumian smiled gracefully and sat down to sip her tea.

  “The carriages are ready,” Eunuch Lu reported as he stepped in.

  Wumian set down her teacup and rose to leave with the emperor.

  The emperor invited her to ride in his carriage. Without hesitation, Wumian climbed in even before him.

  Once again, she couldn’t help but marvel at how nice it was to be the empress. She didn’t even need to feign modesty and decline.

  The emperor boarded after her, sitting across from her, his gaze falling on her face.

  Peach-pink cheeks, lively almond-shaped eyes, delicate nose, soft red lips—he suddenly wondered why he had never noticed before how strikingly beautiful his young empress truly was.

  As the carriage moved, a sliver of sunlight filtered in through the seams of the curtains and sts, casting light onto the golden hairpins in her hair.

  It was only a fleeting shimmer, but in that instant, it was as though some heavenly light had scattered itself upon her head.

  Ying Qionglou felt as though he, too, had been momentarily dazzled.

  This person—his empress—felt entirely different from the one he had known.

  She had changed. And the change was profound.