青春期撞上更年期第1部

The hall was spacious. Its interior was attractively furnished, and all the tables were placed in a highly orderly manner. The palace maids and eunuchs bustled around, working methodically. Seeing Nanny Wei coming with Shao Wanru, these imperial servants bowed respectfully and stayed put until they walked past.

Shao Wanru stepped inside, running her eyes over the rows of neatly arranged tables, and asked, “Are there others besides female guests attending the banquet?”

“Male and female guests will attend the grand banquet together. The whole nation will be in elation on her birthday, so the Emperor intends that all the guests congratulate Her Majesty here. Not only the Empress and consorts in the Palace, but also the Emperor and the princes will come. In addition, there are kinsmen of the Emperor, high-ranking officials, and their womenfolk.”

With a smile, Nanny Wei briefed Shao Wanru on the current situation.

Shao Wanru nodded. As she had heard, it was a great banquet, and what happened later would have the most dramatic impact.

They moved forward. On the steps before the big hall were also tables in rows. It should be the place for the imperial consorts, princes, and princesses. Only one table was set on the uppermost ground. It was not big, but the three wooden chairs around it were inset with gold, appearing large and awe-inspiring. In particular, one chair had a dragon pattern on the shoulder, which made it more distinguished.

“Nanny Wei, is this… His Majesty’s imperial throne?” Shao Wanru gasped and asked. It was the first time she had seen the Emperor’s imperial throne. It was said that there were not many dragon thrones, even in the Palace.

Nanny Wei nodded and said, “This chair is indeed for the Emperor. The Empress Dowager specially customized it for the Emperor. The seats on both sides are for the Empress Dowager and the Empress.”

Hearing her words, Shao Wanru turned to see the chairs on both sides. Only then did she find that these two chairs were also different from other chairs. Though smaller than the dragon throne in the middle, they were engraved with exquisite and gorgeous phoenix patterns, revealing the majestic atmosphere of the royal family.

“Nanny Wei, what kind of gift does Her Majesty like the most? Is there any forbidden rule? I’ve never attended her birthday party, so I’m worried I may offend her unintentionally.”

After Shao Wanru marveled at the magnificent venue, she raised some questions, which was an important reason why she specially asked Nanny Wei to lead the way.

Nanny Wei had faintly expected this when Shao Wanru suggested looking at the front hall’s layout. Hearing this question, she smiled and answered, “You are so considerate. Her Majesty is a very nice master and there is usually nothing to avoid. Just prepare a birthday gift that you think is proper.”

Shao Wanru looked at Nanny Wei with a gentle smile and pursued the matter. “There is nothing special to evade, but she must have a preference for something?”

“Uh… It may not be a special hobby. Her Majesty likes some interesting and novel things out of the ordinary. And she is fond of scripts and paintings…” Nanny Wei reminded her with an implicit answer.

“She likes the unique calligraphy and painting?” Shao Wanru’s eyes lit up, and her long eyelashes fluttered. This information seemed to have stirred up her feelings.

Nanny Wei smiled silently, but the message was crystal clear.

“Thank you, Nanny Wei.” Shao Wanru bowed sideways and said gratefully.

“Princess Chen, you don’t need to thank me. How could I accept your bow?” Nanny Wei hurriedly leaned aside to avoid receiving Shao Wanru’s salute.

“Should I send this gift in advance or wait for Empress Dowager’s birthday?” Shao Wanru straightened up and asked again.

“Well… Gifts are presented to her on her birthday,” Nanny Wei said.

Some, not a lot of people, would bring the Empress Dowager presents beforehand. Beyond that, many of them would send gifts on her birthday too.

Each way of offering gifts had different benefits, but those who sent gifts before the birthday party usually had a special relationship with the Empress Dowager.

However, she didn’t have to make it clear to Princess Chen.

“Thank you, Nanny Wei!” Shao Wanru bowed politely again, and Nanny Wei also avoided it with a smile.

The two of them walked and chatted for a while before returning to the Empress Dowager’s place.

The Empress Dowager had been tired and went to rest, leaving word that Shao Wanru could do as she liked. If she felt fatigued, she could go back. Otherwise, she might as well go for a walk in the garden and enjoy the scenery. There was no need to go back home in a hurry. She must feel lonesome as the only master in the Prince Chen’s Mansion.

Shao Wanru thanked the Empress Dowager for her kindness and left the Palace of Benevolent Peace. Nanny Wei saw her off at the gate. After watching her go, she stopped smiling and frowned tightly. “The matter Princess Chen talked about, did it relate to my nephew?”

It sounded a little different from what her nephew said, but the more she pondered it over, the more likely she felt it was related to her nephew. “Could it really have something to do with Princess Chen?” If it was true, she had to warn her nephew not to come into conflict with Princess Chen. Princess Chen might not be a big deal, but the Empress Dowager doted on Prince Chen.

With Yujie, Shao Wanru casually went back to the Prince Chen’s Mansion through the back door. Since Chu Liuchen was not in the mansion, it was not convenient for her to stay in the Palace.

There were no outsiders in the Palace, but it was quite possible for her to encounter several princes. Without Chu Liuchen around, she should be more cautious.

Along the way, she didn’t see Zhaoyi Di but unexpectedly met Madam Ou, a painter. They almost bumped into each other around the corner.

Madam Ou took two steps backward, dropping a few painting scrolls in her hands. When she recognized Shao Wanru on the opposite side, she was stunned for a moment and hurriedly bowed to her. “Greetings, Her Highness!”

Shao Wanru, who used to be the beauty, became Princess Chen.

“Don’t stand on ceremony.” Shao Wanru smiled softly, telling Yujie to pick up the paintings one by one for Madam Ou.

“Where are you going to send so many paintings?” Shao Wanru asked inquisitively, her curious gaze on the unfolded painting. It was a picture of a mother and a son having fun together.

The podgy and cute baby was playing. Aside, a young madam was quietly embroidering the baby’s tiny clothes. She looked dignified and gentle with a smile.

“I was asked to draw more harmonious pictures of mother and children for the Empress Dowager’s birthday. I showed them to the supervisor of the Imperial Household Department, but he was not satisfied!” Madam Ou took the paintings handed over by Yujie and said helplessly.

“Was it His Majesty’s order?” Shao Wanru’s eyes sparkled.

“His Majesty asked the Imperial Household Department to do it. I heard that they would present the Empress Dowager with the best ones. However, they accepted none, blaming painters for our not-that-outstanding skills. This situation has never happened before.” Madam Ou sighed in distress. Honestly, those authentic paintings of famous deceased painters were their best choice. How could the Imperial Household Department push them so hard for perfect drawings?

Their paintings were not bad, but they could certainly not be compared to those painters prestigious through the ages.

“Has the order been issued this year only?” Shao Wanru raised her beautiful eyebrows and asked.

“Yes, that’s what they want especially for this year’s birthday celebration. I should have been sent out of the Palace, but they still keep me here to paint this kind of painting,” Madam Ou said.

It had been some time since the Pageant ended. She was supposed to leave the Palace long ago but was trapped here because of this matter.

Shao Wanru asked with a smile, her watery eyes on Madam Qu, “The other painters also have to draw similar paintings?”

“Yes, the same type of paintings. Our drawings should reflect the intimate relationship between mother and sons when they were little. I was just asked to draw more children. There should be three,” Madam Ou added.

If there were three sons, the deceased emperor was included.

The deceased emperor’s affairs had been deliberately blurred as if he were just an ordinary monarch. Gradually, anecdotes to show his harmonious relations with his ministers had gone out of focus. Though changes like this happened slowly, they yielded practical results.

Few people would mention the deceased emperor if not for something deeply involved with him.

At this time, painters were specially asked to draw three children, which was strange.

The Empress Dowager had three sons. Among them, the deceased emperor and the Emperor were her biological sons. Then, there was Prince Cheng. Coincidentally, they were also a mother with three sons.

Ever since she said goodbye to Madam Ou, Shao Wanru had been thinking about this problem, feeling it was overly strange and unreasonable.

When the Emperor wanted to give her mother paintings as birthday presents, he should at least choose authentic artworks by renowned artists over those assignments handed by painters. It was not an appropriate choice, even if Madam Ou and other painters possessed extraordinary painting skills.

These gifts were neither from celebrated contemporary painters nor people with distinguished status. How could they be presented to the Empress Dowager? What was more unusual, they were what the Emperor wanted.

In addition, the deceased emperor’s affairs appeared odd.

These things slowly flashed through her mind as if they meant something, but she couldn’t grasp the focal point for a while.

After returning to Prince Chen’s Mansion and sitting down, she pondered it and looked puzzled. “Could it not be what the Emperor meant?

“If not, who else wanted to do it?”

Today, she had planned to report to the Empress Dowager in advance. On the surface, Wei Dahai seemed to be a disloyal man who coveted his ex-wife’s property. However, this matter involved Mo Qiuyi, who had remained strange and mysterious, and Chu Qing. All of this aroused Shao Wanru’s suspicion.

It was why she visited the Empress Dowager in the Palace today.

Nanny Wei, who had been standing behind the Empress Dowager, acted a little strangely. Both she and Wei Dahai were surnamed Wei. Were they by any chance, related?

When she talked about Wei Dahai, although she didn’t mention him by name, Nanny Wei looked a little embarrassed as if she knew something!

However, her abnormal expression disappeared very quickly. When Nanny Wei led her to the front hall, she had already returned to normal. No matter how carefully Shao Wanru observed her, she found nothing wrong.

Was Nanny Wei a deep one? Or did she make a mistake?

Beyond that, the matter related to Madam Ou was also a little weird. The Imperial Household Department? She might need to ask her grandmother and find out who was in charge of the Imperial Household Department. This time, the Imperial Household Department was responsible for the Empress Dowager’s birthday celebration. In her previous life, when the trouble happened, she didn’t hear any chief officials of the Imperial Household Department had been charged with a crime. It seemed that no one there had made any mistakes, but in the end, they had forced Prince Zhou and the Empress to rebel.

“Your Highness, a Madam asked to see you. She said it had something to do with Marquis Xing, and you have met her!” An old maid walked into the yard and reported respectfully in the corridor.