nucmednet Chapter 404 The Relieved Empress Dowager
Chapter 404 The Relieved Empress Dowager
Empress Dowager Yageli's early life was filled with hardship and misfortune. Under the oppression of the late Empress, her life was extremely difficult, filled with endless pain and bitterness.
Whenever she recalled the charcoal that had been withheld from her, a chill would run through the Empress Dowager's heart. In the cold winter, she could only huddle in the frigid palace, shivering, while the other concubines enjoyed the warmth of plenty of charcoal. At that time, she was so helpless and desolate.
And then there were the damaged birthday gifts, which should have been the most anticipated moment of the year for her, yet were ruthlessly trampled upon by the late Empress. Looking at those broken gifts, the Empress Dowager's heart felt as if it had been torn into countless pieces, filled with unbearable pain.
Under the shadow of the Empress Dowager's position, the Empress Dowager lived on thin ice, trembling with fear every day. She dared not make the slightest mistake, lest she incur the wrath and punishment of the late Empress. Such days made her feel incredibly oppressed and suffocated.
However, when the Empress Dowager met this princess from the Great Xia Dynasty, all her worries and troubles vanished instantly. This princess was not only beautiful and gentle, but also possessed a unique scholarly air. Every smile and gesture of hers exuded elegance and nobility.
To the Empress Dowager's even greater surprise, this princess turned out to be a true martial arts expert. Her agility and skill were truly admirable. The Empress Dowager thought to herself that such a woman would surely be able to support her son, Lie'er, and together they would manage their family well.
The Empress Dowager believed that the princess would bring happiness and joy to Lie'er, and inject new vitality and life into the family. She looked forward to the princess walking hand in hand with Lie'er through every stage of life, creating a bright future together.
The Empress Dowager's other two daughters-in-law, Nazai and Ayiguli, also brought her great comfort. Despite their current titles of Noble Consort De and Noble Consort Jing, they harbored no jealousy whatsoever. On the contrary, they had shared hardships with the princess and forged a deep bond between them. The Empress Dowager understood that such relationships were crucial for harmony within the harem.
With such three daughters-in-law, the Empress Dowager had so much less to worry about! She believed that with their joint efforts, the harem would surely be peaceful and harmonious, and she could finally enjoy her old age in peace.
Let's take a closer look at this daughter-in-law; her attire is truly striking. She wears a moon-white ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), the color of which is like the silvery glow of the bright moon in the night sky—pure and soft, giving off a fresh and refined feeling. The hem of the skirt is also carefully inlaid with gold silk threads, which shimmer faintly in the moonlight, like twinkling stars in the night sky, adding a touch of luxury and exquisiteness to the entire dress.
Looking at her outer garment, it was a brocaded sheer fabric, as thin as a cicada's wing and as light as wisps of smoke. As she moved gently, the fabric would appear and disappear with her movements, like the flowing, mysterious robes of a fairy descending to earth.
At her waist hung a jade pendant with a lotus scroll pattern, unique to the Xia Dynasty. The pendant was smooth and warm to the touch, clearly meticulously crafted. The lotus scroll pattern carved on it was incredibly lifelike, as if the lotus flowers were truly growing and twining around the pendant, and one could even smell a faint fragrance. As she walked, the pendants clinked together, producing a crisp, melodious sound, like celestial music echoing in the air, captivating all who heard it.
Compared to the brightly colored Hu clothing that women from the Western Regions usually wore, this daughter-in-law's attire appeared exceptionally elegant and refined. Every smile, every gesture of hers exuded a dignified and graceful temperament, like a blooming lotus, which, though growing in mud, still maintained its purity and nobility, untouched by worldly taint.
As Wenxuan bowed with her eyes lowered, Yageli's gaze fell precisely on her temple. There, she saw a silver hairpin adorned with twin lotus blossoms, its shape resembling two blooming lotuses, closely intertwined, symbolizing beautiful love and a happy marriage. This silver hairpin complemented the gold phoenix hairpin in the center of her hair, the silver and gold complementing each other, further highlighting the exquisite and luxurious nature of her attire.
However, although this silver hairpin is not as extravagant and dazzling as the gold-beaded hairpins adorning the two imperial concubines' hair, its craftsmanship is extremely exquisite. Each petal is carved with meticulous detail, as if one could feel the softness of the petals and the glistening of the dewdrops. This silver hairpin evokes the phrase "a lotus emerging from clear water," a line from the ancient Xia dynasty. Although it lacks excessive ornamentation, its simple yet elegant design showcases a fresh and natural beauty.
Ouyang Lie had felt the same way before. He was indeed grateful to Great Xia, but if he married a Great Xia princess who then mistreated his wives, Nazai and Ayiguli, as the late empress had treated his mother, he would not be able to accept it. However, Wenxuan was different. Wenxuan seemed to be a noblewoman with a tolerant nature, which put his mind at ease. After all, only with peace in the inner quarters could he properly govern the court. Seeing Wenxuan patiently listening to Ayiguli recount the festival customs of the Western Regions, occasionally even adding a few lines of Great Xia poetry, he secretly sighed: This marriage was indeed the right choice.
"Mother, since we all get along so well, why don't you stay for lunch?" Ouyang Lie suddenly spoke up. Yage Li then realized that the sun was already high in the sky, and hurriedly instructed Qing Que: "Go to the Imperial Kitchen and tell them to prepare the Western Region roasted whole lamb and the Great Xia steamed egg with hibiscus, and also prepare some sour plum soup to cut through the richness." She wanted the Emperor, the Empress, and the two Imperial Concubines to have lunch here.
Wenxuan noticed that the custom of daughters-in-law serving tea to their mothers-in-law was still absent in the Western Regions, and thinking it best to follow local customs, she didn't bring it up again. Since they were going to prepare a meal soon, she decided to chat casually. She took a box she had prepared from a maid and said to the Empress Dowager, "Mother, I'm new here and don't know what you like. This is a youth-preserving pill, a rejuvenating pill, and two ginseng roots that I obtained from my aunt, the Empress Dowager of the Great Xia Dynasty. I hope you will like them."
Looking at her daughter-in-law, Yageli was honestly surprised to receive such a valuable gift. With trembling hands, she opened the box. The crystal-clear pills shimmered in the sunlight. The two ginseng roots, each a long forearm, were clearly defined with intact rootlets—obviously top-grade. The jade bottle containing the Rejuvenation Pills was adorned with intricate cloud patterns outlined in gold thread; the bottle alone could probably be exchanged for a mansion. She suddenly recalled the calluses on Wenxuan's palms—this seemingly delicate girl had likely been plotting how to win her favor on her journey to the Western Regions. Thinking of Ye Qingchen, whom she had mentioned, she already knew of the intricate relationship between the Empress Dowager of Great Xia and the Valley of the Immortal Physicians. Now it seemed that Ye Qingchen was the true mastermind within.
“Good child…” Yage Li’s eyes reddened, and she held Wenxuan’s hand tightly, refusing to let go. At this moment, she suddenly felt that the days she had endured in the darkness seemed to have meaning. Outside the warm pavilion, the spring sunlight shone through the carved window lattice, casting the shadows of the four people together, like a serene and beautiful painting.