Bai Li’s Dream – Chapter 38

Chapter 38: Banquet Conversation

The Empress’s palace was filled with gorgeously dressed Noblewomen.

From leaving home before dawn to the bright sunlight now, they had finally finished the ceremony congratulating the Empress on her birthday. Inside the hall, the palace maids and eunuchs were busy setting up the banquet.

The Emperor was frugal these days and never held large banquets, so the Empress naturally followed suit and kept things simple.

The Noblewomen hadn’t come for the banquet either. Taking advantage of the Empress’s absence while she changed clothes, they gathered in twos and threes to chat.

The Madam of Dongyang was surrounded by the largest group of people, all wanting to inquire about her new daughter-in-law. No matter what they asked, the Madam of Dongyang only smiled and said, “Wait until Jingyun returns.”

Zhou Jingyun was sure to be entrusted with important tasks by the Emperor upon his return, so everyone flattered her with pleasantries, not wanting to dampen the mood.

“What kind of celestial being could make Jingyun marry her?” a Madam asked with a flattering smile. As soon as the words left her mouth, someone poked her from behind.

The Madam turned around in annoyance and saw the Madam of Ding’an approaching. She immediately stopped talking.

The Madam of Ding’an had already heard. She seethed with resentment. Only her daughter was a celestial being; how could other random women compare? Thinking of her purpose for coming today, she pretended not to have heard and, with a concerned smile on her face, took the Madam of Dongyang’s hand.

“You’ve been tied up at home lately and haven’t gone out,” she said.

The Madam of Dongyang held the Madam of Ding’an’s hand and said with a hint of apology, “When Jingyun returns, I’ll bring him to visit you.”

The Madam of Ding’an forced a smile and nodded. “If you’re feeling down, come and sit at my house. There’s nothing else I can do for you now…” Her voice choked up a bit. “Don’t make things difficult for yourself. If it doesn’t work out, just send her back to me.”

The Madam of Dongyang’s face stiffened slightly. The Madam of Ding’an had learned about Xueliu.

The surrounding Madams, who had been watching them, noticed the change in their expressions and asked, “What’s wrong?”

The Madam of Ding’an said, “It’s nothing, nothing. It’s also our fault, the trouble we left behind.”

The people around them became even more curious. A Madam who had received a hint from the Madam of Ding’an beforehand pretended to suddenly understand. “How is it related to you? Could it be that Jingyun’s new wife is dissatisfied with you?”

The Madam of Ding’an turned her head and covered her nose with her hand, her voice choking with sobs. “When she passed away, we should have cleaned up everything properly. New people are always bound to have some taboos.” She looked at the Madam of Dongyang again. “Now it’s causing trouble for Madam.”

The Madam of Dongyang looked at the Madam of Ding’an’s tearful eyes. She couldn’t blame her, nor could she stop her words, so she could only say, “Don’t say that. It’s her who’s being unreasonable.”

The new daughter-in-law is being unreasonable? This means there’s trouble at home? How could they miss such excitement? The surrounding Madams’ eyes flickered, and they all began to inquire.

The Madam of Dongyang, alone, was no match for the numerous inquiries. She was caught in an awkward situation, unable to answer or not answer. Just then, the palace maids announced, “The Empress has arrived.”

The Empress, dressed in gorgeous attire, walked over, surrounded by a group of Madams, chatting and laughing.

Everyone hurriedly curtsied and then saw that it was Old Madam Xue walking beside the Empress.

Although Old Madam Xue was addressed as “Aunt” by the Emperor and considered herself a princess, she actually had no real status. Real princesses didn’t even bother attending the Empress’s birthday celebration and only sent gifts.

With a distant relationship with the Emperor and not belonging to a high-ranking official or noble family, Old Madam Xue rarely had the opportunity to walk beside the Empress when entering the palace.

How did she manage to squeeze in this time?

Old Madam Xue had a smug look on her face, while her daughter-in-law, Madam Xue, remained among the crowd, her demeanor humble.

“I’ve always said that the Empress’s gifts are extraordinary. I usually can’t bear to use them. My daughter-in-law is so careless; I couldn’t even keep one for myself.” Old Madam Xue said to the Empress, “You must reward me with more.”

The Empress said with a smile, “As long as Old Madam likes them.”

The surrounding Madams chimed in, “Your Majesty, what about us?” “We also request Your Majesty to bestow upon us some silk flowers.”

The Empress’s smile deepened. “Alright, alright, everyone will have some.” Her gaze fell upon the Madam of Dongyang and the others who were curtsying, and she asked with a smile, “What were you talking about? It seemed so lively.”

“In response to Your Majesty, we were talking about the Madam of Dongyang’s new daughter-in-law,” a Madam quickly answered.

This was clearly intentional. There were many who wanted to see her embarrassed. The Madam of Dongyang felt awkward.

The Empress let out an “oh.” “Zhou Jingyun’s new wife?”

Zhou Jingyun had been famous since childhood, so the Empress naturally knew him. News of his marriage had spread throughout the palace, and the Emperor had even lamented missing the opportunity to propose a marriage.

The Empress was also curious about Zhou Jingyun’s new wife.

“Madam should have brought her along to let me meet her,” she said with a smile. “I wonder what kind of beauty she is.”

The Madam of Dongyang lowered her head and curtsied. “When Jingyun returns, I will definitely bring her to pay her respects to Your Majesty.”

“Your Majesty, this new Young Madam—” The Madam who had spoken up before tried to interject again with a smile.

But this time, she was interrupted before she could finish her sentence.

“Your Majesty may not have met this new Young Madam, but she has already formed a connection with Your Majesty.”

Everyone’s eyes followed the voice and saw Madam Xue standing at the back.

The Empress let out an “oh” and looked at her inquiringly.

Madam Xue said with a smile, “It was she who noticed the unique aspect of Your Majesty’s palace flowers.” She took a few steps forward and stood beside Old Madam Xue. “When Mother invited my younger sister and her mother-in-law over as guests, I gave her a flower, and she immediately recognized it and told us about it.”

The Empress suddenly understood. “So it was her.”

Earlier, when many Noblewomen suddenly came to pay their respects and asked for her to bestow upon them palace flowers, these Noblewomen had always disdained such rewards, privately saying that the Empress was stingy and miserly.

Now, they were all suddenly praising the palace flowers, even claiming that they themselves had been blind and hadn’t noticed the unique aspect of the flowers.

The Empress was puzzled. She hadn’t made the flowers herself, so she really didn’t know what was so special about them. After asking, she learned that the palace flowers she had bestowed were made with real flower pistils.

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Seeing these previously arrogant Madams genuinely praising the flowers and blaming themselves for their poor eyesight, the Empress couldn’t help but feel proud and happy.

Upon further inquiry, she learned that the news had originated from Old Madam Xue’s house, so this time, she specifically called Old Madam Xue to her side to chat a bit more.

So it was Zhou Jingyun’s new wife who had recognized it.

Old Madam Xue was fuming inside. When the Empress asked, she only took credit for herself and didn’t mention Zhuang Li at all. It wasn’t a big deal; it was because she had invited Zhuang Li that this outcome had occurred, so it was her accomplishment.

This hateful daughter-in-law, always siding with her own family!

At this time, a few Madams also spoke up about what had happened. “That’s right, my daughter said that the Young Madam of Dongyang has a good eye.”

Seeing this, Old Madam Xue could only force a smile and join in the praise. “That child is very clever.”

The Empress listened to these words and looked at the Madam of Dongyang with a smile. “I’m even more curious now. Madam, you must bring her to see me next time.”

The Madam of Dongyang hurriedly curtsied and replied, “Yes.”

The Madam who had tried to interject before looked at the Madam of Ding’an, her eyes filled with uncertainty. The Madam of Ding’an clenched her hands, her expression dazed. What was going on? She had intended to slander Zhuang Li, but now others were praising her first. If she continued with the topic of Zhuang Li causing trouble at home, would it spoil the Empress’s mood?

The Empress had lived a cautious life with Prince Changyang before, and her temper was somewhat unpredictable.

She could only shake her head at the other Madam.

At this time, the other Madams also began talking to the Empress. Who wouldn’t want to mention themselves more? How could they waste time praising someone else’s daughter-in-law?

The topic shifted.

Madam Xue retreated to the back of the crowd again and let out a sigh of relief. As soon as she entered, she saw the Madam of Dongyang surrounded by people asking questions, and the Madam of Ding’an wiping away tears. She knew they were trying to embarrass the Madam of Dongyang.

The Madam of Dongyang also took the opportunity to come over and whisper her thanks. “If it weren’t for you, today both she and I would have been humiliated.”

Discussing family conflicts in public was never a good thing, especially in front of the Empress. It would become a lifelong stain and a joke.

And facing the Madam of Ding’an, she couldn’t bring herself to tear apart their facade and stop her.

Madam Xue smiled. “It’s your daughter-in-law who noticed the unique aspect of the Empress’s palace flowers. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have anything to say to help you now. If you want to thank someone, thank her.”

Thank her? The Madam of Dongyang’s expression was complicated, and she snorted inwardly. If it weren’t for her, she wouldn’t be in such an awkward situation today.

Thank her for what?

She could only say that Zhuang Li had some good luck.

“Yes, for this child to marry into your family, she must be truly lucky,” Madam Xue said with a smile.

“She’s lucky,” the Madam of Dongyang muttered, “then I must be unlucky.”

To have gotten such a daughter-in-law.

However, after the banquet, the Madam of Dongyang sent the gifts she received from the Empress to Zhuang Li.

Chun Yue looked surprised.

“Is this really from the Empress?” she asked incredulously, looking at the palace fan placed before her.

The fan’s craftsmanship was ordinary, and it had no gold or jade decorations.

The Empress was frugal and always had the palace maids do needlework, making things like silk handkerchiefs, silk flowers, fans, and so on, which she then used to reward the consorts and Noblewomen.

Of course, the Empress’s rewards couldn’t be measured by money; they represented imperial grace and favor.

“Did the Empress specifically give this to Young Madam?” Chun Yue asked again.

Chun Hong shook her head. It shouldn’t be, as Young Madam hadn’t gone to pay her respects. “Sister Hongxing said it was a reward from the Empress at the birthday banquet. Everyone received one.”

So the Madam had given the Empress’s reward to Young Madam.

What was going on? Hadn’t the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law just had a big argument?

Chun Yue couldn’t help but look at Zhuang Li in surprise.

Could it be, as Young Madam had said, that after the argument, the Madam had come to like her?

Zhuang Li took the palace fan and turned it over in her hand. “Perhaps I’m just lucky.”

Chun Yue laughed. “So Young Madam finally believes she’s lucky? I told you so when we went to Madam Xue’s house last time, but you said it wasn’t true.”

She had said that it was the first time someone had called her lucky, as if her luck had changed, implying that she had always been unlucky.

Zhuang Li tossed the fan onto the table.

“If my luck has improved, it means someone else’s luck has worsened,” she said. “That person must hate me. This is just bad luck and misfortune for me.”