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  "Perhaps I'm thinking too much, but is it possible that Bai and I have old grievances and pulled Ye into the same enemy camp? The Empress handles things carefully, nothing is put on the surface, so we can't guess."

  The carriage continued on its way and didn't arrive in the capital until dusk.

  At the Xuanwu Gate of the Imperial Palace, there were hundreds of officials and concubines kneeling to welcome. The Emperor and Empress received their greetings and then went to the Changle Palace to pay respects to the Dowager Empress. Lin Yin and other concubines who had not been summoned by the Dowager Empress returned to their own palace chambers to rest, which was quite leisurely.

  Go to Xiyuan Palace, Lin Wan hasn't seen the Empress Dowager for several months. This time she came back, the Empress Dowager didn't rush to summon her. It wasn't until Mid-Autumn Festival that a grand banquet was held in the palace, and the Empress Dowager wore heavy court attire to attend at the top, accepting the worship of all people.

  The Mid-Autumn Festival was even more lively than the Dragon Boat Festival. Due to its implication of family reunion, all members of the imperial family, including princesses, princes, consorts, and relatives who did not live in the palace, such as princes, dukes, ladies, and daughters of nobles, would gather together for a grand feast. Lin Yin and other consorts rarely saw men outside the palace on ordinary days, but during this festive occasion, they could see several princes.

  Everyone bowed three times to the Empress, Emperor and Empress. The Empress's expression was as usual, with a faint smile scanning the crowd of people bowing their heads, the dark blue and gold phoenix crown showing its dignified majesty in the sunlight, with the fluorescent light of the thumb-sized emerald embedded on it being soft and elegant, hiding the white hair under the crown.

  The six palaces' consorts, regardless of their rank or whether they were favored on a daily basis, as long as they had a name, could all be seated. The empress dowager looked at them one by one and saw that only Sheng Fei was pregnant, while the other women were heavily made up and radiant with beauty, but their bellies were dry and shriveled. The empress dowager couldn't help but sigh in her heart. After going to the traveling palace for a few months, there was still no gain, it was truly disappointing.

  Never mind, it's Mid-Autumn Festival, shouldn't mention these things.

  She looked at the respectful crowd, then raised her eyes and glanced at the various chrysanthemums and bronze tripods and jade stones in the grand hall, nodded to the empress and said: "This banquet is well organized."

  The queen smiled and bowed her head, saying "Mother's excessive praise". Her bright yellow dragon and phoenix brocade robe quivered slightly with every smile, the fine golden threads on the intricate embroidery flashing a dazzling light for an instant, truly the noble demeanor of a phoenix descending into the world.

  The queen has been doing well lately. She glanced at Xiang Fei, who was wearing a rose-purple court dress and had a full head of pearls and jade, but couldn't hide her bloated figure, and felt a mix of emotions inside. Although Xiang Fei's pregnancy had made her even more popular, she hadn't shaken her own position, and the emperor still hadn't promoted her to the rank of Guifei due to her pregnancy. Moreover, Rong Fei had been suppressed by herself recently, and people like Lai Bin were becoming increasingly out of favor, which made the queen feel much more at ease.

  The Empress Dowager turned to Emperor Xian and Empress Yu and said, "....De Shun Tai Fei has always had a problem with her waist and legs. Is she still seriously ill this year?"

  Xianyu Wang was the closest brother of Emperor Xiaoming of Northern Wei. His mother, Empress Dowager De, came from a humble origin, and he was also one of the least noticeable in front of the previous emperor. However, when Emperor Xizong and other princes were involved in the struggle for the throne, Emperor Xiaoming ascended to the throne and eliminated his opponents, many prominent princes were ruined, but Xianyu Wang, who had no chance of competing for the throne, received courtesy from Emperor Xiaoming.

  Xianyu Wangfei and Xiangfei were sisters of the same mother, and Xianyu Wang had a better relationship with Tuoba Hong than other princes.

  Xianyu Wang was a gentle and elegant man who didn't talk much. He respectfully replied to the Empress Dowager, "Your body has recovered a lot." On the other hand, Xianyu Wangfei had a smile all over her face and spoke warmly, "It's all thanks to Your Majesty's kindness that you can leave the palace and receive care at our residence. We are all extremely grateful to Your Majesty and look forward to coming to the palace on Mid-Autumn Festival to pay our respects..." Her words were as fluent as those of Shengfei.

  In daily life, Xiang Fei often flattered and fawned on the Empress Dowager, who would usually respond indifferently. But this time, looking at Queen Hanyu, she showed a benevolent smile and ordered the palace staff to reward the Hanyu Palace with silk, brocade, precious medicine and other treasures.

  Xianyu Wang was busy thanking the grace. The other nine kings, including Xuan Cheng Wang, were also close to Tuoba Hong, and there were six uncles, eleven uncles, and Empress Ji, who were all one generation older than Tuoba Hong, and they all received regular rewards. Even distant relatives of the imperial family who did not have a high status and could not be seated in the palace were given silver and goods, and the whole palace was filled with voices thanking for the grace.

  Not a moment later, a group of dancing girls stepped out in rhythm, full of charm and beauty, and the banquet officially began. Everyone toasted the emperor according to their status, with cups and chopsticks clinking together, making it very lively.

  In the midst of the warm atmosphere, Lin Yu could hardly see the emperor's face, but when she and several concubines toasted the emperor together, she clearly saw an extra intimate smile on Tuoba Hong's face. At this banquet, most of the palace ladies were just decorations, except for Xiang Fei who had a few more words with the emperor earlier, showing obvious favoritism. It was already not easy for Lin Yu to get the emperor's attention.

  After lunch, the Empress Dowager said she was tired and wanted to return to Changle Palace, meaning she didn't want to stay with everyone else to appreciate the moon at night.

  Xu Ronghua pulled aside the imperial nurse standing beside Empress Dowager and asked, "Is Your Majesty's body weak? Do you need us to serve you?"

  This princess is indeed good at seizing opportunities, thought the emperor to himself.

  She took another look at Xu Ronghua and thought that the Empress Dowager also had a summoning intention today, so she nodded and said: "The few ladies will follow me to come."

  ***

  Lin Wan and others arrived at Chang Le Palace when lunch was just over.

  The ones who came to serve the empress dowager were still those few people, and during the several months when the emperor was out of the palace to avoid the heat, the empress dowager did not add new people. Although many concubines who stayed in the capital city tried their best to curry favor with the empress dowager during this period.

  It's really too difficult to stand out in the palace, neither the emperor nor the empress dowager is a good person to fawn on.

  The person walking ahead with Hua Ronghua was Wen Pin. After losing favor, her attire became increasingly simple and plain. She wore a dark green embroidered dress with no jade pendants, and only used a single emerald hairpin to hold up her bun. She somewhat resembled Wang Shu Rong, who had been serving the Empress Dowager for many years. However, Wen Pin always liked to wear her hair in a high bun, even without bright hair accessories, she would still tie up her black hair high on her head, giving off an air of haughtiness from afar, which was not something that Wang Shu Rong, with her gentle and humble nature, could compare to.

  Lin Wan's eyes were fixed on Wen Pin's high bun, and she looked at it for a long time. She knew that what this woman wanted was not the same as Wang Shu Rong.

  In the Changle Palace, after Empress Dowager returned to the palace, she went to the warm pavilion in the back hall for a nap and only passed on the message that the consorts should go to the small Buddhist temple to recite scriptures and wait. According to the Empress Dowager's words, young girls must always remember to cultivate their bodies and minds, and it is also good to grind their temper in the Buddhist temple.

  This means that from now on, when Lin Yu and a few others come to serve the Empress Dowager, they will inevitably have to kneel in the Buddhist hall frequently.

  Lin Wan and several others knelt down honestly. The whole house was empty, without even a single servant, but everyone didn't dare to slack off. Kneeling and reciting scriptures seemed simple at first glance, but it wasn't easy to persist. After kneeling for an hour, everyone's legs were numb, but the Empress Dowager still hadn't summoned them. Another hour passed, and Xu Ronghua started shifting her body, Ye Cairen propped herself up with her hands on the large marble floor, and Wu Guiren's waist was bent down. Everyone looked miserable beyond words.

  Only Wen Pin's body was straight, not because she had strong willpower, but because she hadn't missed a day of kneeling in the Long乐 Palace for three months since the Emperor left the palace, and her two legs had become thicker from long practice, so she could naturally endure more than Lin Yuan and others. However, even so, Wen Pin's eyes kept glancing back at the rear hall, hoping that the Empress Dowager would let them get up soon.

  Lin Wan understood that these hard days would last for a long time if they wanted to continue to curry favor with the Empress Dowager.

  Alas.

  Fortunately, at dusk, the Empress Dowager finally summoned the consorts to enter the rear hall. Several women moved their legs and stepped over the threshold, but they couldn't see the Empress Dowager in the room, only a sandalwood screen in front of them blocking their line of sight, presumably the Empress Dowager was behind the screen.

  Several people bowed and sat down on the stools brought by the palace maid, all busy rubbing their legs. After a while, they heard the Empress Dowager say: "It's rare for you to have filial piety to come see me."

  Everyone hurriedly said: "This is the duty of the concubines."

  "Really? Are you living comfortably in the temporary palace?"

  "Nature is good." said Xu Ronghua.

  "Is that so? I heard you're short of ice again and someone's being a bully. Life is tough these days, isn't it?"

  Chu Huashang immediately knelt down from the stool.

  Lin Wan didn't expect the Empress Dowager to bring up the matter of the Chu sisters. Is this meant to be a warning to Chu Huashang?

  Behind the screen, it had been quiet for a long time. This silent pressure made Chu Huashang unbearable. She didn't know what kind of punishment the Empress Dowager was brewing.

  When she was anxiously covered in cold sweat, the Empress Dowager finally spoke up: "You also have some skills, able to make the Emperor so fond of you. However... being arrogant because of favor and breaking the rules, provoking the Emperor's dislike, that would be asking for trouble."

  Chu Hua listened to the scolding with a trembling heart, and knocked her head against the wall: "The concubine knows she was wrong, the concubine will also advise her sister well when she returns..."

  The empress dowager's expression was indifferent, and she said: "You don't have to bother taking your sister's side. Not everyone can listen to advice, and even if you say something, it's just a waste of words. Go back and copy more Buddhist scriptures, cultivating your own mind is the most important thing."

  "Yes, the concubine has carefully followed the Empress Dowager's teachings." Even though the Empress Dowager had sternly rebuked her, she could still make out the hint of meaning in the Empress Dowager's words. Chu Huashang understood that the Empress Dowager rarely scolded any of the imperial consorts, and even more so, would not bother to instruct anyone. The women in the palace were not so easily let off after being rebuked for their mistakes. That the Empress Dowager was willing to reprimand her a few times today was already a blessing for her.

  She remained kneeling to apologize, and in her heart she was also sincerely remembering the words of the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager told her to cultivate herself more... These were golden words, with her current situation, everything needed to be endured, needed to wait for the right moment, naturally she had to grind her temper well.