~ PRELUDE TO ENTERING THE PALACE TO COMPLAIN ~
Early morning in the next day, Mu Yunyao had already gotten up early and began to freshen up.
She had chosen the clothes yesterday. Although there filial piety, she could not enter the Palace wearing them too lightly to avoid attracting the taboo, so she chooses a pale peach pink dress with a silver border. The hairpin she picked was a hollow orchid hairpin with some small flower pearls on the top. The earrings are also small orchid shaped, which are expressly fresh and pleasant to match the clothes.
After changing her clothes and matching her jewelry, Mu Yunyao sat down in front of the mirror and used the makeup to smear on her cheeks.
Su Qing stood behind Mu Yunyao. Through the mirror, she could see that her uninjured cheek was as white as a petal and as tender as fine white jade, but on the other side, the five fingerprints were clearly visible, which made people’s eyes tremble.
“Yao’er, is this a bit inappropriate?”
Mu Yunyao held her cheek and carefully looked it up for a while. She nodded with satisfaction: “I don’t feel like there’s anything wrong with it? It feels right.”
Su Qing could only suppress the worry in her heart. After accompanying her to eating for a while, she saw that it was almost the time. Then, she got up to send Mu Yunyao out.
As soon as she came out, she saw Qi Mama standing at the door. She didn’t know how long she waited, but there was actually some dew on the tip of her shoes. “Greetings, Miss Mu. The Eldest Madam has ordered me to arrange a carriage for you and let this servant wait outside the Palace gate. When you finished entering the Palace, I will pick you up and take you back.”
Mu Yunyao was supported by Jin Lan and Jin Qiao from both sides. She looked energetic, but her eyes filled with a strong sense of exhaustion. “Thank you, Qi Mama.”
“Young Miss is too polite.”
The carriage was placed with soft cushions that were exceptionally meticulously placed on top, and it felt comfortable after sitting on it. Mu Yunyao heard the sound of the carriage rolling past the bluestone street and closed her eyes to rest her mind.
Jin Lan and Jin Qiao, who were sitting at the side, did not dare to make a sound. They just waited quietly at the side. After about an hour, the carriage slowly stopped. “Miss, we have arrived.”
Mu Yunyao slowly opened her eyes. Her eyes were as clear as the blue sky, pure and untainted by a speck of dust.
When Jin Lan and Jin Qiao saw her current appearance, they couldn’t help but be slightly stunned. At this moment, Miss’s aura seemed to be exceptionally different. In the past, when she was facing her mother, she also had a pure worry-free appearance, but compared to now, she still lacked a bit of clarity. The Young Miss seemed to have faded all the distracting thoughts from her mind. It was like the sky had suddenly become sunny after the heavy rain had passed. It was clear and clean to the extreme.
Being helped from the carriage, Mu Yunyao slightly straightened her body before tidying her dress and slowly walking towards the Palace gate.
A young eunuch was already waiting at the entrance of the Palace. When he saw Mu Yunyao, he hurriedly bent his knee and bowed, “May I ask if you are Miss Mu?”
Mu Yunyao nodded in return. “This humble one is Mu Yunyao. Greetings, Eunuch.”
“Miss Mu is too polite. This servant, Xiao Gui, has sent the order of Eunuch Li to wait for Miss Mu at the entrance of the Palace. After the Imperial Court is over, the Emperor still has to meet the minister in the imperial study. After that, there was a half-hour break. The girl had to wait for a while.”
“Yes, thank you for your advice, Sir.”
Mu Yunyao had a gentle attitude, and her line was well-mannered, but the injury on her cheek was so apparent, attracts Xiaogui, Eunuch who led the way, took a sneak peek several times.
Mu Yunyao noticed his gaze, but she didn’t care. Instead, she observed the scenery of the Imperial Palace from the corner of her eyes.
In her previous life, she did not have the fortune to come to the Palace and had only seen it outside the Palace walls a few times from afar. The only thing she can see was the Royal Palace gate, which was more than ten meters high outside the palace wall. The pavilion with double eaves and sharp roof protruded like five phoenixes fluttering their wings. At that time, she was still looking forward to it, and it would be nice to have a closer look. Now she walked in and looked at it carefully, but there was no longer that longing he had from before.
This Palace has gone through several dynasties and had been expanded over and over again until it finally had today’s grand scale. The vermilion walls and glazed roof tiles gave off a majestic aura everywhere.
Along the way, Mu Yunyao did her best to endure the discomfort as she followed the young eunuch and deliberately avoided along the way, but there weren’t many people.
Walking to a Palace, the young eunuch stopped in his tracks, “Greetings, Eunuch Li.”
Mu Yunyao raised her head and saw the smiling face of Eunuch Li. She greeted him as well, “I greet Eunuch Li.”
“ Miss Mu is is too polite. Your Majesty is currently receiving a court official. As there are too many matters, there will inevitably be delayed a bit. Miss Mu should wait first in the side hall for a while. When the time comes, I’ll call you again.” Eunuch Li’s attitude towards Mu Yunyao was exceptionally intimate. First, it was because of her relationship with Xu Li. Second, it was because the purse that Mu Yunyao had given him yesterday had banknotes worth over a thousand taels of silver. It was really too extravagant. Today, it was inevitable that he would subconsciously treat her well.
After entering the side hall, Eunuch Li gestured for Mu Yunyao to sit down before instructing the eunuch who was leading them to serve the refreshments, “Miss Mu, please take a seat.”
“Thank you, Eunuch Li.” Along the way, she followed the little eunuch and walked quickly over. A layer of sweat had already formed on Mu Yunyao’s forehead. If she were to wait outside, she might really be unable to hold on.
“Miss Mu, you are too polite. I still have some matters that I must attend to and cannot wait here with Miss. Please forgive me.”
“I don’t dare to disturb my Lord.” Mu Yunyao quietly waited inside the side hall. After waiting for nearly an hour, she finally saw Eunuch Li walk in again, but this time, his complexion was clearly worse. After bowing to Mu Yunyao, he reminded her in a low voice, “Miss Mu, the Emperor wishes for you to go. The Emperor is in a rather not good mood.”
Mu Yunyao’s eyes moved, “Thank you, Eunuch Li.”
Arriving at the entrance of Yi Xin Palace, Mu Yunyao lowered her head and waited for the announcement, and after a long while, she heard a call: “Young Miss Mu Yunyao, enter the hall.”
Mu Yunyao slightly lowered her head and entered the hall very respectfully. Out of the corner of her eyes, she caught a glimpse of the Emperor wearing a bright yellow robe with dragon patterns embroidered on it. She promptly knelt and respectfully said, “This humble daughter, Mu Yunyao, greets Your Majesty.”
Mu Yunyao’s voice was clear and soft, and it was notably pleasant to hear in the great quiet hall.
The Emperor, who was frowning, slightly relaxed his expression, “Stand up. Are you Mu Yunyao?”
The Emperor’s voice filled with the dignity of a person in power. Even without looking at his appearance, her heart oppressed to the point where she could hardly breathe.
“In reply to the Emperor, yes.”
The Emperor looked at Mu Yunyao. The young girl in front of him had a petite stature, and her head was lowered, making it difficult to see her appearance. She stood there quietly, dressed delicately and charmingly, making her look very comfortable. Moreover, after entering the door, she was very polite. At first sight, she was specially trained, but she was also a child who kept the etiquette.
As the Emperor was thinking, he suddenly met a pair of eyes full of curiosity, causing him to be stunned for a moment. Mu Yunyao, who he praised just now, had unexpectedly raised her head to looked at him. She was quite courageous. “Mu Yunyao, could it be that no one told you before you came that you can’t look at Son of Heaven’s Face directly?”