Chapter 102 The Imperial Palace

"Life in the palace is quite dull. I've traveled to many places over the years. Now that I'm old and can't travel much, I've come back to rest. Having grown accustomed to the food at Tingfeng Courtyard, the meals in this palace seem bland to me," the Empress Dowager sighed, gently skimming the tea foam with the lid.

Seeing that the Empress Dowager seemed a little down, Meng Zhelan quickly comforted her, "Your Majesty, if you feel bored in the palace, come to Tingfeng Courtyard anytime. We're all waiting for you."

"Yes, our hot pot restaurant will be open soon. It would be great if you could come then."

Li Xi and Chairman Wang have been running around lately, as finding a suitable shop is not easy.

The retired emperor stood at the door, neither retreating nor advancing.

"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, this..." Ling'er looked at the Emperor Emeritus's flustered appearance, where was the majesty he once had as an emperor?

"Ignore him, let's talk. The old man won't be able to stand for long and will leave on his own." The Empress Dowager looked at the Emperor Emeritus provocatively.

Li Xi and the others dared not reply, but fortunately the banquet started soon.

The Empress Dowager and the Emperor Emeritus were a devoted couple for life, and they had three sons and two daughters, who now all fawn over her.

"Mother, you won't be going out again this time? Your son hasn't seen you and Father for so long." The Empress Dowager's youngest son, Prince Xiaoyao, took his wife and children to their secluded place at the beginning of the year to spend the New Year with the two elders, and only returned to the capital in the spring.

"You silly child, we only met in February," the Empress Dowager said, feigning anger.

"Mother, since the Prince returned, he often talks about you and Father." Princess Xiaoyao covered her mouth and laughed.

She and the prince were always deeply in love. Following his father's example, the carefree prince married only one woman in his life. The beautiful story of the carefree prince's exclusive devotion to his princess circulated widely.

"Brother, you're always so lazy. I have a lot of things to discuss with you. You'll have to stay here for a while." Emperor Wenyuan has been so busy lately that he hasn't even had the energy to go to the inner palace.

He spent almost every day in the Imperial Study reviewing memorials and also had to see the Empress Dowager to appease the retired emperor. This time, no matter what, he'd grab a few people to run errands for him.

"Brother, you know me. I'm best at eating, drinking, and having fun. As for the rest..." The carefree prince really didn't want to deal with politics.

Princess Chaoyang was the Empress Dowager's youngest child. She pushed past Prince Xiaoyao, took the Empress Dowager's arm, and said pitifully, "Mother, you must take me on a trip next time. I don't want to go to the palace when you and Father are not in the capital."

The family chatted happily, exchanging words of concern.

Li Xi and the other two found a secluded corner and quietly watched Jing Yuan's most distinguished family.

Li Xi felt envious. This family looked so harmonious and close, unlike the treacherous imperial family she had imagined.

During the meal, the Emperor Emeritus and the Empress Dowager recounted the fascinating stories from their journey, drawing envious glances from everyone present.

Princess Chengyang noticed Li Xi and the others, and asked, "Mother, who are those three?"

The Empress Dowager happily introduced her many friends, despite their age difference, to everyone.

"Thanks to you all, if it weren't for you saving Mother, then we would have..." Princess Chengyang was the Empress Dowager's first child, and she was usually the most considerate of her.

"Your Highness, you flatter us. We have only done our duty," Meng Zhelan said respectfully, bowing her head.

The Empress Dowager looked at them with satisfaction.

The delicious food at the banquet made everyone's mouths water. They raised their glasses to celebrate her return.

The Empress Dowager looked at the scene before her and was filled with emotion.

Amidst the laughter and merriment, night fell, and the palace was brightly lit.

The retired emperor, the emperor, and the empress dowager sat together, chatting about everyday matters and enjoying this rare time of reunion. They discussed recent national affairs, family succession, and their hopes for the future.

As Meng Zhelan looked around, she spotted a familiar face. Prince An sat opposite her, raising his wine glass to greet her, and she returned the greeting with her own glass.

Prince An looked much better today. Meng Zhelan found it strange that he always pretended to be sick so that she would come to see his pulse. Royal affairs are unpredictable. Since she had paid the money, she would take good care of his health and make sure he was strong and healthy and could have ten or eight little princes and princesses. It would not be in vain that she had known the Empress Dowager for so long.

Prince An had no idea what Meng Zhelan was thinking. He approached her for two reasons: first, to find out why he kept dreaming about her, and second, to stop his elder brother from watching him.

Li Xi and the other two were arranged to stay in a side hall, which had more than a dozen rooms. As expected of the Empress Dowager's palace, it exuded both understated elegance and luxury.

The canopy bed in the room was made of beech wood, and its exquisite carvings were truly breathtaking. It was covered with soft brocade quilts, and a delicately carved small table was placed beside the bed, on which hot tea and snacks were laid out, clearly indicating that it had been carefully prepared.

"This palace is truly luxurious," Li Xi couldn't help but exclaim. After a quick wash, she went to bed.

The news that the Empress Dowager had listened to music at the Marquis of Wu'an's residence spread among the powerful and wealthy, and it was also learned that the Empress Dowager had caused an unpleasant incident there.

At the meeting.

Censor Tan impeached Vice Minister Yu of the Ministry of Personnel, stating, "Your Majesty, Minister Yu has failed to properly educate his daughter, allowing her to speak arrogantly to the Empress Dowager at the coming-of-age ceremony of the Marquis of Wu'an's eldest daughter, and even attempting to have someone slap the Empress Dowager. Your Majesty, regardless of whether she offended the Empress Dowager or not, given her reckless behavior, there are recent rumors circulating that Minister Yu is about to..."

Imperial Censor Tan passionately denounced Lord Yu's absurd deeds, saying, "Your Majesty, we have had evidence collected for all of these matters."

The emperor was furious upon hearing this and threw the memorial in his hand at Minister Yu of the Ministry of Personnel, who was so frightened that he knelt down.

"Your Majesty, I am innocent! My daughter did something outrageous. Yesterday, I sent her to a nunnery to pray for the Empress Dowager." Minister Yu was at his wit's end.

Other ministers believed that the Yu family, father and daughter, should not be let off the hook, as this would undermine the imperial authority.

The court immediately erupted into chaos...

After having breakfast, Li Xi and the other two prepared to leave today. "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, remember I'll be waiting for you, but please come and support us."

"Alright, you've said it three times already. Hurry up and go back. Your hot pot restaurant is waiting for you." The Empress Dowager reluctantly saw the three off.

Seeing this, the retired emperor took the opportunity to enter the Cining Palace and said aggrievedly, "Wanqing, it's been two days, why are you still ignoring me? I really know where I went wrong."

"You old man, what are you pretending to be wronged for? Why aren't you mentioning Brother Li this time?" The Empress Dowager didn't give him a kind look.

"I only found out you had left on your own after daybreak, so I took some men to chase after you, but we were attacked by assassins on the way. Everyone was seriously injured, but fortunately we were taken in by the local villagers." The sixty-something-year-old retired emperor looked pitifully at the empress dowager.

"You've encountered assassins too? It seems these people were prepared and figured out our identities early on. Jingyuan is probably in trouble," the Empress Dowager remarked.

"Fine, I won't argue with you anymore. Let's go find the Emperor to discuss this." The Empress Dowager didn't care whether the Emperor Emeritus had followed or not, and went to find the Emperor on her own.