klisemfg Chapter 175 The Empress Dowager is a gossip enthusiast
Chapter 175 The Empress Dowager is a gossip enthusiast
"Is Yuan'an feeling any better?"
"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. The imperial physician says that she is recovering quite well."
Cen Yan spoke somewhat reservedly, so the Empress Dowager waved for Granny Gu to leave.
But when only Cen Yan and the Empress Dowager remained in the inner palace, she became increasingly flustered.
"Today, I heard from Awan that the Empress has been taking care of you these past few days?"
"ha--?"
"Is the Empress taking care of her?"
Cen Yan's eyes flickered for a moment before she immediately realized that Shen Sangwan had gone to Fengluan Palace that morning to excuse the Empress from feigning illness and not paying her respects.
"You, Shen Sangwan, why do you always use me as a shield?"
"Her Majesty the Empress is a highly skilled physician, and His Highness wanted Yuan'an to recover as soon as possible, so he invited Her Majesty the Empress to come."
Although it is unknown what Shen Sangwan said to the Empress Dowager, since she used her injury as a pretext, it must be related to the Empress's medical skills.
You can't go wrong if you gravitate towards that direction.
"Oh? Does the Empress really only want Yuan An to see your injury?"
The Empress Dowager twirled her prayer beads, her tone calm yet so oppressive that Cen Yan dared not breathe.
"This... how am I supposed to respond? I can't exactly say that the two of them are always hanging out together! That wouldn't sound good to outsiders!"
Her hands, hidden under her sleeves and resting on her lap, were practically tearing the lining of her clothes apart. Cen Yan couldn't come up with a satisfactory explanation.
He stammered for a long time, but couldn't utter a single word.
"You don't need to be so nervous. I called you here for no other reason than to see that Awan seemed to treat the Empress differently than others. And since you've always been close to Awan, I wanted to ask you something."
Seeing that Cen Yan was almost sweating profusely with anxiety, the Empress Dowager stopped trying to intimidate her and softened her voice to explain gently.
"Oh my, you should have said so earlier!"
"I never expected that the Empress Dowager would be such a gossip enthusiast."
When she realized that the other party's intention was not to interrogate her, but to find out information, Cen Yan lowered her head and exhaled a deep breath.
At this moment, Shen Sangwan, who was outside, saw that Granny Gu had also been kicked out. She, who had been leisurely eating snacks, began to feel restless.
"This little Yan Yan shouldn't have done anything to offend the Empress Dowager, right?"
Could it be that she was injured saving me, and the Empress Dowager wanted to reward her?
[If it's a reward, why not just give it to them openly? Why put them alone in a room?]
"Oh no, could it be that Xiao Yan Yan did something to cross the Empress Dowager's line, and she's already being punished inside..."
【Master, since you're worried about Xiao Yan being punished, why don't you go in and take a look?】
"This...isn't that a bit inappropriate?"
Although Shen Sangwan said this, her actions spoke louder than words; she got up and walked towards the palace gate.
"Your Highness, please sit for a while longer. The Empress Dowager and the Princess are having a private conversation."
Granny Gu stopped Shen Sangwan at just the right moment.
What intimate words are there that I, as her daughter, cannot hear?
Could it be that the Empress Dowager intends to adopt a goddaughter?
Separated only by a door, Shen Sangwan couldn't wait to press her face against the door and listen carefully to what was being said inside.
At this moment, she suddenly realized that the time she had deliberately teased Xiao Yan Yan on the way here had now turned into a time of great frustration for her.
Seeing that going in was fruitless, she had no choice but to sit back in her previous chair. The snacks on the table no longer tasted sweet when she put them in her mouth.
After waiting for about half an hour, Cen Yan finally came out, looking distressed, which terrified Shen Sangwan.
He threw everything he was holding back onto the plate and hurriedly walked to Cen Yan's side.
"What's wrong? Did Mother scold you?"
"Granny Gu, the Empress Dowager requests your presence."
Cen Yan did not answer Shen Sangwan's question, but instead conveyed the Empress Dowager's words directly to Granny Gu, who was guarding the door.
After everyone went inside, Shen Sangwan wanted to follow, but Cen Yan stopped her, saying, "Your Highness, let's go back!"
"No...no, this..."
Shen Sangwan pointed to the inner hall, glanced at Cen Yan, and finally decided to return to Weiyang Palace with her.
All the way, Shen Sangwan anxiously pressed Cen Yan to tell her what she had said to the Empress Dowager, but the other party didn't respond at all. Instead, she grabbed Ruoying's arm and quickly returned to Weiyang Palace.
Moreover, instead of going to the main hall, she went directly back to the Fuyu Pavilion where she had previously stayed.
Shen Sangwan was left bewildered in the dark wind, feeling a sense of bewilderment as she looked around with her sword drawn.
[Your Majesty, could it be that the Empress Dowager feels that Xiao Yan Yan is getting too close to His Highness, so she's ordering her to keep her distance?]
No, I have to force them to tell me, or I won't be able to sleep tonight.
She snatched the silver lamp from Shuyi's hand and said, "I'm going to Fuyu Pavilion. You don't need to come with me."
Seeing that his hands had become empty in just a short while, and his thoughts were somewhat disordered, he simply nodded mechanically, then turned and went back to the main hall.
When Shen Sangwan arrived at Fuyu Pavilion, the door was already closed, there was no light inside, and even Ruoying was nowhere to be seen.
Shen Sangwan remembered that there was a small window on the second floor that had never been closed. Thinking that Cen Yan hadn't lived there for long, she probably wouldn't have noticed it. So she used her strength to leap onto the second-floor roof.
Following my memory of searching the attic earlier, I easily found the small window.
It took some effort to run inside.
I feel like I've gained a lot of weight.
"My lord, you have neglected your exercise. The Princess used to practice a set of boxing techniques and a spear for a while every morning."
"Huh? Is that so?"
"Then wouldn't I be completely exposed?"
After landing safely, Shen Sangwan dusted herself off and walked skillfully towards her bedroom.
"See? I told you I could win! Next month's paycheck is mine."
The dark room was instantly illuminated, and Cen Yan and Ruoying fought side by side.
The flames flashed from Ruoying's hand.
Seeing that Shen Sangwan did not speak, Ruoying used a tinderbox to light the oil lamps in the room one by one.
"Little Yan Yan?"
Shen Sangwan was somewhat confused by the actions of the two.
But she grasped a key point: Xiao Yan had made a bet between her and Ruoying.
Why do so many of them love to use me as a bet? Do they think I'm that easy to fool?
Cen Yan covered her mouth and laughed without any restraint, "I knew you wouldn't be able to sleep well tonight if you didn't search my room."
"So you didn't suffer any injustice at all with the Empress Dowager? Right?"
"Hey, you can't be angry, okay? It was the Empress Dowager who told me to do this. As for the bet with Ruoying, that's a different matter."
Seeing that Shen Sangwan was showing signs of anger, Cen Yan quickly explained that she did not do it on purpose.
"What exactly did the Empress Dowager say to you?"
"Now you know how uncomfortable it is to be kept in suspense?"
Cen Yan found a chair and relaxed like a grandpa.
"Little Yan Yan~, my little Yan Yan is the best~ just say it!"
Ruoying was so shocked she almost had a double chin. Her mouth was agape, but she didn't dare make a sound. Before the two noticed, she quickly made her escape.