Meanwhile, Concubine Xiao was just getting up. She was glowing, graceful, and magnificent as usual.
Sang Lan was combing her hair. But halfway through the combing, Sang Lan's hand trembled, and she gasped softly. It was not a big reaction but still seen by Concubine Xiao. She asked through the copper mirror in front of her, "What's wrong?"
Sang Lan recovered and quickly shook her head, "There’s nothing wrong." Her tone was unsteady.
In disbelief, Concubine Xiao reached the back of her own head, and turned her head to look at the hair there. She saw a few strands of gray hair and froze. Gray hair! For a concubine, it spelled their death! Most of the ladies in the palace depended on their youth to survive.
Seeing that Concubine Xiao's facial expression was rather strange, Sang Lan's comb trembled a few times and fell to the ground. She also quickly knelt down, kowtowing, "Your Ladys.h.i.+p, please forgive me!" She had always been the one taking care of Concubine Xiao's hair, and now that a few gray hairs had appeared, she would definitely not escape being punished.
Unexpectedly, Concubine Xiao looked at the kneeling Sang Lan, and the maid paled further. “Is this seat that scary? All of you keep pleading for this seat to spare your lives.”
"No. How could Your Ladys.h.i.+p be scary? It's the fault of this lowly servant that Your Ladys.h.i.+p has gray hair."
"When people get old, their hairs naturally turn gray, it's not your fault. This seat isn't someone who kills without blinking an eye, I won't kill people easily. Only servants who have made a mistake will be killed by this seat, but you've been by my side for so many years and have always taken good care of me, so how would this seat be willing to kill you?"
That said, Sang Lan relaxed a little bit. "Thank you, Your Ladys.h.i.+p."
"Stop kneeling and get up so you can continue to comb hair for this seat."
"Yes, Your Ladys.h.i.+p." Sang Lan picked up the comb on the ground, stood up, and continued to comb her hair very carefully.
Suddenly, Concubine Xiao seemed to remember something and asked with a sideways glance, "By the way, it's been a little while since Prince Yi got married, so take this seat's order to his estate and have the consort and the side consort visit the palace tomorrow. Tell them that this seat wants to speak with the two of them."
"Yes." Sang Lan responded.
At that moment, Duan'er came in and bowed, "Greetings to Your Ladys.h.i.+p."
Concubine Xiao glanced at her, "What are you doing here and not watching the princess?"
Duan'er knelt down immediately and cried and begged, "Your Ladys.h.i.+p, please save the princess! The princess hasn’t been eating and drinking for two days. If this continues, I'm worried that the princess’s body would not be able to withstand it."
When she heard the news about Jing Xuan, Concubine Xiao's fine eyebrows knitted together and her expression darkened. "What is the princess doing now?"
"She has been sitting in the room for two days, and she won't eat even when I beg her."
Hmph! "She’s driving me mad!" Concubine Xiao was angry, but also worried, "Listen, you must let the princess open her mouth to eat. This seat doesn't care whether you pry her mouth open or force it into her mouth, in short, you have to let her eat something. If something happens to the princess and she can't get married off to Huyi as scheduled, this seat will have your heads."
It turns out that she is not concerned about her daughter, but whether that person... will be able to marry on schedule. Ha. Ha. Duan'er was completely disappointed.
Before she came here, she was still holding on to a tiny shred of hope that Concubine Xiao would not bear it eventually and would get off her lofty throne and talk Jing Xuan around just like a normal mother. Little did she expect that this woman only had eyes only for power.
Duan'er's heart felt chilled by this realisation, so she collected her tears, got up from the ground, and bowed as she left. She returned to Jing Xuan's personal palace.
Those palace maids hurriedly asked, "How about it, what did Her Ladys.h.i.+p say?"
She didn't respond and unlocked the door, instructing them before going in, "None of you are to come in or eavesdrop. I'm going to talk to the princess."
Everyone nodded.
The door was closed after Duan'er entered. Seeing that Jing Xuan was still sitting there, she walked over and knelt down. "Princess, why bother?"
Yeah, why bother? "This lowly servant is going to say something treacherous. If the princess really has grievances and hatred in your heart, then you have more of a reason to live well. Only when one is alive can they have a chance."
Ah! After she said this, Jing Xuan's lax eyes suddenly moved.
Finding that her words just now had an effect, Duan'er continued, "The princess previously said that living is worse than death! If life is truly worse than death, then why do you have to treat yourself as badly as this?"
Her words startled Jing Xuan into awareness. The hand she placed on her thigh slowly squeezed and grasped the silk within her palm. "Princess, please wake up. If you continue on like this, you will be the only one who is sad and grieving in the end."
After a long time— Her eyes began to clear up and she stood up, barefoot on the cold floor as she walked to the front of the mirror. The person in the mirror was wearing a long white dress, long hair framing her face. Her face was so pale that there was no trace of blood flowing underneath. Especially her eyes, completely sunk in and empty, as lifeless as a dying man.
Is this still the capricious and difficult Jing Xuan of before? Her body had long been numb. As the cold spread from the bottom of her feet, she gradually came to her senses.
After a long time… She finally exerted her mouth to speak, "Bring the food over here."
Duan'er was overjoyed, "Yes, I'll have the kitchen make the Princess' favorite food." She was so happy.
Jing Xuan nodded.
Duan'er got up from the ground and hurried out to order people to go to the kitchen to order the meal. Soon, a table full of dishes was prepared.
Jing Xuan ate a lot, her complexion improved greatly. After a good night's rest, she woke up the next day in high spirits.
All the people in the palace shed tears with excitement.
"I heard that there will be visitors coming to the palace. It's the consort and the side consort." Duan'er told her.
Jing Xuan got serious and commanded, "help me dress."
"Yes, princess."
Duan'er was doing her makeup, but Jing Xuan took a red lip paper and pressed it between her lips. Her lips were now flaming red in the mirror, reflecting a mysterious yet charming girl. She also picked out a dazzling beaded hairpin and put it on her head.
"Princess, this beaded hairpin doesn't suit you."
"I like it this way." She gave a smile, one that looked exceedingly innocent.
After finis.h.i.+ng her make-up, she lifted her skirt and prepared to go to meet those two imperial sisters-in-law, but she was stopped as soon as she left the room.
"Princess, Her Ladys.h.i.+p said that she won't let you take half a step out of the room."
"I'm going to pay my respects to my Imperial Mother. Are you saying that this is not allowed either?" She had a smile on her face.
"We don't dare."
"Then don't stop me." After saying that, she pushed away the few people who were blocking her with one hand. It was as if the original Jing Xuan had returned.
In the main hall of Zhangzhi Hall.
Ji Muqing and Chen Xiang had already arrived, and were seated on the left and right respectively. One was gentle and virtuous. One was generous and graceful.
Concubine Xiao sat on the main seat. Her beautiful eyebrows raised as she looked gently at Ji Muqing and asked, "This seat heard that you fell a few days ago and b.u.mped your head, are you feeling better now?"
Ji Muqing touched the bruise on her forehead that was still visibly discolored, and took a smug and showy glance at Chen Xiang across the room before responding, "Muqing has gotten much better, and the prince has been taking care of me these days."
"That's good. When this seat first heard the news, it gave me a fright. You're so delicate, I was afraid that something serious would happen."
"How could Muqing not be well when there is Your Ladys.h.i.+p caring for me?"
"You girl, the way you talk is far too endearing." Concubine Xiao from ear to ear; if anyone saw it, they would think that she sincerely liked Ji Muqing.
But Chen Xiang was unhappy. She looked at Ji Muqing’s flaunting expression and remembered the warning she had received from Jing Yi. She hated it so much that her heart felt like it was dripping blood.