TFSRITA Chapter 24

“Mhmm?”

Nanny Qian took a deep breath and said, “Today is the day to pay respects to the Empress Dowager. Since you didn’t show up, the Empress Dowager sent a nanny to check on you. She has been waiting for quite some time.”

She had arrived a while ago, but the servants had been stalling her.

Under normal circumstances, who would dare treat the Empress Dowager like this?

So, by now, the nanny was furious.

Yán Qing, now fully awake after her meal, nodded calmly. She ordered the remaining food to be cleared away and instructed the nanny to be brought in.

“Greetings, Your Highness,” said the elderly nanny, dressed in a dark palace gown. Her attire was simple in style, but the fabric was of the finest quality. Her face, lined with wrinkles, showed a thin, tight-lipped expression that made her seem unkind. Her sharp, half-drooping eyes gave her a perpetually sour look, and her tone was sarcastic: “My surname was originally Zhang, but thanks to the Empress Dowager’s favor, I was given the surname Jiang. Most people respectfully address me as Nanny Jiang.”

It was clear she was someone close to the Empress Dowager.

Yán Qing nodded knowingly. “So, Nanny Jiang, why have you come today?”

Nanny Jiang shot her a disdainful glance, her voice rising a little. “Today is the first of the month, the day when everyone in the palace pays their respects to the Empress Dowager. You were the only one who didn’t go.”

Yán Qing, feigning guilt, looked at her and said, “I’m truly sorry. I’ve been so exhausted lately that I completely forgot.”

She genuinely had forgotten.

For the past few days, she had been busy with various tasks and physical training. When she finally got some free time, her first thought wasn’t about attending to her duties but getting some much-needed rest.

Nanny Jiang, however, wasn’t interested in hearing excuses. Her face cold, she replied, “The Empress Dowager said that since you don’t seem to understand palace etiquette, she sent me here to teach you.”

Yán Qing sighed internally but kept her composure. “Alright.”

“Not learning…” Nanny Jiang began, then realized Yán Qing wasn’t refusing. Flustered, she quickly changed her tone. “Good, since you’re willing, there’s no need for further explanation. Let’s start by showing me your posture.”

Yán Qing obediently stood up.

It was her fault after all, so she accepted her mistake.

She stood in a perfect, proper stance.

Nanny Jiang, prepared to find fault, scrutinized her from head to toe. Frustrated, she finally bit out, “Now, take a few steps.”

Yán Qing complied and walked gracefully.

“…Please, have a seat,” Nanny Jiang instructed after a moment.

After a quarter of an hour, just as Yán Qing was starting to look a little weary, Nanny Jiang begrudgingly said, “Your posture and etiquette are correct, but the Empress Dowager has instructed me to stay in Lingyun Palace for a while to supervise you.”

Yán Qing smiled sweetly. “That’s fine.”

It didn’t matter to her. Other than Zhuyin, no one in the palace was loyal to her anyway.

She had to give credit to the original Yán Qing. When her birth mother passed away, Yán Qing was still young, but she remembered well why her mother had fallen into depression. The people responsible had already been dealt with by her father, but Yán Qing had remained meticulous about palace etiquette, learning it to perfection.

When the imperial edict came, her father, the prime minister, quickly arranged for a palace nanny to teach her. In just two weeks, she had mastered all the necessary courtly manners.

Nanny Jiang was relentless and talkative. Though Yán Qing hadn’t made any mistakes in formal etiquette, in her daily routines there were always minor lapses, and Nanny Jiang was quick to point them out.

“Your Highness, don’t indulge in luxury!”

“Your Highness, that behavior isn’t befitting of a noble consort!”

“Your Highness…”

Yán Qing grew increasingly frustrated. She wanted to escape, but the Empress Dowager had placed her under house arrest. She wasn’t allowed to leave Lingyun Palace. If killing the Empress Dowager wouldn’t have gotten her into trouble, she might have considered it already. After all, the Empress Dowager stood no chance against her in a fight.

Just when Yán Qing was about to lose her temper, Ji Yecheng arrived.

For the first time, Yán Qing was glad to see him.

As soon as the eunuch announced his arrival, Yán Qing rushed out to greet him. When she saw his somewhat familiar figure, she breathed a huge sigh of relief, as if she’d found her savior.

Ji Yecheng, well aware of what had been happening in Lingyun Palace, couldn’t help but smile. His voice was uncharacteristically gentle. “My love.”

By now, the entire court and harem knew that Noble Consort Yán Qing was the emperor’s favored concubine. For her, the emperor, who was known for his coldness towards women, had broken his own rules several times, even defying the Empress Dowager. Had the rumors been more widespread, Yán Qing might have already earned the title of “Demon Consort.”

“Your Majesty,” Yán Qing replied softly. She was unaware of all this gossip. The main characters of the story had yet to make their appearance, and she was simply focused on finishing her tasks and dying before they arrived, thereby completing both her missions. For now, she just wanted to rest and not provoke the emperor, who, despite his violent temper, had been remarkably tolerant of her. She smiled warmly and said in a sweet voice, “Please, come in.”

Nanny Jiang came out slowly, her wrinkled face breaking into a smile as she respectfully greeted Ji Yecheng, “Greetings, Your Majesty.”

Ji Yecheng ignored her, striding inside with long, confident steps.

Yán Qing hurried to follow, only to hear Nanny Jiang say, “Your Highness, you shouldn’t walk so quickly.”

Yán Qing pointed at Ji Yecheng and quipped, “He’s walking even faster. Tell him to slow down first.”

Nanny Jiang was both shocked and angry. “But that’s the emperor!”

“So, the emperor doesn’t have to follow etiquette?” Yán Qing retorted, glaring at her. Was she going to treat her like the other timid concubines?

Nanny Jiang faltered, her face stiffening. “I can’t tell the emperor what to do.”

Yán Qing pouted in frustration.

The expression puffed up her cheeks, making her look like she had two little buns on her face. Her round eyes looked even bigger and more childlike as a result.

Ji Yecheng noticed her sulky expression and couldn’t help but stifle a chuckle, lightly clearing his throat to mask his amusement.