pillow bird spring

One sentence was all it took to instantly change Cui Xi's expression.

She looked nervously at Shen Yinshuang.

Shen Yinshuang simply shook her head, signaling Cuixi not to speak.

She didn't reply to Granny Wang; she just stood there quietly with her head down.

These palace maids are all difficult to talk to.

Judging from her clothes, she realized that the old woman in front of her was an elderly woman from the palace, and naturally held a position of power and status.

They prefer quiet, silence, and non-resistance.

If they offer any explanation, the consequences will likely be even worse.

"It is my fault. I will remember your teachings, Granny." Shen Yinshuang said, bowing her head, neither humble nor arrogant.

Seeing this, Granny Wang raised her eyebrows slightly.

It seemed that the Shen Yinshuang in front of him was slightly different from the one he had heard before.

It's not that they're lowly, shameless, or self-righteous, as rumored.

On the contrary, they know when to advance and when to retreat.

But after thinking about it, Granny Wang nodded in agreement.

Regardless of the circumstances, Shen Yinshuang was still a lady from a prestigious family, even if she wasn't from an official family.

Before their decline, the Shen family was one of the most prominent families in the capital.

So Wang Mama didn't say anything and quietly led the way.

Soon, Shen Yinshuang and Cuixi were led to a side room.

This place is heavily guarded, and the number of lackeys is enormous.

Add to that the totem in front of you.

Shen Yinshuang felt even more nervous. She had a pretty good idea of ​​what was going on; this was where the Empress Dowager was staying at Kaiyuan Temple.

The nanny who brought them here was probably none other than Granny Wang, the most trusted nanny of the Empress Dowager.

Cui Xi had never seen such a display of power before.

He was too afraid to speak and passively looked at Shen Yinshuang.

It wasn't until the two of them reached the door that they stopped.

"You can't go in." The guards at the door stopped Cui Xi.

Cui Xi subconsciously looked at Shen Yinshuang.

"You wait for me here, I'll go in." Shen Yingshuang said calmly.

Cui Xi was still nervous.

Shen Yinshuang thought it was better if Cuixi didn't go in.

She feared that Cui Xi might act impulsively and have her head chopped off inside.

She didn't even know what was going on when she went in, so how could she protect Cuixi?

Cui Xi nodded passively, standing there watching Shen Yingshuang go inside.

As the door closed, Cui Xi instinctively turned to leave.

It was an instinct; she had to find Xiao Yin.

In this context, it seems that only Xiao Yin can help Shen Yinshuang, especially for Cuixi.

Even though he was just a servant, Cui Xi sensed danger.

But just as Cui Xi was about to turn and leave, the guard's cold voice came.

"You audacious servant, how dare you wander around in front of the Empress Dowager's palace!" The guards' swords were already pointed at Cui Xi.

Cui Xi was so frightened that she knelt down on the spot and kept kowtowing.

The guards then put away their swords, but showed no intention of letting Cuixi get up.

Cui Xi could only kneel there passively, tense, waiting for Shen Ying Shuang to come out.

The moment Shen Yinshuang entered, her eyes were filled with astonishment.

But outwardly, she forced herself to remain calm.

Because inside the room, there was not only the Empress Dowager, but also several high-ranking concubines.

For example, Consort De and Consort Xian.

Compared to them, Cui Lingyi was nothing; she could only stand obediently beside the Empress Dowager.

The moment Shen Yinshuang appeared, everyone looked at her.

The Empress Dowager's face was extremely unpleasant; she was dissatisfied with Shen Yinshuang from beginning to end.

Cui Lingyi stood quietly in place.

But Shen Yinshuang saw through it.

When Cui Lingyi looked at him, there was a hint of malice in her eyes.

Shen Yinshuang ignored him and bent her knees to prepare to kneel down and pay her respects.

"Outrageous! This is utterly disrespectful to me!" The Empress Dowager's furious voice rang out. "I just wanted to know what this embroiderer, whom Lingyi had described as so extraordinary, was really like. And look what she's got—a mere embroiderer dares to keep me waiting here! Waiting is one thing, but upon entering, she doesn't even bother to pay her respects, and she dares to look me in the eye! She has absolutely no manners; is she trying to rebel?!"

As soon as she finished speaking, the Empress Dowager smashed the teacup in her hand to the ground.

Everyone fell silent, and no one dared to speak.

Shen Yinshuang was also startled and broke out in a cold sweat.

But she really does kneel down.

Because of her leg ailment, she was unable to kneel, so her movements were extremely slow.

The Empress Dowager was unaware of these things.

Shen Yinshuang probably knew that Cui Lingyi must have whispered something in the Empress Dowager's ear.

For example, she herself was Pei Shou'an's previous wife or concubine.

For example, she was divorced.

For example, she once worked in a brothel.

Any one of these points was something the Empress Dowager strongly opposed.

"What? I'm scolding you, and you're still not satisfied? Are you standing here to provoke me?" The Empress Dowager's face darkened further. "Guards! Slap him!"

As soon as the Empress Dowager finished speaking, the eunuch stepped forward and slapped her hard across the face.

Shen Yinshuang couldn't even stand up straight before the sudden force sent her crashing to the ground.

But the eunuch did not let Shen Yinshuang go.

After all, the Empress Dowager hadn't spoken, so who dared to stop?

Consort De, however, suddenly spoke up: "Your Majesty, ignorance is no excuse. This Miss Shen doesn't seem to have ever been in the palace before, and clearly doesn't know the palace rules. Please don't be angry. You are a magnanimous person. Besides, this is Kaiyuan Temple, where Buddha is present. You are always compassionate. I think we should just let it go."

"Since Consort De has spoken, I will not refuse to give her face." The Empress Dowager looked at Consort De with a good mood.

Consort De smiled gently, but didn't say anything.

But out of the corner of her eye, she saw Shen Yingshuang and her brows furrowed slightly.

For some reason, she felt that Shen Yinshuang looked familiar, but she couldn't quite put her finger on why.

She thought of her little princess who hadn't been lost.

She was also Consort De's only daughter.

She didn't even get to see her child from back then before the midwife took her away, saying the child had died prematurely.

Because of an accident that happened to her family back then, Consort De was seven months pregnant.

The Emperor doted on Consort De, and even under these circumstances, he allowed her to return to her parents' home.

As a result, Consort De went into premature labor at her parents' home.

The little princess could not be saved.

Consort De broke down. When the Emperor arrived, he saw the little princess's body, but forbade him from further upsetting Consort De.

From then on, Consort De had no children for the rest of her life.

But the emperor still favored her, so her position in the harem remained unshakable.

Naturally, the concubines in the harem, along with the Empress Dowager, would all give Consort De face.

Besides, Consort De had no children and wouldn't offend anyone; everyone treated her with courtesy.

Consort De really hadn't thought about the little princess who was gone for a long time.

Now, when she suddenly thinks about it, she also finds it absurd.

But there is generally a good impression.

The eunuchs stopped when the Empress Dowager spoke.

Shen Yinshuang had deep five-finger marks on her face and lay motionless on the ground.

She covered her face; it was excruciatingly painful.

Coupled with her leg ailment, Shen Yinshuang found it difficult to even stand up.

Just then, a eunuch rushed in from outside: "Your Majesty, General Xiao requests an audience."

"Xiao Yin has arrived?" The Empress Dowager looked at Cui Lingyi with a smile, in a very good mood. "Lingyi, Xiao Yin couldn't possibly leave you here with me for even a short while, so he came in a hurry. He was originally going to come with the Emperor, but he came ahead of schedule."

These words were meant to mock Cui Lingyi.