Today's lunch was Southern cuisine prepared by the imperial chefs, all because Jiang Xinyue mentioned last night that she wanted to savor the delicacies of the South.
The staff of the imperial kitchen certainly knew how to return a favor.
The courtyard was blanketed in thick, white snow. A few palace maids swept the snow in the courtyard, creating a world of silver and white that was enchantingly beautiful.
Inspired by the scene, Jiang Xinyue's poetic spirit soared.
After much contemplation, she could only muster a line from Song Zhiwen's "Encountering Snow in the Garden": "I know not if the flakes that fall are today's, or if they're flowers that bloomed in last night's haze."
Just as she was about to recite... no... recite another line, Wang Dequan's figure appeared, walking in from the palace gate.
Jiang Xinyue hurriedly dressed herself and sent Xi Que to greet him. Xi Que, with her honeyed tongue, greeted him, "Eunuch Wang, on such a snowy day, what wind has blown you here? Even this magpie is chirping at your arrival."
The implication was that Eunuch Wang's visit surely brought good tidings to the Harmony Palace.
Wang Dequan smiled, quite pleased, "Has your mistress had her meal yet?"
Xi Que pondered whether to say she had or hadn't. Surely the Emperor wasn't planning to summon her mistress to dine with him?
Wang Dequan, seeing her expression, knew she was overthinking. He waved his duster and said, "Vice Minister Jiang is in the imperial study with the Emperor, discussing the reception of foreign envoys for the New Year's banquet. The Emperor sent me to invite your mistress over."
Many consorts who enter the palace never see their families again, but the Emperor was particularly fond of Consort Zhen and specially sent him to bring her to the imperial study.
Though not explicitly stated, wasn't the intention clear?
Was she about to meet this body's convenient father?
Jiang Xinyue recalled the dynamics between the father and daughter...
Fortunately, her convenient father had five daughters, each one meticulously groomed to enter the palace and pave the way for the Jiang family.
Jiang Yutong was the legitimate daughter of the Jiang family, originally not slated for palace life. Her convenient father treated his three concubine-born daughters as commodities but didn't count his two legitimate ones.
It was that fool Jiang Yutong who fell in love with the Emperor at first sight during a palace banquet, starving herself and threatening to hang herself, forcing her way into the palace. Only then did her convenient father package her along with the others and send them in.
Why couldn't she have transmigrated into Jiang Yutong or her younger sister Jiang Yulin?
Being the legitimate daughter of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites wasn't a low status. She could have married a suitable, handsome young man outside the palace as his primary wife and lived more freely than in the palace!
Lost in thought, she arrived at the imperial study.
From afar, she saw two slightly hunched figures talking to the Emperor.
Her sixth sense told Jiang Xinyue that the tall, thin middle-aged man on the left, with a somewhat upright and handsome back of the head, was her convenient father.
After all, someone who could produce such a beautiful daughter couldn't possibly be the short, fat, gray-haired old man on the right.
"Your subject greets Your Majesty."
A gentle, clear voice rang out. Vice Minister Jiang and the officials turned around to see an exquisitely beautiful palace lady curtseying gracefully.
Vice Minister Jiang smiled, "Greetings, Consort Zhen."
"Father, please don't be so formal."
"Beloved, come to my side," the Xuanwu Emperor called.
Jiang Xinyue only had time for a close look at her convenient father before quickly walking towards the Xuanwu Emperor.
As expected of this body's birth father, he was indeed quite handsome - sword-like eyebrows, star-like eyes, and deep-set features. In modern terms, he would be called a "high-contrast beauty."
But her convenient father was a high-contrast handsome man.
Jiang Xinyue's features seemed to combine the best of her father and mother. Beautiful yet pure, lovely yet alluring, both innocent and sensual - four parts resembling Vice Minister Jiang.
The remaining six parts must take after her mother, the great beauty whose fame echoed throughout the capital.
Did the Xuanwu Emperor call her here just for a father-daughter reunion?
Impossible, he wasn't that kind-hearted.
"Vice Minister Jiang has a fine daughter. My Consort Zhen has brought me many surprises since entering the palace. The roasted meat and fried chicken We discussed earlier with Our beloved ministers were her ideas. The twelve-lady orchestra at the banquet was also her arrangement. We think... it might be clearer if she explains it herself."
In Yikun Palace—
Fen Yun looked worriedly at the sickly-faced Empress Zhu, half-lying in bed. "Your Highness, Consort Zhen has been in the imperial study all afternoon and hasn't come out yet."
Empress Zhu, her face deathly pale, coughed a few times before saying, "The Minister of Rites and Vice Minister Jiang are in the imperial study. His Majesty is showing her kindness, finding an opportunity for her to see her father."
Fen Yun pouted, "Your Highness, first the cold palace welcome, now the imperial study arrangement... isn't the Emperor paying her too much attention?"
Remembering the Emperor's warning last night, Empress Zhu coughed more severely. Fen Yun hurriedly patted her back. After a while, Empress Zhu said, "I remind myself time and again not to underestimate anyone in the harem, yet I've repeatedly underestimated her. Let's wait and see. If she's as ambitious as Concubine Li, I absolutely won't tolerate her."
Even if the Emperor would be displeased, she must maintain her authority as the head of the harem.
After all, the Emperor had never had any real feelings for her; it was just an alliance of interests.
She had the right to maintain her dignity, and the Emperor must give her face.
Emperor and Empress, they were one entity.
Today, there was neither moon nor stars. The sky was gloomy, with a sense of impending storm.
Jiang Xinyue walked side by side with her convenient father. The Emperor had specially permitted her to see her convenient father out of the palace.
Taking advantage of the moment on the way, they could chat a bit about family matters.
She didn't really care about the Jiang family's well-being, but having occupied Jiang Xinyue's body, she felt obliged to show some filial piety.
After much hesitation, she broke the silence, "Father, how are Aunt Ruan, Brother Ze, and Yan Sister?"
Vice Minister Jiang stopped walking, and Jiang Xinyue followed suit.
"Your legitimate sister's death, did you have anything to do with it? This is what your stepmother asked me to inquire. When news of Yu Tong's death reached home, your stepmother went mad, insisting on beating your aunt and Yan Sister to death. I know your life in the palace is difficult, so I'll only ask you one thing: did you personally do it?"
"No!" Jiang Xinyue replied. "It was her own stupidity. She lost the Emperor's favor, was instigated by others, and came to my palace in red clothes to hang herself, hoping to become a vengeful ghost and kill me."
"Your word is enough."
Vice Minister Jiang smiled gently, "I will take good care of your aunt, brother, and sister. You focus on serving the Emperor well. Your father will handle everything at home."
Jiang Xinyue nodded. At least her convenient father had said one humane thing.
"You've been in the palace for nearly half a year now. I hear His Majesty dotes on you quite a bit. Why is there no movement in your belly yet? In the depths of the palace, it's better to have an imperial prince by your side."
To pave the way for your career, I suppose?
Just a moment ago, she was a human, and in an instant, she turned back into a dog.
But Jiang Xinyue still agreed, playing the role of the obedient and filial daughter to perfection.
After all, it was her womb, and whether she wanted to conceive or not was entirely her decision. She couldn't be bothered to argue with these people.
They chatted a bit more about Brother Ze's recent situation before the palace gates loomed before them.
Whether it was the lingering emotions of this body or something else, Jiang Xinyue felt a lump in her throat, and tears threatened to fall for no apparent reason.
