#27: Entering the Palace (1)

That evening, Zhuchai prepared a feast of delicious dishes. But as soon as Di Jiang arrived home, Wu Ruian, who had been waiting for her, invited her to his mansion. He was very secretive and refused to say why. So, Shuxiang went and invited Changsheng to join them for dinner.

At the dinner table, Wenyao was utterly unable to eat in front of three people who were as dull as logs and barely spoke. She quickly finished five bowls of rice and went back to her room to lie down.

Once Wenyao went upstairs, the three quiet people downstairs finally opened up, discussing some profound topics that she couldn’t understand, probably about talismans, medicine, and the like. Wenyao listened for a while, found it incredibly boring, and soon her eyelids drooped as she drifted off to sleep.

After Di Jiang was invited into Prince Wu’s mansion, she was immediately surrounded by a group of people. They held tape measures and cloth, constantly measuring her.

“What is this for?” Di Jiang asked, confused.

“To answer the lady, the Prince has ordered a court robe to be made for you overnight. Please cooperate,” the old woman said, then walked to Di Jiang’s side and began measuring her sleeve length.

Di Jiang looked at Wu Ruian, who was sitting in a chair drinking tea, and gave him a questioning look.

Wu Ruian smiled at her and said, “It’s just to make you a new dress. Don’t be nervous.”

“Why the sudden need for a dress?” Di Jiang was still feeling uneasy. Her intuition told her that this was not as simple as making a new dress.

Wu Ruian’s face sank, and he feigned annoyance, sighing to everyone, “It seems I haven’t given her enough gifts in the past if a single dress can surprise her so much.” He then said to Di Jiang, “I will give you more gifts in the future. Just relax and enjoy.”

“...”

Di Jiang, with an empty stomach, was fussed over for half an hour before she was finally taken to an inner hall to have dinner. During this time, she noticed that the entire mansion was brightly lit. A large table was set up in the courtyard, where about 200 people were busily making something with their heads bowed.

“What is this all about?” Di Jiang asked again.

Wu Ruian answered her with a sincere expression, “I really just want to give you a set of clothes.”

Seeing that he didn’t seem to be joking, and the servants were indeed embroidering, Di Jiang stopped asking questions.

After they finished dinner, Wu Ruian took Di Jiang to a theater to watch a play. When they returned to the mansion, the entire court robe was finished.

The court robe was similar to the common attire, consisting of a short jacket, a long jacket, a skirt, and a shoulder wrap. Di Jiang had no official rank and was a commoner. Even when meeting the Emperor, her court attire should not be overly elaborate. So, the long jacket was a single layer in a plain color; the short jacket was lined and padded, embroidered with silk threads of the Hehuan flower; the skirt was long and made of many panels, with a moon-white base and silver cloud patterns embroidered on the hem; and the most exquisite part was the brocade shoes. The shoes were made of dark brocade with auspicious cloud patterns embroidered on them, and a bright pearl was set at the toe, giving them the name “Cloud-Stepping Moon.” The entire outfit looked neither disrespectful nor over-the-top.

Wu Ruian had Di Jiang change into the clothes and sit on a stool. He then knelt down, holding Di Jiang’s ankle with one hand and the sole of the “Cloud-Stepping Moon” shoe with the other, and slowly put the shoe on her foot.

Di Jiang’s feet were slender and as white as frost. Against the backdrop of the bright pearl, they looked even more charming and lovely. Wu Ruian stroked his chin, examining Di Jiang’s feet, and couldn’t stop praising them. “The shoes are beautiful, but the feet are even more so.”

“What are you trying to do?” Di Jiang asked, her face red and her expression blank.

“I’m taking you to see Mother Empress,” Wu Ruian said, looking at Di Jiang with satisfaction, as if he were looking at a cherished work of art.

“What? See Her Majesty? Are you crazy?” Di Jiang’s mouth was half-open, and she was too shocked to speak.

Wu Ruian shook his head and said solemnly, “Mother Empress herself suggested meeting you. I have no reason to refuse. If she likes you this time, there will be no more obstacles between us. Don’t you want to marry me sooner?”

“...”

Di Jiang’s mouth was wide open, and she looked at him in silence for a moment, seeing the great hope in his eyes and the overflowing joy on his face. She finally realized that she was being a little too unsympathetic. With her current status, meeting Empress Chen was something that would happen sooner or later, and there was nothing wrong with it.

So, Di Jiang nodded and said, “Okay, I’ll go with you to see Her Majesty.”

Wu Ruian let out a long sigh of relief. The people around him also collectively relaxed because of Di Jiang’s nod, especially the butler, Liu Changqing. He knew just how much the Prince had been thinking about Di Jiang over the past few years...

That night, Di Jiang slept in the small courtyard where Wu Jingyi used to stay. The next morning, she was woken up by a servant, put on the court robe, and then had a dedicated person come in to apply rouge, draw her eyebrows, put on flower decorations, paint on dimples, draw slanted red lines, and apply lip gloss.

The owners of several famous gold shops in Taiping Prefecture were invited to provide a complete set of headdresses, necklaces, armlets, and waist ornaments for Di Jiang. She was dressed from head to toe like a glittering, dazzling noblewoman. One look at her, and you would know she was rich—very, very rich.

Wu Ruian examined Di Jiang from head to toe more than a dozen times. He finally stepped forward, removed the golden hairpin from her head, the armlet from her arm, and the jade pendant from her waist, leaving only the seven-jeweled enamel necklace around her neck. He then ordered someone to take Di Jiang away to wash off the heavy makeup.

Afterward, Wu Ruian personally applied a new flower decoration between her brows and a thin layer of lip gloss on her lips. From the hundreds of hairpins held by the servants behind him, he chose a thumb-sized golden hairpin with a pearl and placed it in her bun.

Di Jiang’s entire demeanor and style changed once again.

She transformed from a wealthy lady into someone with a delicate, elegant, and simple charm.

“This is much better,” Wu Ruian said with a solemn nod. His serious expression made Di Jiang unable to stop laughing.

Was it really necessary to go to such lengths just to meet someone?

Whether that person was a beggar or an emperor, Di Jiang saw them all the same.

Regardless of whether she met him or not, she would always have an open and upright heart.

________________________________________

After court that day, Empress Chen, as usual, handed over all major court affairs to the Left and Right Chancellors and returned to the imperial study to continue painting and recuperating.

“Your Majesty, the Sixth Prince has reported that he will bring Miss Di to the palace this afternoon to have dinner with Your Majesty.”

After Shi Wenchang spoke, Empress Chen’s painting brush froze in mid-air. The ink dripped onto the paper, smudging Jiang Qionglin’s clothes and ruining the results of her last half-hour of work.

“He’s in such a hurry,” Empress Chen said, annoyed, crumpling up the painting and throwing it away. She then took a deep breath and said, “Go to the Changsun Mansion and invite Changsun Yuming to the palace.”

“Yes.”

After receiving the edict, Shi Wenchang immediately sent someone to make the invitation.

Wu Ruian and Di Jiang arrived at the palace before Changsun Yuming, but they were not summoned and could only wait in the side hall of the Hanguang Palace. It was not until Changsun Yuming arrived fashionably late and had a cheerful conversation with Empress Chen in the imperial study for half an hour that they were finally summoned to join them for a stroll in the imperial garden.

Changsun Yuming was still mourning her grandfather, so she was dressed in a simple white dress, and her entire being was immersed in a quiet and peaceful state. She was a picture of a pure and ethereal beauty.

Seeing Changsun Yuming, Di Jiang was suddenly grateful that Wu Ruian hadn’t dressed her up like a walking Christmas tree. Otherwise, standing next to Changsun Yuming now, she would have looked incredibly gaudy and materialistic.

“This son pays his respects to Mother Empress.”

“This commoner pays her respects to Your Majesty.”

Wu Ruian and Di Jiang bowed. From the moment they entered the palace, their hands had been clasped together, and no matter how much Di Jiang tried to pull away, Wu Ruian wouldn’t let go.

Empress Chen did not show any displeasure, and even Changsun Yuming pretended not to notice. She smiled warmly as she looked at Di Jiang.

If Empress Chen had not been there, Changsun Yuming would probably have gone up to Di Jiang, taken her hand, and had a long conversation with her. In her heart, Di Jiang was her savior, and her gratitude would be remembered forever.

“Rise, and have a seat,” Empress Chen said calmly. Wu Ruian helped Di Jiang up.

When Di Jiang raised her head, Empress Chen immediately recognized the person in front of her.

Empress Chen had a very good memory. Although three years had passed, she recognized Di Jiang at a glance as the woman who had saved Jiang Qionglin in the Huanyi Pavilion.

Di Jiang’s temperament was very strange. In the marketplace, she might just seem like a commoner. But now, in the palace, she seemed noble and refined, like a natural-born lady of a prestigious family.

This person was elusive and indescribable. It was no wonder that An’er was so infatuated with her.

Empress Chen sat by a stone table, looked at Di Jiang, and smiled. “You are Di Jiang, the doctor from the Jiansu Clinic?”

Di Jiang nodded. “To answer Your Majesty, that is this commoner.”

“I heard you once saved Jingyi, and An’er, so your medical skills must be exceptional?”

“To answer Your Majesty, this commoner would not dare to claim so.”

“Your Majesty, Miss Di also saved Yuming’s life!” Changsun Yuming couldn’t help but add.

Empress Chen raised an eyebrow, looking very surprised.

Di Jiang was afraid that Changsun Yuming would bring up the “murderous bird” incident and trigger Empress Chen’s bad memories, so she quickly said, “Your Majesty, I brought a gift for you today. I hope you like it.”

“Oh? What is the gift?” Empress Chen asked, curious.

Wu Ruian was also a little puzzled.

He hadn’t prepared a gift, had he?

Di Jiang had only found out about this last night and had stayed in the Prince’s mansion. How could she have had time to prepare a gift?

Ignoring Wu Ruian’s questioning look, Di Jiang took out a delicate cloisonné jar from her sleeve. It was about the size of her palm. “Your Majesty, this jar is the gift I brought for you.”

Changsun Yuming was excited when she saw it and said, “This dragon-patterned cloisonné jar is vibrant in color and has intricate carvings. Just the body of the jar itself went through more than twenty steps in its creation, not to mention the wire inlay and blue enamel. The gift Miss Di has brought is a rare and excellent item.”

After Changsun Yuming spoke, Empress Chen did not hide her admiration for her and praised her repeatedly. “Ming’er is knowledgeable and speaks well.” She then glanced at the jar and said to Shi Wenchang, “Put it away.”

“Yes.”

Shi Wenchang took the cloisonné jar, bowed, and stepped back.

Although Empress Chen seemed to have little interest in the jar, Shi Wenchang knew that Di Jiang had given her more than just a jar. When he held the jar, he could faintly smell a strange fragrance coming from it, a scent that did not belong to any ordinary object...