"The empress dowager request your presence" the mamma relayed solemnly.
Yanhui looked at her maids in worry
"okay, I'll go soon"
"She wants you there now" the mamma insisted pointing the way out.
Yanhui had a bad feeling about it but had no choice but to obey. As soon as they got to the dowager's Tranquility palace, her maids were detained outside and the door locked behind her. Yanhui walked into the main hall were the dowager was sitting, with a fake smile and kowtowed:
"Greetings aunty, how are you doing today?"
"Hmm, don't aunt me. I've being hearing a rumor going round lately in your quarters" the empress dowager replied seemingly angry.
"Rumors? What rumors Aunt? Am sure someone is trying frame me" Yanhui kowtowed in fear
"Insolence! You're still trying to deny it, you thought I won't find out?!" she shouted hitting a table.
" I don't know what you're talking about, please enlighten me aunt"
Yanhui answered calmly her head still bowed. She didn't dare raise her head, the empress dowager was really scary when angry! No wonder she remained a dowager for so long even though she was not the emperor's biological mother!. Yanhui had no idea what was going on or who in her palace was a snitch but she was going to fish whoever it was out! She swore. In all dramas she's watched all dowagers whose biological son was not the emperor was excessively cruel and wicked to the emperor and she, although family was just a pawn that can be discarded anytime, afterall,the Yan family has many daughters.
"I hear you haven't consummated the marriage to the emperor, you refused him. Is that true, dear niece?" The dowager questioned growing more angry.
Yanhui was shocked as how that information got to anyone's ears; not even her maids knew. But she was good at this afterall she didn't watch those palace dramas for nothing.
" Aunt you must be mistaken, I have already consummated our marriage and I only refused the emperor yesterday because of my monthly flow" she lied through her teeth.
" Hahahaha, you think I'm a fool? Why are you the empress if you don't want to have a child with the emperor? Perhaps you are tired and want to go stay with concubine Yue Liang and perhaps someone more willing will take your place?" The empress dowager looked into her eyes directly.
Yanhui got the implied threat and meaning; if she still did not consummate her marriage, she will be sent to the cold palace to rot away, one of her concubine sisters taking her palace.
Yanhui immediately got up with a smile and walked to the empress dowager:
"Aunty, don't worry I'll give you a fat grandson soon ' she assured smiling.
A person should know when to bend, since she couldn't escape it, she better accept it and consummate her marriage to the emperor. Afterall, she wasn't losing out, the emperor was handsome and completely her type, love was not necessary in this cold palace. The empress dowager nodded at her with a smile and tapped her hands:
" I knew you were always obedient, I made the right choice betting on you; you both smart and clever enough to keep me company in this harsh and cold palace"
"Aunt don't worry, leave it to me" Yanhui wanted to tear off the mask of the empress dowager, she acted as if she didn't want her dead just a moment ago.
"serve her a bowl of fertility soup" the empress dowager instructed.
A bowl of soup was delivered to Yanhui, although she didn't want to drink it, she had to under the dowager's watchful eyes.
After exchanging false pleasantries with the empress dowager, Yanhui returned to her Kunning palace with her maids Xiao Xiao and Xiao Qi. All through the way, they all remained quiet, even the usually talkative Xiao Xiao was usually quiet. Yanhui in deep thoughts wondering who was the spy in her palace. When she got to her palace, she immediately sat down and planned on how to seduce the emperor if he comes after just refusing him yesterday and lay out a trap for the spy in her palace. Come to think of it ; only the emperor knew what happened yesterday, could he be so petty as to report her to the dowager? No, it couldn't be, it involved his dignity and pride wouldn't let him. Maybe she was just overthinking it.
Yanhui sat down in anxiety and waited for night to arrive to welcome the emperor in her new sleep wear made according to modern lingerie and get it over with. But the night stretched on with no emperor in sight!. Yanhui was already asleep from tiredness when xiao xiao rushed in, in panic:
" This is bad empress"
" What happened? Have a seat and a drink of water, you can tell me slowly" Yanhui assured her, calmly passing her a cup of tea.
" My lady this is not time for tea, the emperor.... the emperor....."
" What happened to the emperor?" Yanhui asked now anxious.
" He's not going to come" xiao xiao answered looking at her in pity. Now that her miss has actively dressed up to wait for the emperor, this has to happen she sighed.
Yanhui didn't like the look Xiao Xiao was giving her; as if she was extremely pitiful
" Enough with Your nonsense, even if he doesn't come do what? Let's go to sleep" She said standing up to go lie down.
" My lady the emperor is not coming because he has gone to see someone else" Xiao Xiao finally dropped the bomb
" Who is the vixen that seduced the emperor?" Xiao Qi asked in anger before Yanhui could even answer.
" Don't be silly, he's the emperor and has lots of wives you can't expect him to be only with me right? Let go to bed, at least I've my bed all to my self today" Yanhui looked at them and smiled. It was a lie to say she wasn't disappointed, after all her plans and preparation it was all for naught but she was more relieved. She turned to Xiao Xiao suddenly and asked:
"Who was it that drew the emperor away?"