Emperor's Cunning Wife

Hall of Mental Cultivation, West Wing

An old woman was sitting on the red lacquered chaise lounge, her hands rubbed the Buddhist beads while murmuring some chants to calm her spirit. Her face looked quiet and serene. A thin smoke came from the bronze gilded small incense carved with flowers. Both corners of her eyes had jaded crow's feet and there were slight wrinkles on her forehead and on the bridge of her nose ravaged by time. Still, she still retained a bit of splendor despite her winter white hair.

Screech-

The door opened from the outside and Tang mama's figure strode and arrived in front of the old woman.

"Are they done?" She said in the midst of her chants. Her eyes opened and there were shockingly red rimmed.

"Yes." Tang mama replied with frustration.

The old woman had her hair undone and heavy dark brocade robes removed. The dawn had come, but it seemed sleep wouldn't visit her mind, her form remained stubborn and active in contrast with her feeble voice that was sore from the recent stress.

"Did you prepare it?" The old woman looked over and asked again, her pitch a note lower.

"No worries, it would be done. This servant made sure that she takes it at first light." Tang mama said her voice a bit venomous.

The old woman nodded and released a heavy sigh. Too many things had happened this week affecting her mind with agitation. She grabbed the armrest and stood. Tang mama held one of her arm to the bed.

"Watch out for that living in the Peony pavilion and report to me her movements." The old woman spoke, her eyes turned grim.

"Yes. This servant will plant someone to keep an eye. How about the other three consorts?" Tang Mama asked.

The old woman sneered as she remembered those ladies. "There is someone to take care of it. This old woman is sure she's more restless more than me."

Tang mama stayed silent but understood the meaning between her lines.

"By the way, the empress' previous maids that were missing three days ago were found dead. Apparently, the culprit was a fellow servant that had personal conflict with them." Tang mama paused and recalled an important matter. Three days ago, on the morning after the Soaring Phoenix Palace's fire incident, those two maids were nowhere to be seen as if they disappeared into thin air. The yamen had investigated the matter but aside from a few things they left behind there was nothing out of the ordinary. But now, after three days of searching, their corpses were found and internal attendant department concluded the missing cases.

"Who found it?" The old woman gripped Tang mama's arm and slightly faltered in her steps.

"A mama, our people said that she saw their bodies floated lifelessly inside the well." Tang mama replied to her questions.

The old woman resumed her walking until they reached the bed, she sat but didn't lay down immediately, her intuition kept chiming that the case was odd. The timing was too peculiar. Not to mention the abnormality of the fire that devoured the Soaring Phoenix Palace. The servants and guards couldn't extinguish the fire by water.

"Look into it carefully, this old woman doesn't trust that bastard at all. He'll just turn a blind eye towards the Empress' safety."

"Does the Empress Dowager felt something odd?"

"Aren't you feeling there was something unusual too? Otherwise why would you tell this old woman about it?" The old woman raised her eyebrows and her eyes turned sharp.

"Alright. This old servant will thoroughly look into it." Tang mama sighed and reassured the Empress Dowager. "It's late now, Empress Dowager should rest." She lifted the blankets and tucked the old woman in.

"Tang-shi, screen every attendants of the Loving Piety Palace including their family ancestry, spending, and every little thing including the mole on their body. Make sure nothing happened to Lou'er again and by the way the festival banquet next month, this old woman will personally supervise it." She said as light flashes in her eyes. Lou'er, Grandmother will make sure you keep the crown whatever it takes.

Tang mama was startled but spoke after a while, "Yes, this servant will start with the preparations."

The old woman nodded and closed her eyes. After the exhausting night, she immediately slept and her consciousness entered a dream.

"Jiaying!" A handsome male atop a tree's branch called out to the girl reading a book by the window.

The girl lifted her head and frowned when she saw the young man. "What are you doing here?"

"To play go of course!" He flashed a blinding smile attempting to shrug off her indifference.

"Not interested. Gentleman should leave." Jiaying closed her book and shut the windows leaving the young man agape.

"What a heartless lady." He murmured and scratched his head out of frustration and disappointment.

"Wa…Young master hurry down, someone is coming!" His personal servant notified over the wall of the courtyard.

The young man sighed and gave the windows a heavy stare before climbing down and leaving the courtyard.

Soon, the sounds of footsteps echoed in the courtyard, Jiaying received visitors from the main yard.

"The matchmaker approved your marriage with the assistant minister's youngest son. The matrimonial ceremony will be conducted 18th of the next month." The main wife of the house spoke without sympathy.

"What did you say?" The book on Jiaying's hands fell. Her form staggered. Assistant Minister's youngest son that was critically ill? What marriage? She clearly wanted me to become a widow!

"Are you deaf? I said prepare your bridal dress for the 18th of next month." The main wife spoke and signalled the mama beside her.

"You're not my birth mother, you don't have the right to decide my marriage! I want to see mother!" Jiaying spoke fuming within. She stepped back and raised her voice in outraged.

The mama hurriedly gripped her arm, "Young Lady, the master has approved of the marriage. Your mother is under house arrest for attempting to poison Madam this morning. Madam is magnanimous and didn't send your mother to prison. You should give up and thank Madam instead."

Jiaying was shocked, "My mother wouldn't do such a thing! You're clearly framing her!"

"Nonsense! How dare you slander the Madam?!" The mama gripped her arms tightly until it turned red.

"Isn't it true? My mother isn't a scheming person. You're the one possessing a malicious heart. Who are pretending to be magnanimous for when you're a murderer!" Jiaying shouted in a voice filled with anger, accusation and injustice.

"Have her stay inside. Teach her what she needed." The main wife spoke indifferently and brushed her sleeves. Jiaying's words were treated as farts.

"Did you hear what I said? Are you deaf?" Jiaying felt an overwhelming irritation inside as her words were treated like air.

The Madam turned around, her eyes held a little of laughter as if what Jiaying said was ridiculous. "Who are you? Do you have a title? An incredible status? Wealth? Do you even have a role in this house?

"What are you implying?" Jiaying asked gritting her teeth. The mama was restraining her from approaching the Madam.

"I thought you're well verse in the four arts. Is this the extent of your abilities? Why don't understand such simple a simple question. Looks like I've over estimated you." The Madam's lips lifted a bit after cl.i.c.k.i.n.g her tongue.

Jiaying furrowed her brows, "Let go." She said flailing her arms. No matter how calm she usually is, such belittling targeting one's status based on factors beyond her control was too much. In addition, her mother was involved so how can she remain calm?

The Madam raised her hand to cover her mouth to laugh. "You can't even order a servant around." She took a step forward and lifted Jiaying's chin. The mama took control both Jiaying's arms this time in case she did anything unsightly.

"Don't touch me with your dirty hands!" Jiaying spat and leaned back to escape the madam's claws.

But the Madam held them tighter and leaned in her ear. "Remember this, my authority is only second to the master. So if you dare spout out something I don't like. I wouldn't mind preparing you and your mother's coffin." Then she patted Jiaying's cheeks with provocation.

Jiaying's eyes turned red as she endured lashing her anger out. Both of her hands fisted, she opened her mouth and attempted to bite the venomous woman in front, but the madam had already foreseen her plan and dodged.

"Unclean things will always be unclean no matter how you dress them."

That words snapped something on Jiaying's mind, she used all her strength to free her body out of the mama's grasp and lunged herself on the madam.

"Hypocrite!"