Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

The Empress Dowager ordered the beaded curtain to be opened and glanced at the woman standing alone in the hall.

Even the Empress Dowager had to admit that, judging solely by her looks, this woman was indeed quite outstanding.

"Your humble wife, Lady Jia, pays her respects to the Empress Dowager."

The voice was faint, tinged with fear and trepidation.

She placed her hands on the ground and kowtowed with her forehead, but did not rise.

The Empress Dowager nodded. This was the normal reaction of her ministers when they saw her. Unlike Jia Lian, who actually dared to peek at her through the gap at the end of the beaded curtain!

"Rise."

"Thank you, Empress Dowager."

Wang Xifeng had also been taught the basic etiquette for entering the palace to pay homage.

But even after she stood up, she still didn't know what to do.

This was her first time meeting a high-ranking official alone. Before, in the Empress's palace, with the old ladies watching over her, she could comfortably remain invisible.

"Come here."

The Empress Dowager's voice was calm yet filled with authority, leaving Wang Xifeng no room for resistance. She took a few steps forward along the red carpet.

Now that they were so close, Wang Xifeng had the opportunity and the courage to look up at the Empress Dowager.

This glance naturally shocked her deeply.

The Empress Dowager looks so young and beautiful!

But Wang Xifeng was not Jia Lian after all; her shock lasted only a moment, and then her expression became even more respectful.

After all, she was the most honored woman in the world, without exception. In common parlance, she and the retired emperor were both referred to as "Old Sages".

"She really is good-looking."

The Empress Dowager praised her, and Wang Xifeng didn't know how to respond.

She dared to crack a joke when facing her former cousin Yuan Chun, but she wouldn't dare do that when facing the Empress Dowager, so she just smiled shyly.

Thus, the Empress Dowager did not bother to examine her further, because she could tell that she was just an ordinary noblewoman, with nothing particularly special about her except for her beautiful appearance.

According to the information gathered by the people sent, she was neither virtuous nor kind, and was far inferior to her Zhaoyang.

"Do you know why I summoned you here today?"

Wang Xifeng awkwardly replied, "Please enlighten me, Your Majesty..."

"More than a month ago, I visited the Crown Prince's villa. The Crown Prince invited me to go horseback hunting, but unfortunately the horse went out of control."

Fortunately, I was saved by Jia Lian, the Second-Class General of Zhenyuan who was in charge of guarding the palace at the time, and thus I was able to escape unharmed…”

As the Empress Dowager spoke, Wang Xifeng's eyes suddenly lit up.

So that's how it is!

The Empress Dowager's words immediately dispelled all her doubts. No wonder Yuan Chun said that her promotion to Imperial Concubine was due to the help of a heartless person.

It turns out that, by sheer coincidence, the heartless man had saved the Empress Dowager!

Who is the Empress Dowager? She is the Emperor's legal mother. Saving the Empress Dowager is such a great achievement... Wang Xifeng didn't even know how to describe it.

But why not reward the ungrateful man who made such a contribution directly, instead letting Cousin Yuan Chun benefit from it? Wang Xifeng, who was excited and happy, couldn't quite understand the situation for a moment.

The Empress Dowager noticed the glint in Wang Xifeng's eyes and shook her head even more inwardly, continuing:

"Jia Lian saved me, and he has done me a favor."

Furthermore, I observe that he is a handsome and promising young man, and I intend to betroth my most beloved princess to him. What do you think?

In the eyes of the Empress Dowager, she could not see any "charm" in Wang Xifeng, and only saw and heard about Wang Xifeng's shortcomings.

Therefore, she didn't have a good impression of Wang Xifeng, and her tone naturally wasn't very pleasant.

Wang Xifeng, who was overjoyed just a moment ago, felt as if she had fallen into an ice cellar upon hearing the Empress Dowager's words.

The Empress Dowager wants to marry the princess to a heartless man?

And what about me...?

In an instant, though it was clearly midsummer, Wang Xifeng felt a chill all over her body. She forced back her tears and looked at the Empress Dowager, trying to see from the Empress Dowager's face whether she was joking with her.

"What, you don't want to?"

The Empress Dowager's cold expression made Wang Xifeng unable to hold back her tears any longer. She cried softly, "But, Empress Dowager, if I follow your advice, how will I live..."

谷囄

"I, and indeed the royal family, will provide you with adequate compensation."

Tears blurred Wang Xifeng's vision, and she could no longer see the Empress Dowager's cold expression.

Faced with the oppressive power, no matter how much hatred she felt, she dared not show it.

Actually, she had anticipated this day, ever since she discovered that the heartless man was getting better and better, becoming more and more outstanding, to the point that she was fascinated by him.

That's why she indulged him so much, watching helplessly as that little brat Qingwen danced around right under her nose!

Do you really think that Second Madam Lian is so magnanimous?

It was merely a tactic to keep Jia Lian's heart at home.

But she never expected that, despite her carefulness and caution, this day would still come.

Moreover, it arrived so quickly, so irrefutably!

This is the Empress Dowager, who wants to marry the Emperor's daughter to a heartless man. What can she do? Not to mention her, she believes that any woman in the world would feel powerless in her current situation.

To yield? To grant?

However, she really, really likes the heartless one. She's liked him since she was a child, and now she's hopelessly addicted.

Overwhelmed with resentment, she mustered her courage amidst her tears and said, "But, Your Majesty, I have done nothing wrong. You... you can't do this..."

As the Empress Dowager, how could you be so unreasonable as to help your granddaughter steal my man?

The Empress Dowager naturally knew that Wang Xifeng was unwilling, but as a person above the imperial power, she had become indifferent to the life and death of thousands of people, let alone the mentality of a shrew.

"You haven't made any mistakes? As a woman of the Great Wei, you don't cultivate virtue, you don't follow the three obediences and four virtues, and after marriage, you haven't been a good wife and mother. You only know how to compete and fight, you are greedy for fame and fortune, and you even beat your husband. How dare you say you haven't done anything wrong?"

The Empress Dowager's questioning left Wang Xifeng feeling both wronged and unable to defend herself.

Because what the Empress Dowager said was not an unfounded accusation against her, it was clear that she had already investigated her in secret. This also shows that this was something the Empress Dowager had been planning to do!

Wang Xifeng was certain that the Empress Dowager's meticulously planned schemes, which involved not only stealing her man but also taking her life, would be incredibly easy.

So, besides crying, she couldn't think of anything else to do.

The beautiful woman, with tears streaming down her face, was already pitiful enough to evoke pity. Upon seeing this, even the Empress Dowager felt a pang of pity.

However, this slight reluctance is insignificant compared to Zhaoyang's lifelong commitment.

Therefore, he continued to undermine Wang Xifeng's confidence, coldly saying, "Let's leave those aside for now. As the wife of an official of the imperial court, you should know and abide by the law. How dare you collude with local ruffians and scoundrels to engage in loan sharking that harms people and ruins their families?!"

This made Wang Xifeng's soul tremble with fear.

His already weak body collapsed to the ground, and he looked at the Empress Dowager with eyes full of terror.

The Empress Dowager even knew about this.

"No, I didn't..."

Knowing the seriousness of the matter, Wang Xifeng instinctively wanted to deny it.

The Empress Dowager interrupted without hesitation, saying, "Since I'm speaking to you face to face, it's natural that I've investigated your background thoroughly."

"What, do you perhaps wish to confront me in court?"

Wang Xifeng was ashen-faced. Confronting the Empress Dowager in court? She wasn't that foolish.

So she stammered, "Your Majesty, I dare not. I was misled by others. They said that most noble families in the capital would lend out their spare money to earn interest. I was misled by what they said."

But I have never intended to harm anyone, nor have I ever harmed anyone. All I and those families do is contribute a thousand or so taels of silver each month, and they repay the principal and interest monthly, that's all..."

Wang Xifeng was a clever person, but she never expected to be outmaneuvered by the Empress Dowager.

She was completely unprepared and naturally couldn't come up with any effective words, so she could only try to exonerate herself by saying that everyone was doing it and that she wasn't the only one.

The principle that the law does not punish the masses has existed since ancient times.

But who is the Empress Dowager?

"Oh, so you mean you're not the only noble family in the capital lending money? If I only punish you, it would be unfair of me to do so?"

Tell me, who else in the capital is like you, engaging in unauthorized lending? Let me see if I dare to drag them all out and bring them to justice!

Wang Xifeng immediately shrank her neck.

Among the many nobles in the capital, even the highest ministers and prime ministers would be taken aback by this title.

However, it meant nothing to the Empress Dowager.

If she dared to speak out, even if the Empress Dowager didn't punish her, those people would probably hate her to death. From now on, she could forget about getting along in the elite circles of the capital.

When you go out, you have to be careful not to get ambushed!