“Empress Dowager, Prince Hao has already found out about the incident in the Laundry Service Bureau this morning. This servant passed on your edict, but Prince Hao said there was no need to come to the Compassionate Peace Palace.” Before He Ying had even started speaking, she already knew that the Empress Dowager’s expression would be ghastly.
The Empress Dowager issued a decree to summon Prince Hao into the Compassionate Peace Palace. But not only did Prince Hao defy the edict, he even did so with a completely indifferent attitude.
Pei Yaran slammed her palm into the armrest of the chair. With Eunuch Zhang still present, she was unable to save her face. He actually didn’t give me face. Even using my status as the Empress Dowager is no use.
Pei Yaran was livid to the point that she felt she had to personally seek out Prince Hao for an answer. “What exactly am I to you?!”
He Ying anxiety spiked when she saw that the Empress Dowager was about to leave the palace hall. “Empress Dowager, you are going to look for Prince Hao?”
“Since he won’t come to see this Empress Dowager, I can only make a trip myself.”
“Empress Dowager, Prince Hao is not in the Prince Hao Residence, but the imperial palace. His Majesty’s Dragon Heaven Palace.”
Pei Yaran sneered. “This Empress Dowager will go to the Dragon Heaven Palace now.”
She was about to walk forward when He Ying grasped her sleeve firmly.
A reluctant expression appeared on He Ying’s face. “Empress Dowager, please forgive this servant for being unable to let you go there. Commandery Prince Xie is also in the Dragon Heaven Palace.”
As soon as she heard the words ‘Commandery Prince Xie,’ Pei Yaran’s expression changed. “Commandery Prince Xie is also there?”
He Ying lowered her head and answered softly, “Yes.”
Pei Yaran smiled ruefully. “Xie Yun is present. As expected, he really doesn’t give face to this Empress Dowager.”
Eunuch Zhang had kept his head lowered, not daring to look at the Empress Dowager’s expression. It looks like the rumours of a special relationship between the Empress Dowager and Prince Hao may hold some credibility after all.
“Since he doesn’t give this Empress Dowager face, I will return the favour. Instead of pulling from the other palaces, the palace maids needed to support the Laundry Service Bureau can be taken directly from the Beauty Palace. They are after all, 72 women.” Pei Yaran’s words carried a trace of sarcasm.
Eunuch Zhang felt his heart leap into his throat as soon as he heard her words. The Empress Dowager won’t instruct me to go to the Beauty Palace to assign the palace maids, right?
Right after this thought had flashed through his mind, he heard the Empress Dowager’s voice. “Eunuch Zhang.”
Eunuch Zhang’s body trembled. “This old servant is here.”
Pei Yaran noticed his reaction and chuckled. “Eunuch Zhang, are you afraid? Afraid that this Empress Dowager will have you go to the Beauty Palace to assign the palace maids?”
“This old servant doesn’t dare. But as a eunuch, it isn’t very appropriate for me to go to the Beauty Palace.”
Pei Yaran’s slender eyebrows were scrunched up. Eunuch Zhang is refusing tactfully. Everyone is afraid of Prince Hao: a man who covers the sky with one hand. Nobody dares to offend him!
But I refuse to back down today! I am the Empress Dowager! On the surface, my position is higher than his!
Since he doesn’t care about me and doesn’t pay attention to me, I’ll make something happen! I’ll seize this opportunity to disrupt your Beauty Palace!
With her mind already made up, Pei Yaran couldn’t be bothered to think twice before she stepped out of the Compassionate Peace Palace.
He Ying pursed her lips and immediately followed. Oh no!
Eunuch Zhang was rooted in place. I originally came to request the Empress Dowager’s edict, but who would have thought that the situation would become like this? What should I do now?
Keeping his anxiety to himself, Eunuch Zhang quickly walked out of the Compassionate Peace Palace, only to find Prince Hao’s personal bodyguard, Wu Ling, along the way.
“Imperial Bodyguard Wu,” Eunuch Zhang called out.
