Chapter 45- Paying Respects to the Empress – Transcendental Translations

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Chapter 45

Without the marriage arrangement, she instead won the favor of Princess Shangyang—clearly, the same life doesn’t bring the same results to everyone.

Anyone who could see clearly understood that while Miss Jiang had avoided an unhappy marriage, she now had a respectable way forward. Some said that she’d had a change of heart, while others believed that one’s true nature is unchangeable, claiming it was Prince Ying’s and Zhao Yuexi’s over-the-top behavior that pushed her into retaliating so fiercely.

Since the broken engagement, Jiang Ruohua had kept a low profile, aside from saving Princess Shangyang. She didn’t want anyone thinking she had drastically changed. There’s an old saying that abnormal situations invite rumors; if she made too big of a stir, it might scare others away. Those who couldn’t stand her would, undoubtedly, spin any kind of wild story, even spreading tales of possession or sorcery.

Besides, given the current situation, there wasn’t much she could do to Prince Ying. As for the Third House, that was a matter that couldn’t be rushed. Destroying them would be simple, but it wouldn’t be worth ruining her own reputation in the process. Instead, she was determined to achieve everything the Third Madame had ever dreamt of and then crush her family mercilessly. As long as her plans continued smoothly, she had no need to hurry.

The Third Madame appeared a bit worn down lately. Pretending to care, Jiang Ruohua expressed regret for burdening her with so many things. Though it made the Third Madame bitter with resentment, she could only stroke Jiang Ruohua’s head and reassure her that it was nothing. Afterward, she handed her the finely prepared gift for Princess Shangyang, an offering she had spent days agonizing over.

All this while, the Third Madame had to repeatedly remind Jiang Ruohua about how to conduct herself at the palace, wearing herself out with care and not entirely willingly.

Hua Chan, who accompanied Jiang Ruohua on the palace visit, finally couldn’t hold back a quiet remark once they left the Marquis’s residence. “Did you see her face? She must have been worrying herself sick over this for days. You’re brilliant, Miss—effortlessly putting her through the wringer. This is way more satisfying than watching her get flogged.”

Jiang Ruohua smiled slightly in acknowledgment. “Just keep it as it is, nothing too obvious,” she replied.

Covering her mouth, Hua Chan laughed softly. “I’ll only ever say it around you, Miss.”

Jiang Ruohua trusted her on that. Hua Chan was clever, and she only showed this cheerful, spirited side around Jiang Ruohua and Yin Qiu.

As they traveled, Hua Chan’s excitement grew. After all, the palace was a place most people could only dream of seeing, a structure brought to life by the effort of countless craftsmen. It housed the emperor and embodied a lifestyle most could never imagine.

Watching Hua Chan’s enthusiasm, Jiang Ruohua’s mind drifted back to her dream. After becoming Princess Ying, she had gone to the palace frequently, though her visits had rarely been pleasant. Concubine Yi was no friend, and time spent with other princesses was tense. Once, Hua Chan had defended her, only to be punished severely…

Her fingers tightened slightly. The palace had never been a safe place. She hated the version of herself in that dream, helpless and shaped by others, forced to endure every humiliation to spare Hua Chan from an even worse fate. After that, Hua Chan had rarely smiled. Her face had been severely beaten and scarred. When others tried to silence her by cutting her tongue, she struggled, suffering a deep cut on her face. Though she had been saved, the wound left her face permanently disfigured.

Now that she was awake, Jiang Ruohua counted herself fortunate. It had been just a dream, one that hadn’t yet come to pass. Now that she knew what could happen, she had the chance to shield those she cared about.

After several days recuperating in the palace, Princess Shangyang had regained some of her health and arranged a small gathering, inviting Jiang Ruohua to join her.

When the carriage stopped at the palace gates, Jiang Ruohua was helped down by Hua Chan, and a eunuch led them into the palace.

“Princess Shangyang is currently with the Empress,” the eunuch informed them. “Please proceed to greet the Empress first.”

“Of course. Please lead the way.”

Naturally, the Empress and the Emperor had been married for many years. Although she had borne two princes, they had both died young, leaving Princess Shangyang as her only surviving child. The Empress lavished all her motherly affection on the princess, so anyone close to Princess Shangyang had to first pass the Empress’s scrutiny.

Recalling the scenes from her dream, Jiang Ruohua felt a pang of sadness. In that vision, the Empress had fallen ill upon hearing of her daughter’s dishonor, and Concubine Yi had seized the opportunity to take control of the palace. Eventually, even after reuniting with her daughter, the Empress had to watch her be sent off in a marriage alliance. The shock had been too great for her to bear, and she passed away before Princess Shangyang had even left the capital.

Though she had been the Empress for decades, gentle and kind, her maternal family had sacrificed everything to support the Emperor’s rise to power, relinquishing authority shortly afterward. In all her years, she had rarely strayed from her dignified position as a noblewoman without any real influence. When she lost her two sons as infants, royal tradition didn’t allow for a posthumous title, even for the Empress’s own sons. If things had gone differently, Crown Prince Li would have been the second prince.

The Empress had lived a blameless life yet had suffered immense hardship. By the time she finally broke down and cried for her daughter, it was already too late. In her dream, Jiang Ruohua had been in the palace that day, though the Empress’s outburst at the gates was quickly hushed.

As these memories lingered, they soon reached Fengluan Palace.

Jiang Ruohua stood tall and composed, waiting outside the hall. Once her arrival was announced, the Empress’s head maid came out to greet her with a warm smile.

“The Empress invites Lady Jiang inside.”

“Thank you, Auntie,” Jiang Ruohua replied, dipping her head respectfully. She followed the maid into the hall, where the air was filled with a faint, calming fragrance. The furnishings were carefully chosen, tasteful without excess, reflecting both the Empress’s refined taste and her lofty status.

“Your servant greets Her Majesty, the Empress,” Jiang Ruohua said, stopping mid-hall. With graceful respect, she bowed low, waiting for the Empress to permit her to rise before lifting her head.