PFC Chapter 1162: Tricks at Cining Palace
Chapter 1162: Tricks at Cining Palace
Cining Palace.Song Ci was led by the palace maid to Empress Dowager Wang’s phoenix couch. As she tried to bow nervously, Empress Dowager Wang waved it away before she could bend her waist.
"You’re not in great health either, so don’t trouble yourself with formalities," Empress Dowager Wang said with a smile to her trusted aides, "Quickly prepare a seat and serve tea for Lady Song."
Song Ci thanked her graciously and sat down. Seeing the Empress Dowager’s clearly fatigued and pallid face, she couldn’t help but feel concerned and said, "Lady, you must take good care of your health. Your complexion looks extremely unwell."
Empress Dowager Wang coughed twice and said, "With age, these old bones fail me. But don’t talk about me; your complexion isn’t much better than mine. I haven’t seen you for months, and you’ve aged quite a bit."
Song Ci, upon entering the palace to meet the phoenix carriage, had dressed neatly. Her maids had dusted her with some powder to enhance her appearance, lest she looked even older.
Yet she had truly worn out her constitution, now weakened by illness. Even with powder, it was hard to hide the signs of age, especially her hair, which used to be grayish, now turned silver white with no trace of black.
Song Ci blinked her eyes and pretended to be cheerful, "So, we’re just the same, laughing fifty steps at a hundred. None of us should pretend to be young."
Empress Dowager Wang was amused and laughed, but this laughter led to a coughing fit, somewhat disordered.
Lian Qiao quickly soothed her back, and once her breath settled, she took the warm water from the palace maid and helped her sip it.
Song Ci watched from the side, her worry growing.
Empress Dowager Wang pushed away Lian Qiao’s hand, seeing the concern in Song Ci’s eyes, she gently curled her lips, "Knowing you are sick made me anxious. My status, inconvenient as it was, kept me from visiting the Song Mansion. Later, I too fell ill."
"This is my fault for worrying you," Song Ci quickly said, "I’m recuperating, it’s just that age and winter slow recovery. By next spring when the weather warms, I’ll be better. By then, you must summon me to the palace gardens to enjoy the flowers."
"That would be great, just afraid you’ll come up with excuses not to come," Empress Dowager Wang teased.
"If you summon me, I’ll crawl if I must. So you should hurry and recover as well, listen to the imperial physicians, and don’t shirk from taking your medicine."
Lian Qiao laughed beside, "That’s precisely accurate, Lady Song. The Lady always does this, avoiding the bitter medicine and acting stubbornly."
Empress Dowager Wang cast her a sidelong look, "Now that Song Ci is here, you’re bold enough to complain about me?"
"Indeed, Lady Song will certainly protect me," Lian Qiao said with a wink.
Empress Dowager Wang pointed at her, feigning anger with a hum, "In that case, you should pack up and follow Song Ci out of the palace, serve by her side. Surely the Prime Minister’s Mansion will take care of you in your old age, better than dying here in the palace."
These words, half jest, half earnest, sounded like entrusting her affairs after passing.
Lian Qiao felt a lump in her throat and quickly replied, "Don’t think of driving me out, even if to die, I’ll remain by your side."
"And now you no longer need Song Ci to protect you?"
Song Ci watched them banter, Lian Qiao’s eyes even turned red, so she laughed and changed the topic, "Anyone by the Lady’s side is a blessing to the Song Family. As long as the Lady is willing, whoever wishes to leave the palace should be sent to the Prime Minister’s Mansion to retire. By the way, there’s Master Buhui from the illustrious Song Family lineage, now tonsured at Guanghan Temple, just summoned by the Emperor to the palace. Perhaps let him take your pulse?"