Doted By The Regent King

Chapter 1848: Chapter 1786: First Encounter with the Emperor and Empress

Empress Dowager Mo held Wufu’s hand and spoke to her, seeing her dressed plainly, she remembered she was in mourning and felt relieved.

"You’ve had it tough," she said.

A child without a mother is the most pitiful, Empress Dowager Mo gently patted Wufu’s hand.

Wufu was taken aback, seeing the caring and forgiving look in Empress Dowager Mo’s eyes, her heart warmed.

Nanny Shui, standing nearby, said, "Madam, what about the meeting gift you prepared?"

"Yes, yes, bring it over quickly," Empress Dowager Mo said, looking at Wufu, "Meeting you for the first time, it wouldn’t do to not give a meeting gift."

Nanny Shui added, "This meeting gift must be given after you serve tea to Madam!"

Empress Dowager Mo smiled at Wufu, "In commoner customs, bowing in front of the hall means marriage. Since you and Ah Jiu rushed to bow, there was no other option under the circumstances. Pity the hearts of parents in this world, don’t blame your mother; she was just afraid you’d delay. Now that you’re married, I, as your mother-in-law, should give you a gift to recognize our family connection. Also, after your mourning period, we can pick another auspicious day for a grand wedding."

Wufu nodded.

Nanny Shui had already instructed a palace maid to bring a mat and prepare tea.

Ah Jiu first knelt on the mat and kowtowed three times to Empress Dowager Mo and served the tea.

Wufu quickly followed him, kowtowed, and served tea: "Royal Mother, please drink the tea."

Empress Dowager Mo was overjoyed as she took the tea. At this moment, she was not a high and mighty Empress Dowager but just an ordinary woman, accepting the tea served by her daughter-in-law as a mother-in-law.

"Live well together with Ah Jiu, support each other," Empress Dowager Mo said while taking a sip of the tea and handed a large box she had prepared to Wufu: "A woman should dress beautifully. This is the headdress the former emperor awarded me when I was young, a unique set in the world, and I’m giving it to you."

"Yes," Wufu accepted it gratefully and handed it to Purple Jade to hold.

Sitting down again to talk, Wufu then presented the gift she had prepared and said, "I carve when I have spare time. It’s not as good as a famous craftsman’s work, but it’s from the heart, Royal Mother, please don’t disdain it."

Empress Dowager Mo accepted it and curiously opened it, inside was a top-quality Mutton Fat White Jade Guanyin with a compassionate expression and gentle demeanor, she couldn’t help but praise it.

Ah Jiu remarked, "Royal Mother only knows how to praise Wufu and doesn’t speak to me anymore!"

"I see you often, how can it compare to my daughter-in-law?" Empress Dowager Mo teased with a smile.

Ah Jiu deliberately tried to curry favor, amusing everyone into quiet laughter.

At the entrance to the hall, stood the Emperor and Empress, listening to the laughter coming from inside, their expressions differing.

"It seems Royal Mother is quite pleased!" Empress Song said to Emperor Yan, "It’s only natural since she’s finally met her daughter-in-law."

Emperor Yan gave her a cold glance and then told Eunuch Lu, "Announce us!"

When the Emperor and Empress entered hand in hand, everyone in Cining Palace was momentarily stunned, and the laughter ceased.

Wufu, along with Ah Jiu, stood up and waited at the side.

Before long, the Emperor and Empress, dressed in bright yellow, walked in one after the other, paying respects and greeting Empress Dowager Mo.

Ah Jiu and Wufu also knelt down and paid their respects to the Emperor and Empress.

"Rise," Emperor Yan said, excusing them from the formalities, "I heard Ah Jiu brought the Princess Consort into the palace to meet the Dowager, so the Empress and I came to have a look as well."

"Indeed, we’re all very curious about who is this figure that made our ninth brother so captivated, going to such lengths to marry her!" Empress Song laughed coquettishly, looking at Wufu, stepping forward two steps, and grasping her hand, "Is this the Wife of the Ninth? Oh, she is truly a proper and elegant person. I am your imperial sister-in-law."

Wufu raised her head and met the gaze of Empress Song who was smiling, pretended to be shy, curved her lips slightly and lowered her head, curtseying elegantly.

Empress Song, with her back to the others, had a flicker of cold glint in her eyes, which disappeared swiftly.