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墨書 Inktalez
In recent days, Mo Xier has been feeling anxious. Every day after serving the Empress Dowager, she returns to her room feeling as if something is pressing down on her chest, making it hard for her to breathe, leaving her gasping for air. Even in her dreams, she feels disoriented.
Lying in bed, she feels a heaviness in her heart and doesn't want to speak. Cui Er asks her with concern what is wrong and if she feels unwell.
She touches her chest, gazing blankly into the distance, wondering what is happening to her. Is she really ill?
Green Wisteria has visited her several times, but it's strange; Green Wisteria's mood swings unpredictably. Sometimes she is cold towards Mo Xier, while at other times she is unusually warm. What could be the reason?
Meanwhile, a strange young eunuch from the Empress Dowager's side brought several new garments and jewelry. The colors of the clothes are incredibly bright, particularly an egg yolk yellow that she particularly dislikes, though it is still not as bright as the Emperor's Dragon Robe.
"The Empress Dowager said these clothes and jewelry are for Miss Mo Xi to accept. Tomorrow at the Ceremony of Enfeoffment, you must wear something bright and eye-catching when entering the hall to make a good impression."
She nodded, and the eunuchs retreated. Now she is finally the Empress Dowager's adopted daughter; the Emperor no longer needs to entangle with her so openly.
But why does she not feel at ease? Why? She covers her chest, feeling as if something is weighing down on her, causing a pain that makes it hard to breathe. What could be causing this heart-wrenching pain?
The next day, she woke up early to dress and groom herself. The woman in the mirror looked radiant yet pale, with dark circles under her eyes indicating that she had not rested well in recent days.
Cui Er combed her hair while lamenting, "Miss, you are so beautiful; it's a pity about those dark circles."
She chuckled lightly and replied, "Are you lamenting for me or lamenting that I don't deserve these eyes?" She lifted her chin and looked at Cui Er with a charming expression, causing Cui Er's face to flush slightly.
Lowering her head carefully, Cui Er said, "Miss, you certainly understand what I mean; I lament your Ruo Er's beauty!"
Her voice was soft and carried a hint of youthful charm.
Mo Xier stared blankly at Cui Er, suddenly recalling her own life at thirteen or fourteen. Back then, it was just her and her mother relying on each other, while her father was off enjoying himself with his mistress somewhere, leaving them in a poor household.
She could only work hard to study, strive to rise above, and earn certificates and trophies that her peers could not obtain, so she could go further, gain wealth, and live a prosperous life.
Thus, she became a talented woman in modern medicine, with medical skills that even the old professors envied.
When had she ever had such a pure and beautiful smile? She was dazed as she reached out to gently touch Cui Er's face, which was round and soft. Cui Er was startled by her action and hesitantly said, "Miss?"
"Yes." She softly responded, smoothing Cui Er's bangs and said gently, "Cui Er, when I leave the palace, I will ask Old Madam for your contract of servitude and then find a good family to marry you off."
Later on, although she did ask Old Madam for someone to come to the palace, she never received the contract.
Her voice was calm as she thought of the hardships she had endured. After a pause, she added, "I will give you all the gifts that the Empress Dowager bestows upon me as your dowry. Don't worry; Night Star has plenty of silver. I will ask him for some to accompany your dowry."
After a moment, she continued, "Though these gifts from the Empress Dowager may not be worth much, they represent her favor. The in-laws won't dare to bully you. They will have to treat you well."
When she had first seen those gifts upon receiving them, most were merely superficial items with little practical use and not very valuable.
These things could only serve as a facade of the Empress Dowager's favor but could not be exchanged for anything truly useful.
"Miss, I cannot," Cui Er hurriedly knelt down, speaking with some fear.
Mo Xier smiled gently, bending down to help her up. "Why are you so frightened? You treat me sincerely; how can I not treat you well? It's just that my life is filled with deceit and is not suitable for you."
"Miss..." Cui Er's eyes turned red as her voice choked. "Cui Er doesn't want to go anywhere; I just want to stay by your side. Cui Er doesn't want to leave you."
"Silly girl, you still have to get married." She gently stroked Cui Er's bangs. "Do you want to grow old here? Living a proper life with a good family is the right path."
"Then what about you, Miss?" Cui Er's thoughts wavered slightly as she looked weakly at Mo Xier. The young lady in front of her was kind-hearted and beautiful, truly a rare find.
She had seen other maids before; the mistresses they served were either willful and harsh or cruel-hearted. They either scolded the servants or forced them to engage in sordid deeds, living in darkness.
"I have Night General!" She lifted her head proudly, revealing a bright smile. "Have you forgotten about Night General? He will definitely protect me!"
As she said this, her gaze was intense, looking into the distance with unwavering confidence, though it was unclear where that confidence came from. She continued, "So you don't need to worry about me; just find someone to marry."
"Cui Er won't. Cui Er wants to wait until the Miss marries Night General and settles down completely before leaving."
Cui Er was resolute. After pondering for a moment, she added, "Even if I get married, I will still serve the Miss together. My husband will also belong to the Miss and will be willing to let her command him freely; only then will I agree to marry."
Cui Er's eyes sparkled with determination. Suddenly, she had a thought and burst into laughter.
Straightening herself in front of the mirror, she said to the beautiful woman before her, "Come on, help me dress up nicely; I have my own plans."
"Oh," Cui Er replied cautiously and stepped forward to carefully braid the Miss's hair neatly.
Mo Xier looked at herself in the mirror, gently touching her cheek and the wound on her neck. To her surprise, it had healed completely; all traces were gone. She thought that the medicine given by the emperor was indeed a miraculous remedy.
With that in mind, she put on the bright yellow pleated skirt sent by the Empress Dowager. The skirt was adorned with colorful stars and had large openings at the shoulders. She wore a collar around her neck, and on her chest was a large piece embroidered with delicate tassels that cascaded down, accentuating her graceful figure and making her look alluring.
However, no matter how enchanting her figure was, her pure and lovely face could never be associated with sensuality.
"The Miss looks so beautiful," Cui Er exclaimed in delight from the side.
"Really?" Mo Xier twirled around in place and was genuinely surprised by her own appearance. The swaying tassels danced along with her graceful form, making her resemble a little yellow swan.
"Empress Dowager really cares for you, Miss. You can tell just by looking at the dress," Cui Er said happily.
"Yes," Mo Xier sighed as well, but she couldn't understand why the Empress Dowager favored her so much. Was it simply because of the little tricks she used and the delicious treats she made?
If that were the case, then the Empress Dowager was too easy to please. But it was also good this way, as it kept her shameless son from constantly bothering her.
In a few days, when Night Star returned, she would ask the Empress Dowager to arrange a marriage for her. Thinking this way, she suddenly felt happy; the dark clouds in her heart seemed to disperse like birds and beasts, welcoming a beautiful and hopeful tomorrow.
In the Imperial Study, fragrant incense wafted through the air. A young eunuch brought tea and reported, "Your Majesty, it's time. The ceremony for the enfeoffment is about to begin."
The Emperor frowned and pushed away the steaming cup of tea. The young eunuch was splashed with hot tea all over his face but didn't dare to cry out, forcing himself to endure while his teeth chattered.
Li Ye sat gloomily on the dragon throne, his brows furrowed like a bun. "Enfeoffment, enfeoffment; it's not for me to confer titles on consorts. Why is the Empress Dowager so eager?"
Zhang Zehai, who had been standing quietly to one side, watched the Emperor and came up with a clever plan. He leaned closer to whisper in the Emperor's ear, "Today, Lord Li Qingfeng..." His voice grew softer until only the Emperor could hear him clearly.
After speaking, the man in the bright yellow robe revealed a smile; there was an oddly smug and sinister look on his handsome face.
"Hahaha!" The Emperor laughed three times, stood up, and patted Zhang Zehai on the shoulder. "If you accomplish this task, I will reward you." Zhang Zehai smiled and humbly replied, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
"Let's go to the Empress Dowager," he said before striding out of the door in his bright yellow robes.
At the Ceremony of Enfeoffment, an imposing atmosphere filled with solemnity prevailed; the bright decorations highlighted the royal dignity exceptionally well.
Mo Xier knelt cautiously on the ground while officials stood outside. Alone in the grand hall, she appeared slender in her pale yellow dress that made it hard for the officials to keep their eyes open.
Green Wisteria served carefully beside the Empress Dowager, watching the radiant woman in the center of the hall with a feeling of discomfort. An ugly emotion began to swell within her, slowly extending through her veins.
"Declare the edict!" The Empress Dowager saw that everyone had arrived, so she waved her hand, signaling the eunuch beside her to bring forth the imperial decree for reading.
A young eunuch stepped forward, solemnly unfolding a stack of yellow edicts and declared seriously, "Physician Mo Xier, with commendable virtue and contributions in caring for this widow, is hereby accepted as an Adopted Daughter to signify this to the world. She is granted the title 'Fuyuan' to pray for blessings for the people. Thus decreed."
After the decree was read, Mo Xier knelt down to thank her, while all the civil and military officials present also knelt on the ground, shouting, "Long live the Empress Dowager!"
The group of officials in their golden robes bowed gracefully, their voices booming like thunder. This was the first time Mo Xier had witnessed such a grand scene outside of historical dramas.
Once the ceremony was complete, the Empress Dowager hosted a small banquet in the back garden. Many children and ladies from wealthy families had already gathered there, chatting and laughing while holding pastries.
As Mo Xier entered the back garden, her gaze swept around and she noticed Old Madam and that detestable cousin Night Star were also present.
The moment Liu Xuxin spotted her, her eyes lit up instantly, then twisted into a fierce expression filled with hatred. "It's you! Why are you here?"
"Why can't I be here? The main character of today's banquet is me!"
Mo Xier raised her head, her gaze cold as she stared at the woman before her. She saw that Liu Xuxin had a slender figure like a delicate willow, her complexion slightly flushed, exuding a hint of tenderness as she charmingly leaned against Old Madam, appearing quite graceful.
"You? The new Adopted Daughter of the Empress Dowager is actually you?" Liu Xuxin pointed at Mo Xier in disbelief. "So what if it is me? Is there a problem?"
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