Yun Jinnian furrowed his brows.
Shaoyao barked angrily, "Dammit, is this your first time taking measurements for a master? Can’t you even grasp the basics? Get lost and summon your Superior here!"
"This official deserves death, it wasn’t intentional!"
Shaoyao snorted coldly.
Perhaps Yun Jinnian didn’t know the tricks within the palace. She entered the palace at five years old, and now twenty years had passed; how could she not be aware?
When Jinnian had first arrived at Auspicious Water, she must have been beginning to develop. Was this female official not a teenage girl who knew to avoid suspicion?
If that was the case, it meant her actions were intentional.
"Shaoyao sister, let it be, just have someone else come and take the measurements instead!"
Yun Jinnian did not want to make a big fuss.
Being taken advantage of by a female official, making a scene would also reflect poorly on her.
Shaoyao knew Yun Jinnian’s concerns and decided to suppress the issue for now, planning to investigate it thoroughly later.
Whether it was intentional or not, the truth would eventually come to light.
Another female official was called to take Yun Jinnian’s measurements. This official was young but extremely cautious, prompting Yun Jinnian to take an extra couple of looks at her.
The female official gave Yun Jinnian a friendly smile.
Yun Jinnian lightly pursed her lips in return, "When the clothes are ready, please bring them to me!"
The female official was overjoyed, "Yes!"
To be tasked with making clothes for the Empress, one must either be Miss Dai from the Dai Family or the lady standing before her now.
And seeing how prudently the Empress handled matters, even sending Shaoyao Auntie to attend to her, was something that hadn’t even been done for Miss Dai.
The Empress had been lounging on the chaise longue for quite some time.
A contented smile played on her lips—what was she thinking about?
Mama Ma walked up to the Empress, "Empress, someone from the side hall has sent word that the fourth young miss is well now!"
"Mama Ma, what title do you think I should bestow upon her?"
"Considering the fourth young miss’s merits, she would be worthy even of a princess’s title, but too much is as bad as too little. It would be better to make her a Commandery Princess!"
The Empress chuckled, "There’s no need for me to worry about this; it seems the Emperor has the same intention. I won’t compete with the Emperor on this. When the time comes, I’ll just ensure her title is both auspicious and grand, and bestow generous rewards." The Empress had just finished speaking when a gleam flashed in her eyes, and she continued, "Mama Ma, take the dowry from my marriage and divide it into two parts, one part for Jinnian, and the other for Mimi!"
"Empress, won’t that be too generous?" Mama Ma hurriedly remarked.
Giving it to Hanmi, one half of the dowry wouldn’t raise eyebrows, for Hanmi was the Empress’s own niece. No matter how much she was given, it would be understandable.
But as for Yun Jinnian...
"She is worthy of it!"
She had saved him. Not just half the dowry—if it were the whole thing, she would still be worthy of it.
Yet these words could not be spoken, should not be spoken.
They would remain hidden in her heart forever, satisfied by the occasional distant glance at him, his gaze sweeping over her in a fleeting look back.
Contented with this, she did not dare to hope for more in this life—to be by his side forever, in unchanging love and favor.
"Yes, this old servant will arrange everything shortly!"
Mama Ma knew not to say too much more.
The Emperor had not stayed in Weiyang Palace for many years. Had it been any other mistress, she might have gone mad with despair, but the Empress remained calm and unhurried, always graceful, managing the harem for the Emperor, arranging the court ladies.
The Empress had her pride.
The Dai Family’s men had never taken concubines for generations, yet she had married a man with three wives and four concubines, a man with a harem of three thousand beauties...
Even being the Empress, this must have been a hard pill to swallow.
The Empress nodded in satisfaction, "Let’s go and see if the little beauty is well prepared. As for the Emperor, have Dezi visit him, make sure things are handled properly, and don’t..."
Let something dirty Yun Jinnian’s eyes!