The palace maids and eunuchs were stunned by her words and began to doubt whether they had misheard. The Empress wanted to plant vegetables? Was this something her delicate body could do?
Yet no one dared to question her command, but as soon as she had finished giving it, the news had already reached the Imperial Study and Cining Palace.
When the Emperor heard of Yuan Yuan’s decision, his first reaction was to scoff.
"That Fatty Yuan really knows how to play around. First, she disappears on us, then she’s cooking and planting vegetables? Alright, I want to see how far she’ll go. Let her have whatever she wants, because, no matter what she gets up to, I won’t give her a second look!"
On the other hand, the Empress Dowager was full of concern, asking the nanny beside her.
"Is Yuanyuan distressed by something? She’s grown up without ever holding a hoe or shovel in her life. Does she even know all the basic condiments? Never mind, since she has nothing to do in the palace, let her do as she wishes. Send a few people to teach her. If she wants to do it, at least make it appear proper. I hope I’ll be able to eat the vegetables she grows, the food she cooks."
"The Empress need not worry," said the nanny. "What the Empress is doing is not bad, in my opinion. It can distract her attention and even exercise her body. Perhaps this little activity will help her lose weight?"
Upon mentioning Yuan Yuan’s body, the Empress Dowager’s gaze sharpened suddenly. "How could a child be missing for no reason for three days? And that Yuan Shoucheng, I always feel uneasy about him. Go find a doctor from the common folk to come to the palace and give Yuan Yuan a thorough examination. I always feel that her being so overweight must have a reason."
Nanny Liu was momentarily taken aback, then quickly understood. "Is Your Majesty suggesting that someone is harming the Empress?"
The Empress Dowager closed her eyes, twisting the Buddhist beads in her hand. "We’ll know if there’s a problem once we investigate. And while you’re at it, send a message to the General Mansion..."
"Yes, Your Majesty, I will attend to it immediately."
As soon as Nanny Liu left, the Empress Dowager slowly opened her eyes, murmuring something under her breath, her gaze more somber than ever.
The situation within Yuan Yuan’s palace was tightly controlled by both the Empress Dowager and the Emperor—it was extremely difficult for others to learn anything.
However, Yuan Shoucheng had found his way to the Emperor, claiming that ever since Yuan Yuan had gone missing, Mrs. Yuan Wen had become ill. Now that Yuan Yuan was safely back, she wished to come to the palace to see her. Read complete version only at Novᴇl_Fire(.)net
In the public eye, the Emperor had no reason to refuse, so he granted Mrs. Yuan Wen permission to enter the palace.
When the news reached Yuan Yuan, she actually felt nothing inside.
Searching through the memories of her original self, she couldn’t find even a trace of family warmth.
Yuan Yuan was raised with material opulence but emotionally she was blank.
The Yuan Family provided her with the finest food and clothes but not the best education or affection.
The attitude of the Yuan Family towards her, if not overtly disdainful like outsiders, was at least consistently cold and neglectful.
Yuan Yuan had grown up truly knowing nothing but eating, it wouldn’t be exaggerating to call her illiterate.
So when she heard that Mrs. Yuan Wen was coming to the palace to see her, to tell the truth, her first reaction was surprise, but her second was that something felt off.
Could it be that Yuan Shoucheng had discovered something last time, so he wanted Mrs. Yuan Wen to come to the palace to gather information?
The more Yuan Yuan thought, the more she believed it possible. However, she was not afraid. She was now the Empress, what was there to be afraid of? Although the Emperor despised her, she always felt that the Empress Dowager was sincere toward her. With someone to cover for her, she had nothing to fear.