Auntie Li, who was by Gu Youyou’s side, showed an anxious face, then whispered to her, "That is Her Highness the Princess."
Gu Youyou had met the Princess once before, but the Princess had not noticed her, so she pretended not to know that the woman before her was the Princess, feigning great surprise.
She nodded gently and thanked Auntie Li for the warning, grateful for her reminder.
Jin Fengzhao stood before Gu Youyou, lofty and proud, her face filled with anger.
Yet Gu Youyou didn’t know where she had offended this ’Princess.’ If her memory served her correctly, this was their first encounter, and there had been no previous feud.
"Your Highness the Princess," Gu Youyou greeted her with proper etiquette, bending her knees slightly.
Feng Zhao’s eyes brimmed with hostility as she said sternly, "You see the Princess and you do not kneel?"
Gu Youyou was stunned for a moment, and Auntie Li hurriedly pulled her to kneel.
But Gu Youyou, as if unaware, merely bent her knees in a normal respectful bow, and said with reverence, "Your Highness, the Empress Dowager once granted this commoner permission not to kneel before anyone in the palace except for the Empress Dowager, the Empress, and His Majesty the Emperor."
"A commoner?" Feng Zhao looked utterly astonished.
She had thought the woman before her was a lady from some Minister’s family, only to learn she was a ’commoner.’
"Who are you?" The anger in her eyes grew.
"I am a doctor of Jisheng Hall, Gu Youyou!" Gu Youyou replied honestly.
"Where did you get these clothes?" Feng Zhao stared at Gu Youyou’s attire, suddenly interested in this commoner’s origins.
Gu Youyou glanced down at her own dress and then at the Princess’s clothes, finally realizing how she had offended her.
She had intended to wear the new style as an advertisement, knowing that the ladies of the court were already accustomed to her receiving the latest fashions from Manxiu Building due to her life-saving grace to its owner. The Princess, however, who had married and rarely returned to the palace since, would not be aware.
Seeing herself in an old style from Manxiu Building, while this ’commoner,’ a female doctor, wore the latest, how could she not be angered?
"Returning to Your Highness the Princess, it is from Manxiu Building," Gu Youyou answered just as honestly.
"Hmph, Manxiu Building." Feng Zhao’s face turned a furious shade of blue as she said indignantly, "The palace hasn’t even received this style yet, and you dare to wear it? Guards, seize her!"
With that, several wet nurses behind her immediately advanced to restrain Gu Youyou.
Gu Youyou’s expression changed drastically; she had heard the Princess was arrogant and presumptuous, caring only for her own pleasure, but to think she would dare lay hands on her in the palace over a piece of clothing?
Though Gu Youyou was a commoner, she had cured the Empress Dowager’s leg illness, served as a teacher for the Ninth Princess, and was the Lin Family’s eldest cousin. With the Empress and the Empress Dowager as her backers, she was usually spared the troubles from other women in the palace.
"Your Highness the Princess," Gu Youyou’s voice was cool and firm, neither humble nor arrogant, "to punish this commoner, merely for a piece of clothing, would seem unjust, wouldn’t it?"
Auntie Li was sweating bullets on her behalf; knowing the Doctor had likely offended the Princess with her demeanor. They all knew too well of the Princess’s temper—only the Empress Dowager could control her. Given their strained relationship though, the Empress Dowager was unlikely to intervene on her behalf this time.
Auntie Li, visibly distressed, knelt down and pleaded with Feng Zhao, "Your Highness, please calm your anger. Doctor Gu has performed a great service for the Empress Dowager. Could you, for the Empress Dowager’s sake, spare Doctor Gu this offense?"