The Gilded Cage - Chapter 158

Doubt – Bring the Mother and Daughter from the Wei family. Hurry Up! (1)

Probably because of the sudden change of status, Madam Xu stood at the gate of the palace, a little reserved and awkward as if she didn’t know how to face Chu Ning. Even after she sat down, she was a little at a loss, as if she had just come to Changan and entered the palace.

Not to mention her, even Chu Ning was a little uncomfortable.

Now that she had become empress, she was Xiao Kezhi’s wife and the niece-in-law of the Duke of Lu. With such a relationship, she should be like Xiao Kezhi, calling Madam Xu “Auntie”, but it felt like something that couldn’t be said.

The two looked at each other, thinking about how to break the embarrassment, but Guoer suddenly took Chu Ning’s hand and called “Sister-in-law*” in a low voice.

*TL Note: More accurately, Guoer calls Chu Ning “older (cousin) brother’s wife.” Chinese makes distinctions between older vs younger brother but not between brother and cousin.

This child, when she was in front of the imperial court, never dared to call Xiao Kezhi her “cousin,” but in front of Chu Ning, it was common for her to call “Sister-in-law” so naturally.

Both Chu Ning and Madam Xu were taken aback, and the embarrassing atmosphere just now seemed to have disappeared suddenly.

“Oh, this child knows no rules!” Madam Xu patted her daughter’s head with a smile and carefully looked at Chu Ning with tentative eyes as if she wanted to see if she was still the same as before.

Chu Ning also laughed and personally scooped up the tea and brought it to Madam Xu, “Where was this unruly? I, on the other hand, hadn’t served tea yet when I met my aunt.”

“Hey, don’t be too busy, Your Highness. I can’t be regarded as a serious elder. How can I ask Your Highness to serve you tea?” Madam Xu declined, while shaking Chu Ning’s hand like in the past, “Hey, I came here today. Before, I always worried that I didn’t know how to face His Highness, but now it’s better, and it’s still the same as before. My husband and I are both from the countryside of Yanzhou, and there are no twists and turns in other people’s hearts. There are two of us, and there are only two in this life. My wish, firstly, was that Guoer will be well, and secondly, I hope that the Holy Majesty will be well. Now that the Holy Majesty has Your Highness by his side, we can all feel more at ease.”

Chu Ning patiently listened to her words, feeling a sense of warmth in her heart.

It has been a long time since she left her close relatives, and it was rare for her to be cared for by her elders. Now it sounds like it was very rare. During the New Year’s Eve, when the Duke of Lu’s family found out that the crown prince was thinking of remarrying, they did not forget to say a good word for her in front of Xiao Kezhi, and now there was no malicious speculation about her because she has changed from the Emperor’s niece to the queen. This sincerity was truly commendable.

“Thank you, Aunt, I will serve His Majesty with all my heart.”

“That’s all right. I know Your Highness’s personality, which is the most admirable and reassuring.” After Madam Xu finished speaking, she felt relaxed, and even her posture on the side of the couch relaxed.

Chu Ning asked someone to bring Guoer’s favorite cakes and fruits, and the three of them talked and laughed together. It was not much different from before.

“Recently, this child has been diligent in her studies to read and write.” Madam Xu glanced at Guoer, who was sitting at the desk beside her, carefully reading a scroll of Chu Ning’s copybook. She continued, “Her father said that this child It’s the same as the Empress Dowager Qianwei when she was young, she can read and write. It’s a pity that her family was poor, even her father couldn’t read, and the girl had no place to learn.”

The “Empress Dowager Wei” she referred to was Xiao Kezhi’s biological mother, Wei Cairen, who was posthumously named Empress Dowager only last year.

Chu Ning didn’t know much about Xiao Kezhi’s mother, so he couldn’t help paying attention when he heard the words: “It turns out that the Empress Dowager Wei was also studious, so it’s no wonder that the Holy Majesty was also so diligent and hardworking. He never slacks off in studying and governing every day.”

“Hey, yes, I heard from Guoer’s father that when Empress Dowager Wei was in Yanzhou, she secretly went to the schoolhouse in the village to listen to the corner for two days. Later, there was a famine, and she was busy picking roots every day, so she couldn’t care about anything else. She saved her rations for her parents and younger brother, and when she was hungry, she used branches to write and draw on the ground… Fortunately, she entered the palace later and enjoyed a few years of blessings, so she no longer had to suffer from hunger and cold. From the female officials in the school, she learned to read and paint.”

Chu Ning listened carefully but didn’t answer the last sentence.

She knew in her heart that the female officials in the palace who could obtain official ranks were all wives from official families, and they would look down on country people with their education and knowledge from when they were young.

It’s just that she wouldn’t tell Madam Xu about it, she could only keep it in her heart.

The three of them sat in the hall for a while, until afternoon, Madam Xu got up and took Guoer to leave.

Before leaving, Guoer sat beside Chu Ning with a smile, pulled the corner of her clothes, and whispered in her ear: “Guoer thinks His Highness and His Majesty are very suitable, much better than before!”

Looking at her flushed face, Chu Ning’s eyes brightened, and she suddenly remembered that when she was at the Lishan Racecourse earlier, Guoer might have already noticed it?

She took another look thoughtfully, and couldn’t help but shake her head with a smile.

This child was pure in nature and had a delicate mind. Although she was a bit timid, she knew how to be courteous, and she would surely live a smooth and happy life in the future.

“Okay, don’t bother Your Highness anymore.” Madam Xu saw her daughter getting close to Chu Ning and pulled her back while smiling.

After the two saluted, the maids sent them away with Chu Ning’s gift.