Eight Treasures Trousseau

94

Chapter Ninety-Four: Honest Talk

Zhang Qing Yan was just a second empress and not of the main branch, but she was still of the Zhang bloodline. With the Zhang Family's reputation among the scholars, even before Zhang Qing Yan entered the palace, there were scholars who wrote essays and poems for her to praise her marriage to Qilong Emperor.

But even the grandest pomp and most beautiful praise could not disguise the reality that Qilong Emperor was old. A beautiful girl in her teens marrying a man older than her father—what else could she get except that noble phoenix seat?

But Zhang Qing Yan did not care. It was not important to her how the Emperor looked, or how old he was. What was most important was that she was going to become an empress, with her name recorded in the history books. How many women dreamed of this chance?

She listened to the songs of praise and respect, and even she thought that she was the most outstanding woman in the world. What talented and virtuous Min Huai Junzhu, what dignified Sheng Junwang Fei, what matchless beautiful Xian Wang Fei? What were they next to her?

She was the empress, the most noble woman in the world. The noblewomen who had been once been praised by people had to kneel before her. How pleasurable was this?

"Miss, Old Zhang Taitai has come. Mistress asks you to go to the front hall to see the old taitai." A servant girl came in and saw Zhang Qing Yan was reading. She said in a small voice, "Mistress said that the old taitai has seen many noble personages, and for her to advise you. It will be of benefit for you later in the palace."

Zhang Qing Yan frowned upon hearing this. When she thought of the main family Zhang Taitai's dignified and almost proud face, she said, "When I went to the main family to pay my respects in the past, that one was aloof and remote. Now seeing our family about to rise, they want to come fawn; this is laughable."

The servant girl heard the outrageous words and wanted to cover her ears and pretend that she did not hear them. But Miss was the future empress. She didn't dare to show even the slightest bit of disrespect.

In the front hall, Old Zhang Taitai calmly put down the teacup in her hand and slowly wiped the corner of her mouth. "It seems that your miss has no time to see this old woman. That's all right. It is late; I should return."

"Old Taitai!" Mother Zhang's face was flushed, but she was of a wooden personality and not skilled verbally. Seeing that her daughter had angered the taitai of the main family into leaving, she hurriedly stood to support Old Zhang Taitai.

Old Zhang Taitai had experienced the pain of losing her son, and her personality was peaceful now. She looked at the panicked Mother Zhang, patted her hand lightly, and then left with a sigh.

People outside all thought that the Zhang Family was about to rise and prosper after this, but she felt that the Zhang Family had sunk into a bog that they could not climb out of. The Emperor was old and did not have a son. The imperial grandson was young and born with inauspicious signs. A naive girl like Zhang Qing Yan—when she entered the palace which ate people, did she have the skill to give birth to an imperial son?

Something that even those scheming imperial consorts in the palace were unable to do, what great ability did Zhang Qing Yan have to accomplish?

Also, court was turbulent right now. With Zhang Qing Yan's personality, it would be accumulating the good fortune of a few lifetimes if she could just survive, yet she wanted to have a child?

Old Zhang Taitai had a small disdainful smile. When she thought of her son who had died senselessly and of that dirty Imperial Family, there was a hint of hate in her eyes.