The deposed empress married a prince, and the dog emperor wept with regret!

Chapter 328 A Reprimand to Song Yaozhu

Watching the Dowager Consort lead the newlywed woman from the Gai family around the courtyard, still looking quite energetic, we passed through the garden and saw a small artificial pond. The withered lotus leaves in the pond still looked desolate and bleak.

"Your Highness, why aren't you cleaning up the withered lotus leaves in the pond?" someone asked, puzzled.

The Dowager smiled and said, "These lotus flowers, though withered, once bloomed. I think it's good to let them fall naturally, so they can sink into the pond and become nutrients, which can be considered as returning to their roots."

"The Empress Dowager is truly righteous!"

Song Yaozhu remained silent, thinking to herself, "You people really know how to flatter without any scruples. You can even exaggerate the righteousness of this?"

What is this?

Oh well, as long as they're happy.

As Song Yaozhu gazed at the pond filled with withered lotus leaves, before she could form any thoughts, the Dowager Princess called her name.

"Your Highness, why are you standing there?" she said reproachfully. "Come here. You were standing next to me before. I was so fond of this girl today that I neglected you. It's my fault!"

As soon as the Dowager finished speaking, the ladies who had been secretly gossiping about Song Yaozhu all lowered their heads in shame, not daring to look up.

They're all so old, how come they can't control their mouths!

Song Yaozhu didn't seem to care much. She walked through the crowd to the Empress Dowager and said, "I was thinking that the Empress Dowager is short of young men around her, and it's rare to find someone she likes so much, so naturally I didn't dare to disturb her."

The Dowager Consort wore an unsettling smile on her aged face. Beside her, Madam Gai, seemingly displeased that her limelight had been stolen, spoke up: "Dowager Consort, it's windy by the pond. Let's go to the pavilion over there to take shelter from the wind!"

"Oh, you're so thoughtful! Let's go, let's go!"

Madam Gai helped the Dowager Consort walk towards the pavilion, seemingly ignoring Song Yaozhu as if she hadn't seen her at all.

Song Yaozhu didn't care and lagged far behind the crowd. There weren't many seats in the pavilion, and after the Dowager Consort took her seat, Madam Gai naturally followed suit. Then came Madam Gai's mother-in-law, Madam Gai. There was still an empty seat, but no one went to sit down, and no one invited Song Yaozhu to sit there either.

Song Yaozhu wasn't in a hurry to show off her status. She slowly sat down by the pavilion, and no one wanted to talk to her.

It's unclear what the Dowager Consort was thinking. Initially, they assumed she summoned Song Yaozhu to humiliate her, but one of them became the villain, while the Dowager Consort then publicly displayed affection for Song Yaozhu. This made them seem like they were caught in the middle!

After everyone was seated, the maids naturally served tea and refreshments.

"The weather is just right today, how about we compose a few poems?" the Empress Dowager suggested.

The young mistress beside her was a talented young woman when she was still unmarried. She was also a member of the Capital Poetry Society, and writing poetry was nothing more than a trivial skill for her.

After the Dowager finished speaking, she pondered for a moment and then recited a poem.

Everyone praised it, and many noble ladies cheered. The other young women followed suit and began composing poems, but none were as good as Madam Gai's.

"Your Highness, why don't you sing a poem too?" Madam Gai asked Song Yaozhu with a smile.

All eyes turned to Song Yaozhu, who had been relegated to a supporting role for half the day.

At every banquet in the past, she was always busy helping the Dowager Consort, as if she were half a mistress.

Song Yaozhu waved her hand, "I'm too old to play with young girls, you guys have fun."

What was said unintentionally was taken seriously by the listener.

Song Yaozhu felt that if her original self were alive, she would be almost a grandmother, so it wouldn't be appropriate for her to compete with these young girls. But in Madam Gai's ears, she was being mocked for being so flamboyant and competitive even though she was already a wife.

God knows, Song Yaozhu really didn't mean that!

Madam Gai felt awkward and embarrassed, unsure of what to say, and the atmosphere became tense for a moment.

A lady stepped in to smooth things over: "Oh dear, Your Highness is right! Although we were all young girls once, once we become wives, we have to manage the affairs of a large family. Our minds are filled with the mundane things like firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and tea. Where is there room for the romantic fantasies of you young people!"

The lady spoke well, but the listener had to accept it.

Madam Gai retorted sarcastically, "How old is the Princess Consort? Is she already old?"

Song Yaozhu looked at Madam Gai, then smiled and shifted her gaze to Madam Gai beside her. Madam Gai, after all, was the wife of a Grand Secretary of the Inner Cabinet, and she maintained an unapproachable demeanor.

"Speaking of which, I and Madam Gai are of the same generation. Madam Gai, do you think I am old or not?"

Song Yaozhu smiled, but when she saw Madam Gai, she was startled and hurriedly looked at her mother-in-law.

Madam Gai's relaxed face twitched. She was over fifty years old. This Yue was the wife of her youngest son. Recently, the Dowager Consort had promoted her, so she had taken her out. Who would have thought that she would be so outspoken!

"The princess is indeed young, but given her seniority, she shouldn't be fooling around with the younger generation. My daughter-in-law is still young, so please bear with her!"

Madam Gai's words made Young Madam Gai's face flush. All the favor and respect that the Dowager had shown her before had vanished at this moment!

She couldn't help but feel wronged, and her eyes welled up with tears.

The Dowager Consort sipped her tea without speaking, and only spoke after the farce was over: "This tea is still a bit lacking in flavor. Yaozhu, your tea is still the best to my taste. Come over and show everyone your skills so that everyone can have a taste."

This casual tone made everyone feel that there was no animosity between the Empress Dowager and Song Yaozhu.

The old nanny beside the Dowager Consort stepped forward and said to Madam Gai, "Madam Gai, please move over!"

Madam Gai felt extremely ashamed and wished she could disappear into a crack in the ground!

Unexpectedly, the Empress Dowager gave Song Yaozhu face, and the other party remained seated by the pavilion.

"Your Highness, I sprained my wrist while carrying the baby these past two days, so I won't embarrass myself by performing. Young Madam Gai is proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and I'm sure she's also skilled in tea. Why don't you let Young Madam Gai show everyone her skills?"

With just a few words, Madam Gai was lifted up. She was at a loss, looking bewildered at her mother-in-law. Madam Gai glared at her, inwardly scolding her for provoking Song Yaozhu.

Although Song Yaozhu came from the countryside, after marrying Xie Liwei, she used her own methods to persuade him to dismiss his harem and also to win over the Empress Dowager for support. A few days ago, she even impressed everyone with her outstanding polo skills.

When there were few women skilled in polo in the entire capital, and when Da Chen was about to lose, she was able to step onto the field and turn the tide. All these deeds show that she was no ordinary person.

Perhaps realizing she was difficult to control, the Dowager Consort promoted her daughter-in-law to suppress Song Yaozhu today. Now the Dowager Consort has gone too far; Song Yaozhu's wings have long since hardened, and she has no desire to pay any attention to this old hag anymore.

"What are you still sitting there like an idiot for? Go and make tea for the Dowager Consort!" Madam Gai scolded her daughter-in-law.

Madam Gai then came to her senses and immediately brewed a pot of tea for the Dowager Consort.

The Dowager Princess stroked the Buddhist prayer beads in her hand, thinking to herself, "Song Yaozhu cannot be allowed to live."