Chapter 88: The long journey to Ningzhuo 4 (1/2)

In the palace two days before, Lu Yaozhu and Su Liya left for Ningzhuo.

Empress Lu sat on a stool by the open window, she held a threaded needle in her right hand and slowly passed it through a square-shaped, embroidered screen. She tied up her wide sleeve with a thin ribbon to keep it from getting in the way of her work.

It was 4:45 pm, nearly 5 pm and the once-hot sun was now getting cooler as sunset drew near. Empress Lu sat there with a slight smile as she made several small stitches on the main white material attached to the screen. There was nothing as relaxing to her as embroidering, it was the only thing she felt that she could control.

Her ladies maid Xuanyi rushed in as she moved her stitches lower, Xuanyi was a well-taught maid. She didn't so much as breath faster than normal, much so run except in dare situations. The last dare situation, they had in the palace was the day Lu Yaozhu had gone missing so she had Empress Lu worried.

Empress Lu paused her sewing and gazed at the planting Xuanyi with creased eyebrows, however, Xuanyi's next words soon make the worried empress relax and resume her sewing.

”Your highness a letter came in from Grand Princess Ni'an,” Xuanyi said holding up a cream coloured folded paper.

Empress Lu didn't give any serious response, but just replied with a carefree smile ”open it and tell me what it says”.

Xuanyi was shocked at her mistress's strange reaction, they had only three days till the extended deadline given by the Emperor elapsed. Surely her mistress should be as worried as she was, why was she acting carefree. Has her mistress surrendered to the Emperor's punishment already?

No that wasn't the type of person, he master was. Well at least she hoped that wasn't the case, her mistress was so worried about the second young master Lu. Surely she hadn't decided to give up on her life all because of worry for him. When Empress Lu glanced at her expectantly, Xuanyi swallowed operated the letter and read through.

Grand Princess Ni'an didn't write much, the message was only a sentence. ”It is a short message, your Highness. It reads ”I will be arriving at the capital tomorrow”. Xuanyi felt the breath rush out of her on reading the message but her mistress didn't look concerned, no she wasn't concerned.

Empress Lu just nodded said this was nothing special ”Mm, prepare a few gifts and send it over as soon as the Grand Princess arrives”.

Xuanyi didn't understand her Calm response, she couldn't stay still anymore and asked, ”Just that, is there anything else I should prepare?”

Empress Lu looked up from her work and shook her head ”no need”

Xuanyi nodded and walked to the door, only to stop halfway there. She turned back to Empress Lu, her wrinkled face filled with worry ”mistress tge Grand princess is arriving two days to the Emperor's deadline for commander princess Xia Ying's marriage. What are we going to do about that?”

”Nothing, these things usually sort themselves out. I already made the grand princess an offer that Ste can't refuse. The fact that she is coming to the capital was all the answer I needed” she smiled sweetly ”be at ease Xuanyi, Xiao Zhu already thought if a good solution”.

Xuanyi sighed loudly ”since second master Lu has thought of a solution, I can now relax. I will go get tge gifts ready”. She bowed her head and left the room.

*******

Commandery Princess Xia Ying also received a letter from her grandmother around this time but unlike the Empress's letter, which was brief hers was filled with more words. Yet she was stuck at the second paragraph of her grandmother's letter. The paragraph that read that the Empress had come up with another suitable marriage match for her.

Her grandmother didn't go into details as to who it was, which just made her more worried. Xia Ying looked up from the letter and asked her maid ”Daiyu, please find out if her Highness the Empress is receiving guests”.

The plump ladies maid bowed ”Yes” and left the room. She came back sometime later and reported ”the Empress isn't receiving any guest but is doing some embroidery”.

A light sparked in Xia Ying's mind, ”okay, get out my Embroidery kit. We will be joining her soon”.

Minutes later, She walked into Jiangxi Palace. The Eunuch at the front door announced her presence and led her in before returning to his post. Empress borough the needle down once more,

”I was surprised to hear that you came Xiao Ying. It has been some days since you came over, I just received a letter from your Grandmother. She would be arriving at the capital tomorrow, you can give her a day to rest before moving in. I will have Xuanyi make the necessary arrangement”.

Xia Ying stood closer to Empress Lu, ”Please don't stress yourself with the arrangement, Your Highness. Daiyu can make the arrangements. That is why she is here”.

”Since you are confident in that, I will let you handle that. However, I can not rest easy just leaving you to do all the work. Since you are my guest.” She looked at the young plump maid behind Xia Ying as she spoke ”if there is anything you don't understand, please speak with Xuanyi”

”Yes, your highness” Daiyu replied head bowed.