Chapter 173: Mourning for the Empress Dowager

Even if the heavens were to fall, she couldn’t come up with any other excuse.

The Queen Mother  was immediately overwhelmed with a headache. While Ah Bao was carefree and brought her joy, the girl from the Xuan family insisted on giving her a Buddhist scripture. Every character was written so diligently, as if making an effort to help her pass on.

“Go to the Prince Han’s residence and give the things to the Prince Han. Don’t let that Luan’er come out of the residence today, and she shouldn’t attend the palace banquet in the evening.”

The old nanny quickly agreed.

At the Prince Han’s residence, Di Hongluan had been waiting for over an hour when finally someone from the palace arrived.

She happily told the Princess Han, “Mother, quickly, the palace has sent someone to invite us!”

On New Year’s Day, the Cining Palace was a place where no concubines or princes could enter. If the Queen Mother personally invited the Princess Han and Di Hongluan, it would be the talk of the town. Such treatment… many people would be envious.

The Princess Han had already come back and dressed up carefully, while Di Hongluan wore a simple white outfit.

From the storyline, she knew the Queen Mother  liked Buddhist and simple attire, especially disliking gaudy colors.

When the palace envoy saw Di Hongluan’s plain clothes, they almost stumbled.

“The Queen Mother’s decree is that the little county princess is to be confined indoors for the day and may not attend the palace banquet in the evening.”

Di Hongluan, who was kneeling, suddenly looked up in confusion, stood up, and raised her chin. “I say, sirs, did you receive the wrong imperial edict? How can the Empress Dowager not let me into the palace on New Year’s Day?”

There’s a banquet tonight!

It’s a great opportunity to mingle with influential figures in the capital. Daughters of noble families would do anything to get in.

“What are you talking about, little county princess? We wouldn’t dare misreport the Queen Mother ’s decree,” the palace eunuch sighed and shook his head.

Di Hongluan twisted the hem of her dress, thinking, “Something went wrong, something definitely went wrong.”

She had clearly given the Queen Mother her favorite gift—a Buddhist scripture she had painstakingly copied herself over several nights. How could she end up being grounded?

Meanwhile, the Princess Han had turned pale. After repeated questioning, the eunuchs grew impatient. Who wouldn’t want a good start to the New Year? Yet here they were, being questioned at the Prince Han’s residence.

Eventually, the old eunuchs couldn’t hold back any longer. “The little county princess is still young and doesn’t understand. But doesn’t the Princess Han understand either? The little princess wore plain clothes and gave the Queen Mother that thing. Is it New Year’s or a mourning period? It’s just so clueless!”

These eunuchs had been around the Queen Mother for a long time, and they had heard from the old nanny why the Queen Mother was unhappy today.

After they left, Prince Han, with a dark face, was supported as he walked over.

There was no other choice; he couldn’t see and needed someone to guide him.

“Father, woo woo woo…” Di Hongluan burst into tears, “Father is the one who loves me most. I want to tell you all my grievances from today. Why does the Queen Mother favor only Di Jiaoyang and not me? But I’m her granddaughter too, why…”

“You still have the nerve to say that! Did you or did you not give the Queen Mother a Buddhist scripture today?”

Di Hongluan was stunned. “Yes, I did, Father. I prepared it with great care, hoping to please the Queen Mother. Isn’t she fond of scriptures? Did I make a mistake?”

Prince Han’s face grew stern, his tone harsh. “You gave her a scripture, but you need to consider the timing. The Queen Mother likes scriptures, but you need to choose the right one. On New Year’s Day, you give her the Ksitigarbha Sutra? Are you trying to send her off? The eunuchs just mentioned you wore plain clothes too. Luan’er, do you not want peace in our Prince Han’s residence? Every family should be joyous at New Year’s!”

Di Hongluan clicked her tongue. She hadn’t thought of that.

So, timing mattered for gifts?

“Father, I heard that Di Jiaoyang didn’t give the Queen Mother anything, but she held him all day and even gave him a big red envelope! Father, the Queen Mother is so biased. The one who gave gifts is grounded, while the one who didn’t is rewarded. How is that fair?”

Prince Han had never been so angry with his daughter before.

He always thought Di Hongluan was smart and composed, unlike other children. Now, he saw she was indeed different—arrogant and self-centered, much more so than others!

“Luan’er, you don’t understand the Queen Mother. She cherishes family happiness and laughter. Yet, on New Year’s Day, you’re being sneaky and causing trouble for Ah Bao. It’s my fault for not supervising you properly and spoiling you. Stay in the residence today and don’t go anywhere!”

Di Hongluan’s face turned pale. She sat on the ground, crying loudly, “Does even Father not like me? Ah Bao, Ah Bao, does Father also like Ah Bao more than me? I’m your real daughter, woo woo woo.”

Crying and making a scene was her usual tactic to get her father’s sympathy.

She wanted her father to be heartbroken!

Before Prince Han could feel any sympathy, the Princess Han couldn’t hold back. “Your Highness, why are you scolding Luan’er? She’s only ten years old. What does a ten-year-old child understand?”

“You’ve spoiled her!”

Prince Han was so angry that he turned and left in frustration.

On New Year’s Day, Ah Bao happily collected red envelopes.

“Happy New Year…”

“Hello, pretty aunts…”

“Hello, pretty sisters…”

The little one was like a lucky charm. As the youngest in the palace, she was showered with red envelopes from the concubines, and even young princesses and eunuchs liked Ah Bao, giving her small red envelopes too.

There were heaps of envelopes.

Ah Bao joyfully counted her red envelopes in the Cining Palace.

[New Year is so great, with meat to eat and red envelopes to collect.]

[If only every day were New Year’s, it would be so lively.]

The Queen Mother looked at the little girl sitting on the rug, happily counting her money, and couldn’t stop smiling.

See, this is what a child should be like.

The happiness of a child is so simple—just wanting to celebrate New Year every day.

“Today, for the New Year, take some money from my private treasury and distribute it in the name of the Tenth Princess to the various palaces, and give some to the servants as well, to spread some festive cheer.”

The old nanny replied, “Yes.”

Ah Bao’s joyful day ended, and after playing happily, she went to bed early in the evening.

On the second day of the New Year, the concubines were returning to their family homes.

Concubine De took Ah Bao back to the Grand General’s residence.

Su Jin had gone to the battlefield to make achievements.

Su Laoer had gone to study abroad and wouldn’t return until after the New Year.

Su Laosan had gone into business and wouldn’t come back until he made a name for himself.

Only the elderly couple remained in the General’s residence, hosting Concubine De, the tyrant, and the little girl for a day of play.

According to the customs of the Tiansheng Dynasty, the third day of the New Year was the day for the imperial family to honor their ancestors.

On the third day, right after midnight, Ah Bao was called up by Concubine De. Unlike the previous two days of joy and excitement, Ah Bao opened her eyes groggily, sensing a more solemn and quiet atmosphere in the palace.

She too became serious, dropping her playful demeanor, and said, “Liang Qin…”