Chapter 5: 第5章

“Isn't it a bit too simple, Miss?” Chunliu said with some concern. She felt that Bai Min’s attire seemed even less magnificent than her own as a maid.

“It is very good.” Bai Min smiled faintly and glanced at Chunliu. Noticing the worry on her face, she continued, “Chunliu, this is truly enough. No matter how I dress, it is impossible to win the favor of the Empress Dowager, the Empress, or the Fourth Prince. After all, their hearts are set on the Fourth Miss of the Murong Manor, Murong Xue, not on me, Bai Min—or rather, Murong Feng. It is better to simply seek my own ease.”

Bai Min thought to herself: *That was the second time I almost said my own name. In truth, a name is nothing more than a label. Whether it be Bai Min or Murong Feng, it makes no difference. Since that is the case, from this moment on, Bai Min is Murong Feng. Fortunately, this name is quite pleasant to the ear.*

Chunliu nodded, appearing to understand only halfway.

Looking into the mirror, Bai Min—or more accurately, the new Murong Feng—felt quite satisfied. The woman in the mirror was elegant and refined, with an extremely clean, simple face and a calm expression.

“Let us go.” Murong Feng brushed a few strands of still-damp long hair from her shoulder and stepped toward the outdoors.

“Miss,” Chunliu said hesitantly, “do you want to wait for the Fourth Prince to return so you can go together?”

“Why should I wait for him?” Murong Feng smiled faintly. As she walked outside, her smile under the sunlight was as pure as water, leaving Chunliu looking astonished. Ever since the Miss had recovered from her illness, she seemed like a completely different person—refreshed, elegant, and ethereal.

Led by Yan Yu, a maid from the Fourth Prince’s residence, the sedan chair turned left and right for the duration of a full cup of tea before coming to a halt outside the Xiangfu Palace.

Guided by Yan Yu, she entered and knelt.

The Empress Dowager and the Empress were chatting idly, accompanied by the eldest Prince, Sima Zhe, and the eldest Princess Consort, Murong Qian. Aside from Murong Qian casting a glance at the kneeling Murong Feng from the corner of her eye, the others acted as if they hadn't even seen her.

Murong Feng kept her head bowed as she knelt on the ground, being so quiet that she seemed non-existent.

When she entered, a young eunuch had already softly announced: “Empress Dowager, Empress, the Fourth Prince’s Consort has come to Xiangfu Palace to pay her respects.”

Thus, she was happy to remain silent, prepared to deal with whatever situation arose as it came.

The Empress Dowager had long heard the eunuch's words, but she feigned ignorance, continuing her idle chatter with the Empress. The girl Yan Yu was originally one of her own maids, whom she had specifically sent to Sima Rui’s side to keep tabs on the situation between Sima Rui and Murong Feng. Early this morning, Yan Yu had sent word that Sima Rui—her most headache-inducing yet most beloved grandson—had indeed not returned all night.

Yet, Murong Feng had shown no signs of crying or making a scene; she had actually slept peacefully until dawn?! Was this Murong Feng truly so foolishly dull? She knew her grandson had originally intended to marry Murong Xue. She had met the four daughters of the Murong family before, and Murong Xue was by far the most beautiful, while this Murong Feng was the most unremarkable.

However, with Sima Zhe and Murong Qian coming to persuade, combined with Murong Qingliang’s repeated pleas that Murong Xue was still too young to marry, they had finally settled on Murong Feng. After all, she was a lady of the Murong Manor; without those three sisters for comparison, Murong Feng would have been a girl of outstanding beauty, it was just a pity she was too wooden.

The Empress Dowager thought privately: *If this Murong Feng is truly this incompetent, I fear I can only wait another year to marry Murong Xue to my grandson, letting the two sisters serve one husband.*

This stalemate continued for the duration of a meal. Sima Zhe glanced at his wife and saw a hint of reluctance on Murong Qian’s face. After all, the one kneeling on the ground was her own biological sister, yet she was in no position to speak up for her and could only endure it. She knew herself that her father’s use of the third sister to replace the youngest was indeed bordering on deceiving the Emperor. Her father loved the youngest so much that he did not hesitate to sacrifice the third sister's happiness, but given the Fourth Prince's character, the third sister would certainly not have an easy life. Furthermore, she feared the youngest would eventually have no choice but to marry the Fourth Prince anyway; sacrificing the third sister was merely a temporary expedient.

Sima Zhe looked down at the silent, kneeling Murong Feng, pondered for a moment, and then gave a soft cough. “Grandmother, Mother.”

The Empress Dowager looked up at her eldest grandson. Sima Zhe used his eyes to gesture toward the kneeling Murong Feng and then glanced at Murong Qian sitting beside him, reminding his grandmother not to go too far—at the very least, she should give Murong Qian some face and not cause her too much heartache.

“It is Feng’er, isn't it?” The Empress Dowager immediately broke into a kind smile, as if she had suddenly noticed Murong Feng kneeling on the floor, and then feigned a reprimand toward the young eunuch. “Xiao Dezi, Feng’er has arrived, why did you not announce it?”

The young eunuch looked terrified; knowing the Empress Dowager was doing this on purpose, he momentarily did not know how to respond.

Only then did the Murong Feng on the ground lift her head. She wore a faint smile that betrayed no displeasure, and her voice was soft and gentle. “Grandmother, it must be that Eunuch Xiao Dezi was afraid that making a sound would disturb your conversation with Mother, so he spoke softly. He is quite attentive. Grandmother, please do not blame him; just tell him to make his voice a little louder next time.”

The Empress Dowager was stunned. Not only was she surprised, but the other three in the room were also taken aback.

Murong Qian’s eyes widened. *This... this... how could this be the behavior of the usually dull third sister?*

Sima Zhe raised an eyebrow slightly. The Murong Feng he usually saw had never been this composed.

What the Empress Dowager and the Empress noticed, however, was Murong Feng’s smile. They had met her before, but because she was silent and unremarkable, they had never truly paid her any attention. But seeing her today, their eyes truly brightened. Her water-red skirt, with its only adornment being a single jade hairpin, gave her an ethereal and transcendent air that was perfectly suited to her. Especially that smile—it was transparent, pure, and refreshingly elegant.

The Empress Dowager was momentarily speechless. “Oh, alright.”

“May Grandmother allow Feng’er to rise? I fear the tea in the tray has grown cold, and it would be improper to drink. May I go and fetch two cups of hot tea?” Murong Feng glanced at the tray in Yan Yu’s hands, thinking to herself that the tea was likely already ice-cold.

“Rise quickly. Look, I was only chatting with your mother; Feng’er won't blame Grandmother, will you?” The Empress Dowager finally regained her composure, speaking with a loving smile.

Murong Feng smiled, her lips red and teeth white, her features delicate and bright, exuding a lovely sense of freshness.

She stood up, feeling a bit of soreness in her knees, but she ignored it.

Yan Yu immediately went to fetch two new cups of tea and handed them to her. Murong Feng gave a graceful smile and said, “Feng’er specially offers tea to Grandmother and Mother. May Grandmother and Mother be happy every day and remain forever youthful.”

The Empress Dowager took a sip of tea and asked as if casually, “Feng’er, has your illness recovered?”

Murong Qian, who had been marveling at her sister's change, broke into a cold sweat upon hearing the Empress Dowager's question. She knew that the matter of inviting Imperial Physician Cao to treat her sister could not be hidden from the Empress Dowager and the Empress. Although Physician Cao was from the Eldest Prince’s household, he was still an imperial physician; how could leaving the palace to provide treatment go unnoticed by them?

*But they won't know that third sister fell ill because she refused the marriage, will they?*

“Thank you for your concern, Grandmother.” Murong Feng’s expression remained unchanged. *If you want to hide something, don't do it so obviously.* She didn't believe for a second that the matter of her refusing the marriage could be kept secret from the people in the palace, especially the most powerful women in the inner court, the Empress Dowager and the Empress. “It was thanks to Eldest Sister for requesting the palace's Physician Cao to come and treat me. He truly has miraculous skills; I have now fully recovered.”

The Empress Dowager was startled. *Could I have overcomplicated things?* But how would Physician Cao dare to deceive her with lies? Although he was part of the Eldest Prince's household, he was merely an imperial physician assigned to them by the Emperor; even if he were given more courage, he wouldn't dare deceive her and the Empress.