Chapter 14 Paying Respects at the Imperial Palace

Inside the Jin Imperial Palace, the Chaoyun Hall was filled with people whispering. Concubine De was the emperor’s favorite concubine. After giving birth to the prince, she became a prominent figure, but she’d been closed out of palace life since the emperor got sick. In the years following, her situation had only gone downhill. Now her son had married a fool. Everyone in the Imperial Palace was waiting for a chance to laugh at her and her son. A servant entered the hall to report that Prince Yu and his princess had already arrived. Even if they had been looking forward to a laugh, the people watching couldn’t help but worry about Concubine De. If her son was humiliated, Concubine De might have no place left in the Imperial Palace. "Your Majesty, Prince Yu and the princess are requesting an interview outside the hall." "Bring them in." "Yes, Miss." Lin Mengya had been given no time to find her footing. She’d been pulled into a carriage and now she had entered the noble Imperial Palace. The pearls and jade on her head felt heavier with every step, and her neck was aching. Most importantly, she hadn't had breakfast yet. Her blood sugar was a little bit low, but it made her look even more delicate. The maids kept glancing at her pale face. After last night, the old servants who’d been listening in on Prince Yu’s wedding night had been quick to share the news. The events of the bridal chamber had already spread through the Imperial Palace. Everyone agreed this only proved that Prince Yu had no compassion for women. The new princess looked so weak and delicate. The new princess was indeed exhausted. In front of Chaoyun Hall, Long Tianyu took a look at the golden plaque. When he was young, his father, the Emperor, often brought him here to play and listen to opera. At that time, this had been a paradise, but now it was hell on earth. When he was ten, the queen had taken offense over some small mistake of his mother’s. The queen had slapped her mother, then forced her to kneel in the hall for the whole night. He could still remember his mother smiling gently at him, even though blood was dripping form her lips. He even remembered that when he was ten years old, Queen slapped his mother on her From then on, his mother's knees were weak. When the weather was bad, they would swell and ache. He would never stop hating the woman who had treated his mother like that. Long Tianyu’s hands curled into finds. Lin Mengya forced her aching head up to look at him. "What's wrong?" asked Lin Mengya. "Nothing. Let's go to pay our respects." Long Tianyu quickly forced himself out of his painful memories and took a glance at Lin Mengya. She was as pretty as a painting and he was filled with renewed joy when he thought about how furious the queen would be to see his beautiful wife. Lin Mengya didn't know why looking at her returning his face to its usual calm. "Prince Yu and his princess have come to pay their respects to the queen." The eunuch's piercing voice rang out as they entered the hall. The door to the hall was draped with beaded curtains. It was hard to see clearly past them from either side. Lin Mengya could see many human shadows, but she saw Long Tianyu kneel in respect and followed after. "Princess Mengya and I pay respect to you, Your Majesty." Long Tianyu said. There was no respect in his cold voice. Lin Mengya didn’t know how to salute, but the memories that remained in this body led her through the motions. "No need to be so formal. You are members of our family. Come here and let the other concubines have a good look at you."