Reborn as a Hatrack in the Mystical Land
Chapter 128 - 35 Forced Marriage

Chapter 128: Chapter 35 Forced Marriage

Shortly after Yue Jinghua headed to the Outer Court, Lie Rou took a Jade Bottle and carefully stored the few Youthful Elixirs she had obtained, then lightly applied some rouge and changed into an exquisite skirt.

"Hongling, prepare the carriage and horses for me, I need to see the Empress Dowager," upon seeing Lie Rou’s appearance, Hongling also knew she was going to the palace to see the Empress Dowager.

"Lady, it’s getting late, why not go to the palace early tomorrow?" Hongling suggested.

Lie Rou shook her head. "There are no secrets that remain hidden forever. These past few days, my uncle has been sending people to watch Jingxin Courtyard. I’m afraid they’ve begun to covet the item left by my mother. Just now, Huahua’s words reminded me, my husband has been gone for exactly four years. During these years, I’ve only indulged in my sorrow with each changing season, causing hardship to Minzhi and Huahua, failing to fulfill my duties as a mother. It is time for me, as a mother, to fight for something for my children," Lie Rou said, her mind clear about the stakes involved.

Listening to her, Hongling could only nod her head, prepared the carriage, and accompanied Lie Rou to the palace.

The mistress of the Lie Family Mansion, Feng Wanwan, while alive, had a very close private friendship with the current Empress Dowager Jin.

Later, when the Empress Dowager entered the palace and became the Empress, she went for many years without children. Feng Wanwan then used a Secret Technique to help Empress Dowager Jin conceive the Dragon Seed.

During childbirth, Empress Dowager encountered life-threatening complications due to hemorrhage. The life of the current Emperor was nearly lost, but Feng Wanwan saved both mother and child using two Life Extension Pills.

After Feng Wanwan’s death, Empress Dowager Jin always took good care of Lie Rou and her children. "Yue Jinghua" was allowed into the Royal Xuanji Academy due to the Empress Dowager’s intervention. Even the marriage between "Yue Jinghua" and Prince Xiao Yi was facilitated by the Empress Dowager herself.

Given the relationship between Lady and the Empress Dowager, going to the palace was usually a common affair, but heading to the palace at this time of evening was somewhat unusual.

Lie Rou packed her belongings and followed the eunuch from the palace into the carriage, heading towards Shang Palace.

The carriage rattled on along the road towards Shang Palace.

Shang Kingdom is a small state in Central Border, yet due to its geographical advantage and fertile lands, the nation is prosperous, and Little Shang Palace was built encompassing the beautiful lofts and bridges typical of the south, often referred to as the Immortal Palace of the Southern Country.

Little Shang Palace spans over a hundred li, containing two artificial rivers. To enter the palace, one must pass through three palace walls colored in ochre yellow, ochre red, and ochre gold, representing the Outer Palace, Imperial Garden, and inner palace respectively.

Along the way, there are numerous towers and corridors.

After dismounting from the carriage outside the Outer Palace walls, Lie Rou was led by an eunuch from the inner court towards the Zhao Hua Palace where the Empress Dowager resided.

Upon reaching the Empress Dowager’s bedroom, the Female Official stated the Empress Dowager was at Princess Sha Fei’s place. Hence, Lie Rou took a turn towards the residence of the elder princess’s mother, Sha Fei, at Chuhe Palace.

Today’s Emperor, Fa Xiaoyun, ascended the throne at the age of sixteen. He and his half-brother, Prince Xiao Yi, differ by only two years. An Empress and three concubines were established.

Regrettably, today’s Empress, from the Luo clan, has not been able to produce a prince, leaving the Emperor with only one elder princess whose mother, Sha Fei, recently became pregnant four months ago. Rumors say this could be a male heir. It is well known both within and outside the court that the child Sha Fei carries is likely the future Crown Prince.

Empress Dowager dotes tremendously on her only granddaughter, the elder princess, frequently visiting Liu Palace to enjoy time with her granddaughter.

Yet before Lie Rou could get to Liu Palace, she saw the Empress Dowager approaching angrily with a group of palace maids and eunuchs.

A following palace maid, upon seeing Lie Rou, showed a trace of relief and hastily came forward, whispering urgently: "Lady Yue, please go persuade the Empress Dowager."

It turns out that earlier this morning, the Empress Dowager was in quite a good mood when she led a group of palace maids and eunuchs to Liu Palace, where the elder princess, protected by her mother, was learning to walk in the courtyard.

By coincidence, the Consort also came to visit the Second Prince.

The current Empress Dowager and Empress Dowager Luo, during the late Emperor’s life, had often competed against each other using various tactics. Empress Dowager Luo, surname Fei and given name Color, was alluring and greatly favored by the late Emperor during his lifetime. However, she is a barbarian woman with unclear origins from a small barbarian nation, presented to the late Emperor.

Fortunately, with the strong family background of Empress Dowager Luo, who bore the prince first, she gained the upper hand in the struggle for the Imperial Throne, thus becoming the Empress Dowager while the other became the Consort.

"The Empress Dowager had been getting along with the Consort over the years, why would there be a conflict today?" As a woman herself and one brought up in a large estate, Lie Rou was well aware of the power struggles among the women of the inner court. The Consort also played her role cleverly; upon the death of the late Emperor, she behaved obediently, never causing trouble before the Empress Dowager. Even her son, Prince Xiao Yi, maintained respectful behaviour in public, never showing any disrespect to the current Emperor.