Chapter 503: Chapter 272 The Virtuous Empress Xie
Before the Xiongnu people came to the capital, there was a major event in the palace, which was the Empress’s birthday celebration.
This year marks Empress Xie’s thirty-third birthday; she had been looking forward to this day, as thirty-three is a significant age for a woman. Initially, she wanted a grand celebration, but since the Xiongnu were coming to Great Zhou, she had to abandon this idea.
Empress Xie sat in front of the copper mirror, looking at her face in the reflection. She suddenly noticed wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, and a hint of fear and panic appeared on her face.
"Jiang Chuan, do you see wrinkles at the corners of my eyes?"
Jiang Chuan lowered her head and carefully examined the corners of Empress Xie’s eyes, indeed finding one or two wrinkles. Of course, she could not tell the truth.
"Your Majesty, it might be because you slept on your side last night, causing wrinkles at the corners of your eyes."
Empress Xie’s entire face was almost pressed against the copper mirror. She asked nervously, "Are they really just sleep creases?"
"Your Majesty, please don’t worry. They are indeed just sleep creases. In a couple of days, the creases at the corners of your eyes will surely disappear," Jiang Chuan reassured Empress Xie. "I’ll go get an egg to roll over it for you."
"Quickly, go get it," Empress Xie said urgently.
Moments later, Jiang Chuan returned with a freshly boiled egg, gently rolling it over the corners of Empress Xie’s eyes.
Empress Xie still felt uneasy. She quickly told Jiang Chuan, "Get some Purple River Car for me. Starting tomorrow, I want to eat Purple River Car."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Wait," Empress Xie called Jiang Chuan back, "I remember deer fetus is also good for nourishing beauty, prepare some as well."
"Your Majesty, eating Purple River Car should suffice. Perhaps you don’t need to eat deer fetus too," Jiang Chuan felt eating deer fetus was not favorable.
"What do you know? Deer fetus is an excellent tonic, you can’t go wrong with it."
Seeing Empress Xie’s insistence, Jiang Chuan did not dare to persuade further.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Empress Xie waved Jiang Chuan off. She took a small copper mirror out of her makeup box, continually examining the corners of her eyes. The more she observed, the more frustrated she became, angrily putting the mirror down.
Remembering that anger causes wrinkles, Empress Xie took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down, determined not to get any more wrinkles.
Soon after, Jiang Chuan came back, respectfully telling Empress Xie, "Your Majesty, the orders have been given. It will be delivered tomorrow, and I’ll have the small kitchen prepare it into soup for Your Majesty."
"Have it cooked with blood bird’s nest," Empress Xie instructed, "blood bird’s nest is also an excellent tonic, cook it together with Purple River Car."
"Your Majesty is indeed thorough."
"Have the family send in the blood bird’s nest, the one from home is the best," Empress Xie showed a disdainful expression, "The blood bird’s nest in the palace is not as good as the one from home. Besides, if I keep eating the palace’s bird’s nest and the Emperor finds out, it wouldn’t be good." The Emperor advocated thrift and despised extravagance. He was not in favor of eating such precious supplements like blood bird’s nest. If the Emperor found out that Empress Xie ate it every day, he would consider her extravagant.
Speaking of frugality, Empress Xie felt a bit wronged. She hailed from the Duke Zhen Country Mansion, living a life of abundance since childhood. Whether it was food or clothing, it was of the finest quality and exceedingly luxurious. Before entering the palace, she lived a lavish life at home, but after entering the palace, as Empress, she had to lead by example and promote frugality.
Over the years, she dared not wear too luxurious clothing or eat overly expensive food. She felt wronged and resentful but dared not speak up.
"Your Majesty, should you eat the Purple River Car secretly?" Jiang Chuan asked.
Empress Xie glared at Jiang Chuan, snapping, "Of course, I have to eat it secretly. Do you think I should eat it with drums and gongs?"
Jiang Chuan quickly apologized, "Forgive me, Your Majesty, it was foolish of me."
"Do you think that lowly woman Noble Princess Rong has wrinkles on her face?" Empress Xie suddenly asked.
Jiang Chuan was stunned by the question, her face showing confusion.
"That lowly woman Noble Princess Rong is several years older than me; she must have wrinkles at the corners of her eyes and on her face," Empress Xie was the second youngest concubine of the Emperor, with Princess Consort Ying being the youngest. "You see her face covered in rouge and powder daily, it must be to cover the wrinkles on her face and at the corners of her eyes."
"Your Majesty, now that you mention it, it’s indeed true," Jiang Chuan echoed Empress Xie’s words, "No wonder Noble Princess Rong’s face is as pale as white paper; it turns out she is covering the wrinkles on her face."
"Have you noticed that the lowly woman Noble Princess Rong has aged significantly this year?" Empress Xie’s face showed a mocking smile, "You see her makeup is becoming more vibrant, or rather, garish, just to cover her aging appearance."