Allure of a Country Maiden-Chapter 1276 - 1273_1

At that moment, a young girl beside the Empress Dowager paid a courtesy to Shangguan Xuanyi: "This servant girl Qingqing pays respect to Prince Rui."

After the young girl finished her salute, she couldn’t help but sneak a peek at the dignified and extraordinarily handsome man in front of her.

He shone so brightly, it was hard to take your eyes off him.

Shangguan Xuanyi gave her a fleeting, cold look, and then ignored her completely.

Zhang Qingqing was dumbfounded when Shangguan Xuanyi ignored her in this way.

Given her exquisite beauty since she was a child, people never took their eyes off her; she never imagined someone could ignore her!

Since she arrived in the Imperial Capital, the most she had heard of was how Princess Rui was this or that; how exceptionally beautiful, and extraordinarily talented she was!

Could it be because Princess Rui was more beautiful than herself, so he couldn’t see her beauty? Zhang Qingqing couldn’t help but wonder.

Because she was the beloved daughter of her parents’ old age, she had never been neglected like this, and became a little upset.

The Empress Dowager was engrossed in holding each of her grandchildren, but she was also aware of the others’ actions. Seeing this, she introduced to Shangguan Xuanyi, "This is the daughter of my sister, which makes her your cousin! The young lady from the Shanxi Judgment Department."

"You mean elder cousin, right?" Shangguan Xuanyi responded indifferently to this statement.

Elder, cousin!

Upon hearing this, Zhang Qingqing was about to burst into tears. She was only sixteen years, eleven months, and twenty-eight days old, not even seventeen yet, how can she be old?!

Princess Rui had already given birth to four children, she must be older than her!

The Empress Dowager nearly laughed out loud upon hearing this, but seeing her niece’s near tears, she coughed, "It was my mistake, you are the younger cousin! Ahem, I’ve heard that Princess Rui got injured and fell into a coma?"

The Empress Dowager quickly changed the topic in the end.

"Hmm." Shangguan Xuanyi responded and then fell silent.

The Empress Dowager understood her grandson’s cold personality and didn’t blame him, "Do make sure to call more imperial doctors to see to her! We can’t have Wang Mansion without her managing household affairs."

Empress Dowager didn’t exactly know how Xiao’er got injured, hence she asked for an imperial doctor.

"This son understands. How has the royal grandma been feeling recently?" It was rare to hear the Empress Dowager expressing her concern for Xiao’er, hence he responded with concern as well.

"This old body is much better!" The Empress Dowager was delighted to hear her usually reticent grandson expressing concern for her health.

"That’s good to hear, then this son will take his leave." Shangguan Xuanyi, a man of few words, didn’t have much to say to the Empress Dowager, so he excused himself.

Empress Dowager hadn’t spent enough time with her beloved grandchildren yet!

However, after the incident last time, she dared not keep her grandchildren in Cining Palace anymore, so she reluctantly hugged the children, "Do come visit your great-grandmother when you have time!"

The four children nodded obediently, "Sure!"

Chen’er chimed in, "Great-grandmother can also come to visit us when she’s free!"

"Good! Chen’er is such a sweet boy!" The Empress Dowager was absolutely delighted! How could she not be happy about such a young child inviting her to visit, showing such intelligence?

Indeed, a smart daughter-in-law bore clever children.

"Salute your great-grandmother and take leave!" Shangguan Xuanyi instructed.

"Great-grandmother, we take our leave!" The four children mimicked a perfect salute to the Empress Dowager, making her laugh till her eyes squinted and repeatedly said, "Good."

After Shangguan Xuanyi left with the children.

Zhang Qingqing then opened her mouth, "Empress Dowager, Princess Rui has been in a coma for several months now, hasn’t she? Is she still not awake? What about Prince Rui?"

It seems she heard the empress dowager and the queen talking about Princess Rui’s injury and her lapse into a coma about two or three months ago. She did not expect that Princess Rui had not woken up till now.

If that’s the case, who will take care of Prince Rui?!

Actually, ever since she arrived in the Imperial Capital, besides hearing about how Princess Rui was this or that, she also heard about how Prince Rui was like this or that to Princess Rui!

The indifferent Prince Rui was said to dote on his Princess Rui to the bone!

It’s said that Prince Rui, upon meeting Princess Rui, is like winter snow meeting the warm sun, immediately melting into a pool of water, or to be precise, a hot spring.

Therefore, she was always curious about the two of them!

She had always pictured the heartless Prince Rui mentioned by everyone as a fierce demon, and to her surprise, he was so handsome!

"Hmm." The Empress Dowager replied coldly.

What kind of person is she? Living in the harem all her life, although there were not many women in the harem, the Empress Dowager was quite familiar with women!

Just one look and she knew what Zhang Qingqing was thinking!

But, this grandson, Shangguan Xuanyi, for the sake of seeing her four great-grandsons in the future, the Empress Dowager absolutely dared not provoke him!

Over the years, annoying him was futile! He never fell for her tricks.

More importantly, although Zhang Qingqing has been by her side in recent times, the Empress Dowager just couldn’t grow to like her!

And with her background, she had delusions of becoming her grandson’s concubine, impossible!

"Empress Dowager, Princess Rui has been in a coma for so long, I’ve heard there are no concubines or even maids sleeping with Prince Rui, who attends to him then? Besides, the Wang Mansion is such a big place, how can it function without a lady to manage it!" Seeing the Empress Dowager only respond with a sound and stay silent, Zhang Qingqing thought she didn’t realise the crux of the issue and decided to remind her.

"You make a good point, but as for Prince Rui’s affairs, I cannot interfere, that’s for the Empress to handle!"

"....." Why does she feel that the Empress Dowager manifests no dignity at all? Zhang Qingqing was extremely frustrated! Her mother sent her to the Imperial Capital to rely on the Empress Dowager’s help to find a good match for her!

Now there’s clearly an opportunity, and yet, the Empress Dowager doesn’t fight for her, what’s the point of this!

If she knew, Prince Rui was the most likely person to become the emperor, if she could be Prince Rui’s concubine, then in the future, could she possibly become the imperial consort? If Princess Rui remains in a coma, she could even have the chance to become the queen!

Considering this, Zhang Qingqing couldn’t help but burst out, "Empress Dowager, aren’t you helping Qingqing select a good match? Actually, Qingqing thinks Prince Rui is quite fine!"

Zhang Qingqing lowered her head in embarrassment after speaking.

Since childhood, Zhang Qingqing had been pampered by her parents, she was used to asking her parents for anything she wanted, and her parents would always try their best to fulfill her wishes!

Moreover, her mother had admonished her before sending her to the Imperial Capital: If there’s anything you want, ask for it in front of everyone from the Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager is very concerned about her reputation, and she will agree to it for the sake of her own fame!

So even if Zhang Qingqing was a bit embarrassed, she still expressed her thoughts!

The Empress Dowager nearly choked on her tea upon hearing Zhang Qingqing’s words!

The maids in Cining Palace couldn’t help but roll their eyes upon hearing this! This cousin maiden, her thinking is really out of this world!