CHAPTER 494: CHAPTER 367: WHAT IS YOUR SWORD?

After discussing Lin Wanxiao, the Empress Dowager thought of another person.

Be it Min Ming, Lin Wanxiao, or even Dong Guifei, compared to that woman, they were mere appetizers in comparison.

"Go, bring Miss Donggong over."

The Empress Dowager set down her vermilion brush and instructed.

Ever since entering the Chief of Staff’s Office, Suxin had learned to decipher imperial intentions. Now, her steps quickened as she dashed out of Jingren Palace. Whether she was truly fast mattered little; in front of the Empress Dowager, she had to appear swift enough.

Suxin was no mere ornament either. Shortly after, a graceful figure, adorned in a crimson chest-high robe paired with a brocade skirt, jade pendant dangling from her waist, entered Jingren Palace under Suxin’s guidance. Her jet-black hair was styled into an elegant updo, her neck fair and slender, her delicate wrists perfectly complementing her attire, revealing no trace of martial arts practice. Coupled with meticulously trimmed brows and a well-proportioned figure...

"What a delightful sight."

The Empress Dowager remarked with a sigh.

Miss Donggong blinked her almond-shaped eyes at the Dowager and smiled playfully:

"Thank you for the praise, Your Highness Dowager."

"If you were an ordinary woman, you’d claim I had spoken too kindly." The Dowager smiled gently in reply.

"Your Highness Dowager must be fortunate to have found a treasure. I am no ordinary woman."

Dong Gong Ruoshu placed her hands on her hips with a faint touch of pride and arched forward slightly.

"Haha, such a bold nature indeed."

The Dowager chuckled. A lively girl like this, compared to the usually gentle and jade-like women, could more easily win the favor of elders. No wonder, among so many Chen Family women, the Empress of the Western Jin had specifically chosen her to be the Crown Princess Consort.

Gentle women lacked resilience, crumbling in the winds of palace turmoil. Instead, women like this could shoulder great responsibilities and stand firm for their husbands during times of crisis.

Though now in her thirties, the Empress Dowager clearly favored Dong Gong Ruoshu over Lin Wanxiao and Min Ming.

It was a pity she was from the Chen Family...

But fortunate too, that she was from the Chen Family.

Dong Gong Ruoshu harbored no true grievances against the Empress Dowager. For the Crown Princess Consort, whose main worry lay solely in her hometown marriage arrangements, anyone who treated her well was naturally a good person.

From Dong Gong Ruoshu’s perspective, the Empress Dowager’s care for her truly resembled the affection of a mother for her daughter.

First, when Wuyong Building was investigated and she and her distant cousin, Donggong Ai, were at their wits’ end, it was the Dowager who extended a helping hand. She even informed her that evidence of Wuyong Building’s collusion with the demonic sect had been confirmed, but the situation could still be pacified through Jingren Palace’s intervention.

The implication was clear... "Crown Princess Consort, you wouldn’t want Wuyong Building to collapse, would you?"

With the Dowager’s assistance, Wuyong Building was spared severe penalties, and not only that—she was even granted a marriage. The groom? None other than Chen Yi.

And Dong Gong Ruoshu had long coveted the Li Pearl that Chen Yi had obtained by slaying the dragon with his sword.

Currently, her martial prowess remained unresolved, her evenings tormented by the burning pain of Sanskrit chants searing her bones. The suffering alone was bearable, but it hindered her progress in martial arts advancement. She urgently needed the Li Pearl to release this burden.

Therefore, Dong Gong Ruoshu was thoroughly satisfied with this arranged marriage.

Besides, what kind of person was Chen Yi?

A true gentleman!

Since entering the capital city, he was praised nearly everywhere for his virtuous character. Even at the Joyful Sect, where she had personally interacted with him, he exuded the aura of a decent man. Despite always taking verbal advantages, he was undeniably a righteous gentleman of words rather than actions.

He had the charisma of a roguish ranger from a storybook.

Even if she married him, as long as things were properly discussed, he would never exploit her vulnerabilities. Once the storm passed, she’d still remain untouched and chaste.

As Dong Gong Ruoshu’s thoughts wandered, the Empress Dowager spoke leisurely:

"Ruoshu, do you know why I summoned you this time?"

"In reply to Your Highness, I assume it is related to my fiancé," Dong Gong Ruoshu answered lightly.

What the Dowager intended was surely to foster the bond between her and Chen Yi, crafting them into a perfect match—a pair blessed by fate.

"Indeed, tomorrow night there will be a private feast, and he will be invited," the Dowager said, stroking the red jade lion paperweight on the desk. "Moreover, his concubine will be attending as well."

Dong Gong Ruoshu felt puzzled. She had met Chen Yi’s concubine before, presumably the young maiden who followed him closely, named Tingxue. However, hosting a private feast and inviting the man’s concubine as well seemed unbecoming...

Was this truly fostering her and Chen Yi’s relationship?

Before Dong Gong Ruoshu could ponder the Dowager’s intentions further, she heard the Dowager continue:

"Aside from his concubine, the palace will also invite several other women to accompany the feast, serving as your allies."

Dong Gong Ruoshu asked in confusion, "Are they beautiful?"

"Almost as beautiful as you."

"Seems they just barely miss being national beauties, almost possessing an appearance capable of toppling kingdoms."

As Dong Gong Ruoshu puffed out her chest slightly, hands on her hips, her confident and radiant demeanor grew increasingly pleasing to the Dowager’s eyes.

Especially her air of self-assurance, paired with a dash of spontaneous recklessness—it only added to the Dowager’s satisfaction.

Perfectly suited to marrying that courtier...

Behind the Dowager’s approving expression, Dong Gong Ruoshu was instead perplexed.

Inviting Chen Yi and his concubine was one thing, but arranging for nearly-as-beautiful women as allies?

This felt less like pairing her with Chen Yi...

And more like... the back-palace concubines rallying together to vie for favor.

What was this? Had the feudal back-palace of Great Yu’s capital turned into Chen Yi’s harem?

Before Dong Gong Ruoshu could make sense of it all, the Dowager clapped her hands.

Suxin nodded and exited the palace doors. Not long after, she returned with two palace maids carrying a dress in their hands—a dark crimson garment crafted from top-grade Bada brocade. Initially, Dong Gong Ruoshu was captivated by its beauty, but upon closer inspection, her heart sank.

This was a Hezi skirt. Originating in the Tang dynasty, it had no sleeves, leaving the arms exposed while baring the chest region—a Hezi skirt.