Chapter 3: Old Fox
"Your Highness, please wake up," a small timid voice gently reminded.
The lady in the silkin covered sheets rose slowly from her slumber. Mu Qing squinted her eyes, and realized that she was no longer in her own room.
"Prepare a bath," she paused, as if in thought, and then continued, "also a white cloth."
"Yes, your Highness."
Tender white arms reached for the ceiling, and her long porcelain legs stretched forward. A sigh escaped her mouth, and a tender smile hung on her rosy lips. It was the small things in life that made her happy, like being able to feel her limbs relax after a good stretch or waking up after a good nap. She gently jump off the bed and walked to the basin of water by the dresser.
Not long after, the mousy maid walked in and announced, "Your Highness, the-the bath is ready."
Mu Qing turned and nod, her face indifferent. Bowing again, the servant girl gently guide the newly titled Empress to the large bath. Two rows of three palace maids dress in light pink bowed at the waist to welcome her. The bathroom was unsurprisingly extravagant. Instead of gold and red, the harmonic blend of silver and azure made the bath relaxing and bright. In the middle of the room laid a pool filled with warm water and rose petals. Blue silk curtains with silver accents hung from the ceilings down to the white marble floor, ensuring privacy. Truly a small paradise.
"Please allow us to take off your robes, your highness," a pretty palace maid said.
Mu Qing looked at her and then scanned the rest of them in contempt. Her own maid from the Mu house, knowing her habits, had long since left the vicinity.
"Leave. I can take care of myself."
A look of apprehension fluttered crossed the palace maid's face, while the others secretly sneered with their faces facing the floor.
The palace maid smiled complacently, "Your Highness, it is better for us to be here to serve you. After all, the Empress Dowager should not be kept waiting."
Their expressions and words were all being taken in by Mu Qing's bright clever eyes.
"I will not repeat myself. If the Empress Dowager cannot wait, then why are you delaying my bath," her voice was even and firm.
The maids trembled and they all kneeled. "Please let us serve you, your highness!"
"If you are willing to serve, then you wouldn't mind if I award each of you fifty spanks, right," her mouth was straight and a hint of anger could be seen in Mu Qing's eyes.
"Please forgive this rude slave, your highness," her voice quivered as she kneeled.
"Go."
Pink dresses moved quickly out the door, and the prettiest maid looked at Mu Qing one more time before quietly closing the door. The maid that spoke earlier was named Qu Yi. She is quite pretty and is often favored by visiting nobles and the Empress Dowager, therefore she held quite a lot of power in the inner palace. She glared at the closed doors, wishing to burn through it.
Qu Yi motioned at one of the other maids and ordered, "Go report it."
Having the huge bath to herself, Mu Qing finally relaxed. She was never one to like being pampered and waited upon. Her mother would often monitor her through her servants, therefore she had long developed a distrust towards the servants and preferred to be independent. However, that was in the Mu manor, here in the palace, it was even more stifling. The walls have eyes and ears.
Robes fell gently onto the floor like falling leaves, and a slender yet curvy silhouette enter the steamy water. Closing her eyes, Mu Qing began to gather her thoughts and prepared for the upcoming battle.
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The biggest courtyard in the inner palace was called 'A Thousand Dreams'. Much like the decor of all the palace's buildings, the outside structure was red. Starting of the deep brown gate with gold linings, to the silver walkway, pass the bridge across the frozen pond, laid the immaculate chambers of the Empress Dowager. The name of the courtyard came from the founding Emperor of the Do dynasty. It represented the many blissful nights he had in the inner palace.
As Mu Qing approached the chambers, the palace maid Qu Yi bowed politely and stopped her. Laughter could be heard from inside the room as Qu Yi entered the chambers to announce her arrival. Mu Qing waited patiently outside in a white fox cloak and a hand stove held together by both of her small, tender hands. Qu Yi opened the doors and bowed as the Empress walked pass the threshold.
The Empress Dowager has aged nicely. She had the bearings of a gentle and kind elder, and looks that did not pass fifty. She sat at the head of the room and along her sides sat elders from prestigious families. She smiled widely at the approaching Mu Qing.
"Good! Good! Beautiful and gentle. Aja has been lonely for so long, it is nice to finally have someone else in the inner palace," the Empress Dowager clapped her hands causing the ornaments in her hair sway.
"Mu Qing greets Empress mother," her red dress swept the floor as she curtsy. Mu Qing then offered a jade cup filled with fragrant jasmine tea to the Empress Dowager, "Wishing Empress Mother a long life and many happiness."
The Empress Dowager elegantly received the cup. The elders did not hesitate to compliment Mu Qing, giving the Empress Dowager face.
"The Empress is indeed the the Empress. What a good child," a women on the right smiled. This was the mother of the Financial Minister. Her name was Feng Yu.
Mu Qing stayed silent in the kneeling position, waiting on a pardon. Her eyes were downcast, seemingly shy of the many compliments. The Empress Dowager looked at her daughter in-law with an unknown glint in her eyes.
"Ah, being so joyous has made Aja forgetful. My dear child, please raise. The long night must have made you tired," the Empress Dowager's tone was warm. Mu Qing stood up slowly and walked towards a chair near the door, showing her position as a junior.
Feng Yu couldn't help but add, "Very soon us elders will be able to see little ones running around. Congratulation first to the Empress Dowager."
"Haha, well said Sister Yu," the old woman looked at Mu Qing, "You must try hard so Aja can hear such good news soon." The Empress Dowager then looked to her left at a refined noble woman. She was the wife of the Judicial Minister and the Empress Dowager's niece. Her hair was styled into that of a married woman, and bracelets and rings covered her hands and arms. In terms of looks, one can say that this woman will never be past her prime.
"Ying'er, are you feeling unwell," the Empress Dowager asked in concern for the woman.
"Aunt, I-I don't know if I can say this," Le Ying, the noble woman, looked sadly at the Empress Dowager. Mu Qing sat stilled as a tree, patiently waiting for this play to end.
"Go ahead, speak your mind. Aja will not judge you."
Taking a deep breath and seemingly gathering her courage, Le Ying's voice quivered, "People fr-from the outside are saying that the Emperor did...not spend the night with Empress. They are saying that he only married her for he Mu family."
"Presumptuous! One can only judge with their eyes and not baseless rumors," The Empress Dowager old, wise eyes had a pointed look towards Mu Qing. The loud slam of her wrinkled hand on the oak table rang throughout the room. The other elders kept their mouths shut and eyes down.
"Qing Er, Aja definitely believes you! Rumors are just rumors," she the paused, "However, we just eliminate this rumor. It could leave a mark on the royal family. Can you please show Aja the white cloth."
Mu Qing eyes narrowed in delight, and the small tug on her mouth revealed her satisfaction. 'Old fox, you're finally showing yourself. I will play with you to my heart's content.'
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
yuki12342
yuki12342 My first cliff hanger. Honestly, even I don't know what will happen, and I won't until I start on the next chapter.
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