Allure of a Country Maiden-Chapter 1024 - 1022 - 1

"Your servant doesn’t dare...I genuinely believe that these generous rewards make me feel undeserved." Fang Wanping trembled as she finished speaking, meekly lowering her head.

She seemed somewhat pitiful at that moment.

Fang Wanping regretted! If she had known how intimidating the emperor was, she never would have dared face him to thank him for his grace!

The emperor’s gaze seemed to see through everything. Underneath such a gaze, she couldn’t hide her little schemes!

Listening to the emperor’s tone, he was suspicious of her!

What should she do?! Fang Wanping quickly thought of a plan in her heart.

However, she didn’t even need to think, the Empress Dowager was helping her!

See Fang Wanping scared and dare not raise her head, the Empress Dowager glanced at her son, his gaze was indeed a little bit frightening.

How could he scare his savior like this, the Empress Dowager was not satisfied: "Your Majesty, you will scare Miss Ruan like this! Miss Ruan, don’t be afraid, you saved both my life and the emperor’s life. We are both eternally grateful! Those rewards are nothing compared to how you saved my life. You can take them without worries!"

Xiao’er glanced at the Empress Dowager, this was the first time she heard the Empress Dowager speaking so gently to a stranger!

Fang Wanping relieved a little when the Empress Dowager defended her. She still shook her head after thinking for a while: "All these gifts are too precious! I won’t be able to use them in my daily life. Since the Empress Dowager and the Emperor have generously awarded me these gifts, I will pay them as tribute to the Empress Dowager for her health and calmness."

"Hahaha...you have filial piety! I like it!" The Empress Dowager was very pleased with Fang Wanping’s words, even forgetting about her foot injury.

"All right, I don’t need these few things, they are yours now! Now that you are injured, you should go home and have some rest. After you recover, come and accompany me to talk in the palace."

Fang Wanping was overjoyed. She thought that she had aroused the emperor’ suspicion and expected these rewards to be her only gains of saving the Empress Dowager’s life. However, she didn’t expect to have the opportunity of visiting the palace again to talk with the Empress Dowager!

Indeed, it was right for her to insist on thanking in person!

"Thank you, Empress Dowager! It’s a great honor for me to be able to accompany you," Fang Wanping said excitedly.

The Empress Dowager was even happier after hearing this. While Ruan Wanping was not of high status, she was obedient and good-natured, quite unlike some individuals who were domineering and didn’t treat her as an elder, let alone accompanying her to chat!

The Empress Dowager once again set her sights on Xiao’er.

Having experienced the Empress Dowager’s gaze multiple times, Xiao’er couldn’t help but ask, "Does Empress Dowager have something to say to her daughter-in-law?"

"No! It’s just that you should learn from Miss Ruan’s filial piety and manners." The Empress Dowager responded irritably.

Fang Wanping, noting that the Empress Dowager’s tone was not as kind towards Xiao’er as it was towards her and recalling their previous confrontations in the Imperial Garden, couldn’t help but grin.

The Empress Dowager’s disfavor towards Princess Rui was to her advantage. She would have the Empress Dowager’s support in the future and didn’t have to be so subservient in front of Princess Rui.

Upon thinking this, her gaze towards Xiao’er unconsciously carried a hint of triumph and challenge.

She feigned humility and said, "I dare not compare myself to Princess Rui, who is deeply revered by all! I only admire and salute to Princess Rui."

Shangguan Xuanyi’s face turned cold upon hearing this! Deeply revered by all? She was deliberately trying to smear Xiao’er’s reputation before the Emperor and the Empress Dowager!

The people who were deeply revered by all were usually the Emperors!

Shangguan Xuanhao and the others frowned towards Fang Wanping after hearing this, wondering: when did Xiao’er offend her?

Xiao’er understood Fang Wanping’s provocation. She gave Fang Wanping a meaningful smile, then looked surprised and said to the Empress Dowager, "When the Empress Dowager looked at me just now, I thought she knew that I knew Miss Fang from before, and wanted to ask me about Miss Fang. Ah! Look at my memory, now it should be Miss Ruan, I was used to calling her Fang, I can’t change it for a while. Miss Ruan, don’t take it the wrong way!"

Of all the people in the room, other than the mighty Emperor, the surprised Empress Dowager, and the crimson-faced Fang Wanping, the rest of them wanted to laugh at Xiao’er’s exaggerated expressions and tone.

Courageous enough to trip Xiao’er up, she must not fear death! Look at the instant karma!

Fang Wanping had mentally cursed all of Xiao’er’s ancestors when she addressed her as Miss Fang!

She didn’t understand what she had done to upset Xiao’er, and why she kept spoiling her success!

The Emperor had already caught a hint from Xiao’er’s words: Why would a girl suddenly change her surname? There was only one possible explanation, that her mother remarried! Or her mother descended and she followed her mother’s surname. Since Master Ruan is still here, clearly, it was the former.

The Empress Dowager didn’t quite get it at first, so she asked, "What do you mean, Miss Fang, Miss Ruan, how could you get surnames mixed up?"

The others looked at Fang Wanping after hearing this.

At this moment, Fang Wanping felt as though she was being roasted on a grill, her face bright red, her eyes teary, as if she was greatly wronged.

The Empress Dowager shot Xiao’er a sharp look, "Princess Rui, why are you bullying her again!"

Xiao’er nearly flipped the table when she heard this. Why is it always her who is seen bullying others, and never others bullying her?

Shangguan Xuanyi extended his hand to hold Xiao’er’s, signalling her to stay quiet and let him handle it.

Xiao’er still replied coldly, "I merely stated the truth inadvertently. It seems that honesty is deemed as bullying!"

The Empress Dowager was taken aback by Xiao’er’s words, not knowing what to say.

Shangguan Xuanyi’s piercing gaze fell upon Fang Wanping, "How did my wife bully you? Why would she address you wrongly? Explain it clearly!"

Fang Wanping flinched unconsciously and then shook her head, "No! The princess didn’t bully me! She has been very kind to me."

If she were to confess that her mother abandoned her former husband who had been dismissed and remarried to Master Ruan, and then she followed suit by changing her surname, she could never bring herself to say it.

Even though Master Ruan was her biological father, when her mother and her father were together, they weren’t married, which was considered living together illicitly. If she were to recount this matter in front of the Empress Dowager, Fang Wanping knew for certain that the Empress Dowager’s perception of her would change! She has finally found an influential ally, how could she bear to lose her like this!

If Xiao’er were really kind to her, why would she be so scared! Who would believe Fang Wanping’s words! Even the normally slow-witted Empress Dowager must have sensed something was amiss! freёnovelkiss.com

When the Empress Dowager saw Fang Wanping looking as though she wanted to hide away from her grandson’s murderous gaze, she couldn’t help but say, "Xuanyi, don’t always wear such a scary face. It’s too intimidating!"

Shangguan Xuanyi ignored the Empress Dowager’s words and continued to gaze coldly at Fang Wanping, demanding harshly, "Speak!"