Three days had passed since the Longevity Festival, and it was now the day to pay respects to the Empress Dowager.
This victor of the previous generation's palace intrigue was finally willing to emerge from her small Buddha hall. As a concubine, Jiang Xian's itinerary was to first go to Jianzhang Palace to pay her respects to the Empress, then follow the Empress to Changle Palace to pay respects to the Empress Dowager.
Many of the Concubines gave Jiang Xian the side-eye, secretly praying—
'May the Empress Dowager act swiftly and deal with this vixen!'
Jiang Xian, however, wasn't particularly nervous or afraid. She always took things as they came. 'The Emperor is still quite fond of me right now,' she thought. 'Since he hasn't made a point of mentioning the Empress Dowager, she's probably not the type to lash out at concubines over nothing. If I get a little reprimand, I suppose I'll have it coming.'
