Chapter 145: Noble Lady Fu Requests an Audience

"Then I can finally set my mind at ease." The Empress Dowager dried her tears, composed herself, and expressed satisfaction with his words.

"Noble Lady Fu requests an audience!"

A palace maid entered to announce that Noble Lady Fu was seeking to pay her respects. Lately, Fu Yan had been visiting the Empress Dowager frequently to keep her company, chat, and take walks to help relieve her boredom. Her graceful and poised demeanor had greatly endeared her to the Empress Dowager.

"Have her come in!"

Just as the mother and son had finished enacting their subtle palace maneuver, Fu Yan happened to arrive to pay her respects. Now that the deep conversation with Li Rui had concluded, seeing Noble Lady Fu would not be a bad way to pass the time and dispel any lingering gloom.

Fu Yan approached with a slow, graceful gait, looking dignified and splendid. Her demeanor had changed so drastically compared to her past self that even Li Rui looked somewhat surprised. Upon a moment's reflection, however, he realized that such a transformation was truly remarkable.

"Your humble subject, the Fu clan, pays her respects to the Empress Dowager and greets the Prince of Rui."

Although Fu Yan had already noticed Li Rui's presence upon entering, she offered her greetings with unhurried poise and flawless etiquette, her movements thoroughly elegant and refined. Li-Rui merely gave her a brief, acknowledging nod.

Indeed, within the palace walls, Fu Yan seemed like an entirely different person—obedient, sensible, and deeply favored by both the Emperor and the Empress Dowager. If her own father, Fu Shijie, were to witness this transformation, he would undoubtedly be left utterly dumbfounded.

"Rise!"

The Empress Dowager had already smoothed away her previous expression, replacing it with her customary aristocratic aloofness, which bore no resemblance to the tender, consoling mother from moments before.

"Mother, your son will take his leave for today."

Seeing that Fu Yan had arrived, Li Rui saw no reason to linger and bowed to the Empress Dowager to take his leave.

"Very well! Since the Noble Lady has come to keep me company, Rui'er, you may return. But remember to take to heart what I have just told you."

The Empress Dowager looked at Li Rui and added a pointed reminder with deep implication. Fu Yan remained calm on the surface, but inwardly she turned the words over in her mind, wondering what matter had been entrusted to Li Rui.

"Understood. Your son takes his leave." With that, Li Rui turned and left directly. Fu Yan cast a few surreptitious glances at his retreating back out of the corner of her eye.

It seemed that although Fu Yan harbored resentment toward Li Rui, his shadow still lingered in her heart. After all, he was the only man she had ever truly loved and adored.

Though she was now a consort of the Emperor, the only person who surfaced in the depths of her mind—eliciting both yearning and bitterness—was still him. Although Li Rui and Li Zhen were full brothers, Emperor Li Zhen lacked Li Rui's imposing and handsome stature.

"Noble Lady Fu has arrived even earlier today."

The Empress Dowager asked with maternal warmth. Indeed, Fu Yan was earlier than usual; had she adhered to her routine schedule, she would not have crossed paths with Li Rui.

"Indeed! Empress Dowager, today your subject personally prepared some pastries for you to taste."

The Empress Dowager's inquiry pulled Fu Yan's thoughts back to the present. She hastily replied with gentle obedience, took the food box, and arranged the meticulously prepared pastries onto the table.

Today, Fu Yan had brought a newly crafted assortment of treats. Every day, she racked her brains to invent different ways to please the Emperor and the Empress Dowager.

Fu Yan had exhausted all her ingenuity and schemes to achieve this, largely because she had previously been utterly clueless about such ingratiating arts and had only recently learned them bit by bit.

Upon leaving the Empress Dowager's quarters, Fu Yan leaned back in her sedan chair, lost in thought. Her heart was still restless—could it be that she was still unable to let go of her love for Li Rui?

She had once sworn an oath to exact revenge upon him, hoping that Li Rui and Zhang Xiaolan would meet a wretched end. Even now, she was striving diligently to accumulate power, waiting for the opportune moment to strike back against him without mercy.