Are You Sure This Is the Cold Palace?

Zhou Wanwan thought she had someone backing her up, but it turned out that Old Madam Zhou beat her to it.

Old Madam Zhou sat next to the Empress Dowager, coldly watching Zhou Wanwan.

To understand how she got involved with the Empress Dowager, we have to look at her experiences in her previous life.

Previously, a woman saved the Empress Dowager on a mountain road and was subsequently made an adopted daughter by the Empress Dowager, which caused quite a stir.

At that time, they were suffering from a drought, and everyone envied that woman, for when one person attains enlightenment, even their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven.

Old Madam Zhou was so humiliated that day that she was planning to commit suicide, but then she suddenly remembered this incident.

The time had come to an end, and she had been squatting on that road for a whole day. Sure enough, someone was trying to assassinate the Empress Dowager. She took advantage of the chaos to save the Empress Dowager and hid her in the bushes.

The Empress Dowager survived, and now regards her as her savior, bestowing upon her many gold and silver treasures.

Soon, Zhou Fusheng, Liu Su'e, Zhou Fuyu, Qian Huihui, Zhou Mei, Zhou Lan, Zhou Zhu, and Zhou Qingzhou were all summoned to the palace.

Looking at the palace, Zhou Fuyu was incredibly excited. "So this is the palace! It's huge!"

Qian Huihui chuckled and said, "Liu Su'e, do you know why we were summoned to the palace?"

Liu Su'e shook her head, her heart pounding with anxiety. Had Zhou Wanwan gotten herself into serious trouble?

Qian Huihui laughed and said, "I heard that the Eldest Princess is my mother-in-law! Oh dear! This has caused quite a stir; even the Empress Dowager knows about it."

Zhou Fuyu, with his hands behind his back, looked at Zhou Fusheng and said, "Fourth brother, you know, when good fortune comes, there's no stopping it!"

Zhou Fusheng and Liu Su'e exchanged a glance, then stopped talking and headed straight for the palace.

Upon arriving at the palace, the Empress Dowager sat on the throne, while Zhou Wanwan stood beside her.

Old Madam Zhou also sat at the head of the table, looking at the Empress Dowager and saying:

"This is my third child, whom I brought home from the doorway. It was snowing that year, and the child's face was purple when I brought him home."

He only had one jade pendant in his arms; it was the one I painstakingly raised him to this age.

But I never expected that my own son would impersonate me and claim this jade pendant.

I couldn't bear it after thinking about it, so I told the truth anyway.

The Empress Dowager coldly looked at Zhou Fusheng and said, "You have quite the nerve, daring to claim you are the son of the Eldest Princess. What is the punishment for deceiving the Emperor?"

Zhou Fusheng immediately knelt on the ground and said, "No, I have never lied to the Princess."

The eldest princess also hurriedly entered the palace. The Empress Dowager looked at the eldest princess and said, "You, you don't even recognize your own son? This is Zhou Fuyu, this is your biological son."

Zhou Fuyu obediently moved closer to the Princess, who sneered:

"Mother, this fat man with big ears, how could he possibly be my son?"

Zhou Fusheng is more like my son.

The Empress Dowager glanced at her indifferently and said:

"Do you think I can't tell who my grandson is?"

This Zhou Fusheng is just a fame-seeking charlatan, not to be trusted. Anyway, if you don't admit it, there's nothing I can do about it, but I do admit it.

I said, "He is my grandson, he is my grandson! And this is Auntie Zhou, she saved my life!"

The eldest princess looked at her and said, "Auntie Zhou? I remember this person made a fool of herself at the Lu Family's banquet yesterday. Does she even deserve to call me Auntie Zhou?"

The Empress Dowager looked at Zhou Wanwan with a gloomy expression and said:

"If she hadn't been framed, how could she have ended up like this?"

She almost committed suicide. If I find out who was behind it, I'll tear her to pieces.

The Empress Dowager's gaze remained fixed on Zhou Wanwan. The Eldest Princess said, "Wanwan is only six years old. Mother, it would be best not to make things difficult for her."

The Empress Dowager snorted coldly and said, "This is utter nonsense! Why do you have to dote on her when you have your own grandchildren to dote on? Qingzhou, come here."

Zhou Qingzhou walked over with a happy expression and said, "Grandma..."

The old nanny beside her coughed and said, "You should call her Imperial Grandmother."

Zhou Qingzhou looked at the Empress Dowager and said, "Grandmother..."

The Empress Dowager was overjoyed. "You're such a good child! Have you passed the imperial examination to become a scholar?"

Zhou Qingzhou sighed, "I was preparing to take the imperial examination for the lowest degree this year!"

"Good, good, good, good, good. Good luck on the exam. Someone, bring out a set of writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone." The Empress Dowager instructed.

Old Madam Zhou, standing nearby, beamed with joy. "Oh my! Your Majesty, you're too kind! You've given us so many gifts, from this place to that place, we can't possibly accept them!"

The Empress Dowager took her hand and said, "From now on, you are my elder sister. What's mine is yours. Stay in the palace for a while!"

Old Madam Zhou chuckled and said, "How could I possibly accept that?"

The Empress Dowager took her hand and said, "What's there to be embarrassed about? Anyway, I've already accepted you as my older sister. If you don't agree, I'll get angry!"

These two are incredibly close.

The Empress Dowager looked at Zhou Fusheng and Liu Su'e and said, "Neither of you need to go back. Go to the Cold Palace! Guards, throw them into the Cold Palace and lock them up."

The eldest princess shouted, "Mother, how could you do this? They are innocent!"

The Empress Dowager looked coldly at the Eldest Princess and said:

"You've really been spoiled all these years. They're innocent?"

They're a pair of swindlers, and that little girl isn't any better. If you say anything more, you can go in and join them."

The eldest princess said, "How can Zhou Fusheng, a man, be confined to the Cold Palace?"

"The eunuchs are still living in the Cold Palace? They're men too. Throw the Princess in there too, let them wake up."

The eldest princess was so angry that her eyes reddened. She had been hoping that the Empress Dowager could save Zhou Wanwan, but who would have thought that after the Empress Dowager returned, she would actually banish Zhou Wanwan to the Cold Palace.

The three were thrown directly into the Cold Palace by the group of palace maids and eunuchs. The front of the Cold Palace had not been renovated, so it looked overgrown with weeds.

The palace maids and eunuchs threw them into the cold palace and shut the gates.

Looking at the scene, the eldest princess sighed and said, "How could she be so heartless? How could she treat me like this? I am her own daughter!"

Zhou Wanwan said helplessly, "Grandma, don't cry. It seems this Empress Dowager isn't all that great. We're quite content living in the Cold Palace."

The eldest princess looked at the surroundings outside the cold palace and sighed, saying:

"This house is so dilapidated, it can't even keep out the rain, how can anyone live here?"

Wanwan, I'm so sorry you've had to go through all this time.

Zhou Wanwan pulled them towards the back of the Cold Palace.

They walked for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, and then the view suddenly opened up before them. Zhou Wanwan led them into the courtyard.

The eldest princess looked at the courtyard and said:

"Are you sure this is the Cold Palace? This is way too luxurious!"

This courtyard is like a garden in Jiangnan, with pavilions, terraces, bridges, and flowing water; it's truly lovely.

Zhou Wanwan chuckled and said, "I've already told you, I'm doing quite well in the Cold Palace, but you still don't believe me. Let me show you my room!"