Cold-faced Empress

"Last night, the Empress Dowager dreamt that wildflowers grew wildly, their stems strong and their blossoms vibrant, rivaling even the finest cultivated varieties, and some even taller than a person. She also dreamt of wild ducks soaring high, dancing and circling with the geese in the sky..."

The Empress Dowager's strange dream brought silence to the palace.

Five different dream images, all of them containing the word "wild": wildflowers, wild grass, wild ducks, wild horses... even wild men. In the dream, the wild man suddenly appeared dressed neatly, full of vigor, pointing out the landscape.

After the chief eunuch finished describing the dream, he asked everyone to interpret it. The hall was immediately filled with whispers and discussions, but no one dared to step forward to interpret the dream.

Fu Siying had no recollection of the Empress Dowager's dream, so she had made thorough preparations. Now, hearing it, her memories overlapped with her hazy, distant past life, and she immediately felt confident and relaxed.

Even though Yunzhi forgot her sadness and started to speculate with curiosity, she was still able to sit calmly and upright, completely unconcerned.

She had to wait, until someone confidently stepped forward to interpret the dream and hoped to receive praise from the Empress Dowager, before she could express her shallow opinion.

Countless people wanted to interpret the Empress Dowager's dream to please her. As everyone gradually came up with their own ideas, one after another, they stepped forward to boldly offer their interpretations.

All sorts of things were said, even flattery about it being an "auspicious omen," which was clearly the nonsense of ignorant people trying to strike it rich.

None of the opinions satisfied the Empress Dowager. Everyone realized that this merit was hard to obtain, and gradually regarded it as a small game at the palace banquet. As a result, speculation increased, and people discussed it vigorously and lively.

Suddenly, a palace attendant announced that someone outside the palace wanted to interpret the Empress Dowager's dream.

The hall fell silent as the Empress Dowager, smiling, granted permission for those outside to enter and have their dreams interpreted.

Those who could sit inside the hall were all high-ranking officials and members of the imperial family; most ordinary officials and their families sat outside. Any exciting events happening inside the hall would be relayed by palace servants.

Fu Siying glanced sideways and saw Madam Zhang, the second wife of Fu, leading Fu Fangwei and following palace servants, bowing their heads and shuffling into the hall.

Look, the person she's been waiting for has arrived.

Because Madam Fu had previously paid her respects to the Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager still remembered Madam Fu.

After Zhang and Fu Fangwei had finished their greetings, the Empress Dowager jokingly remarked, "If it weren't for today's palace banquet, I really wouldn't have known that the Fu family is full of talented people."

Upon hearing this, Prime Minister Fu repeatedly bowed to the Emperor and Empress Dowager, expressing his deepest gratitude.

"What insightful opinion does the Vice Minister's wife have?"

The second wife, Madam Zhang, was flattered and carefully replied, "This humble woman is ashamed and dares not accept the Empress Dowager's expectations. However, I have a small idea that I hope can help the Empress Dowager resolve any doubts."

Fu Fangwei bowed gracefully: "Your subject Fu Fangwei greets Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager."

Her hair was adorned with a single pearl hairpin and a delicate jade hairpin. Her beautiful and elegant attire made her even more radiant and captivating.

The Empress Dowager glanced at Fu Fangwei a few times, her gaze filled with strange dissatisfaction. After praising Fu Fangwei's good looks in a flat tone, she asked Fu Fangwei to interpret the dream.

Fu Fangwei could suppress the involuntary trembling of her body, but she couldn't help but let her voice tremble slightly.

A loud yet trembling voice echoed in the hall: "The images in Her Majesty the Empress Dowager's dream are all base and lowly things, belonging to the 'wild' category, yet strangely contending and fighting with the magnificent and righteous path. I believe this dream signifies a lenient approach to rules. Her Majesty the Empress Dowager is known for her tolerance and compassion, but she inevitably encounters the unbridled behavior of petty people. This dream is likely an admonition to Her Majesty the Empress Dowager to treat others with strictness in order to uphold orthodoxy."

The hall fell silent suddenly.