The heavy snow had been falling for several days.
The roads couldn't be cleared. No sooner had they been swept than they were covered again, blanketed in thick snow.
Going out was inconvenient, and the Empress was busy.
So she simply commanded, "There's no need to come for the morning greetings!"
The concubines hurried to flatter her, "The Empress is truly virtuous!"
If Xia Ruqing didn't know about the sordid things the Empress had done, she might have believed that the Empress was truly virtuous.
But... not having to attend the morning greetings was always good; at the very least, she could sleep in and wake up naturally.
Xia Ruqing cuddled in her blankets, playing with her cat.
Xiao Xizi had already brought back breakfast.
Zi Yue persuaded, "Master, why not get up and have breakfast before going back to sleep? What if you become ill from hunger if you don't eat?"
Xia Ruqing, thoroughly bored, dawdled for a while longer before reluctantly getting up.
