Flowery Hair: A Maidservant

Chapter 516 Consort Mu Faints

Yang Baolin's knuckles were clenched so tightly they turned white. She was still kneeling on the ground, her face a mixture of pale and flushed.

Not far away, Pei Baolin gently covered the corner of her lips with a handkerchief, her eyes almost overflowing with sarcasm, feeling that her current predicament was entirely her own doing.

"Alright, although the main hall of Ganlu Palace..." The Empress was about to speak, but her tone already carried a hint of displeasure.

"Your Majesty," Consort Qi, adept at reading people, quickly interrupted with a smile, "why not let Consort Yang move to my palace? I've always enjoyed lively gatherings, and now only Afu and I live in Dieqiong Pavilion, which feels rather lonely during the day. I was even thinking of asking Your Majesty for a chance to appoint a younger sister to keep me company, and now this is just perfect timing."

The Empress was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, then smiled broadly: "This arrangement is excellent. Since giving birth to the eldest princess, Consort Qi has become increasingly dignified and considerate in her conduct, and she is also a steady and reliable person. If Consort Yang can learn some of your composure from following you in the future, it will be a blessing for her."

Yang Baolin felt as if she had been granted a pardon and quickly kowtowed to express her gratitude: "Your Majesty, I thank you for your grace and compassion."

As she stood up, her skirt swayed slightly. She quickly turned to Consort Qi and bowed respectfully, her posture extremely humble: "This concubine thanks Consort Qi for taking me in. I will certainly keep to my duty in the future and will inevitably trouble Your Highness again."

Consort Qi simply smiled and nodded, without saying anything more.

She took in Yang Baolin only to curry favor with Meng Shu and Consort Chun. Knowing Yang Baolin's nature, she naturally wouldn't easily become close to her. Knowing when to stop was the most appropriate measure.

After the morning audience concluded, everyone left the flower hall in order. Just as Consort Mu reached the door, the Empress called out to her, "Sister Song, please wait. I have something to say to you."

Consort Mu paused slightly. After the palace doors closed and everyone else had left, the Empress spoke slowly: "Sister Song, I ask you, how long has it been since the Emperor last visited you?"

His tone had lost its previous gentleness and become more casual, as if he were speaking intimately.

Consort Mu lowered her eyes and replied in a low voice, "Your Majesty, I don't remember."

Her personal maid, Feng Chi, listened, her eyes quietly reddening. Previously, when Consort Shen was confined to her quarters to reflect on her actions, and her mistress temporarily cared for the Second Princess, the Emperor, concerned for the child, would visit every two weeks, sometimes even staying overnight. But since the Second Princess was brought back to Shujing Palace, the Emperor had never visited again. Her mistress seemed indifferent, and the Lady repeatedly mentioned in her letters the "importance of offspring," even going so far as to search for several gentle remedies for conception, but alas…

......

As evening approached, Jingming personally came to Lingcui Palace to announce that the Emperor would be coming for dinner that evening.

Green Willow, ever obedient and perceptive, knew that with the mourning period for Empress Dowager Zhou over, this was the first time the Emperor would be staying overnight at Lingcui Palace. After seeing Jingming off, she immediately led the palace servants to get busy, even replacing the vases on the tables on both sides of the flower hall with freshly picked tuberoses, striving for perfection in every detail.

Donggua then went into the small kitchen and cooked several seasonal dishes according to the Emperor's preferences. Last time, Imperial Physician Jian had specifically instructed that the Emperor's diet should be light recently, so Donggua mainly stewed the dishes. He also added lotus seeds, lily bulbs and a little rock sugar to the casserole and slowly simmered a sweet soup to soothe the nerves and moisten the lungs.

Not long after dusk, a messenger announced his arrival. Meng Shu had just reached the palace gate when she saw the Emperor, dressed in casual clothes, walk in with light steps and a rare look of ease on his face.

"Where is Jing'er?" The Emperor had barely sat down when he first asked about the eldest prince.

Meng Shu replied, "I was tired from playing in the afternoon, and I'm sleeping in the warm pavilion now."

Upon hearing this, the Emperor immediately stood up and said, "I will go and see him."

The two entered the warm pavilion. Yu Nu'er was lying on her side, her little face flushed, her breathing even, and she was holding a well-worn rattle in her arms. The Emperor paused for a moment, gently touching the child's little arm with his fingertips. The majesty in his eyes gradually faded, leaving only the tenderness of a father.

“Jing’er has grown a bit more. Her little arms look much thicker and stronger than last month.”

The Emperor rarely called her by her childhood name, "Yu Nu'er," so Meng Shu just smiled and didn't reply.

When we returned to the flower hall, dinner had already been prepared.

The Emperor took his seat in the main seat, his gaze sweeping across the table, and immediately noticed the bowl of lotus seed soup. He couldn't help but smile and said, "I just came from the Taiji Palace and was feeling thirsty. This soup is just in time. Shu'er is very thoughtful."

"It was all arranged by Donggua with great care," Meng Shu said, picking up a silver spoon and gently presenting the soup bowl to him. "If it suits Your Majesty's taste, I will instruct her to stew another pot and send it to Fu Ning Palace tomorrow."

The Emperor reached out and grasped her fingertips as she handed him the soup, a lazy smile in his eyes: "Why bother? I'll come again tomorrow. I can have hot soup and see Shu'er at the same time. Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?"

Meng Shu paused slightly, "His Majesty has been busy with state affairs for days, and it's rare to see him with a smile on his face now. I suppose the disaster situation has eased somewhat?"

"I just received a report from Yanzhou today," the Emperor nodded, his tone calm. "Minister Zhou has lived up to my expectations. All the supplies transferred from the Yangzhou granary have arrived, and the displaced people have been settled. Three days ago, the heavens sent down timely rain, which greatly alleviated the drought. As for Yuzhou... the Ministry of Revenue has allocated hundreds of thousands of dan of grain, which should be enough to get through this difficult time."

His tone shifted, and he said gently, "I am very pleased that Consort Chun took the lead in organizing the donation in the palace this time. I know that it was mostly you, Shu'er, who devised the plan behind the scenes. You and Zhou Qing, uncle and nephew, are truly my right and left hands."

Upon hearing this, Meng Shu's thoughts shifted slightly, but the Emperor did not mention Zhenbei Marquis at all.

"Your Highness the Imperial Concubine contributed both money and effort; how could I dare to claim credit? However, there is one matter that the Princess mentioned casually when she entered the palace a few days ago..."

"Is it about the Jiang family woman?" The Emperor's expression turned serious as he replied, "I have received a secret report. Madam Jiang is a model of virtue for women. If she hadn't risked her life to deliver the evidence of the corruption case in Yuzhou, the local people would have suffered even more. Because of her merit, I have already shown leniency, executing only the ringleader of the Jiang family and giving the rest a lighter sentence. Unexpectedly, she disappeared en route. I have ordered a full-scale search to ensure her safety."

Meng Shu said slowly, "Your Majesty may not know, but this Madam Jiang is actually the third young lady of the Qin family, the current prefect of Lin'an, and also the Imperial Concubine's childhood best friend. Back in Lin'an, Wan'er and the third young lady of the Qin family got along very well and often went out together, and their friendship was very deep."

Upon hearing this, the Emperor pondered, "So there's such a connection. If we find this Lady Jiang, I will order someone to escort her into the palace so she can meet Consort Chun."

Meng Shu immediately stood up, curtsied, and said, "On behalf of Wan'er, I thank Your Majesty for your grace."

The Emperor reached out to help her sit down, and was about to speak when he saw Green Willow leading a palace maid hurriedly inside.

The one who arrived was Feng Chi, Consort Mu's personal maid. Her face was full of anxiety, and she immediately knelt down as soon as she entered the flower hall with Green Willow: "Your Majesty, Your Highness, our Consort suddenly fainted just now..."