Flowery Hair: A Maidservant

Chapter 427 Consort Chun Leaves the Palace

When the topic of rank came up, Consort Chun suddenly understood the Emperor's intention. It seemed that with this pretext of assisting in the management of the six palaces, Consort Qing could be reinstated in a legitimate manner.

Thinking of this, Consort Chun became even more disheartened.

After a short while, she curtsied and took her leave. As she walked out of the Funing Palace, carrying the sutra scroll personally copied by the Emperor, the sun was already setting in the west.

She walked ahead, and Jingming bowed three steps behind her to see her off: "Your Majesty, the Emperor has prepared gifts, which should have been delivered to Huining Palace by now."

Consort Chun did not stop walking, but only slightly turned her head: "Thank you for your trouble, Eunuch Jing. I am going to Lingcui Palace on the way. You may go back now."

Jingming was not surprised at all. He escorted her to the corner of the palace road before bowing and watching Consort Chun leave.

Back at Funing Palace, before Jingming could even report, the Emperor looked up from his memorials and glanced at the darkening sky outside the window.

"Did Consort Chun go to Lingcui Palace?"

"Yes." Jingming stepped forward two steps. "This servant mentioned that Consort Qing will go to Huining Palace to hand over palace affairs first thing tomorrow morning."

The Emperor paused, his hand holding the pen still: "Go to Zhaoqing Palace."

He lightly dipped the vermilion brush into the inkstone and said, “Tell Consort Qing to focus on managing the six palaces from now on, and that she doesn’t need to worry about Lingcui Palace.”

......

March 24th.

Granny Kong and Ruizhu had already set off yesterday, carrying numerous trunks and valuables, as well as tribute specially prepared by the Emperor, to settle in Yichun Palace in Changchun Garden. Consort Chun would no longer need to detour to Xiefang Garden; she could be settled directly in Empress Dowager Zhou's palace.

Meng Shu arrived early in the morning, with Mingyue and Lvliu following closely behind.

Before everyone arrived, she and Consort Chun had a long chat in the study, mostly about things to pay attention to during pregnancy, and also about the news that Consort Chun was pregnant. They planned to send the news back to the palace after the first three months.

At the end of the hour of Mao (5-7 AM), apart from the Empress, who was unwell, sending Zhixue over, all the concubines of the six palaces gathered at the Ning Palace to see off Consort Chun.

Yun Baolin stood by the corridor pillar, wringing her handkerchief, her eyes filled with genuine reluctance. Qu Meiren stood a little further away under the shade of flowers, her expression indifferent, making it impossible to discern her thoughts.

Consort Qi's eyes were filled with eagerness, showing more deference than others. She secretly felt grateful, thinking that Consort Chun was going to replace her and her daughter, little did she know that there was more to it than met the eye.

Song Jieyu's expression was as cold as frost, and the matter of Shen Jieyu added a touch of aloofness to her brows. After the crowd had dispersed, she slowly stepped forward and took an indigo-covered scripture from Feng Chi's hand.

“Yi’an is currently under house arrest. These are the scriptures she has copied these days. Please have Consort Chun take them to the Buddhist hall in Yichun Palace, as a way for her to pray for her father and brothers, and for the soldiers of the Northern Frontier.”

Consort Chun gestured for Mengzhu to take it, knowing that Consort Shen was currently imprisoned, and that it would be extremely difficult for her to even send out a note, let alone copy the scriptures. This scripture was most likely copied by Consort Song, stroke by stroke, over countless nights.

Consort Qing's gaze swept across Consort Chun's face, finally settling on Meng Shu's protruding belly beside her.

At this moment, Consort Qi took a long box with a peony pattern from Hua Jin's hands. Inside was a portrait of Lingyi that she had painted overnight. She stepped forward apologetically and said, "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager is very fond of Lingyi. After Lingyi turns one year old, I will ask for your grace to go to Changchun Garden to pay my respects."

Consort Chun accepted it with a smile: "It's kind of you to put in such a lot of effort. The Empress Dowager will surely be pleased to see it."

Mengzhu helped Consort Chun step onto the sedan chair, and Consort Qing led everyone in bowing and seeing them off.

Consort Chun nodded slightly, walked gracefully to Meng Shu, took her hand and said gently, "You are the most important person right now, there is really no need for you to come and see me off today."

As she spoke, her eyes swept over everyone present, and the gentleness she had shown moments before vanished completely.

"I'm sure all of you sisters are aware of His Majesty's decree. Before I leave the palace, I'd like to add one more thing—Lingcui Palace is closed to visitors, and all greetings and formalities are to be waived. If anyone is so tactless as to disturb Consort Jin's rest... then don't blame me for being ruthless."

Consort Qi curtsied first and said, "We will certainly keep to our duties and remember Your Majesty's instructions."

Upon hearing this, Consort Qing could only curtsy again. Only after Consort Chun's palanquin had turned past the palace wall did she slowly straighten up, a dark and unfathomable look flashing in her eyes. "Consort Chun is indeed only truly affectionate towards Consort Jin. Even now, as she goes to the temporary palace, she is still so reluctant to part with her sister."

As everyone was about to leave, they heard Consort Qing's words and were unsure whether they should go or not.

Meng Shu smiled slightly and turned to look at Zhi Xue beside her. "If you have time to be so sentimental, Consort Qing, why don't you go to Renming Palace to serve her medicine? Her Majesty the Empress is unwell. Now that you have taken over the palace affairs, you should set an example by taking the lead."

Zhi Xue was taken aback by what she heard, not expecting that Consort Jin would steer the conversation toward the Empress. Although she was surprised, she remained obedient and stood with her head bowed, as there was no room for her to interrupt in such a situation.

Consort Qing had previously fallen into the Empress's trap while attending to the ailing Empress. Upon hearing this, her face suddenly turned ashen. She flicked her wide sleeves and left without hesitation. Consort Pei and Consort Yang followed closely behind and also left Huining Palace.

Zhi Xue lowered her head and looked away, secretly thinking that Consort Qing's actions were truly lacking in discretion. Consort Jin's words were watertight; even if you really didn't want to go to Renming Palace to attend to the sick, you should at least put on a good show. But this one was different; she didn't even bother with polite words and just turned and left.

Seeing this, everyone took their leave.

In the blink of an eye, only Xiao Yuanzi remained guarding the empty palace gate in front of Huining Palace. Even Xiao Nianzi and the cooks had gone to the imperial palace with Consort Chun's carriage.

Xiao Yuanzi stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, Consort Chun instructed me to escort you back before she left."

Meng Shu lightly tapped Mingyue's arm with her fingertip: "With Mingyue by your side, you can rest assured and guard Huining Palace."

Consort Qi stepped forward gracefully: "If you don't mind, sister, may I escort you back to the palace? Your concubine was ill a few days ago, and I haven't been to see you for quite some time."

Seeing that she seemed to have something to say, Meng Shu did not refuse, and the group walked together toward Lingcui Palace.

Consort Qu watched Consort Qi and Consort Jin walk away, her expression slightly stunned.

"Master?" Ruixue asked softly.

Consort Qu shook her head, turned and walked slowly along the vermilion palace wall towards Chunxi Palace. She sighed softly as she walked, "Consort Jin is only close to Consort Chun and has always been distant from others. It is Consort Qi who can catch her eye."

Ruixue said in a low voice, "Perhaps it's because of the friendship we had when we were in the Prince's residence? I've been watching closely, and Consort Qi always follows Consort Chun's lead in everything. Didn't she even send Princess Lingyi's swaddling clothes over before? She's not very enthusiastic about the Empress's side though."

The gold lock given to Consort Qu may seem valuable, but in terms of its ability to induce pregnancy, the swaddling clothes used when a baby is just born are naturally more precious.

Thinking of this, Qu Meiren suddenly stopped in her tracks, her expression slightly frozen.

A thought struck my mind like a thunderbolt—

"When was the last time Consort Chun served the Emperor..." Her voice tightened, "?