Flowery Hair: A Maidservant

Chapter 385 Difficult to Result

Two days later, the Imperial Household Department made its final judgment, and the case of the tribute silk was quietly closed.

Apart from the embroiderer who hanged herself, among the concubines, only Consort Qu suffered. First, she was kicked in the chest by Consort Song, and the next day she was whipped more than a dozen times. Now she is recuperating on the Xiangfei couch in Qianying Pavilion.

Even Lianqiao felt wronged on behalf of her master.

She knelt by the couch, wringing a handkerchief in her hands. Back in the Qu family, she was Qu Baolin's most favored maid, far more respectable than Ruixue, who served Consort Qu. But now that she was in the palace, seeing her mistress being overshadowed by her once timid cousin, she herself felt inferior to Ruixue.

“My lady,” Lian Qiao leaned closer, her voice filled with resentment, “the more I think about it, the more I feel that this was clearly a scheme set up by Consort Qu. If she hadn’t deliberately sent that piece of fabric, why would you have suffered such humiliation?”

“The embroiderer An in the embroidery room might have been arranged by her... Think about it, she would never be so kind as to send you such a tribute satin as Yun brocade.”

Qu Baolin gripped the brocade quilt tightly, the whip marks on her back burning with pain. Although Song Jieyu's lashes had avoided her face, the insults were even harder to swallow than the physical pain.

“You’re right,” she gritted her teeth, her nails almost digging into her palms, “My dear cousin is so smug now. Not only did she get promoted, but I heard Consort Qi sent people to visit her for three days in a row, and even the Emperor and Empress Dowager rewarded her with gifts…”

Qu Baolin grew increasingly resentful, and slammed his hand on the bed, ignoring the whip marks on his back: "Lian Qiao, go to Chunxi Palace and tell her I have something to discuss with her, and ask her to come see me."

Inside the Chunxi Palace, Consort Qu was practicing calligraphy, the ink on the four characters "静水流深" (still waters run deep) on the Xuan paper was still wet.

Upon hearing that Lianqiao had come to invite her, she didn't even lift her eyelids, only giving a soft "hmm".

After Ruixue saw Lianqiao off and returned, she couldn't help but say, "Master, what could Qu Baolin possibly want with you at this time? She herself was whipped, but doesn't she think about how you were also injured?"

"What else could it be?"

Qu Meiren dipped her brush in ink and made a heavy stomp on the last stroke of the character "深" (deep).

“I gave her the brocade, so naturally she’s going to take it out on me. Maybe…” she said with a slight smile, “she’s even trying to use this as leverage to force her to move into Chunxi Palace.”

Upon hearing this, Ruixue's face paled: "How can this be! If we let her move in... even if the master has a high rank, he will have to put up with her temper. You can't just agree to this so easily."

A cold smile appeared on Qu Meiren's lips. She crumpled the Xuan paper into a ball and threw it aside, then picked up a handkerchief and slowly wiped her hands.

"This time, why not grant her wish? I want her to see with her own eyes how I rose step by step from this Chunxi Palace... to become a concubine and then a royal consort, to a height she can only ever look up to."

Looking at the time, Consort Qu calmly instructed, "Go and fetch the jade bracelet that the Emperor bestowed upon us yesterday. We'll go there now."

As the master and servant left the palace gates and passed by Zhaoqing Hall, a sudden autumn wind swept down golden paulownia leaves.

Consort Qu paused and looked up. Ruixue whispered beside her, "Consort Qing will be able to return to the palace today."

"Indeed, the sound of the pipa, which we haven't heard for so long, should be heard again after today."

......

At this moment, Meng Shu leaned against the chaise longue by the window, her fair wrist peeking out from under her half-rolled-up gauze sleeves, resting on a pulse pillow as Jian Zhi took her pulse.

After a while, Jian Zhi withdrew his hand and carefully put the pulse pillow into the sandalwood medicine box.

"Your Majesty's pulse is steady and strong, and your fetal breathing is stable. Your daily diet is also appropriate. After the winter solstice, I will add another warming and nourishing prescription for you."

Meng Shu slowly lowered her sleeves, looked at Jian Zhi, and asked, "Your Highness Consort Chun has been recuperating for some time now. Has your liver stagnation improved?"

Jian Zhi shook his head slightly and said with his head down, "Two days ago, Master accompanied the old lady back to the capital. After examining the Empress's medical records, Master prescribed a new formula for her. She will start taking it tomorrow, and I think she should feel better."

Actually, Consort Chun's health wasn't a big deal, but if things continued like this, she would be like a flower grown in a greenhouse—looking beautiful but unlikely to bear fruit.

Meng Shu nodded slightly and asked about the old lady's recent situation, which Jian Zhi answered one by one.

Donggua, who was standing guard nearby, said when Meng Shu stopped asking questions, "Imperial Physician Jian, the small kitchen has prepared a few new soups. Please take a look and give your feedback." With that, he led him to the front hall.

After they left, Green Willow brought in a celadon vase containing several bright red camellias, their petals still glistening with dew. There were also two golden chrysanthemums and a cluster of daffodils, their delicate fragrance instantly filling the room.

"Your Highness, the Imperial Garden Department sent over many camellias in full bloom this morning. I've cut a few stems to put in a vase..."

Seeing that Meng Shu was lost in thought, Green Willow's voice trailed off as she placed the porcelain bottle on the table before softly asking, "Your Highness, what happened?"

Meng Shu reached out and gently touched the petals, sighing softly, "Every medicine has its side effects; this can't go on forever."

"This afternoon, come with me to Huining Palace. Call Donggua along; it's been a long time since you've had a chance to talk with Mengzhu and the others."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.