mtl008 Chapter 276 What exactly is being kept from me?
Chapter 276 What exactly is being kept from me?
At the beginning of the hour of Xu (7-9 PM), as Green Willow turned the corner of the palace alley, she saw a familiar figure outside the gate of Huining Palace.
"Your Highness... Hua Jin, who serves Consort Guo, has gone to Funing Palace." Green Willow hurriedly reported the situation before she could catch her breath.
Hua Yan supported Lü Liu's arm, and suddenly felt a chill in her heart, realizing that she had made a big mistake—there was still a Granny Gong in Consort Guo's palace!
"Your Majesty, please rest assured. I just arrived near Dieqiong Pavilion and happened to run into Huajin without disturbing anyone else." A quarter of an hour ago, Green Willow had thought of this on her way to Dieqiong Pavilion. Fortunately, she met Huajin on her way back from Linde Hall.
Hua Yan relaxed her shoulders and praised, "Luckily you're quick-witted. Today is Jian Zhi's turn to be on duty, and Mingyue is fast on her feet. I just sent her to the Imperial Hospital."
With no one around, Green Willow complained with heartache, "Why didn't Your Highness call Xia'er to come along?"
Reaching out to straighten Hua Yan's clothes, Lü Liu couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "Why did Shu'er and Aunt Mei stop Consort Chun from serving the Emperor in the Funing Palace?"
"There are some hidden reasons behind this, which I cannot explain to you now. However, you did an excellent job today."
About a quarter of an hour later, the faint sounds of imperial processions could be heard, indicating that the Emperor had gone to the Dieqiong Pavilion.
"It seems like Xiao Yuanzi is back."
Green Willow pointed to a thin figure in front of her.
Xiao Yuanzi, carrying a palace lantern, saw her mistress waiting outside the hall. She quickly stepped forward, bowed, and reported, "Your Majesty, Aunt Mei specifically asked me to come back, saying that you can rest assured that Consort Chun and the Emperor have gone to Consort Xiu Rong's palace together."
Hua Yan frowned: "They went together? When you went to Fu Ning Palace with your aunt just now, were the Emperor and the Empress in the warm pavilion or the bedchamber?"
Xiao Yuanzi, thinking that Consort Guo was intentionally trying to steal the emperor's favor, cautiously replied, "She was playing chess in the study of the warm pavilion, with Eunuch Jing and Sister Mengzhu attending to her. I had just arrived with my aunt when Hua Jin from Dieqiong Pavilion came to tell me that Consort Guo was suffering from abdominal pain..."
Hua Yan: "......"
After parting ways with the Empress and Consort Mei, he took Consort Chun away alone just to play chess? I wonder what the Empress and Consort Mei thought of this behavior.
Hua Yan felt relieved but was also speechless for a moment. She sighed and turned back into the hall, leaving Xiao Yuanzi blinking his big eyes and looking blankly at Lv Liu.
Green Willow was also confused. She instructed Xiao Yuanzi to stay outside and report back to Consort Chun when she returned.
Lead Pavilion.
After hearing Yuehuan recount the situation at Linde Palace, Consort Shen changed into her nightgown and sat on the bed in a daze.
"Among the selected ladies-in-waiting, what are the appearances of Li and Xie?"
Both of them came from the best family backgrounds, so Shen Meiren paid the most attention to them.
Yuehuan replied, "The young ladies who can enter the palace are naturally exceptionally beautiful, but Your Majesty need not worry..."
How does it compare to me?
This was not an easy answer. Yuehuan paused for a moment, then carefully replied, "...I am on par with Master."
"That means none of them are as good as Lady Meng."
Consort Shen, unusually, did not get angry; instead, she felt somewhat calmer. Consort Meng was exceptionally beautiful, arguably the most beautiful woman in the harem. None of the newly entered ladies-in-waiting could compare to her, so she probably wouldn't receive much favor.
Yuehuan understood her master's thoughts to some extent. At this moment, she hesitated, unsure whether she should tell her master that although Consort Meng was stunningly beautiful, she could not possibly have gained favor solely because of her looks.
Lady Shen muttered a few words about the backgrounds of the other young ladies-in-waiting, but finding nothing particularly special about them, she stopped paying attention and instead started fiddling with her fingers, muttering to herself with an indescribable sadness in her tone:
"How many times did the Emperor come last month? Twice or three times?"
"Yes, Master, it was twice," Yuehuan's voice grew even softer.
"Only twice, and one of those times when nothing was done, but that old maid Gui brought me the contraceptive soup every single time!"
Shen Meiren gripped her handkerchief tightly and cursed angrily.
"My lord, there is something I am not sure if I should say."
Shen Meiren rolled her eyes. "You've served me since I was a child. What can't I say?"
"Now that Consort Xiurong is pregnant, and Consort Mei is getting close to her, the Empress will surely be dissatisfied."
Consort Song did serve the emperor twice more last month, but she did not become pregnant. When I went to Hanxiang Pavilion last time, I smelled a medicinal scent, which seemed to be the scent of contraceptive soup.
Since Consort Song has acted this way, Your Majesty should reason with the Empress and appeal to her emotions. If you are pregnant now, it will greatly benefit the Empress's situation. This matter should be handled as soon as possible; once the new concubines enter the palace in May, your number of times you serve the Emperor will increase even further…”
Seeing her mistress's face grow increasingly grim, Yuehuan quickly finished speaking: "You should tell Her Majesty the Empress that if you become pregnant and give birth to a prince, then..."
Renming Hall.
As Xingyu was helping the Empress undress, Zhixue excitedly came over to report, "Your Majesty, I heard that Consort Guo is unwell, and the Emperor and Consort Chun have already gone to Dieqiong Pavilion."
Granny Gui looked puzzled: "Is Consort Guo intentionally trying to steal Consort Chun's favor, or is she really ill?"
"Chen Ling has already gone to inquire, and we should have news soon."
The Empress sat before her dressing table, her brows slightly furrowed. "Change your clothes. I need to go to Dieqiong Pavilion."
Inside Dieqiong Pavilion, Jian Zhi had finished examining Consort Guo's pulse and was reporting her condition to the Emperor.
"Your Majesty, although the fetus is stable, judging from the pulse, the Chong and Ren meridians are weak and floating. In addition, the Empress has been overly worried recently, which has caused a slight stagnation of liver qi, resulting in the restlessness of the fetus."
"I will prescribe some medicine to help with pregnancy, which can be drunk as tea with mimosa flowers. Also, please avoid using ice mats and incense these days."
When the Empress rushed over, she heard Jian Zhi's diagnosis: "The Chong and Ren meridians are weak and floating," and "liver fire is stagnant," which are precisely the results of wearing the coral bead necklace.
However, what she didn't know was that this was exactly what Hua Yan had specifically instructed Jian Zhi to say.
When Consort Guo saw that the Empress had also arrived, she struggled to bow, but the Emperor, sitting on the bed, reached out to comfort her.
Guo Xiurong glanced apologetically at Consort Chun, then said to the Empress, "It's all my fault. I only had a slight stomachache, but I didn't expect that girl Huajin would take it upon herself to alarm the Emperor and the Empress."
Hua Jin knelt on the ground to beg for forgiveness. The Emperor held Guo Xiurong's fingers and comforted her, saying, "You are carrying the imperial child, so it's understandable that the people below are nervous."
The Empress walked to the bedside and gently advised, "Sister, don't blame yourself. The imperial fetus is the most important thing." As she spoke, her eyes seemed to glance at the coral bead string beside Consort Guo's bed.
Consort Chun stood aside, pondering to herself, feeling that something strange was amiss with what had happened today.
Recalling the tense expression on Aunt Mei's face as they walked to Fu Ning Palace, she glanced at Aunt Mei beside her and caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a jade cicada in Aunt Mei's hand. Her suspicions deepened, and she also vaguely felt that Consort Guo seemed to have done this on purpose...
Guo Xiurong thanked the Empress and the Emperor with gratitude, and then said softly to Consort Chun, "Please don't be offended, Consort Chun."
Consort Chun responded with a faint smile.
"Your Majesty, I have been having my pulse checked by Imperial Physician Jian for the past few days. May he continue to take care of my pregnancy from now on?"
The Emperor pondered for a moment, then reassured him, "Very well. Imperial Physician Jian had some acquaintance with your father when he was in Jinzhou. I feel at ease having him take care of your pregnancy."
Then he said to the crowd, "I have something to say to Xiu Rong, you may all leave now."
......
Consort Shen tossed and turned in the Qianying Pavilion, unable to sleep, Yuehuan's words echoing in her ears. She gritted her teeth, determined to find an opportunity to plead with the Empress after paying her respects the next day.
After leaving Dieqiong Pavilion, the Empress felt much more at ease. Now, sitting on her palanquin, she pondered how to deal with the upcoming selection of young ladies for the palace.
Consort Chun remained silent the whole way back to the palace, and when she returned, she found Hua Yan waiting for her in the hall.
"Was Guo Xiurong's action tonight at Shu'er's behest? What are Shu'er and Aunt Mei hiding from me?"
Consort Chun, looking aggrieved, stepped forward and hugged Hua Yan's arm, pointing to the jade cicada in Aunt Mei's hand. She didn't think Hua Yan didn't want her to be favored in the Funing Palace, but being kept in the dark was indeed unpleasant.