Flowery Hair: A Maidservant

Chapter 565 An Unavoidable Duty

Yingzhou Hall was built by the water, drawing water from a tributary of the Grand Canal. During breaks from reviewing memorials, the Emperor would look up at the shimmering water outside the window.

Jingming gently placed a cup of iced cream on the imperial desk and said slowly, "Your Majesty, judging by the days, the Marquis should arrive in the capital by ship in three to five days."

The emperor did not respond, but picked up the jade spoon, scooped up a little ice cream and put it in his mouth.

The translucent cream melted on his tongue, refreshing and slightly sweet. He lowered his eyes to look at the broken grapes garnishing the ice cream, and suddenly asked softly, "This cream is infused with rice wine. Was it sent from Consort Jin's palace? Only her small kitchen has such ingenuity."

Jingming bowed and said yes, then took the opportunity to bring up another piece of news: "Your Majesty, that boy Dong Ming just told me that yesterday Consort Jin dismissed a wet nurse surnamed Li who served the Crown Prince."

"What happened?" The Emperor's face darkened.

Jingming replied in a low voice, "That wet nurse, Li, is a gossip. She seemed to have unintentionally said something to His Highness, sowing discord... saying that Consort Jin favors the Second Prince, born to the Noble Consort..."

The Emperor's eyes suddenly darkened, and the emotions that had been building up in his heart dissipated like morning mist.

He paused for a moment, then a subtle, enigmatic smile appeared on his lips: "What the wet nurse said isn't entirely wrong. In Consort Jin's heart, neither I nor Jing'er are as important as Consort Chun and her son."

Upon hearing this, Jingming hurriedly knelt down, and Min Rong, who was serving him, also quickly lowered his head. The other palace servants held their breath and dared not even breathe loudly.

The hall was deathly silent for a moment. Min Rong raised his eyes to look at Jing Ming, and after receiving his approval, he hurriedly led everyone out of the hall.

After another short while, Jingming stepped forward and stammered, "Your Majesty... you haven't visited Consort Jin for a few days. I heard from Dong Ming that His Highness is always thinking of you."

Upon hearing this, the Emperor's stern expression softened somewhat.

“Go to the storeroom and pick out a few exquisite little trinkets to send to Bilangxuan. Tell Jing’er… just say, ‘Father will visit him in a few days.’”

Jingming added, "As July approaches, the newly donated imperial porcelain from various regions has been stored away. I went to take a look and found some interesting pieces, including several celadon pieces with lustrous glazes and exquisite shapes."

“Consort Jin has always been fond of celadon,” the Emperor said, pausing on the memorial as he was about to dip his brush in ink. “The octagonal vase from the Yue kiln must have the most lustrous glaze. Bring it along with the other pieces and send them to the Bilang Pavilion.”

After a moment's thought, he continued, "Select another pair of celadon carved phoenix-ear vases and send them to Qingliang Palace. As for Consort Shun, she is of a rough and unrefined nature and does not value exquisite craftsmanship, so just pick whatever is suitable and send it to her."

Jingming had been by the Emperor's side for nearly twenty years. He knew perfectly well that although the Emperor was somewhat annoyed with Consort Jin, the one he cared about most in his heart was still Consort Jin.

The order and the items given in this reward are clear evidence of this.

"Yes. Your Majesty, rest assured, this servant will certainly handle this task well."

As Jingming bowed and left the main hall, another thought crossed his mind: when Lord Zhou returned to the capital at the end of September to report on his duties and officially take over the Maritime Affairs Bureau... at that time, who knows what kind of storms will be stirred up in the court and the palace.

The Marquis of Lin'an is currently trying to curry favor with the Emperor by offering up silver mines in Japan. If he knew the Emperor would later place Lord Zhou in a key position in maritime affairs, one wonders what he would think. And with Consort Chun and Consort Jin caught in the middle, can their sisterly bond withstand such a test?

......

A few days ago, Meng Shu wrote a letter and asked Aunt Mei to take it to the Marquis's residence, and as usual, send it to Yangzhou through the merchant's channels.

Enclosed with the letter was a plain silk fan that she had embroidered herself, which she presented to Madam Yun. The fan was embroidered with a twin lotus flower in blue and red silk threads, blooming quietly on the white silk surface.

Meng Shu was always sensitive; this was a promise she made to Madam Yun after Ding Xiang dismissed the servants of the Marquis's mansion on her uncle's orders.

"Two lotus blossoms bloom, sharing the same root and the same heart."

Consort Chun was completely unaware of this, as she was preoccupied with dealing with the Emperor these days.

For days, the Emperor had been staying in the Qingliang Palace, and naturally, he would have to attend to her every night. If this had happened when she first entered the palace, her heart and eyes would have been filled with her beloved, and she would have gladly accepted it.

But things are different now.

She was inherently proud and aloof. Once her heart turned cold and her feelings faded, the emperor's favor became nothing more than a chore she had to perform. Each time she served him, she was like a meticulously sculpted jade statue, impeccably polite, her eyes lowered, utterly devoid of warmth.

Perhaps because she always maintained a dignified and proper demeanor in front of others, the emperor did not notice.

Or perhaps... even if they noticed, they wouldn't care.

On this day, Meng Shu summoned Imperial Physician Jian for a consultation.

Two days later, news spread from Bilangxuan that Consort Jin had fallen ill.

Upon hearing the news, the Emperor rushed over. As soon as he entered the bedchamber, he saw Meng Shu leaning against the couch, her face pale and her lips devoid of color. Her sickly appearance instantly reminded him of the time two years ago, when she had a nightmare and suffered a near-fatal accident at the Bilang Pavilion, and his heart tightened.

"What happened?" The Emperor turned to Jian Zhi, who was standing to the side. "Consort Jin has always been in good health, how could she suddenly fall ill?"

Jian Zhi bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, the Empress is suffering from heatstroke and the fluctuating weather has caused her to be exposed to pathogenic winds, resulting in stagnation of Qi. I have prescribed a formula to soothe her mind, calm her nerves, and harmonize her Qi. She is taking good care of herself and should avoid any mental strain. She should be fully recovered in about ten days."

The Emperor frowned, sat down by the bed, and took Meng Shu's hand.

Consort Chun had already received the news. Just now, after finally calming down Yu Nu'er's tantrum, she came from the side hall and saw Meng Shu's pale face. She quietly turned away and touched the corner of her eye with a handkerchief.

After the news spread, Consort Shun, Consort Qi, and others came to visit one after another, and Bilangxuan was bustling with people.

Consort Chun never left, personally feeding him medicine and wiping his sweat. The Emperor also stayed in the bedchamber for most of the day, until Jingming quietly entered and whispered, "Your Majesty, Marquis Lin'an is waiting at Yingzhou Hall."

The Emperor glanced at the unconscious Meng Shu, then looked at the sky outside the window, and finally slowly released his grip. He said softly to Consort Chun, "It's getting late, Wan'er, go back and rest. Green Willow and the others keep a close watch on things, and report back immediately if there's any movement."

Green willows and winter melons are considered auspicious.

After the Emperor and his entourage left, Consort Chun held Meng Shu's hand and said, "Shu'er, how did you fall ill? You were perfectly fine when we met yesterday."

Green Willow, her eyes reddening, whispered, "It's all my fault for not being able to persuade Your Highness. These days, the affairs of the palace are so complicated, and Your Highness is doing everything personally, often staying up late to review the accounts... I've tried to persuade you several times, but Your Highness always says, 'It's no big deal.'"

Upon hearing this, Consort Chun felt both distressed and annoyed: "Even if I am not as thorough as her, I can still help with some trivial matters. Why do I have to exhaust myself like this?"

Donggua glanced at Meng Shu, who was lying unconscious on the bed, and sighed softly.

On June 27th, Marquis Tang Xian of Lin'an arrived in the capital by imperial decree and met the emperor at Yingzhou Hall.

The emperor and his minister discussed state affairs, ranging from the grain transport in Jiangnan to the benefits of the Grand Canal, from the silver mines in Japan to the expansion of maritime trade. Their conversation flowed smoothly until dusk. The emperor specially bestowed upon them an evening meal, demonstrating his great favor. By the time the Marquis of Lin'an took his leave of the palace, it was already early evening.

That night, the Emperor did not go anywhere else, but stayed at the Bilang Pavilion.

The following day, an imperial edict was delivered to Qingliang Palace, ordering Consort Chun to assist in managing the six palaces and take charge of palace affairs from that day forward.