Flowery Hair: A Maidservant

Chapter 211 Celebrating Zhifei

Madam Yun nodded slightly to Wei Mama, who then took the secret letter from the table beside Consort Chun and presented it to Hua Yan.

Hua Yan, without bothering to comfort the young lady, accepted the gift with her delicate hands.

The secret letter detailed the relatively stable life of the Duke of Qing's mansion in the northwestern border city for more than ten years. Hua Yan understood that this must be because the Emperor had been secretly sending people to take care of them all along.

After she finished reading it quickly, she understood why the second young lady looked so aggrieved and helpless.

The secret letter reveals that Qing Zhifei suffered from a congenital weakness, which not only made her sensitive to cold but also seemed to cause her heart ailment. The Emperor not only took great care of the Duke's mansion but also sent people to deliver medical care and medicine throughout the year, showing meticulous attention to every detail for over a decade.

Madam Yun must have already informed the Second Miss about the Ministry of Works' special transplantation of phoenix trees during the renovation of the Duke of Qing's mansion in the capital, otherwise the Second Miss would not have lost her composure like this.

The second young lady was first moved by the Emperor's arrangement of the Yunyi Hall in the Prince of Jin's mansion to resemble the Yunyi Courtyard in the Lin'an residence. Now, she may finally realize how much sincerity the Emperor truly had in his intentions.

It was nothing more than a tactic to win people's hearts. At that time, he had not yet ascended to the throne and still needed the Tang family's strong support.

It's unclear whether the Second Miss can grasp this, and Hua Yan is reluctant to point it out at this moment. On the contrary, Madam Yun is able to see the nail on the head.

"The Emperor is still the Emperor. His undisguised behavior is a way of telling the Tang and Jiang families that times have changed."

"It is because the Marquis and I have been living in seclusion in Lin'an for more than 20 years that we have neglected the Qingguo Duke's Mansion."

A while ago, Hua Yan reminded me of a past event. At that time, I was still a young woman in my boudoir. My grandmother and eldest aunt went to a banquet at the palace. Upon their return, they mentioned that Consort Jiang (the emperor's birth mother's rank at the time) and Lady Chen, the wife of the Duke, had a very close relationship. Both were from Jiangzhou.

Moreover, Madam Yun slowly recounted to Hua Yan the reasons why the Duke of Qing was punished for his words. Shortly after the crown prince was established, his eccentric behavior and lack of virtue, coupled with his perceived incompetence, led to much private discussion among court officials, eventually escalating to the idea of ​​"establishing the legitimate heir and the virtuous." The Duke of Qing, in a drunken moment, inadvertently uttered the words, "If the virtuous are abandoned and the mediocre are established, the state will be in danger," incurring the displeasure of the late emperor, and the Duke's power collapsed.

Hua Yan had heard Huan Yun mention this anecdote from the previous dynasty. Having served the Second Miss for many years and read many of her essays, she privately speculated that the Seventh Prince must have played a significant role in instigating the affair...

"The current Empress Dowager Jiang was originally a palace maid and had no family support. On the other hand, the family of Lady Chen, the wife of the Duke of Qing, is a prominent family in Jiangzhou. Perhaps Empress Dowager Jiang initially instructed the Ninth Prince to get closer to the Duke's mansion."

Furthermore, the second son of the Duke's mansion had once served as a study companion to the princes, so the Ninth Prince's most frequent destination when leaving the palace was the Duke's mansion.

"It seems that the Emperor and the young ladies of the Duke's mansion were childhood sweethearts."

Hua Yan slowly uttered what Madam Yun had left unsaid.

Consort Chun's eyes dimmed slightly, a hint of self-mockery appearing in them. "This affection... surpasses countless others."

Madam Yun said coldly, "The Emperor's heart is unpredictable. Even if the third young lady of the Duke's mansion enters the palace, and the Emperor's favor is glorious, who knows if it will be as fleeting as morning dew? After Wan'er enters the palace, she must not lose her mind and become obsessed with love."

"Besides, it is currently the mourning period, so I suppose the Third Miss will not enter the palace anytime soon. Let the Empress fight with her."

Upon hearing this, Consort Chun's face flashed with shame, and she stood up, saying, "Daughter...will heed Mother's teachings."

Lady Yun took in Consort Chun's expression, said nothing more, and simply gave her a deep look.

Hua Yan stood up and solemnly said, "Madam, please rest assured, this servant will protect Consort Chun."

"Wan'er is tired too, so go back to Yunyi Courtyard to rest first. Huayan, stay and accompany me to the garden for a chat."

As the group stepped out of the flower hall, Hua Yan and Consort Chun exchanged glances, Hua Yan giving Consort Chun a reassuring look.

As September approaches, the leaves, having passed through autumn, gradually change color.

The ginkgo trees in the garden are turning yellow, and the maple leaves are turning red. When the wind blows, the leaves dance like butterflies.

Amidst the bleak autumn scenery, Madam Yun and Hua Yan walked side by side, their silhouettes resembling those of a mother and daughter, standing in the garden for a long time.

Finally, Madam Yun gently patted Hua Yan's arm twice, as if conveying all her trust and expectations.

......

After Zhou Bai returned from the palace, Hua Yan saw that her uncle's expression was normal.

Zhou Bai clapped his hands and laughed loudly: "According to what the Emperor said, General Jiang will soon escort Huzheng Chanyu to the capital. As the Left Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial, I, your uncle, can 'entertain' this old friend."

Over the years, Hua Yan wasn't cold-hearted; she had simply grown accustomed to suppressing her emotions. Hearing her uncle's feigned comfort, she felt relieved, yet a deep sense of reluctance and longing welled up within her. The position of Left Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial was far from easy, and her uncle had ultimately accepted the appointment because of her.

Huanyun gently stroked Huayan's shoulder and said softly, "That's good. Zhou Lang is an official in the capital and will be your support. When he rises in rank, you won't be bullied in the palace."

"It's a pity I didn't get the chance to attend my uncle and sister Huanyun's wedding. After the second young lady learned that my uncle had returned to the capital, she gave me a house in Qinrenfang as part of his dowry so that I could settle him down."

My uncle can no longer stay at the Tang residence; he can move here tomorrow.

Hua Yan took out a house deed from her bosom; it was for a three-courtyard house.

Huanyun hurriedly said, "I've saved up some silver here, enough to buy a small house..."

Zhou Bai then reached out and took the house deed, saying, "Shu'er and the Tang family are already inseparable. Since it is Consort Chun's good intention, we should accept it."

Hua Yan smiled and said, "What my uncle said is very true."