Flowery Hair: A Maidservant

Chapter 396 Plum Blossom Hairpin Part 3

Consort Qing glanced at the Emperor's expression and added softly at the end, "When Granny Yu delivered it, Consort Jin specifically asked Granny Yu to convey that she liked it very much. I have only returned to the palace these days, and Your Majesty... has not seen Consort Jin wearing this hairpin?"

The Emperor's gaze fell on the plum blossoms on the desk, his face revealing no emotion. "I have been preoccupied with state affairs for days and have not visited the Cuiyu Hall for some time now."

He turned to Granny Yu: "Did she really say she liked it?"

Granny Yu immediately knelt down: "Your Majesty, Consort Jin did indeed say those words, and Consort Chun was also present at the time."

"Jingming, return to Funing Palace."

Jingming, who was waiting outside, came in carrying a cloak upon hearing the noise, completely unaware of what had happened inside the hall.

Consort Qing rose to see him off, but the Emperor said, "The wind is strong and the snow is heavy outside. Your health is weak, so there's no need to see you off."

Granny Yu gestured for Amber to follow, but she went to the tea room and brought out a bundle of wrapped plum branches, saying respectfully, "Your Majesty, this servant has picked a few extra branches. It would be good for Eunuch Jing to take them back and put them in a vase."

The Emperor paused and looked back. “Granny, you’ve put a lot of thought into this. These plum blossoms are well-shaped and have a beautiful form. They’re perfect for display on the imperial desk.”

Jingming bent down and took the plum blossom cake from Granny Yu's hands, saying, "Granny, don't forget the plum blossom cake. His Majesty mentioned it before."

The Emperor glanced at Jingming, his expression softening slightly. "It's been years since I've tasted this. Granny, make some more and send a portion to Cining Palace as well."

Granny Yu replied happily, "Yes, this servant will go and prepare it right away."

Watching the Emperor leave the gates of Zhaoqing Palace, Amber said coldly, "Her Majesty has summoned you to give her a reply. Granny, don't let your busy work on making cakes delay you."

After saying that, Amber turned around and went back to the back hall.

Granny Yu gazed in the direction of Lingcui Palace and stood quietly under the eaves for a while before returning to receive orders.

"Your nanny is just like my good sister, always knowing how to please the Emperor," Consort Qing said with a sneer, leaning back on the soft pillow.

Granny Yu immediately knelt on the ground, "This servant is only thinking of Your Highness's best interests. The Emperor remembers the eldest daughter's kindness and will naturally treat Your Highness well. He even came to visit Your Highness in this heavy snow. I think Your Highness will soon be able to restore your rank as a concubine."

Upon hearing this, Consort Qing's face lit up with joy: "Stop kneeling. His Majesty has been saying that Granny is getting old. From now on, just take care of the small kitchen, and let the servants do the other tasks."

"This servant thanks Your Highness for your kindness." Granny Yu helped herself up.

"Amber, go and call Consort Pei over."

These days, the Empress Dowager often sends people over, and the Emperor has also come twice. Therefore, although Consort Qing is under house arrest, no other concubines have come over.

About half an hour later.

Consort Pei followed Amber into the hall. Having already learned the whole story from Amber, she entered with a smile and flattered, "Your Majesty, this move was brilliant. I had already said that Consort Jin wouldn't fare well whether she wore the hairpin or not."

Amber asked, puzzled, "What does Consort Pei mean by that? If Consort Jin uses the eldest young lady's old items, the Emperor will naturally be angry, but if she doesn't wear them, what wrong could she possibly do?"

Consort Pei sat down on the embroidered stool and explained softly, "I heard the Duchess and the Empress mention that this hairpin was a coming-of-age gift from the Emperor to the eldest daughter. It must have been carefully selected and has extraordinary significance. If Consort Jin keeps it away and treats something that the Emperor cherishes as worthless, the Emperor will naturally be displeased."

"But if that's the case, wouldn't it be even more inappropriate for Your Highness to casually give away the eldest young lady's belongings to others?"

Pei Yunu smiled meaningfully: "Miss Amber may not know this, but it would be inappropriate to give it to someone else, but it would be fine to give it to Consort Jin."

Consort Qing snorted coldly, "The Emperor was able to bestow upon her the title of Jin, which shows that he is somewhat sincere. The fact that I gave her my sister's old belongings is also an honor for her."

......

Consort Qing and Imperial Concubine Pei plotted for a long time, thinking that they had finally managed to pry open a crack in the Emperor's heart with that plum blossom and pearl hairpin.

Meanwhile, Meng Shu was completely unaware of what was happening. She was even sitting around the stove with Consort Chun in Cuiyu Hall, enjoying a hearty meal.

The broth in the hot pot was bubbling away, with golden oil droplets rolling on the milky white surface, and the rising steam even veiled the carved window frames in a thin mist.

Green Willow stood on the left, carefully selecting the winter bamboo shoot tips that Meng Shu liked and throwing them into the soup. Meng Zhu was not to be outdone; she spotted the plate of thinly sliced ​​yellow mutton on the table, and seeing that Consort Chun's plate was empty, she picked up a piece with her chopsticks and threw it into the pot to cook.

The two chatted back and forth, completely forgetting that Jian Zhi had said more than once that "in the way of eating, the five flavors must be balanced and mixed properly" is a principle of health preservation.

In front of Consort Chun was a dish of bright red chili sauce. She was enthusiastically trying a new way of eating it, which was to roll the cooked mutton in the chili sauce. She ate until her cheeks were flushed and her nose was covered in sweat.

Meng Shu found it amusing and covered her mouth with a light laugh: "Wan'er's way of eating 'Red Stove with Snow' is quite interesting."

Consort Chun gasped for breath from the spiciness, but still laughed and said, "You don't understand, this spiciness combined with the freshness of the mutton is just like..." Before she could finish speaking, she was so burned by the spiciness that she gulped down two mouthfuls of milk tea.

Green Willow and Dream Bamboo exchanged a glance. One busied herself handing over a handkerchief, while the other quickly removed the dish of chili sauce.

Meng Shu suddenly put down her chopsticks and said thoughtfully, "This chili sauce is a good thing. Using some in the freezing cold can warm you up from head to toe. Miss and Commandant Song are stationed far away on the northwestern border. Why don't we have the merchant guild send more over?"

Consort Chun's eyes lit up upon hearing this. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Eldest sister is most afraid of the cold, this is an excellent idea! I'll have Mother prepare more and send the prescription along with it. The border is bitterly cold, and if the soldiers could always keep this on hand..."

The two sisters became more and more enthusiastic as they talked, and Meng Shu even began to plan how to improve the recipe for winter melon and incorporate it into the military rations. Just as they were getting to the crucial point, Ruizhu and Xiaonianzi hurriedly entered.

"Your Majesty," Ruizhu curtsied, "not long after His Majesty left Zhaoqing Palace, Consort Pei was summoned by Consort Qing."

Xiao Nianzi added, "This servant was on guard outside Zhaoqing Palace and saw that His Majesty was originally heading towards Lingcui Palace, but suddenly changed course and returned to Funing Palace halfway there."

Meng Shu and Consort Chun exchanged a glance, their earlier laughter gradually fading away.