Flowery Hair: A Maidservant

Chapter 437 Undercurrents

The Emperor stayed in the Cuiyu Hall for about half an hour, waiting for Meng Shu to take her medicine and rest before leaving. Before departing, he solemnly instructed Jingming to summon Physician He and others from the Imperial Medical Academy to the Funing Hall for a meeting immediately.

Dong Ming was ordered to stay at Lingcui Palace to temporarily fill the vacancy left by Xu Jinxi.

After the emperor's procession had gone far away, Green Willow smiled and helped Dong Ming up: "I'm sorry to trouble you to work at Lingcui Palace. Although it can't compare to the splendor of the imperial court, it's still quite leisurely and comfortable here with the Empress."

Dong Ming bowed respectfully, saying, "It is my honor to serve Consort Jin."

Green Willow led him towards the front hall, whispering instructions as they walked: "Before Her Majesty rested, she specifically instructed that you be on duty in the front hall during the day. There are maids and Winter Melon to help out in the back hall..."

Meng Shu lay exhausted on the couch. Although she had handled the turmoil of the day with ease, the mental and physical strain of being so far along in her pregnancy was taking its toll.

It was nearing noon.

"Shushu." Donggua quietly entered, carrying a celadon bowl filled with steaming red bean porridge. "You didn't have much of an appetite this morning, so I just made some porridge. Would you like some?"

Meng Shu used her hand to sit up with difficulty, her black hair hanging messily over her shoulders. "Let's leave it for now. Go and call Green Willow and Red Jade over."

Before long, Green Willow and Red Jade entered one after the other. It was Red Jade's first time entering the inner room of the bedchamber, and she kept her head down, not daring to look around.

She knelt on the brocade carpet and kowtowed: "This servant greets Your Majesty, may Your Majesty be blessed with ten thousand years of happiness and peace."

Meng Shu glanced over, and Green Willow immediately stepped forward to help him up. "You hurt your knee this morning, get up quickly. There's no need to be so reserved in front of our Empress."

Hongyu's ear tips turned slightly red. "Thank you for your concern, Sister Green Willow. Sister Bright Moon applied some ointment for me, and I feel much better now." Her voice was soft, without the nervousness she had shown when she knelt down, but she still dared not look directly at Meng Shu on the bed.

Meng Shu smiled gently and said softly, "Hongyu has been in Lingcui Palace for some time now. You handled the Xie family matter very well, and I have seen it all. Green Willow, go and fetch the mother-of-pearl inlaid begonia box from the dressing table."

Upon hearing this, Hongyu hesitated for a moment before kneeling on the ground. "This servant...this servant dares not beg Your Majesty for a reward..."

Green Willow paused, holding the mother-of-pearl inlaid box, and looked at Meng Shu in surprise.

Seeing that her expression did not change, she said softly, "The Empress rewards you because you have made great contributions today. If you had not been quick-witted and captured Wu Cang, the consequences would have been unimaginable."

Or...do you have another request?

Hongyu's forehead was almost touching the brocade carpet as she mustered her courage and said, "If Your Majesty does not despise me, this servant is willing to stay by your side forever and be someone Your Majesty can trust."

Meng Shu's gaze narrowed slightly as she stared at her for a long while before slowly speaking: "According to the records of the Shanggong Bureau, you are from Lijia Village, Pingshan County, Jinzhou. In the forty-eighth year of the Qianyuan era, you fled due to an epidemic, and afterwards, your whole family, having nowhere else to turn, sold themselves into a brokerage firm..."

Green Willow stepped forward to help her up, and Meng Shu used her strength to stand up and slowly walk to Hong Yu. Her tone was unreadable: "Not to mention that you were already working in my palace, after today's incident, I will naturally look at you differently."

She lowered her eyes to look at Hongyu's trembling shoulders and back, and softened her voice, "What you really want in your heart, you might as well say it."

Hongyu suddenly kowtowed deeply. Since entering the hall, she had remained meek and submissive, but now she slowly raised her head, her eyes reddening: "This servant... this servant begs Your Majesty's grace to help me find my family. Years ago, my father was bought by a group of passing镖师 (bodyguards/escorts), and when I was sold into the palace by a broker, my mother and younger brother were still trapped there, their whereabouts unknown..."

Before he could finish speaking, his throat tightened with emotion.

Upon hearing this, Green Willow sighed softly, "They are pitiful people too."

After sighing, she changed the subject, her tone becoming clearer: "When the Xie family assigned the four of you to Lingcui Palace, did you already have ulterior motives, hoping to take the opportunity to curry favor with the Empress?"

Hongyu trembled and responded softly, "Yes."

His voice carried a hint of unease at having his thoughts exposed, but he made no attempt to hide it.

Looking at Hongyu kneeling on the ground, Meng Shu felt as if she were seeing her former self, and was filled with emotion.

When she first entered the Tang family as a maid, her initial motivation for finding her uncle was precisely this – hoping to achieve some small merit so that her master would be merciful and help her find her relative.

"Get up and speak. I will send someone out of the palace to search for you later."

She sighed softly and gently pressed her fingertips against Green Willow's wrist. Green Willow understood and immediately stepped forward to help her up. Although Red Jade stood up, she still maintained a respectful slight bow.

"These days, Green Willow has asked you to keep an eye on Chunxi Palace. Has there been any progress?" Meng Shu's voice was much gentler than before.

Hongyu first expressed her gratitude with joy, then composed herself and carefully chose her words to report: "Your Majesty, since the day Consort Qi came to our place last time, Consort Qu has visited Dieqiong Pavilion three times in the past half month. Each time she only stayed for less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, and when she came out she tried to maintain a dignified appearance, but I think... Consort Qi must have given her a bad look."

Seeing Meng Shu nod slightly, Hongyu whispered again, "Yesterday, I also discovered that Ruixue, who serves Consort Qu, is getting quite close to a eunuch from the Department of Jewelry of the Imperial Workshop."

Green Willow added, "This servant hasn't had a chance to report to Your Majesty yet, but the eunuch's surname is Chen, and he has been working in the Imperial Treasury for two years. Because he is clever, he is often sent out of the palace to do errands. Half a month ago, he even went to deliver a tribute to the Empress Dowager."

Meng Shu's expression darkened. "Keep a close eye on him, and also pass a message to Lu Sizhen, telling her to avoid sending this person to the imperial palace in the future."

"Has Consort Qu been associating with anyone lately?"

Hongyu shook her head, and after a while suddenly said, "Caiwei, who serves Yang Baolin, went to Chunxi Palace the day before yesterday. She must have been delivering something. I watched her from a distance, and she came out in less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. She seemed quite normal."

Meng Shu pondered for a while, then said with a slight unease, "Green Willow, go to the palace yourself and tell Wan'er in detail what has happened these past few days, so that she won't worry unnecessarily from gossip."

......

Three days later, Jian Zhi was ordered to leave the capital and go to the northern frontier to oversee epidemic prevention.

The atmosphere in the imperial harem has changed.

After Consort Qing was confined to her quarters, the Empress's "illness" completely dissipated. She not only resumed her morning greetings, but also took back all the affairs of the six palaces that had been temporarily managed by Consort Qing.