Chapter 17 One hairpin with two types of usages

After a while, Noble Consort Shu forced to smile and said, “No wonder that Noble Consort Gui came late yesterday, and has not come yet today. It turns out to be such a happy event!”

Empress Ji responded lightly, “My Majesty has no offspring so far. The Empress Dowager and the three Queen Mothers are very worried. Thanks to Noble Consort Gui’s pregnancy, I am relieved.”

Since the two had started the topic, other concubines began to respond and said something such as that was good news, which showed a good sign for the country, etc.

Since Noble Consort Gui did not have to pay respect, the rest of the concubines had arrived within a while. Then, the Empress led them to Mian Fu Palace.

Queen Mother Ji of Mian Fu Palace had already received the news. She did not look very pleased. But in accordance with the rules, she still told the Empress to take more care of the one in Yan Lan Palace, “I have some nourishing herbs with high quality. You can make someone send them over. Tell Noble Consort Gui to take care of herself and give birth to a baby for My Majesty.”

“How could I use your staffs, Mother?” Empress Ji said, “I have got the tonics prepared, please rest assured.”

Queen Mother Ji said, “Have you told Queen Mother Yuan and Queen Mother Qu this news? They have been concerned about My Majesty’s offspring, and they should be relieved.”

Discussing about Noble Consort Gui’s pregnancy with the concubines for a while, Queen Mother Ji waved her hand to dismiss them.

After they went out, Empress Ji let everyone go as usual.

Noble Consort Shu wore a smile as she helped the Empress to sit on the throne sedan. However, watching the Empress and her attendants go away, she changed her complexion immediately.

But the gloomy expression only appeared for a moment, then she resumed as usual. She waved the sleeves of the robe and sat on the sedan, “Return to the palace!”

After returning to Tong Xia Palace this time, instead of calling her sisters into the hall to talk, she said to Yun Fenghuang, “Go and accompany Qingman, and you can go back to Hu Zhu Palace directly after that. No need to report again.”

After all, Yun Qingman was the biological sister who was taken care by Noble Consort Shu specially. Her residence was not far from Cheng Cai Hall. It was a small private courtyard surrounded by flowers and trees, with a small lake next to it. There were many lotus leaves in the pool where might be full of lotus blooms in summer.

In the courtyard, there were flourishing flowers and plants. A cluster of winter jasmine flowers on the corner were blooming now, the little yellow flowers making the yard more vigorous.

Yun Qingman took Yun Fenghuang into the main room. She asked a maid to serve tea and bring two plates of pastries, saying, “It was delivered from my sister’s kitchenette. Have a taste!”

“I haven’t tasted it before we joined the Imperial Harem.” Yun Fenghuang tasted a little, and felt that it was soft and sweet. She put it down with a smile, “The place you live is better. It is bright and spacious with beautiful scene. Moreover, it is convenient for Noble Consort Shu to take care of you.”

“How about Xi Xing Building?” Yun Qingman asked with concern, “My sister told me that there is a beautiful apricot tree?”

Yun Fenghuang yelled, “I dare not see it. You don’t know the rules set by Consort Yue…”

Then Yun Fenghuang told her the details, which were ordered by Consort Yue’s trusted leading maid. After hearing that, Yun Qingman, with a pale face, was guilty and worried about Yun Fenghuang’s future.

“Fortunately, Consort Yue has been grounded recently. She doesn’t have time to deal with me.” Seeing her sad look, Yun Fenghuang comforted her, “So, I am relieved in the past few days.”

Yun Qingman frowned and said, “It is not as simple as you think it is. Since she is the hostess of Hu Zhu Palace, even if she is not allowed to go out, she can tell her maids to make it hard for you. I think it’s because My Majesty has stayed with you for the past two days. But My Majesty can’t stay at Xi Xing Building all the time.”

Wondering that Yun Fenghuang might misunderstand that she was jealous, she blushed slightly and said, “I’m not saying anything else.”

Yun Fenghuang said with a smile, “I trust you. But do you remember what Noble Consort Shu said about Queen Mother Yuan would watch over Consort Yue? So, even if My Majesty doesn’t go to my residence any more, things would be fine.”

Yun Qingman said, “But Queen Mother Yuan couldn’t stop Consort Yue all the time…”

“We still have Noble Consort Shu, right?” Yun Fenghuang patted the back of her hand, “Noble Consort Shu will help me, rest assured!”

Yun Qingman bit her lower lip. She was not a fool and did know that Noble Consort Shu didn’t have a close relationship with Yun Fenghuang.

But she could not say it directly at this moment, just sighed secretly, forced a smile and said, “Yes, we can ask my sister for help. She is Noble Consort Shu. Her grade is higher than Consort Yue.”

They had always got along well with each other. Before joined the Imperial Harem, they met once every two or three days. Now, taking into account the time of learning palace rules, they hadn’t met and talked together for a long time. At this time, Yun Qingman wanted Yun Fenghuang to stay for lunch and even dinner, but Yun Fenghuang didn’t intend to stay long. After a few words with Yun Qingman, she made an excuse for something to be done and left.

Yun Qingman was still reluctant to part. However, before she asked her what made her so anxious, and whether she needed Noble Consort Shu’s help, Yun Fenghuang had already left with Nian Xuan, giving her no chance to speak!

“Fenghuang didn’t want to stay with me for a while. Is it because she felt that my sister was estranged from her, so she blames me as well?” Yun Qingman, who was left alone by Yun Fenghuang, was very depressed, sighed and asked around, “What can I do to cheer her up?”

In contrast, Yun Fenghuang acted as if she had no conscience. When she left Tong Xia Palace, she had left Yun Qingman behind, thinking about the sedan she saw when she passed by Cheng Cai Hall. And judging from the specification, it should be Fu Ren Yaoning’s.

There were not many high-grade concubines in Emperor Chunjia’s Imperial Harem. Besides, there was only one Fu Ren currently, so it was very easy to confirm.

But there must be more than one in the hall. After all, Noble Consort Shu had a good family background. After almost ten years in the palace, it was impossible that Fu Ren Yaoning was the only one ally she got.

There was no doubt that the topics they were discussing were related to Noble Consort Gui’s pregnancy and the sudden decentralization of Empress Ji.

The low-grade concubines such as Yun Qingman and Yun Fenghuang were not qualified to participate in such discussion… So, they had to work harder!

Yun Fenghuang walked a long way on the palace road. Then she stood still and went straight to the direction of Yan Fu Palace!

Nian Xuan was stunned, “My Lady?”

“Follow me.” Yun Fenghuang was expressionless, “Be smart, look around and do not let anyone discover us.”

The two hid all the way, but they still encountered some maids. Finally, they reached the gate of Yan Fu Palace. Nian Xuan was frightened that she didn’t know what her lady was going to do. Yun Fenghuang took a deep breath, seeming like she was making some preparation, and walked over with tears in a panic, saying to the gatekeeper, “Excuse me, I am Cheng Gui Yun of Xi Xing Building of Hu Zhu Palace. I’m here to plead guilty to Your Highness!”

The little eunuch was shocked, and asked subconsciously, “What did you do?”

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry for Your Highness!” Yun Fenghuang did not tell him the details. Hearing the question, she just covered her face, wept, and couldn’t say clearly for sob. The little eunuch felt helpless and scratched his head, saying, “Alright, stay here and I will go to main palace to report to Mammy.”

After a long time, he brought a woman in a purplish red palace costume. This woman combed a Panhuan haircut. Her pearls hairpins were quite luxurious, gorgeous but not vulgar, beautiful but not flirtatious. She was very elegant.

She glanced at Yun Fenghuang who was still weeping, and comforted her with a few words symbolically, saying, “Your Highness is taking a nap. I am the leading maid of Chong Chang Hall. Please tell me what happened.”

The implication was that as a Cheng Gui, Yun Fenghuang was not qualified to meet the Empress. So, she’d better stop wasting their time and talk about the business.

“Mammy.” Yun Fenghuang nodded at her, showing a sorrowful grin, and fumbled her sleeve to take out a jade hairpin that was broken into four or five sections, the same hairpin she intentionally broke to conceal Nian Xuan’s expression. She choked and said, “Do you recognize this hairpin?”

The woman in the palace costume gave a glance and said suspiciously, “This is?”

… Well, the Empress personally rewarded it to Yun Fenghuang a few days ago, but the maid did not remember it!

Although Yun Fenghuang had mentally prepared for her reflection, she felt embarrassed at this moment. She thought to herself, “How inferior I was in the eyes of those in Yan Fu Palace! It was nothing at all if the Empress did not remember this kind of random rewards. But even a leading maid did not remember it!”

It was too much!!!

She had to keep working hard!

In the future, she would also let Nian Xuan pretend not to remember the staff that others carefully brought and say, “Was that rewarded by My Lady? But I have no impression.”

“This is one of the rewards that Your Highness gave to me when I first met her.” Yun Fenghuang adjusted her emotions and continued to complain with sorrow, “I extremely loved it, so I had been wearing it all the time after I got it. But… but when I was dressing up yesterday, I… I dropped and broke it!”

A large number of teardrops were dropped in a timely manner, and she sadly said, “I am sorry for Your Highness! I am guilty! Please, Mammy! Tell Your Highness that I am willing to accept any punishment!”

The lips of the woman in the palace costume twitched. She originally thought it was a big deal because Cheng Gui came here in a flurry to plead guilty and complained with tears for a while.

But it was just something that the Empress randomly rewarded. Not to mention the Empress, even she, as a maid, was just familiar with it and not aware that it was from Chong Chang Hall… It was really considerate for the Cheng Gui to be so frightened.

Hmm, or, it was really considerate for Cheng Gui to think of such an excuse to meet the Empress, and play this for a long time.

“I see.” The woman in the palace costume felt bored, but she had to make a prudent look on her face, and said, “I’m gonna report to Your Highness. Please wait here, Cheng Gui!”

She knew that the Empress would not care about such a small matter at all, unless she wanted to deal with her with bad purpose.

But…

Since Yun Fenghuang had come to plead guilty in front of the Empress, the matter had to be dealt with by the Empress.

Otherwise, if she dealt with it without the Empress’s permission, she would be considered not respecting the Empress. There was no doubt that this was a very taboo thing. The woman in the palace costume did not want to get a bad impression on Empress Ji just for a few steps to walk.

So, after a while, the Empress in the inner hall listened to the whole thing patiently, twitched her red lips, and said, “Is the new Cheng Gui… the sister of Noble Consort Shu? She broke a hairpin rewarded by me, and comes to plead guilty. Interesting.”

The Empress thought for a moment and closed the scrolls in her hand, indifferently commanding, “Well, I’ve got some time. Let her in.”