Chapter 26 Where there was life, there was trouble

“I’m afraid something bad had happened to Nian Xuan.” Noticing Yun Fenghuang’s complexion, Xin Qing and the eunuch who had planned to go forward and congratulate her both bowed and folded their hands with surprise, trying to behave submissively.

Yun Fenghuang ignored them, and went to the inner room alone to sit down. She thought to herself with frowning, “Queen Mother Yuan is willing to help me ask the Empress for the grade of Mei Ren, from which I can see that though I don’t know whether her intention is good or not, at least it seems that she is not going to make me embarrassed. In this case, why doesn’t she let Nian Xuan return?”

Maybe it was not that they didn’t want to let Nian Xuan return, but that it was not suitable to send her back to Xi Xing Building under her current condition.

After all, it was not a big deal for Emperor Chunjia and Queen Mother Yuan to beat a maid to death or disability.

It was unlucky for Nian Xuan that her master was Yun Fenghuang, who was famous for being restless.

The reason why Yun Fenghuang didn’t mention Nian Xuan anymore after she knew that Nian Xuan hadn’t come back after they had gone out together yesterday was that she thought if Nian Xuan was safe, Queen Mother Yuan would arrange to release the maid and she didn’t need to help her; and if Nian Xuan didn’t come back today, something bad probably had happened to her.

And the implications of the messenger who brought the Empress’s the imperial decree also confirmed Yun Fenghuang’s suspicion.

In the final analysis, Empress Ji was not satisfied with the easy ways Queen Mother Yuan dealt with Jiang Lan, so, she might use Nian Xuan as a cover to cause another trouble when concubines paid respects tomorrow.

To be honest, Yun Fenghuang understood why the Empress didn’t let Jiang Lan, a eunuch, free. It was not because that the Empress’s love for Emperor Chunjia was too deep for her to tolerate Jiang Lan who felt pity for and was respectful to Consort Yue privately, but because Jiang Lan was the most trustful attendant of Emperor Chunjia and had been with the Emperor for many years.

Since the Empress had already dealt with Jiang Lan, she wouldn’t be relieved if he was still alive.

In particular, Jiang Lan was exiled to the north… Dingbei Army, the army owning the largest members in this dynasty, was stationed there.

The current military commander of Dingbei Army, Duke Zhaowu, Gu Fangshu, was the trusted man of Prince Regent who almost had become Huang Tai Di (the Emperor’s brother who was selected to be enthroned as the next Emperor). Although Prince Regent definitely had little favor to the current Emperor Chunjia, he even had little favor to Ji’s Family, too.

He might have less favor to Ji’s Family.

After all, the reason why Emperor Chunjia was able to ascend the throne was that Ji’s Family prevent Prince Regent from ascending the throne. They would rather do favor to a Princedom who Emperor Xiaozong had never met before and had no affections to… So far, Ji’s Family had the upper hand. Who knew if Prince Regent would be persuaded to cooperate with Emperor Chunjia in private to destroy Empress Ji first, destroy the powerful officials then, made the royal family regained the power next, and the uncle and nephew fought for the title of the Emperor at last?

If Yun Fenghuang was the Empress, she would also rather kill Jiang Lan than let him go.

Empress Ji was born in an aristocratic family and was reputation-oriented, so, she sent Jiang Lan to Queen Mother Yuan in the end for her reputation, giving Queen Mother Yuan the last chance to rescue Jiang Lan.

However, though Empress Ji refused to lose the educated and reasonable reputation easily, her killing intention for Jiang Lan remained unchanged.

At this point, Yun Fenghuang supported the Empress. After all, it was no good for her if Emperor Chunjia got the upper hand.

The question was the Empress’s plan…

It might kill Nian Xuan…

Yun Fenghuang thought for a while, and called Xin Qing to come in and enjoined her to open the case, take out her dresses and jewelry, and dress up for her, “Thanks for the Empress and Queen Mother of Mercy’s grace, I can be promoted to Mei Ren. I should report such good news to my hostess. But Consort Yue is still grounded and cannot go out, and it is difficult to meet her. Even though, I should dress up neatly and go to Ning Bi Hall to pay respects to her. Even if I can’t tell her face to face, I should express my respect.”

After Xin Qing heard what she said, she felt afraid, and had an impulse to actively ask for being relegated to Yong Xiang, a cold palace, at once, “Mei Ren, it’s almost evening now, and His Majesty may come here to congratulate you on your promotion… Maybe you can tell Consort Yue tomorrow?

She was not clear what happened when Yun Fenghuang and Nian Xuan went out together yesterday. She only hoped to try her best to delay, and maybe Nian Xuan would come back tomorrow?

If Yun Fenghuang went to Ning Bi Palace to show off now, it would be sure that she would let Xin Qing be with her because Nian Xuan was not here, and Xi Xing was the only maid in Xi Xing Building now. Xin Qing might be in the black list of Consort Yue.

Because of Consort Yue’s reputation for the past two years, all the low-ranking concubines in the Imperial Harem avoided closing to Hu Zhu Palace, let alone Xin Qing, an insignificant maid.

She didn’t know what sins she had done which caused her to have an uneasy master, Yun Fenghuang, and to be frightened all day.

Maybe something bad happened one day and she was implicated…

In contrast, being sent to Yong Xiang, a cold palace, or Clothing-Cleaning Department was a better choice.

“It’s just a few steps away from Ning Bi Hall, so, why should we wait until tomorrow?” Yun Fenghuang sat in front of the makeup table and raised eyebrows towards the bronze mirror, saying with a faint smile, “Besides, His Majesty has to pass Ning Bi Hall if he comes to Xi Xing Building. In this case, we may greet His Majesty incidentally.

Xin Qing hoped that Yun Fenghuang would break a leg on the way to Ning Bi Hall…

Unfortunately, Yun Fenghuang walked with light steps and moved very fast. On the way from Xi Xing Building to Ning Bi Hall, no matter how Xin Qing delayed or persuaded, she did not even reel, let alone break a leg!

“How are you, sister?” When Yun Fenghuang arrived at Ning Bi Hall, she glanced at the gatekeeper and found that she was a new maid, but she did not care. She came forward with a smile and kindly said, “I am Yun Fenghuang in Xi Xing Building. Thanks for the Empress and Queen Mother of Mercy’s grace, I can be promoted to Mei Ren. I dare not enjoy this good news alone, so, I particularly come to report this news to Consort Yue. Sister, please report for me!”

The maid who had been expressionless took a sigh of breath when she heard the words. She showed resourcefulness in an emergency, “What? What did you say? Sorry, my Lady, my ears have been not so good these two days, so, I don’t know what you say… Would you like to come back later?”

Yun Fenghuang was speechless.

The talented people were everywhere.

At this time, Xin Qing who was standing behind Yun Fenhuang fell into deep contemplation after she admired her peers for a moment. Since her original intention was just not to accompany the new prompted Mei Ren Yun to Ning Bi Hall, avoid being hated by Consort Yue, why did she hope Yun Fenghuang to perish the thought or break her leg?

Why couldn’t Xin Qing break her own leg so that she couldn’t accompany Yun Fenghuang to come here?!

Xin Qing was sad, she realized that no wonder she had been pushed aside to go to Hu Zhu Palace where no maids wanted to come… She was too well-behaved!

“It’s okay.” This well-behaved maid’s master was also well-behaved and honest. She smiled, “Then I will speak louder. In this case, even if you can’t hear me clearly, maybe the inside maids will hear me and report this good news to the Lady?”

Speaking of this, she did not wait for the gatekeeper to stop her, and raised her voice and shouted towards Ning Bi Hall, “My Lady, Consort Yue, I am Yun Fenghuang of Xi Xing Building. Here’s the good news! Thanks for the Empress and Queen Mother of Mercy’s grace, I am promoted to Mei Ren. I dare not enjoy this good news alone, so, I particularly come to report such good news to My Lady and hope you can also be happy! I particularly come to report such good news to My Lady and hope you can also be happy! I particularly come to report such good news to My Lady and hope you can also be happy!

“…!!!” The gatekeeper froze, and she wished to kneel down on the spot to kowtow to her, “Mei Ren, Mei Ren Yun! Please! Please stop! Stop!”

Yun Fenghuang opened her eyes wide with an innocent look, “Stop? Why? This is such an honorable thing! We shall know that since the new concubines joined the Imperial Harem, His Majesty has only slept with me, the concubine of Hu Zhu Palace, and Her Highness has only promoted me, the concubine of Hu Zhu Palace so far… For such a glorious thing, it is a matter of course to shout a few words here. If it was out of the Imperial Palace, it is a matter of course to strike gongs and drums to let all the people on a street come out to listen!

The gatekeeper almost vomited blood, “… Mei Ren, your words make sense, but the Lady has been sick for the past two days and needs to rest now. You’d better not to disturb her, OK?”

“The Lady is sick?” Yun Fenghuang sternly said, “Why didn’t you tell me earlier? The Lady is the hostess, the most important person of Hu Zhu Palace. Even if she has a small ailment, it can’t be overlooked! In accordance with the rules, if the hostess is sick, the concubine in this palace should serve her in person. Now I’m the only concubine in this palace, so, I should shoulder this responsibility! I’m in duty bound!”

As she said, she walked into the inner hall and enjoined Xin Qing to go back to Xi Xing Building to bring her clothes for changing tomorrow, saying, “Although Ning Bi Hall is only a few steps away from Xi Xing Building, I am concerned about the safety of the Lady, so, I do not want to waste time to go back for freshening up and changing clothes… Hurry up, don’t delay me serving the Lady!”

Xin Qing was anxious to leave Ning Bi Hall as early as she could, so, she responded in panic, turned and ran away quickly. Seeing this, the gatekeeper was almost crazy. Having no time to think more, she grabbed Yun Fenghuang’s sleeve, “Mei Ren, you cannot go in!”

Yun Fenghuang frowned and said, “You…”

Before she finished her words, a maid in a light blue dress suddenly went out from the inner hall. The maid was Qing Die who Yun Fenghuang had met before. The maid held a lacquer tray of huanghuali wood engraved with curly grass patterns, on which some jewelry and clothes were piled. She came forward, made a salute and said with an apologetic smile, “Mei Ren Yun, you came at the right time. The Lady just was informed of Her Highness’s imperial decree. Look, these are the rewards she enjoined maids to collect just now and I’m about to send them to Xi Xing Building!”

“Thanks for the Lady’s grace. I’m really grateful.” Yun Fenghuang put her hands on her chest with a grateful look, “In this case, I have to enter the inner hall to pay respects and express my gratitude to the Lady face to face!”

Hearing this, Qing Die froze for a moment, and then she blocked her, “Mei Ren, please wait! Do not forget that Queen Mother of Honor ordered the Lady to stay in the room to contemplate tranquilly these days. If you enter directly, Queen Mother of Honor may know it later. At that time, it’s not a big deal that Queen Mother of Honor is unhappy about the Lady, but if she punishes her… I’m afraid that Mei Ren… How do you think, Mei Ren?”

After all, Consort Yue was a consort, and Queen Mother Yuan and Emperor Chunjia would protect her.

No matter how Queen Mother Ji wanted her to die, she had to have a reason to kill her.

But if Queen Mother Ji was unhappy, a frown or a wink could cause the insignificant concubines like Yun Fenghuang to die if she wanted.

Qing Die had been teased by Yun Fenghuang before, so, she feared this new concubine a little bit. She tried to make the warnings tactful and euphemistic, and to avoid irritating her. Then she pouted her lips at the lacquer tray in her hands and said, “The Lady said Mei Ren has made Hu Zhu Palace honorable, so, she particularly awarded many good things to you! Many of them were rewarded by His Majesty.”

Yun Fenghuang followed the direction that the maid pointed, but she only saw a used common gilt silver eardrop of the shape of calabash with a pearl of the size of a grain of rice. Among a pile of jewels, she almost could not find it if she didn’t look it carefully. She was silent for a moment, and then suddenly changed her tone, humming softly, “If so, I will leave now. Sister, please pass my gratitude to the Lady.”

Qing Die was anxious to send her away and promised repeatedly, “My Lady, I know it. I will tell the Lady as soon as she gets up.”

Then she added against her heart, “Mei Ren Yun, the Lady knows that you are polite and cautious.”

Watching Yun Fenghuang swagger away, Qing Die finally exhaled a sigh of relief and turned back to the inner hall.

At this moment, there was a mess in Ning Bi Hall. There were traces of being smashed everywhere. Among the dumping utensils and the cracked porcelain, there were stains of tea. It was very messy. Were it not for the surrounding carved beams and painted pillars, and the jewels and gems on the head of the crying woman on the hostess throne, this hall couldn’t be recognized as a consort’s residence.

“What are you crying for?” The maids, including Qing Die, didn’t dare to breathe. All of them bowed their heads, and wanted to stand against the wall. Only a forty-year-old woman in a palace dress stood on the red steps and scolded with a dark face, “It’s the good thing you provoked, so, how can you have the face to cry!”