Flowery Hair: A Maidservant

Chapter 255 Shen Meiren's mouth is blessed.

The Emperor concluded the greeting with the words, "It is up to the Empress Dowager to decide."

Each of the concubines had their own thoughts. They rose to bid farewell to the Empress Dowager, while the Emperor and Empress stayed in Cining Palace to have lunch with her.

Once outside Cining Palace, without the Empress's restraint, Consort Shen became more talkative. "Your Highness, a beautiful woman has entered the palace, and she already has a connection with the Emperor. I wonder what Your Highness's thoughts are on this?"

"No."

Even Song Jieyu's perpetually icy expression couldn't help but curl into a slight smile. Shen Meiren paused for a moment, then said unwillingly, "Does Your Majesty not fear that Miss Qing will steal your favor...?"

Consort Chun raised an eyebrow slightly, and Hua Yan moved in front of her, saying, "In this harem, people come and go like fish crossing a river. If Consort Shen takes them all to heart, wouldn't she be asking for trouble?"

Consort Shen was speechless. Although her rank was higher than Consort Hua's, she dared not offend her because of Consort Chun. Her tone was slightly sour: "It is indeed a question that I have asked. I suppose that since His Majesty has tied the purse to Your Highness's hand, His favor will not cease."

Wu Yunu spoke up, seemingly to help Shen Meiren out of her predicament: "We sisters have all grown up together in the Prince's mansion, and Shen Meiren's words are also out of concern for Consort Chun."

However, Miss Qing's status is indeed special. She has the Empress Dowager's backing, and she and the Emperor are childhood sweethearts. Although she wasn't present at yesterday's New Year's Eve banquet, she stole the show. I've heard that she is also exceptionally talented and plays the pipa beautifully.”

Shen Meiren didn't appreciate Wu Yunu's words and muttered, "Look at her sickly appearance, even if she is favored, she probably won't be able to get pregnant."

These words were so outrageous that Wu Yunu took a step back, not daring to speak.

Consort Chun said sternly, "Consort Shen's words were immoral. As I assist in managing the six palaces, I will temporarily pardon you for this first offense. If you commit another offense, I will punish you according to the palace rules."

Consort Shen's expression changed slightly. Reluctantly, she knelt on the ground and said, "Your Majesty, I spoke recklessly. Thank you for your teachings. I will never dare to do it again."

As they approached the Imperial Garden and were about to part ways, Consort Wu whispered, "I wonder what title His Majesty will bestow upon the eldest daughter of the Duke's family?"

Consort Chun, Hua Yan, and Consort Song remained silent, while Consort Shen pursed her lips, completely forgetting the mistake she had just made.

Just then, she happened to pass by a plum tree and blurted out, "Since the Third Miss likes plum blossoms so much, why not bestow upon her the title of 'Plum Consort'? That would be quite fitting."

Upon hearing this, Consort Song couldn't help but chuckle briefly, then pulled Consort Shen to bow and take her leave. Consort Wu, covering her face with her handkerchief, also bowed and departed.

In the blink of an eye, only her own people remained. Consort Chun looked at Consort Shen's back and said softly, "This person is not bad, it's just that she has a mouth that is unrestrained, but she is also quite straightforward and cute."

Hua Yan shook her head. Consort Chun, with her family background, her rank as a consort, and the Emperor's favor, had the right to speak her mind. Consort Shen, on the other hand, came from a humble family and held a low rank...

"Such a temperament will cause trouble sooner or later. Your Highness should keep your distance from it in the future."

......

A day later, Dong Ming, a eunuch from the Funing Palace, delivered a memorial.

"Greetings, Consort Chun. This is the petition for the new concubine in the harem. Her Majesty the Empress has already read it and said that you should arrange the new concubine's palace and assign her servants."

Consort Chun took it from Mengzhu's hands, glanced at it briefly, seemingly incredulous, then examined it carefully again: "Consort Shen's lips... they must be blessed..."

Hua Yan leaned forward, a slight smile playing on her lips. The first line of text on the folded document read, "Consort Mei, of the Qing clan..."

"The title His Majesty has proposed is 'Plum'?"

Dong Ming replied, "That's right. Consort Mei is currently staying with the Empress Dowager. Yesterday, the Imperial Astronomical Bureau checked the dates and reported two auspicious days suitable for the conferment ceremony. After the ceremony, Consort Mei will move from Cining Palace to Cining Palace."

Steadfast and noble, undaunted by wind and snow, it is called 'plum'.

Hua Yan frowned in deep thought, finding it truly difficult to fathom the Emperor's thoughts. Judging from all the previous indications, the Emperor cherished this third young lady of the Duke's mansion quite a bit, even going so far as to move a phoenix tree from Changchun Garden and bestow upon her the Hot Spring Villa for recuperation. However, while this title could not be said to be bad, it seemed to carry an indescribable implication.

Consort Chun pointed to two dates on the memorial: the seventh day of the first lunar month and the fourteenth day of the first lunar month, the day before the Lantern Festival.

"Does the Emperor and Empress have a preference for these two dates?"

Dong Ming said, "The Emperor did not mention it, but the Empress did mention it, saying, 'Since the title has been decided, the sooner the better.'"

Consort Chun readily agreed, saying, "Then let's set it for the seventh day. We still have five or six days to prepare, which should be enough time. As for the palace..."

This was the dilemma the Empress had deliberately set for Consort Chun. The closer the concubines' palaces were to Funing Palace, the better. "There are still seven or eight vacant palaces. Let Consort Mei choose one herself."

Hua Yan thought she had misheard. Seeing that Consort Chun didn't seem to be sulking, she was about to speak when she heard Dong Ming say "Ah".

Knowing he had been impolite, Dong Ming immediately knelt on the ground. "This servant has been impolite, and I beg Your Majesty's forgiveness. This...this...allowing newly arrived concubines to choose their own palaces is against the rules of the palace and there is no precedent for it."

Hua Yan gave Meng Zhu a look, and Meng Zhu understood. She took out a picture book of palace rooms from the bookshelf and slowly unfolded it. Consort Chun pondered for a moment, then her gaze fell on the Jiashou Palace, which was closest to the Funing Palace. Just as she was about to speak, Hua Yan stopped her.

"Your Majesty, Zhaoqing Palace is not far from Cining Palace, and this palace is not far from Plum Garden either. It is an excellent location."

Consort Chun immediately changed her tune: "I think Zhaoqing Palace is also very good. Consort Mei is favored by the Empress Dowager, and it's good that she lives nearby so she can visit her often. I would like to trouble Eunuch Dong to present it to His Majesty for his review. If it is not suitable, we can choose another one."

Consort Chun picked up her brush and wrote the three characters "Zhaoqing Palace" on the memorial, which Mengzhu then presented to Dong Ming.

Zhaoqing Palace is not far from Funing Palace. It was originally the palace of Consort Min, the favorite concubine of the late emperor. This arrangement is quite appropriate. Dong Ming accepted the letter and bowed before retreating.

Consort Chun asked Hua Yan, "Why is Jiashou Palace inappropriate? I don't care whether it's close to the Emperor or not."

Ruizhu came in to serve tea. "Your Highness, this servant knows that Jiashou Palace was once the residence of Consort Rong, the birth mother of Prince An. In her early years, Consort Rong committed a taboo and hanged herself in the palace. Since then, Jiashou Palace has been vacant."

Mengzhu asked in surprise, "How do you know everything?"

"Prince An was the second son of the late emperor. He was implicated because of his mother’s mistake and was sent to his fiefdom early. It is said that Prince An suffers from a leg ailment."

Hua Yan said, "Rui Zhu and Xiao Nianzi socialize everywhere and have made many connections in the palace. Besides, this matter is not a secret."

......

Cining Palace, West Warm Pavilion.

"Consort Mei?"

Qing Zhifei's face was ashen, a breath of stagnation stuck in his chest, and he remained silent for a long time.

Seeing this, Amber quickly served Qing Zhifei a cup of hot tea. Qing Zhifei took a sip, but still felt cold all over, as if she were bound by a tight net, and a feeling of being trapped in her own cocoon lingered in her heart.