Flowery Hair: A Maidservant

Chapter 410 Personally Leading the Imperial Guard for Escort

Upon returning to Huining Palace, Meng Shu immediately dispatched Mengzhu to Linde Palace to find Consort Chun. Meanwhile, Lüliu deliberately took Mingyue back to the passageway they had just traversed.

About half an hour later, Green Willow and his companion returned first.

"Your Majesty, thankfully we didn't go to the Moon-Gazing Pavilion earlier. This servant noticed that there were several spots on the stone steps in front of the pavilion that had been deliberately smeared with tung oil. If you didn't look closely, you might mistake them for snow puddles, and you could easily slip and fall if you weren't careful..."

Green Willow's face turned slightly pale, and she clutched her handkerchief tightly in fear.

Mingyue then replied in a deep voice, "I followed the footprints, but the trail ended deep in the plum grove. Judging from the depth of the footprints and the stride, this person must have some martial arts skills and be quite familiar with the palace's layout."

Donggua's face turned ashen, and he said hatefully, "Who on earth is so vicious? This is clearly aimed at Shushu."

Donggua walked the route from Huining Palace to Lingcui Palace most often. She said, "Should we summon the eunuchs who are usually responsible for sweeping the palace roads? After all, this was their oversight..."

Before he could finish speaking, hurried footsteps came from outside.

Consort Chun, wrapped in a cloak, hurried in, her hair ornaments still in disarray. As soon as she entered, she asked anxiously, "Is Shu'er alright?"

Meng Shu quickly took a hand warmer from the table and stepped forward, holding her icy fingers: "I'm fine. But you, did you encounter anything unusual on the way?"

Aunt Mei circled Meng Shu twice with a worried look on her face. Seeing that she was indeed unharmed, she breathed a sigh of relief: "That girl Mengzhu spoke unclearly just now, which made Her Majesty very anxious. Our journey to Linde Palace was peaceful."

Meng Shu pulled Consort Chun to sit on the warm couch and recounted the events of the moment in detail. Consort Chun's face gradually darkened upon hearing this: "Such despicable methods could only be the work of the Empress or Consort Qing. You just said that person's image resembled someone from Renming Palace? Did you send someone to Chengtian Gate to inquire?"

The head eunuch of Renming Hall, Chen Ling, accompanied the emperor. If he returned to the palace midway, he would have to leave a record at Chengtian Gate.

Mingyue replied, "The Empress just sent Xiao Nianzi to secretly investigate, and he should be back by now."

Before long, Xiao Nianzi rushed back with two messages.

“Reporting to Your Majesty,” he bowed and said, “This servant went to Chengtian Gate to inquire, and found that not only has no one returned to the Empress’s palace in the past two days, but the Xingyu girl and others who stayed behind have also not left Renming Hall.”

"There is one more thing. Miss Chuntao met me on the way and specifically asked me to pass on a message—Consort Qu has returned the golden lock that Consort Qi bestowed upon her intact."

Consort Chun and Meng Shu exchanged a glance and asked, "Is it a golden lock meant to bring good fortune? Did Consort Qi have any reaction?"

Xiao Nianzi replied, "Chun Tao said that although Consort Qi had doubts, she didn't say much."

He paused, then lowered his voice and said, "However, Miss Chuntao also mentioned a strange thing. She said that Consort Qu seems to get along exceptionally well with the eldest princess. Every time she goes to Dieqiong Pavilion, the eldest princess doesn't cry or make a fuss and is very quiet. Consort Qi also treats Consort Qu differently because of this."

Consort Qi had received much favor from Consort Chun. The day after Lingyi's full moon celebration, Consort Qi specially presented Consort Chun with a swaddling cloth, a gesture of great intimacy. At the time, she also mentioned to Consort Chun that she had given a personal gold lock to Consort Qu.

These two types of items correspond to the old folk and palace custom of "using objects to induce pregnancy".

"Something's amiss," Consort Chun frowned slightly. "Consort Qu should cherish the golden lock she received, so why would she return it for no reason? Could there be some deeper meaning? Or... is she already pregnant?"

Meng Shu lowered her eyes and pondered for a moment, then slowly shook her head: "It shouldn't be. Since being injured in Cining Palace, Consort Qu has not served the emperor again, and she even summoned the imperial physician a few days ago."

Consort Chun said, "Let's put this matter aside for now. The most urgent task at hand is to thoroughly investigate the incident of Shu'er's danger."

She then turned to Mengzhu, her voice deepening: "Immediately summon Lord Tong of the Yeting Palace and the heads of the Six Departments to Huining Palace for a meeting. Tell them that I wish to personally oversee the defenses during the New Year holidays."

......

Two hours later, the brothers Xiao Yuanzi and Xiao Nianzi led the way, and Consort Chun personally led the entourage to escort Meng Shu back to Lingcui Palace.

This matter naturally alarmed Empress Dowager Jiang in Cining Palace.

With two princesses born in succession in the palace, Empress Dowager Jiang attached great importance to Meng Shu's pregnancy. This time, she not only specially sent two head maids to take care of her, but also issued an imperial edict ordering Tong Bo, the head of the inner palace, to investigate the matter thoroughly.

By this time, the palace roads along the way had been completely cleared. Not only was there not a single protruding stone to be seen, but even the snow in the crevices had been shoveled clean.

The cleaning and sweeping of the palace gardens was the responsibility of the Sishe Division under the Shangqin Bureau. Chen Sishe was trembling as he supervised the eunuchs as they patrolled back and forth, unaware that this belated attempt to salvage the situation only fueled Consort Chun's anger.

"Chen Sishe neglected his duties and was sent to the Yeting Palace to receive twenty strokes of the cane."

Consort Chun's phoenix eyes were frosty. "All those in charge of the various departments, including the chief clerks, the ladies-in-waiting, and others, shall be replaced immediately." She glanced at the six heads of the six departments kneeling on the ground. "With New Year's Eve approaching, any further mishaps will be met with severe punishment!"

Lingcui Palace.

Green Willow led the two old women from Cining Palace to a side hall for accommodation, while Mengzhu, Ruizhu, and Mingyue inspected Cuiyu Hall inside and out once more.

"From now on, you can rest assured and take care of your pregnancy at Cuiyu Hall. Not to mention the slippery roads after the snow, the scheming of the people behind you is enough to make people's hearts tremble."

Consort Chun helped Meng Shu to a seat on the soft couch, gently tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear as she spoke, "If anything urgent happens, have Green Willow go to Huining Palace. I'll come and keep you company every now and then..."

Meng Shu leaned gently against Consort Chun's shoulder, a slight soreness rising in her nose.

In the past, she was always the one scheming and protecting Consort Chun, but now that she was pregnant, she had suddenly become the one being protected. Consort Chun was surrounded by a faint, cool fragrance, which was more reassuring than ambergris.

Just as Consort Chun was about to give a few more words of advice, she suddenly felt a weight on her shoulder. She instinctively straightened her posture, and after a moment of surprise, she couldn't help but smile: "I've always seen Shuer so shrewd and resourceful, but I didn't know she could be so charming."

Upon hearing this, Meng Shu blushed and spoke with a rare touch of coquettishness: "What does it matter if I'm a little delicate in front of the Second Miss?"

......

The day before the Emperor's return to the palace.

Inside the Cuiyu Hall, Meng Shu's fingers, which were holding the purse, paused, and a hint of doubt flashed between her brows: "Did Consort Qu go to Shujing Palace?"

Soon, she asked again, "Has anyone come from the Disi Pavilion about what happened when Fuling left the palace to visit her relatives that day?"

at the same time--

In the Chunxi Palace, Consort Qu suddenly put down her teacup: "My cousin actually went to Consort Yi's palace?"

The porcelain cup struck the table, startling Ruixue.

Ruixue stammered, "Baolin often goes to Shujing Palace to curry favor with Consort Yi, perhaps she doesn't want to get involved with the golden lock. Besides, Consort Yi has already given birth to the second princess, so the golden lock is of no use to her..."