Flowery Hair: A Maidservant

Chapter 388 This time it really wasn't an act.

Originally, it was agreed that Meng Shu would stay for dinner, but when Aunt Mei saw that Meng Shu only stayed in the study for an hour before leaving, her heart skipped a beat!

What's going on?!

She exchanged an uneasy glance with Mengzhu, especially when she saw that Consort Chun had surprisingly not come out to see them off, which made her even more worried.

Green Willow also noticed something was wrong. Holding the pearl hairpins that Madam Yun had given her and Winter Melon, she took small steps to get closer to Meng Shu, not daring to make a sound!

Meng Shu summoned Aunt Mei to the corridor and instructed her not to disturb Consort Chun in the study for the time being.

“Aunt, please let Wan’er have some peace and quiet. If she wants to have a drink to help her sober up, prepare the rose syrup you made the other day, and remember to pair it with jasmine tea to help her sober up.” She paused, “I will come to see her again tomorrow.”

Aunt Mei was finally relieved.

Meng Shu is exceptionally capable. Since moving to Lingcui Palace, she has become increasingly worried that the two sisters, who have been together since childhood, might develop some kind of rift in the future.

"Winter melon," Meng Shu turned around and called softly, "You stay here first, stew a pot of rose and poria porridge for Wan'er, and then steam some plum blossom-scented cakes."

These items all have the effects of regulating qi, relieving chest tightness, calming the mind, and soothing the nerves. Aunt Mei and Donggua quickly agreed.

Inside the study, Consort Chun stared blankly at the swaying shadows of the trees on the window lattice, as if frozen in time. Tears silently slid down her cheeks, forming glistening beads on her chin before quietly falling onto her clothes.

She was completely absorbed in her own thoughts and didn't even notice when Meng Shu left.

The tea on the table had long since cooled, and a thin film of tea had condensed on it.

She finally moved slightly. Mengzhu, who was guarding outside, felt a lump in her throat. Just as she was about to lift the curtain and go in, she saw her young mistress holding a white piece in one hand and a black piece in the other, playing chess by herself.

As dusk settled outside the window, the last rays of sunlight pierced through the gauze curtains, casting dappled shadows on her, which lone on the bookshelf behind her, blending into the silence of the room.

Aunt Mei brought in a small pot of rose liqueur, and the faint aroma of the wine wafted into the study.

Consort Chun twitched her nose slightly, and after placing the last white piece, she looked up with a bright smile: "Did Shu'er ask Aunt to send this? She's always the most thoughtful."

"Today, Your Highness, I won't stand on ceremony. Would you like some drinks?"

As the years passed and she had served Consort Chun for a long time, Aunt Mei could vaguely sense that her young mistress's condition was somewhat different from before, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what had changed.

Mengzhu followed Aunt Mei into the study and deliberately teased, "Your Majesty is biased. It's obvious that I've been with you the longest, so why am I not considerate?"

Consort Chun laughed lightly, scrambled the black and white pieces on the chessboard with a wave of her wide sleeve, and said, "I was wrong. You, Ruizhu, Mingyue and Aunt are all the most considerate people."

Aunt Mei smiled and placed the wine cup on the table, then pulled Mengzhu away.

After finishing her dinner, Meng Shu was leaning against the soft couch listening to Green Willow's report.

“First thing,” Green Willow said softly, “Consort Qing returned to the palace from Changchun Garden this afternoon.”

"The other matter was also within Her Majesty's expectations. Consort Qu pleaded with the Empress, saying that Consort Qu was seriously ill and wished to be brought to Chunxi Palace for closer care. Her Majesty immediately granted her request."

"Qu Baolin is no easy task, so the Empress is naturally happy to go along with it."

Green Willow continued, "As for Zhaoqing Palace, there's been no movement. It seems Consort Qing has learned her lesson; after returning to the palace, she's been obediently confined to her quarters and hasn't requested to see the Emperor or Empress Dowager..."

Meng Shu suddenly asked, "Has Consort Pei been released from confinement?"

"Yes, after returning to the palace, she went straight to Hanxiang Pavilion. I heard that she went to pay her respects to Consort Song, but Consort Song did not see her."

After replying, Green Willow couldn't help but shake her head: "Consort Song's personality is really strange. After all, they live in the same palace and see each other all the time, yet she doesn't even bother to put on a show."

“There’s nothing simple in the palace. She doesn’t give face to anyone. It’s just a show for the Empress.”

Although Meng Shu had little contact with Consort Song, she felt that Consort Song was somewhat similar to Consort Chun, both being cold-faced but soft-hearted. However, Consort Song was more insightful than Consort Chun.

I wonder if what I said will change Consort Chun's mindset. She had previously asked Jian Zhi directly that prolonged stagnation of liver qi is most harmful to the uterus and hinders fertility.

While the mistress and servant were talking, inside Zhaoqing Palace, Amber was rushing towards the palace gate in a panic, shouting to the eunuchs guarding the outer room: "Her Highness's old problem of heart palpitations has flared up again! Quickly summon Physician He! If anything happens to Her Highness, you will all lose your heads!"

Upon hearing this, the head eunuch's expression changed, and he immediately sent someone to the Imperial Medical Bureau. He also ordered three others to report the news to the Cining Palace, Funing Hall, and Renming Hall.

Amber stamped her feet in anxiety and said, "It's nighttime, how dare we disturb the Empress Dowager and His Majesty! Just urge the imperial physician to come quickly!"

The head eunuch was in a dilemma, but in the palace, one had to be careful in everything one did. Even though the head maidservant of Consort Qing tried to stop him, he still had his men send messages to both the Funing Palace and the Renming Palace, instructing one of them only: "Just pass the message to Eunuch Jing, don't alarm the Emperor yet..."

Amber ignored everything else and turned to go into the hall after giving her instructions. At this moment, she and Granny Yu were truly panicked.

She had assumed that now that they had returned to the palace smoothly, her master would simply feign illness to lure the Emperor over, as usual. However, upon entering the bedchamber, she was astonished to find her master's face deathly pale and covered in cold sweat.

This time it's really going to be bad!