Chapter 60: Yunqing
Walking from the Imperial Study toward Longyu Pavilion, Lan Wu still seemed somewhat dazed.
Lian Qiao followed her carefully and, seeing her nearly trip on the steps several times, hurried forward to support her.
“Lady, perhaps we should rest a bit before continuing? There are tables and chairs over there where we can sit,” Lian Qiao suggested.
Lan Wu glanced at the stone table and chairs and nodded in agreement.
The stone furniture was shaded by trees, with occasional breezes providing some coolness.
Sitting there, Lan Wu pondered the news she had just learned from Chu Mingheng.
She never would have imagined that the official responsible for the repairs at the Sanzhou Canal Embankment the year before last was actually Yue Zhaorong’s father—Yue Pingning, the Vice Minister of Works.
With such a major failure, the Yue family should have been the first to face consequences during the reckoning.
In her previous life, Yue Zhaorong had…
“Lady, Zhaoyi Wen and Xiuyi Bai are approaching,” Lian Qiao whispered to remind her.
Lan Wu followed her gaze and saw the two walking gracefully toward her.
These two really did love to stick together as always.
She waited until they were close before rising unhurriedly, looking at them, and slowly performing a curtsy.
The gesture was flawless, and since the two were not as ruthless as Consort Li, they told her to rise.
“Where has Sister Zhen come from?” Zhaoyi Wen asked curiously.
Lan Wu glanced at the single path she had taken and smiled. “This concubine just came from Your Majesty’s place. I grew tired from walking and sat here to rest, only to run into both elder sisters.”
Xiuyi Bai had interacted with her before—she had specifically sent someone to escort Lan Wu back to the Music Bureau, never expecting Lan Wu to fall. Now, with everything that had happened since, she naturally realized that Lan Wu had deliberately fallen that day.
Quite cunning.
Now that Lan Wu was in the spotlight, having been promoted and favored by the emperor, with His Majesty visiting only her palace, how could she not attract envy?
“Then, Sister, please rest a bit longer. This consort and Xiuyi Bai still wish to admire the flowers and plants, so we won’t keep Sister Zhen for idle chatter.” With that, Zhaoyi Wen gave Lan Wu a faint smile and prepared to leave.
Lan Wu curtsied to them and watched as they walked away.
Turning her gaze back, Lan Wu thought of Consort Shu.
“Last time, you mentioned knowing Consort Shu’s palace maid Yunqing. Tell me about her.”
Lian Qiao had actually told her earlier, but unfortunately, they were interrupted. Afterward, Lan Wu had been preoccupied with the embankment matter and hadn’t remembered to ask again.
Lian Qiao gently fanned her and replied, “In response to Lady, this servant and Yunqing both came from the Inner Court Administration. However, this servant heard that before Yunqing entered the Inner Court Administration, she once served one of the Late Emperor’s imperial concubines. But later, for some reason, she returned to the Inner Court Administration. It wasn’t until after His Majesty ascended the throne that Yunqing was assigned to Lady Shufei’s palace.”
After saying this, seeing Lan Wu still looking at her, she racked her brains for more details. “Yunqing is a bit older. In the Inner Court Administration, she was the most knowledgeable about palace rules and often taught the younger palace maids. By rights, she should have been released from the palace at her age, but she is highly valued by Lady Shufei…”
Typically, palace maids were supposed to leave the palace at age twenty-five, but those who were personal attendants to imperial concubines and highly valued were generally not released.
Just like Yunqing.
Returning to Longyu Pavilion, Lan Wu still felt somewhat warm, but fortunately, ice was being used in the hall. After sitting quietly for a while, she cooled down.
She spoke softly to Lian Xi, “Lian Qiao is quite capable. From now on, arrange for her to serve inside the hall.”
She spoke these words without avoiding anyone. Lian Qiao and Mujin had entered Longyu Pavilion together, and now that Lian Qiao had been called into the hall to serve, if Mujin was dissatisfied, she ought to have taken some action.
As soon as the words fell, Lian Qiao knelt before her, joyfully expressing her gratitude.
Lan Wu’s eyes held a smile, waiting until Lian Qiao had withdrawn before slowly letting her expression fade.
“In a few days, His Majesty will host a birthday banquet for me at Kongshan Garden. Lian Xi, I need you to do something for me.”
Lian Xi looked up at her mistress’s deliberately stern and seemingly profound expression, a sense of foreboding rising in her heart.
“Mistress?”
Lan Wu was not the kind of person who would let things slide. On the contrary, if someone schemed against her, she could endure it for a while but would never tolerate it forever. In her previous life, she had been constantly restrained by Chu Mingheng and dared not cause trouble, but in this life, she was determined to stir up as much chaos as she pleased. Just wait—she would spare no one.
As Lan Wu’s birthday drew nearer, news spread throughout the palace that His Majesty would host a birthday banquet for Zhen Shuyi at Kongshan Garden.
What kind of place was Kongshan Garden?
It was a garden built by the Late Emperor for Empress Dowager Jingwen. Now, His Majesty had chosen to hold Zhen Shuyi’s birthday banquet there. Did this mean that Zhen Shuyi held a higher place in His Majesty’s eyes than the three consorts?
After all, even the three high-ranking imperial concubines had never set foot in Kongshan Garden.
These thoughts were merely kept to oneself, as no one dared to voice them openly.
Meanwhile, Lan Wu’s palace occasionally saw visits from other imperial concubines trying to get closer to her.
Lan Wu did not give any of them face. She either claimed she was not in the palace or said she was unwell, turning them all away at the door.
The imperial concubines, one after another, were met with closed doors. Furious but powerless against Lan Wu, they could only seek out the high-ranking concubines to complain about Lan Wu’s lack of propriety.
Currently, the ones managing palace affairs were Consort Rou and Consort Shu. Though the two rarely met, there were times when they had to come together to discuss matters of the inner court. It was during one such occasion that several concubines jointly lodged complaints against Lan Wu.
“Mistress, Zhen Shuyi’s words were too harsh. That day, this concubine happened to wear a dress of the same color as hers, and she said this concubine… said this concubine was imitating her without success…”
Xia Zhaorong wept as she wiped her tears, biting her lip before finishing the sentence: “She even said this concubine was a toad lusting after swan meat!”
“This concubine… this concubine cannot go on living!”
And that wasn’t all.
Zhaorong Yun, watching the spectacle from the side, thought to herself that at the time, Zhen Shuyi had also clicked her tongue disdainfully and said with a smile that Xia Zhaorong’s dress was about to burst at the seams, asking if she needed someone from the Imperial Wardrobe Bureau to come and mend it for her.
“Yes, Mistress, and last time, this concubine was admiring the scenery by the lake when Zhen Shuyi happened to pass by. She actually said this concubine looked like a ghost and had frightened her—this concubine hardly dares to go outside anymore, Mistress!”
One after another, the imperial concubines lodged their complaints, as if Lan Wu were a troublemaker who had suddenly emerged in the inner court. However, Consort Shu and Consort Rou, being in charge of palace affairs, were not inclined to fully believe the words of these concubines. Moreover, with Lan Wu’s birthday approaching and her currently enjoying His Majesty’s favor, they could not afford to stir up trouble at this time.
“Enough, all of you, be quiet,” Consort Shu coldly reprimanded with a light scowl.
The earlier sounds of weeping ceased below, though the concubines continued to put on a show, wiping away the faint traces of tears at the corners of their eyes.
“The day after tomorrow is Zhen Shuyi’s birthday banquet. If you have any grievances, you can bring them before Your Majesty then, and he will not stand idly by.” These words were spoken by Consort Rou, her tone light and airy. Though she seemed to offer advice, in truth, she had no intention of intervening.
The people below looked at one another, suddenly falling silent.
Who would dare to go?