Chapter 94: The Palace Maid
The booklet was folded, and one had to open it to see the characters inside. It listed names, along with the years they entered the palace and where they served.
However, with so many people, Lan Wu did not know the maid’s name. She only knew what she looked like, and it would be troublesome to summon each one individually.
Seeing her holding the booklet in confusion, staring at it for a long time without any reaction, Chu Mingheng asked her:
“None of them are here?”
Lan Wu shook her head and suddenly thought of an idea.
She flipped through the booklet, turned toward Chu Mingheng, and asked, “Your Majesty, could this concubine claim that Yilan Hall lacks sufficient palace maids and request an experienced matron? Using this pretext, we could summon these people and see if among them is the one this concubine recognizes.”
Chu Mingheng pondered for a moment, gently pinched her cheek, and said, “Alright.”
“I will arrange it. You wait.”
Since he told her to wait, Lan Wu truly waited. After a few days, she received another edict promoting her rank.
Inside Yilan Hall, everyone heard the contents of the edict just announced.
Lan Wu was even more taken aback.
She had become… a Zhaorong?
Chu Mingheng had promoted her another rank?
Chen Kangan stepped forward with a smile as usual, handing the edict to Lan Wu, and said, “Congratulations, Zhaorong Niangniang. His Majesty has ordered that since there are too few palace maids in Yilan Hall and they lack experience in managing affairs, he has specifically commanded this servant to take Niangniang to the Inner Court Administration to select a matron in charge. When would Niangniang prefer to go?”
It was indeed the reason she had suggested, but he had also added a promotion to her rank on top of it, making it even more justified.
However, her last promotion had only been in August. To be promoted again so quickly—within just half a year, she had already become a Zhaorong. It was something she had never dared to imagine.
Lan Wu instructed someone to take the edict and store it away, nodding to Chen Kangan, “Today is a bit rushed. How about tomorrow? I must trouble Eunuch Chen to gather all the matrons from the Inner Court Administration.”
This matter had been discussed for some time, and the palace maids recorded in the booklet must have already been arranged for Lan Wu to see. But upon hearing her words, Chen Kangan bowed and replied, “Yes.”
Watching as the palace maids and eunuchs who had delivered the edict left, Lan Wu turned and returned to the hall, sitting down to pour herself a cup of tea.
Zhaorong…
Although she had guessed that Chu Mingheng wanted to give her a legitimate reason to meet those palace maids openly, was this pace of promotion too fast?
Promoted to Zhaorong in half a year—in another half a year, would she become a consort?
Thinking of this, Lan Wu stood up and paced back and forth in the hall.
Mujin entered the hall and gently interrupted her thoughts, “Niangniang, Zhaorong Niangniang Yue has arrived.”
Yue Zhaorong had originally planned to visit Lan Wu that day. Remembering Lan Wu’s kindness, she had often come to keep her company recently, and over time, their relationship had grown closer.
Although Lan Wu had the reputation of a favored concubine, she was an exceptionally amiable person in daily life—not putting on airs, not harshly reprimanding servants, and very easy to get along with.
Yue Zhaorong had only noticed Chen Kangan and his entourage leaving as she reached the palace gate. Judging by their demeanor, they had come to deliver an edict.
Sure enough, upon entering the hall, she learned that Lan Wu had been promoted to Zhaorong.
Although she had anticipated it, hearing it still left her with mixed feelings.
Your Majesty dotes on Lan Wu so much, and Lan Wu has no family background to rely on. Who knows if this favor might one day become a sharp sword that hurts someone.
“Your servant congratulates Your Highness.” Upon entering the hall, Yue Zhaorong bowed slightly toward Lan Wu with a smile.
Lan Wu helped her up: “I’ve already said there’s no need for formalities.”
“You’ve come at just the right time. I was planning to go to the Inner Court Administration tomorrow to select a matron, so we would have missed each other otherwise.”
She had no intention of hiding it. Back when Chu Mingheng wanted to find her an Instruction Matron, the servant ended up bullying her master. She thought that after dealing with the matter, she wouldn’t consider finding another matron, but now she was going to look for one again. Those matrons were probably afraid of ending up under her care.
But it wasn’t what she wanted either—she just wanted to find that palace maid.
“Your Highness is selecting a matron?” Yue Zhaorong was somewhat surprised. “It must be that the servants in Your Highness’s palace are insufficient.”
“That’s what His Majesty said.”
“Your servant has heard that some older palace maids who have been in the palace for a long time also have their own skills. For example, the palace maid by Empress Dowager Cimin’s side knew how to make incense. The incense she made was even praised by the late emperor.”
Lan Wu was curious. Regarding the two empress dowagers, because they died tragically, the palace avoided discussing them deeply. Chu Mingheng had also never spoken much about them to her, except for one time when he mentioned in passing that his mother didn’t particularly like him.
She didn’t dare to ask further.
Seeing Lan Wu’s genuine curiosity, Yue Zhaorong shared a bit more with her.
“The two empress dowagers had a good relationship—they were childhood friends who played together. The palace maid by Empress Dowager Cimin’s side was also given to her by Empress Dowager Jingwen, who worried that Empress Dowager Cimin, newly entered the palace, might unknowingly violate palace rules and offend others.”
“After that, the palace maid stayed by Empress Dowager Cimin’s side.”
“The incense-making skill was her family’s heirloom, but later, when Kunning Palace caught fire, the palace maid disappeared without a trace.”
At this point, Yue Zhaorong noticed Lan Wu’s completely clueless expression and smiled, advising her: “So when Your Highness selects a matron tomorrow, be sure to choose carefully. Some matrons truly have remarkable skills.”
Lost in thought, Lan Wu lowered her gaze and nodded.
The following afternoon, Lan Wu went to the Inner Court Administration to select someone.
She believed her memory was fairly good. Sitting in the main seat, she watched wave after wave of people pass by but still didn’t see the palace maid she had glimpsed before her death in her previous life.
The number of people was overwhelming. Lan Wu examined each one carefully, almost to the point of dizziness.
Luo Yun accompanied her on the side, patiently waiting for Lan Wu to make her choice.
But as the selection process neared its end, Lan Wu hadn’t approved anyone.
The sky was overcast that day, with occasional breezes, so it didn’t feel hot outside.
“Wait.” Suddenly, she heard Lan Wu call out beside her.
Luo Yun looked down and saw the older palace maid below, a flicker of confusion in her eyes.
Lan Wu looked at the person below. It wasn’t that she had found the one she was looking for, but she had seen this person before.
Back when Chu Mingheng held a birthday banquet for her at Kongshan Garden, she had seen this palace maid in the garden.
At the time, she was tending to the vegetable garden, and Lian Qiao had even said she was afraid of her.
Originally, Lan Wu thought this must be a palace maid who had served Empress Dowager Jingwen. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been allowed by His Majesty to grow vegetables in Kongshan Garden. But now… why was she here too?
“Your servant Dan Shan pays respects to Her Ladyship Zhen Zhaorong. May Your Ladyship enjoy boundless blessings.” Dan Shan’s expression remained stern, her words spoken with rigid formality, clearly revealing a severe disposition.
Lan Wu studied her, asking suspiciously, “Weren’t you… tending the vegetable garden?”
Dan Shan lowered her head slightly and replied, “Answering Your Ladyship, this servant has been ordered to come.”