Flowery Hair: A Maidservant

Chapter 409 Mystery on the Ice

"Master, should I keep a close eye on that area?" Ruixue asked in a low voice.

Qu Meiren's lips curved slightly, and a hint of a smile appeared at the corners of her eyes.

She gave almost the same instructions as Meng Shu: "After Fuling returns to the palace, if your cousin leaves Ganlu Palace, you should report back immediately."

About half an hour later, Qu Meiren went out with a pair of tiger-head shoes that she had sewn herself, heading in the direction of Dieqiong Pavilion.

This is inside the Huining Palace at that time.

After explaining things clearly to Mengzhu and giving her some further instructions, Meng Shu, seeing that the snow on the road had been cleared by 9:00 AM, led Green Willow and Winter Melon back to Lingcui Palace without waiting for Consort Chun to return.

As they approached the Imperial Garden, they saw Consort Qu and Ruixue emerging from behind the artificial hill. The two groups met on the stone path covered with a thin layer of snow.

"This humble servant greets Consort Jin. May Your Highness be well." Consort Qu curtsied.

Meng Shu nodded slightly, her gaze sweeping over the sachet tied around Qu Meiren's waist before finally settling on the tiger-head shoes held in Ruixue's hands.

She said, "These tiger-head shoes are exquisite. Are they meant to be sent to Princess Lingyi?"

A blush crept onto Qu Meiren's cheeks: "That's right. The other day, Consort Qi bestowed upon me quite a few pieces of leather. I'm clumsy with needlework, and this is all the needlework I can do."

Meng Shu pointed her fingertips lightly, "You are too modest, beauty. The gold-inlaid jade lock pattern on the sachet at your waist alone is enough to show how skilled you are."

Green Willow and the others looked in the direction of the sound and saw a lotus-colored gourd-shaped sachet hanging from Qu Meiren's waist. The sachet was no bigger than a baby's fist, with a gold-inlaid jade lock embroidered on the satin surface. The lock body was embroidered with red gold thread, and the two characters "Ruyi" (meaning "as you wish") on the lock face were outlined with peacock feather thread. It was truly small and exquisite.

After they parted, Green Willow looked back at the backs of Consort Qu and her servant and whispered, "At the New Year's Eve banquet, the concubines will present purses. Consort Qu hadn't entered the palace last year, so she's probably trying to be the first this time."

"Speaking of which, I haven't seen Shushu embroider a purse for the Emperor. It would be inappropriate not to present a gift on such an occasion."

Donggua, supporting Meng Shu's arm, carefully looked at the ground; there was still some snow left on a section of the stone path.

Before Meng Shu could answer, Green Willow shook her head and sighed, "It's already finished, but Your Highness embroidered a..." She paused, somewhat embarrassed, "...a cricket. Winter Melon, you should quickly persuade her. Last year she embroidered a few words, but this year it's become even more perfunctory."

"A cricket!? That's wonderful!"

Donggua's eyes lit up suddenly, and his voice rose a few decibels: "The other concubines are either embroidering flowers and butterflies or bamboo and pine trees, which His Majesty is already tired of. This is what Consort Chun called 'going against the grain,' and it's guaranteed to make His Majesty's eyes light up."

"It is the opposite of what is expected."

Meng Shu shook her head and gently corrected him, just about to change the subject, when she suddenly saw a gray shadow flash behind a few plum trees ahead. She abruptly stopped, her arm under her wide sleeves slightly raised.

"—Green willows."

Green Willow understood, deftly lifting the hem of her skirt to go ahead and investigate, not forgetting to turn back and remind, "Winter Melon, take good care of Her Majesty."

Donggua immediately straightened his back and looked around warily: "What happened?"

Before half a cup of tea could be brewed, Green Willow staggered back, her hem stained with mud and snow, and her hairpin askew, clearly having fallen.

"Your Highness!" Green Willow's voice trembled as she pointed to the passageway leading to the Spirit Essence Palace, "About two or three zhang ahead, there's a thin layer of ice, covered with a layer of snow foam. The ice surface is strangely smooth; someone must have deliberately splashed water on it..."

"This road is the only way to the Spirit Essence Palace. Have you seen any suspicious footprints?"

Green Willow gritted her teeth and said, "There is indeed a line of black boot prints. Judging from the direction of the stride, it seems to be heading towards Zhaoqing Palace."

Zhaoqing Palace and Chunxi Palace are not far apart, separated by a plum grove. Therefore, when Consort Qu went to Consort Qi's palace, she did not take the same passageway.

Meng Shu looked up towards the direction of the plum grove, a hint of doubt flashing in her eyes.

The figure I just saw flashed by, but it seemed to be wearing a round-necked robe, a style reserved for chief eunuchs. And judging from its tall and slender figure, it bore a striking resemblance to Chen Ling of the Renming Palace.

But the Empress is currently in the southern suburbs, and Chen Ling should be attending to her at this moment...

Donggua, drooling over Meng Shu's arm, trembled involuntarily. "That was close! If Shushu hadn't been alert, we would probably be standing on that ice by now."

Seeing that Meng Shu did not speak, Green Willow pointed to the Moon-Viewing Pavilion not far away: "Why don't we have Donggua help Her Highness to take refuge in the pavilion for a while? This servant will go to Huining Palace to call Mingyue and Xiao Nianzi over."

Meng Shu turned around and looked at Lanyue Pavilion. Her gaze swept over the seemingly calm pavilion, but the excessively clean snow along the way added to the eeriness.

"No, we're going back to Huining Palace."

As she said this, she touched her lower abdomen with lingering fear, a chill settling in her eyes.

......

Dieqiong Pavilion.

The underfloor heating was burning brightly, making the room warm and cozy.

Qi Zhaorong took the tiger-head shoes handed to her by Qu Meiren, her fingertips brushing against the tiger whiskers embroidered with silver thread on the shoe surface, a smile spreading across her face: "You're here, why bother with these delicate details?"

Qu Meiren bowed slightly: "A few days ago, I had nothing to do, so I found a piece of tribute satin in the storeroom. I was thinking of making a pair of tiger-head shoes for Xiao Lingyi to calm her nerves, but I didn't expect the stitching to be so rough."

Qi Zhaorong picked up the shoe to examine it closely and saw that the tiger's eyes were embroidered with twisted gold thread, making them bright and spirited.

"If such skill is still considered crude, then the embroiderers in the embroidery workshop will be extremely ashamed."

She gently placed the shoes on the kang table. "Speaking of which, Consort Jin's needlework is also excellent. The Emperor praised the pair of tiger-head shoes that were sent to Afu when he was a month old."

Upon hearing this, Qu Meiren paused for a moment, then leaned closer to the cradle.

Qi Zhaorong looked at the swaddled baby with affection, "It's strange, he was making a fuss just now, but as soon as you came, Afu quieted down."

Princess Lingyi opened her big, round, dark eyes, and her babyish voice babbled.

Seeing her little hands haphazardly grabbing at her loose strands of hair, Consort Qu couldn't help but chuckle: "It's been a few days, and the princess has become even more lovely and charming." As she spoke, she lightly tapped the little princess's pink palm with her fingertips and exclaimed with delight, "Your Majesty, look at these little hands, they're clenched so tightly."

After a while, Xiao Lingyi squirmed slightly in her swaddling clothes, clearly a little uneasy.

Upon seeing this, Qu Meiren untied the sachet from her waist and let it dangle in the air, swaying back and forth.

Lingyi's eyes immediately followed the sachet, and there were still glistening bubbles on the corners of her mouth.

"The sachet is not filled with fragrance, but contains the gold lock that Your Highness gave to me," Consort Qu explained gently. As she spoke, she lightly picked up the gold lock with her fingertips. Just as it was hanging in mid-air, Little Lingyi eagerly waved her little hand, her pink fingertips barely touching the lock.

Qu Meiren smiled and gently placed the golden lock into the cradle.

Consort Qi stopped her, saying, "This is for you to bring good fortune..."

"No rush, let the princess play with it for a few days, and I'll come back to ask Her Majesty for it after the New Year," Consort Qu joked.

......