northernbook Chapter 31 Making a Wedding Dress
Chapter 31 Making a Wedding Dress
News from the inner palace always travels very quickly, and that very night, the news that Diecui Pavilion had received a reward from the emperor spread far and wide.
In Fengyi Palace, the head palace maid Yunxiang cautiously reported: "Your Majesty, His Majesty encountered Consort Qiao in the Imperial Garden today. We don't know what they talked about, but His Majesty actually gave Consort Qiao a jade bracelet."
Empress Wang was sipping tea when she heard this and gave a soft "hmm," her face showing no emotion.
After taking a small sip of tea, he slowly put down his teacup and said, "It's just a bracelet, what's the big deal?"
Seeing this, Yunxiang quickly chimed in, "Your Majesty is right. Consort Qiao is just a newcomer, and it's common for the Emperor to bestow small gifts upon her. In any case, she can't surpass Your Majesty."
The Empress twitched her lips slightly, and after a moment, said, "Go, keep a close eye on Consort Qiao's movements, and let me know immediately if there is any news."
After a slight pause, he suddenly remembered something and specifically instructed, "Also, find out the reactions from the other palaces."
Having served the Empress for many years, Yunxiang immediately understood the meaning behind these words and withdrew, accepting the order.
The Empress looked out the window, her well-maintained, slender white fingers caressing the blue and white porcelain cup. It seemed that among the newly promoted concubines, this Consort Qiao was still the best.
Compared to the Empress's composure, the atmosphere in Consort Shu's palace was completely different.
"What? His Majesty arrived as soon as I left the Imperial Garden? And he even bestowed a jade bracelet upon that little wretch?"
Consort Shu suddenly stood up, her charming face now filled with anger: "What right does she have? I clearly asked her to go to the Imperial Garden today!"
The palace maids around him trembled with fear and dared not utter a word.
Consort Shu paced back and forth, her beautiful eyes flashing with the flames of jealousy.
If it were just about the emperor's reward, she wouldn't be so angry. What really enraged her was that Consort Qiao had actually run into the emperor in the Imperial Garden.
Wouldn't she have been just a hair's breadth away from meeting the Emperor?
"Your Majesty, please calm down..."
The palace maid Zijuan stepped forward to persuade her, but before she could finish speaking, Consort Shu slapped her across the face.
With a "thud," Zijuan lost her balance and nearly fell to the ground.
Consort Shu gritted her teeth and glared at her: "It's all your fault! Why were you in such a hurry to call me back to see the spring clothes? If I hadn't been in such a hurry to come back, I would have been the one who bumped into His Majesty in the garden. How could I have ended up being used as a wedding dress for that Consort Qiao for nothing!"
"Your Majesty..." Zijuan covered her burning face, her eyes quickly filling with tears, "This servant...this servant did not know that His Majesty would go to the Imperial Garden today."
"Oh, so you dare to talk back!"
Consort Shu raised her hand, as if to strike again, but another palace maid quickly stepped forward: "Your Highness, please calm down. Don't let such a trivial matter upset you. Besides, His Majesty only bestowed a bracelet upon Consort Qiao, a small favor, and she still stayed at Zichen Palace tonight, didn't she?"
These words calmed Consort Shu's anger slightly. She sat back down in the rosewood chair and said in a deep voice, "Go and find out for me what she said to His Majesty in the Imperial Garden today that she was able to receive a reward from him."
The palace maids looked at each other, thinking to themselves that if they could find out, they would have already done so.
Other matters are easy to find out, but if His Majesty's whereabouts and words are discovered to be being secretly eavesdropped on, that is a crime punishable by death.
Seeing that their master was in a bad mood, the palace servants did not dare to argue at this time, and only vaguely replied "yes".
Consort Shu lowered her eyes, gripping the carved armrests of the rose chair with both hands, and snorted, "Fine, as expected, those named Qingyin are all quite capable. I'll see how long you can keep this up!"
Meanwhile, in Mingyue Pavilion on the west side.
When Lu Mingzhu learned about the reward, she was so jealous that she gritted her teeth.
Qiao Qingling, who lived with her, gently advised, "Sister, there's no need to be angry. She's just benefiting from her looks."
Upon hearing this, Lu Mingzhu gave Qiao Qingling a deep look, her watery eyes narrowing slightly: "Since you're sisters, how come she looks like the Imperial Concubine, while you don't look like her at all? Now that she's become the most favored among us newly promoted concubines just because of her face, I don't believe you're not a little jealous?"
Qiao Qingling choked, but she wasn't falling for Lu Mingzhu's trap.
She lowered her eyes cautiously, feigning humility: "My selection was purely by chance. I only wish to live a peaceful life in this harem, and I dare not ask for any imperial favor or grace."
Moreover, on the second day after she entered the palace, when her personal maid, Meixiang, was sent from her residence, she brought with her father's "instructions"—
If the concubine wants to live out her days peacefully in the mansion, she must behave herself honestly in the palace.
Although she resented her father's favoritism, Qiao Qingling knew she was powerless and could only endure it. However, while she couldn't take action, Lu Mingzhu was a good scapegoat.
Thinking of this, Qiao Qingling, just like when she suggested Qiao Qingyin elope with the poor scholar in the backyard of the Minister's mansion, kindly suggested, "Sister Lu, I think, instead of waiting for His Majesty to summon you, why don't you take the initiative to bring him some soup and water? Even if you can't serve him in bed, at least you can show your face in front of His Majesty and take the opportunity to get closer to him?"
Lu Mingzhu frowned slightly: "Wouldn't this be too unladylike and violate palace rules?"
Qiao Qingling said, "Once we enter the harem, we will all be His Majesty's women. It is only natural for the concubines to serve His Majesty and be considerate of him."
After thinking for a while, Lu Mingzhu finally nodded: "Alright, I'll try it tomorrow."
Just as a smug look flashed in Qiao Qingling's eyes, Lu Mingzhu suddenly looked at her suspiciously: "Such a good idea, why don't you use it yourself? Why tell me instead?"
Qiao Qingling was taken aback, then lowered her eyelashes: "I am just a lowly concubine's daughter, and I am only a seventh-rank beauty. How am I inferior to you, sister? If I were to deliver soup and water, I would only humiliate myself, and I might even be turned away by those eunuchs."
Seeing Qiao Qingling's timid and hesitant appearance, Lu Mingzhu couldn't help but sneer, "Look at how pathetic you are."
However, she also felt a sense of superiority, after all, in terms of status and position, she was indeed the number one among the newly promoted concubines.
Looking out at the deep night, a cold glint flashed in Lu Mingzhu's eyes: "That fickle little bitch, let her be smug for a couple of days, she'll get what's coming to her sooner or later."
**
Having spent many years in this harem in her previous life, Chu Qingyin naturally knew that this harem was a sieve with no secrets.
The emperor's bestowal of the jade bracelet must have caused countless women to lose sleep in jealousy last night.
Anyway, she slept soundly.
She felt happy and relaxed whenever she knew that those who disliked her were not doing well.
That afternoon, seeing the bright spring sunshine, she wanted the palace maids to bring out the bedding to air it out. However, she did not expect that as soon as she summoned Xianglan and Qiuzhu, a chaotic noise came from outside the Diecui Pavilion.
"Qiao Qingyin, Qiao Qingyin, you come out here!"