Shocking Mountain Moon

Chapter 87 Second Encounter with Concubine
At the beginning of September, the butterfly scented pendant made for Concubine Yu was completed, and the Yongqing Earl's Mansion sent a message to the palace.

Qiu Heng entered the palace again.

It was still Zheng Yu who took her to see Lady Qiu first.

On the way, Qiu Heng handed over a palm-sized paper bag.

Zheng Yu quickly glanced around and said, "Well, Miss Qiu Liu, you don't have to do this."

"It's osmanthus cake." Qiu Heng smiled, "It's rare for me to see my elder sister in the palace, so I brought some osmanthus cake made at home. Please ask Eunuch Zheng to have a taste."

Osmanthus cake - Zheng Yu was embarrassed for a moment when he realized his misunderstanding, then he took it and put it in his arms.

"Actually, it's best not to bring food into the palace." Zheng Yu couldn't help but remind him as they walked.

"Thank you, Eunuch Zheng, for reminding me. I won't bring it again in the future."

As they were talking, they arrived at Hibiscus Palace. When they saw Lady Qiu again, Qiu Heng was slightly surprised.

Unlike the last time I saw dried flowers that seemed to have lost moisture, the current Autumn Beauty looks a little different.

"Is Sixth Sister's Champagne ready?"

"Yes."

"Then send it to the Imperial Concubine. Be careful with your words and actions."

Qiu Heng handed over the food box she brought.

“This is——” Lady Qiu’s eyes dropped.

"I made some sweet-scented osmanthus cake at home. I'll bring it to my sister to try."

"At home?" Lady Qiu raised her eyebrows, smiling but not smiling, obviously not believing it.

"My maid is good at making snacks. I think the sweet-scented osmanthus cake is delicious, and I want my sister to try it too."

"Sixth sister has a heart, let it go."

When Qiu Heng followed Zheng Yu out, she was suddenly stopped by Lady Qiu: "Did you pick the osmanthus flowers from the osmanthus tree in the Bo's mansion garden?"

"Yes."

"That really is the smell of home." Lady Qiu murmured, waving her hand to signal Zheng Yu to take Qiu Heng away.

When the room was quiet, she opened the food box herself, picked up a piece of osmanthus cake, looked at it carefully for a long time, and took a light bite.

In the Yuchen Palace, Emperor Jingping was enjoying singing and dancing with Concubine Yu.

Upon hearing that Qiu Heng had arrived, Concubine Yu said calmly, "Let her wait outside."

Qiu Heng stood outside the hall and waited for an hour or so.

The sound of stringed instruments, dancing and music could be heard faintly, and occasionally a man's laughter could be heard.

In this palace, the only man who could laugh like this was Emperor Jingping.

Finally, the music stopped, and a eunuch came over and said, "Miss Qiu Liu, please come in."

The hall was filled with fragrance, a mixture of the lingering aroma of wine from the banquet and the fragrant mist from the incense burner in the corner.

A life of luxury and debauchery - this word flashed through Qiu Heng's mind.

She raised her eyes slightly and glanced at Emperor Jingping who was sitting on the low couch.

There was no majestic aura, only a middle-aged man with joy in his eyes and brows due to pleasure.

"Your Majesty, your servant, greets you, and the Imperial Concubine."

Emperor Jingping smiled and said, "Get up."

Concubine Yu waved her hand and said, "Come to my side."

Qiu Heng lowered her eyes and walked over, handing over the small box containing the perfume pendant: "The perfume pendant that the imperial concubine wanted is already ready."

The eunuch came over, took the box, and presented it to Concubine Yu.

Emperor Jingping came over to take a curious look, and saw a pair of butterfly scented pendants on the plain silk in the box, which were simple yet exquisite and refreshing.

"Is this the incense pendant made of incense?" Emperor Jingping picked up a butterfly incense pendant and looked at it carefully.

The faint fragrance of plum blossoms penetrates into the nose, as if passing through the golden autumn and arriving in the chilly early spring.

Emperor Jingping was a man who had studied the art of incense, and he could not help but praise: "Your idea is ingenious. My incense-making pavilion is backward."

Concubine Yu chuckled: "I have already said that the Xiang Pavilion needs talents like Miss Qiu Liu."

"Hmm." After seeing the incense pendant made by Qiu Heng, Emperor Jingping felt that it was not a big problem for the girl to be a little impulsive. He looked at the girl standing obediently and asked, "What do you think, Miss Qiu Liu?"

The young girl raised her eyes, her eyes instantly shining: "The Palace's Incense-Making Pavilion is full of talented people. It is my honor to learn from the incense-making masters. Your Majesty, can I go to the Incense-Making Pavilion today?"

Qiu Heng's reaction made Emperor Jingping happy: "Haha, of course——"

"Your Majesty." Concubine Yu suddenly interrupted Emperor Jingping.

"What's wrong with my beloved concubine?"

"I just remembered that Miss Qiu Liu is Lady Qiu's sister. If I go to the Zaoxiang Pavilion, I should also tell Lady Qiu."

When Emperor Jingping heard Concubine Yu mention Concubine Qiu, his intention to let Qiu Heng enter the Zaoxiang Pavilion faded.

Although Miss Qiu had a cold personality, she was also somewhat interesting, and he didn't want to ruin the good mood of their interactions.

"Let's talk about it later."

Concubine Yu curled her lips and glanced at Qiu Heng: "I am very satisfied with the scented pendant made by Miss Qiu Liu. Here's a reward."

"Thank you, Imperial Concubine, for the reward." "Please leave."

"Your Majesty, please retire."

With the reward from Concubine Yu, Qiu Heng left Yuchen Palace.

The sound of Zheng Yu's breathing rang in my ears.

Qiu Heng tilted her head: "What happened to Eunuch Zheng?"

"Nothing." Looking at the calm and composed girl, Zheng Yu couldn't help but ask, "Miss Qiu Liu, do you know where the Incense Pavilion is?"

"It must be the place where incense is made for His Majesty."

"Yes...there are almost only men there, and His Majesty goes there often..." Zheng Yu didn't want to explain it too clearly, as he believed any woman could understand.

"Thank you, Eunuch Zheng, for reminding me."

Zheng Yu was confused.

Why does it look like Miss Qiu Liu is not worried at all?

A noble lady enters the palace and hangs out with craftsmen all day long. It is well known that the current emperor often goes there. What reputation will she have in the future? How can she marry into a respectable family?

Qiu Heng was indeed not worried.

There are too many restrictions to enter the Zaoxiang Pavilion now, so it is best not to enter. This is also the reason why she noticed that Concubine Yu loved to go against others and showed great pleasure.

But it wouldn't matter if she really went in, because what she had to do could not avoid dealing with the most noble people in Daxia.

After sending Qiu Heng out of the palace, Zheng Yu reported what happened in Yuchen Palace to Concubine Qiu.

Lady Qiu has a subtle look on her face.

Why does it sound like Concubine Yu wants Sixth Sister to enter the Zaoxiang Pavilion one moment, but doesn't want to the next?
Unable to guess Concubine Yu's thoughts, Lady Qiu felt that Zheng Yu was a little abnormal: "You have a plan."

Zheng Yu seems to care a lot about the sixth sister.

Zheng Yu hurriedly said, "Miss Qiu Liu is the beauty's sister, so I will naturally pay more attention to her."

Although the little girl is weird, the osmanthus cake is really delicious.

What is rare is that he can show kindness to others with such frankness that the person receiving it feels inexplicably comfortable, and this is so rare in the palace.

Of course, Zheng Yu only admitted that it was the osmanthus cake that contributed to it, nothing else.

"Zheng Yu."

"The servant is here."

"If it was my sixth sister who entered the palace, I'm sure you wouldn't have been treated coldly by me for so many years, right?"

Zheng Yu was shocked when she heard this: "Beauty, you can't say that."

If this gets out, both the beauty and Miss Qiu Liu will be criticized!
"I'm just talking to you casually." Lady Qiu closed her eyes to hide the coldness in her eyes.

She had been in the palace for many years and had never quarreled with anyone, but was bullied by Concubine Wu for no reason. She had no choice but to give Concubine Yu the butterfly pendant to show her goodwill, and only then did she escape that disaster.

But once you start, you can't stop.

The scented pendant she sent out attracted her sixth sister to the palace, attracted the emperor's favor, caused a change in the attitude of the people in the harem towards her, and also brought about a change in her own... mentality.

Perhaps, it's time to change.

No one knew about the change in Concubine Qiu's mentality for the time being. When Qiu Heng was leaving the palace, she met an official who was hurried into the palace and couldn't help but look at him twice.

The man had a pair of protruding ears that were very eye-catching, and looked very much like Li Liang, the Minister of Works mentioned in the book.

Li Liang was convicted of embezzlement of money and contaminated sewage. Although he was not as notorious as the Five Thieves, he was also a corrupt official.

"Lord Xue!" Qiu Heng saw Xue Han walking hurriedly out of the imperial city and walked over.

Xue Han's eyes flickered: "Miss Qiu Liu has entered the palace again?"

"I came here to give the imperial concubine a scented pendant. What a coincidence that I met Lord Xue again."

"It's a coincidence."

Originally they met by chance at Qinglian Lake, and now they met by chance at Gongcheng. If possible, he didn't want to have such a chance encounter.

Xue Han knew very well that once it involved the palace, it often meant being powerless.

At this point, he was still unsure of his feelings, but his desire to protect her had never changed.

"I almost bumped into an adult just now. I don't know who he is and whether I would offend him." Qiu Heng looked distressed.

"What kind?"

"A tall and thin guy with ears like this." Qiu Heng raised her hands and placed them next to her ears and compared them.

A smile flashed across Xue Han's lips: "It should be Minister Li of the Ministry of Works. Minister Li doesn't care about these things, Miss Qiu Liu doesn't need to worry."

"That's good."

The guess was confirmed, and Qiu Heng couldn't help wondering: What could it be that Emperor Jingping summoned Minister Li to the palace alone?
The dam that Li Liang was responsible for collapsed, and it seemed that it happened the year after next.

"Miss Qiuliu, I want some snacks." Seeing Qiu Heng was about to leave, Xue Han opened his mouth with difficulty.

I promised to send snacks to Uncle Xu, I can’t keep putting it off.

Qiu Heng's eyes were as fleeting as a dragonfly skimming the water, passing over the boy's red ears.

She is so thin-skinned to ask for a few snacks. This is not the time to chase her and ask about the smell of blood.

(End of this chapter)