Palace maid Shuoning

(Up)

The Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Jiang Shuo Ning Gang had just knelt in the center of the hall, and before he could even offer his greetings and reply, the Emperor's furious question came crashing down upon him:

"Jiang Shuoning! I ask you, your mind is not on taking care of Consort Rong. Instead, you are frequently and deliberately getting close to the Eighth Princess. What exactly are you planning?"

Jiang Shuoning's heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly looked up.

Seeing the Emperor's cold expression, as he held his teacup and brushed away the foam, his brows furrowed with displeasure and suspicion.

She glanced at Bao Zhong beside her out of the corner of her eye. Bao Zhong's expression remained unchanged, and he merely gave her a very slight nod.

That means: Speak the truth, don't be afraid.

She immediately felt reassured.

But this subtle exchange of glances was noticed by Feng Xi, who was standing on the other side.

Feng Xi lowered his eyes, concealing the sinister calculation that flashed across them, and his lips tightened almost imperceptibly.

Jiang Shuoning took a deep breath, kowtowed to the Emperor, and his voice carried just the right amount of fear:

"Your Majesty, I met the princess by chance at the Dragon Boat Festival banquet. There were many people that day, and the princess was very kind to me. She exchanged a few intimate words with me, and I felt a sense of closeness with her."

Later, the princess, not disliking me, often called upon me to speak, and we gradually became acquainted. Knowing my lowly status, I dared not harbor any thoughts of currying favor.

The Emperor paused, his hand holding the teacup still, his gaze darkening as if he were weighing the weight of her words.

"There are countless palace maids and eunuchs in this palace, so why does the Eighth Princess prefer to be close to you? Jiang Shuoning, I warned you at the Star Gazing Platform that if you continue to misbehave, I will not let you off easily."

Jiang Shuoning lay prostrate on the ground, his voice strained:

"This servant remembers. This servant remembers every word Your Majesty said. But Your Majesty, no one can predict fate. Perhaps the Eighth Princess and I are truly destined for each other. If Your Majesty insists on asking why..."

She suddenly stopped.

Zhou Yan's words, "I want to see Consort Chong," flashed through her mind, but she ultimately didn't say them aloud. The words that were on the tip of her tongue took a different turn:

"Perhaps the princess is so close to me because... I share the same sorrow as the princess. I entered the palace at the age of six and have never received a letter from my family in the past twelve years. Sometimes I can't sleep at night and I wonder what my parents are like now. Although the princess is of noble birth, she... also has people she can't see."

Her voice trailed off as she spoke, her nails digging quietly into her palms.

"Perhaps that's why the princess felt she could talk to me. She wanted to see me too, but couldn't. After keeping it all bottled up inside for so long, she eventually needed someone to confide in."

The moment the words left his mouth, the air in the hall suddenly turned cold.

The Emperor slowly set down his teacup, the porcelain bottom tapping on the table. He stared at Jiang Shuoning, his gaze chillingly deep.

"According to you, she can't see her birth mother. Is she blaming me?"

Bao Zhong and Feng Xi both bent down at the same time, their foreheads touching the ground, not daring to move.

Jiang Shuoning stiffened, lowered his body even further, and said in a trembling voice:

"Your Majesty, please calm down. The princess has never uttered a single complaint. It was I who overthought things by going along with what she said."

The princess treated me with such kindness, and I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. I have overstepped my bounds. I am willing to accept punishment.

The hall was deathly silent. A bird called out from outside the window, then fluttered away.

After a moment's hesitation, Jiang Shuoning took out the sachet from his sleeve and presented it with trembling hands above his head:

"Your Majesty... this was given to me by the princess. I think the mimosa flowers on it are embroidered even better than those in the embroidery workshop. The princess is of noble birth, and her hands are so skillful. It must be the result of years of practice."

The atmosphere in the hall froze instantly, the air so stuffy that even breathing felt like a struggle.

Bao Zhong glanced quickly at the sachet in her hand, his mind racing. He slowly stood up, bowed, walked up to her, and took the sachet.

He turned and handed it to the Emperor, his voice neither too loud nor too soft, perfectly catching up on Jiang Shuoning's earlier words:

"Your Majesty, may I add something? Although Xiao Duan's testimony says that Biti instructed him to bring Miss Shuoning to Jingyi Garden, without Consort Mei's permission, Biti, a mere palace maid, probably wouldn't have dared to do such a thing."

Consort Mei has raised the princess for over ten years. If she were merely trying to prevent the princess from getting close to others, she wouldn't have gone to such lengths. Perhaps she's afraid of something else.

The Emperor glanced at Bao Zhong but did not respond. He simply reached out and took the sachet, gently stroking the mimosa flower with his fingertips.

The stitches are fine and even, with the petals of the mimosa flower layered upon each other. The needlework is clean and neat, even more skillful than that of someone working in an embroidery workshop.

He stared for a long time. So long that the bird outside the hall cried out again.

"I still remember that when Consort Chong entered the palace for the imperial concubine selection, her dress was embroidered with mimosa flowers."

He paused briefly, as if lost in memories of the past.

"Later, I specially sent someone to transplant a mimosa tree in her courtyard, and she often danced under the mimosa tree."

Having finished speaking, the Emperor slowly removed his fingertip from the mimosa flower and looked up at Jiang Shuoning.

The hall was brightly lit. She was lying very low, with a section of her neck exposed, her skin so white it was almost dazzling in the light.

The Emperor looked down at her for a moment, then handed the sachet back to her: "Since it was given to you by the princess, keep it safe."

Jiang Shuoning was taken aback, then immediately knelt before him and accepted the gift with both hands: "This servant thanks Your Majesty."

The Emperor suddenly raised his hand and gently patted her forehead, his tone carrying a hint of something ambiguous:

"Jiang Shuoning, you are the most restless of all the palace maids. It's as if every single one of the twelve volumes of military dispatches contains your story."

Upon seeing this, Bao Zhong remained outwardly calm, but his heart sank.

Jiang Shuoning froze, as if he had been stunned by the blow.

The Emperor abruptly stood up: "Baozhong, escort her back."

Bao Zhong said, "This servant obeys the decree."

The Emperor didn't look at her again. When he reached the palace gate, he said to Feng Xi, "Feng Xi, come with me for a walk."

(under)

The Imperial Household Department.

Bao Zhong stepped into the room, took off the steel fork cap and placed it on the table, then turned to her and said softly:

"It's very dangerous outside. After lunch, I'll take you back to Yihua Palace."

Jiang Shuoning didn't respond. He sat down at the table, let out a long sigh, and wiped his forehead with his sleeve.

"That was a close call." She looked up at him, "What's the story behind Xiao Duan's statement?"

Bao Zhong smiled without saying a word, turned around and walked to the stool by the door, picked up a face cloth, soaked it in a basin of water, wrung it out, walked back and handed it to her: "Wipe yourself."

Jiang Shuo Ning smiled and took the handkerchief, wiping the sweat from her forehead and neck.

Bao Zhong stared at the exposed part of her neck for a moment, then slowly looked away and sat down beside her.

He poured a cup of tea and pushed it in front of her, then poured one for himself, took a sip, and then spoke:

"I had Xiao Duanzi reveal your growing relationship with Zhou Yan. Zhou Yan is the only key figure who can implicate Consort Chong, so we need to make sure the Emperor remembers her."

He put down his teacup, his fingertips slowly circling the rim:

"But if we directly ask Xiao Duanzi to implicate Consort Mei, the Emperor will not only not believe us, but will also think that someone is behind it. As soon as he has this thought, it will be detrimental to us."

He glanced at her, his eyes overflowing with tenderness.

"However, that sachet you brought today was quite unexpected. It was a helpful assist."

Jiang Shuo Ning lowered his eyes and remained silent.

Bao Zhong looked at her, his voice softening slightly: "Just now, in trying to speak up for Zhou Yan, you not only dragged yourself into it as well."

He paused for a moment: "Shuoning, are you missing your parents?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Shuoning folded the handkerchief and placed it on the table, his expression indifferent.

"...What's there to think about? I haven't heard from them for twelve years; they must have thought I died in the palace."

The cicadas outside the window were chirping loudly, one after another, pressing in densely.

Bao Zhong didn't reply, but simply picked up his teacup and took a sip. The tea lingered on his tongue for a moment, and then a bitter taste slowly spread.

Just then, the little deer came running in, panting, carrying a food box. Its eyes lit up immediately.

"Oh, Sister Shuoning is here too."

Jiang Shuoning smiled slightly: "I've come to bother your father-in-law."

Little Deer grinned and walked towards Bao Zhong, saying:

"Sister Shuoning is joking. Our father-in-law would love for Sister Shuoning to come every day."

"Oh, right, since Sister Shuoning has come all this way, why don't you make a tassel for our father-in-law's new jade pendant? I'm clumsy with my hands, and the tassel I make is not presentable."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Bao Zhong shot him a sharp glare.

The little deer quickly lowered its head, deftly placed the food from the food box on the table, and then stood aside with its mouth tightly shut.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Shuoning glanced at Bao Zhong's waist out of the corner of his eye: "A new jade pendant? What about the old one?"

Xiao Luzi opened her mouth to say something again, but was stopped by a look from Bao Zhong, and shrank her neck and remained silent.

Bao Zhong picked up the bowl and chopsticks and placed them in front of Jiang Shuoning, saying casually, "It's gone."

Jiang Shuoning didn't press further: "I'll make you one when I have some free time these next few days. You've worn that jade pendant for many years; it would be a shame to lose it."

Baozhong put a piece of meat in her bowl and changed the subject, saying, "No rush, eat first."

Jiang Shuoning lowered his head, took a bite of rice, chewed it a couple of times, and suddenly remembered something.

"There's someone selling apricots on West Street. I'm guessing it's Fu Dai and Fu Dou, and maybe Ah Yin too."

Bao Zhong paused with his chopsticks: "Selling apricots?"

Little Deer immediately interjected eagerly:

"It's Fudai and Fudou! This servant went to check on them once. These two have only been in the palace for a short time, and they almost caused trouble."

Before the last Dragon Boat Festival, these two brothers passed a poem to another eunuch. I happened to see it and immediately stopped them.

If that poem gets out, it might implicate our father-in-law. Isn't this servant clever enough?

After saying that, he winked at Bao Zhong and Jiang Shuoning, as if to say, "Praise me!"

Bao Zhong and Jiang Shuoning looked up at the same time and exchanged a glance.

Then the two of them looked at Xiaoluzi at the same time.

Jiang Shuoning put down his chopsticks: "That poem... was it you who stopped me from reading it?"