Palace maid Shuoning

(Up)

A woman dressed in a royal blue peacock patterned dance dress, her face covered with a glass veil, stepped into the hall with light and silent steps.

As soon as the music started, she began to dance, her waist graceful and her eyes sparkling as she turned her head, drawing all eyes to her.

The emperor paused slightly in his wine cup, as if he had forgotten to drink.

Jiang Shuoning stood to one side of the palace gate, staring at her intently.

The figure, gait, and the arc of the wrist rotation all felt strangely familiar.

As she was pondering this, the woman spun around, revealing her forehead.

A delicate lotus flower pattern is painted on her left forehead, with a faint scar visible beneath it. This adds a touch of broken, tender charm.

Jiang Shuoning's pupils contracted sharply, his heart tightened suddenly, his ears rang, and his mind went blank.

Summer lotus.

Consort Mei and Consort Su exchanged a glance, a barely perceptible smile appearing on their lips.

Bao Zhong stood beside the Emperor, scrutinized him for a moment, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes before he regained his composure.

Zhou Yao slid off the chair, his round body wobbling slightly before he regained his balance. He grabbed Zhou Yan's sleeve, tilted his little face up, and frowned deeply.

"What kind of dancing is that? It's awful. Come out and play with me, it's so boring here."

Without waiting for Zhou Yan's reply, he grabbed her sleeve and dragged her toward the door, his short legs moving quickly and hurriedly.

Jiang Shuoning saw the two sneak out and tightened his hands, which were clasped in front of his lower abdomen.

He quickly glanced at Xia He, who was still dancing in the hall, hesitated for a moment, then took a half step back without making a sound, turned around and followed her out.

Under the eaves, Zhou Yao was pulling Zhou Yan towards the depths of the courtyard, his short legs striding with great speed, like a plump sparrow finally released from its cage.

Zhou Yan stumbled as he pulled her, her skirt nearly tripping her up.

Jiang Shuoning quickly caught up and called out in a low voice, "Eighth Princess, Your Highness."

The two of them turned around at the same time.

When Zhou Yan saw it was her, she pursed her lips and spoke in a soft, delicate voice, as if afraid of disturbing someone: "Just now... thank you for helping me out of that situation."

Jiang Shuoning looked at her lowered eyes and said gently:

"Princess, there's no need for thanks. If you encounter such a situation again in the future, just sit there quietly."

Zhou Yan gripped her sleeve with her fingertips, nodded, hesitated for a moment, and then added softly:

"I...I don't usually go out much, and I'm not good at talking. I'm afraid of saying something wrong and making people laugh at me."

Jiang Shuo Ning smiled and said, "Princess, there's no need to be afraid. When you're silent, you're actually more respectable than those who are eager to speak."

Zhou Yan paused for a moment, then a warm feeling welled up in her heart. Her eyelashes trembled slightly, and she said no more.

At this moment, Zhou Yao loosened Zhou Yan's sleeve, pointed his little finger at Jiang Shuoning, and said in a soft yet domineering voice, "Come and play with me."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Shuoning stepped forward and knelt down, asking softly, "What would Your Highness like me to play with you?"

Zhou Yao's small eyes darted around, and he pulled a slingshot from his sleeve, saying confidently:

"I'm going to hit you, so put a fruit on your head."

Zhou Yan squatted down, her skirt spreading out on the ground, and whispered, "Fifteenth Brother, you can't do this."

Zhou Yao ignored him, raised his slingshot and pointed it at Jiang Shuoning: "Are you scared?"

Jiang Shuoning smiled, tucked a stray hair behind her ear, and spoke in a coaxingly gentle tone:

"I'm not afraid of the fruit on your head, but I'm afraid Your Highness will miss with your slingshot. If the fruit falls and hits Your Highness's feet, then Granny will blame me."

After saying that, she tilted her head slightly, as if waiting for him to seriously consider the consequences of this matter.

Zhou Yao was stunned for a moment, looked down at his feet, then looked up at her, his little brows furrowed.

It's like weighing in your mind whether "hitting your foot" or "being scolded by the nanny" is more serious.

Zhou Yan stood to the side, pursing her lips, her eyes curving slightly before quickly smoothing them out, as if afraid of bursting out laughing.

After hesitating for a moment, Zhou Yao stuffed the slingshot into his sleeve and changed his mind:

"Then...then let's play hide-and-seek, and you guys come find me."

After saying that, he ran down the corridor with his short legs, and after a few steps, he turned back and gave a few more instructions:

"No peeking! Remember to count to ten!"

Jiang Shuoning and Zhou Yan exchanged a smile and said in unison, "Okay."

(under)

The dance music inside the hall ended.

The Emperor, his eyes slightly bleary with drunkenness, looked at the dancing girls kneeling in the center of the hall, his voice tinged with languor:

"Take off your veil and lift your head."

Upon hearing this, Xia He slowly raised her hand and peeled off the layer of glass gauze.

Upon seeing this, Consort Rong's phoenix eyes suddenly narrowed, and she tightened her grip on the teacup in her hand, her fingertips turning white.

Xia He kowtowed, her voice soft and gentle: "This servant greets Your Majesty."

The Emperor squinted, scrutinized the man for a moment, a familiar doubt flashing across his eyes, and his sword-like eyebrows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

Consort Rong glanced at his expression, her voice neither too loud nor too soft, falling perfectly into the silence of the hall:

"Your Majesty, she is Xia He, a third-class palace maid in Yihua Palace."

The hall fell silent for a moment.

The sound of "Xia He" was like a pebble thrown into the water, creating small ripples, yet spreading out in a silent vibration.

Consort Su, fanning herself with a palm-leaf fan, slowly spoke: "Consort Rong is indeed exceptionally magnanimous. She offered up people from her own palace without hesitation, without the slightest reluctance."

Upon hearing this, the Emperor seemed to sober up somewhat. He turned to look at Consort Rong, took her hand in his, and spoke with a touch of warmth and mellowness from the alcohol:

"Rong'er understands me best. She thinks things through for me thoroughly, and I know what's going on."

Then, his gaze swept over Su Fei, and his tone became indifferent:

"Consort Su, you're a veteran of the palace. Do I really need to teach you what to say and what not to say?"

Consort Su's face paled slightly. She stood up abruptly, curtsied, and said, "Your Majesty, I misspoke."

The hall was so quiet that only the occasional soft clatter of cups and goblets could be heard. The few people who had been laughing and chatting just moments before now all had their eyes downcast and dared not look up.

The Emperor withdrew his gaze, no longer looking at them, but instead tightened his grip on Consort Rong's hand and asked:

"Since they're from your palace, what do you suggest we do with them?"

Xia He's heart trembled, and she prostrated herself on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly: "This servant knows her crime, please have mercy, Your Majesty."

Consort Rong could tell that the Emperor had taken a liking to Xia He. If she dealt with her on the spot, it would make her seem intolerant.

Thinking of this, her eyebrows curved into a smile, and she said softly:

"Why does Your Majesty need to ask me? Although she bypassed me to perform the dance for Your Majesty, whether the dance was good or not ultimately depends on Your Majesty's judgment."

The Emperor's gaze lingered on Consort Rong's face for a moment, then he laughed heartily and patted her hand: "Rong'er understands my heart best."

After speaking, he looked at Xia He, who was kneeling in the center of the hall, his tone carrying a hint of drunken casualness:

"Xia He's dancing is quite good. Since she was trained by Consort Rong, I naturally cannot treat her poorly."

He paused, as if considering something, and after a moment decided, "Then I'll bestow upon her the title of Talented Lady."

As soon as the words were spoken, the expressions on the faces of the concubines varied. Some lowered their heads to drink tea, while others covered their mouths with handkerchiefs, but their eyes all drifted toward Consort Rong.

Consort Rong held the teacup, her fingertips lingering on the rim for a moment before she released them, her smile undiminished: "Congratulations, Consort Xia."

Xia He prostrated herself on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly, her voice filled with barely suppressed joy:

"This servant thanks Your Majesty for your great kindness and Consort Rong for granting my request. I have served Your Majesty before, and I will always remember that I came from Yihua Palace. I will never forget Your Majesty's support for the rest of my life."

After hearing this, the Emperor looked at Consort Rong and said, "Where will you stay? You decide."

A hint of amusement flashed in Consort Rong's eyes before she spoke:

"The imperial concubine selection is imminent, and new women will soon be entering the palace. I see that Changchun Palace is empty anyway, so I'll let Consort Xia move there."

Changchun Palace?

A moment of silence fell over the hall. Everyone knew that two concubines had already died in that palace.

Especially after Consort Liu hanged herself, no one dared to live there anymore, and even the palace servants who did the cleaning only went in and out during the day.

Consort Rong's actions were a veiled warning, a public arrangement.

"Alright, you can arrange it."

The Emperor casually responded, his gaze sweeping around the hall as if searching for someone. His eyes paused slightly as they passed over the empty hall doors.

He then picked up the glass, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one gulp, setting the glass down with a very soft, crisp sound.

Bao Zhong stood beside the Emperor, his gaze sweeping lightly over Xia He and then over Consort Mei, a chill rising in his heart.

Xia He's move today was clearly arranged by Consort Mei. He didn't give her to Feng Xi, but she found another job and climbed the ladder more swiftly than anyone else.

Now that Consort Rong has gained another enemy, it means that Jiang Shuoning is also in greater danger.

He lowered his eyes, suppressing that expression, and showed no sign of surprise on his face.

Suddenly he remembered something.

Shuo Ning said that Zhou Zhengyin had already distributed the poem, but recently the palace had not heard a word about it.

Has it not been sent to its intended destination yet, or was it intercepted en route?