Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Coaxing

It has been raining continuously recently, and the work in the warehouse has become much heavier. Dehumidification and mildew prevention are important. The palace maids in the warehouse made a lot of sachets together and hung them all over the warehouse. They also wore two on their bodies, which could be used when entering and leaving.

Qingzan had just replaced the dehumidifying ash with a new one when she ran into a palace maid who came to summon her to the front hall.

In fact, Qingzan had not been to the front hall very often since entering the palace. She had only met the queen a few times, and had been punished more or less.

Once, the Empress specifically requested a porcelain vase sent by the Crown Prince's wife from the Xuande Marquis's residence. However, Qingzan and several palace maids in the storeroom had looked through it several times and were certain that the item was not registered. However, the Empress insisted that it was given to Qingzan to be stored in the storeroom. However, considering that it was her first offense, she was fined one month's salary.

Another time, when she had just entered the palace, on her first day in office, the queen ordered her to recite the detailed list of thousands of items stored in the warehouse.

The result was that she was punished again and had to copy the detailed list ten times.

But to be honest, these punishments were not too severe. Just like facing the wall that day, compared to when she was almost drowned, it was at most a minor punishment.

Qing Zan wondered if this was because the Queen was wary, or if the old lady had given her extra instructions? Or... was there some other reason?

Qingzan bowed before the Queen. The person at the top didn't respond for a long moment, simply sipping his tea leisurely. Then a voice rang out, carrying a condescending tone: "What's that on your waist? Stop being so distracted from your work."

As she spoke, the Queen was staring at the colorful balls around her waist. Most women from wealthy families wore perfume, but why would a maid need to wear such a fragrant scent?

She would not allow such restless behavior!

Qing Zan knew that the Queen had misunderstood: "To answer your Majesty, this is a sachet used to prevent mildew in the warehouse."

This is truly a matter of righteousness that cannot be more righteous.

The Queen, however, seemed to have forgotten that she had been the first to ask the question. She slammed the table and said, "How dare you talk back? Go kneel for an hour first!"

Qingzan knew that she couldn't escape this half hour, and it would be a lie to say that she didn't feel wronged. But all these years, until now, all the hatred, it was clear that someone didn't allow her to forget.

Once, the old lady rewarded her with some cloth, saying that she could make clothes with it, so that she would look happier in brighter clothes. Not long after she put on her new clothes, she was seen by the eldest daughter, who immediately ordered the maid to tear off her coat and cut it into pieces with scissors.

Later, when the old lady asked her why she didn't wear it, Qingzan could only say that she was used to plain colors and didn't like to show off.

What on earth did she have that made the Queen treat her like such a threat?

However, thanks also to the Empress, over the years, she had finally learned to deceive even with her expression. Suspicion and resentment were hidden beneath a calm face. "Your Majesty, if you ask what this thing is, I dare not refuse to answer. If I have done anything wrong, please let your Majesty know."

The Queen's rage grew even more intense: "Are you questioning me?"

The green hairpin was as if it had not seen the Queen's claws tightly clasped on the corner of the phoenix table.

Eyes filled with the clear spring water and lips as red as sandalwood grease form a face that is vivid yet numb.

She covered her eyes and said softly, "I just don't want to make you angry. If your Majesty is willing to explain it clearly, I will be able to avoid doing it again next time."

——Anyway, even if she admitted her mistakes and accepted the punishment, the Queen would not calm down, and if she refused to plead guilty, she would not kill her.

The more Qingzan acted like this, the more annoyed the Queen became. Her graceful face was already filled with a veil of anger. She gritted her teeth and said, "You are such a smooth talker! Why don't you go and receive your punishment!"

Minor punishments were not enough to relieve her hatred.

If it weren't for her grandmother and father protecting her, if it weren't for her mother's earnest advice to stop her, this little bastard would have died countless times. How could she have become such a thorn in her bones and blood!

Why is she still here provoking me?

As the group was leaving, the queen added, "Go kneel in your own yard!"

Qingzan knelt for a full hour under the small but capable eyes of the nanny who was supervising the execution.

A young palace maid had been hiding outside, and only dared to emerge after the nanny had left. She hurriedly lifted Qingzan up from the ground and said in a low voice, "Eunuch Xu asked me to take you there. Miss, don't ask anything. I know nothing else."

Qingzan knew that this was most likely someone planted by the emperor in Fengzao Palace.

"I have to go back to work, otherwise I'm afraid I won't be able to complete today's mission."

The young palace maid didn't dare to force her to go, so she just said aggrievedly, "If the young lady hadn't refused to go with me, Eunuch Xu would have scolded me."

Qingzan didn't want to embarrass her, but she also didn't want to embarrass herself.

However, her arm was still being supported by someone's warm and soft hand. She tried to struggle, but she couldn't get free at all...

The little palace maid was still looking at her eagerly: "Sister, please come with me...!"

Qingzan had no choice but to nod and follow her out of the courtyard of the lower house: "I can go by myself."

Her legs and feet felt uncontrollably stiff and numb, so she couldn't walk fast. The palace maid looked back several times, slowed down to wait for her, and didn't urge her.

The surroundings along the way were quieter and more solemn than usual, probably because the Holy Vehicle had arrived at the front hall.

After leaving Fengzao Palace and turning several corners, they arrived at a secluded pavilion. Qingzan only saw Xu Delu standing outside the pavilion, as if waiting.

The young palace maid stepped forward before her and said, "Eunuch, the young lady was punished to kneel today. I don't know if her legs are injured."

She was complaining on behalf of Qingzan, and was also afraid that Eunuch Xu would blame her for bringing people here late.

Xu Delu felt the situation was a bit tricky, so he walked up to Qingzan and asked with concern, "Miss, are you okay?"

Including the meeting on the palace road today, this was Qingzan's second time meeting Eunuch Xu. Despite this, his name was not unfamiliar to her. If she asked any palace maid or eunuch, they would all tell her about the glorious deeds of this favorite of the emperor and close minister.

Qing Zan shook her head: "No problem. I wonder what the eunuch wants to see me about?"

"Miss, you are joking. It is not me who is looking for you. But if you need to find me for something in the future, this little girl is called Luxiu. You can just ask her to pass on the message."

Qing Zan didn't respond, but only said, "Excuse me, sir, may I ask what His Majesty wants to see me?"

Xu Delu glanced at Qingzan. This girl didn't seem to be one for laughter, and even her voice seemed to carry a chilling aloofness. A beauty so graceful and serene, yet as cold as ice, offered a unique charm amidst the bustling harem. No wonder His Majesty liked her.

He remained amiable and said, "The girl should ask His Majesty about this."

Qing Zan said again: "I can't leave my post for too long."

Xu Delu understood as soon as he heard it. He certainly knew the temper of Empress Fengzao Palace. When she got angry, she would kill the smallest mistake made by her servants. It was said that she had beaten and killed several servants in the short time since she entered the palace, and one of them was just because she spilled a bowl of pear soup.

He couldn't help but worry about the situation of this young lady Qing Zan, but since she was the one favored by His Majesty, he thought she wouldn't need to stay in Fengzao Palace for too long.

In short, his only responsibility now was to keep her here. He assured her firmly, "Don't worry, this girl, nothing will happen to her."

Your Majesty will never watch others being punished for coming to see him.

That's such a piece of shit!

At this point, Qingzan had nothing else to say. She stood silently beside him, but suddenly she felt that what she had just done was a little naive.

Whether she stayed or left, neither she, Lu Xiu, nor even Xu Delu could decide.

And the person who can decide... Qingzan looked in the direction of Fengzao Palace.

*

Inside Fengzao Palace, the Emperor had come twice in a row recently, so when they welcomed him, everyone felt a sense of hope. However, everyone with discerning eyes soon noticed that His Majesty was not in a very good mood today, and their excitement was suppressed.

During the meal, the empress wondered if she had said something that had displeased the emperor, but after the emperor tasted the crucian carp soup, he never picked up his chopsticks again. She didn't dare to raise any more questions, but observed silently.

There have been a lot of things happening in the previous dynasty recently, and family affairs and national affairs are in a mess. It is enough to give people a headache to sort them out one by one. Naturally, Xiao Fang does not have the extra time to care about what the queen is thinking.

He actually wanted to say a few words to her, for example, the third place winner in the imperial examination was the eldest son of Prince Qi who changed his name and sneaked in to take the exam, but was discovered by him after he entered the Golden Palace. This kid relied on the fact that not many people in the capital had seen him, and now he even wanted to be an official, and boasted that he would infiltrate the officialdom to spy on his enemies for him; for another example, Lian Bi's son-in-law actually wanted to marry a new bride, and he should have killed his entire family. If Lian Bi had not confessed his crime and begged for mercy, why would he leave this remnant behind?

But would the Queen want to hear this and understand this?

But in a blink of an eye, before the tiny ripple could spread, it was destroyed in the emperor's narrow and deep eyes.

The empress, who had been watching the emperor, noticed the suppressed anger between his brows, so she put down her chopsticks before he looked over and dared not eat alone anymore.

"Have you finished eating?" Xiao Fang asked.

"Well, Your Majesty, would you like to try the dessert I've prepared?" the Empress replied shyly, hearing the Emperor's initiative. She stood up again and walked over to the half-height jade piece, holding it and gesturing: "Your Majesty, what do you think of making this piece of jade into? How about a jade screen?"

Xiao Fang stood up, turned around and headed out the door. "Whatever you want, I have something else to do."

He doesn't plan to stay?

The queen was stunned and at a loss, all the remaining words were stuck in her throat, neither rising nor falling, and her face was twisted with discomfort.

Seeing that the emperor was about to leave if he didn't say anything, he called out in grievance, "Your Majesty!"

Thinking of how the Emperor seemed to be quite fond of Concubine Zhen, and how Yang Shi was also known for her flirtatious ways, she mustered up her courage and said in a timid voice, "Your Majesty, could you please not leave tonight? Otherwise, how will I save face if word gets out?"

The emperor stopped and showed no displeasure.

Turning back slightly, he even smiled gently: "Queen, do you know why I never stay overnight at Guanju Palace, but I will still go next time?"

The Queen had a vague feeling of unease in her heart, but she still raised her cheeks and asked, "Why...?"

The emperor still smiled,

"Zhaoyi would never ask me this."

After saying that, he didn't stay any longer, not even refusing to glance back, his indifference was almost cruel.

This is the Son of Heaven.

The Empress no longer dared to persuade him to stay. She slumped down in her chair, her whole body drooping as if struck by frost. The few phoenix-shaped pearls clung to her hair, gleaming from the impact of the chair back. Each of these stacked golden beads was a symbol of her status as the Mother of the Nation, yet they were but empty forms.

The emperor is the emperor, but in his eyes, she, the emperor's legal wife, is no different from the other concubines in the harem. She has no dignity at all...!

The palace maid came in and hesitated for a moment: "Your Majesty, I just heard that the Empress Dowager has entrusted the Dragon Boat Festival banquet to Concubine Yang."

Seeing the Queen's expression suddenly become even more strange, the palace maid cautiously added: "Don't be upset, Your Majesty. It's just a small banquet. The big banquet is being held in the previous court. There will be the summer solstice sacrifice and the Queen Mother's fortieth birthday banquet later. This is nothing."

The Queen slowly raised her head, her voice venomous: "What a Yang! I underestimated her."

"Your Majesty..."

The queen picked up the cup beside her and threw it at the man: "Get out!"

The palace maid subconsciously tried to hide, and as she took a step back, she accidentally bumped into the piece of jade standing behind her...

*

Long candles had already been lit on the nearby lampstands to illuminate the night. Perhaps because the weather had cleared up in the evening, there was still a faint sunlight in the sky, but it seemed to be covered by a layer of green mist, soft and distant.

Qingzan glanced up slightly and saw that a stupid moth had flown into the gauze at some point and was running around rampaging inside. The gauze stretched by the lamp stand had become a picture screen, clearly revealing the silhouette of the moth's dying struggle.

Xu Delu was surprised to see the woman beside him suddenly walk towards the stone pillar lampstand not far away.

At the same time, another set of brocade clothes appeared in another direction.

Qingzan lifted the veil, intending to release the moth, which had suddenly awakened and wanted to live. But in that moment, the moth landed in the flames. It turned out that its reckless rush was not to survive, but to die. The flames bit its wings, and the half-remaining moth fell tragically on the lampstand.

Qingzan had no intention of feeling sorry for it and was about to cover the cage again when she heard light footsteps behind her, approaching slowly and unhurriedly.

He wanted to turn around and look back, but his leg bones, which had been kneeling for an hour, finally could not adapt to the master's hurried movements. When the soles of his shoes slipped due to the moss, he fell backwards without any resistance.

At this moment, the tall and handsome man in sight took a quick step and approached within inches.

Someone reached out in time and supported her.

Thanks to the hand that grabbed his forearm and stopped himself from falling, Qingzan was able to escape a mess.

She managed to steady herself, saw who was coming, and bowed her head: "Your Majesty, I thank you."

The emperor, who was willing to lend his help, felt a cold fragrance filling his heart for a moment, and it seemed that something dead in his chest was suddenly filled with life.

He would not think that this was due to the woman's stunning appearance and superiority over others.

Perhaps the joy of love lies in the way men and women flirt with each other and slowly pursue their passion. Unfortunately, most of the women in the harem, upon seeing him, were like hungry tigers pouncing on their prey, their thoughts forever fixated on the bed. From the moment they got close, they were happy, but a little further away turned them into resentment. It was completely meaningless.

Nowadays, when there is something different, it naturally piques interest.

Qingzan had calmed down, but the place where his arm was touching the person was secretly getting hot due to the person's force.

She reminded quietly: "Your Majesty, you can let me go now. I am fine."

The shackles on her body were loosened after this sound. However, Qingzan still did not dare to move, and quietly lowered her arms, letting her cold dress sink deeply into the eyes, as if she was drowning in it.

She acted as if she didn't notice and pretended to be fine.

"Qingzan." He called her leisurely.

As if to announce that he already knew her name, she was out of tricks.

Qing Zan: "The servant is here."

The emperor asked casually, "Did you get sick when you returned home that day?"

Qingzan pretended not to hear the subtle hint of sarcasm, not realizing he was deliberately bringing it up to remind her of her crime of deceiving the emperor. She replied calmly, "I'm in good health. I just got caught in a little rain. It won't be a problem."

He asked again: "Oh. Then why were you punished to stand?"

Qing Zan asked back, "Did Your Majesty see it?"

Xiao lowered his eyes, without moving his boots, but because he leaned forward slightly, he was very close to her. The breath he exhaled almost fell on her eyelashes, causing them to flutter softly.

He said in a deep voice: "I am asking you."

Qing Zan: "If your majesty wants to ask, I can only answer that I did my job poorly."

Could she still speak ill of her master, saying that someone deliberately locked her outside, and then used this as an excuse to punish her for not bringing things in time?

Without much thought, the emperor saw through her implication.

He followed up her words with a reminder: "I don't often ask about such trivial matters."

What it means is that she was given a rare opportunity to complain, but she was useless and missed it, so forget it.

Qingzan still had her head down, and did not respond as if she was ungrateful.

It was not until the emperor turned around and went straight to the pavilion that she let out a small breath, picked up the lantern cover that had rolled to her feet, and followed him with a tactful look.

It was at this moment that Xu Delu finally got a chance to interrupt, reporting to the emperor, "It seems the young lady was punished by the Empress to kneel today... I think that's why she couldn't stand steadily."

"Oh?" The emperor was stunned for a moment, as if he didn't expect that she would be punished again today. He seemed a little aggressive when he took another step.

He slowly lifted his robe and sat down, his face a bit dark, looking up at her inquiringly. In a moment, he seemed to understand something and smiled imperceptibly.

It's like an exclamation, more like a coaxing.

"It seems that you are not having a good time in Fengzao Palace."

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I will try to update at 9 am from now on.