14

Helian Cheng returned to the palace and told Gao Feng, the chief eunuch beside him, "Send the maid who embroidered the handkerchief here."

Gao Feng carefully took the handkerchief and agreed.

Gao Feng was thinking along the way that he should start looking from the Clothing Bureau first.

The palace lady from the clothing department gathered all the young palace ladies together and asked sternly, "Whose handkerchief is this with a cat embroidered on it?"

The palace maids came forward one by one to identify it, and they all said it was not theirs.

When Qingyi came forward and saw it, it was the same handkerchief she had asked for from Li Jiajing.

Qingyi had noticed earlier that there was an extra eunuch in the room today, and the palace lady treated him with great respect. Although the palace lady was very serious when she asked about the handkerchief's origin, Qingyi wanted to take a chance.

Then he said, "Reporting to the Palace Lady, this handkerchief is mine."

The palace lady asked, "What's the proof?"

"I have another handkerchief like this here; I'll get it."

When Qingyi brought the handkerchief, they compared the two and found that they were indeed the same.

After everyone else had left, only Qingyi, Shang Gong and the eunuch were left.

The eunuch spoke up, "Congratulations, young lady, for joining our family in our new place of service."

Qingyi was overjoyed, as his bet was right.

Qingyi went back to pack her clothes first, and then left with the eunuch.

When Qingyi returned to her residence, she saw that Li Jiajing was not in the house. She hurriedly searched Li Jiajing's bed and took away all the handkerchiefs embroidered with cats.

After checking again and making sure that the handkerchief was gone, he left with peace of mind.

In the evening, Helian Cheng sat at the dining table and began to eat. A delicate jade hand stretched out in front of him and brought a jade bowl to Helian Cheng, "Your Majesty, please have your meal."

Helian Cheng looked up at the owner of the hand, a strange palace maid.

Helian Cheng didn't like having palace maids serving him in the palace. There were no palace maids before, but when a palace maid suddenly appeared, Helian Cheng was so angry that he wanted to kill her.

"Gao Feng, where did you die?"

Gao Feng was near the door. He rolled in, trembling, and said, "Your Majesty?"

"How did she get into the palace?"

Gao Feng quickly replied, "The emperor wanted a maid with a cat embroidered on her face to serve him, and she is the one."

"You are blind, is it her?"

"Come back when you find that maid. Let Li Ning serve you, and all of you get out."

Li Ning heard the noise and hurried in to serve.

Gao Feng made a bitter face and went down with Qingyi.