“I understand the principle of ‘if you doubt someone, don’t use them; if you use someone, don’t doubt them.’ But this is, after all, His Majesty’s reward. Putting aside how Lady Cao, who is far away in Zhongcui Palace, knew about it, I am curious about how the news got out.”
Huo Qinghe was usually kind and gentle to the maids, and rarely spoke to them with such a cold and indifferent tone.
It really startled the girls in green.
Green Cloud was the first to kneel down with a "plop": "This servant has never been disloyal to my mistress, and has been faithful from beginning to end. Please, my mistress, see the truth."
Huo Qinghe sat there quietly, listening to Lüyun finish speaking, without much change in her expression.
“I know whether you’ve been serving me well these past few days. But now that this has happened, you’ll have to prove it yourselves. I’m leaving this matter to you to investigate.”
Green Locust was hesitating whether to kneel down, but after hearing her wife's words, she immediately stopped making those little gestures.
"Yes, yes, we will definitely investigate the whole story."
Huo Qinghe gave a soft "Mmm": "You can all go down first."
She never suspected that it was someone from the Imperial Household Department. After all, spreading such news would not benefit them at all. Besides, the person who delivered the gifts that day was an apprentice of the Grand Eunuch Jin Yang, who was so honest that he could not be bribed at all.
Huo Qinghe suspected that someone had unintentionally or deliberately spread the word to incite hatred against her.
Sure enough, Huo Qinghe received the Emperor's reward yesterday, and today Consort Cao, who is pregnant, came to Zhongcui Palace after hearing the news.
Huo Qinghe did not notice anything unusual about the people in front of the emperor when she came out of Funing Palace last night and today, but after leaving Funing Palace, she did see something in the eyes of the palace maids along the palace road.
It's likely that the palace maids already knew by then that she had received a very generous reward from the Emperor.
The palace maids in the six palaces all heard the news, but the maids and matrons serving the emperor knew nothing about it, so the news was unlikely to have come from the emperor himself.
However, Huo Qinghe still didn't dare to make a direct judgment on this matter and had to wait for Lvhuai and the others to investigate and find out the truth themselves.
Not everyone can come and go as quickly as Consort Cao.
Why would such a disturbance arise from a perfectly normal reward?
Huo Qinghe thought for a moment, then called out to Granny Wang again.
She entered the palace late, so there were some things she still had to ask an old nanny like Granny Wang for advice.
...
Meanwhile, Consort Cao, furious, led Zhu Shi and Zhu Ting towards the Emperor's Funing Palace, with the two maids carefully supporting her along the way.
When passing by the Imperial Garden, Consort Cao stopped again.
Although she was angry, both at the current favor shown to Xiao Huo and at the Emperor's absurd and extravagant rewards, especially since these rewards were not even given to her.
But Consort Cao hadn't completely lost her mind. She was angry, but she couldn't just run wild because she was pregnant.
Even when you're being temperamental, you have to know your limits.
"Have someone pick some lotus flowers, and I'll send them to Funing Palace as well." Consort Cao stopped and flicked her finger.
...
Meanwhile, the Emperor in the Funing Palace was not in very good spirits after finishing his morning court session and having breakfast.
When Jin Yang came in to deliver the message, Pei Yuanhui was admiring a pair of cinnabar fish under the flower window. He didn't know who had presented them to him, but the Emperor had been quite fond of them these past two days.
However, I heard that this was presented by the servants to the Crown Prince for his enjoyment, but as soon as it reached the Emperor, it was naturally confiscated.
These cinnabar fish are different from the ordinary ones; even if you searched the entire Imperial Garden, you would hardly find any similar to these few in front of you.
These fish, when in the water, appear as white as snow on the blue waves, but are not completely concealed by the color of the water.
Occasionally, the official would mischievously raise his hand and lightly tap the fish tank, immediately startling the fish so much that their tails would flutter like fine silk threads.
"What are you doing? I'm too busy right now."
He didn't know how long these fish could be kept, so he had someone carry Tannu to the Imperial Concubine's Chengqian Palace.
In a couple of days, Tannu will surely be unable to resist running back to Funing Palace.
At that time, these fish will certainly not remain in the Funing Palace.
Jin Yang said, "Yes, Madam Cao has arrived. She said that with summer approaching, she saw that the lotus flowers in the Imperial Garden were blooming beautifully, so she had some picked for His Majesty to enjoy."
The one who said similar things to the Emperor yesterday was Miao Xi, but Miao Xi is Jin Yang's apprentice, so naturally he would speak to his master Jin Yang about anything.
Jin Yang found it amusing to repeat Consort Cao's words.
Isn't that a coincidence?
However, Consort Cao's words didn't sound as pleasant as Consort Huo's words yesterday when she summoned someone.
After listening, Pei Yuanhui glanced out the window and said, "Wasn't she still feeling unwell last night? What's she doing out here now? I understand."
Jin Yang didn't immediately grasp the meaning behind the official's words. He hesitated for a moment and said, "It's quite sunny outside right now."
Pei Yuanhui picked up a gold-leafed folding fan from the side and stroked the tassel: "Why are you telling me all this? Please ask Consort Cao to go to the side hall. I'm busy with state affairs here."
Jin Yang understood and quickly withdrew.
Jin Yang left, and Pei Yuanhui lost interest in admiring the fish. He simply opened his folding fan, leaned back, and lazily listened to the sounds of the fish swimming in the tank.
However, Consort Cao clearly couldn't sit still in the side hall.
A moment later, a sound suddenly came from the latticed window outside the small couch where the official was sitting.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!"
"You've been reading memorials all day. Why don't you rest your eyes? Reading memorials in the palace all day must be bad for your eyes. The lotus flowers I picked are just right, Your Majesty! Please come and take a look."
Consort Cao was dressed in a light green palace gown today, holding a bunch of lotus flowers and leaves in her hands outside the flower window. She looked like a flower fairy who had come to life.
However, Pei Yuanhui could only see the faint image of Consort Cao outside the palace.
Consort Cao's voice wasn't harsh; she had a good voice, but it was too delicate and could sound a bit shrill when she spoke without paying attention.
Pei Yuanhui suddenly turned his head to look at the lotus flowers in the Cizhou jar on the desk in the hall.
When he looked away again, it was because Pei Yuanhui was really annoyed by Consort Cao's clamor outside. He sat up and his folding fan clicked softly as he closed it.
He bent his knees slightly and lazily used a folding fan to open the lattice window.
"Stand further away."
He uttered only this one sound in front of the top-opening window.
Cao Pin's exclamation immediately came from outside.
"oops."
As the strong wind swept by, Consort Cao felt a sting on her face and was naturally terrified.
She nearly jumped up in fear.
"Your Majesty! Why are you playing tricks on me again?"
Pei Yuanhui snorted: "You're clearly just easily frightened. What are you still standing outside for? Didn't you shout that you wanted to see me?"
"Jinyang, put the flowers away."
Finally, Pei Yuanhui gave a brief instruction.
Pei Yuanhui didn't even glance at the lotus flower, still wet with water droplets, that Consort Cao was holding.
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