Huo Qinghe stared intently at the official, her eyes burning with fervor.
Pei Yuanhui also only looked at it for two seconds before looking away.
Huo Qinghe, who was in the outer hall, was also pulled away by Consort Meng.
No one noticed the subtle exchange of glances between the inner and outer halls.
Huo Qinghe left the outer hall and went to the corridor, subtly letting go of Consort Meng's hand that was holding hers: "It's getting late. But I'm slow on my feet, so I won't go with Consort Meng."
Consort Meng hummed in agreement: "That's true. It's not exactly on our way. Let's go back to our respective palaces then."
Huo Qinghe was also a little sleepy at this moment, but she was more tired.
After all, it's quite a long walk back from Chuxiu Palace.
Since there was still a long way to go, Huo Qinghe wasn't in a hurry to leave and decided to let everyone go back first.
Huo Qinghe was probably the last among them to leave Chuxiu Palace, and when she left, the surroundings were even quieter.
Green Locust supported Huo Qinghe, while Changsheng carried a hexagonal palace lantern for illumination ahead.
As soon as she left Chuxiu Palace, Huo Qinghe suddenly stopped.
Changsheng was carrying a palace lantern on the left side, and if you looked up you could see the crescent moon, but what really made Huo Qinghe stop was not these lights.
Instead, it was the unknown light that had just caught Huo Qinghe's eye.
When Huo Qinghe first served the emperor, she wore a pair of rice-shaped earrings. It was because of this that she knew what could dazzle people's eyes.
This was all too familiar to Huo Qinghe.
Huo Qinghe found the source of the light within two seconds of stopping.
“Go and see what’s shining by the palace wall over there. Changsheng, give the palace lantern to Lvhuai, I’m a little afraid of the dark.”
Huo Qinghe hesitated for two seconds before giving the order.
After Green Locust took the palace lantern, she calmly instructed, "Green Locust, let's keep going and wait for Changsheng to catch up. There are many people coming and going outside Chuxiu Palace, so don't give anyone away."
Green Locust, who had originally wanted to ask something, immediately fell silent after hearing her wife's words.
He silently led the way, carrying the palace lantern.
Huo Qinghe had already walked from the Western Six Palaces to the Eastern Six Palaces when Changsheng finally caught up from afar.
The elder was panting heavily, and Huo Qinghe glanced over and noticed that he was holding something in his hand.
Her brow twitched slightly, a question she shouldn't have asked here: "What did you find?"
Changsheng looked around and said, "This servant found an earring by the wall. I didn't dare to linger, but I just took a quick look. It wasn't an earring. I don't know whose earring it was, but a pearl that fell off."
After hearing this, Green Locust's hand holding the palace lantern trembled again and again.
The pearl that Changsheng found proves that the incident of Consort Ming falling down today was not a coincidence.
It was done intentionally by someone.
"My lady..." Green Locust called out hesitantly.
This matter is like a hot potato; after all, telling the officials about it would only cause more trouble.
Huo Qinghe naturally did not want to get involved in the controversy.
She asked the question at this moment because she wanted to know what Changsheng had found.
"Will Consort Ming's palanquin be placed in her Chuxiu Palace? Changsheng, don't disturb anyone, put this pearl back. Just put it by the gate of Chuxiu Palace."
Changsheng quickly agreed.
Huo Qinghe added, "Be careful. Let me take a look at that pearl. Be careful when you put it back."
Changsheng honestly spread out his hands.
Huo Qinghe was also wearing a pair of pearl earrings today, but the quality was much better than the one Changsheng had.
Pearls were widely used in the palace. From the highest-ranking concubines to the lowest-ranking maids, pearls were commonly used.
Pearls of this quality were not uncommon in the palace.
Huo Qinghe withdrew her scrutinizing gaze and immediately thought of several people she had seen earlier that day who were wearing pearl earrings.
Xu Changzai sat next to her at both the lunch and dinner today, and she remembered that Xu Changzai was wearing a pair of gold pendants today.
At noon, when Huo Qinghe sat down, she was still thinking to herself that seeing Xu Changzai wearing those earrings made her earlobes hurt.
She waved her hand, indicating that Changsheng could leave under the cover of night.
"Oh, and don't forget the dirt and grime on the pearl. Wiping it too clean will only arouse suspicion. After you put the pearl back, there's no need to rush back to the palace... It's close to the Imperial Kitchen from here. Go and rest there. Come back tomorrow morning when you bring breakfast."
Changsheng understood his wife's meaning; all this running around would only attract more attention.
He agreed again, and his figure silently disappeared into the darkness.
Huo Qinghe looked away: "Let's go. I'm sleepy too."
Green Locust stopped talking again; this palace road was really not a good place to talk.
When Huo Qinghe returned to Yanxi Palace, the main hall was still dark.
"Madam Zhou is staying directly at the Empress Dowager's Cining Palace today. Hot water has been prepared. Madam, you've had a long day. We servants will help you bathe and settle in."
Luyun and Baosheng were already waiting outside Yanxi Palace from afar.
It was because Consort Zhou did not return to Yanxi Palace tonight that these two dared to wait outside Yanxi Palace.
With the palace lantern carried by Baosheng, the journey was much brighter.
Back at Yanliang Pavilion, Luyi, Luxin, He Yunzhong, and Granny Wang were all busy with their own things. Granny Wang immediately noticed that Huo Qinghe and Luhuai were distracted.
Green Cloud also noticed something was amiss: "Hey? Where's that brat Changsheng? I told him to serve and run errands for the lady, but he's being lazy like this today. He dares to slack off so late..."
Huo Qinghe interrupted her: "I gave him the order to do it. You may leave. Lvhuai will serve you here."
Green Locust subconsciously touched her earlobe; she was wearing a pair of simple silver earrings today.
He helped his wife into the clean room.
"Jewelry made in the Imperial Household Department wouldn't fall or get damaged so easily. There's still a thin chain hanging from the pearl, it doesn't look like it fell off..."
Huo Qinghe pondered softly.
Green Locust tentatively asked, "It looks like... it was forcibly pulled down?"
Huo Qinghe hummed in agreement: "It's late at night, and it's even less likely that someone would notice if such a bead fell on the ground. But since everyone was there, no one noticed that someone had dropped it..."
Green Locust continued, "Back then, everyone was focused on Consort Ming, so it's possible they didn't notice. Or maybe..."
"Either the person who lost the earring was someone from inside the inner palace. People outside couldn't see it, so they couldn't discover it."
Huo Qinghe said, her brows furrowing.
This feeling of being plotted against, even if you're not the one being plotted against, inevitably creates a sense of crisis.
"My earrings. Put them away carefully. All the jewelry I wore today should be put away completely."
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