A few days ago, Huo Qinghe came to Funing Palace. Except for the first night when she secretly came and wore a palace maid's dress, she wore thin summer clothes for the next two days.
Especially on the day when Madam Meng accidentally knocked over the medicine bowl, the palace maids opened the outside window for ventilation, and Xiao Huo's shoulders were still trembling occasionally as he served lunch.
Pei Yuanhui saw it all.
Just now, in order to deal with the Empress Dowager's order for Jinyang to open the storeroom and select things, he suddenly thought of Xiao Huo.
It was probably because the rain hadn't stopped falling all day that the emperor ordered Jinyang to select some good materials from the warehouse.
Xiao Huo's rank was neither high nor low, and he was still wearing summer clothes even though it was autumn. Pei Yuanhui didn't bother to investigate how his subordinates were doing things; that was the Empress and the Imperial Concubine's business.
At this moment, he asked Jinyang to pick out some good materials from the warehouse, because, in the end, he still felt a little heartache.
Jin Yang, standing to the side, managed to understand the Emperor's meaning, but he couldn't help but mutter to himself that the Emperor's favoritism was truly boundless.
The Emperor had ordered the selection of materials, which were then sent to Yanliang Pavilion. Only then did Jinyang roughly guess the Emperor's intentions.
The Emperor was thinking about Consort Huo, but when Consort Meng came that day, along with Consort Fu and Consort Xie, who had been attending to the Emperor in his illness for the past two days, they were all dressed in summer clothes. Yet, the Emperor noticed Consort Huo the most.
What is this if not favoritism?
Since the Emperor was biased, it meant that Consort Huo held a place in his heart. So when Jin Yang picked out things from the storeroom and sent them to Yanxi Palace, he personally delivered them to Consort Zhou in the main hall, while he sent Miao Xi to deliver them to Consort Huo.
However, he understood the Emperor's meaning and sent the items to Yanxi Palace in a grand manner, making everyone think that the items were sent to Consort Zhou. He also instructed Miao Xi to secretly send the fabrics to Yanliang Pavilion.
He was talking to Consort Zhou in the main hall, keeping quiet so that no one would notice that the Emperor had also sent something to Consort Huo.
Even Consort Zhou in the main hall didn't notice.
The chief examiner for this autumn imperial examination in Bianjing, Grand Tutor Zhou Yuzhong, is Consort Zhou's grandfather. Seeing that Consort Zhou's uncle is about to be promoted again, and with the Emperor sending so many rewards from Jinyang today, Consort Zhou is in high spirits. With Jinyang's deliberate flattery, she has no time to care about Xiao Huo in the side hall.
Huo Qinghe was quite surprised to receive those materials, especially since it was late at night and the official had sent them as a reward.
She didn't understand what she had done again, but she still heard the commotion in the main hall. Granny Wang had already handed Miao Xi a purse.
Miao Xi, having received his master's instructions, dared not delay. After delivering the goods, he left with the young eunuch, bowing respectfully.
They showed no intention of lingering any longer.
Huo Qinghe then had Baosheng and the others move the fabrics into the house, and she was finally able to see them clearly by candlelight.
Miao Xi had sent over quite a lot of fabric, and it was only then that Huo Qinghe realized that all of it was fabric for making autumn clothes.
The top layer was made of brocade and satin, all soft and luxurious satin in elegant and simple colors, with delicate and simple patterns. Huo Qinghe really liked it.
"It's just the beginning of autumn, so let's pick out two or three bolts and send them to the embroidery workshop to be made into autumn clothes."
The government sent a lot of things, but if they were all sent to the embroidery room, it would be too conspicuous. Huo Qinghe wasn't stupid; she wouldn't go out of her way to become a target.
As early as August, she had Green Locust and the others select fabrics from the storeroom and send them to the embroidery workshop.
When Huo Qinghe entered the palace in early spring, she only brought two or three sets of spring clothes with her, so her autumn clothes naturally had to be made on the spot.
"By the way, if it's not among the items I'm supposed to cut, remember to bring some silver with you."
There were set rules for the imperial concubines to have clothes made for each season, and anything exceeding those rules would naturally cost money.
Green Cloud and Green Willow were already counting the amount of material on the side. All of these needed to be registered, but Green Cloud was beaming with joy even while registering them.
"The Emperor really cares about our lady; he even sent someone to deliver something so late."
Huo Qinghe wasn't really that interested in clothes and jewelry. She was quite clear-headed: "It's much more lively at Madam Zhou's place up ahead. Let's move these materials to the storeroom and put them away properly."
Huo Qinghe pondered for a while but still couldn't figure out why the Emperor had sent someone to deliver the fabric. She hadn't mentioned it to the Emperor before...
But for Huo Qinghe, this was a good thing. The emperor's reward meant that her efforts over the past three days had not been in vain, and that the emperor truly remembered her.
Huo Qinghe slept less today than yesterday. She read for a while, but played the pipa more. She practiced and sang "Autumn Rain" that she had recited in front of the official that day.
However, it's not fully mastered yet; it still needs a few more days of practice.
Since the commotion was likely to continue for a while, Huo Qinghe decided to play the pipa for a bit longer before calling for the lamps to be blown out and the room to be settled.
Huo Qinghe only remembered to give the instructions before going to bed.
"Avoid the area around Consort Zhou and don't provoke them."
Since the Emperor has bestowed this gift, let's set aside the events of the previous dynasty and remember when Consort Zhou was smug and arrogant.
Green Locust cautiously agreed, and after leaving, she informed the others.
The rain lasted for two or three days. Finally, the sky cleared up on the day the three-day autumn examination ended, which happened to be the first day of the lunar month.
Both inside and outside the palace, there was a lively atmosphere.
Because of the continuous rain, Consort Zhou had nowhere to show off her generous reward from the Emperor. Huo Qinghe in Yanliang Pavilion simply pretended to be sick, not giving Consort Zhou any chance to cause trouble.
However, because the autumn imperial examinations were being held and the Emperor's health had just recovered, he did not enter the inner palace for the past two or three days.
On the first day of the lunar new year, Huo Qinghe got up early and dressed neatly. The fabric she had taken to the embroidery room a couple of days ago was not yet finished. The weather was neither too hot nor too cold, so she wore the autumn clothes she had made before. The fabric was light and thin, which was just right for this time of year.
She skipped breakfast and left Yanxi Palace for Kunning Palace early.
She had no desire to touch Consort Zhou.
She arrived early, but there were concubines who arrived even earlier.
Meng had arrived long ago. Upon seeing Huo Qinghe, she nodded slightly, bowed, and the two sat down together.
Most of the people who arrived were still talking about Consort Zhou.
"Consort Zhou didn't tell you to show off, did she? The Emperor's gifts are so precious. Now the whole palace knows that the Emperor, out of compassion for Consort Zhou's hard work in caring for her during her illness, bestowed many gifts upon her overnight..."
They had all gone to care for Consort Zhou during her illness, and they knew perfectly well what Consort Zhou had really done. Naturally, Consort Meng disapproved of Consort Zhou's behavior.
But she didn't dare to speak too loudly, just like everyone else in the hall.
Huo Qinghe didn't respond to that, but instead lowered her head and took a sip of hot tea: "The Emperor will see us eventually, it's just a matter of time."
Meng pursed her lips but didn't say anything more.
She only dared to mutter a few words behind his back.
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