Accompanied by sweet and charming greetings, Huo Yiyun walked gracefully from the main hall against the light. She looked down at her half-sister kneeling on the ground, a hint of wariness flashing in her eyes.
Pei Yuanhui lazily raised his hand: "Get up, all of you."
Huo Yiyun twisted her waist, her tone gentler than when she spoke to Huo Qinghe: "Your Majesty's arrival is just in time. I was about to have lunch here. It's rare for Your Majesty to come to my place at this time."
She naturally dared not directly ask the Emperor why he had come at this unusual time.
However, Pei Yuanhui told her what she wanted to know: "I heard that your younger sister came to the palace today. Thinking that you sisters could reunite, I came to see her."
Huo Yiyun's smile vanished instantly, replaced by a sorrowful expression: "It's all thanks to His Majesty's mercy."
As soon as she appeared, Pei Yuanhui didn't even glance at Huo Qinghe again: "Are you leaving already?"
The question was directed at Huo Qinghe.
Huo Yiyun didn't give Huo Qinghe a chance to interrupt: "Yes, my sister has just entered the palace and still has many things to take care of, so I didn't keep her to talk to you any longer."
Pei Yuanhui gave an "Oh," sounding uninterested: "The Three-Ingredient Tofu Soup in your palace is the best..."
Huo Qinghe was completely ignored to the side, and she didn't make any small movements, just stood quietly.
Upon hearing this, Huo Yiyun immediately waved her hand with a smile, signaling the small kitchen to prepare the meal. At the same time, she gave Huo Qinghe a cold glance as she turned around.
Huo Qinghe's shoulders were trembling slightly.
Pei Yuanhui had already strode towards the main hall. Huo Yiyun waved her hand, her voice slightly cold: "Send Madam Huo back."
The same few palace maids escorted Huo Qinghe back to Yanliang Pavilion, and the whole journey was eerily quiet.
They didn't encounter any important people, and upon returning to Yanliang Pavilion, they simply put down the fabric, bowed, and withdrew with the palace maids.
Huo Qinghe remembered the names of several palace maids.
She casually summoned a palace maid and asked, "Has Consort Zhou returned to the main hall? How is Jinzhan doing? Go and put away the fabric that Lady Yi gave you."
The palace maid, named Lvhuai, bowed and said, "Not long after you left, Madam Zhou returned from the main hall, but she has already sent someone to say that you do not need to pay your respects."
In the palace, those below the rank of Consort could only be addressed as "Niangzi" (娘子), while those above the rank of Consort could be addressed as "Niangniang" (娘娘).
She thought for a moment, then suddenly added a sentence.
"I heard that Lady Zhou went to the Empress's palace with her face covered..."
Huo Qinghe glanced at Lu Huai again: "Go on."
As if encouraged, Green Locust continued, "Madam, you may not know this, but Madam Zhou is the Empress Dowager's niece. Although she has only been in the palace for a year, she has always been favored. These past two days since we arrived at Yanliang Pavilion, Madam Zhou seems to have been hiding her face in public."
Huo Qinghe only knew a little about the new talents selected this time, and was not very familiar with the older generation in the palace.
"You're so thoughtful."
Hearing Huo Qinghe's words, Lvhuai was naturally even more delighted: "You flatter me, madam. After you left, Jinzhan started calling out from behind. Fearing that it would disturb Madam Zhou in front, I took the liberty of letting Jinzhan bite the wood and endure the pain."
Upon hearing this, Huo Qinghe did not continue to ask questions, but instead said something else: "Jinzhan is someone that Lady Yi trusts. You should treat her with the same respect you would show to Cuiqiao."
Her first step in eliminating Jinzhan was to flatter her to death.
Hearing this, Greenery and Greenheart, who were carefully carrying the material down, quickly agreed as well.
Huo Qinghe didn't eat much for lunch. She was preoccupied with her thoughts and didn't have much of an appetite, so she simply let the palace maids divide up the food she hadn't touched.
Today, Huo Yiyun summoned her for a talk, and she said a lot of nice things, but only a fool would believe the so-called sisterly cooperation. She needs to figure out what Huo Yiyun really wants her to do in the palace.
Today is the first day the new concubine has entered the palace. I wonder who the Emperor will favor tonight.
Although she had visited Xianfu Palace today, Huo Qinghe couldn't figure out the Emperor's thoughts. Who knew what her beloved elder sister would say to the Emperor?
Huo Yiyun didn't want her to gain favor so early, but she wasn't planning on doing so today.
Even at night, the inner palace remained brightly lit, with the bright candlelight in the six palaces of the east and west all eagerly awaiting which of the new concubines the Emperor would summon tonight…
Huo Qinghe had already eaten dinner when it was past midnight. After taking a bath in the clean room, as Lvhuai helped her get dressed, she shook her head almost imperceptibly.
“In the past, at this time, either the concubines would arrive at the West Warm Pavilion of Funing Palace in their phoenix-shaped carriages to serve the emperor, or His Majesty would arrange for his carriage to be placed in the inner palace…”
It's not impossible that we won't go anywhere...
Huo Qinghe nodded slightly: "Let's wait another quarter of an hour."
In another quarter of an hour, it will be past midnight.
Huo Qinghe didn't have to wait long; in less than a quarter of an hour, she heard the eunuchs outside shouting loudly.
"Drop! His Majesty has arrived."
The few green-clad people who had been waiting nearby immediately burst into laughter.
Huo Qinghe remained calm upon hearing this: "His Majesty has come to see Consort Zhou?"
Her tone, however, carried a certain certainty.
Sure enough, before Huo Qinghe could go out to greet him, the head maidservant of Consort Zhou in the main hall came to tell him that His Majesty was resting in the main hall and there was no need to go to greet him.
Although the head palace maid was respectful, her words were full of wariness, clearly fearing that Huo Qinghe would go to the main hall to stage some kind of drama to win favor.
On the first day of the new concubine's arrival at the palace, the Emperor did not summon any of the other new concubines, but instead came to Consort Zhou's place.
This shows how much favor Consort Zhou enjoys. In addition, her elder sister said at Xianfu Palace today that Consort Zhou was not easy to deal with, so she had to be even more discreet.
"Extinguish the candles and make the necessary arrangements."
Two palace maids were on night watch. The bed in the inner room had already been prepared. Huo Qinghe didn't care how many times the main hall would call for water tonight. After taking off her shoes and socks, she got into bed and closed her eyes.
On her first day in the palace, facing a completely unfamiliar place, Huo Qinghe couldn't sleep. She was thinking about her younger brother Jinghe and the morning she had to pay her respects to the Empress. She didn't know how she finally fell asleep.
When Huo Qinghe was already awake, Green Locust, carrying a copper basin, came in with Green Willow.
Green Hairpin's skills were quite good; Huo Qinghe had her hair styled into a proper updo, and she chose a simple, unassuming light green palace dress. She didn't eat breakfast.
"Has the Emperor left?" she asked.
Green Locust, who had been holding back all morning, hurriedly said, "The Emperor left the main hall at exactly 5:00 AM. My lady, no water was called from the main hall last night."
Not calling for water means not being summoned.
So, the Emperor really did go to Consort Zhou's place to sleep last night?
It's almost 7 AM now, and in another half an hour it will be time to pay our respects.
Huo Qinghe skipped breakfast: "Let's go to Kunning Palace first."
Yanxi Palace was too remote, so she had to leave early with her maid. She left Green Locust behind and sent Green Willow with her.
"Jinzhan has difficulty walking, so lend a hand while I'm not around," Huo Qinghe instructed.
Green Locust paused for a moment, then replied knowingly, "This servant understands."
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