Chapter 40 I want to ask for advice in person
Empress Zhong put down the half-finished silk thread and said nonchalantly, "It's just a title of beauty. As long as Your Majesty likes it, it's fine. Why should I be the bad guy?"
"But Lady Zhu was not favored last night," Qiu Sui accepted the bird's nest brought by the little palace maid and placed it on the small table in front of Empress Zhong. "Your Majesty's promotion decree has caused quite a bit of dissatisfaction in the harem."
"Isn't there enough jealousy in the harem?" Empress Zhong pinched the thin handle of the silver spoon with two fingers and gently stirred the rock sugar bird's nest in the soup bowl. She glanced at the person beside her and said, "Is this worth bragging about in front of me?"
Qiu Sui immediately knelt down and said, "I apologize for my words, Your Majesty."
Queen Zhong ate two mouthfuls of bird's nest and wiped the corners of her lips with a handkerchief. "Get up."
Qiu Sui stood up, ordered someone to take the soup bowl away, and went forward to massage Queen Zhong's shoulders.
Empress Zhong closed her eyes slightly and was silent for a moment before she said, "Promotion is a happy event. I remember there are two pieces of brightly colored silk in the storeroom, which were given by the Empress Dowager. I will send them to Qiu Shui Zhai along with the nine-colored glass lotus lantern to bring good luck."
Qiu Sui's eyes turned, and she bowed and said, "Yes."
On the other side, Huaqing Palace.
The large incense burner in the hall spewed out wisps of fragrant mist from the beast's mouth, and the refreshing aroma lingered, filling the room with fragrance, as if you were in a sea of flowers.
"Xianglu, do you think my face looks good now?"
After looking at herself in the mirror on the dressing table, Concubine Rong was still worried, so she turned around and asked Xianglu next to her to come over and take a closer look.
Xianglu leaned a little closer, her eyes lingering for a moment on the beauty's gorgeous face, a look of delight on her face. "It's all right now. I think it's even better than before. Your Majesty's skin is truly whiter and softer than a peeled egg."
Rong Guifei was most concerned about her own face, which was the most beautiful among all the beauties. Upon hearing this, she smiled with satisfaction and casually picked up the tourmaline scented bead bracelet on the dressing table and handed it to her, "Take it and try it on for fun."
Xianglu accepted it happily and bowed, saying, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for the reward."
"Get up." Concubine Rong opened the silver box on the dressing table, scooped out a small piece with a jade spoon, and applied it evenly on her face in front of the mirror.
Xianglu picked up a sandalwood comb, dipped it in osmanthus oil, and carefully combed the cloud-like and satin-like black hair under her hands, for fear of tearing a single strand.
After wiping her face, Concubine Rong went on to wipe her neck, saying as she did so, "The Imperial Hospital has been quite attentive this time. The new Jade Cream they sent is better than the previous Pearl Cream, and the rose scent is nice too."
Xianglu smiled and said, "Your Majesty is the apple of His Majesty's eye. How could the Imperial Hospital not serve her wholeheartedly? I heard that the first place they sent it to was our Huaqing Palace, and the second was Changchun Palace."
"They can do their job. The Queen's face, aside from her pretty eyes, is bland and boring. It doesn't matter what you use on it. It's a waste of good things."
"Your Majesty is right."
Concubine Rong snorted softly and glanced at her in the mirror: "Have you found out who it is?"
Xianglu said, "In reply to your Majesty, the maid who was bestowed with the perfumed powder was named Chu Liuzheng. She previously served in the library of Changchun Palace. She didn't change her name because her master didn't give her a name. Now she serves as a tea maid in front of the emperor. Your Majesty has seen her in Zhaoxue Hall before."
"It's her." Concubine Rong paused as she applied the Jade Cream. The face that could only be described as pretty flashed before her eyes. Her delicate brows knitted slightly. "What did she do?"
"She didn't do anything special," Xianglu said. "Your Majesty rewarded her because she served him wholeheartedly. I also heard that she is very good at making tea. But..."
"Just say what you want to say! Why are you hesitating?" Concubine Rong frowned. "She seduced Your Majesty with her charm?"
"It's not her. She's a well-behaved person. The one who's not is a tea-serving palace maid named Caiyue who lives in the same room with her." Xianglu didn't dare to hide it. "Your Majesty, do you still remember that a few days ago, His Majesty suddenly punished a palace maid by making her soak in the Moon Pond for over an hour?"
Concubine Rong had a vague impression and nodded slightly.
Seeing that she had remembered, Xianglu continued, "That Caiyue is the vixen. She failed to seduce His Majesty, but instead His Majesty disliked the strong smell of her perfume, so he punished her by making her wash herself clean in the Moon Pond."
Concubine Rong's expression suddenly became stern. "Where is she serving now?"
"Still in the Imperial presence." Xianglu's tone became increasingly cautious. "That bitch is unlucky. She got sick after soaking in the Moon Pond. She coughs non-stop every day and is now recuperating in Nongyun Garden."
"What the hell did Wang Jinzhong do!" Concubine Rong slammed her palm on the dressing table. "Why is this seductive creature still in the imperial court if he hasn't been sent to the laundry department?"
"Come here, call Wang Jinzhong. I want to ask him if he doesn't want to be the head of the Imperial Household Department anymore!"
"Your Majesty, calm down." Xianglu knew that if she told the truth, it would be bad news. She stopped the maid who was about to run to fetch help and quickly finished the news, "Your Majesty, Caiyue is from Wanshou Palace."
Hearing the words 'Wanshou Palace', Concubine Rong's anger faltered, and she lowered her eyes to look at her, "Is it really the Wanshou Palace?"
Xianglu nodded repeatedly, "This servant dare not deceive the queen."
Concubine Rong immediately ordered: "Everyone get out."
All the palace ladies left the hall, leaving only Xianglu.
She gently advised, "Your Majesty, we don't know what the Queen Mother has planned for Caiyue. If you ask Wang Jinzhong to transfer her away, you can vent your anger, but it's not worth it to anger the Queen Mother for such a shameless bitch."
Concubine Rong was able to become a concubine not just because of her face.
She bit her delicate red lips and pondered for a moment, a hint of doubt between her eyebrows, "Why did the Queen Mother suddenly think of sending someone to the Imperial Court?"
Xianglu shook her head. How could she know what the Queen Mother was thinking?
"Does His Majesty know that Caiyue was sent by the Queen Mother?"
Xianglu didn't dare to speculate on the emperor's intentions, but she also didn't dare to disobey her master. After weighing the pros and cons, she could only say tactfully, "Those who served before the emperor and made any inconsiderate mistakes were dismissed by Zhou Yuande early on. Only Caiyue is still here."
How could Concubine Rong not understand what this meant?
It wasn't that she couldn't tolerate a new person appearing by the emperor's side; after all, he was the emperor, and it was impossible for him to be the only one around her. But there was only one thing: this new person couldn't be that shameless, seductive woman who would actively climb into the emperor's bed.
The exclusive favor that Lady Wen had shown her back then had left a thorn in her heart.
Her long eyelashes trembled slightly as she raised her eyes and said, "Send someone to keep an eye on it first and wait and see what happens."
Xianglu asked, "What about the palace maid named Chu Liuzheng?"
"I am very curious about her tea-making skills and would like to learn a thing or two from her personally. When she has time, please invite her to Huaqing Palace." Concubine Rong raised the corners of her lips, and a dark light flashed in her eyes.
"only."
"By the way, have you selected the things to be sent to Qiu Shui Zhai?" Concubine Rong suddenly remembered this matter.
A little beauty is not worth her attention, but if she is someone who can be controlled, she can be won over to be a helper.
Xianglu smiled and said, "I've picked them all out. They're the same ones I gave to Lady Wen."
——The emperor had forgotten all about it and never thought of it again.
After understanding the teasing meaning, Concubine Rong curled the corners of her lips slightly and tapped the silver box lightly with the delicate nail on her little finger.
"I heard that Sister Zhu almost disfigured herself after eating something wrong when she first entered the palace. Even if she's better now, her skin won't be as good as before. I'll also include a box of Jade Cream in the gift. I hate to see a beautiful woman's face damaged."
Xianglu glanced at her and replied softly, "Yes."
(End of this chapter)
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