Chapter 94 Who Set Up This Scheme?
After watering, Sheng Sheng looked up, her dimples shimmering again: "Alright, now Sheng Sheng has done her part for the pears, and they will definitely grow up well together!"
The little dumpling looked confident, her cheeks puffed out, and dimples were set in her round face. Paired with her pink jacket today, she looked just like a strawberry covered in frosting, so sweet that it softened one's heart.
Pei Ji felt a lump in his throat, and covered his lips with a muffled laugh: "Okay."
He also felt that they could definitely grow up together.
The sunset glowed like fire, and the clouds in the sky were dyed orange. The warm light of dusk shone on the two of them, and the cold wind didn't seem so cold anymore.
The two looked at each other, and although they were talking about pears, it was as if they had made some kind of agreement.
Amidst laughter and chatter, Zijuan ran over, followed by Yanhu.
Sheng Sheng asked, "Hey, what brings Yan Hu here?"
As Sheng Sheng left, Xie Yunchuan was ordering someone to feed Yan Hu dinner.
Xie Yuxiao doted on her and allowed her to bring Yan Hu to see the performance. Xie Yunchuan thought that Yan Hu might not like the food there, so he decided to give him a meal first.
Yan Hu wagged his tail and came over to touch her: "It's because you're too slow. His Highness has already set off on his own, but he walks slowly, so he wants you to catch up quickly."
Ziju reminded her, "Princess, the time is almost up. If we don't leave now, we'll be late. His Highness has already sent Yanhu to urge you."
"Oops, I wasn't paying attention and almost went too far!" Sheng Sheng slapped her forehead. "Let's go!"
Xie Yunqi reluctantly left the vegetable garden, saying to Afu, "When these cabbages are ready to be harvested, be sure to call me. I want to see how big they can grow!"
Afu said, "Your Highness, just wait and see! It's not only big, but it tastes delicious too!"
The two walked all the way to the front courtyard of Jingyue Pavilion. Xiao Quanzi looked at his unfamiliar prince and even suspected that he had been possessed. He looked at Sheng Sheng in surprise.
Sheng Sheng shrugged and joked, "Fifth Brother has seen the world."
When Xie Yunqi saw Xiao Quanzi, he pulled him over and insisted on introducing him to Afu.
"Quickly, quick! The vegetables grown in Jingyue Pavilion are excellent. You should learn from them and we can go back to the palace and cultivate a plot of land to grow some vegetables for fun!"
Xiao Quanzi looked completely bewildered: "Huh?"
If Consort Li were to farm in the palace, she'd probably go crazy!
With a few laughs, the group quickened their pace to catch up with Xie Yunchuan.
Halfway there, a gust of wind blew, chilling me to the bone.
Shivering, Zijuan quickly said, "Princess, how about I go back to the palace and get you a cloak?"
"Okay, sure."
She didn't try to be brave; she genuinely felt a bit cold.
It was colder at night than during the day, so she hadn't worn a cloak during the day, only a cashmere-lined robe. At night, the temperature dropped considerably when the cool breeze blew.
Sheng Sheng was taken aback: "By the way, speaking of outer robes, Sister Zijuan, what exactly is the hidden clasp on the outer robe I changed into at the Golden Hall later?"
"Oh, when the eldest princess came, I was so distracted that I didn't notice. I only remembered now that you've mentioned it!"
"Me too, I was so focused on my elder sister that I completely forgot." Sheng Sheng nodded.
Zijuan thought for a moment: "Logically speaking, although there are many niche styles of hidden clasps in folk customs, I have never seen this one before. Moreover, the panchang knot is the most common one. In addition, the panchang knot has been passed down from the past to the present. All the embroiderers in our palace can only use the panchang knot style to make hidden clasps."
Unless that outer garment wasn't made by the Imperial Wardrobe, it couldn't possibly have had any other style of hidden buttons. In the palace, apart from those in the Imperial Wardrobe, no one else is allowed to make their own clothes. Besides, this servant recognizes the material of that outer garment; it's moon-white Hangzhou silk, produced in the Yuhang region…”
The frown on her face indicated that the outer garment must have come from the palace, but the embroiderers in the palace only knew how to use the panchang knot as a hidden clasp when making clothes.
That's strange. What's the deal with that outer garment?
The others had no idea what was going on and were completely confused.
Sheng Sheng briefly recounted what had happened. Xie Yunqi remembered something and said, "Hey? Hangzhou silk, my mother seems to have gotten ten bolts last year, and she even made me a few clothes. But they were all red and orange, which didn't match me at all, and I never wore them."
Upon hearing his reminder, Zijuan suddenly realized, "I remember now! Last year, the palace received a hundred bolts of Hangzhou silk. Hangzhou silk is a second-grade variety of Yun brocade, and only ten bolts were given to each of the four consorts. The rest were put into the national treasury. If that outer garment was made of Hangzhou silk, and the silk was in the hands of the four consorts, then that outer garment was made by one of the four consorts. How could I forget? Consorts can make their own clothes. That makes sense. Others can't make clothes on their own, but consorts can. Like our Noble Consort, her craftsmanship is excellent!"
That's true; Consort Rong's tailoring skills were indeed comparable to those of the embroiderers in the Imperial Clothing Bureau.
When Consort Rong had nothing to do, she liked to do these things to pass the time, and many of the dresses were made by Consort Rong herself.
"That doesn't make sense either. If that were the case, why would that lady put something she made herself in the side room of the Golden Palace?"
Although Hangzhou silk is a second-tier product among Yun brocades, it is still very expensive, equivalent to a budget luxury item.
Moreover, how could a concubine who made an outer garment by hand simply leave it lying around in the Golden Palace, and how could it possibly be taken by Caidie to be changed by Shengsheng?
Everyone fell silent. After analyzing the situation to this point, even a fool could see that this was a trap, with each link connected to the next.
Indeed, unless someone deliberately instructed them, how could there be such a coincidence that there would be outer garments that children could wear there?
Those rooms were where the people from Changyin Pavilion and the ladies who were going to perform changed clothes; it was impossible for them to prepare clothes for children.
Before Sheng Sheng could even speak, Xie Yunqi was the first to fly into a rage: "I know, it was Xie Yunjia! That tigress! I was wondering why she went straight to the Jinyi Hall this afternoon after just returning from Putuo Temple this morning, having a meal, taking a nap, and then deliberately causing trouble for you. She had someone splash water on you first so you could be blocked there, and then she would vent her anger on you!"
Xiao Quanzi's expression froze, and she coughed lightly with a bitter face, trying to remind him to watch his words.
Feeling ashamed, and seeing that he was going on and on, she quickly stopped him: "Fifth brother, don't get excited. Don't always think so badly of your sister."
After saying that, Sheng Sheng thought about it carefully. Xie Yunjia did come straight for her, but she was followed by Lady Meng and Lady Zhao. She must have asked Lady Meng and Lady Zhao to find out where she was, rather than knowing in advance where Cai Die would take her.
Moreover, given Xie Yunjia's personality, if she really wanted to cause trouble for her, she would have come to her door directly. Why would she bother to go through the trouble of finding someone else?
Therefore, this matter definitely has nothing to do with Xie Yunjia.
Sheng Sheng shook her head and said seriously, "This matter has nothing to do with my elder sister, Fifth Brother, please don't talk about her like that anymore. I know you want to stand up for me, but you can't just make such assumptions about others."
"Okay, you have a point." Xie Yunqi pouted and fell silent.
Just as Sheng Sheng was at her wit's end, Pei Ji suddenly said, "Could you let me take a look at that outer garment?"
"Hmm?" Sheng Sheng looked at him.
Pei Ji still wore a faint smile, without any other expression.
Sheng Sheng inexplicably felt that he wasn't just saying it casually.
Sheng Sheng said to Zijuan, "Sister Zijuan, when you go to get the cloak, please bring that outer garment with you."
"Yes, Princess."
The group had come from Jingyue Pavilion and hadn't been out of Yuqing Palace for long when Zijuan went back to Yuqing Palace to get her clothes. As usual, the group hurried to catch up with Xie Yunchuan.
Zijuan quickly grabbed the clothes and caught up with them. She handed the outer garment to Pei Ji and then helped Shengsheng put on her cloak.
The warm cloak blocked the cold wind, and Sheng Sheng squinted comfortably, asking Pei Ji, who was staring at the hidden button, "Brother Pei Ji, have you figured something out?"
Pei Ji frowned, his expression serious: "This is a type of hidden clasp used by the common people of the Song Dynasty."
"The State of Song?" Xie Yunqi exclaimed in surprise.
Everyone else was stunned as well.
Sheng Sheng was taken aback.
The style of the Song state...
No wonder Pei Ji looked so serious. How could the Song Dynasty's hidden clasp style appear here?
Was it that the lady who made this outer garment simply liked it, or...?
No one dared to imagine it.
In short, this whole affair seemed like a trap from beginning to end.
The other party is trying to trick Sheng Sheng, and now that the Song Kingdom has been involved, it's even more complicated.
As a prince of the Song Kingdom, Pei Ji would become the target of everyone's criticism in the palace if this matter escalated.
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