"I miss you so much, even when I'm gone."
——Shi Qingmiao
***
Furong had just finished telling her that Shi Qingmiao was coming back when Lincai's happy voice came in. She heard the voice before she saw the person.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty has a letter for you, from the frontier!"
Lincai rushed in hurriedly, and Jin Suting went up to him and told him to slow down.
It was drizzling outside, and he was soaked, but he kept the letter well protected.
"Whose letter is this? You look so happy?" Jin Suting took the envelope with amusement, and the five small words "Dear Sister Su" written on it caught her eye.
It was a letter from Shi Qingmiao, and the corners of her mouth rose inadvertently.
Lin Cai asked, "My Lady, is this a letter from your brother?"
"What?" Jin Suting looked at Lin Cai in surprise. This kid must have thought that the person who wrote the letter and addressed her as "sister" was Jin Wade.
Then she smiled and said, "No, this is a letter from my sister."
Furong said, "Sister? Could it be Madam Tang Shao?"
What with what...
Jin Suting smiled and explained, "Neither of them is true. This is a letter from Saint Shi Qingmiao from the Simu Kingdom."
Furong and Lincai suddenly realized what was going on. Jin Suting opened the envelope, glanced at the contents, and blinked at Furong: "What did you just say?"
Furong was confused: "Mrs. Tang...?"
Jin Suting shook her head: "That's not it. What did you say to me at the beginning?"
Furong was surprised: "The Saint is coming back!"
Jin Suting nodded and laughed with Furong.
Shi Qingmiao said in the letter that she had already set off, taking her two-year-old son with her, and said that Jin Suting would definitely like the child very much.
She had already started to look forward to it, because she hadn't seen Shi Qingmiao for a long, long time.
***
Today was the first time to pay respects, and Jin Suting sat in the main seat in the Fengluan Palace very early, accompanied by Qin'er.
The first person to come over was Concubine Li. The two looked at each other. Concubine Li bowed lazily and found a seat to sit down.
There was no trace of Jin Suting in her eyes at all, but the Queen Mother had to be more generous. She ordered Furong to pour the best tea and bring some snacks to Concubine Li.
This princess from southern Xinjiang was truly extremely proud. She took a few sips of tea and then sat there like a painting.
The next to come in were Nangong Xiangle and Lu Zhiqi. It seemed that they had become very close from the very beginning. They walked hand in hand, with no barriers between them at all due to the difference in status.
Jin Suting thought this was a good idea. Concubines didn't necessarily have to scheme against each other. They all served one man, so it would be great if they could live in harmony.
Nangong Xiangle and Lu Zhiqi saluted together: "Greetings to Her Majesty the Empress and Her Majesty Li Fei. My regards to the ladies."
Jin Suting smiled and asked them to stand up and gave them seats.
Nangong Xiangle was a glutton, her eyes lit up when she saw the snacks. Because she had to get up early to pay her respects, she hadn't eaten much in the morning.
"Did Zhaoyi Le and Lu Baolin still live in their usual quarters yesterday?" Jin Suting asked. "Changle Palace is closest to the bell tower. The ringing of the bell in the middle of the night must have scared you, didn't it?"
Nangong Xiangle wanted to say yes, yes, she was almost scared to tears yesterday and thought something had happened. Who knew that the bells in the palace would ring in the middle of the night!
But Lu Zhiqi stopped him. She was talkative but also sensible and able to read people's expressions. "Your Majesty, no, Consort Le and I slept very well yesterday."
"That's good. I was worried that you wouldn't sleep well." Jin Suting said with a smile, "I was inconsiderate yesterday. I wanted to change your place today. If you don't think it's a big deal, then I won't change it."
Lu Zhiqi: "Thank you, Madam."
Nangong Xiangle was a little unhappy. She couldn't understand why Lu Zhiqi stopped her from saying those words, since the Queen clearly seemed to like her very much.
"It's getting late. Why haven't my three younger sisters come yet?" Concubine Li leaned lazily on the chair, her fingers casually playing with the hairpin beads in her bun.
"Empress, if they don't come soon, I, your sister, can't wait any longer!"
Just as he was saying this, Tang Ruozhi, Lu Yuewen, Li Xianxian and their group came in.
He knelt on the ground reluctantly and greeted Jin Suting.
Before Jin Suting could say anything, Concubine Li was already reluctant to let them go. "You're late for the first day of paying respects. You don't take me and the Queen seriously!"
He said it casually, but in fact he was blaming the three of them.
Nangong Xiangle said carelessly, "I think it's nothing. Their bedrooms are quite far from Fengluan Palace, so it's understandable that they arrived a little late."
"No matter how far away, there's always a place closer than Changding Palace?" Concubine Li wasn't going to fall for Jin Suting's trick. "If I can come, why can't you? It's already so late, and you still want the Empress and me to wait for you?"
Lu Yuewen was scolded so badly that he couldn't even raise his head. Tang Ruozhi and Li Xianxian stiffened their necks and said nothing, their expressions indeed showing that they were very dissatisfied with Concubine Li.
Jin Suting laughed dryly twice, "Don't stand, sit down first, and then we can talk about why we are late."
Concubine Li felt that this was a lack of respect for her. She snorted, crossed her arms, and looked at the three girls coldly, wondering what they could say.
Lu Yuewen was pushed out by them to explain: "Reply, reply Your Majesty, when Concubine Li and I went out, we got lost and wandered around in the Imperial Garden for a long time. Later, we met Concubine Tang and finally found the way."
Jin Suting raised her eyebrows, "If that's the case, I won't blame you."
"Remember to bring a palace maid with you when you go out next time. The maids assigned to you have all been in the palace for two or three years, so you won't get lost and make a fool of yourself."
My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It will be even more exciting later!
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