Chapter 13 Chapter 13 The Thirteenth Day of the Palace Maid
Shen Qingqing was brought into Yiqu Garden, walked up to Concubine Xian, and bowed, saying, "This servant pays respect to Her Majesty the Concubine Xian. Best wishes, Her Majesty."
The virtuous concubine said, "Stand up," and asked curiously, "What are you looking for motherwort for?"
Shen Qingqing: "My master has a blemish on her face, so she ordered me to prepare a facial formula, the most important ingredient of which is motherwort powder. Siguozhai doesn't have this stuff, so I came out to look for it."
She ignored Pepe. She trusted Xiao Dingzi and didn't believe that Pepe, as Xiao Dingzi, would cheat her. It was more likely that Xiao Dingzi had asked Pepe to lead her here.
So Xiao Dingzi knew that Concubine Xian would be here and also knew her plan, so she led her here on purpose.
So even if there is no motherwort today, there will be other excuses.
She just needed to take this opportunity to observe this virtuous concubine carefully.
Xian Fei only wanted to hear what she wanted to hear, and immediately asked, "What happened to Du Baolin's face?"
Although his tone was not gloating, he did not show much worry either. He was just eager to know the current state of Du Baolin's face.
Xuancao pulled on Concubine Xian's sleeve, feeling that her mistress's thoughts were obvious. Now that Du Baolin's maid was still here, she might as well show some insight.
Shen Qingqing looked embarrassed.
Concubine Xian softened her tone and said, "The Pharmacy should have Motherwort Powder. Why not go there and get it?"
Shen Qingqing said truthfully: "My words are of little importance, and the Pharmaceutical Department is so busy that I am afraid they can't take care of me. Today, I was rude to the Concubine Xian, please don't blame me."
Concubine Xian said generously, "You didn't mean it, so how can I blame you? I'll let Xuancao go with you to the Pharmacy Department to complete your task. Well, what's your name? I hold half of the power in the harem, so I should understand the difficulties of the concubines. So... first tell me if Du Baolin of Siguozhai has any inconvenience."
Seeing that Concubine Xian was seriously directing the topic to Du Baolin again, the two senior palace maids beside Concubine Xian smiled at each other.
Shen Qingqing also found it a bit interesting. Moreover, Concubine Xian did not seem to be majestic. Even when treating her, an insignificant palace maid, she did not look down on her like Du Baolin did from a high position.
Shen Qingqing subtly compared Concubine Xian with Du Baolin, and couldn't help wondering why she wasn't so lucky to be assigned to Concubine Xian's Jingren Palace when the palace was divided. Looking at the appearance of the maid behind Concubine Xian, she knew that she was not a strict master.
"My name is Shen Qingqing, Your Majesty can call me Shen Qing. Your Majesty is considerate of the harem, so I dare to speak frankly."
The virtuous concubine looked at Shen Qingqing, urging her to speak quickly.
Shen Qingqing lowered her head and said, "There is nothing wrong with Siguozhai. The master is not uncomfortable living there. It's just that when Nanny Fang, who taught the master, was here, there was always one palace maid missing in Siguozhai. After Nanny Fang left, the master sent someone to the Sibosi to ask for a palace maid, but they were refused for many reasons. It took several days before a palace maid was assigned to him."
Because of this, Du Baolin was naturally unhappy, and Shen Qingqing was also troubled by it.
Xuancao's eyes were sharp as she spoke, "Sibosi is under the Shanggong Bureau, which is under the jurisdiction of Her Majesty. Her Majesty has never asked the people in the Shanggong Bureau to mistreat Siguozhai from the beginning to the end. She has always said that we must act according to the rules."
The virtuous concubine was also shocked. The Shanggong Bureau was one of the three bureaus under her management. She dared not be negligent in anything and instructed the people under her not to make things difficult for some concubines just because of their low status.
She admitted that she had someone revoke Du's status as a concubine when she was demoted from a concubine to Baolin, and she was happy about it. But because of this incident, she specifically asked the palace servants who handled the matter afterwards whether they had made things difficult for Du Baolin. The answer she got was that they solemnly guaranteed that Du Baolin had received everything she deserved.
To avoid ambiguity, she asked twice!
As a result, she was told today that since the first day Du Baolin became Baolin, she had been short of a palace maid.
Xianfei exhaled, and the joy on her face fell. Today, she was just a concubine, and she was only in charge of three palace affairs, but she couldn't do everything properly. If the emperor knew about this, would he still entrust her with important tasks?
Seeing this, Shen Qingqing didn't know how to answer. Finally, she pursed her lips and said, "What I said is not false at all and can stand up to verification."
Xiao Dingzi did some things that were true and some that were false. He did go to the Shanggong Bureau for several days in a row, but he returned empty-handed.
Because of this, she felt that today's incident was Xiao Dingzi's work and could stand up to scrutiny.
Xuancao looked at her queen and frowned. If there really was a palace servant who dared to deceive her superiors and subordinates, she was afraid that what happened in Siguozhai was just the tip of the iceberg. Someone was using the queen to make Du Baolin unhappy and even throw dirty water on the queen.
Concubine Xian also thought of this possibility. If someone could take advantage of the fact that the Shanggong Bureau was short of a maid for Du Baolin today, could they use other departments under her management to send other bad things to Du Baolin tomorrow?
The virtuous concubine felt that she was so used to a comfortable life that she didn't notice the problem early on.
However, Concubine De was in charge of the Shangfu Bureau, the Shangshi Bureau, and the Shanggong Bureau. Wouldn't it be easier for imported clothes and jewelry to be tampered with?
"The matter of the palace maid in the Siguozhai was an oversight of mine. Apart from that, is there anything wrong with Du Baolin's daily meals, clothing, and supplies?"
Shen Qingqing thought and shook her head: "To answer your Majesty, there is nothing wrong with the food and clothing, and the things distributed to Du Baolin are not shoddy or perfunctory."
She was also wondering, even though Du Baolin had fallen from grace, some of the aunts in charge were even more respectful to her, and there were few complaints, otherwise Du Baolin would not have been upset about a palace maid. There were no omissions in other places, so why couldn't she get a palace maid who was supposed to be there?
The sharpness of Hemerocallis's questioning disappeared from his expression, and he looked at his queen worriedly.
The virtuous concubine looked at no one, and only said, "It's not too late."
Shen Qingqing was confused, and then she heard the virtuous concubine laugh and say, "I'm afraid that daylily doesn't need to go to the medicine department. Shen Qing, you can also get motherwort powder. After you get it, I will wait for you in this garden, okay?"
The Siyaosi was under the jurisdiction of the Shangshi Bureau and was under the command of Concubine De.
Shen Qingqing nodded: "It is great that my servant can be of use to Her Majesty."
After saying this, she respectfully left Concubine Xian and immediately went to the Pharmacy Department.
On the way, Shen Qingqing's mind was working rapidly, matching the six bureaus with Concubine Xian and Concubine De, and combining it with what Concubine Xian said, everything became clear as if the clouds had been cleared to see the sun.
No wonder, no wonder.
The emperor divided the palace affairs into two parts and gave them to Concubine Xian and Concubine De, which meant that they were similar in the emperor's mind. If he wanted to choose a queen from the harem, the quality of the palace affairs would be the criterion for evaluation.
Since both Concubine Xian and Concubine De were raised in the same high-class family, there would be no big difference in who handled palace affairs better. But if one of them made frequent mistakes, it would naturally highlight how outstanding the other was.
No matter how you look at it, the responsibility for Du Baolin's lack of palace maids lies entirely with Concubine Xian. It's just the difference between not being strict with subordinates and being unmerciful. Does Concubine Xian admit that she is incompetent or does she have a bad heart and cannot tolerate concubines of lower rank?
And is it true that Du Baolin was the only person under Concubine Xian's command?
Is this really the first time that his subordinates have deceived their superiors?
Shen Qingqing got a headache just thinking about it, but since Concubine Xian said it was not too late, there must be a way to deal with it.
When she arrived at the Pharmacy, the people inside stopped what they were doing when they heard that she was from Siguozhai, found and weighed the motherwort powder that Shen Qingqing needed, and gave it to her. Then they registered it under the witness of Shen Qingqing to ensure that Siguozhai really took those pounds of motherwort powder.
The palace servants went in and out of the Siyaosi in a very organized manner, and they did not deliberately make things difficult for Siguozhai as Shen Qingqing had imagined.
She judged others by her own mean character and thought that the Pharmacy Department was just another Sibo Department.
Shen Qingqing walked fast and did not delay much on the way back to Yiqu Garden. When she saw Concubine Xian sitting in the pavilion, she first stepped forward to pay her respects, and then said with innocent admiration: "Your Majesty is really as good as a god."
The result was clear, and even though she had expected it, Concubine Xian's heart inevitably sank and she remained silent.
Xuancao pulled Shen Qingqing away, leaving the queen alone, and took out a jade pendant and stuffed it into Shen Qingqing's palm: "Shen Qing, you helped the queen with a big thing. Take this jade pendant. If you need help from the queen in the future, and Xuancao can help you, you can take the jade pendant to Jingren Palace to ask for an audience with the queen, or come to me."
This is a round green jade pendant with only a circle of patterns carved on the outermost part. There is no mark in the middle, and even the red rope used for tying it is very ordinary. Apart from the fact that the jade pendant itself is very valuable and the material is good enough, there is nothing special about it.
Shen Qingqing refused: "I have not accomplished anything great. It is the Majesty who sympathizes with us in Siguozhai and with my Baolin."
Xuancao touched Shen Qingqing's hair lovingly and said, "Keep it. Taking the things doesn't mean that the queen will order you to do things arbitrarily in the future, but that she really wants to protect you."
Xuancao expressed Concubine Xian's intention very clearly, and Shen Qingqing understood that Xuancao was not like Cuihuan, who bribed her to do things for them.
Furthermore, if it had not been for the investigation that Shen Qingqing's meeting with their Concubine Xian was really an accident, Xuancao would not have given the jade pendant to the little palace maid.
She was now particularly glad that she was curious about this bewildered little palace maid today and brought up this matter.
Not knowing that Concubine Xian had already investigated her in such a short time, Shen Qingqing happily accepted it: "Thank you, Sister Xuancao."
Shen Qingqing is young, with a pretty and lovely appearance. Her demeanor does not make people feel utilitarian at all, but rather pure, which is very rare in this palace.
Xuancao took advantage of her height and stroked Shen Qingqing's hair again. She watched Shen Qingqing leave before returning to Concubine Xian.
Although Concubine Xian was extremely worried, she still had the energy to comfort Xuancao.
On the other side, Shen Qingqing returned to the meditation hall and saw Peipei smiling at her shyly. She then completely understood that what happened today was arranged by Xiao Dingzi. Xiao Dingzi was only two or three years older than her, but he didn't even notify her in advance, leaving her completely unprepared.
But the most urgent task is to prepare the noodles that Du Baolin needs...
Shen Qingqing was so angry that when she was pounding the pearl powder, all the pearls were spurted out on top, causing the pearl powder to become extremely fine.
She patted her forehead and calmed down. She did not gain nothing today. Not only did she get in touch with Concubine Xian, but she also got her token. But at the same time, she seemed to have been used.
Everything can only be clarified after we go find Xiao Dingzi and ask him what he is trying to do.
After Shen Qingqing finished making the noodles, she went to find Du Baolin. Du Baolin had been staying in the house since he came back. When Shen Qingqing came in, she asked, "Why are you so slow?"
Shen Qingqing replied: "I was delayed on the way to get the motherwort powder."
After saying this, she felt a little regretful. She should have found a better excuse. If Du Baolin asked her what happened on the way, would she involve Concubine Xian? No matter whether Shen Qingqing and Concubine Xian were related or not, in Du Baolin's mind, if there was any connection, he would be suspicious.
If Xiao Dingzi was here, he might go back. There are too many people in the Pharmacy Department and he is slow.
Does this mean he is lying? He is telling the truth.
In this way, Du Baolin probably won't ask again.
Shen Qingqing suddenly understood why Xiao Dingzi liked to act this way, but it was no use to be upset now. The words had already been spoken and could not be taken back. Fortunately, Du Baolin did not delve into it and just said, "Come and apply it on me."
Shen Qingqing submitted herself and began to apply the facial mask to Du Baolin's face.
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