Flowery Hair: A Maidservant

Chapter 501 The Death of Consort Qing (1)

Upon hearing this, Meng Shu subconsciously raised her eyes, her gaze passing through the gaps between the palace servants in front of her and landing on the back of the emperor walking at the front.

The hem of that bright yellow casual robe swayed gently with each step. Although there was not much distance between them, there was an unspeakable estrangement between him and the other concubines, as if he were hiding a heavy heart that no one could understand.

Perhaps it was because her gaze was too focused, or perhaps it was the tacit understanding that had developed over the years, but the emperor, who was walking in front, seemed to sense something and slowly turned around at that moment.

His gaze fell directly on her, his eyes revealing little emotion.

Then he stopped completely.

The palace attendants and eunuchs following behind, carrying the imperial carriage and holding ceremonial fans, all stopped in their tracks.

The concubines also stopped and stared, their eyes unconsciously shifting between the Emperor and Meng Shu, a subtle inquiry hidden in their eyes: everyone could see that the Emperor's actions today were unusual, and the suspension of court for a day was definitely not because of Consort Qu and her son.

Startled by the sudden gaze, Meng Shu paused for a moment, pondering how to react, when a clear, melodious voice rang out: "Consort Jin, come with me for a stroll in the Imperial Garden."

With Jingming not present, the Emperor dismissed his entourage and did not allow anyone from the imperial court to follow.

Only Green Willow lagged a few steps behind, trailing far behind the two.

The two walked side by side along the palace path toward the Imperial Garden. The bluestone slabs under their feet were warmed by the sunlight, and the surroundings were so quiet that they could hear each other's footsteps.

After walking for about half an hour, passing the flowerbeds full of peonies, and arriving at the weeping willows by the water, the Emperor suddenly stopped and slowly spoke, breaking the silence.

"Shu'er, I... was more than ten years late in realizing this."

The Emperor's voice was soft, carried on the wind, carrying a hint of undisguised sigh, as if he had finally shed some of the weight of imperial authority, revealing a touch of melancholy hidden beneath his majesty.

Meng Shu stood quietly in place, listening attentively.

But his gaze was fixed on the shimmering blue waves of the lake in front of him.

A bright red koi leaped out of the water, its tail fin splashing up tiny droplets, and struggled to grab a pinkish-white petal before plunging back into the water with a "plop," leaving only ripples that gradually faded away, as if nothing had happened.

It's much more interesting than what the emperor says.

She listened for a long time without responding, assuming that the Emperor didn't need her to say anything at this point.

He just needed a quiet, unassuming person to gently accept the regret he had kept hidden for over a decade, a regret he himself might not even dare to think about in detail.

When it comes to "regret," no one in the palace has experienced it more deeply or more profoundly than she has.

It wasn't a melancholy that could be easily shared with others, nor a sorrow that could be hoped to be shared with others; rather, it was a dull ache that had been lingering in the heart year after year, long since rusted into the very marrow of one's bones.

Moreover, the Emperor's youthful feelings were far less interesting to her than the scattered gossip about Consort Mu and Young Master Xu that Ruizhu privately spread.

However, in the end, he saw the emperor staring blankly into the distance.

Meng Shu quietly moved to the willow tree, broke off a willow branch, and turned to present it to the Emperor.

She slowly concluded this silent retreat: "The words spoken beneath the flowers in bygone years have gradually turned to dust on the roadside. Though it is regrettable that our fate was too shallow to grow old together, I am grateful for the brief moment of spring we shared."

......

Zhaoqing Hall.

As the lamps were lit, Granny Yu sat alone in her small side room.

The Emperor's words, spoken in a deep voice, during our visit to the Funing Palace these past two days, kept echoing in my mind. They concerned both the eldest daughter's background and the truth behind her "death from illness" years ago.

Every word struck her heart like a heavy hammer, chilling her to the bone while simultaneously giving rise to a sense of absurdity: "Just as I thought."

Years ago, at the Duke's mansion, on a gloomy evening, she caught a glimpse of a woman standing under the willow tree by the back gate, whose features bore a striking resemblance to the young young lady. At that moment, she became suspicious, but could only secretly discover that the woman came from Jiangning. She even followed her to Anrenfang from afar... but when she returned, the place was deserted.

Looking back now, what chills her most is the day the young lady had her accident. She usually stayed in the young lady's courtyard, but that day the steward sent her far away to the kitchen under the pretext that "guests have come to the mansion and help is needed." At the time, she thought it was just a routine errand, until she heard the news of the young lady's sudden illness in the evening. She rushed back in a panic, but by then, it was all too late.

However, the diagnosis of the prefectural physician was consistent with that of the imperial physician, so she never doubted it.

"Foolish! How foolish!"

Granny Yu suddenly raised her hand, her five withered fingers, filled with long-held regret, and slapped herself hard across the face. Her relaxed cheeks instantly turned red, and even the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes tightened. Hot tears welled up, but only swirled in her eyes, not a single drop falling.

She then took a deep breath, slowly raised her eyes to look at the small white porcelain bottle on the table, and a silent smile suddenly appeared on her lips. "Second Miss, today I begged the Emperor for a favor. The same poison, used in your own way, will be returned to you. You should enjoy this taste."

As soon as she finished speaking, Granny Yu stood up, steadily supporting the tray with both hands, pushed open the door, and walked slowly but firmly toward the main hall.

"Granny!" Liuli, who was guarding outside the hall, saw her coming and hurriedly stepped forward, saying anxiously, "Her Majesty was just looking for you. Did you go to Funing Palace this afternoon? Did you plead with the Emperor on Her Majesty's behalf and ask him to come and see Her Majesty?"

As she spoke, her gaze fell on the tray, immediately catching sight of the white porcelain bottle. She then ignored the stack of books beside it and exclaimed joyfully, "This is... medicine that His Majesty specially sought for Her Majesty? Yesterday, Her Majesty's old ailment of palpitations worsened again, and Physician He was saying he was looking for a suitable remedy. I didn't expect His Majesty to be so concerned..."

Granny Yu's voice was completely flat: "All of you, step back. The Emperor has decreed that I should present the items to Her Highness alone."

Consort Qing, who was inside the palace, had already heard the commotion outside. Upon hearing this, a joyful expression instantly bloomed on her face. She raised her hand to touch the pearl flower at her temple, her tone filled with barely suppressed excitement: "I knew it, His Majesty remembers me... otherwise, why would he have specially sent the nanny to deliver this?"

As she spoke, she turned to the door and called out to Liuli and the others, "You all step back and let the old woman come in quickly."

Granny Yu stepped into the flower hall, and the palace door behind her was gently closed by the palace servants. After a soft "creak", the hall fell silent instantly, leaving only Consort Qing's expectant gaze and Granny Yu's figure, which looked as if it were soaked in water.

"Second Miss,"

Granny Yu's voice was hoarse, as if it had been sanded, with an almost manic calm.

"This servant has come to deliver your medicine on His Majesty's orders."