Flowery Hair: A Maidservant

Chapter 422 Performing a Ritual

Clouds pressed down on the eaves, and the rain fell heavily.

A night marked by thunder that shatters the sky is destined to be filled with turmoil.

When Tong Bo, wearing heavy official boots, rushed to Ganlu Hall in the rain, chaos erupted in Dieqiong Pavilion, which was not far from Ganlu Hall.

Princess Lingyi suddenly developed a high fever and convulsions. Chun Tao braved the rain to go to the Imperial Hospital to summon the imperial physician. Hua Jin and another palace maid, disregarding their umbrellas, stumbled into the rain.

In the Renming Hall, the Empress had just removed her phoenix hairpin when she received an urgent report. She immediately ordered people to light lanterns and prepare a carriage to rush to the Dieqiong Pavilion.

Hua Jin missed Fu Ning Palace and turned back to Ling Cui Palace.

The Emperor had only been at Cuiyu Hall for a short time, and before he could even say a few words of comfort to Meng Shu, Jingming braced himself and barged in to report.

Tong Bo led a group of eunuchs into the Ganlu Palace. The Empress's phoenix carriage stopped outside the Dieqiong Pavilion, and the Emperor had to leave Lingcui Palace in the rain.

Several sounds mingled together in the rainy night.

Meanwhile, the two concubines who were closely monitoring Princess Lingyi's condition also received the news one after another.

Upon hearing Ruixue's report, Qu Meiren barely hesitated. She grabbed a lotus-colored cloak and rushed into the rain. The hem of the cloak was quickly soaked by the rain, leaving a dark watermark on the bluestone slab.

Yi Xiuyuan was restless, pacing back and forth in the hall. After a short while, she hurried to the warm pavilion where Lingning lived. Seeing that her daughter was sleeping peacefully, her tense body finally relaxed a little.

After the night watchwomen were all dismissed, Yi Xiuyuan slumped onto the edge of the bed, her face as pale as paper.

"Your Majesty?" Seeing that her mistress's expression was not right, Yuehuan's throat tightened.

Yi Xiuyuan paused for a moment, her eyes swirling with struggle and shame. She bent down and gently picked up the sleeping Ling Ning, placing a trembling kiss on the child's forehead, her voice almost inaudible: "Take that thing out... for now."

The candlelight flickered, and Yuehuan saw tears rolling down her master's face.

She forced herself to remain calm and squatted down, her fingers trembling slightly as she reached under the bed—where an object wrapped in red cloth was hidden.

-

Ganlu Temple.

Inside the side hall, Yun Baolin had just lay down on the bed fully clothed when he suddenly heard a commotion coming from the outer room.

Guiqiu went to the window and said, "Baolin, it seems to be someone from the Yeting Palace. They should have gone to the main hall now."

"Master Tong?"

Yun Baolin suddenly sat up, the brocade quilt slipping down to her waist. "Sister Rong just had a miscarriage, what happened?"

She stood barefoot on the floor, looking towards the window with curiosity in her eyes.

Guiqiu quickly took out her outer garment and draped it over her shoulders, comforting her, "Something must have happened, but Baolin, don't panic, no one is coming this way."

Inside the main hall, Consort Rong heard numerous footsteps stop in front of the hall. A look of panic crossed her face, but she quickly regained her composure. She slowly raised her hand and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, her fingertips trembling slightly uncontrollably.

The rain outside the window intensified, sounding like a relentless drumbeat.

Ji Xiang cautiously pushed open the palace door, and a gust of wind swept in, carrying rain and mist.

The candlelight in the hall suddenly dimmed, then struggled to come back on, casting Rong Jieyu's shadow as she stood in front of her dressing table onto the wall.

Through the beaded curtain of the flower hall, Consort Rong said coldly, "I wonder what brings Lord Tong here in the middle of the night in this rain?"

Tong Bo bowed and said, "By imperial decree, we are to thoroughly investigate the case of Consort Rong's plot to harm the imperial heir. Your Highness is requested to proceed to the Yeting Bureau for questioning."

Upon hearing this, Jixiang turned around to look at her mistress in disbelief. Rong Jieyu's face was ashen, and she almost fell over by holding onto the dressing table.

-

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty. I think Princess Lingyi seems to be haunted by the thunder. The eldest princess has had a high fever for days, and the officials of the Imperial Hospital are all helpless... Perhaps we could invite the abbot of the Great Xiangguo Temple to perform a Buddhist ceremony at Dieqiong Pavilion?"

Consort Qu's voice rang out, carrying just the right amount of worry. This suggestion seemed perfectly natural after the imperial physicians' inconclusive diagnosis.

Upon hearing this, Qi Zhaorong burst into tears.

She lifted her skirt and knelt down before the Emperor with a thud. "Your Majesty," she said, "Sister Qu is right. Afu's illness has indeed come on strangely. We've tried all the prescriptions from the Imperial Hospital, but none of them have worked..."

Qi Zhaorong's kneeling figure was as thin as paper, her trembling fingers tightly gripping the hem of the emperor's robe, her knuckles turning white from the force, as if she were grasping at the last straw.

The Empress raised her phoenix eyes slightly, looking at Consort Qu with a hint of surprise. Just as she was about to speak, the Emperor granted her permission.

"Jingming," the Emperor ordered in a deep voice, "transmit my decree, ordering the abbot of Daxiangguo Temple to enter the palace tomorrow to perform a ritual to pray for Lingyi's well-being."

After saying this, he bent down and helped Qi Zhaorong up, gently comforting her: "My daughter is blessed with good fortune and will surely turn misfortune into good luck."

Physician He was filled with anxiety, fine beads of cold sweat forming on his forehead. He had tried several different prescriptions in recent days, but the princess's condition showed no improvement. Seeing the Emperor's gaze sweep over him, he hurriedly knelt down: "Your Majesty, your humble servant and the other imperial physicians have devised a new prescription these past two days. If the princess's fever subsides and her mind clears after taking it, it will be effective. However..."

Physician He's throat bobbed, his voice growing increasingly weak: "The effects of the medicine need to be observed for half a day. I hope Your Majesty will allow us to reconsider..."

The Empress said, "Now that the prescription has been prepared, why don't you quickly brew it and give it to the eldest princess?"

As if granted a pardon, Physician He hurriedly led the group of imperial physicians to bow and retreat.

The Empress looked around and suddenly frowned: "Why didn't Consort Chun come? She's currently managing the six palaces, and we'll have to rely on her to arrange tomorrow's ritual."

Chen Ling glanced at the Emperor's expression and asked in a low voice, "This servant will go to Huining Palace to summon Consort Chun?"

The Emperor waved his hand: "It's late and the rain is heavy. We can send the message tomorrow morning." With that, he took Qi Pin's arm and led her into the inner room. "Tonight, I will stay here with Afu. The Empress and Consort Qu, please return to your palaces to rest."

Consort Qu curtsied, the water stains on her skirt spreading across the blue brick floor. "Your Majesty, I will visit you again tomorrow. I must take my leave now."

Qi Zhaorong gave her a grateful look and instructed Chuntao, "Prepare an umbrella and escort Consort Qu back safely."

The imperial carriage slowly drove out of the Dieqiong Pavilion. The Empress looked at Consort Qu through the rain curtain and said, "Sister Qu, you came in a hurry. Your clothes are mostly wet."

Consort Qu's expression changed slightly, and as she knelt, the pearl hairpin in her hair trembled slightly: "Upon hearing that the princess was unwell, I was extremely anxious and could not think of anything else..."

The Empress smiled meaningfully, "It's kind of you, Sister Qu, to be so concerned. Go back and get some rest." With that, she lowered the sedan curtain, and the phoenix carriage gradually disappeared into the rain.

Qu Meiren stood there, letting the rain soak her embroidered shoes, a fleeting, unfathomable look in her eyes.

The next morning.

When Green Willow returned from outside, Meng Shu was still in a light sleep. She had tossed and turned all night and could only barely close her eyes when the sky was just beginning to lighten.

Hearing soft footsteps outside, Meng Shu slowly opened her eyes. As Lü Liu tiptoed in, she sat up and asked, "How is it? Has Princess Lingyi's condition stabilized?"

Green Willow hurriedly stepped forward to help her lean back, and whispered, "The princess has taken the new prescription prescribed by Physician He, and her high fever has subsided somewhat. However..." She paused, "This morning, Her Majesty the Empress mentioned that His Majesty has issued an edict ordering the monks of Daxiangguo Temple to enter the palace to perform a Buddhist ceremony, and this matter has been entrusted to Consort Chun to oversee. As for the matter of Consort Rong being taken to the Yeting Palace for trial, although no official edict has been issued, the consorts of the various palaces are well-informed and most of them have already heard the news."

Did Wan'er ask you to pass on a message?

Green Willow replied, "Consort Chun said that Consort Rong brought this upon herself. She has gone to Consort Qi's place and said she will come back tomorrow when she has time. I followed her to Dieqiong Pavilion and heard from Chun Tao that the idea of ​​performing the ritual was suggested by Consort Qu, and His Majesty approved it on the spot."

Meng Shu seemed to be deep in thought upon hearing this.

She guessed that Qu Meiren must have noticed something, but with such a grand display, even if there was something disgusting, it would probably have been cleaned up by now.

"To prevent the Empress from taking this opportunity to cause trouble, you should go and find Aunt Mei and have her lead people to thoroughly search the Ning Palace inside and out, leaving no stone unturned, not even between the bricks and tiles."

Green Willow understood and was about to turn around when Meng Shu called her back. Meng Shu whispered a few words in her ear before she left the palace.

......

Chunxi Hall.

When Consort Qu returned from paying her respects at Renming Palace, Ruixue asked cautiously, "Your Highness, Consort Rong just had a miscarriage, how could she still have the mind to harm Consort Jin?"

A cold, thin smile curled at the corner of Qu Meiren's lips. "In this palace, where people fight for favor and harm each other, what pretext is needed?"

“Even before Consort Jin was pregnant, she was already the most favored concubine in the palace. When the time comes, whether she gives birth to a prince or a princess, she will definitely be promoted to the rank of Consort. With the Emperor’s favor towards her, it is not impossible for her to become one of the Four Consorts.”

She tapped her fingertips lightly on the table: "Do you think that in this palace, only Consort Rong can't tolerate her?"

The Empress, Consort Qing, Consort Yi... even my incredibly stupid cousin, who doesn't hope day and night that she won't keep this pregnancy? Even Consort Qi, who's always been on good terms with Consort Chun and Consort Jin, might not be without her own wicked intentions...”

Qu Meiren gazed at the swaying shadows of the trees outside the curtain, her voice growing softer: "It's just that Consort Rong was careless in her actions, and lost her composure after the miscarriage, giving others leverage over her."