Shihua grabbed the hem of Yan Qingshu's skirt, tears streaming down her face.
"I'll tell, I'll tell everything," she sobbed.
Yan Qingshu expressionlessly pulled her skirt out of Shihua's grasp and smoothed the hem, her eyes downcast.
"Last night, you tried to sneak out of the palace. Seeing Zhuyao guarding outside the main hall, you turned back."
"Were you going to meet the Virtuous Concubine?"
She lifted her eyes to look at Shihua, her tone cool and calm.
"Your servant... Your servant was going to meet someone beside the Virtuous Concubine. Last night, His Majesty came to the Guanghan Palace..."
"What did the Virtuous Concubine promise you?" Yan Qingshu asked.
"The Virtuous Concubine said that as long as I reported your situation to her, she would send someone to treat my mother's illness and buy a big house for my family so that they could live a good life."
Shihua didn't dare to hide anything anymore and told the truth.
"The Virtuous Concubine is under house arrest now. She can't help you. There's only one way out for you now," Yan Qingshu said, pausing for a moment and staring intently at her.
"Join me."
"The Virtuous Concubine is under house arrest, while I am in favor with the Emperor. If you join me, I'll pretend I don't know about your theft today. I'll give you silver and prescriptions from the imperial physicians to treat your mother's illness."
Shihua hung her head, lost in thought.
Yan Qingshu wasn't in a hurry. Shihua was easy to handle. If she punished Shihua, the Virtuous Concubine might send another spy into her palace after being released from house arrest, which would be even more difficult to deal with.
It would be better to take this easy - to - control girl under her wing and blind the Virtuous Concubine's eyes.
"You should know what's more important," Yan Qingshu said.
"All of you palace maids should have a way to send messages out. The Virtuous Concubine promised to treat your mother's illness, but now she's trapped in the Fengzao Palace. How can she help you?"
Shihua bit her lip, hesitating, her eyes flickering.
Yan Qingshu wasn't impatient either. She picked up a book and started reading.
Any smart person would know what to choose. Her mother was on her last breath and desperately needed money. If the Virtuous Concubine hadn't been under house arrest, she wouldn't have been so desperate as to steal her jewelry and try to sell it outside the palace.
"Your servant is willing to serve you, my lady!"
Shihua knelt down respectfully and kowtowed, her tone firm.
"Zhuyao, give her some silver," Yan Qingshu said with a faint smile, giving Zhuyao a look.
"Here are fifty taels of silver. Go and save your mother. If you're loyal, I'll have the imperial physicians prescribe good medicines for your mother.
"I'll pretend I don't know about your theft today. If you dare to betray me, I won't show any mercy.
"Do you understand?"
Yan Qingshu smiled slightly, but there was a coldness hidden in her ethereal smile.
Shihua nodded desperately, and only then did Yan Qingshu let her retreat.
As soon as Shihua left the Guanghan Palace, she rushed towards the imperial kitchen in a hurry. Some young eunuchs who did the shopping for the imperial kitchen could help take things out of the palace.
"Send Xiaoluzi to follow her," Yan Qingshu said.
"Keep a close eye on her these days. If she does anything else, have Xiaoluzi secretly get rid of her."
Yan Qingshu picked up the book again and started flipping through it. Her eyes were on the words, but her focus gradually drifted.
Come to think of it, Shihua was just as unfortunate as herself.
Both of them were struggling in this deep palace for their loved ones.
She had used the same means as the Virtuous Concubine.
Yan Qingshu lowered her eyes. She had no choice. The palace was a dangerous place. If she wanted to survive, she had to use some means.
Zhuyao walked out of the hall and saw Shihua, with the money she had saved over the days and the fifty taels of silver, rushing out in a hurry.
She walked up to Xiaoluzi and whispered, "Follow her secretly.
"Whenever she goes out these days, follow her secretly. If she goes to the Fengzao Palace, come and report to our lady immediately."
Xiaoluzi nodded and quietly followed Shihua.
Shihua tightly clutched the money bag in her bosom, her face streaked with tears.
For them, palace maids, life and death were all a matter of fate. They were just trying to earn some money to send back home to make their families' lives better.
Now that the Virtuous Concubine was under house arrest, their lady was really the only option left for her.
Moreover, His Majesty had come to the Guanghan Palace late at night last night, and countless treasures had been sent in. With such favor from the Emperor, following their lady meant a promising future.
Shihua wiped away her tears. She would be loyal to whoever could save her mother.
She quickened her pace and headed towards the imperial kitchen.
Xiaoluzi followed her secretly. He saw her grab a young eunuch who did the shopping for the imperial kitchen, stuff a silver ingot into his hand, and give him a package.
Only then did she wipe her tears and return to the Guanghan Palace along the same path.
Xiaoluzi was relieved and followed her back to the palace.
---
In the Guanghan Palace.
After lunch, the sun was getting hotter and hotter. Everyone in the palace was taking shelter from the heat.
Yan Qingshu opened the mall panel and exchanged for three Xiongfeng Pills, one Xieyu Pill, and one Meixiang Pill.
She still had fifty concubine - favor points left, which was enough to exchange for one more pill.
Now her body had almost recovered thanks to the Healing Pill. She would accompany the Emperor more often in the coming days to earn more concubine - favor points and exchange for other pills.
In ten days, when they went to the Summer Resort, she would take the Longfeng Pill and conceive...
Yan Qingshu's eyes darkened. After conceiving, the real battle would begin.
No concubine in the palace had a child yet. If she conceived, all the concubines' attention would be focused on her.
There was also the Virtuous Concubine and the Zhenyuan Marquis Mansion, who had always been coveting the child she would give birth to...
Thinking of this, Yan Qingshu couldn't help but clench the hem of her skirt. No matter who it was, no one would be able to control her life.
As her thoughts deepened, Zhuyao came in.
"My lady, Xiaoluzi is back. Shihua didn't do anything suspicious. She went straight to the imperial kitchen and asked a young eunuch who did the shopping. She didn't go anywhere else in between," Zhuyao reported.
Yan Qingshu lifted her eyelids slightly and said, "Keep a close eye on her these days."
"Yes," Zhuyao nodded.
The weather was getting hotter. Early this morning, when Yan Qingshu went to pay her respects, the people from the Imperial Household Department had delivered ice cubes.
The hall was cool now. Zhuyao fanned her with a round fan, and Yan Qingshu was reading a book contentedly.
The bead curtain was lifted, and the jade beads clinked, making a clear and pleasant sound.
"My lady, Lord Li, the eunuch beside His Majesty, is here," Xiaoluzi came in to report.
Yan Qingshu put down the book and said with a smile, "Quickly invite him in."
"Greetings to my lady. I'm here to pay my respects," Li Dahai came in with two young eunuchs.
"Lord Li, please get up quickly. It's so hot outside. Why did you come at this time?"
"His Majesty sent me to give you the new summer clothes made by the Bureau of Apparel. They are all the latest styles in the capital, made of the best gossamer silk and glistening brocade."
With that, Li Dahai asked his men to present the clothes, along with a complete set of headdresses.
"My lady, these headdresses are the latest styles from the Jinbao Pavilion in the capital. His Majesty had his subordinates order them early on," Li Dahai explained.
Yan Qingshu's eyes fell on the clothes and headdresses.
The headdresses were fine, but she knew, even though she wasn't well - read, that the gossamer silk and glistening brocade were extremely rare.
"My lady, this gossamer silk is light and soft, and it has a faint fragrance that can repel mosquitoes in summer," Li Dahai introduced.
"This glistening brocade is a tribute from the Western Regions. Only three bolts are produced every five years. It shines brightly in the sun, looking like rippling waves. It's truly a rare treasure."