Qingzhu felt a twinge of heartache as she listened.
The Empress had been groomed to be the mother of the nation since birth. Qingzhu had been by her side from childhood, watching her abide by all sorts of rules, never daring to deviate, and being restricted by the strictures of the deep palace. She rarely smiled.
Everyone told her that since she was to be the Empress, she had to know the rules, be aware of her place, and never do anything unbefitting of a future Empress.
She had to be generous and not petty.
But how could the Empress be in a good mood when she had to watch her husband getting intimate with other women?
Qingzhu had seen the Empress sighing with the hairpin the Emperor had put in her hair on their wedding day more than once.
"Your Highness, this servant knows her mistake," Qingzhu said, hanging her head.
"You've grown up with this palace. This palace knows you're indignant on this palace's behalf. But since this palace has taken this position, this palace must do what's expected," the Empress said with a faint smile, hiding a touch of bitterness.
Wasn't Qingzhu's words exactly what she had in mind?
"However..." The Empress paused for a moment.
"This palace underestimated this Yan Qingshu. In just a few days, the Noble Consort Xian has been confined, while she has risen to favor."
Her people reported that the Emperor had ordered the Clothing Bureau to use the finest materials to make seven or eight sets of summer clothes and specifically named them to be sent to the Guanghan Palace.
She must have some skills.
"Qingzhu, this palace remembers that before Lady Yan entered the palace, our people checked into Yan Qingshu's background, right?"
"Your Highness, although Lady Yan is the younger sister of the Noble Consort Xian, she was not valued in her family. She was a concubine's daughter, but lived a life worse than that of a servant girl," Qingzhu said with a sigh. It was really despicable that the prestigious Zhenyuan Marquis Mansion would treat a concubine's daughter so badly.
"Do you not know about the mother of the Noble Consort Xian? When her mother was still unmarried, she caused quite a stir in the city because of a marriage. She can't be a good person. It's already kind of that woman that Lady Yan wasn't abused to death," the Empress said, curling her lips. Back then, the mother of the Noble Consort Xian had become well - known in the capital because of a marriage and had gained a reputation as a jealous woman.
Her own mother had almost been schemed against by that woman. Such a calculating and sinister person couldn't be a good person.
"Your Highness, this servant thinks that if we can win over Lady Yan, we can cut off an arm of the Noble Consort Xian and might even obtain some leverage over the Zhenyuan Marquis Mansion for our lord," Qingzhu said.
"Prepare some gifts. This palace will talk to her when she comes to pay respects tomorrow," the Empress said after a moment of thought.
Qingzhu nodded.
—
When Yan Qingshu returned to the Guanghan Palace, Shihua stepped forward on her own initiative and silently began to serve her.
Yan Qingshu sighed inwardly. She sent the idle books and Xiao Qingzi out to sweep the courtyard.
Zhuyao took out the embroidered pouch that Shihua's mother had given her yesterday from her sleeve and placed it in Shihua's hand.
Shihua's eyes were red. She tightly clutched the pouch, which was extremely precious to her. She recognized it as her mother's embroidery.
She knelt on the ground with a thud, her body and head bowed low. Her back trembled with sobs.
"Shihua, I sent Zhuyao to invite a doctor from the Longjing Pavilion to the north street of the capital. Your mother's life has been temporarily saved, but she needs silver to buy medicine to sustain her life," Yan Qingshu said as she took a sip of the tea that Shihua had brewed.
"Zhuyao has already paid for half a month's worth of medicine. As for the rest, it depends on your own choice."
"Your Ladyship, it was you who saved my mother. This servant will always remember your kindness. If this servant ever betrays you, may this servant die a horrible death," Shihua said, kowtowing solemnly with a determined look in her eyes.
"Your Ladyship, this servant wants to ask. When Sister Zhuyao saw my mother, was there any sign of improvement?" Shihua asked, looking at Zhuyao.
Zhuyao silently shook her head.
Before leaving the palace yesterday, Shihua had told her that before the Noble Consort Xian was confined, the consort had sent someone to find her and said that she had already sent someone out of the palace to treat her mother.
So she was only supposed to invite a doctor to feel her mother's pulse to make sure her life was saved.
But when she got there yesterday, it wasn't like that at all.
The two children in the family were so hungry that their eyes were glazed over. The sickly woman was bedridden, her face as yellow as wax.
This was not the appearance of someone who had been saved. It seemed that the Noble Consort Xian had not done what she promised Shihua.
The woman was on her last breath, and the two children were too weak from hunger.
Zhuyao quickly asked the doctor to administer acupuncture, and only then did the woman's life be saved.
She also bought some food and clothes for the children. Seeing them gobbling up the food, Shihua felt heart - ache.
They must have been hungry for a long time.
Not long after they finished eating, the silver that Shihua had sent out from the palace also arrived.
Zhuyao asked the doctor to prescribe medicine for half a month and bought some rice, oil, and noodles before leaving.
Seeing Zhuyao shake her head, Shihua knew that the Noble Consort Xian had not sent anyone to treat her mother as she had promised.
"Your Ladyship, don't worry. This servant knows what to do," Shihua said, hanging her head.
She had entered the palace only to survive and earn a stipend to send home so that her mother, younger brother, and younger sister could have enough to eat.
But she never thought that no matter how carefully she behaved, she would still be targeted and forced to do things against her will by threats to her family.
If it weren't for her ladyship and Zhuyao, her mother, younger brother, and younger sister might have lost their lives...
"Your mother's condition requires a new prescription every half a month. I can help you, but you have to guarantee your loyalty," Yan Qingshu said.
"Your Ladyship, don't worry. This servant knows what to do."
"By the way, Your Ladyship, the Noble Consort Xian sent someone to tell this servant to go to the Yangxing Studio next to the Fengzao Palace tonight," Shihua reported.
"Tell her whatever she wants to know," Yan Qingshu said, slightly curving her lips as she flipped through a book.
"Yes, this servant will report everything in detail."
Shihua replied.
Yan Qingshu slightly raised her eyes and unconsciously placed her hand on her lower abdomen.
In nine days, it would be time to go to the Summer Resort. In these nine days, she had to accumulate more favor points as a favored concubine and exchange them for some anti - miscarriage pills.
After all, no concubine in the harem was currently pregnant. If she became pregnant, she would surely be targeted by all the concubines in the harem.
—
As lunchtime approached, Yan Qingshu was in a good mood today and ordered some of her favorite dishes.
After lunch, Yan Qingshu lazily leaned on the kang and felt drowsy.
Ice blocks in the palace sent out a cool breeze.
Yan Qingshu propped her head up with her hand and fell asleep. The book in her hand fell to the ground.
In a daze, Zhuyao lifted the beaded curtain and walked in.
"Your Ladyship, Eunuch Li is here," Zhuyao said softly.
Yan Qingshu slightly opened her eyes, looking sleepy.
"Quickly invite him in."
After saying that, she sat up straight.
Li Dahai looked extremely worried. When he saw her, he rushed forward as if seeing a life - saving straw.
"This servant pays respects to Lady Yan."
Seeing his bad complexion, Yan Qingshu asked curiously, "What's wrong, Chief Eunuch Li?"
"Your Ladyship, the Emperor just met with several ministers and is now throwing a huge tantrum in the Imperial Study. Please go and take a look quickly," Li Dahai said anxiously. Before lunch, Minister Zhu had entered the Imperial Study. In less than half a cup of tea time, the Emperor's anger was out of control.
He was so angry that he didn't even have lunch.
Now the Imperial Study was as cold as an ice cellar. After much thought, he figured that only Lady Yan could be of help.
Yan Qingshu asked someone to prepare some fire - clearing flower tea and then followed Li Dahai to the Imperial Study.