PDLP Chapter 398 Pretending to be deaf and dumb
Chapter 398 Pretending to be deaf and dumb
Jingming bowed and stepped into the warm pavilion. Green Willow noticed that a young eunuch carrying a plum vase was following behind him and said, "What beautiful flowering branches! Did you just visit the plum grove near Zhaoqing Palace, Your Excellency?"
"Uh..."
Green Willow's casual question left Jingming somewhat at a loss for words.
Fortunately, Meng Shu had already spoken up: "These plum branches are excellent choices, with their gnarled branches and sparse shadows, perfect for displaying on a desk for appreciation."
Jingming felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He quickly took the plum vase and carefully placed it on the low sandalwood table in the soft couch. He then took the brocade box from the attendant and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, His Majesty has bestowed plum blossoms upon us and specifically instructed me to personally deliver this plum blossom hairpin to you."
Green Willow bowed and accepted the box, then opened it and handed it to Meng Shu.
Inside the box lay a five-petaled plum blossom-shaped red gold hairpin, but instead of pearls, the petals were inlaid with five polished rubies.
Meng Shu glanced at it only once and said indifferently, "Your Majesty, I thank you for your reward."
Jingming glanced at her and saw that Consort Jin had nothing more to say. He secretly groaned in his heart—how could he possibly reply to such a perfunctory expression of gratitude?
Thinking this, Jingming's forehead broke out in a cold sweat, and he could only add, "Your Majesty, please understand, this hairpin was personally taken from the Emperor's private treasury..."
Meng Shu lightly stroked the ruby on the hairpin with her fingertips, and the corners of her lips curved into a just-right smile: "Just tell the truth, and you'll be guaranteed to get it right."
Jingming was stunned for a moment, feeling that he had missed something in the Zhaoqing Hall earlier that morning, which was why he was now completely unaware of anything.
Green Willow was about to close the brocade box and send Jingming out.
Meng Shu instructed, "Green Willow, go to the small kitchen and ask Winter Melon for a jar of chili sauce. Have Jing Neiguan take it back."
She looked at Jingming and said, "This chili sauce was made by Donggua in her spare time. It is the best accompaniment to meals in winter to warm the body. Please have the eunuch deliver it to His Majesty as a small token of my appreciation."
Jingming quickly bowed and agreed. On his way to the small kitchen, he couldn't help but whisper to Lvliu, "Miss Lvliu, does Her Majesty not like that hairpin?"
Green Willow smiled and said, "You flatter me, Eunuch Jing. Just now, I could tell that Her Majesty clearly liked it very much."
"Uh..."
Jingming was increasingly puzzled, and even when he left Lingcui Palace with a jar of bright red chili sauce, he still felt that Consort Jin was... implying something.
As soon as Green Willow stepped into the warm pavilion, she heard Meng Shu say softly, "Put it away."
She carried the brocade box into the inner room and placed the ruby plum blossom hairpin and the pearl hairpin sent by Consort Qing side by side into the gilded dressing case. The two hairpins were similar in shape, one as bright as blood and the other as soft and warm as pink.
Meng Shu's voice came from outside, sounding colder than usual: "Go tell Donggua to take out the venison we collected the other day, and prepare a lavish dinner..."
At this moment, in the Funing Palace.
The emperor stared blankly at the small celadon jar before him, its mouth sealed with red silk, from which a faint spicy aroma wafted.
Jingming continued rambling, "...Your Majesty, the Empress said this is something Miss Donggua made recently, and you can't find it anywhere else. She also said it's the best accompaniment to a meal in winter to warm the body. On my way back, the smell alone made my back sweat..."
"Noisy!"
Jingming was still rambling on when the Emperor suddenly kicked him in the back of the knee, causing him to stumble and almost fall to his knees.
The moment the red silk was unveiled, a hot and spicy aroma wafted out.
The Emperor gazed at the fiery red sauce in the jar, his eyes flickering slightly.
......
Meanwhile, Aunt Mei carefully kept Xiu Yun's reply to her, and returned to Huining Palace with a solemn expression. After a short delay, she and Mingyue rushed to Lingcui Palace.
As dusk settled, groups of palace servants were sweeping snow along the palace road, and they all bowed to Aunt Mei when they saw her.
As they passed by Ganlu Hall, they happened to meet Dujuan, who was carrying a food box, coming out from beside Yun Baolin.
Upon seeing Aunt Mei, Du Juan hurriedly curtsied, "Aunt, why are you in such a hurry? The snowy road is slippery, please watch your step." Looking in the direction Aunt Mei was heading, knowing she was going to Lingcui Palace, she quickly added, "I heard Aunt went back to the Marquis's residence early this morning?"
Aunt Mei had no interest in dealing with a maid. She nodded indifferently and prepared to leave, but then Dujuan asked urgently, "Auntie, you just returned from the Marquis's residence. I wonder if Auntie gave my master any message?"
"How dare you!" Aunt Mei suddenly stopped.
"How dare a mere maidservant address the Lady of the Marquis as aunt? It seems that Lady Yun Baolin has been too indulgent towards you."
Du Juan realized she had misspoke and quickly apologized, "This servant knows her mistake! It's just that my mistress saw the Lady of the Marquis at the princess's full moon banquet last time but couldn't speak with her, and she's been secretly shedding tears these days... Besides... besides, Baolin is the Lady of the Marquis's own niece, so she's bound to be closer to her than to others, isn't she?"
"What a wicked servant!" Aunt Mei sneered. "Not only has he overstepped his bounds and committed insubordination, but he also dares to gossip about his master behind his back?"
Turning to Mingyue, he said sternly, "Go and report to Her Majesty that such an unruly servant should be dismissed as soon as possible to avoid causing trouble and implicating Consort Yun."
Mingyue understood and glanced at Dujuan sideways: "Don't worry, Aunt, this servant will go back to Huining Palace to report to Her Majesty right away."
Upon hearing this, Du Juan turned pale and, as if in a panic, knelt in the snow, sobbing, "I was brought by my mistress from her maiden home and have served her since childhood. What right do you have to..."
Aunt Mei kicked her to the ground with a force that was both fierce and precise.
Du Juan was thrown backward by the force of the impact, and the food box in her hand crashed onto the bluestone slab with a loud bang. The cloud-shaped cakes inside scattered all over the ground, and the snow-white cakes, covered with mud and snow, instantly turned into a mess.
"You sharp-tongued, vile servant! Tie her up and send her to Huining Palace for Her Majesty to decide her fate!"
Mingyue couldn't hold back any longer and stepped forward to grab Dujuan's arm. "The Empress had previously instructed Consort Yun to properly discipline the servants. Consort Yun is a good-natured person and wouldn't let you, this wicked servant, lead them astray."
This commotion was quite significant, but the doors of Ganlu Palace remained tightly shut, and no one came out to inquire. Aunt Mei glanced at the palace door and gave a cold laugh.
This Yun Baolin has no skills, but he's a master at pretending to be deaf and dumb.
As the bright moon escorted the cuckoo into the distance, Aunt Mei looked up at the darkening sky and quickened her pace toward Lingcui Palace.
Ruixue, who was inside the Rongmei Palace, listened to the whole story from the doorway. Once there was no more noise outside, she hurriedly reported back to her mistress.
“Yun Baolin came from a humble family; he was neither respectable nor had any vision or knowledge.”
Consort Rong stroked her nail guards and sneered, "With Consort Chun's connection, she could have just relied on her and pretended to be weak to gain some benefits, but she insists on comparing herself to Consort Jin. Doesn't she even consider that in Consort Chun's heart, what makes her even a fraction of Consort Jin?"
Ruixue pursed her lips and replied, "This servant thinks this one is spineless. Aunt Mei and that little maid named Mingyue are both bullying her right at the door, but she's hiding in her room like a quail..."
"So what if she shows herself? Aunt Mei is a trusted nanny of Consort Chun. If she were to argue for a mere servant, she would only be humiliating herself."
Inside the side hall of Ganlu Hall, Yun Baolin wept bitterly, her face streaked with tears.
Guiqiu brought in a basin of warm water, wrung out a handkerchief, and gently reminded her, "Baolin, please stop crying. At this critical moment, you should hurry up and apologize to Consort Chun. If you ask me, Dujuan is also confused and lacks tact. Every time Lady Hou sends things to the palace during festivals, she never misses a gift for you, Baolin. How can a mere servant like her have the right to say those things?"
......
Because of the delay, Aunt Mei arrived at Lingcui Palace quite late.
She saw a royal carriage parked at the palace gate from afar and thought to herself that it was bad luck, but luckily Green Willow was standing at the palace gate, as if she were waiting for her.
"Auntie, you've finally arrived! Her Majesty asked about it twice already."
As Green Willow spoke, she handed a hand warmer to Aunt Mei.
Aunt Mei was feeling hot all over, but she still took the hand warmer and put it in her sleeve, feeling a warmth that went from her palms straight to her heart.
She took out a letter sealed with wax from her purse: "Madam Zhou has sent a letter. The words in the letter are quite suspicious. Madam has already sent people to investigate. The Emperor is here now, so it is inconvenient for me to go in. Please find a safe time to present it to Her Majesty."
"Don't worry, Aunt." Green Willow agreed, tucked the letter into her sleeve, and turned to call Red Jade, "The roads are slippery in the snow, so take the lantern and carefully escort Aunt Mei back."