Flowery Hair: A Maidservant

Chapter 495 I will never set foot in the palace again in this lifetime.

Lingcui Palace.

Inside the Cuiyu Hall, there was a sense of leisure that was completely different from the outside.

The windows were open, and the spring breeze carried a faint fragrance of flowers in. The palace servants carried tea trays and arranged books, their steps slow and their expressions calm as they went about their tasks, without the slightest sign of being disturbed by the rumors.

Before the soft couch by the window, a black and white chessboard sat on a small pear wood table. Meng Shu saw Consort Chun enter through the window, and rose to greet her at the door: "Wan'er, don't panic."

As soon as Consort Chun stepped into the palace, she saw this leisurely scene and gave Meng Shu a reproachful look: "You are so calm! The rumors outside are almost blowing the roof off Lingcui Palace, and you still have time to set up a chessboard and wait for me. You are not in a hurry at all?"

She sat down on the soft couch, took the teacup handed to her by Green Willow, her brows still tightly furrowed, showing no interest in playing chess whatsoever.

Meng Shu sat down opposite her and slowly explained, "I'm not pretending to be calm. Think about it carefully, this matter is not entirely directed at me. 'The bewitching concubine disrupts the palace' is just a pretext. The key is the words 'offending the Ziwei Palace.'"

She looked up at Consort Chun, a sharp glint in her eyes: "I suppose the Empress and the Marquis of Zhenbei's mansion are going to make a fuss here, using the drought and celestial phenomena as a warning, to make the court officials think that 'the Empress's absence has led to chaos in the harem and triggered divine punishment,' so as to 'force' the Emperor to lift the Empress's confinement and let her take control of the harem again."

"Even so, it has indeed put you in the eye of the storm. What if the Emperor listens to even a little bit of what I say?"

Meng Shu placed a box of white stones in front of Consort Chun, saying, "Wouldn't it be better if this celestial phenomenon were confirmed?"

......

Renming Hall.

The empress was nominally "confined," but she was not stripped of her imperial seal. Apart from not being able to leave her bedchamber at will, it was practically the same as being confined to her quarters.

At first, she wasn't too panicked—after all, she was the Empress, and even if she lost the Emperor's favor, her father and brothers would still support her, and the court officials would speak up for her. She figured the Emperor was just angry for a moment, and once the storm passed, she would find an opportunity to win him back.

However, after Empress Dowager Zhou passed away, this confidence gradually dissipated.

During the days of mourning, the entire palace was draped in white mourning clothes. Even concubines of lower rank were allowed to pay their respects at the Shou Kang Palace. Only she, the Empress Dowager, submitted three memorials requesting an audience, all of which were rejected by the Emperor. She was even denied a final farewell to the Empress Dowager. That day, standing in the hall, listening to the distant funeral bells, a bone-chilling panic truly gripped her heart. The Emperor was not even granting her the dignity of being the "Empress," as if she had never existed in the harem.

Light, hurried footsteps sounded outside the palace. Through the palace door, Zhixue, unable to hide her anxiety, quickly reported, "Your Highness, something has just happened in the palace. The Marquis's backup plan hasn't even been implemented yet, and the tide has already turned drastically..."

Inside the door, the Empress suddenly stood up: "Speak in detail."

"Yes," Zhixue replied, recounting the rumors circulating outside. "Previously, as instructed by the Marquis and the Empress, we spread the rumor that Consort Jin was a 'femme fatale causing chaos in the palace,' which was meant to be a prelude. But in the blink of an eye, for some reason, the winds have suddenly shifted. Now, everyone in the palace is saying that Consort Qu of Chunxi Palace is the 'source of the calamity,' claiming that the birthmark on the Third Prince's face is becoming increasingly red, all because of divine punishment caused by her and her son. They're saying it with great conviction, and even... the wet nurse who serves the Third Prince... just went mad..."

The Empress listened quietly for a long time, her expression shifting between light and shadow. Finally, she instructed, "Although it has somewhat disrupted the original plan, it may not be impossible. Send word that Father should continue to proceed according to the original plan."

Zhixue replied, "Yes, I reckon an imperial censor will make a suggestion tomorrow. Your Majesty, please be patient for a while."

The rumors circulating in the palace about Meng Shu were based on only two reasons:

Firstly, it is said that during the Empress Dowager's mourning period, according to ancestral rules, the emperor should not enter the inner palace within 100 days. However, the emperor repeatedly visited Lingcui Palace, all because Consort Jin was so beautiful that she did not advise the emperor to observe the mourning period.

Secondly, it is said that even if the Empress is temporarily confined to Renming Palace, there is still Consort Chun above her, so it is not Consort Jin's place to assist in managing the six palaces. This is "overstepping the bounds" and breaking the rules of the harem.

But these excuses are not only insignificant, they also cannot withstand close scrutiny.

First, regarding the funeral arrangements, the Emperor did not stay overnight at Lingcui Palace, nor did he summon Meng Shu to his bedchamber. He mostly visited the First Prince, so strictly speaking, it wasn't a case of 'indulging in beauty.' Secondly, regarding assisting in the management of the six palaces, Consort Chun was in poor health, and Meng Shu was personally appointed by the Emperor to assist her, carrying the Emperor's decree. How could this be considered 'overstepping the bounds'?"

The Empress had these things spread as leverage, not to suppress Meng Shu through rumors, but primarily to influence the court.

The Imperial Astronomical Bureau, along with the censors and officials courted by the Marquis of Zhenbei's household, will soon submit a joint memorial. Director Qin will then dispel the rumors surrounding Consort Jin, which will surely ease the Emperor's mind. He can then directly remonstrate, addressing the Empress as the Mother of the Nation. At this time of celestial warning, harmony between the Emperor and Empress, and stability in the harem, are essential to align with Heaven's will and fulfill Heaven's destiny...

This is almost identical to Meng Shu's prediction.

But now the tide has turned. If it's confirmed that Consort Qu is the 'source of the calamity,' then things will get a little complicated. After all, the birthmark on the Third Prince's face does indeed evoke images of 'misfortune,' and its connection to celestial phenomena becomes even stronger. At that point, no matter how the Imperial Observatory tries to justify its actions, their arguments will become somewhat untenable...

Next, let's talk about the Chunxi Palace.

Qu Chong'ai's face turned pale, and she felt like she was sitting on pins and needles.

One thing after another went missing from her palace, and the Imperial Household Department sent people to investigate, quickly identifying the wet nurse who was responsible.

When the wet nurse was brought before the palace, she initially denied everything, but for some reason, when she was dragged to the interrogation, she suddenly broke free from the eunuchs as if she had gone mad, knelt on the ground and shouted loudly, her words and actions incoherent, and she kept muttering treasonous words such as "The Third Prince is a jinx, an ominous person".

The imperial physicians from the Imperial Medical Academy rushed over to examine his pulse and said, "He has gone mad due to phlegm obstructing his mind."

This madness, ironically, confirmed the rumors, pushing Chunxi Palace into the eye of the storm.

That evening, Cuiping discovered that sandalwood incense was burning inside the hall.

Consort Qu removed all her hairpins, jewels, and ornaments, bathed and changed her clothes, wearing only a slightly worn plain cloth dress and soft-soled cloth shoes. Holding the infant Third Prince, she walked out of Chunxi Palace step by step with a hint of reluctance.

“Master…” Cuiping called softly from behind her.

Qu Chongyuan did not turn around. Her face was blank as she coldly said, "No one needs to follow."

She walked slowly along the palace path, passing Zhaoqing Hall and then Ganlu Hall. The palace servants along the way quickly made way for her. She paused briefly in front of Lingcui Palace, looking at its high-pitched eaves, before stepping inside.

Fifteen minutes later.

Green Willow and Red Jade saw her off. Qu Chongyuan breathed a sigh of relief and continued forward until she finally stopped on the white marble steps in front of the Funing Palace. She bent her knees and knelt down steadily.

Dusk had fallen, and the palace lanterns had just been lit, casting a dim yellow light on her slender figure.

Holding the child, Consort Qu's voice was hoarse from days of anxiety as she sobbed, "Your Majesty, I... have come to beg for forgiveness."

The eunuchs guarding outside the hall rushed in to report, and Jingming, upon hearing the commotion, came forward to help her, but she waved him off.

She knelt on the stone steps, sobbing uncontrollably, but didn't utter a single word about "the rumors being false," nor did she argue that the Third Prince had nothing to do with the celestial phenomena. Instead, she pressed her forehead against the cold stone steps, choking back tears as she said:

"I know I am not blessed enough to protect the Third Prince from disaster. Instead, the rumors have disturbed His Majesty's mind and thrown the harem into chaos."

"I only beg Your Majesty's mercy to allow me to take the Third Prince out of the palace to the Puji Temple to pray and cultivate myself. In this life... I will never set foot in the palace again. My only wish is to ensure my child's peaceful passing for the rest of his life, and to avert some calamity for the Great Zhou..."

......