Flowery Hair: A Maidservant

Chapter 475 was truly a wonderful scene.

Not long after the imperial procession carrying the imperial decree left the palace, news that the Han family's daughter was about to enter the palace spread throughout all the palaces.

Early in the morning, Meng Shu and the other concubines went to Renming Hall to pay their respects as usual.

When the Empress announced this, the faces of the concubines below no longer showed much surprise, but mostly a calm understanding and envy. After all, the Han family's military achievements were at their peak, and although this favor came suddenly, it was reasonable upon reflection.

"The addition of a new concubine to the palace is always a joyous occasion." The Empress's gaze swept over the crowd, finally settling on Meng Shu.

"Although Shuyi is the adopted daughter of Governor Han, the Han family's current prestige is undeniable, so her status should be considered noble. Chenghui Palace has been empty for a long time, and Consort Jin has been very thoughtful and meticulous. She has had it cleaned out in the last two days, and all the necessary items and furnishings have been prepared in accordance with the regulations for a consort. Do not neglect this task."

Meng Shu stood up and replied, "Yes."

As soon as she finished speaking, Consort Qing suddenly laughed loudly and said, "Governor Han is the Empress's uncle. Whether she is her biological daughter or her adopted daughter, now that she has entered the palace, the Empress must be very happy about this relationship."

As she spoke, she changed the subject and glanced at everyone, "In terms of kinship, looking around, we have quite a few sisters in the palace who are related by blood or marriage."

Upon hearing this, Yun Baolin quietly lowered his eyes.

Sure enough, she heard Consort Qing continue slowly: "Consort Chun is not only a cousin of Consort Yun, but also has a deep connection with Consort Jin. As for Consort Qu, she is a direct cousin of the Qu family in the Cold Palace. And now, this Consort Shun, who is about to move into Chenghui Palace, is also related to Her Majesty the Empress."

As soon as she said this, the hall fell silent.

The Empress, with a smile on her lips, first nodded slowly and said, "Now that Consort Qing says so, it is indeed true."

"This also reminds me of an old story. Qing Zhitong, once the most talented woman in the capital, was renowned for her talent, but sadly, she died young. She was Consort Qing's older sister, and she and the Emperor were true childhood sweethearts..."

She paused deliberately at this point, a hint of amusement in her eyes.

"...If she were still alive, I wonder which of you two sisters would be allowed to enter the palace by the Duke's mansion? Or perhaps, the Duke of Qing wants to emulate the old story of Feiyan and Hede, and have you two sisters serve the emperor together, creating a beautiful tale?"

After the Empress finished speaking, Consort Qing's face instantly lost most of its color.

Although the concubines present were not entirely aware of the specific details, they all knew that the late Qing Zhitong held a place in the Emperor's heart that no one else could touch. If she were still alive, there would naturally be no right for Consort Qing to enter the palace.

Therefore, apart from Pei and Yang, all the concubines, including Meng Shu and Qi Pin, subconsciously looked at Consort Qing.

Consort Qing moved her throat, as if she had used all her strength, and uttered a sentence that shocked everyone in the hall: "If my sister were alive, given the Emperor's affection for her, it is uncertain whether the Empress would have become the Empress."

"Consort Qing, how dare you!"

Upon hearing this, the Empress's face turned ashen, and the tassels on her phoenix hairpin rustled, clearly indicating that she was genuinely enraged.

Consort Qing, however, remained unfazed and coldly snorted, saying, "The Empress has brought up my deceased sister for no reason. Even the dead are being used to humiliate people! What kind of logic is this?"

Her voice was urgent and sharp, as if she had truly suffered a great injustice.

Consort Qi pressed down on her lips, trying to hide the hint of amusement in her eyes. She couldn't help but steal a glance at Meng Shu, only to find Meng Shu also pursing her lips...

What a wonderful performance!

Consort Qi was secretly amazed. It was a pity that Consort Chun was sick and had taken leave today, thus missing out on such a lively event!

At this moment, the air in the hall seemed to freeze. Even the lower-ranking concubines, such as Yun Baolin, were too frightened to breathe, let alone the palace servants who stood there. They all shrank their necks, held their breath, and dared not move an inch.

The Empress stared silently at Consort Qing for a long while without speaking. Suddenly, she turned sharply to Meng Shu and said in a deep voice, "Consort Jin is currently assisting in the management of the six palaces. I would like to ask, according to palace rules, how should Consort Qing be dealt with for contradicting the Empress and uttering rebellious words?"

Meng Shu was enjoying the rare spectacle when she was suddenly called upon. She had no choice but to stand up and reply, "Your Majesty, I am merely assisting in the management of general affairs. As for the serious crime of uttering rebellious words, I shall petition the Emperor for a judgment."

This answer was perfectly watertight, effortlessly avoiding the problem. It clearly stated the boundaries of his authority and responsibility, avoided taking on this hot potato, and passed it on to the Emperor, leaving no room for criticism.

Upon hearing this, the Empress's expression darkened further.

The atmosphere in the hall became tense again. She stared at Meng Shu for a moment, finally suppressing her anger, and said coldly, "In that case, guards! I will confine Consort Qing to Zhaoqing Palace until I report to the Emperor, and then deal with her accordingly!"

Upon hearing the sound, Granny Gui and Xingyu stepped forward, walking towards Consort Qing from either side.

Consort Qing was already furious, and seeing the two men approaching step by step, she felt her heart pound violently, as if a drum was pounding wildly in her chest. She opened her mouth, about to shout a stern rebuke, when suddenly everything went black before her eyes, her body went limp, and she fainted.

"Your Majesty!" Amber exclaimed and rushed forward, causing a flurry of activity in the hall.

This farce, which started with just a few words, ended in such an abrupt way.

When the emperor heard about this after court, he was furious.

He was furious that Consort Qing had spoken recklessly and disrespectfully in the Renming Palace, so he immediately ordered her to be confined to her quarters and not allowed to leave without imperial decree. Perhaps because the Empress had mentioned the deceased Qing Zhitong, the Emperor was also quite disappointed in the Empress, saying that she had lost the demeanor of an Empress, and specially issued an oral edict to reprimand her.

......

Huining Hall.

"...Is it really that simple? Both the Empress and Consort Qing have been punished?"

Consort Chun was speechless with astonishment.

She found it unbelievable; before anyone else could even intervene, the two sides had already collided, resulting in mutual destruction.

Meng Shu also found it inexplicably funny. She pondered and said, "Perhaps the Emperor has been secretly investigating Qing Zhitong's background recently, and just happened to stumble upon this opportunity."

"What a coincidence..." Consort Chun murmured. "It seems that His Majesty is still thinking about that person, otherwise he wouldn't have reprimanded the Empress over such a minor argument."

Meng Shu said, "Qing Zhitong's matter is already suspicious. She died suddenly back then, and the Qing family kept it a secret. There might be other hidden stories. Let's just wait and see."

She stood up and paced around, a hint of relief on her face: "Now we're spared the trouble. Wan'er can focus on her pregnancy for the next two months, and they won't have much of a chance to cause trouble."

Consort Chun nodded, then suddenly remembered something and said, "What about the Han family girl who is about to enter the palace? The Empress and Consort Qing have both lost power, so it seems like she's taking advantage of a loophole when she comes in now."

Meng Shu said calmly, "The Emperor always tries to maintain a balance of power. Consort Shun was bound to be favored after entering the palace. But this favor is limited, and at least for now, it won't cause any trouble."