Flowery Hair: A Maidservant

Chapter 420 Half an Ear

To understand Xu Jinxi's background, we must go back to the time when Lady Xie (who has now been demoted to the Cold Palace) was in charge of managing the six palaces. At that time, Lady Xie was ordered to manage Lingcui Palace and specially assigned five palace servants to her. In addition to Xu Jinxi, the eunuch, there were four maids, including Hongyu, who were lowly servants.

After Meng Shu took over Lingcui Palace, she naturally wanted to investigate the backgrounds of the palace servants. However, despite extensive investigations within the palace, she couldn't find any flaws in Xu Jinxi's record.

In the end, it was Madam Yun's skillful methods that led her to secretly investigate. They eventually discovered that Xu Jinxi had a younger brother working in the household of the Prefect of Hejian Prefecture, engaging in shady dealings. The Prefect's household was related to Consort Rong's maternal family, the Li family, by marriage. Such a complex and intricate relationship could only have been uncovered through the extensive connections cultivated by the Marquis of Lin'an's family over many years.

"Your Majesty, shall I deal with this ungrateful wretch today?"

Green Willow glanced out the window and asked softly.

Meng Shu said slowly, "No rush. Mingyue has already caught me red-handed. Once Aunt Mei returns from outside the palace, I'll have Jin happy come to the flower hall to see me."

......

Huining Hall.

Today, the Empress was exempted from the morning service again. After having breakfast, Consort Chun intended to rest on the soft couch for a while. However, seeing that Ruizhu had gone to the Imperial Garden early in the morning to pick fresh peach branches, she suddenly had Mengzhu bring the celadon carved Yuhuchun vase and personally trimmed the branches.

"How about this branch being placed at an angle?"

Consort Chun gently twirled a flower branch with her slender fingers, about to insert it into the vase, when she suddenly heard Yun Baolin's voice from outside.

"—Cousin, you have such refined tastes!"

Yun Baolin stepped into the hall with a smile, followed by Gui'er who held a bunch of cherry blossoms in her hands. The pale pink flowers clustered on the branches, which was quite beautiful.

"What a coincidence! Yesterday, I heard from the palace maids that the early cherry blossoms near Lanyue Pavilion had bloomed, so I got up early this morning to pick some, thinking that my cousin would definitely like them."

Consort Chun looked up and saw that the cherry blossom branches were stretching out and the buds were just beginning to bloom, which had a more wild charm than those cultivated in the flower room of the Imperial Garden.

She smiled slightly: "It's kind of you to think of me. The cherry blossoms are blooming earlier than usual, probably because the spring weather warmed up quickly this year."

Yun Baolin leaned closer, took the flower shears from Consort Chun's hand, and said softly, "Indeed. When I was picking flowers, I saw several butterflies fluttering among the flowers. Gui'er said that in previous years, it was rare to see them in the capital at this time of year."

Mengzhu took the cherry blossoms with both hands and gently placed them on the rosewood table, saying, "This year is indeed warmer than the same time last year, with favorable weather and abundant harvests, making it a good year."

Consort Chun picked up a cherry blossom branch, brought it to her nose, and sniffed it lightly. Suddenly, she asked Consort Yun, "How has Consort Rong been these past two days?"

"I just visited her before I left. Sister Rong asked me to pass on a message to my cousin: Lianqiao, who serves by her side, has been sent to the Yeting Palace. It's time for new servants to come to Ganlu Palace, and she wants my cousin to help her choose a capable person..."

Consort Chun raised her eyebrows slightly upon hearing this. "It should be done according to custom. It was my oversight. Now that she has been promoted, Mengzhu went to the Shanggong Bureau to convey a message, asking Shanggong Pei to select a few clever ones, and Consort Rong to choose two she likes herself."

Mengzhu replied, "This servant will take care of it in a moment."

"I thought Sister Rong would promote Jixiang. Logically speaking, she has four palace maids serving her in her palace, so there's no rush," Yun Baolin said softly.

Consort Chun lowered her eyes and fiddled with the flowers by herself.

Seeing this, Mengzhu stepped forward and bowed slightly, saying, "Although a Jieyu is not as high as a Pin, she is still a proper mistress in the palace, and she should naturally have the proper allowances."

As for having Baolin ask our Empress to help assess the situation, it seems to have a bit of a conciliatory tone. But I wonder what Rong Jieyu's sudden closeness is all about.”

"Why bother with her intentions? Just tell the Shanggong Bureau to handle everything. Tell Shanggong Pei to bring the list of palace servants along with her so she can choose."

Consort Chun gave an order, having already selected a bunch of cherry blossoms, and asked Mengzhu to find a pale blue-glazed vase.

"Send it to Shuer. I remember she painted cherry blossoms twice before, so she must have liked them very much."

Mengzhu glanced at Yun Baolin's face beside her. Seeing that there was nothing unusual about her expression, she smiled and said, "This servant will send it over right away. It's convenient to go to the Shanggong Bureau on the way out of Lingcui Palace."

After Mengzhu left, Consort Chun chatted with Consort Yun about everyday matters, naturally not mentioning her pregnancy at all.

Before Yun Baolin left, Consort Chun gestured to Ruizhu to bring a brocade box. Upon opening the lid, twelve pieces of red gold hair ornaments were neatly arranged inside. Although not as exquisite as the twelve flower goddess hairpins, they were still extremely valuable.

She took Yun Baolin's hand and placed the brocade box in her palm. "The flower goddess hairpin that my mother sent before the New Year couldn't be given to my cousin because the craftsmen at Yongbaolou couldn't finish it in time and only made two sets. A few days ago, my mother sent this set of red gold headdress, which is also the first set from Yongbaolou, saying that I should give it to my cousin."

Rainbow Dash gazed at the glittering hairpins and ornaments, a hint of eagerness flashing in her eyes, but she declined, saying, "My aunt already sent a box full of jewelry as New Year's gifts, how can I accept this..."

"Keep it."

Consort Chun closed her fingers firmly, leaving no room for refusal. "When you move around in the palace, you need some decent jewelry to make an impression." As she spoke, she glanced at the slightly worn magnolia hairpin in Yun Baolin's hair.

Yun Baolin's eyes reddened slightly, but she finally accepted the brocade box.

As Yun Baolin's footsteps faded into the distance, Ruizhu couldn't help but pout. "She rushed over with flowers so early in the morning, just because she's eyeing Consort Jin's flower goddess hairpin set." She muttered as she tidied up the teacups, "She even wore an old hairpin, just to impress the Empress!"

Consort Chun smiled faintly, "She is, after all, my own cousin. I gave it to her. These days she has been cautious and measured in her actions, which has saved me a lot of trouble."

......

As dusk settled, the palace lanterns were lit.

Lingcui Palace.

About the time it takes to drink a cup of tea after Aunt Mei left, Xu Jinxi nervously entered the flower hall and knelt down to pay his respects. In the candlelight, his shadow trembled slightly on the patterned carpet.

"Jin Xilai has been working at the Lingcui Palace for over nine months now, hasn't he?"

Meng Shu sat upright in the seat of honor, while Lü Liu stood by her side holding a brocade box.

Xu Jinxi touched the ground with her forehead: "Your Majesty, this servant entered Lingcui Palace on the sixth day of the seventh month last year, and it has been exactly nine months and three days since then."

Meng Shu lightly tapped the table with her fingertips. "You've been quite diligent in managing the front hall these past few days." She nodded slightly to Green Willow. "Green Willow."

Green Willow stepped forward, holding the brocade box, and knelt down in front of Xu Jinxi: "Jinxi, this is a special reward from Her Majesty." As she handed over the brocade box, Green Willow's voice suddenly turned serious: "You must... catch it carefully."

The moment Xu Jinxi received the brocade box with both hands, his heart skipped a beat, and his fingers trembled uncontrollably.

The brocade box fell to the ground with a "thud," and half of an ear rolled out from it. The bloodstains at the broken end had long since dried and turned black, but still emitted a faint bloody smell.

Xu Jinxi's pupils shrank suddenly, and he felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave.

Donggua and Mingyue, who were waiting outside, came in upon hearing the noise. Mingyue was tightly clutching an oil paper package in her hand.

Upon seeing this, Xu Jinxi's face drained of all color.

"The medicine that Consort Rong gave you..." Meng Shu slowly stood up and stopped in front of Xu Jinxi. "I wonder when Eunuch Xu plans to add it to my pregnancy-preserving medicine?"

Upon hearing this, Mingyue threw the oil paper package on the ground. The package broke apart under the force, and more than a dozen grayish-brown, octagonal-shaped fruit shells rolled out from it.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Note: 1. Don't question Rong Jieyu's motives yet, I'll explain in the next chapter. 2. As a concubine, she can already refer to herself as "this palace".