Flowery Hair: A Maidservant

Chapter 233 Adding Flowers to Brocade

Green Willow subconsciously reached out to touch the peach blossom hairpin, perhaps recalling the past, her eyes and nose stinging with tears.

She didn't dare linger too long outside, so she composed herself and gently reminded them:

“There’s something wrong with Jixiang. During the selection that day, the clerk asked some unrelated questions. I guessed that you had instructed me to pay attention. Coincidentally, Jixiang was standing not far away at that time.”

She claimed to be from the capital, living in Tongji Lane near Qixia Gate, and that her family was poor, forcing her to seek a job in the palace. However, her demeanor and behavior were completely unlike someone from a poor family, and her speech and manners were very poised and appropriate. Even I found it quite unusual, but the Registrar did not inquire further.

"Besides her, there were two other people..."

Hua Yan took out the roster from her sleeve and had Lü Liu point out each name, then asked her to describe the faces of the clerks from that day in detail.

Hua Yan already knew most of what Green Willow had noticed. On that day, Xiao Nianzi was also outside Shenwu Gate, and he had seen the actions of the several clerks.

"The people you mentioned may not all be problematic, but we still have to be careful. When Madam Yun enters the palace the day after tomorrow, I will tell her that 50% of these palace maids are from the capital, so it will not be difficult to investigate them."

Seeing that Hua Yan had already made up her mind, Lü Liu was relieved and had time to look around Hua Yan's residence. She immediately noticed that some of the items looked quite familiar, and about 20% of them were items she had seen in the mansion before.

"Madam and Miss are truly rare and wonderful masters. I was always worried that Miss might have developed a grudge after you entered the palace to participate in the poetry selection and were so outstanding. But now I am truly relieved."

Hua Yan couldn't help but smile. All of Green Willow's thoughts were for her sake, and Hua Yan felt a heavy weight in her heart. She hugged Green Willow's arm and gently stroked it for a moment.

"It's not advisable to stay out for too long right now. I'll head back to the front hall to get back to work."

Hua Yan saw her off. As Lü Liu was leaving, she pinched Hua Yan's waist just like when they were children and whispered in her ear, "Dong Gua works in the kitchen, so he can't be with you all the time. Just consider it me being silly. I'm sticking with you for life."

Hua Yan watched the bright moon and green willows gradually disappear into the distance before turning around.

The autumn colors outside the palace were fading, and Hua Yan looked at the bare branches. Her heart felt heavy, and she felt so full that she no longer felt lonely or desolate.

September 29th arrived in the blink of an eye, the birthday of Consort Chun.

Thinking back to the first time I received Madam Yun's instructions, I nervously prepared for the Second Miss's birthday banquet. Hua Yan and Meng Zhu followed Aunt Mei around all day asking for advice. At that time, we were on high alert, fearing that we might make a mistake. Now, all that remains are interesting memories.

Time flies and the world changes. Six years have passed in the blink of an eye. Those years wandering around Lin'an seem to have vanished in a flash.

After Hua Yan finished dressing, she came out of the side hall and saw Aunt Mei wearing a ginger-yellow silk jacket. She was directing everyone in Huining Hall to work early in the morning. Hua Yan greeted Aunt Mei and stepped into the hall.

After helping Consort Chun to get ready, Hua Yan accompanied Consort Chun to pay her respects to the Empress.

In the Renming Hall, the Empress sat high on her throne, smiling as she uttered a few words of congratulations.

"Consort Chun has worked tirelessly to manage the six palaces, and I am very pleased with her."

Two days ago, my father escorted the Xiongnu king back to the capital. He obtained several pieces of white jade from a mine near the Wushan Hot Spring in Guangyang Prefecture. They are as clear as ice, pure white and flawless. Although they haven't yet been made into jewelry, they possess a unique rustic charm. Since it's your birthday, you might as well take them and enjoy them.”

Granny Gui emerged from behind the screen, carrying a white jade stone the size of an infant's head on a tray. It instantly drew everyone's attention, and Mengzhu stepped forward, curtsied, and accepted it.

Consort Chun rose and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I thank you for your generous gift."

Shen Meiren lightly covered her lips and sighed, "I had long heard of a jade mine in the Northwest, but I never imagined that this white jade raw stone would be so stunning."

Lady Wu also looked envious and said, "When Consort Chun makes jewelry out of this white jade in the future, I will definitely shamelessly go to Huining Palace to take a look."

At Consort Chun's signal, Mengzhu stepped forward with the jade stone in her hands for Consort Guo and others to appreciate.

Hua Yan looked closely and examined the white jade. It was clear and pure. Among the jewelry that Madam Yun had sent to the palace, there was a white jade hairpin made of white jade produced in Guangyang Prefecture.

Consort Chun said, “The Empress has bestowed such a generous reward upon me. I feel ashamed to accept it on my birthday. I would rather give it to the artisans of the Imperial Workshop to make several sets of jewelry for my sisters to enjoy together.”

The Empress seemed a little sleepy and casually replied, "Since it has been bestowed upon you, it is naturally up to you to decide."

Guo Xiuyi and the others stood up to thank them, but apart from Shen Meiren and Wu Yunu's genuine joy, the smiles of the others remained only on their faces.

After paying her respects and leaving the Empress's palace, Consort Chun instructed Mengzhu to take the jade to the Shanggong Bureau. The Bureau of Jewelry and Precious Metals was in charge of gold, jade, and precious metals, so she only needed to give the order.

Upon returning to Huining Palace, before even a cup of tea could be brewed, the Emperor arrived. Jingming, carrying a long brocade box, followed closely behind with a group of palace servants.

Gold, jewels, and precious stones, along with fine silks and satins, need no further elaboration. But there was another set of wide-sleeved outer garments adorned with shimmering brocade and numerous tiny sea pearls and gemstones—truly the epitome of luxury. Consort Chun, having grown accustomed to fine things since childhood, and having even possessed a bolt of shimmering brocade when it first appeared, couldn't help but gasp in astonishment...

Tell me, what woman in the world could resist the allure of a gown adorned with jewels!

"The Floating Light Brocade was originally a gift from the Tang family; I merely added embellishments to it."

Consort Chun couldn't hide her joy. She looked up at the Emperor and said shyly, "Your Majesty, I thank you for your kindness."

However, compared to the brocade, Consort Chun was more curious about the brocade box that Jingming was holding. Jingming stepped forward, placed it on the table, and gently opened the brocade box. Mengzhu and Ruizhu stepped forward and took out a scroll from it.

The mountains are layered, the grass and trees are all in autumn, and the red and yellow colors are intertwined, creating a colorful and dazzling scene. It is a landscape painting of autumn. In the upper right corner, there is a small circular seal with the two characters "Shen Zhi" that look like a red sun overlooking the world.

Upon closer inspection, Hua Yan's eyes twitched slightly, and Consort Chun noticed it as well, a hint of tears flashing in her eyes.

This autumn landscape painting depicts the scene outside Lin'an City. Through this painting, Consort Chun seemed to return to that year when she took a carriage out of the city on the Double Ninth Festival to visit her ancestors at the villa. In the ancestral hall, the conversation between her grandmother and mother still lingered in her ears.

(Chapter 73, Dialogue in the Ancestral Hall)

At that time, Consort Chun was depressed and confused. She suddenly realized that she was like a thrush kept as a pet, a gift for her family to gain benefits. In just a few years, she had been in the palace. She had no choice but to reconcile with herself. She had a new idea: if she could be a thrush and be truly loved, she would have no regrets in this life.

"Your Majesty, I am overjoyed."

The Emperor's smile deepened, and he said gently, "To comfort Wan'er's homesickness."