Flowery Hair: A Maidservant

Chapter 243 Rongxiu's Reprimand

"Don't talk nonsense! Consort Meng has only caught a cold, and Physician Lu prescribed a medicine yesterday."

Consort Chun's face was as pale as paper. She disregarded palace rules and etiquette and, after sternly reprimanding the eunuchs of Shou Kang Palace, she prepared to return to Hui Ning Palace.

Seeing this, Aunt Mei hurriedly stepped forward to stop her and whispered in her ear, "Your Majesty, when we came yesterday, Hua Yan arranged for you to copy scriptures here with the Empress Dowager until January. If you go back now, regardless of whether there is an epidemic in Huining Palace, you cannot come to Shou Kang Palace until the imperial physician makes a diagnosis."

Consort Chun frowned, and once her breathing had calmed down a bit, she said urgently to Aunt Mei, "Shu'er is only a concubine, without any power or influence. She is already ill, how can we let her face the storm alone?"

Empress Dowager Zhou watched the exchange of glances between the master and servant before her and ordered in a deep voice, "Issue my imperial decree, ordering Physician He to take people to Huining Palace for examination immediately. Rongxiu, you go with them and see what the situation is."

After saying that, he pointed at Mengzhu and the others, "Stop your lady and keep her in the palace well and take good care of her."

Aunt Mei, her face full of gratitude, knelt down and pleaded, "Your Majesty, please allow me to return. This matter is of great importance. Aunt Rongxiu is someone close to you; you must not take any risks."

“I have been in the palace for decades and have never experienced an epidemic. Rongxiu, take Aunt Mei with you. If anyone takes this opportunity to cause trouble and disrupt the palace, they will be immediately taken to the Yeting Palace.”

Empress Dowager Zhou moved to Consort Chun's side, took her hand, and felt that it was icy cold to the touch. She said gently, "The situation is still unclear. Why make things chaotic? Come with me to copy the scriptures."

Aunt Mei gave Mengzhu and Ruizhu a reassuring look, then got up and hurriedly left Shou Kang Palace with Rongxiu.

Inside the study, Consort Chun paced back and forth, her eyes filled with anxiety. Empress Dowager Zhou could not bear to look at her any longer and thought to herself that she was no longer the same person as Yun Yue. She shook her head and left with the words, "The Lotus Sutra, seven volumes and twenty-eight chapters, must be copied before the first month. Once it is copied, you can return to Huining Palace." After saying this, she went to the Buddhist hall to worship Buddha.

Mengzhu and Ruizhu looked at each other, then pulled Chunfei to sit at the desk. One of them ground ink while the other comforted her. Chunfei was stunned, recalling Huayan's words from yesterday. Her nose tingled, and two tears fell onto the paper.

......

One hour ago.

Hua Jin waited on the side of the palace road and saw Jian Zhi carrying a medicine box coming out of Huining Palace from afar. When he approached, Hua Jin bowed and went up to talk to him. Because it involved the concubine's illness case, Jian Zhi did not say much.

Hua Jin saw that Imperial Physician Jian appeared calm and thoughtful as he returned to Dieqiong Pavilion.

After listening to Hua Jin's analysis, Consort Guo asked in surprise, "You said that Consort Meng has red spots on her face?"

"Indeed, but this servant sees that Consort Meng and her maids do not look worried at all, so they must be alright."

Shuyao cried out in alarm, grabbing Huajin's sleeve and saying, "Oh dear, this...this...Huajin, do you remember the epidemic in Tong County last year? It had these symptoms: chills, then high fever, spots all over the body, and finally delirium and shortness of breath..."

"No nonsense."

Hua Jin interrupted Shu Yao and turned to Guo Xiuyi, saying, "Your Highness, Imperial Physician Jian experienced that epidemic, but I waited outside the palace and saw that there was nothing unusual between his brows, so it should indeed be a common cold."

Guo Xiuyi was lost in thought, rubbing Fanxue in her arms. She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she momentarily forgot to apply enough pressure. Fanxue meowed and arched its back in surprise, pecking at the back of her hand before leaping to the ground and running away.

Hua Mei quickly stepped forward, relieved to see that her mistress had dodged in time. "Fan Xue is not yet fully grown, so please be more careful in the future, my lady."

Consort Guo straightened her clothes, called Shuyao closer, and instructed with pursed lips, "Her Majesty the Empress already instructed Xingyu to visit her. Shuyao, relay what you just said to the people around Consort Qu, but be careful not to..."

......

When Rongxiu and Aunt Mei arrived near Huining Palace, they saw Consort Qu standing outside with her handkerchief covering her face.

Aunt Mei's expression darkened for a moment. After bowing, she was about to enter the palace gate when Consort Qu noticed that Consort Chun had not come. She couldn't help but think to herself: Consort Meng's importance in Consort Chun's heart is not as deep as I thought.

"Aunt Mei, I just overheard the palace servants talking about how Consort Meng's condition seems unusual. Fortunately, Consort Chun was not in Huining Palace yesterday."

I have already sent messengers to Renming Hall and Funing Hall to convey the message, and I have also sent Shaoyao to the Imperial Hospital to consult with the imperial physicians. Perhaps we should wait for the imperial physicians to make a diagnosis before going in.”

Rongxiu stopped and saw that Consort Qu looked worried about Consort Chun, and secretly sneered in her heart.

"Imperial Physician Lu took Consort Meng's pulse yesterday. Is Consort Qu perhaps more skilled in medicine than the Imperial Physician? His Majesty has been busy with disaster relief day and night lately. The Empress is pregnant with the Emperor's child and should not be disturbed. Consort Qu has made a big fuss about this matter before a conclusion has been reached. What is her intention?" Rongxiu reprimanded loudly.

With each sentence Qu Cairen heard, her face grew paler. Rongxiu, a lady-in-waiting to Empress Dowager Zhou, was speechless and dared not refute.

“Aunt Rongxiu, I…I was also concerned about Consort Chun’s safety. After Fuling visited her, Consort Meng’s complexion changed, and she developed a high fever. These symptoms correspond to the epidemic in Jinzhou last year, so…”

"If you were worried about Consort Chun, why didn't you send someone to Shou Kang Palace to report to her first?"

Fuling stepped forward to speak to her mistress, “Aunt, the mistress is preparing to go to Shou Kang Palace in person after the imperial physician has examined her.”

"Is this how the people of Qianying Pavilion follow the rules? You have no right to speak here."

Rongxiu ignored Qu Cairen and saw He Yizheng leading two imperial physicians on their way. Rongxiu and Aunt Mei waited outside the gate. After bowing to He Yizheng, the group went straight into the palace gate.

Qu Cairen's heart sank. He was caught between a rock and a hard place, and he thought darkly that it would be good if Meng Cairen really had contracted the plague.

She obeyed her father's orders and tried to curry favor with Consort Chun, but Consort Chun always found it difficult to truly accept her because of Hua Yan's presence.

Hua Yan was merely a maid, yet her clothes and daily necessities were incredibly precious. Even the jewelry sent to the Qianying Pavilion couldn't compare to what Hua Yan used. Why? Could it be that the daughter of a dignified Hanlin scholar was inferior to a maid?

Over time, whenever Consort Qu visited Huining Palace, Consort Chun and Hua Yan would play chess and have endless conversations, leaving Consort Qu feeling left out and more like a maid than Hua Yan herself. Later, Consort Chun even intended to promote Hua Yan to a higher rank...

A talented person.

She held the same rank as him.

Qu Cai was filled with resentment and was deeply saddened by this.

She had intended to make the matter seem more serious, so that even if Consort Meng's illness wasn't serious, she would still be sent to the Yeting Palace for safekeeping. If something were to happen to Consort Meng, then Consort Chun would only have herself to rely on in the harem...

Qu Cairen came to her senses and asked Fuling, "Did you look closely just now?"

Fuling nodded and replied, "Don't worry, Your Highness. Consort Meng has red spots on her face. Even if it's not an epidemic, it would be a disaster if the Emperor saw them."

Qu Cairen smiled slightly, but ultimately fearing it might be an epidemic, she dared not step into Huining Palace.