Flowery Hair: A Maidservant

Chapter 449 The Ceremony of Investiture (1)

On the ninth day of the sixth month of the second year of the Zhenghe era.

The Emperor's eldest son's full-month celebration and Meng Shu's investiture as a concubine were held on the same day. Everyone in the court and the public knew that this was an immense honor bestowed upon Meng Shu and her son by the Emperor.

The Lingcui Palace was filled with joy from dawn that day.

It was not yet dawn, and Meng Shu was still asleep when Green Willow tiptoed out of the Jade Hall.

Today she was wearing a new summer dress made by the Imperial Clothing Bureau. It was a light blue gauze dress with a straight collar, front opening, and narrow sleeves, embroidered with dark red pomegranate patterns. She looked very neat and proper as she walked. The pearl flower on her head was given to her by Granny Wei when Madam Yun entered the palace. It was inlaid with a small turquoise.

She went to the small kitchen first. Donggua was very quick and efficient. She was wearing an apron and kneading dough into pomegranates. With a pinch and a twist of her fingertips, she shaped round pomegranates. She even kneaded fine lines into the skin of the pomegranates.

Seeing Green Willow enter, her forehead still dusted with flour, a smile spread across her eyes: "You're awake so early? Your Highness said yesterday that you wanted something sweet, so this time I specially added candied fruit."

Green Willow observed for a while, then softly instructed, "Your Majesty didn't sleep very well last night. Prepare some licorice and jujube seed soup. What else is prepared for breakfast?"

Winter melon's hands didn't stop moving, and she raised her round chin slightly.

"I made jujube and yam cake, lotus seed porridge, and lotus root starch porridge. Mingyue wanted almond milk, so I made some too. Aunt Mei is going back to the palace this afternoon, so I'm going to steam some pomegranate dumplings for her to take to Consort Chun and the Empress Dowager..."

Dou'er tiptoed to lift the lid of the steamer, picked out a plump, white bun, and handed it over with a handkerchief. "Good morning, Sister Green Willow. It's fresh out of the steamer. Have some to tide you over, Sister?"

Winter Melon stopped her, saying, "Silly girl, your sister Green Willow still needs to see the young master and has to hurry to the front hall to make arrangements. Bring the lotus root starch porridge from the stove; I ladled it out for her in advance, and it should be just right now."

Green Willow ate half a bowl of porridge; the sweet but not cloying taste had barely settled in her stomach when she turned and headed towards the East Warm Pavilion.

The warm pavilion was quiet. Mingyue was guarding the door. When she saw her come in, she hurriedly led her inside. She lifted the semi-transparent gauze curtain, and a faint scent of milk mixed with mint wafted out.

Aunt Mei was sitting by the small bed, keeping watch over her. Some freshly picked mint leaves were placed under the bed to repel mosquitoes and provide shade. Yu Nu'er was fast asleep, her little face rosy, her eyelashes like two small fans covering her eyelids. Nurse Li stood three feet away from the bed, already dressed in brand-new summer clothes.

"Auntie." Green Willow slowed her pace.

Aunt Mei looked up and nodded at her. Since there were no outsiders present, she lowered her voice and said, "Last night, Consort Chun sent Xiao Yuanzi to deliver a message, saying that Mingyue should stay in Cuiyu Hall for the time being and stay by the little prince's side from now on, watching over him every step of the way."

Upon hearing this, Green Willow breathed a sigh of relief and bowed gratefully, saying, "This servant thanks Consort Chun on behalf of Your Highness for your care. With Mingyue by your side, Young Master has another caring person to look after him."

Mingyue smiled and helped her up, saying, "Why are you being so formal? It makes you seem distant."

Aunt Mei looked at them, a smile spreading across her lips: "You came from the manor, and now you're doing everything perfectly for Consort Jin. Our Consort is very pleased."

As soon as the words "Fu Li" entered her ears, Green Willow's eyes welled up slightly, and she dabbed at the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief.

Seeing her like this, Aunt Mei changed the subject, "By the way, yesterday Xiao Yuanzi came back from outside the palace with a letter from home. It was sent to the Empress by a merchant through a merchant. He is far away in Yangzhou and heard that the Empress was being promoted to the rank of Consort and that the young master was celebrating his one-month birthday. He couldn't make it back to the capital, so he specially wrote this letter."

She paused, then added some good news, "Madam Zhou is pregnant and is now unable to come due to her limited mobility. She has prepared some new tea from Yangzhou and many gifts for the little prince, which should be delivered in a few days."

Green Willow happily accepted the letter. "Her Majesty was just talking about it a few days ago. Now that she has seen this letter, she will surely feel much more at ease."

Aunt Mei then pointed to wet nurse Li and said, "Everything is ready here, and Aunt Zhou in the embroidery room has also made arrangements..."

Green Willow bowed to the wet nurse Li and thanked her, "Please bear with us for now, but Her Majesty will surely reward you handsomely after today."

......

After lingering in the warm pavilion for a little over fifteen minutes, Green Willow came out and went straight to the front hall.

Yesterday, crimson ribbons were tied to several flowering trees under the eaves and in the courtyard, rustling in the wind. Dong Ming, Hong Yu, and others stood guard in the front hall, their faces beaming with joy.

The crowd bowed slightly to Green Willow as a greeting.

Green Willow returned the greeting, glanced at everyone, and said with a smile, "Today is a big day for Lingcui Palace. Her Highness has prepared generous purses, so everyone should be on your best."

She turned to Dong Ming, her tone slightly solemn, "Eunuch Dong, just stay close to the young master and take care of him along with the three wet nurses. When the procession moves to the Imperial Ancestral Temple at the end of the day, we cannot follow. We will have to trouble Eunuch Dong with everything."

Dong Ming quickly replied, "Don't worry, Miss Green Willow."

After giving some instructions, it was already early morning. Green Willow glanced at the time and led Red Jade to the bedroom.

“Sister Green Willow, I’ve investigated. Although I don’t know what Ruixue and Eunuch Chen said, I found out that after their meeting, although Eunuch Chen didn’t go to the embroidery room, he did have a drink with the eunuch under the head of the clothing department…”

Green Willow coldly ordered, "Remember the eunuch's appearance, and then spread the news discreetly after today."

In the sleeping hall.

Meng Shu had just opened her eyes, and there was still a trace of weariness in the corners of her eyes.

Last night, a eunuch from Funing Palace came to deliver a message that the Emperor would rest at Cuiyu Hall after finishing his official duties. However, at dusk, Consort Qing, who was still under house arrest, suddenly experienced a worsening of her heart palpitations, and the Emperor changed his mind and went to Zhaoqing Palace instead.

It was peaceful and quiet since he didn't come, and Meng Shu didn't really care.

But perhaps because of the name the Emperor gave to Yu Nu'er, she slept very restlessly, tossing and turning until dawn before finally drifting off to sleep.

Xia'er helped her comb her hair, the jade comb passing through her dark hair, and it was smoothed out in no time. Meng Shu had never liked overly complicated hairstyles, and even though there was a grand ceremony today, she only had her hair styled in a simple hanging bun.

After breakfast, before Min Rong, who was serving the emperor, arrived with his entourage, Green Willow dismissed everyone and handed the letter in her arms to Meng Shu.

As she glanced at the familiar handwriting on the envelope, Meng Shu's expression relaxed slightly.

She had only read two lines of the letter when she chuckled softly: "My aunt is pregnant, this is truly a joyous occasion."

In his letter, Zhou Bai wrote in detail about the situation in Yangzhou, saying that the canal transport matters had been initially sorted out and that he would be able to return to the capital to report on his duties by the end of the year.

Xiuyun (Madam Zhou) is two months pregnant, but the pregnancy is unstable in the early stages. He has invited the best doctor in Yangzhou and an experienced female physician to the mansion to take care of her. Although Xiuyun still needs to rest in bed, her pulse is gradually stabilizing.

Finally, he told her to be careful in the palace and not to worry about home.

After reading the letter, Meng Shu folded it neatly, put it in the box, and handed it to Lvliu to put away.

Upon learning from Green Willow that Consort Chun had allowed Mingyue to remain at Cuiyu Hall, a soft look appeared in Meng Shu's eyes. After a while, she sighed, "Wan'er always thinks of me so much... I'm afraid the affection we've accumulated over the years will never be repaid, even in the next life."

Green Willow gently comforted her: "Aunt Mei said that Consort Chun is being looked after by the Empress Dowager in the temporary palace. When she returns to the palace in the future, she will inevitably have to support each other and advance and retreat together with Consort Chun."

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.

I wasn't in the zone last night, but I need to keep writing the rest of the story. Two more chapters today~ Double chapters tomorrow too, focusing on the plot. Have a great weekend!