Little Palace Maid Desires a Higher Seat of Honor - Chapter 53

Chapter 53: “Is it good-looking?”

This year’s Mid-Autumn Festival palace banquet was still entrusted to Consort De by the Empress.

So, the news from the Imperial Kitchen soon reached Yihe Palace. Consort De was instructing Gui Qiu to pay close attention to every detail of the palace banquet when the news arrived. She looked at someone in the hall.
“I remember that last year, when we had dinner in Yihe Palace, someone mentioned that eating crabs was troublesome.”

Gui Qiu knew that Her Ladyship took the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet very seriously every year. Hearing this, she frowned in dissatisfaction. Crabs had to be transported fresh into the palace, and the number of crabs on each table was strictly regulated. Yun Si’s sudden request was just causing trouble for others.

The Emperor wouldn’t ask the Imperial Kitchen for crabs just for his own pleasure. In Yangxin Hall, there was only one person who could make the Emperor give such an order.

Gui Qiu didn’t raise her head as she commented, “Since she has caught the Emperor’s eye, she can’t get the crab she wants at any time. She has to make a show of it now, which is really petty. A wild chicken can never become a phoenix, no matter how much luck she has.”

Lu Song stood in the corner of the hall, lowering his head to hide his emotions.

Consort De looked at Gui Qiu with a hint of helplessness.
“When did you become so sharp-tongued?”

Gui Qiu snorted softly and didn’t think she was being mean. She bowed and said, “I’ll go to the Imperial Kitchen.”

Consort De nodded slightly. After Gui Qiu left, Consort De looked at Lu Song.
“Lu Song, you haven’t seen the Mid-Autumn Festival palace banquet scene before. You can follow me to Taihe Hall tonight.”

Lu Song indeed hadn’t seen it before. He had entered the palace late last year and was practically confined to Heyi Hall after Lu Cairen was put under house arrest. But after hearing Consort De’s words, he couldn’t help but smile wryly in his heart.

Yun Si would definitely appear at the palace banquet.
What would she think of him when she saw him?

Moreover, Lu Song didn’t think Consort De’s intentions were good. Sensing the subtle gazes from around him, Lu Song lowered his head and said respectfully, “This servant will obey your orders.”

*********

At the Mid-Autumn Festival palace banquet, Tan Yuanchu went to Taihe Hall first to escort the Empress from Kunning Gong.

Yun Si accompanied him on the way. Before entering Taihe Hall, she saw Lu Dongxun standing guard outside the hall. Lu Dongxun also saw her, and when their gazes were about to meet, Yun Si slightly turned her head away.

Lu Dongxun gripped the hilt of his sword at his waist, feeling a bit complicated.

She was dressed in a simple light green dress, just like the palace maids accompanying her. In theory, she should blend in with the crowd, but in fact, no one could ignore her.
She stood with her head bowed respectfully, only revealing a small portion of her fair chin, which seemed to hint at many charms and made people can’t help but imagine.

Yun Si followed behind Tan Yuanchu with her head bowed, and after Tan Yuanchu sat down, she stood at the highest position in the hall. She quickly scanned the room and saw that every table had wine and delicacies, including crabs, except for Rong Zhaoyi’s table.

Yun Si’s lips curled slightly, almost imperceptibly.

Someone knocked on the table, and Yun Si suddenly came back to her senses. She looked at Tan Yuanchu in confusion, and Tan Yuanchu pushed the crab towards her, asking casually, “Do you want to eat more?”

Yun Si’s body stiffened, and when Tan Yuanchu asked this question, she acutely sensed that people around her were looking at her. Without turning her head or looking back, she shook her head hastily.

Yun Si couldn’t understand why Tan Yuanchu asked her this question so calmly. Under the subtle gazes from around her, she thought to herself with a mix of emotions – this was simply harming her.

Rong Zhaoyi took a sip of the wine, and the sweetness of the fruit only lingered for a moment before her lips and tongue tasted a hint of astringency. She lazily lowered her eyelids, seeming completely uninterested in the palace banquet.

Consort De looked at her, seemingly unaware of her unusual behavior, and smiled warmly.
“I remember that you like five-nut mooncakes, so I specifically asked the imperial kitchen to prepare more. You should eat a bit more later.”

Given the kindness, Rong Zhaoyi raised her eyes and smiled naturally. “Consort De’s sisterly love is truly touching. I will definitely eat more.”

Their conversation caught Tan Yuanchu’s attention, and he looked over, noticing the pile of lychee shells next to Rong Zhaoyi’s hand.
“It seems that the lychees sent to Changchun Palace this year weren’t enough for you to enjoy.”

Rong Zhaoyi’s eyes flashed with a hint of rebuke, and her whole demeanor seemed to exude a certain charm. She lightly hummed, seemingly annoyed. “Does Your Majesty pity me?”

Tan Yuanchu chuckled and nodded. “Yes, I do pity you.”

Rong Zhaoyi let out a soft, resentful hum, but Tan Yuanchu immediately followed up with a calm statement, “Lychees can easily cause internal heat, so even if you like them, you can’t overindulge.”

It was hard to tell whether he was concerned about the lychees or the person. However, the smile in Rong Zhaoyi’s eyes was undeniable as she teased. “Your Majesty is always like this, enticing me and then giving me sweet treats to placate me, making me unsure whether to be annoyed or not.”

Yun Si blinked her almond-shaped eyes and quietly lowered her eyelids.

She was lost in thought, not paying attention to the subsequent conversation between Tan Yuanchu and Rong Zhaoyi. It wasn’t until a cool sensation touched the back of her hand that Yun Si was startled, looking down in confusion.

When she saw a peeled lychee, her eyes widened suddenly. She glanced up discreetly, and Tan Yuanchu seemed nonchalant as he continued talking to Rong Zhaoyi. Who would have thought that he could peel a lychee for her at the same time?

Yes, Yun Si could sense that he was trying to appease her, albeit subtly.

Perhaps he thought she would feel uncomfortable seeing this scene?
Yun Si gave Tan Yuanchu a strange look. With his unpredictable behavior, how could he say that she was the one who made the atmosphere between them seem like an affair?

Yun Si thought to herself, taking the lychee from him. Xu Shunfu stood to the side, witnessing the whole scene, and couldn’t help but twitch his mouth. He straightened up slightly, blocking Yun Si’s figure and preventing others from seeing her eat the lychee.

The lychee was sweet and refreshing, with many juices overflowing in her mouth. She blinked her almond-shaped eyes, and the coolness of the lychee was particularly delicious. No wonder Rong Zhaoyi liked them so much.

Yun Si thought she liked them too. But she was different from Rong Zhaoyi. Rong Zhaoyi could enjoy a whole plate of lychees openly, while she could only eat one, and had to do it secretly.

The gap between them had always existed. Yun Si didn’t ignore it, and her lips curled up slightly, imperceptibly. She wanted to bridge this gap, bit by bit.

The banquet was unusually peaceful, with nothing out of the ordinary happening. After the banquet, there would be fireworks to watch. During the banquet, Yun Si was a bit distracted. It wasn’t until they were about to leave to watch the fireworks that she suddenly noticed who was following Consort De.

Yun Si’s lips pursed slightly, unnoticeably. Her eyes were murky and unclear as she looked at Lu Song.

Someone noticed her gaze and followed it, seeing a handsome servant. He raised his eyebrows nonchalantly. “Is he good-looking?”

Yun Si didn’t forget where she was and looked at Tan Yuanchu in confusion, not understanding where his question came from. Tan Yuanchu’s tone was neutral, “Do you like this kind of person?”

His words were cold and clear, without any discernible emotion, making it hard to understand what he meant. But Yun Si seemed to sense something. She blinked her almond-shaped eyes and smiled. “Doesn’t Your Majesty already know what I like?”

If she wanted to, she could be very good at flattering people.
The surrounding area was filled with noise and chaos. The fireworks were lit, and a streak of green smoke shot up into the sky.

In an instant, thousands of sparkling lights filled the night sky, with a thousand different poses and a myriad of colors, all reflected in her almond-shaped eyes. The elegant demeanor and the gaze between them made people believe her words, even though they knew she wasn’t entirely sincere.

Tan Yuanchu’s eyes darkened slightly, and he couldn’t quite tell if the charm in her eyes was intentional. He paused for a moment, remembering that it was the Mid-Autumn Festival, and then he looked away, as if nothing had happened.

Tan Yuanchu was difficult to serve, and Yun Si couldn’t help but think about it. She had to push Lu Song out of her mind.

After the banquet, the night had already become thick and rich. The Emperor went to Kunning Palace, and of course, Yun Si had to follow. Before that, she heard Tan Yuanchu instructing Xu Shunfu, “Send a portion of pears to Changchun Palace.”

Yun Si turned her head, not hiding her frustration as she clutched her handkerchief tightly.

Tan Yuanchu saw her reaction and was amused. He chuckled softly. “You’re calculating even about this? You only ate one lychee, do you need pears to reduce the heat?”

Yun Si pouted and asked, “Is that not allowed?”

Before Tan Yuanchu could respond, she added, “When Your Majesty shows concern for others in front of me, I just feel like I’m not the focus.”

Tan Yuanchu didn’t believe her words at all, but he raised his eyebrows and asked, “Don’t you feel embarrassed saying this?”

Yun Si was taken aback, knowing that her words weren’t ladylike. She felt a bit annoyed and embarrassed. “Your Majesty!”

Tan Yuanchu glanced at Xu Shunfu and said nonchalantly, “Didn’t you hear? Our Yun Si girl also wants to eat pears.”

Xu Shunfu touched his nose and quickly responded.

With Tan Yuanchu’s teasing, Yun Si’s emotions dissipated. Her face turned red from his words, and she glared at him. She said, “It’s not that I’m asking for myself. At the palace banquet, every noble lady had lychees on their table. If Your Majesty wants to reward them, wouldn’t it be unfair to some? Why not give everyone a portion?”

Xu Shunfu was taken aback by her words. When did Yun Si girl and Rong Zhaoyi become so at odds? Besides, His Majesty’s actions had always seemed to favor some over others.

Tan Yuanchu raised his eyebrows, his meaning unclear, and nodded indifferently. “Do as she says.”

After Xu Shunfu relayed the instructions, on the bright moonlit night of Mid-Autumn, Tan Yuanchu didn’t ride in the imperial carriage. Instead, they walked towards Kunning Palace. Yun Si would occasionally glance at Tan Yuanchu.

Tan Yuanchu ignored her.

Just moments ago, she had been so assertive when giving him instructions. Someone tugged at his sleeve, and Tan Yuanchu pretended not to notice. The person couldn’t help but speak up, “Your Majesty…”

Her voice was soft, with a hint of coyness. Tan Yuanchu’s response was cold, both in tone and emotion. “What do you want?”

The faint moonlight illuminated the path at night, and the pine and cypress trees in the palace seemed to have a unique charm. The woman lowered her head, her voice barely above a whisper, “You know very well that I was just annoyed because she made things difficult for me multiple times.”

She seemed to be feeling wronged. Tan Yuanchu’s expression softened slightly as he heard her next words.
“You’re biased.”

There were few people in the palace who dared to openly accuse him of bias. After all, everyone knew that he favored some over others.

Seeing her like this, Tan Yuanchu chuckled softly, “I really spoil you too much.”

Yun Si pouted and muttered, “What’s wrong with you spoiling me a bit?”

The Kunning Palace was within sight. Tan Yuanchu didn’t say much more to her. As they stepped into the palace, he glanced at the woman, remembering how she had suddenly lowered her eyes during the banquet when he was talking to Rong Zhaoyi.
He said casually, “It’s cool at night, don’t overindulge.”

There were many concubines in the harem, and he had never pretended to treat them all equally. Yun Si’s accusation of bias was entirely accurate.

Yun Si was taken aback. It wasn’t until she went to the side room and Xu Shunfu brought her a portion of pears that she realized what Tan Yuanchu’s last sentence meant.
Yun Si pursed her lips imperceptibly.

Xu Shunfu looked at the portion of pears and couldn’t help but say, “The Emperor truly loves the girl.”

He had followed the Emperor for a long time, and while he couldn’t say that Yun Si girl was the most beloved, she was certainly special.

Yun Si didn’t say anything. She just smiled and divided the pears in half to share with the others in the side room.

*********

In Changchun Palace, after the palace maid sent in the pears, she quickly left.

Tong Yun brought the pears to Rong Zhaoyi and couldn’t help but smile.
“Pears are good for clearing heat and reducing fire. Seeing that Your Ladyship ate a bit too many lychees at the banquet, the Emperor specifically had someone send pears. He truly loves Your Ladyship.”

Rong Zhaoyi had just visited her little princess and saw that she was sleeping peacefully in the late night. When she heard Tong Yun’s words, a smile appeared on her face.
“It’s not that he loves me, but he knows the little princess likes pears.”

Tong Yun disagreed, “The little princess is already asleep. Sending pears at this hour is clearly for Your Ladyship.”

Rong Zhaoyi glanced at her with a hint of rebuke and didn’t argue further. She smiled slightly, her lips curling up.

Not just Changchun Palace, but the other concubines in the palace were also delighted when they received pears.

The next day during the morning court, Kunning Palace was particularly lively. Amidst the chatter, the word “pear” was mentioned left and right. When Rong Zhaoyi arrived, she naturally heard it too.

No one noticed that the curve of her lips flattened slightly.
After a while, she lowered her eyelids lazily.

When she returned to Changchun Palace, Rong Zhaoyi’s face turned cold. Thinking about the discussions in the palace during the morning court, she felt embarrassed. She had been so pleased, thinking the Emperor loved her, only to find out that the entire palace had received pears as a reward!

And she didn’t even know, still indulging in her own fantasies.
Tong Yun’s face was pale as she knelt on the ground. She was the one who had misled Her Ladyship with her words.

Tong Yun didn’t dare think about what would have happened if Her Ladyship had mentioned it during the morning court, only to find out that everyone had received the pears. Fortunately, they had discovered the truth as soon as they entered.

After a long while, Rong Zhaoyi finally regained some composure. She looked at Tong Yun. “Why are you still kneeling? Get up.”

Tong Yun’s face was filled with guilt and frustration. “It’s all my fault, I almost caused trouble for Your Ladyship.”

No one in the hall dared to speak at this moment, fearing that they might trigger Her Ladyship’s anger. Rong Zhaoyi’s lips curled into a cold smile.
“The Emperor has never done something like this before. I don’t believe it was his idea. Send someone to investigate what happened yesterday!”

This matter wasn’t a secret, and the palace attendants knew the truth. Tong Yun sent someone to inquire, and soon they obtained the result. However, the palace attendants didn’t dare reveal too much, speaking vaguely about it.

Even with the vagueness, Tong Yun could roughly piece together the truth. When she reported back to Rong Zhaoyi, her face was filled with annoyance. “It’s all because of Yun Si’s meddling! I heard that the Emperor initially only gave Changchun Palace a reward, but Yun Si suggested that the Emperor reward the entire palace!”

The hall was silent, and Rong Zhaoyi wasn’t surprised by the result. Her face was expressionless, with a cold glint in her eyes.
“Yun Si!”

She had known all along that this person would be trouble!

Yun Si didn’t know that Rong Zhaoyi had become even more resentful towards her because of this incident. Even if she knew, Yun Si wouldn’t care, because her relationship with Rong Zhaoyi was beyond repair.

Even if Rong Zhaoyi was willing, Yun Si wouldn’t agree. She had intentionally suggested that Tan Yuanchu reward the entire palace, just to make Rong Zhaoyi uncomfortable.

Yun Si didn’t pay much attention to this matter. A few days after the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Empress mentioned that Su Guipin’s birthday was approaching, and there would be a banquet at Zhaiyue Tower to celebrate.

Everyone was surprised, not understanding why the Empress had suddenly decided to do this.

Zhaiyue Tower had three floors, making it the tallest pavilion in the palace, hence its name “Picking the Moon”. The pavilion had a stage, making it the perfect place for a celebratory banquet.

One thing that caught everyone’s attention was that in previous years, only concubines above the third rank had the privilege of hosting birthday banquets, so why was Su Guipin being honored in such a way?

No one knew why Su Guipin deserved this treatment, but the Empress had given the order, and no one dared to object.

Yun Si didn’t understand either, but this matter didn’t concern her much, so she didn’t pay much attention to it.

It wasn’t until the day before Su Guipin’s birthday banquet that someone from Qingyu Courtyard came to the imperial study. At that time, Yun Si happened to be outside the hall, so she had to greet them.

“What brings Bai Shao girl to Yangxin Hall today?”

Bai Shao frowned upon seeing her but couldn’t do much about it since Yun Si’s official role was a palace maid serving the Emperor. She asked, “Isn’t Eunuch Xu here?”

Why was she here instead?

Yun Si sensed the reluctance in Bai Shao’s words but didn’t say much. Her expression also turned cold.

She seemed indifferent, and Bai Shao had to explain her purpose reluctantly, “My mistress wants me to ask if Your Majesty will be available tomorrow. Could Yun Si girl please announce my presence?”

She didn’t have a good attitude, and Yun Si wouldn’t try to ingratiate herself. She nodded indifferently. “Bai Shao girl, please wait here.”

She turned and entered the imperial study. Bai Shao frowned behind her, feeling uncomfortable.

Why could Yun Si enter the imperial study freely, while her mistress, a Guipin of the fourth rank, had to request an audience through her?

This was the first time Bai Shao realized that Yun Si’s position as a palace maid serving the Emperor might not be a good thing.

Yun Si didn’t hold any grudges, though. She brought in tea, but the Emperor was busy discussing state affairs with his ministers. Yun Si thought idly that there was no way around it, so she had to let Bai Shao wait.

Bai Shao waited for nearly half an hour, getting dizzy from the sun.

After the court officials left, Yun Si approached him and whispered, “Your Majesty, the palace maid from Qingyu Courtyard is waiting outside, saying she has something to discuss with you.”

Tan Yuanchu’s gaze remained on the memorials, and he merely nodded in response.

When Yun Si went to notify Bai Shao, she wasn’t surprised to receive a reproachful glance from her.

Yun Si ignored it and led Bai Shao inside. Upon entering, Bai Shao bowed respectfully and explained her purpose.
“Your Majesty, tomorrow is my mistress’s birthday, and the Empress will host a banquet at Zhaiyue Tower to celebrate. My mistress wants to know if Your Majesty will be available to attend.”

Upon hearing that the Empress would host a banquet at Zhaiyue Tower for someone’s birthday, Tan Yuanchu finally put down his brush and looked up. He glanced at Bai Shao, momentarily unsure who she was.

He hadn’t visited Qingyu Courtyard in nearly two months, and when he did, he wouldn’t have noticed Bai Shao.
After all, not everyone was like Yun Si.

Yun Si sensed something and felt a mix of emotions, once again realizing his indifference. Everyone said that Su Guipin was the most favored among the new consorts, but who would have thought that Tan Yuanchu couldn’t even remember which palace she lived in?

Yun Si had to discreetly remind him.

Even after knowing that Bai Shao was a servant of Su Guipin, Tan Yuanchu’s expression remained neutral, and he didn’t give a definitive answer.
“If I have time, I will go.”

Yun Si sensed that this was an empty promise, and no one knew if he would actually have time. However, Bai Shao seemed to think that the Emperor had agreed, and her face lit up with joy. Before leaving, she couldn’t help but glance at Yun Si.

Tan Yuanchu noticed the glance and raised his eyebrows. “What’s going on?”

Yun Si whispered, “Perhaps she feels that I didn’t report it promptly and was deliberately delaying her.”

Tan Yuanchu shook his head, and like Yun Si, he didn’t take this matter to heart. After all, it was Yun Si who had interrupted him while he was discussing state affairs with his ministers, which was the real issue.
With no one else in the hall, Yun Si couldn’t help but ask curiously, “Will Your Majesty attend tomorrow?”

She knew very well that Su Guipin’s request for the Emperor to attend her birthday banquet was actually a way to gain face, as not everyone’s birthday would warrant the Emperor’s presence.

Moreover, if the Emperor attended, it would imply that Su Guipin would be serving him that night. After all, if the Emperor left after attending her birthday banquet, it would be a slap in her face.

Tan Yuanchu unexpectedly asked her, “Do you want to go?”

Yun Si was taken aback. Why would she want to attend Su Guipin’s birthday banquet?

However, she reminded Tan Yuanchu of something, “The last time you summoned Su Guipin to serve you, you ended up going to Jiyun Tower instead. If you don’t attend Su Guipin’s birthday banquet this time, I’m afraid there will be many speculations in the harem.”

But before the next day, someone from Kunning Palace arrived, clearly indicating that the Empress understood Tan Yuanchu very well. Even though Qingyu Courtyard had already sent someone, the Empress still sent another person.

Tan Yuanchu’s response to the person from Kunning Palace was much more explicit. “I know.”

The Empress wanted to give Su Guipin face, and Tan Yuanchu wouldn’t refuse, as the Empress managed the harem for him, and many times, he was happy to give her face.

The Empress’s actions couldn’t be hidden from the others in the harem. Rong Zhaoyi raised her eyelids slightly and then lowered them, chuckling softly. “The Empress really thinks highly of her.”

Tong Yun understood that Her Ladyship was talking about Su Guipin but didn’t understand the meaning behind her words. She looked at Her Ladyship in confusion.

Rong Zhaoyi didn’t explain anything to her.

When the news reached Yihe Palace, Gui Qiu frowned. “A fourth-rank Guipin doesn’t deserve the Empress to give her this much face.”

Consort De just smiled warmly. “She’s always been unpredictable in her actions.”

Consort De thought of Su Guipin and didn’t care about the Empress giving her face. She suddenly sighed and said, “I heard that the Empress Dowager’s health hasn’t been good lately. Send someone to ask the Imperial Physician if it’s serious.”
Tomorrow would be the first day of the month.

Given the Empress Dowager’s poor health, it seemed unlikely that the harem concubines would be allowed to pay their respects.

Gui Qiu realized this as well and discreetly pouted. “The Empress Dowager’s poor health always seems suspiciously convenient.”

She dared to mutter under her breath only because of Consort De’s high status.

Even so, Consort De frowned, and her tone turned slightly cold. “Be careful with your words.”

Gui Qiu immediately fell silent.