Little Palace Maid Desires a Higher Seat of Honor - Chapter 89

Chapter 89: “Your Majesty, this concubine wants to kiss you.”

Temporary palace

Qi Guipin remained quiet for several days. She specially had lotus seed soup prepared and brought Tong Yun to look for the Emperor, but in front of the Qinzheng Hall, only Lu Yuan was standing guard outside.

Qi Guipin swept her gaze around and did not see Xu Shunfu. She was a little puzzled, but did not take it to heart, only assuming he was serving inside the hall. She adjusted her mood, and upon seeing someone by the Emperor’s side, she was able to wear a smile on her face.

“Eunuch Lu Yuan, is His Majesty busy right now? Please trouble Eunuch to announce me.”

In the past, she always referred to herself as this palace. Suddenly changing the form of address, she felt all sorts of discomfort in her heart. But no matter how uncomfortable, there was nothing she could do. She could only hope to return to the main palace soon, so she could regain her third-rank position.

Lu Yuan came forward respectfully. Upon hearing her words, he gave an awkward laugh, a little unsure how to reply.

A trace of suspicion flashed in Qi Guipin’s eyes. She looked toward the inside of the hall, and suddenly felt that the Qinzheng Hall was a little too quiet. Could it be that the Emperor was not there?

But if the Emperor was not there and had gone to someone else’s palace, why would Lu Yuan be here?

Lu Yuan did not hide it from her. The Emperor had mobilized the Imperial Guards, and such a commotion could not be hidden from others. Lu Yuan cupped his hands and bowed. “To answer Qi Guipin, His Majesty is not in the Qinzheng Hall. Qi Guipin, please return.”

Qi Guipin furrowed her brows. Looking again at the front of the hall, she noticed that the Imperial Guards usually stationed there were much fewer than usual. In her heart, she knew Lu Yuan was telling the truth, so she could only retrace her steps.

Just as she stepped out of the Qinzheng Hall, Qi Guipin gave a cold order,

“Send someone to find out where His Majesty went today.”

She always felt that Lu Yuan’s attitude was off.

Tong Yun looked up in confusion, but did not question her order, immediately sending someone to inquire.

When Qi Guipin returned to Suiyu Courtyard, the palace servant had also returned, wearing an expression full of hesitation, not daring to look at Qi Guipin, kneeling on the ground and stammering,

“This servant found out that His Majesty went out of the palace early this morning together with Yun Jieyu.”

There was the sound of something falling to the ground.
The palace servant braved a glance upward and saw that it was a cup that had fallen. Fortunately, the floor was laid with bamboo planks, so the cup had not shattered.

Qi Guipin was stunned in place, the cup in her hand unconsciously falling to the ground. Tong Yun signaled to the palace servants, and after the servants withdrew, Tong Yun glanced at her mistress’s expression and silently sighed in her heart, knowing full well that His Majesty was a cold-hearted man, yet she still insisted on being moved.

In this situation now, it was unclear whose fault it really was.

Tong Yun knelt on the ground to pick up the cup and said softly, “Mistress, perhaps His Majesty was bored staying in the temporary palace and went out for a stroll.”

A stroll?

Qi Guipin’s lips curved in self-mockery, never again to believe such words of comfort.

“In past years when coming to the temporary palace to escape the summer heat, why have I never seen him go out for a stroll?”

It just had to be this year. It just had to be with Yun Jieyu.
Was he intent on showing in every way his difference toward Yun Si?

She had married into the Prince’s Mansion for a full eight years. No matter how much he favored her, he had never given her such a grace.

Qi Guipin was completely at a loss. She looked at Tong Yun in puzzlement.

“I don’t understand…”

She had once thought she was favored enough, that in the harem no one could surpass her. But now, with a Yun Si appearing, the more she compared the two, the clearer she saw, yet the more shocked she felt.

A clear breeze brushed past, leaving only a chill in her heart.

Her voice murmured: “…In what way am I not as good as her?”

The hall was quiet.
Tong Yun felt her nose sting, nearly shedding tears. When had her mistress, who had always been so proud, ever been so lacking in confidence?

She shook her head desperately, telling her mistress, “In this servant’s heart, you are the best person in the world. No one can compare to you.”

But Tong Yun also knew that the love between men and women in this world was not something that could be attained merely by surpassing others in every way.

Tong Yun dared not let her mistress sit in the hall lost in thought. She wiped away her tears and offered a suggestion, “Mistress, since no one is at the Ganquan Hall right now, why not go soak in the hot spring?”

Although it was said that the Ganquan Hall could only be visited with His Majesty’s favor, in past years when coming to the temporary palace His Majesty had never been stingy about granting her this favor. If her mistress acted first and reported later, His Majesty would not be overly harsh upon his return.

Hearing this, Qi Guipin gave a low laugh.
Had Tong Yun grown so worried about her now?

She took a deep breath and shook her head.

“I am feeling unwell, so I will not go. Go and bring the lotus seed soup from just now. The lotus seeds were personally chosen by me; it would be a pity to discard them unused.”

Tong Yun was a little taken aback.

In the past, no matter how many rare delicacies there were, her mistress would say to throw them away and would throw them away; when had she ever felt pity for a bowl of lotus seed soup?

Before going to fetch the lotus seed soup, Tong Yun looked at her mistress with concern. She suddenly felt that, had she known it would be like this, it would have been better not to come to this temporary palace at all.

Clearly having done nothing, yet she had suffered all manner of grievance and ended up bearing a crime.

—

After the news spread that Qi Guipin had made a wasted trip to the Qinzheng Hall, the fact that the Emperor was not in the temporary palace also spread throughout it.

Consort De was just enjoying sweet soup. Upon hearing this, her movement paused almost imperceptibly.
The next moment, she set down the silver spoon in her hand and turned her head to look at Gui Qiu.

“The matter I instructed you to handle, is it all done?”

Gui Qiu respectfully lowered her head. “Your Ladyship, please rest assured, the person has already been arranged into Song Ya Pavilion.”

Consort De nodded absent-mindedly, and from the corner of her eye caught sight of Lu Song, who was standing meekly with lowered brows to the side. Suddenly remembering something, she raised an eyebrow.

“This palace remembers that Lu Song’s hometown is in Yuzhou City?”

Lu Song calmly tightened his grip on his hands, lowering his head. “Your Ladyship remembers correctly. This servant is indeed from Yuzhou City.”

Consort De gave a light laugh and nodded knowingly.

“Then it is no wonder His Majesty would take Yun Jieyu out of the temporary palace.”

Lu Song was suddenly startled. He knelt on the ground, unable to help feeling a bit dazed.

Yun Si… had she gone home?

In the past few years, Yuzhou City had suffered many disasters. In Lu Song’s memory, almost all the joyful times he could recall were connected to Yun Si.

Behind Li Family Village there was a lake, and along the road by the shore, especially at the foot of the mountain, there was a row of camellias and wild azaleas, growing intertwined, a rare and beautiful sight in Li Family Village.

After Yun Si moved into his home, people would occasionally joke that she had grown up together with him, knowing each other inside and out, and that rather than waiting for the future, it would be better to settle the marriage early.

Whenever such words were spoken, Yun Si would shyly hide behind him. She was thin-skinned and had always been unable to bear being teased.

He would hurriedly take her away.

The thought that he and Yun Si would one day marry had been firmly engraved in his bones since youth.

Yun Si liked flowers, so when the flowers on the back mountain bloomed, he would pick her a bouquet. He thought camellias were beautiful and always picked camellias for her, yet it always earned her complaints, saying that azaleas were more splendid than camellias.

Later, however, everything changed.

He had once searched everywhere for Yun Si, but now that she was so close at hand, he dared not say even one more word to her.

The hand inside Lu Song’s sleeve tightened bit by bit, finally curling up in embarrassment.

Consort De asked him lightly, “Do you also want to go home and have a look?”

Lu Song quickly denied it, “This servant does not want to!”

He lowered his head.

He was different from Yun Si, Yun Si going home was a return in fine clothes; but what was he?

Once the scholar whom everyone in the village placed high hopes on, he was now a rootless servant.
He had no face to return to his hometown.

Consort De seemed to see what he was thinking. She touched his head with pity and said warmly,

“Look at you, making this palace feel distressed for you.”

Lu Song lowered his head respectfully: “This servant does not dare.”

Consort De propped her forehead with one hand and lightly brushed Lu Song’s hand with the other, asking, “Can these hands still hold a brush?”

Lu Song’s whole body stiffened. Before he could answer, Consort De leaned close to his ear and murmured, “If you can no longer hold a brush, you can still hold some other things, can’t you?”

Her words carried a hint of teasing. A servant being regarded so highly by his master ought to be grateful beyond measure. Lu Song kept his head lowered, his expression unseen, and only lowered his head even more respectfully. “…Your Ladyship speaks truly.”

At the same time, in Li Family Village, Yun Si heard movement behind her. She turned her head, and when she saw Tan Yuanchu coming over, she was somewhat stunned.

“Your Majesty, what are you doing here?”

The Imperial Guards had all retreated to a hundred paces away, and Xu Shunfu kept glancing in this direction.

Yun Si was kneeling on the ground, holding spirit money in her hand. Tears clung to her lashes, on the verge of falling, with the slightest blink, they became droplets slipping down.

She was utterly bewildered by Tan Yuanchu’s arrival, and whatever trace of sorrow she had vanished completely. She almost couldn’t cry anymore.

Tan Yuanchu took the spirit money from her hand and placed it into the brazier before them, then wiped away her tears for her, speaking lightly,

“You’re weak; you mustn’t cry for too long.”

It took Yun Si a moment to grasp the meaning in his words. Completely puzzled, she wondered, was he here to supervise her?

She pressed her lips together and muttered softly,

“If others see this, they’ll think Your Majesty is here burning paper offerings with your concubine to worship her parents. If word spreads, this concubine will be wronged to death.”

Her mutterings were all full of unease. Tan Yuanchu gave her a glance, took the incense from her hand, and lit it for her. Yun Si looked up in confusion, only to see him kneel down just like her, which made her eyes fly wide in shock.

Qiu Yuan nearly cried out in astonishment as well.

Yun Si hurried to stop him. “What are you doing?!”

Tan Yuanchu held her hand, raised his eyes, and said casually, “What are you panicking for?”

Yun Si was nearly scared to death. How could she possibly have the audacity to let the current Emperor kneel before her parents?
If word got out, wouldn’t all the women in the harem see her as a thorn in the eye, a spike in the flesh?!

They would truly wish to destroy her without delay!

How could Yun Si possibly not panic?

But then she heard Tan Yuanchu speak slowly and evenly. “For the dead, the rites are paramount. Besides, since they are your parents, it is only right for me to kneel to them once.”

Yun Si was suddenly stunned.

What did he mean, “her parents, it is only right for him to kneel once”?

Seeing her stunned, Tan Yuanchu seemed to give a faint, low laugh.

“Kneeling to the father-in-law, isn’t that what one should do?”

Yun Si bit her lip.
She was merely a concubine of less than the third rank; how could her father be qualified to be addressed by him as father-in-law?

Before she could recover her wits, Tan Yuanchu spoke again, lightly and casually,

“This way, if any rumors spread, it won’t be considered a false accusation. You won’t have to feel wronged either.”

He was deliberately teasing her again.

The tears Yun Si had stopped threatening to fall began to surge once more. She had always known Tan Yuanchu was a man of little sentiment, but for a moment, Yun Si still lifted her gaze to look at him.

The worship didn’t take long. He didn’t allow her to cry, and once the spirit money had finished burning, Tan Yuanchu pulled her to her feet.

“It’s still early. Will Yun Jieyu take me for a walk?”

Yun Si glanced back once at her parents’ gravestone, but in the end left with Tan Yuanchu. The past could not be reclaimed; she had always known she must look forward.

She sniffled and murmured softly, “You’ve embarrassed your concubine again.”

For no reason at all, he just had to call her Yun Jieyu, making her feel awkward whether she responded or not.

Tan Yuanchu’s lips curved slightly; he shook his head slowly and denied it, drawling. “I did no such thing.”

Xu Shunfu had followed them once more. Wiping cold sweat from his forehead, he glanced at the figure of Yun Jieyu walking side-by-side with the Emperor and, in his heart, raised her status again and again.

Yun Si led Tan Yuanchu to the foot of the mountain, where her family had once lived.
Later, her home had been sold by the Lu family’s parents, the silver from the sale used to fund Lu Song’s studies, and Yun Si had been left without a home.

Afterward, when disaster struck, no one lived here anymore.

The house had long since fallen into ruin. Yun Si gave it only a single glance before looking away; the house had been sold many years ago and no longer bore any resemblance to what she remembered.

There was no need to look again.

She had brought Tan Yuanchu here not to revisit the past, but because she remembered that the foot of the mountain had been covered with many camellias and azaleas. But when they arrived, Yun Si found herself a little dumbfounded.

At the foot of the mountain, it was bare and barren; aside from weeds, there was nothing at all.

No, that wasn’t quite true. There were a few small yellow wildflowers whose name she couldn’t recall.

Tan Yuanchu swept his gaze around and couldn’t help raising his brows, asking her,

“You brought me here just to have me look at a field of weeds?”

Yun Si was at a loss for words and blurted out anxiously, “No! There used to be so many flowers here! When I was young, I thought this was the most beautiful place in the world, that’s why I brought Your Majesty here.”

She looked so pitiful that Tan Yuanchu had to believe her. But after glancing again at the desolate scenery of the mountains, he let out a low laugh and asked, “You still remember what flowers they were?”

Yun Si answered without hesitation, “Camellias and azaleas, I remember very clearly.”

Qiu Yuan couldn’t hold back and turned her head away.

Tan Yuanchu lifted a hand to his lips, suppressing the amusement in his eyes.

“Then let me ask you, Yun Jieyu, do you still remember what time of year it is now?”

Yun Si was suddenly taken aback.

The eighth month, nearing Mid-Autumn.

Tan Yuanchu couldn’t help himself; he tapped her forehead with a knuckle. “Azaleas bloom in April and May; camellias have yet to bloom. If you bring me here now, of course there’s nothing to see.”

Yun Si’s cheeks flushed scarlet in an instant, the color creeping up her neck. Seeing that his smile only deepened, she became a little annoyed.

“Stop laughing at me!”

Tan Yuanchu arched a brow slightly. She really did have a way of burning bridges, just an hour ago she had been so obedient and gentle, and right after paying respects to her parents, her attitude had completely changed, daring even to show her irritation at him.

After a moment, Tan Yuanchu looked at her, his tone calm:

“Now, can you be at ease and return to the temporary palace with me?”

Yun Si froze. She suddenly lifted her gaze toward Tan Yuanchu, and an idea flashed through her mind, had he noticed all along the restlessness she’d been feeling these past few days?

Beneath them, brocade was spread over the ground, he had protected her well, not letting her touch even a bit of dirt; only a section of her skirt hem trailed onto the ground.

Her clothing was half undone, hanging loosely at the crook of his arm as if about to fall yet not quite; he had not been willing to fully remove her garments. With people all around, he disliked others seeing her beauty, he didn’t like it one bit.

Yun Si wept into his embrace, her voice a steady stream of accusation.

“You… sob… liar…”

Tan Yuanchu was amused by her, letting out a low chuckle, unable to stop himself from lowering his head to kiss her, bit by bit.

When it came to being foolish, she wasn’t; yet at moments like this, she believed everything.