Little Palace Maid Desires a Higher Seat of Honor - Chapter 93

Chapter 93: The Meeting

The night was so thick it was almost impossible to disperse. Looking up, one could see clouds obscuring the moon and the dappled shadows of trees.
The lights in the Panju Hall had remained on all night until someone knocked on the door and was led inside by Song Fu.

Inside the inner hall, the woman had just bathed but was fully dressed. Her black hair was draped over her shoulders, and she was tidying her hair in front of a bronze mirror.
When Lu Song entered, Qiu Yuan was in the middle of wiping her hair.
She wore no makeup, and her face was clean as if freshly washed, with a faint, delicate pink flush.

Lu Song felt a moment of bewilderment, as if he had seen the young girl from years ago, but when the woman turned around, he was forced to come back to his senses.
The hall was very quiet.
Lu Song waited for her to speak, but she didn’t.

He finally took a step back and was the first to break the silence, “You asked me to come. What do you want?”
Yun Si glanced at Qiu Yuan. Qiu Yuan bowed slightly and quietly withdrew.

Suddenly, only Yun Si and Lu Song were left in the hall. Lu Song’s heart tightened, and he quietly clenched his hands in his sleeves.
Yun Si took the silk cloth that Qiu Yuan had left behind and gently wiped her hair. She remained seated in front of the bronze mirror and didn’t stand up.
“You’ve always been clever. Don’t you know what my purpose is?”

Lu Song was silent for a long time, but then he brought up another matter: “You harmed Lu Pin.”
It sounded like a question, yet also like a statement.
Yun Si suddenly turned her head, “What are you talking about?”
Her dark brows were tightly furrowed, and her eyes were filled with coldness. Even so, it was easy to arouse sympathy, but just as Yun Si understood him, Lu Song also understood Yun Si.

The answer was self-evident in her reaction.
Lu Song closed his eyes. “She was always kind to you. Why did you have to take her life?”
The first master Lu Song served after entering the palace was Lu Pin. From the very beginning, Lu Pin had trusted him. Later, she let him serve in her hall, and her trust in him even surpassed that for Yun Si and Xiao Rongzi.

For Lu Song, Lu Pin had been a good master from beginning to end.

Yun Si acted as if she had misheard him, and a sarcastic smile tugged at her lips.
“Don’t you find what you just said amusing yourself?”
Was Lu Pin good to her? Maybe she was at first, but after her miscarriage, or rather, after Lu Pin was confined to her quarters, she became like a different person.
It wasn’t that Lu Song hadn’t witnessed how Lu Pin later treated her, yet he could still say such a thing with a clear conscience.

Yun Si was utterly disgusted.
Hearing the sarcasm in her words, Lu Song fell silent.
The hall plunged into a dead silence. Yun Si looked up at Lu Song. In truth, Lu Song didn’t look much different from how she remembered him, yet he also felt completely different from the person in her memory.

Did Yun Si resent Lu’s parents?

She did.
But the person she resented most was Lu Song.

The Lu Song who promised every day that he would marry her and treat her well, had actually chosen to abandon her when his parents decided to sell her.
She had known this since the day she was sold.
She had said it before, Lu Song was very clever.
Yun Si suddenly let out a low, self-mocking laugh.
“Lu Song.”

Lu Song was a little stunned.
He even hesitated, wondering if he had misheard her. Since they were reunited, she had never spoken to him properly, let alone called his name.
Yun Si stood up and walked over to him. The faint moonlight streamed through the latticed window, casting a cold light in the hall, but the shadow of the screen lay on the floor, separating the two of them.

Lu Song was very tall.
Even though he had grown accustomed to lowering his gaze and even hunching his back recently, when Yun Si stood in front of him, he was still a little taller than the woman.
In Lu Song’s memory, Yun Si had always been like this. She was always short, as if she would never be as tall as him, and needed him to watch over her at all times.

Yun Si looked up and asked him, “What if I told you that I really did harm Lu Pin ? What would you do?”
Her voice was calm, but Lu Song suddenly felt his throat go dry.

What would he do?

What could he do to her?
Lu Song subconsciously wanted to say, “She’s the master…”
Yun Si abruptly cut him off, asking softly, “So?”
Lu Song was startled.
Yun Si asked him again, “So?”

Lu Song was speechless for a long time. Yun Si gave a slight, sarcastic smile and chose to answer for him.
“She’s the master, and I’m a servant. So she can punish me, scold me, and beat me. I’m not allowed to feel hatred because of it, and I can’t have any intention of harming her. Otherwise, it would be disloyal.”
Lu Song’s face turned pale.
He immediately denied it, “That’s not what I meant!”
He tried to reach out and grab her, but the sarcasm on her face held him in place. Lu Song’s body stiffened.

After a while, he said in a hoarse voice,
“I… I just feel like I don’t know you… A’si, don’t you know… I can’t recognize you anymore…”
Lu Song’s eyes were red.
The Yun Si in his memory was a little girl who was especially shy and easily frightened.
But since when could she kill someone without changing her expression, and then pretend to be pitiful and beg for the person’s life afterward?

Lu Song had been brooding over it. When he guessed that Yun Si was the one who had harmed Lu Pin, he felt deeply shaken.
It wasn’t because he thought it was cruel for Yun Si to harm Lu Pin.
Rather, it was because from that moment on, he was completely certain that he would never find her again.

Yun Si’s tone was flat. “Thanks to you all, isn’t it?”
She thought Lu Song was ridiculous. She was the one who was sold, yet he was the one looking so pained here.
Lu Song’s face suddenly went deathly pale.
After a long while, he said in a hoarse voice, “Are you so sure I can help you?”
Her purpose for summoning him was so obvious, and the purpose of saying all these things was also very clear, it was nothing more than to stir up his guilt and make him help her. It was difficult for Lu Song not to see through it.

But she wasn’t hiding it at all.
Seeing that they had finally gotten to the point, Yun Si also looked up and met his gaze.
“It depends on whether you’re willing to help me, doesn’t it?”

Lu Song looked at her for a long time, so long that Yun Si began to frown.
Lu Song slowly withdrew his gaze and said,
“In seven days, Yun Jieyu, bring the Emperor to the Yihe Palace.”
Yun Si didn’t trust him and couldn’t help but press her lips together.
Lu Song said self-deprecatingly, “You know, no matter what, I will help you this one time, won’t I?”

Yun Si was suddenly speechless.
She and Lu Song understood each other too well, so she didn’t even bother to pretend.
Her thoughts had been seen through, and she seemed a little annoyed, her dark brows knitted tightly together. Seeing this, Lu Song suddenly twisted his lips, but he didn’t smile.
He quickly resumed his submissive appearance.
“In seven days, Yun Jieyu will get her wish.”
With that, he didn’t linger. He turned and left without a moment’s hesitation.

Song Fu and Qiu Yuan were both waiting outside the hall. When they heard the door open, Song Fu led Lu Song out.
After that, the Panju Hall was quiet for a long time. Qiu Yuan came in and saw that her master was still frowning, looking a little puzzled.
“Did he agree?”

Yun Si sat down, her tone a little sullen. “He agreed.”
She fiddled with the jade hairpin on the dressing table, clearly in a bad mood.
Qiu Yuan was a little surprised. Since Lu Song had agreed, why was her Mistress unhappy?
Yun Si glanced at Qiu Yuan in the bronze mirror, not sure how to explain it to her.

She fretfully pursed her lips.
“He did agree, but I just feel like something’s wrong.”
Qiu Yuan looked at her with a puzzled expression.
Yun Si was speechless.
How should she describe it?
The process was correct, and the result was correct. It was only at the end that something went wrong.

Yun Si said, “He didn’t tell me anything. He just said to have the Emperor go to Yihe Palace in seven days.”
Moreover, she couldn’t understand the emotion in Lu Song’s eyes when he looked at her at the end.
Qiuyuan raised an eyebrow, a little confused. Could it be that by just having the Emperor go to Yihe Palace, Lu Song would have a way to make the Emperor completely detest Consort De?

If that was really the case, Qiu Yuan would have to see Lu Song in a new light.
Qiu Yuan was actually quite curious about her master’s past with Lu Song. She hadn’t asked, but she could see that Lu Song seemed to still have feelings for her master.
Yun Si seemed to sense something. She suddenly looked up at Qiu Yuan and asked, “Do you think Lu Song likes me a lot?”

So much that after all this time, even with her becoming a concubine, Lu Song still couldn’t forget her.
Qiu Yuan’s expression changed. She knelt down with a thud. “I beg your master’s forgiveness. This servant would not dare to have such thoughts.”
Qiu Yuan had been in the palace for many years, and she had long understood a principle: in this palace, a person must know their place.
Her Mistress trusted her greatly, and she knew that even if she admitted it, her master wouldn’t be displeased with her.

But Qiu Yuan didn’t want to overstep her boundaries.
Yun Si pulled her up and suddenly gave a slight, casual smile, her tone light and normal.
“I used to think that, too.”
The moment the words fell, Qiu Yuan’s heart sank. She looked up in astonishment, momentarily confused about what that meant.
Or perhaps she was a little incredulous.

Yun Si just smiled. “I told you, he’s very clever.”

Qiu Yuan still didn’t understand, but she glanced at her Mistress and felt that her Mistress didn’t seem very happy.
Yun Si didn’t mention her past with Lu Song again. Instead, she lowered her eyelids and whispered,
“I’m not surprised that he’ll help me, but at most, he should only tell me information about Consort De, not act like he is now.”

Qiu Yuan frowned, following her master’s line of thought. She couldn’t help but wrinkle her brow. “Does master think it’s a trick?”
“No,” Yun Si shook her head. She suddenly let out a cold laugh.
“He must have another motive.”
She was putting on a show, but Lu Song might also be putting on a show.
Qiu Yuan was shocked.

She instinctively glanced at her master and couldn’t help but think to herself, how could these childhood sweethearts be so cunning with each other?
She asked with a rare hint of hesitation. “Then what does Mistress plan to do?”

Yun Si cursed Lu Song a hundred times in her mind before suppressing her annoyance. She took a deep breath.
“Just wait seven days; everything will be revealed.”
Yun Si wanted to deal with Consort De, and since she knew Lu Song had another motive, she naturally wouldn’t rely on him entirely.

She whispered a few words to Qiu Yuan, who then asked, “Are you so sure that Her Highness the Empress will want to talk to you?”
Yun Si nodded with conviction. “She will.”
Qiu Yuan didn’t doubt this, as the Empress’s friendliness towards her master had been especially obvious since the day her master was given her rank.

Qiu Yuan turned her head and glanced at the scarlet coral ornament in the hall.
But she was still a little hesitant.
“Are you really choosing Her Highness the Empress and not getting involved with Consort Jing?”
If it were up to Qiu Yuan, Consort Jing clearly had a soft spot for her master and was far more trustworthy than the Empress.

Just looking at the fate of Su Jieyu was enough to know that the Empress was not a good partner for collaboration.
Yun Si suddenly paused.
Just as she was about to say something else, she involuntarily let out a yawn.
Her eyebrows showed visible signs of drowsiness.
Qiu Yuan turned to look at the hourglass and said quickly, “It’s getting late. Mistress, you should rest.”

There was morning greetings to attend to, so Yun Si didn’t refuse. She had thought that after so much had happened tonight, she wouldn’t be able to sleep, but as soon as she got into bed, she was fast asleep before Qiu Yuan had even finished making the bed.
Qiu Yuan, having finished making the bed, looked at her and was a little surprised at how fast her master had fallen asleep. She didn’t make a sound and carefully blew out the lights in the hall.
Qiu Yuan was a light sleeper but always fell asleep quickly.

Few servants didn’t cherish their rest time. As she was drifting off, a thought unconsciously crossed her mind: it seemed her master had been feeling sleepy a lot since returning from the summer palace.

— Yihe Palace–

Today was the Emperor’s eldest son’s birthday. The Emperor had just returned to the capital, and Consort De had specifically requested a small celebration. She only had the imperial kitchen prepare a lavish meal today, then personally invited the Emperor to come over.

Tan Yuanchu had no reason to refuse.
Compared to the little princess, the Eldest Prince was older and understood the rules better. After dinner, he didn’t pester his father and mother and returned to the side hall early.

The palace attendants came in and cleared the meal.
The hall gradually became quiet again. Tan Yuanchu and Consort De entered the inner chamber. After the Eldest Prince had left, the Emperor’s expression remained calm, and he didn’t say that he wanted to rest.

Consort De glanced at him, her heart a little unsure of what he was thinking, but seeing that it was getting late, she subtly looked at Gui Qiu. Gui Qiu immediately understood and withdrew.
Soon, buckets of hot water were carried in.
Consort De also stood up and, after approaching Tan Yuanchu, said gently and softly, “Your Majesty, it’s getting late. Shall your concubine serve you for your bath?”

The hall was lit by candlelight.
Everyone said that beauties looked even more beautiful in lamplight, and Consort De stood in front of the candlelight, which couldn’t help but add a certain softness to her.
But this very person, who appeared gentle and submissive, was in fact meticulous and exceptionally ruthless.

After the trip to the summer palace, even though she knew he suspected her, she could still perfectly display a hint of shyness and tenderness.
Tan Yuanchu looked up. Just as Consort De was about to touch his sash, he said in a flat tone,
“No need.”
The hall fell silent.

Consort De discreetly glanced at the Emperor. She pressed her lips together, quickly forming a small smile. “Then your concubine will wait for Your Majesty outside.”
After Tan Yuanchu finished speaking, he paid no attention to her reaction and went directly into the bathing chamber.
Xu Shunfu followed him into the bathing chamber.
Gui Qiu couldn’t help but glance at her mistress. Consort De noticed her gaze and frowned very quickly.

Gui Qiu then glanced at the palace attendants in the hall, also realizing that she shouldn’t show her emotions, and quickly averted her eyes.
But Gui Qiu still felt a little uneasy.
Everyone said that Qi Guipin had once dominated the harem, but if you looked closely, the Emperor’s visits to Yihe Palace were not few either.

There was no reason for the Emperor to visit the little princess frequently but not come to see the Emperor’s eldest son.
It was just that her mistress never flaunted it like Qi Guipin did. Everyone’s attention was drawn to Qi Guipin’s brilliance at the time, thus overlooking their own mistress.

The Emperor was a man who always followed his own heart, and her mistress had always been gentle and complied with his wishes in all matters. Therefore, whenever the lights were on in Yihe Palace, it was rare for bathwater not to be called for.
Especially since it was the Eldest Prince birthday today, but the Emperor’s attitude towards her mistress was indeed a bit cold.

When Lu Song returned to Yihe Palace, the palace attendant guarding the door silently let him in. Besides the person at the door, no one noticed that Lu Song had left Yihe Palace.

Before returning to his quarters, Lu Song glanced at the main hall. The lights in the main hall were already out, and it was dark.

Only a few lanterns were lit in front of the hall, with a handful of people guarding it. The attendants who served the Emperor had been arranged to rest in the side rooms long ago.
Lu Song looked at the sky and realized that no bathwater had been called for in the hall tonight. His eyes flickered.

The next day, Yun Si slept until almost 9 a.m. and was a little groggy when Qiuyuan woke her up.
As Qiu Yuan served her while she dressed and washed, she remembered a thought she had before she went to bed last night and couldn’t help but say:
“Mistress, don’t you think you’ve been sleeping a bit too much lately?”
Yun Si had also noticed it, but when Imperial Physician Chang had taken her pulse the day she returned, he found nothing wrong. She hesitated and said,
“I was afraid of feeling carsick, so on the way back to the capital, I slept almost the entire way. Maybe I just haven’t adjusted yet.”

Upon hearing this, Qiu Yuan could only put her suspicions aside.
Yun Si had gotten up a bit late today. When she arrived at Kunning Palace, she found that she was actually the last one there. As soon as she sat down, she suddenly heard Su Jieyu pposite her say,
“Yun Jieyu is a bit late. I almost thought I had remembered who served the Emperor last night incorrectly.”
Yun Si was a little puzzled.

Had Su Jieyu taken the wrong medicine today?
Since she was being bullied, there was no reason for Yun Si to just take it. Instead of speaking directly to Su Jieyu, she turned and asked the palace maid serving in Kunning Palace.
“What time is it now?”
The maid answered blankly, “It’s 9 a.m.”

Yun Si covered her mouth, as if sighing in relief, and said with lingering fear.
“I almost thought it was noon.”
Everyone in the hall suddenly fell silent and couldn’t help but look at Yun Jieyu. She hadn’t said a single word to Su Jieyu, yet every word she said was a slap in Su Jieyu’s face.

Su Jieyu also understood the sarcasm in her words and her face immediately turned cold.
Her Majesty the Empress came out just then. She had the same gentle smile on her face as always, but as soon as she appeared, her gaze fell on Su Jieyu.
Su Jieyu pursed her lips and shifted her eyes away.
She clenched the handkerchief in her sleeve, and even though she avoided the Empress’s gaze, a surge of resentment welled up in her heart.

Why?

It was bad enough that the Emperor favored Yun Si, but now even Her Highness the Empress was favoring Yun Si?
With her current physical condition, it was difficult to gain the Emperor’s favor again. Now she could only rely on Her Majesty the Empress to survive.

Did Yun Si have to compete with her for everything?!