Flowery Hair: A Maidservant

Chapter 228 Another Strategist

Aunt Mei replied truthfully, "That's right. Just now in the hall, Green Willow has been selected. But don't worry, Miss, Green Willow did not encounter any problems. Her training in Jinnan over the past few years must have been quite effective."

"However, with your method, I wonder if others have been eliminated."

Just then, Ruizhu brought in tea and couldn't help but ask Huayan, "The methods you came up with were too tricky. If they were not true, the clerk might find out. Why didn't we inform the manor beforehand so that Lvliu and the others could be prepared?"

Consort Chun casually picked up the top list from the table, and sure enough, she saw Green Willow's name on the first page. Consort Chun explained to Hua Yan, "If they act too impeccably, it will only attract attention."

Currently, almost all of the six bureaus are staffed by the two empress dowagers, not to mention that today, the Empress's personal attendant, Granny Gui, even took Chen Ling (a eunuch from Renming Palace) to Shenwu Gate.

Hua Yan nodded, noticing that there were no notes from the clerk among the files on the table, and asked, "Why weren't the notes from Clerk Chen and the others delivered?"

Yesterday, Consort Chun specially summoned the female officials of the Six Bureaus to Renming Hall. She not only explained several details, but also requested the clerk to compile today's events into a notebook and submit it to Huining Hall.

Aunt Mei said, "Chen Sibu and the others are compiling the report, saying it will be delivered before 5 PM."

"Hua Yan, come and take a look. Besides Lv Liu, how many others have been selected?" Consort Chun pointed to a chair to the side.

Hua Yan was originally afraid that Lü Liu would enter the palace for her sake, but now that she knew she couldn't stop her, she could only compose herself and try to find a reasonable way to keep her working in Huining Palace.

Consort Chun glanced at the list briefly before handing it to Hua Yan. Hua Yan read through it in turn, and her brows relaxed slightly.

"Besides Green Willow, there are six other people who should have been trained by Sister Huanyun and Green Willow when they were at the Jinan Embroidery Shop."

"There are so many?"

Mengzhu exclaimed in surprise, "I thought that with such a strict selection process, many people would be eliminated."

Inside the Renming Hall.

After Granny Gui finished her report with trepidation, the Empress was surprisingly not angry.

"Even if Consort Chun is so careful and meticulous in selecting a group of palace maids, even if Mother successfully places them in the palace, Consort Chun will most likely find out. At that time, not only will it not succeed, but it may also cause trouble."

The Empress's eyes flickered, and Xingyu stepped forward to help her sit up, placing a thick cushion behind her back.

"Your Majesty, the General will be returning to the capital in four or five days. Judging by the schedule, Banu should have been back long ago..."

Banu was sent by the Empress to the Northwest to deliver a message and to investigate the Duke's Mansion in Guangyang Prefecture over the years.

Granny Gui chimed in, "Xingyu is right. Banu has been gone for some time now. Could something have happened along the way?"

The Empress pondered for a while, then instructed, "Granny, tomorrow you will take my palace token and leave the palace to return to the General's Mansion. Send a few people out to search."

......

Before 5 PM, Chen Sibu, the official in charge of the Shanggong Bureau, left Shoukang Palace and headed towards Huining Hall along the palace road.

Inside the Buddhist hall next to the sleeping quarters in Shou Kang Palace.

Aunt Rongxiu was Empress Dowager Zhou's personal maid, whom she brought into the palace from the Zhou family. At this moment, she was helping Empress Dowager Zhou out of the Buddhist hall.

Rongxiu held a few thin pages in her hands. "Your Highness, Consort Chun is very thorough in her dealings. I have served in the palace for more than 30 years, and this is the first time I have seen such detailed rules. Even if those people want to do something, I'm afraid they won't be able to succeed."

Empress Dowager Zhou sat in a folding chair, a meaningful smile playing on her lips.

"These detailed rules were not written by Consort Chun. Consort Chun is straightforward and honest, and would never have thought of such a convoluted scheme. Besides, take a closer look at the handwriting."

Rongxiu then noticed, "Your Majesty's eyes are indeed sharp. The handwriting on this register is different from that of Consort Chun; it is more spirited."

When Consort Chun entered the palace as a concubine to pray for the late emperor, Rongxiu had seen the handwritten scriptures she had made.

"If it weren't for Yun's prior instruction and guidance, Consort Chun should have had another strategist by her side."

Rongxiu stood behind Empress Dowager Zhou, gently massaging her shoulders and neck, and said softly, "When I went to Huining Palace to deliver the rewards, I noticed that a maid named Huayan, who served Consort Chun, was quite beautiful. Now that she has entered the palace with Consort Chun, she has naturally become a concubine."

"Selected concubines..."

Empress Dowager Zhou read aloud slowly and sighed, "It has been a long time since a woman in the harem has held the rank of Selected Concubine."

Rongxiu recalled, "This servant remembers that when the late Emperor was alive, Consort Shu had a concubine named Lin..."

At this point, Rongxiu's voice lowered. Before Consort Shu was favored, Consort Lin had the opportunity to serve the emperor twice. However, after Consort Shu was favored and gave birth to the third prince, Consort Lin died suddenly less than half a year later.

Seeing that the Empress Dowager remained silent, Rongxiu asked softly, "The third young lady of the Duke's Mansion will definitely enter the palace in the general election next March. At that time, will Your Majesty help Consort Chun? Although the Marquis of Lin'an's Mansion is a newly powerful family, if Consort Chun gains power, it can also ensure the Zhou family's wealth and status for several more generations."

Empress Dowager Zhou chuckled and said, "Why would I need to help? As long as our emperor still needs the Tang family, Consort Chun will most likely not fall out of favor."

......

Green Willow has been in the palace for seven or eight days. She counts the days, and the 29th of this month is the Second Miss's birthday.

She hadn't received any news for the past few days and was following the etiquette lessons from the ladies of the Imperial Etiquette Bureau step by step. Chun Tao was not far behind her, but the two still seemed not to know each other, only exchanging a few words occasionally when everyone was resting and chatting.

Since receiving the list, Hua Yan has not yet met the new palace maids, but she has gleaned a lot of information from the snippets in the files. In addition, Xiao Nianzi followed her around on the day of the selection, and she also noticed the performance of Chen Sibu and the others.

Hua Yan gathered enough information and started by working with the palace servants around the two empress dowagers, sorting out their relationships with the female officials of the Six Bureaus and the eunuchs such as the clerks. Finally, two days before Consort Chun's birthday, she presented her with a list of personnel changes for various positions in the harem.

On another note, the biggest commotion at Huining Palace these past two days has been caused by Donggua.

Seven days ago, when Donggua asked Huayan to try the dishes, Huayan looked at the two full plates of spicy eggplants and burst into tears before she could even speak.

Fearing "disfigurement," she went to the kitchen herself. Donggua had always used spicy eggplant as an ingredient, but after a series of frying and cooking, the result was self-evident; her and Mingyue's faces were the best proof.

Hua Yan pointed to the seasoning vegetables such as ginger, garlic, and dogwood, and suggested that they be used as seasonings along with ginger and garlic. After that, Dong Gua tried again and finally succeeded in cooking a dish that was delicious and visually appealing. It also prevented any skin irritation after eating it. Of course, Dong Gua is still secretly conducting more research on chili peppers.

Finally, after Hua Yan had the imperial physicians from the Imperial Hospital examine the dishes, several new dishes were placed on Consort Chun's dining table.

The new dishes were naturally meant to be presented to the two empress dowagers. Empress Dowager Zhou did not eat spicy food, but Empress Dowager Jiang loved it. Even the emperor would make a special trip to Huining Palace before dinner and would stay at Consort Chun's place in the evening.

When the old lady of the Marquis of Lin'an's mansion and Madam Yun received the news, the two women sat face to face for a while to digest it. The old lady couldn't help but say with joy, "Steward An has taken in a good prospect. He has only been in the palace for a few days, and Donggua has already given us an unexpected surprise."

"We should reward her and Steward An properly."

Upon hearing her mother-in-law's words, Madam Yun smiled and instructed Wei Mama to quickly have Manager Fan prepare a batch of spicy eggplants and send them to the palace.