Chapter 280: Cold Heart, Cold Feelings (2)

Cool fingertips gently pinched her chin, not using any force. Qingfeng leaned forward slightly. For the first time, Lan'er looked at her Master's face so clearly. The moist skin was as white as jade, the wound on her forehead was covered with powder, and the light rouge and crimson lip oil made her complexion look quite good. Looking at her so closely, the scars on her face seemed less obvious, and all one's attention was hooked by those bright eyes. The Master was usually cold, but today she had a smile on her face, which made Lan'er inexplicably afraid: "This servant... this servant understands!" Once the words were out, Lan'er realized her voice was trembling.

Slowly withdrawing her hand, Qingfeng didn't make things difficult for her: "Get up."

"This servant will go find someone to dig up the flowers." She had to hurry and tell Sister Xiao! Lan'er didn't dare to delay any longer and hurriedly climbed up from the ground, but having knelt for only a while, she felt her legs go weak.

Covering her chest, Lan'er rushed out, almost bumping into Xia Yin, who was delivering breakfast. Xia Yin stepped aside to avoid her and was just about to scold her when Lan'er had already run far away. Had this girl been possessed early in the morning?

Side Hall of Zhengyang Palace

On a midsummer morning, before 9:00 AM, the sunlight was already dazzlingly bright. The doors and windows of the coolest and most ventilated room in the side hall were all open, and various tea fragrances drifted with the wind, refreshing the heart and mind.

The tea house of Zhengyang Palace was the largest in the palace, and all the good teas were gathered here. Except for a few maids personally trained by Xiao Yu, other servants were not allowed to enter at will.

Beside the open hall door, a slender figure poked her head in and called out in a low voice, "Sister Xiao."

Xiao Yu was sorting newly arrived tea leaves. She looked up and saw Lan'er's ingratiating face. Since entering the palace, Lan'er had been working by her side. The girl was quite clever, but a bit rash in her work, so she wasn't suitable for serving in front of the Emperor. Later, she had Gao Jin send her to Qingfeng. She hadn't seen her come to visit in the months since she left, and now she came running early in the morning—she must have something to ask of her. Xiao Yu didn't point it out and smiled, "Come in. You're not on duty today; have time to visit me?"

Lan'er trotted into the room and replied in a low voice, "It's not..."

Xiao Yu's hand sorting the tea paused. She had thought the girl would at least exchange some pleasantries; it seemed this matter was quite tricky.

Lan'er was anxious and didn't wait for Xiao Yu to ask, saying urgently, "It's Concubine Qing. She said she wants to... wants to dig up all the peonies in the Qingfeng Palace!"

Dig them up? Xiao Yu's heart skipped a beat, and she asked, "Why?"

Lan'er shook her head and replied, "I don't know. When she came back from the Empress Dowager's banquet yesterday, she was in a mess. Later, she smashed things and threw a tantrum. This morning, she said she wanted to dig up the peonies."

The Empress had long found that patch of peonies unpleasant but hadn't dared to dig them up. Was Qingfeng doing this to attract the Emperor's attention? Or to vent her anger over her sister falling into the water yesterday? No matter the reason, it was very stupid.

Sticking the small note with the origin and time on the small wooden box containing the tea, Xiao Yu began to busy herself with her work again and replied casually, "If she says to dig them up, then dig them up."

"Ah?" Lan'er was stunned. "But... but those flowers were the ones Consort De liked the most, and they were personally chosen by the Emperor!" Why wasn't Sister Xiao concerned? What if the Emperor got angry? What would happen then?

"There is no Consort De anymore. The Emperor could choose peonies before, and he can choose others now." Just like how he favored Consort De in the past and now favors Consort Hui, the Emperor's heart was not on any woman, let alone a few flowers.

Sister Xiao was the most favored female official by the Emperor's side; what she said couldn't be wrong. Moving closer to Xiao Yu, Lan'er asked ingratiatingly in a low voice, "I listen to whatever Sister Xiao says. What do you think I should do about this? Should I tell Chief Steward Gao?"

Xiao Yu's expression sank suddenly. She turned to stare at the little girl in front of her and replied coldly, "When serving in the palace, the most important thing is to recognize who your Master is. When the Master gives an order, the servant carries it out; it is not for you to question. Even if someone blames you in the end, it won't be your turn to bear it, and you can't bear it anyway. Also, it's best to tell me less about your Master's affairs in the future, so as not to arouse suspicion."

Lan'er was stunned by Xiao Yu's sudden anger. She lowered her head in grievance and replied timidly, "Thank you for the reminder, Sister Xiao. Lan'er will go first."

Xiao Yu didn't stop her. She didn't want to get involved in the affairs of the harem. If Qingfeng found out, she would think she had planted someone by her side. She said these things to Lan'er today to help her; as for whether she could understand, it depended on her own wit.

Picking up the silk cloth to wipe her hands, just as she was about to organize another type of tea, she saw a tall figure leaning against the door, a smile of leisure on his face.

Rolling her eyes at the person, Xiao Yu sneered, "I didn't think Commander Ming would be so interested in listening to a girl's conversation."

Ming Jian laughed heartily and replied, "I didn't think Chief Steward Xiao would have such a cold side."

Ming Jian strode into the room, sat at the round table, and picked up the freshly brewed tea, drinking it without asking. Xiao Yu glared at him and scolded angrily, "What are you here for?"

Finishing the good tea in the cup, Ming Jian smiled contentedly, "Nothing, just wanted to beg for some good tea."

Snatching the empty cup from his hand, Xiao Yu spat, "Pah, this tea is not something you can enjoy."

The teacup was snatched away, but Ming Jian didn't mind and smiled, "I wouldn't dare think of the top-grade Red Artemisia the Emperor likes, but begging for something else is fine, right?"

With a slap, she put down the empty cup she had snatched back, and Xiao Yu also curled her lips and spat out two words: "None. Available."

"Is that so? I just came out of the Imperial Study and seemed to hear the Emperor say..." Deliberately whetting Xiao Yu's appetite, Ming Jian stopped halfway through.

This person was always like this. Xiao Yu snorted, "Say what?"

"The Emperor said that since it's the summer heat, green tea is smoother to drink."

Xiao Yu was annoyed: "Why didn't you say so earlier?" The Emperor had always loved black tea, and she had just had someone send a cup over!

Ming Jian replied innocently, "You didn't ask. If you had asked, I would have told you."

"Hmph!" With a cold snort, Xiao Yu turned around and ignored him.

Ming Jian stood up and stood behind her, watching her pretend to be busy rummaging around. He didn't stop her and said calmly, "I came specifically to tip you off; there must be some reward."

Taking a small bag of tea leaves from the drawer on the far right, Xiao Yu shoved it into Ming Jian's hand and said impatiently, "Take it. Go quickly, don't disturb my work."

"Many thanks." Ming Jian got the tea and left the tea house contentedly. Once outside, Ming Jian picked up the tea bag and smelled it—it was his favorite Maojian. The corners of his mouth curled up involuntarily, and the summer sunlight became softer.

Inside the Imperial Study, the morning court had just ended, and the Emperor was reviewing memorials. The attending maids and eunuchs were all waiting quietly to the side, and no one dared to disturb the Emperor at this time. Xiao Yu carried a cup of hot tea and walked slowly, bypassing the wide desk and coming to Yan Hongtian's side. She lowered her head to look at the tea on the low table; the tea was already cold, but it hadn't been touched.

Signaling the maid behind her to take away the cold tea, Xiao Yu placed the newly brewed hot tea on the low table beside the dragon chair. Gently opening the lid, a faint jasmine fragrance drifted slowly.

"Jasmine?" Yan Hongtian put down the brush in his hand, and Xiao Yu hurriedly offered the hot tea.

Taking a sip, the fragrance was mellow. Yan Hongtian smiled, "I just thought of it, and you brought it. Not bad, reward her."

"Thank you, Emperor." Xiao Yu breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, that person had told her just now, otherwise it would have been bad if she had sent another cup of black tea.

Gao Jin smiled without a word to the side. The Emperor had just mentioned green tea this morning, and Xiao Yu had brought it over so coincidentally; it was likely someone had tipped her off.

Glancing at the smile on Gao Jin's face, Xiao Yu glared at him secretly. At this moment, a little eunuch came around from the back hall, whispered a few words in Gao Jin's ear, and Gao Jin nodded, waving for him to withdraw.

Gao Jin took two steps forward, then stopped, frowning and pondering for a while, before finally retreating.

Yan Hongtian was drinking the fragrant tea, his mood quite good. Seeing Gao Jin's hesitant look, he smiled, "What matter is making you so difficult, Gao Jin?"

Since Yan Hongtian asked, Gao Jin no longer hid it and replied, "Concubine Qing ordered someone to dig up all the peonies in the Qingfeng Palace." He had been thinking about whether to report this to the Emperor just now. Normally, such a small matter in the harem didn't need to disturb the Emperor, but after all, it was "peonies," and the person was Qingfeng. Although the Emperor didn't pay much attention to her, he always felt that the Emperor would want to hear about her.

Yan Hongtian's hand lifting the lid paused. The clear sound of the lid rubbing against the rim of the cup stalled, and the breathing of everyone in the Imperial Study also tightened, no one daring to breathe loudly.

After a long time, Yan Hongtian continued to drink his tea leisurely and said indifferently, "She has quite some nerve." The deep voice didn't reveal joy or anger, and the servants in the room still held their breath, not daring to make a sound. The Emperor's heart was unpredictable.

Putting the half-drunk tea aside, Yan Hongtian said in a low voice, "Xiao Yu."

"This servant is here." Xiao Yu stepped forward and was just about to take the tea away when Yan Hongtian suddenly spoke: "You go and see. Wait until they have finished digging everything up before you appear, and summon Qingfeng to see me."

Xiao Yu was stunned and looked up at Yan Hongtian. He had already continued to lean over the desk to review memorials. Xiao Yu suspected she had misheard. The Emperor rarely let her do such things as conveying messages. Since he had already sent her, why specifically order her to wait until the peonies were dug up before summoning Qingfeng? Xiao Yu couldn't understand, but she could only go to the Qingfeng Palace obediently.

When Xiao Yu arrived at the Qingfeng Palace, several eunuchs had already dug up most of the flowers in the flower bed. Yes, they were using shovels, and the flower branches and roots were all damaged; moving them elsewhere was likely impossible.

Waiting outside the hall for a while, Xiao Yu walked in slowly. Seeing Xiao Yu coming from afar, the eunuchs digging the flowers broke into a cold sweat, and their hands trembled in the summer heat. Chief Steward Xiao was a close female official by the Emperor's side; she came here—could it be that the Emperor was angry?

Originally thinking Qingfeng would be in the room, Xiao Yu was just about to call a servant to announce her when she saw a brilliant blue figure standing in the shade of a tree. From afar, it was a woman of peerless beauty—not about her appearance, but entirely about her demeanor. She was covered in sweat from the walk, but the woman stood under the tree at noon, still so calm. Xiao Yu had a moment of trance until the person walked slowly toward her, and until she saw the two scars on her face, Xiao Yu came back to her senses. Slightly lowering her head to hide her embarrassment, Xiao Yu bowed and saluted: "This servant Xiao Yu greets the Concubine."

"Get up." Qingfeng recognized her at a glance. She had seen this woman the first time she went to Yan Hongtian's sleeping quarters. She called herself a servant, but didn't act like one. In the Qiongyue Imperial Palace, she had seen two such women: one was Shui Xin, and the other was her. Qingfeng mocked herself inwardly, truly a couple; the people following them were not ordinary.

"This servant is here to convey the Emperor's oral decree, asking the Concubine to go to the Imperial Study."

The servants around were all pale with fear, but Qingfeng smiled slightly and replied, "Alright, I also happen to want to see the Emperor."

Fuling's palms were sweating, and she was about to follow Qingfeng, but Qingfeng stopped her and said loudly, "Fuling, you stay behind. Have them loosen the soil and plant... begonias."

"Yes." Fuling was anxious for Qingfeng, but couldn't disobey the order.

Giving Fuling a reassuring look, Qingfeng smiled at Xiao Yu, "Let's go." If Yan Hongtian wanted to punish her, she should be on her way to the Heavenly Prison now, not the Imperial Study.

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 281 =====