Chapter 316

"Master?"

Qingfeng had just turned over and hadn't opened her eyes yet when a hesitant low call rang out from outside the gauze curtain. It was Fuling's voice. Over the past few days, Ruyi had been taking care of her daily life and diet. Fuling waiting by her bed early in the morning probably meant something had happened.

Her belly was getting bigger and bigger. Qingfeng supported herself on the edge of the bed and slowly got up. Hearing the movement inside, Fuling also lifted the gauze curtain and came to the bedside, carefully helping Qingfeng up. After finally sitting up straight, Qingfeng asked softly: "Why so early?"

Glancing outside, Fuling replied amusingly: "It's not early." It was almost 9:00 AM. The child was seven months old, and the master no longer had morning sickness, and her diet was normal, but she was becoming more and more sleepy and always lazy.

Qingfeng glanced out the window. It was indeed not early. The warm winter sun had shone through the window, casting a brilliant light in front of the bed. The rare good weather also infected Qingfeng. She took a deep breath, stretched comfortably, and then asked: "Did something happen to Zhen Zhen?"

Fuling hesitated for a while before nodding and replying: "When I went over last night, I always felt like I was being followed..."

"Followed?" Qingfeng's half-closed eyes suddenly opened: "Do you know who it is?"

"I didn't see anyone, but I felt uneasy." Fuling replied while busy soaking the soft cotton cloth to hand to Qingfeng to wash her face. She knew that saying she was followed based on a feeling wouldn't be convincing, and it would be even harder to escape her master's sharp eyes, so she answered while finding things to do, hoping her master wouldn't continue to ask. As for why she didn't want to say she had seen Ming Ze last night, she didn't have an answer herself.

Feeling? Obviously, Qingfeng was very dissatisfied with this statement. When did Fuling do things based on feelings? Qingfeng took the cotton cloth to wipe her face and tidied herself up before replying faintly: "Don't go there yourself in the future. Find a trustworthy old nanny to handle these things."

"Yes." Fuling breathed a sigh of relief and smiled as she picked up the wooden comb to help Qingfeng comb her hair.

What was that look of relief seen in the bronze mirror? Fuling was hiding something from her... Qingfeng's good mood early in the morning instantly disappeared.

Qingfeng wanted to ask, but felt it was inappropriate. Judging from Fuling's reaction this morning, it should be related to the person following her last night. Did she know who the person following her last night was but didn't want to say? Or was there some change that made her deliberately hide it? Doubts arose in her heart, but Qingfeng didn't show it on her face until Fuling finished combing her hair, and then she asked casually: "Are those people still obedient?"

"Master, rest assured. As you expected, they are also worried about their future because Consort Hui was demoted to the Cold Palace. You can give them a chance to follow you, and most people are begging for it." Consort Hui was very trustworthy. The day after that day, she sent a list of the people and influence she could control. And when she went to find those people, she could feel that they had already received Consort Hui's instructions, and most of them were willing to be used by the master.

Most... so there were still hard bones to chew. Qingfeng was not in a hurry and said in a low voice: "For those who don't obey, have Zhen Zhen write a letter to them personally to explain the pros and cons. If they still don't obey... see what their movements are before making plans. Also, find out about this person named Shui Xin."

"Yes." No need for the master to explain. After Consort Hui mentioned it last time, she had already asked people to inquire about it, but the results were disappointing.

"Consort, Steward Xiao requests an audience." Ruyi's gentle voice came from outside the screen.

Xiao Yu? What wind blew her here? Qingfeng thought for a moment and said: "Please invite her in."

Xiao Yu entered the room, and Qingfeng happened to walk out from behind the screen. Without stepping forward, Xiao Yu bowed generously: "This servant greets Consort Qing."

Gently raising her hand to signal her to be exempt from courtesy, Qingfeng smiled: "Is there anything you want to see me for?" For Xiao Yu, this female official before the Emperor, Qingfeng liked her inexplicably. A woman who loved and understood tea naturally had a different charm.

Xiao Yu didn't talk nonsense and replied: "To convey an imperial decree."

Qingfeng raised her eyebrows slightly without asking. Xiao Yu didn't like to sell suspense either and replied: "The Emperor has an order to take the Consort to the Shuchuan Villa before 3:00 PM."

"Shuchuan Villa?" What kind of place? Fuling whispered in Qingfeng's ear: "Shuchuan Villa is a royal villa located in the east of the capital, and it is also a place for the Emperor's recuperation."

So, she was going out of the palace? Last time she went out of the palace and saw her eldest sister and younger sister. This time Yan Hongtian took her out of the palace, what interesting things were waiting for her? She had been hiding in this small room for many days and was really tired of it. Going out of the palace could also avoid the eyes and ears in the palace. Qingfeng was vaguely looking forward to it and smiled: "Are we going now?"

"Yes." This Consort Qing was pregnant, and she had to be there by 3:00 PM, so she really had to leave now.

"Then let's go." Qingfeng got up, and Fuling helped her walk out. When she reached the courtyard, Qingfeng suddenly stopped and said: "You stay in the palace, let Ruyi accompany me."

Fuling paused, and Ruyi stepped forward cleverly to take her place, helping Qingfeng continue to walk out. Watching that slender figure pass by her without even looking at her, Fuling felt a bit lost and sour. It wasn't because all the servants in the courtyard were watching, but she suddenly realized that her position by her side was not irreplaceable...

Just as she was immersed in her own thoughts, that cold voice sounded again: "Fuling."

Fuling was stunned, responded softly, and walked behind Qingfeng, no longer walking side by side with her.

Qingfeng sighed softly, turned around to look at Fuling, who was standing quietly behind her with no expression, grabbed her hand directly, and said in a clear voice that was not loud, but enough for everyone in the courtyard to hear clearly, "Only with you in the palace can I be at ease."

Just now, Qingfeng really wanted to punish her slightly, angry at Fuling's concealment this morning, but looking at her lonely appearance, Qingfeng regretted it. She said that she didn't have much trust to give. Since she chose to trust Fuling, why hurt her heart today for a trivial matter with an unclear situation? This was the person she chose. If Fuling betrayed her, then... she would accept it!

Qingfeng grabbed very hard, even a little painful, but Fuling's heart calmed down instantly, and she smiled and replied: "Yes."

Ruyi stood close and naturally saw Qingfeng holding Fuling's hand tightly. The joy and pride she had just felt because she could accompany Qingfeng out of the palace alone instantly cooled. In the entire Qingfeng Palace, only Fuling could call the Consort "Master," and the Consort only called herself "I" in front of Fuling. Ruyi knew that currently, in the Consort's heart, no one could replace Fuling. With this realization, Ruyi stepped back slightly, lowered her head, bowed to Fuling, and said cleverly: "Sister Fuling, rest assured, this servant will definitely take good care of the Consort."

Xiao Yu watched this scene quietly, the corners of her mouth raised in a smile that almost faded away. In a short distance, with just a few words, she made everyone understand their position while being both kind and powerful.

After lunch, it was the master's nap time, and the servants below could also steal a lazy moment. However, in the entire harem, Shui Xin was probably the only one who dared to lie on the soft couch and read books so leisurely.

"Just after 9:00 AM today, Xiao Yu went to Qingfeng Palace and took Consort Qing out of the palace, escorted by Ming Jian, the commander of the Imperial Guards."

A gray-clothed man stood respectfully behind Shui Xin, speaking in a low voice. Looking at his figure and demeanor, he didn't look like a eunuch, but in front of the woman in front of him, he was humble.

Her eyes still on the pages of the book in her hand, Shui Xin asked carelessly: "Where did they go?"

"Shuchuan Villa."

"The Emperor went together?"

"When this servant returned, the Emperor did not appear at Shuchuan Villa. I just asked the people in Ganyang Palace, and the Emperor is not in the palace either."

Shui Xin nodded and waved her hand slightly, and the man immediately retreated. After the man walked away, Shui Xin slowly put down the book in her hand, and there was no trace of laziness in her bright eyes.

Qingfeng, are you finally willing to go out?

Under the large pavilion, on a simple wooden low table, there was a chessboard and two cups of clear tea. Except for the rustling sound of the wind blowing through the trees, one could occasionally hear the sound of chess pieces falling. The air was filled with the scent of damp forest trees, which was very rare in the early winter season.

Two women sat opposite each other. A white piece fell gracefully. The woman holding the black piece pondered for a moment, slowly put down the chess piece, and the outcome was decided, "The Consort's chess skills are superb, Xiao Yu admits defeat."

It was long past 3:00 PM, but she hadn't seen Yan Hongtian's shadow. However, Qingfeng liked this royal villa very much. According to her observation all afternoon, the villa was very large, and there were many exotic flowers and plants, but they seemed to be trimmed, growing freely and wildly. There was no gorgeous palace, only a few exquisite wooden huts, simple and plain, with no royal style at all.

Qingfeng picked up the teacup on the low table and smiled leisurely: "Just admitting defeat is not enough."

Admitting defeat is not enough, what does she want?

Qingfeng shook the clear brown tea soup in her hand slightly, and the tea fragrance instantly filled the air. She smiled slyly and replied: "I want the top-grade June."

Xiao Yu's face stiffened. She coughed lightly and replied casually: "If the Consort wants June, just send someone to say so, and Xiao Yu will naturally offer it."

Shaking her index finger lightly, Qingfeng leaned forward slightly and said word by word: "That's different. What I want is the top-grade June."

June, just like its name, is enthusiastic. After brewing with boiling water, the elegant fragrance instantly becomes rich, as if it wants to rush from the nose into the heart and lungs, occupying all your senses. This shouldn't be the taste of tea, but it is indeed tea. In fact, June is not the most precious variety among teas. Ordinary June can be bought with some effort, but top-grade June is hard to find even with a thousand gold. To be called top-grade June, the tea plant must grow in fertile land with sufficient sunlight, and the top leaf of the tea bud must be picked at 7:00 AM on the day of Grain Rain. The most difficult thing is not these. Generally, new tea is more precious than old tea, but June is just the opposite. It must be matured for more than six years, and the annual rainfall, temperature, and humidity must be just right to be called top-grade June.

(End of chapter)