Story of Yanxi Palace, Chapter 113: Reunion

   “This year’s Wan Shou (Longevity) celebration will be held in the Zhengda Guangming Hall of the Yuanming Garden. The Emperor, Empress, Empress Dowager, and Noble Consort Chun will all be in attendance. There must not be the slightest mistake. You few are specially assigned to clean His Majesty’s Qinzheng Hall.”

Manager Zhang pointed them out one by one, finally landing on Wei Yingluo and Yuan Chunwang. “You two are specially assigned to clear the weeds along the entire rear lake.”

Yingluo: “The entire rear lake?”

Chief Steward Zhang: “Yes! The entire rear lake!”

Afraid she didn’t grasp the importance of the task, Chief Steward Zhang added, “This Wan Shou Festival will feature the release-of-life ceremony at the rear lake of the Yuanming Garden. All of you had better stay alert. If there is even the tiniest oversight, be careful of your hides!”

After Chief Steward Zhang left, Yuan Chunwang glanced at Wei Yingluo. “This job is grueling and exhausting—how can you still be smiling?”

“When the Emperor comes to the Yuanming Garden, Noble Consort Chun will surely come too. Doesn’t that mean I’ll get to see Ming Yu?” Wei Yingluo beamed with joy.

After the Empress passed away, the palace maids of Changchun Palace were reassigned. Ming Yu was sent to serve Noble Consort Chun at Zhongcui Palace. Though the two were now in different places, their letters had never stopped.

“I was a little worried at first—afraid Noble Consort Chun might not like her straightforward, reckless personality. But then I received her letter saying life in Zhongcui Palace was going fairly well, and I finally relaxed a bit.” At this point, Wei Yingluo frowned in distress again. “But in the last few months, her letters have mysteriously stopped. I don’t know what happened on her end. When she comes here, I’ll ask her properly and see if there’s anything I can do to help…”

Yuan Chunwang couldn’t help laughing inwardly. He reached out and lightly tapped her between the brows. “You, ah, you—you can barely take care of yourself, yet you’re still thinking about helping others.”

Wei Yingluo mumbled, “What can I do? That’s just how I am.”

“You really should learn from me,” Yuan Chunwang said, ruffling her hair. “I never bother with other people’s business—only ours.”

His temperament was something Wei Yingluo could never learn.

Yuan Chunwang was adept at holding grudges, whereas she excelled at remembering kindness. Every drop of favor, every bit of friendship, even the tiniest trace of love—she could never forget them. Like a blade of grass in the desert that forever remembers the mercy of a single drop of water.

A few days later, noble ladies arrived at the garden.

Wherever a noble lady went, she was inevitably followed by countless servants. As more and more noble ladies entered, the procession grew ever grander and more imposing. Wei Yingluo searched through the crowd for a long time before finally spotting the person she was looking for.

“…Ming Yu?” Wei Yingluo almost didn’t dare to recognize her.

Though the two had once been senior palace maids together in Changchun Palace, their circumstances now could not have been more different. Wei Yingluo had been banished to Yuanmingyuan as punishment, while Ming Yu had been transferred to serve under Noble Consort Chun, still holding the position of senior palace maid.

…But what was going on? How could someone serving in the presence of a favored consort look even worse than someone enduring punishment?

Wei Yingluo quietly continued with the rough chores in her hands. After waiting nearly half an hour, she finally found an opportunity. She moved close to Ming Yu and whispered, “Ming Yu, come with me.”

Yuanmingyuan was filled with towering rockeries and lush foliage—everywhere were perfect hiding spots.

Having lived here for nearly half a year, Wei Yingluo knew exactly where to go for a private conversation. She pulled Ming Yu behind a large artificial mountain, studied her up and down for a moment, then said gravely, “Ming Yu, is something troubling you?”

Ming Yu’s complexion was dreadful, like that of someone just recovered from a serious illness. When Wei Yingluo took hold of her arm, she felt nothing but bones—there was scarcely any flesh left.

Bad color alone would have been one thing, but Ming Yu also seemed dazed and absent-minded. She stared blankly at Wei Yingluo for a long time before suddenly shivering as though waking from a dream. Shaking her head, she said, “I—I’m fine.”

With that, she tried to wrench her arm free and flee.

How could Wei Yingluo let her leave in such confusion? She reached out and pulled her back. Ming Yu immediately let out a sharp cry of pain.

“…You’re hurt?” Wei Yingluo was startled. Coming back to her senses, she ignored Ming Yu’s struggles, forcibly rolled up her sleeve—but the skin beneath was smooth and flawless, without a single mark or wound.

Ming Yu: “I told you I’m fine. Why won’t you believe me…”

Wei Yingluo stared at her. “If nothing’s wrong, why does it hurt?”

Ming Yu stammered, searching for a long time but unable to come up with a reasonable excuse.

“Ming Yu, there’s no one else here. Just tell me the truth.” Wei Yingluo pressed her hands firmly on the other woman’s shoulders and said in a low, serious voice, “Did Noble Consort Chun do something to you?”

Ming Yu’s gaze darted away for a long while before finally settling on her face. She opened her mouth, about to speak—when a cool, indifferent voice suddenly came from behind:

“Ming Yu, why are you still idling here? Her Ladyship is looking for you! Come here at once!”

Ming Yu shuddered violently, as though an invisible arrow had shot straight through her chest from behind.

“I… I’m coming right now.” Her reply was timid and shrinking. Her posture instinctively hunched forward, completely stripped of the bold, fiery spirit she had once shown back in Changchun Palace.

Seeing her like this, Wei Yingluo felt a sharp pang in her heart. She raised her head and looked coldly at the newcomer. “What exactly have you people done to Ming Yu?”

The person who had spoken was Yuhu, the senior palace maid serving beside Noble Consort Chun.

Yuhu shot a fierce glare at Ming Yu before turning to Wei Yingluo with an innocent expression. “What are you talking about? I don’t understand what you mean.”

Wei Yingluo pointed at Ming Yu. “A perfectly good person has been turned into a frightened bird. Unless Noble Consort Chun treats her kindly to her face and abuses her behind her back!”

Yuhu: “Don’t talk nonsense!”

“Back then, Noble Consort Xian followed the Empress’s lead in everything. Now that the late Empress is gone, she secretly abuses the old servants of Changchun Palace. It makes no sense at all…” Wei Yingluo scoffed with icy disdain, sizing Yuhu up and down. “Could it be that there’s some hidden story behind this?”

Yuhu’s expression had been calm until she heard those words—only then did a slight trace of unnaturalness flicker across her face.

Wei Yingluo had only been bluffing at first, but seeing this reaction, her heart gave a sudden thud. Could it really be… that there truly was some secret hidden behind all this?

“Sickness enters through the mouth; disaster comes out of the mouth.” Yuhu quickly composed herself, cast a very cold glance at Wei Yingluo, and said indifferently, “Wei Yingluo, I warn you: watch your words carefully. Otherwise, one day you’ll die without even knowing how… Let’s go!”

Wei Yingluo watched the two of them leave. Behind her came the lazy drawl of Yuan Chunwang: “Why bother? You’ve just provoked a petty little villain like that.”

Shaking her head, Wei Yingluo said gravely, “I’d like to see whether she really intends to kill me. If she actually dares… then there must be an enormous secret hidden behind Zhongcui Palace.”

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