CHAPTER 22: CHAPTER 21 CATCHING UP OVER TEA

Once you enter the gates of the palace, it’s as deep as the ocean. Being able to correspond with one’s family is truly a great grace!

But what about the other piece of good news?

Xia Ruqing stopped her silly smile, sat up straight, and asked.

"The affairs of the Harem have always been managed by the Empress. If I lack anything, I should naturally ask the Empress for it!"

"But the Emperor said I should go directly to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to ask for it. Do you understand?"

Zi Yue, smart and quick-witted, got the point right away! After listening for a moment, she couldn’t contain her joy. "Exactly! The Emperor wants to protect the Master in secret!"

The head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Steward Hai, is the Emperor’s man.

The true master of the Harem is, after all, the Emperor!

’If you lack something, ask me’ and ’If you lack something, ask my wife’—those are simply not the same concept!

So, isn’t this also considered a piece of good news?

Xia Ruqing said with a smile, "I guess I don’t have to worry about expenses for this winter!"

"Master, we didn’t have to worry in the first place. The charcoal delivered by the Ministry of Internal Affairs yesterday was all top-quality."

Xia Ruqing smiled, not saying anything more.

After the meal, she returned to her desk and opened the envelope.

The handwriting on the letter was familiar. It spanned two pages.

It described the situation at home and the books he liked to read!

It also said that once he was capable, he would come to the Capital City to find his Elder Sister!

And it mentioned that Uncle Imperial Censor had arranged for a good teacher, and he would surely study hard!

After reading the letter, Xia Ruqing felt a sourness in her heart. In my memory, Xia Jingfeng was as thin as paper, with a waxen complexion, yet he was very bright and loved reading! Unfortunately, Lady Yao, citing his frailty, always refused to hire a teacher for him! Sigh... Such a good child! He had suffered so much abuse but never complained about others, focusing only on striving hard!

Perhaps because they were born of the same mother, closely related by blood, Xia Ruqing actually felt a dull pain in her heart.

Xia Ruqing touched her heart, murmuring to herself, "Don’t worry, since I’ve taken your body, your brother is now my brother! I will do my best to protect him!"

She folded the letter neatly and had Zi Yue store it in a box.

Not wanting to go out in the cold, Xia Ruqing propped herself up at the desk and practiced her calligraphy.

She was copying from the model letters given to her by the Emperor, all of which were excellent.

At noon, just as the meal had been set, Xiao Xizi came in from outside with an invitation.

"Master! It’s an invitation from Lady Zhang and Lady Zhu of Xihuai Palace, saying they wish to invite the Master to reminisce and have tea together!" Xiao Xizi said, presenting the invitation.

"Reminisce?" Xia Ruqing frowned.

Who were Lady Zhang and Lady Zhu anyway, and what reminiscing? Were we close? I don’t even recognize them!

Zi Yue reminded, "Master, these two ladies entered the palace at the same time as you!"

Xia Ruqing squinted her eyes and thought for a while, then suddenly realized, "Oh..."

In my vague memory, there had been Talent Zhang and Talent Zhu, but I hardly had any impression of them! This just shows that we really didn’t have much of a relationship!

"Master, let me decline for you," Zi Yue offered.

After speaking, she chided Xiao Xizi, "And you, accepting every invitation. The Master hasn’t been well!"

The Master has only ’just recovered’ a few days ago! And it’s so cold, how could she possibly go out!

"Don’t rush," Xia Ruqing suddenly said.

"The main seat in Xihuai Palace belongs to Consort Zheng Pin, and it’s close to Consort Yun’s Yaoyue Palace. That is to say, they could be people from Noble Concubine Shih!"

"Ah?" Xiao Xizi also looked somewhat worried.

That one should not be provoked! Even though our Master is favored a bit, it’s still like an egg striking a rock. The last time, our Master feigned illness for half a month to avoid trouble! How has she attracted their attention again? Sigh... It’s all my fault!

Xia Ruqing glanced at him and couldn’t help but smile. "It’s not necessarily a bad thing; don’t be afraid just yet!"

"Could it be that Little Zhuzi paid a visit and was seen by Noble Concubine Shih’s people?" Zi Yue started to worry as well.

Xia Ruqing shook her head. "I don’t think so. Noble Concubine Shih suffered a setback for ’peeping at the Emperor’s carriage’ last time. She wouldn’t be so foolish this time!"

Even if she really had seen him, she wouldn’t make trouble so openly!

"Could it be that the Noble Consort is trying to win over our Master?" Xiao Xizi asked again.

Xia Ruqing was even more speechless. "Who do you take her for?" she said, glancing in the direction of Jiaofang Hall. "Noble Concubine Shih has favor and status, and the Empress Dowager to rely on; she has no need to win anyone over!"

"Moreover, I am just an out-of-favor Honored Lady; there’s nothing about me worth winning over!"

"Then..." Xiao Xizi and Zi Yue became even more worried.

"Enough, let’s accept it! It’s not a solution to keep avoiding it anyway!" Xia Ruqing sighed. Avoiding? Until when can I actually avoid it? Once in the Harem, these issues are unavoidable! I’ve recovered from my illness, and my nameplate has been hung out. To say I can’t go out because of poor health would seem too deliberate! It would be better to go out openly and confidently. I haven’t done anything wrong, nor provoked anyone. Even if it were Consort Zheng Pin, what could she do to me!

"Yes!" Zi Yue accepted the note, and Xiao Xizi went out to reply.

「Three days later.」

The weather cleared up, and the sun made the Imperial Garden feel warm and cozy.

October was the perfect season to enjoy the hibiscus flowers. In the Imperial Garden, clusters of large hibiscus bloomed in competition, creating a lively scene.

Lady Xia, Lady Zhang, and Lady Zhu sat in a pavilion in the Imperial Garden, admiring the flowers and sipping tea.

Lady Zhang wore a light green palace dress adorned with a few hairpins that were neither new nor old.

Lady Zhu’s attire was similar; her clothing looked a bit fresher but was still essentially worn.

This made it evident that both were out of favor and not having the best of times.

Xia Ruqing’s clothes were all new, but the colors were plain. Her entire outfit was off-white, embroidered with delicate fragments of osmanthus, looking fresh and charming.

Apart from two pearl-studded Zhu Hua hair ornaments, she wore only a white jade double-fish Bu Yao hairpin. Beneath the silver hairpin dangled two thumb-sized fish made of white jade, particularly distinctive and cute.

"Elder Sister Xia really knows how to dress. This look gives you the fresh and elegant charm of a young lady from a modest family!" Lady Zhu said with a laugh.

"After all, you are someone who has been favored by the Emperor. It’s only natural that you know how to dress up. Unlike us, ever since entering the Harem, the Emperor hasn’t even given us a proper glance!" Lady Zhang said, her eyes brimming with tears, as she began to dab at them with a handkerchief.

Xia Ruqing picked up her teacup and moistened her lips, silently watching the two women perform.

What kind of joke is this? Are they trying to ingratiate themselves with me? But the compliment doesn’t even make sense. Who compliments someone as being a ’young lady from a modest family’? My background might not be illustrious, but that’s not how one should speak of it! If they’re not trying to ingratiate themselves... then what is Lady Zhang up to? And that remark about ’someone who has been favored by the Emperor’—is that a joke about me falling out of favor?

Xia Ruqing initially gave an awkward smile, then her expression turned to one of concern.

"What’s the matter with you, Sister Zhang? Have you encountered some difficulty!?"

As she spoke, Xia Ruqing went to sip her tea again, and Zi Yue hurriedly stepped forward to stop her.

"Honored Lady, you’ve only just recovered. The Imperial Physician has advised against drinking tea. It would be better to have some sweet soup instead!"

With these words, she brought out a bowl of silver ear and lotus seed soup from a cloth-wrapped food box behind her, uncovering the lid to reveal steaming hot vapors escaping eagerly.

"This girl! I barely had a couple of extra sips of tea, and she starts fussing like this!" Xia Ruqing complained a bit.