Chapter 5
Donghua Palace main hall.
The interior design and furnishings, such as pear wood furniture and embroidered silk door curtains from Jiangnan, were much more exquisite and luxurious compared to the side palace where Lower Concubine Liu lived.
Xiao Chuchu, who was being carried in Lower Concubine Liu's arms after eating her fill and sleeping soundly, opened her big, wet eyes wide to look around.
Eventually, she focused her curious gaze on the woman in the seat of honor, Consort Min.
Consort Min, the mistress of this palace, did not have outstanding features, but she had a ruddy complexion.
At the moment, she was holding a string of prayer beads, turning them as she read Buddhist scriptures.
"Consort Min, are you also reading the Lotus Sutra?"
Lower Concubine Liu was carrying Xiao Chuchu as she waited in Consort Min's palace for the empress dowager's edict regarding the handling of the wet nurse affair.
She couldn't just sit there waiting, so she had no choice but to awkwardly make small talk with Consort Min.
She lived in a side building of Donghua Palace which was under Consort Min's jurisdiction.
In a way, Consort Min was her superior.
But usually, Consort Min loved Buddhism and did not like talking with her and Concubine Chen. Lower Concubine Liu had lived in Donghua Palace for six years but was not very close with Consort Min.
Today, Lower Concubine Liu had to ask Consort Min to uphold justice for her beloved young mistress, so she had no choice but to deal with Consort Min.
She complained bitterly to herself, but for the sake of her adorable little mistress, she had to steel herself.
"I happened to have a copy of scriptures beautifully transcribed by a monk. I'll have Autumn Pear bring them over..."
In her swaddling clothes, Xiao Chuchu stretched out her little legs anxiously, [Oh no, Mother has it wrong! Consort Min can't stand Buddhist scriptures!]
Lower Concubine Liu was startled. She looked at the Lotus Sutra scroll in one of Consort Min's hands and the nine nine eighty-one sandalwood prayer beads she was fingering in her other hand.
[Although Consort Min comes from the scholarly Xie family, she has loved dancing with blades and weapons since she was little!]
Lower Concubine Liu was shocked.
Xiao Chuchu pressed her little hands against the side of her swaddling clothes, struggling to wave them around.
As she looked at Consort Min pretend to piously turn her prayer beads in front of her, she recalled,
[Before entering the palace, the Xie family elders had forbidden her from touching blades and ordered her to transcribe scriptures to tame her unruly nature, so that she could have an advantageous marriage! ]
[Who would have thought her reputation for loving Buddhist rituals would spread! ]
[After she entered the palace, even the Empress Dowager had heard about it. She awarded Consort Min twelve volumes of scriptures and praised her gentle and tranquil personality. When Consort Min's father heard about this, he immediately sent her mother into the palace in the middle of the night, ordering his daughter to keep up the act no matter what! Otherwise she would be guilty of deceiving the Empress Dowager and the imperial family!]
Lower Concubine Liu was flabbergasted. Was there really such a thing?
[So whenever there were people around, Consort Min would pretend to hold her prayer beads and read scriptures. But whenever she was behind closed doors, she would dance with blades and weapons. There wasn't a single intact porcelain object in the Donghua Palace main hall because she might have smashed them!]
Lower Concubine Liu was shocked. She couldn't help but glance around the main living quarters which clearly belonged to a consort but had not a single porcelain furnishing.
She also couldn't help but look at Consort Min's hand holding the prayer beads.
[So, Mother cannot discuss scriptures with Consort Min, or else she'll end up on the blacklist of people Consort Min refuses to interact with for the rest of her life!
She actually doesn't understand scriptures at all...]
Lower Concubine Liu was so astonished she coughed loudly.
When she looked up, she saw Consort Min's furrowed eyebrows as expected while holding the prayer beads.
Lower Concubine Liu was alarmed. Was it because she had just offered to give her scriptures?
Lower Concubine Liu quickly changed the subject about giving her scriptures and said, "Oh, I disliked listening to Buddhist scriptures ever since I was young. I would always fall asleep whenever I listened to them. After entering the palace this time, my mother made me bring scriptures to hand copy, wanting me to casually flip through them when I had nothing to do, but I still don't understand anything."
Consort Min's movement of turning the prayer beads instantly stopped.
The previously impassive look in her eyes seemed to flicker.
Lower Concubine Liu lowered her head to look at the young girl in the baby carriage.
Xiao Chuchu was also looking at her.
She smiled, [Well done Mother! Consort Min has a hearty personality since she likes martial arts. Mother doesn't pretend to like what she doesn't in front of her and speaks frankly, so Consort Min also feels that Mother is a kindred spirit.]
Hearing this, Lower Concubine Liu almost burst out laughing. Looking at Consort Min again, she actually didn't seem fierce at all, probably only in her early twenties.
Thinking this, she couldn't help but blurt out the truth, "Your Highness, I treasure my young mistress like my own life. Having someone harm her makes it impossible for me to eat or sleep well."
"I cannot coexist with the one who plotted against my young mistress. I will definitely severely punish the culprit this time!"
Consort Min couldn't help but glance at Lower Concubine Liu.
Usually, Lower Concubine Liu was extremely tolerant. Even when the Fifth Prince was taken by Concubine Lyu as stipulated by palace rules, she endured without watching her child or asking about him.
Previously, Consort Min looked down on Lower Concubine Liu a bit.
A mother should be strong. If she doesn't stand up for herself, she can't blame others for taking advantage and setting rules on her!
No matter how powerful Concubine Lyu is, above her are still the Empress and Empress Dowager.
Consort Min actually looked at Lower Concubine Liu with admiration today.
"Rest assured, since this happened in my Donghua Palace, I will definitely give you an explanation."
"For now, let's have breakfast first."
The serving maids had already prepared the dining table.
Consort Min patted Lower Concubine Liu's shoulder comfortingly and told her to place the young mistress in the baby rocker.
She rarely met someone who definitely wouldn't discuss Buddhist scriptures with her!
Finally there was someone who could eat with her without her having to worry that her dining companion would bring up scripture questions!
Consort Min was extremely happy. She personally scooped a bowl of lotus seed porridge for Lower Concubine Liu.
"Come, drink something warm to calm your shock––"
"Your Highness, Concubine Chen is here to pay her respects."
Consort Min had just picked up the spoon when someone announced a visitor, instantly making her frown.
[Grr, that deceitful, disgusting woman is here!] Xiao Chuchu babbled angrily as she kicked her legs.
Lower Concubine Liu's expression became guarded as she protectively picked up her young mistress from the baby rocker.
As expected, Concubine Chen entered with an extremely worried and concerned expression. Swaying her slender waist, dressed in pink robes with tear-filled eyes, she looked as grief-stricken as if she herself was the victim. Weeping, she immediately looked towards Lower Concubine Liu, asking,
"Sister Liu, I heard you and the young mistress were terrified last night? Who is so wicked?"
Lower Concubine Liu felt panicked inside.
If she hadn't heard her daughter's inner voice, she might have actually believed her.
"Thank you for your concern, sister. We're fine."
Only then did Concubine Chen notice that they both looked ruddy and unharmed.
How could this be so?! What was that wet nurse eating?!
In a flash, she was even more shocked.
Usually haughty Consort Min actually kept Lower Concubine Liu for a meal and even personally scooped porridge for her?
"Concubine Chen, why have you come?"
Consort Min was very unhappy that someone had interrupted her meal.
Usually, Concubine Chen was one who liked to discuss Buddhist scriptures with her.
They did not get along at all.
"Making such a racket so early in the morning, have you no sense of propriety?" Consort Min said irritably.
Concubine Chen: "!"
[Humph humph, this villain actually came to check if we were sick or if the incident somehow involved her!]
Xiao Chuchu snorted. She was very displeased with the person who had harmed her.
[Look at that secretly disappointed expression of hers...]
Lower Concubine Liu frowned. She hadn't noticed before that Concubine Chen's subtle expressions betrayed so much.
Thinking so, she spoke to Consort Min right away.
"The wet nurse who harmed my young mistress is from Hangzhou."
Concubine Chen's expression changed.
Had they found out about her?
Impossible!