Chapter 609: Chapter 609: When I First Threw Myself at His Majesty

Several people were engrossed in a serious discussion.

It was this scene that Xiao Jizi saw upon returning.

On one side, Nanny Qi and Pang Ya were surrounding the stove, working on their needlework. On the other side, his master was studying a set of chess pieces with Xiao Qing and Xiao Linzi. It was a very warm and harmonious scene, starkly contrasting with the outside.

A rumor had spread throughout the palace, causing a massive uproar in the entire Harem.

It was indeed earth-shattering news. Consort Zhen had confessed to His Majesty, accusing Noble Consort Xue of plotting to harm Beauty Lian and the Imperial Heir and framed Consort Xu De, causing Consort De to be wrongfully accused.

Consort Zhen also mentioned that Noble Consort had premeditatedly transferred the head of the Imperial Medical Bureau on the day of the incident involving Beauty Lian, and then had her people detain Imperial Doctor Huang. The remaining physicians in the Imperial Medical Bureau were all connected to the Noble Consort, aiming to doom both Beauty Lian and the Imperial Heir.

After Doctor Huang left, Consort Zhen accidentally overheard a conversation between the servants implanted by Noble Consort, which clarified that all this was orchestrated by the Noble Consort. Yet, she was intimidated by the long-standing influence of Noble Consort Xue and dared not accuse her, fearing retaliation.

The two pawns implanted by the Noble Consort beside her were Cai Hua and Nanny Wen, who were key figures in Huaning Palace. During their conversation, they mentioned a crucial person—Xia Lei, who was manipulating everything for the Noble Consort.

This news immediately caused a sensation in the Harem and was now spreading like wildfire.

Most people thought that Consort Xu De had plotted against Beauty Lian. Just as the blame was about to be definitively placed, the situation took a reversal.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jizi hurried back immediately.

This great news matched some of what they had seen and heard, and some aligned with their speculations.

However, he always felt something was amiss. For such a significant matter, how could Cai Hua and Nanny Wen know the full plan of the Noble Consort?

True and false, false and true, he could no longer distinguish. In any case, Consort Zhen had risked her reputation to accuse Noble Consort Xue, and Noble Consort Xue could not escape now.

He had returned to report this news to Nanny Qi, but since his master was also present, Xiao Jizi hesitated…

The expression on his face was observed closely by Nanny Qi.

Nanny Qi put down her needlework and said indifferently, “Is there something you need to report?”

“Yes, Nanny,” Xiao Jizi stepped closer to Nanny Qi, speaking softly as his gaze drifted toward the few seriously studying the chess game.

Nanny Qi understood. It must be something that had happened outside that left this eunuch indecisive, unsure whether to keep it from the young girl or not.

She addressed him sharply, “Speak, what is it?”

Implied in her words was to not hold back, to speak freely.

Ever since she had guessed the Emperor’s thoughts, her idea of keeping Lian Hua in the dark about all the messy affairs had changed.

She knew clearly that exposing Lian Hua to more would allow her to grow. When it came time to ascend to that position, she would not be so constrained and could better handle the pressures from all sides.

Xiao Jizi was somewhat surprised by this change but no longer hesitated and immediately began to report the news spreading through the Harem.

Lian Hua, who had her head close to the chess board, also caught a few sentences amid Xiao Jizi’s continual reporting.

Her eyes slightly shifted away from the chess game, she exclaimed in surprise, “Ah, it’s the Noble Consort.”

Xiao Jizi nodded, “Yes, master, the message said that the chief instigator in the poisoning incident was the Noble Consort. There are people of the Noble Consort in the Porcelain Warehouse, and they specially designed a trap when Dong Xue from our court came to pick up the soup bowl, causing Dong Xue to bring back the problematic bowl. Fortunately, we never used that bird’s nest soup bowl, otherwise we would have fallen into the trap earlier.”

“So it was like that, quite lucky indeed, thanks to grandmother’s blessing,” Lian Hua nodded, then asked, “How is Dong Xue doing? If she was set up, then Dong Xue must be innocent. Can she return?”

At the time of the incident, Dong Xue and a few others were taken away, but later others were released, yet Dong Xue never returned.

Xiao Jizi shook his head, “That I don’t know. I only heard this much from others, what exactly happened, and whether there might be changes later, is still unknown.”

He had heard there was some information and had specifically sought out someone from the Punishment Bureau to discreetly ask about Dong Xue and had only obtained a little bit of information.

However, as to Dong Xue’s current condition, the people from the Punishment Bureau dared not disclose anything, their lips sealed tight. Had he not been from Canglan Court, he probably wouldn’t have even gleaned this bit of news.

Lian Hua thought for a moment, then said, “Then let’s wait.” Waiting for His Majesty would suffice.

The little girl Dong Xue had always been quite cute. Initially, when she first arrived, she was very afraid of her, but over time, as she saw her smile, her demeanor changed. However, Xia Liu, who had worked with her before, remained distant, bowing her head and saluting whenever they met, never speaking more than necessary.

But the two weren’t close even when at Star Palace previously. Back then, she was just a low-ranking palace maid doing menial tasks, and Xia Liu, having stayed longer at Star Palace and being of higher rank, often assigned her tasks along with others.

Now, the roles had reversed; it must be uncomfortable for them, but it was a normal human reaction, and she did not mind.

Thinking of Xia Liu, Lian Hua reminisced about her daring deed back then and blushed.

Cough cough, remembering her impulsive act of throwing herself at His Majesty back then, she felt very embarrassed, yet she did not regret it.

About that matter, she was quite at peace, knowing it was not proper.

Initially, she had not thought things through; no one in the palace specifically taught palace maids these things. When she first entered the palace, she didn’t even know what menstruation was and thought she was ill when she had her first period at the age of twelve or thirteen.

She secretly went to the nanny who had treated her well, told her she had suffered internal injuries and feared she was on her deathbed about to bleed out, and solemnly entrusted her personal jade pendant to the nanny, which made the nanny laugh.

Later, she learned that it was normal for women of a certain age to have menstruation, and she was reassured.

However, the nanny who had treated her well left afterward, and she felt quite sad. The first time she saw Nanny Qi, she liked her, influenced somewhat by the previous nanny.

I digress. Back then, under such circumstances, how could she understand matters between men and women?

When she threw herself at His Majesty, she was just fifteen years old, naïve and learned everything from storybooks and guessed from the cryptic words of the palace maid sisters, becoming self-taught and thinking that climbing into bed was just hooking His Majesty and covering with a quilt to sleep.

She had seen His Majesty’s dragon bed, having been assigned by the Account Manager palace maid sister to help make the bed when His Majesty was not present.

Back then, she thought, His Majesty’s dragon bed being so wide, it should be alright for her to sleep on it, and she could try her best to make it happen, so she did just that when she had the chance later.

But everything later went beyond her imagination, and thinking back on that night, she still found it bewildering.