Flowery Hair: A Maidservant

Chapter 433 Let's wait and see.

Consort Chun glanced at Aunt Mei, who understood. Aunt Mei immediately stepped forward with a neatly bound stack of medical records and respectfully presented them to the Zhen family physician.

"These are Shu'er's medical records for the past three months," Consort Chun said. "Please take a look."

The physician from the Zhen family took the medical record and carefully reviewed it by the daylight streaming through the window. After turning the pages for a while, he smiled and closed the book: "Consort Jin's pregnancy is progressing steadily. In my opinion, the delivery will be smooth." He then turned to Consort Chun, "Your Highness, however, needs to be more careful. The first three months are the most crucial. Remember to keep your mind at peace."

Consort Chun's worried expression eased slightly, and a faint smile appeared on her lips: "From now on, I will accompany the Empress Dowager to copy scriptures and worship Buddha every day. Any distracting thoughts will be cleansed by the scriptures."

"Good! Good!" Physician Zhen stroked his white beard and nodded repeatedly. "The fact that Her Highness said these words today shows that her state of mind is quite different from before. I can now go back and explain to the old lady."

"Is Grandmother still in good health?" Consort Chun suddenly leaned forward. "The news sent to the palace from the mansion is always the best one. My aunt is always in a hurry when she leaves the palace, and... she doesn't necessarily tell me the truth."

Aunt Mei opened her mouth, but didn't dare to interrupt at this moment.

The physician from the Zhen family pondered for a moment before replying, "The old lady suffered from an old ailment when she was young... Fortunately, she has taken good care of herself, and since hearing the good news about Her Highness, she has been more energetic than usual these days."

Consort Chun's eyes were slightly red. "I wrote a letter to my grandmother last night. Please take it back to the manor later."

Upon hearing this, Mengzhu went to the inner room and soon came out with a letter.

......

The Marquis of Lin'an's residence, Fu'an Residence.

Madam Yun returned from the Su residence and came straight to the old lady's place without even changing her clothes.

The old lady was leaning against the daybed by the window, sunlight filtering through the windowpane and casting dappled gold spots on her silver hair. Seeing her daughter-in-law enter, she immediately gestured for Huaying to dismiss all the maids serving in the room.

"How is it? What was the result of the divination by Madam Su?" The old lady leaned on her dragon-patterned cane and asked anxiously, leaning out half of her body.

Madam Yun sighed softly, stepped forward to help the old lady straighten up, and then sat down on the sandalwood stool that Hua Ying had brought over.

"The daughter-in-law...did not let her mother-in-law cast a divination."

"What's the reason for this?" The old lady frowned, deep lines forming between her brows. "My in-laws are usually very understanding; could it be that Old Madam Su is stopping us...?"

“Mother.” Madam Yun suddenly looked up, her eyes clear and bright. “The Marquis and my daughter-in-law have discussed it; all the necessary arrangements have been made, and all the necessary paths have been paved…”

She reached out and placed her hand on the old lady's hand, where the veins were slightly bulging. "Wan'er has already survived a tribulation. As for the changes that will follow... let's wait and see."

Upon hearing this, the old lady sighed deeply after a long while, "Very well, as long as you and Xian'er know what's going on."

......

Changchun Garden, Yichun Palace.

In the blink of an eye, Consort Chun had been living in the Imperial Palace for half a month. Almost every two or three days, Xiao Nianzi would travel back and forth between the Imperial Palace and the Imperial Palace. The frequency of the letters exchanged between Consort Chun and Meng Shu even made the Emperor a little jealous.

That morning, as usual, Consort Chun went to Empress Dowager Zhou's bedchamber to serve her medicine. The Empress Dowager didn't actually need her to do it herself. After the medicine was taken, Consort Chun helped her take a walk in the flower garden in the back hall.

Before the morning dew had fully risen, the garden was lush and verdant.

Empress Dowager Zhou paused before a peony that was about to bloom, her gaze as gentle as if she were looking at an old friend. Consort Chun remembered that when they were in Shou Kang Palace, the Empress Dowager often did the same, gazing at each flower and leaf in the garden for a long time.

"Wan'er, do you know," the Empress Dowager suddenly spoke, her fingertips lightly touching the dew rolling on the tender peony leaves, "that this Golden Belt Peony was moved here from Lin'an by my own people."

It is now early April, and the peony blossoms are about to bloom. Consort Chun looked at the garden full of buds and said softly, "I have lived in Lin'an since I was a child. I have often heard people say that there is a manor in Qixia Mountain in the western suburbs that is famous for cultivating rare peonies. It is a pity that I have never been there."

Empress Dowager Zhou smiled, removed her fingertips from the flower branch, and changed the subject: "I remember that you particularly like green chrysanthemums because of their character of not vying for spring's beauty and not pandering to vulgar tastes?"

Consort Chun was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, and said calmly, "A flower is just a flower. It blooms with the seasons and withers with time. The so-called integrity and character are nothing but the imagination imposed by the world." She looked at a cluster of lush greenery in the distance, "I love green chrysanthemums because when all the trees are bare in late autumn, only they can provide a moment of respite and peace in the midst of desolation with their rich green color."

The Empress Dowager stroked the Buddhist prayer beads on her wrist thoughtfully. "You child, sometimes you think more clearly than I do."

"However, people always like to use flowers to describe people. In your opinion, which flower should Consort Jin be compared to?"

Empress Dowager Zhou's words made Consort Chun fall into deep thought. After a long while, she gently shook her head. "Shu'er is unlike any flower or tree. When I first saw her, I felt that she was more like a breeze that came unexpectedly."

The Empress Dowager raised her eyes with great interest.

A gentle light appeared in Consort Chun's eyes as she continued softly, "She is different from Mengzhu and the others. Only after spending time with her do you realize that she is like a gentle spring breeze, a fiery summer wind, or a brisk autumn wind. Occasionally, she can also turn into a biting winter wind, stern and fierce, yet capable of dispelling the gloom of the sky."

Empress Dowager Zhou remained silent for a long time, with only the sound of her prayer beads being turned.

Finally, she sighed softly, "In that case, she is even rarer than any famous flower."

Consort Chun hesitated for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Then... in the Empress Dowager's eyes, what kind of person is Shu'er?"

"Oh? You really want to know?" Empress Dowager Zhou chuckled softly, patting the back of her hand gently. The two strolled slowly around the garden, with Mengzhu, Rongxiu, and the others following far behind.

Consort Chun felt a little nervous, but said aloud, "In Your Majesty's heart, you must also think that she is worthy of my description."

Empress Dowager Zhou walked with unhurried steps, and only after traveling half the distance of a cup of tea did she slowly utter a profound statement:

"When I heard about her experiences, I felt that she was a person with great fortune."

After saying that, he glanced to the side and saw that Consort Chun's eyes were filled with undisguised amazement and joy.

Empress Dowager Zhou couldn't help but shake her head in surprise. The Marquis of Lin'an and his wife were both shrewd and cunning, each more adept at scheming than the other. How could they have raised such a childlike daughter? It was as if two old foxes had raised a snowball-like rabbit.

Thinking of this, Empress Dowager Zhou stopped beating around the bush. Her gaze suddenly deepened. "Let me ask you, in this harem full of beautiful women, why does the Emperor favor Consort Jin so much?"