“Who?”
Tong Jiaying’s mind was currently muddled, likely overwhelmed by that unbearably bitter medicinal concoction that was hardly fit for human consumption.
Feiyu repeated, “Consort Wu has come to pay her respects to you, mistress.” Last time, Consort Wu had sent over a snow-blue silk forehead band, but her mistress hadn’t even glanced at it, simply instructing her to find a place to store it away.
Tong Jiaying’s eyes rolled halfway, and she frowned. “What is she doing here?”
“Isn’t she pregnant?” No! Tong Jiaying immediately sat up in alarm. “What is a pregnant woman doing here?” She was sick, with a cold—what if it got transmitted?
Tong Jiaying wasn’t sure what kind of cold she had—whether it was viral or just a common one—but she hadn’t recovered for over ten days now.
It must be somewhat serious.
Seeing Tong Jiaying so agitated, Feiyu thought she didn’t want to see Consort Wu and said, “If you don’t wish to see her, mistress, this servant will go and dismiss Consort Wu.”
It seemed her mistress had truly come to her senses. In the past, her mistress had been fixated on Consort Wu’s belly, hoping she would give birth to an A-ge.
Tong Jiying hurriedly refused, “Tell her to go back. What is a pregnant woman doing visiting a sick person like me? If she catches this, it could be fatal.” Pregnant women couldn’t take medicine, and if something were to happen later, it would be a case of “I did not kill the man, yet the man died because of me.” Not good, not good!
Besides, what pregnant woman visits a sick person!
Feiyu hadn’t expected Tong Jiaying to be worried about Consort Wu, but regardless of the reason, as long as her mistress didn’t see Consort Wu, it was fine.
“This servant will go and relay the message to Consort Wu.”
Tong Jiaying quickly waved her hand. “Go quickly! Go quickly!” Pregnant women weren’t like ordinary people—they weren’t just one person!
“Constant, our mistress says she is ill and fears passing on the sickness to you, so she will not see you.” Feiyu relayed Tong Jiaying’s exact words.
Consort Wu’s eyes held deep gratitude as she said softly, “Miss Feiyu, please convey my thanks to the Noble Consort for her concern.” She hadn’t expected the Noble Consort to refuse to see her.
However, she had already brought her gift. Consort Wu held a rosewood box in both hands and offered it to Feiyu. “Miss Feiyu, this is something I specially made for the Noble Consort. Please deliver it on my behalf.”
“You are very thoughtful, Constant.” Feiyu immediately accepted the box and added, “Your craftsmanship is excellent; our mistress will surely like it.” Consort Wu’s embroidery skills were among the finest in the Imperial Harem, and even The Emperor sometimes chose the pouches she made to wear.
Consort Wu replied, “As long as the Noble Consort likes it.” Since she couldn’t see the Noble Consort, she naturally couldn’t strengthen their bond, but the Noble Consort’s words were spoken for her own good.
She couldn’t be ungrateful and insist on seeing the Noble Consort.
After returning to her own West Side Hall, Consort Wu pondered: Did the Noble Consort have some intention? Or was it truly because she feared passing on the illness?
Xiao Lian poured a cup of clear water from the nearby half-moon table and handed it to Consort Wu, her expression somewhat displeased. “Mistress went all the way to visit the Noble Consort and even gave her such a fine gift, yet the Noble Consort didn’t even show her face.”
That forehead band was specially made for the Grand Empress Dowager!
“Xiao Lian, Noble Consort said she’s afraid of passing her illness to me,” Consort Wu remarked as she took the white porcelain teacup painted with winter plum blossoms that Xiao Lian handed her.
“Then isn’t she afraid of passing it to The Emperor?” Xiao Lian pursed her lips.
Consort Wu shot her a glance. “What nonsense are you talking?”
“Noble Consort is concerned about me,” Consort Wu added, though she was also puzzled in her heart. Since Noble Consort refused to see her, there was nothing she could do.
Consort Wu lowered her head to look at her still-unnoticeable belly, thinking about the experienced nannies and attendants she should have had by now—none of whom had arrived.
It seemed everyone had forgotten she was pregnant.
Currently, she only had Xiao Lian as her senior palace maid, one junior maid for miscellaneous tasks, and one nanny for heavy chores.
In the rear hall, Rong Pin also remembered this matter and said to her supervising aunt, “Aunt Hai, doesn’t Consort Wu seem to have too few attendants around her?”
When imperial consorts in the palace become pregnant, they should have at least four experienced nannies to serve them, along with five or six junior maids for errands.
Aunt Hai was the chief supervising aunt of Chongcui Palace. Since Rong Pin was the Primary Consort of Chongcui Palace, Aunt Hai naturally belonged to Rong Pin’s faction.
She said, “The Grand Empress Dowager moved Consort Wu to this palace. Logically, the Grand Empress Dowager wouldn’t forget such matters. Yet this time, no arrangements were made for Consort Wu. Could there be some other plan?”
Even if the Grand Empress Dowager had forgotten, Suma, the aunt by her side, certainly wouldn’t have. Her memory was excellent—she could recount in detail things that happened years ago.
Rong Pin’s delicate brows furrowed slightly. “Should I report this to the Grand Empress Dowager?” With Noble Consort ill, matters of the Six Palaces had once again fallen under the Grand Empress Dowager’s authority.
If Consort Wu had no experienced nanny to care for her, what if something happened?
“Mistress, let’s wait a few days,” Aunt Hai advised. “If after a few days the Grand Empress Dowager still hasn’t made arrangements, then we can report it to her.” Ah, she hoped the Grand Empress Dowager would handle this matter within the next couple of days.
Back then, no one knew what the Grand Empress Dowager was thinking when she decided to place Consort Wu in Chongcui Palace.
Rong Pin was about to say more when Third Princess came over holding a cloth tiger. She immediately pushed the matter aside and began playing games with her daughter.
Tong Jiaying’s illness had slightly improved, though she was still strictly monitored by Shuangyu and the others, allowed only fifteen minutes of fresh air each day.
She sat in the pavilion at the southwest corner of the rear courtyard, admiring a pot of early-blooming peonies sent by the Neiwufu.
The pinkish-white petals, layered and overlapping, bloomed amidst emerald green leaves. In Tong Jiaying’s limited vocabulary, only “beautiful” came to mind.
“This servant heard that these peonies are a variety from the Jiangnan region, called ‘Jade Tower Spring.’ The Flower House only forced a few pots to bloom, and The Emperor specifically ordered one to be sent to you, mistress,” Shuangyu said, also admiring the peonies. Peonies typically wouldn’t reach full bloom until next month, when they could be enjoyed in Yuhuayuan.
Tong Jiaying had never grown peonies before. Most of the plants she cultivated were hardy “green belt” varieties—easy to care for and requiring little meticulous attention, such as monstera or peace lilies.
Now it seemed her “country life” could begin taking shape.
“You go ask Feng Yuan to inquire—I want to plant a circle of flowers around this pavilion. Have someone from the Flower House come take a look and see what can be planted.” Tong Jiaying planned to spend all her time on things she enjoyed.
Shuangyu said, “Mistress, why go through such trouble? Flowers change with each season and month throughout the year. If there are any you like, just have someone bring a few pots from the Flower House and place them around the pavilion.”
“No, I want to plant them myself.” Tong Jiaying replied. While admiring flowers throughout the year would be quickest this way, she wanted to try growing them herself.
Since Tong Jiaying insisted, Shuangyu stopped offering suggestions and immediately went to find Feng Yuan.
Just then, Feiyu rushed over again. “Mistress, something’s wrong—Consort Wu has called for the imperial physician.”