The color drained from the faces of everyone in the room.
Meng Zhao was the first to stand up, her gaze instantly locking onto the young eunuch who had just entered.
The young eunuch was Little Fang, a disciple of the Crown Prince’s Chief Eunuch. Having begun serving Pei Xuanwen personally just two months ago, he had a youthful face but acted with seasoned efficiency.
He walked in with his eyes lowered, the soft-soled court boots on his feet making almost no sound against the green bricks. Looking straight ahead, he passed through the room full of female attendants and walked straight toward the Crown Prince Consort’s seat. When he curtsied, his back was straight and his movements were clean and decisive.
“Greetings to Your Highness, the Crown Prince Consort. I have been sent by His Highness to deliver a few gifts,” he said in a voice neither too high nor too low, every word articulated clearly. Fang Gonggong pulled a gift manifest from his sleeve. “This is for Palace Regulation Attendant Qin. Please review it first.”
At Fang Gonggong’s words, Qin Yihuan reached out, her fingertips lightly brushing against the red satin cover, and the smile at the corner of her lips faded slightly.
“Very well, let me see.”
She reached out and took it, glancing over the list. Even though she forced herself to maintain her composure, the outer corners of her eyes still couldn’t help twitching.
“Is this His Highness’s order?”
Qin Yihuan asked softly, yet she couldn’t help but crumple the gift manifest in her hand.
Seated at the very end, Qin Susu could not fully see the expression on Qin Yihuan’s face, but that gaze swept over her from time to time.
A strange feeling welled up in Qin Susu’s heart.
Today, she had deliberately made small rashes appear on her face just to “show weakness” in front of these women. Having just arrived and instantly becoming a target of public criticism was not what Qin Susu wanted to see.
Yet…
She raised her gaze and ran straight into Qin Yihuan’s line of sight.
Though that trace of venomous hatred quickly vanished, it was still captured by Qin Susu.
Her heart skipped a beat, and even the handkerchief in her hand tightened involuntarily.
What on earth had the Crown Prince sent to make even Qin Yihuan barely able to maintain her dignified facade?
Before she could think further, Qin Yihuan’s lightly smiling voice rang out.
“His Highness is truly considerate.”
She casually handed the gift manifest to Yufang. Yufang glanced at it and instinctively looked toward Qin Susu’s seat before speaking.
“His Highness’s rewards for Palace Regulation Attendant Qin: Two bolts of cloud brocade, a gold filigree plum blossom hairpin embedded with red gemstones, and a bottle of newly imported rosewater.”
Fang Gonggong stepped forward to present the rosewater. “His Highness specifically instructed that this rosewater has an elegant fragrance, which most suits the mistress.”
Scanning the surrounding circle, Fang Gonggong leaned in and handed over a jade box about an inch long, lowering his voice. “This is white jade ointment. His Highness dotes on the mistress and asks that the mistress use a little every day. It is the best for removing bruises and moisturizing the skin.”
His voice was just loud enough for those around him to hear.
Hearing this, Lu Fengyi, who was seated behind her, turned pale. The hand clenched inside her sleeve tightened sharply, her fingernails sinking deep into the soft flesh of her palms, the pain making the corners of her eyes twitch slightly.
Qin Susu accepted the small jade box, and the gazes of everyone in the room landed entirely on her, making her scalp tingle.
Yet this was, after all, a reward from Pei Xuanwen. Unable to guess the Crown Prince’s intentions, she had no choice but to stand up and bow.
“This concubine thanks His Highness for his reward.”
The other rewards were considered standard and proper, but that white jade ointment alone…
Qin Susu could feel her scalp going numb.
Out of the corner of her eye, Meng Zhao looked as though she was about to stand up, but Madam Zhu beat her to it.
“This concubine congratulates His Highness on gaining a fine beauty, and also congratulates everyone on adding another sister.”
Zhu Sijiao had a heart of seven orifices [a brilliant mind], and as soon as she spoke, Meng Zhao was forced to swallow her rising anger.
Unreconciled, Meng Zhao glanced sideways at Madam Zhu once more. “Madam Zhu certainly has a pleasant temperament.”
Hearing this, Zhu Sijiao lowered her delicate head and smiled, offering no comment.
With Fang Gonggong present, no matter how much dissatisfaction Qin Yihuan held in her heart, she had to forcefully suppress it now.
She looked toward Zhu Sijiao, her words laden with praise. “Sister Zhu is right. His Highness’s consideration is also the good fortune of all sisters.”
With this “reward” from Pei Xuanwen causing a disruption, even if the others had a multitude of thoughts, they could only temporarily set them aside.
After all, who would dare raise objections—wouldn’t that be going against His Highness himself?
There were no fools in the Eastern Palace; no one failed to understand such a simple truth.
After everyone finished chatting idly about this and that, weariness finally showed on Qin Yihuan’s face.
Qin Susu, seated at the bottom, finally let out a breath of relief, though she could clearly feel that her back was already drenched in sweat.
“Alright,” Qin Yihuan said. “That will be all for today. Everyone may return.”
Meng Zhao was the first to stand up, offering a thoroughly perfunctory bow. “This concubine takes her leave.”
Before Qin Yihuan could even nod, Meng Zhao strode toward the exit.
As Meng Zhao drew near, Qin Susu’s heart tightened.
Sure enough, a sharp cold snort clearly reached her ears.
Meng Zhao curled the corner of her lips. Catching sight of Qin Susu looking like a frightened quail, a flash of contempt crossed her eyes, and she swept away proudly.
When the rest stood up together and walked out, just as they stepped out of Fengluan Pavilion, a voice calling out came from behind Qin Susu.
“Palace Regulation Attendant Qin, stay a moment.”
Yufang stepped forward. A gentle smile hung on her face, but like the rest in Fengluan Pavilion, that smile did not reach her eyes.
Though she was merely a maid, she was the personal attendant of the Crown Prince Consort. Now that Qin Susu was merely a low-ranking Palace Regulation Attendant, Yufang naturally held her in low regard.
Jinsui, standing behind Qin Susu, felt a surge of dissatisfaction upon seeing this attitude.
However, Qin Susu had anticipated this long ago. She raised her gaze, looking past the crowd straight into Qin Yihuan’s eyes.
Catching that trace of unabashed hostility, Qin Susu could only let out a silent sigh in her heart.
His Highness’s actions just now had directly placed her on the fire to be roasted.
It seemed Pei Xuanwen was not satisfied with the rumors she had Jinsui spread, and had even taken the initiative to step in and “vindicate” her name.
Meeting Yufang’s gaze, Qin Susu bit her lip, smiled, and nodded. “Sister Yufang, is the eldest sister calling for me?”
Yufang’s brows were染上 [dyed with] arrogance. “Indeed.”
She reached out a hand. “Little Attendant, please.”
Qin Susu nodded and followed Yufang back into Fengluan Pavilion.
Unlike the harmonious atmosphere just moments before, upon stepping back into the room, Qin Susu felt an overwhelming, crushing weight descend upon her.
It was almost enough to suffocate her.
Qin Susu took a deep breath. Before she could even bow or say a word, Qin Yihuan strode directly toward her.
Her robes rustled in the wind, and her eyes were filled with murderous intent.
She bent down, and with a nail-guarded finger, pinched Qin Susu’s chin, forcing Qin Susu to look her straight in the eye.
“Tell me everything, word for word, about what happened last night.”