“It’s no trouble at all.”
The group headed towards the West Side Hall.
Upon entering the hall, Pei Tingyue noticed that aside from a few essential furnishings, the entire space was filled with items for the fluffy ball of fur.
She secretly marveled at this – Changle Palace was lavishly decorated and located near Chengming Hall, making it one of the finest palaces in the Imperial Harem.
The primary consort residing here didn’t bother with management, and the chances of encountering the Emperor were high. Other consorts would scramble desperately for a chance to live here.
Who would have thought Noble Consort Song would use an entire side hall just to keep a cat?
What a waste of such prime real estate.
Pei Tingyue placed Tuantuan on the couch in the secondary chamber, where it curled up obediently and began sleeping soundly.
Just as she was about to take her leave, a woman’s clear voice came from beside her, tinged with some emotion: “I truly didn’t expect Tuantuan to like you.”
Though Noble Consort Song’s tone was flat, Pei Tingyue detected something unusual in her words.
What did she mean, Tuantuan would like her?
Cats are spiritual creatures – isn’t it normal for them to like great beauties!
After pondering for a moment, Pei Tingyue decided to ask for clarification. Tilting her head in confusion, she asked: “Why would Guifei Nianniang say that?”
Noble Consort Song looked directly at her and stated bluntly: “You’re annoying.”
Pei Tingyue: ?
This Imperial Noble Consort was coming at her directly – she didn’t know how to respond.
“Mhm.” Noble Consort Song confirmed, “You often angrily scold palace maids, throw food, and cry secretly at night in the rear hall.”
After a pause, Noble Consort Song added: “It disturbs my sleep.”
Pei Tingyue: “…”
Heaven as my witness, that wasn’t her!
But she had to accept the blame.
Pei Tingyue took a deep breath and promptly bowed in apology: “This Pinfei has been rude and disturbed Guifei Nianniang. I beg for Guifei Nianniang’s forgiveness.”
Noble Consort Song made a noncommittal sound and vaguely raised her hand: “Rise. If you have free time in the future, you may visit the West Side Hall. Tuantuan seems quite fond of you.”
“Alright.”
Pei Tingyue also liked the fluffy ball, so she readily agreed when she heard she’d have more chances to pet it.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Pei Tingyue took her leave and returned to her own hall.
She had just returned to the rear hall, taken a sip of tea, and stretched when a young palace maid announced:
Bai Shuang from Noble Consort Song’s household had arrived.
Bai Shuang performed a courteous but not subservient bow. “Baolin, this container of Nanzhu Pearls and this container of gemstones are gifts of gratitude from our mistress. If not for you, who knows where Tuantuan might have run off to.”
Pei Tingyue smiled. “Guifei Nianniang is too kind.”
Bai Shuang continued: “And these two bolts of Yunjin – please make yourself some clothing with them. We hope you won’t hold any grudge against Tuantuan.”
Pei Tingyue raised an eyebrow and looked down at her sleeves, noticing several pulled threads that were barely visible.
She had thought that as the daughter of a military general, Noble Consort Song would be bold and unrestrained in her actions. Unexpectedly, she turned out to be quite observant.
Pei Tingyue said: “Of course not.”
“This servant takes her leave then.”
Bai Shuang had her people set down the gifts and departed respectfully.
Yun Shu personally saw her out. When they reached the courtyard, Yun Shu said cheerfully: “Sister Bai Shuang, my mistress is now a Cairen! Please don’t address her incorrectly next time!”
Bai Shuang felt slightly surprised but hesitated before swallowing the words that came to her lips: “Alright, I understand.”
She sighed softly, suppressing all her thoughts deep in her heart.
In this palace, who wasn’t struggling to survive?
Even someone of her mistress’s noble status couldn’t act as she pleased, let alone others.
Each person has their own fate – let it be.
When Yun Shu returned, she happened to see her mistress idly playing with that jar of pearls. She moved closer and said, “This is a whole jar of Nanzhu Pearls! Guifei Nianniang is truly generous!”
Pei Tingyue gazed indifferently at the pearls in her hand. They were large, each one glossy and plump, emitting a subtle, warm glow. They were indeed rare treasures.
She responded lazily, “Mm.”
Yun Shu looked at the pearls and suddenly her eyes lit up. She cheerfully suggested, “This servant will take these pearls and gemstones to the Imperial Household Department and have the craftsmen make two sets of headpieces for the Talented Lady. Once they’re finished and you wear them, the Emperor is sure to be pleased!”
Pei Tingyue: “…”
Was it that she didn’t want to?
It was that she couldn’t send them.
To have the palace craftsmen make additional headpieces, besides providing these gemstones and pearls, one also had to send gold and silver.
The craftsmen would melt down exactly how much was sent, without withholding even a bit. At the end, they would just be given a few taels of silver as a token of appreciation for their hard work.
The problem was, she had no silver, let alone gold.
She didn’t even have enough money for rewards.
She was very poor.
Pei Tingyue mercilessly poured cold water on the idea: “Do we still have any silver left?”
Yun Shu blinked, her small face immediately falling. “We have eight mace of silver left…”
Pei Tingyue nearly laughed in frustration.
How could anyone be this poor?
The key point was, this poverty wasn’t even her doing, yet she had to bear the consequences.
How hateful!
The original host was born in Lin’an Prefecture in Jiangnan. Her father held an official position in the prefectural city. Although he had an official rank, his meager salary had to support a large family, and over the years, they had only managed to save a small amount.
In the third year of Xining, which was last year, the original host was selected to enter the palace due to her beauty. Before entering the palace, her mother sold all her own dowry and combined it with their savings over the years, managing to gather five hundred taels in silver notes for the original host to bring into the palace.
When she first entered the Imperial Harem, there were expenses everywhere. And the original host had a lavish and careless nature. In less than a year, all the silver was squandered, not even leaving her with this month’s allowance.
Pei Tingyue sighed.
Seeing the worry clouding her brows, Yun Shu bit her lip, dashed into the bedroom with a “thump,” and said, “Perhaps this servant remembered wrong. Let me count again.”
After a while, she carefully carried over a carved box and authoritatively instructed the two young palace maids in the hall: “You two go out and do your work! Don’t come in without my orders!”
After sending them away, she opened the box and began counting earnestly.
Pei Tingyue glanced at it. There were a few pieces of silver the size of rice grains, which had been cut who knows how many times and were almost invisible. Yet Yun Shu seemed addicted to counting them.
“Heh.”
This time, Pei Tingyue truly laughed in exasperation.
Soon after, Yun Shu’s shocked voice rang out in the hall: “How is there only five mace left!”
Pei Tingyue: “…”
Yun Shu held the five mace of silver, frowned, and thought for a long while before suddenly realizing: “That’s right! Last night, Eunuch An from the Emperor’s presence came to summon the Talented Lady to attend the Emperor. This servant gave him two mace of silver!”
Pei Tingyue could bear it no longer and gritted out through her teeth: “Don’t give him any next time!”
As far as she knew, this Eunuch An was the adopted son of Grand Eunuch Liang Yao, a highly favored figure in front of the Emperor.
Giving two mace of silver—wasn’t that rather insulting?
Yun Shu looked conflicted: “I heard the other consorts all give him money. If we don’t, wouldn’t that be…”
Pei Tingyue shot her a sharp glare, and Yun Shu obediently complied: “This servant will remember.”
Watching the figure before her fiddling with the silver, Pei Tingyue sighed.
This girl wasn’t particularly clever, rather simple-minded.
Yet she was surprisingly obedient and loyal.
For instance, whenever she collected the palace maids’ monthly allowance from the Imperial Household Department, by evening it would unfailingly appear in this box, not a single coin missing.
Another example: every night when it was her turn to keep watch, she would personally come, bringing a thin quilt, and stand guard right outside the bedroom door without moving an inch.
Such a Yun Shu was precisely what she needed.