Xiao Jizi opened his mouth and conceded defeat, no longer knowing what to say.
This kind of conversation had been repeated many times.
Apart from Nanny Qi, Master Lian didn’t want to give face to anyone, not even His Majesty, and Xiao Jizi’s legs would go weak every time he accidentally overheard his master talking back to His Majesty.
In private, Nanny Qi even asked him if His Majesty had bullied Master Lian and, not getting an answer from him, went to ask His Majesty directly.
Xiao Qing scratched his head; he had never seen the earth dragon heating system, and couldn’t help but ask in a low voice, "Is it really that warm?"
Wearing summer clothes in the winter, could that truly be warm?
Xiao Linzi nodded affirmatively, "Yes, it’s quite warm."
Xiao Qing exclaimed, "Wow, that must use a lot of firewood. I remember when I was with Master Lian, we had to ration the charcoal and even gather the stalks from the fields, picking up the pruned branches from the Imperial Garden to dry and get through the winter."
Xiao Jizi was taken aback; he knew his master had had a tough time but didn’t realize it was so hard.
Lian Hua’s interest waned, "Let’s go, no point in looking any longer."
There was nothing worth seeing, and nothing to be done.
She led her people back, passing through a plot of land behind the Side Hall, which still had a small patch of withered beanstalks on it.
As she was about to pass by, she suddenly stopped and turned to Xiao Jizi.
That look made Xiao Jizi’s hair stand on end.
His heart skipped a beat, and he tentatively asked, "Master, what is it?"
Lian Hua crossed her arms, putting pressure on her stomach, which didn’t feel very comfortable, so she switched to hands on hips, "Steward Feng, I’ve heard you’ve been quite pleased with yourself these days?"
Going everywhere, giving orders, as if you’ve taken charge of all her affairs, leaving her with nothing to do!
Xiao Jizi’s legs went weak with fear, realizing this was a reckoning.
There was no other choice; Nanny Qi had said the master’s condition was getting more apparent with each passing month and had instructed them to look after her and not let her do anything that could cause injury. So before Master Lian left the Side Hall each time, he would arrange everything in advance.
No matter what Master Lian wanted to do, he would rush to get others to do it for her. Even if Master Lian extended a finger to casually point at the grass, he would get someone to uproot all of it.
He pleaded, "Aiyo, Master, please don’t be so harsh on your servant. If you call your servant Steward Feng, that’s like shortening my life! Tell me what you want to do, and it’ll be done; just please don’t call me Steward Feng, I can’t bear it."
Lian Hua said bluntly, "Oh, then you collect these beanstalks and take them to the kitchen to use as kindling."
She lifted her chin, not wanting to deal with him, and continued her walk toward the Side Hall.
"Alright then, your servant will collect them right away," Xiao Jizi sighed with relief.
He knew it, his master was so kind; how could she possibly want to torment him? Even her punishments were gentle.
Xiao Linzi looked at Lian Hua and then at Xiao Jizi, hesitated for a moment, and finally said, "Brother Xiao Ji, I will come help you later." After that, he caught up with Lian Hua’s pace.
"Hm?" Xiao Jizi was puzzled; he didn’t say he needed help with collecting, so why help?
He can just have a few of the new Young Eunuchs help pluck them later on.
Canglan Court had received a few more Young Eunuchs and Little Palace Maids, who were to do menial tasks; they were people His Majesty personally sent over, with mysterious origins, and were absolutely trustworthy.
That Xia Liu had already had her background thoroughly checked and was released back.
He didn’t expect that the person he had suspected was not the problem, but the one he hadn’t suspected was actually the problematic one.
Remembering Dong Xue, he sighed silently.
He was a pitiful person, who knew nothing and inadvertently did harm to others, and in the end...
Alas, such people are the most pitiable.
But he felt no sympathy; leaking the matters of his Master at Canglan Court, just for this reason, he had no sympathy at all.
Had it not been for Dong Xue’s accidental slip, how would outsiders know the details of when the Master used Bird’s Nest Soup? How could they have calculated so precisely?
Fortunately, the Master was blessed with good fortune, and in a fluke, made everyone think she had used it, which prevented the outsiders’ schemes from succeeding.
Otherwise, it would not only be the Master in trouble—Consort De would have truly been in trouble as well.
As Xiao Jizi was reflecting on these things, Lian Hua, who had taken a few steps away, heard Xiao Linzi’s words and paused, then turned back around.
By the time Xiao Jizi came to his senses, he found his Master standing with her hands on her hips, looking at him.
His heart skipped a beat, this was...
"Xiao Jizi, you’re not allowed to get any help, you must do it yourself," Lian Hua huffed, and also gave Xiao Linzi a glare, "You’re not allowed to help him, if you do, you’ll be beaten with a rattan."
Having said that, she walked away with her head held high and hands behind her back, "Xiao Qing, let’s go."
Xiao Qing looked at Xiao Jizi with sympathy, responded with an "Understood," and followed her.
Xiao Linzi shrunk his neck, glanced at Xiao Jizi, and in the end, stammered as he followed.
Leaving behind a trail of howls.
As they approached the Side Hall, they saw Zhang Qing approaching from the other direction, his eyes lighting up.
His voice preceded him, "Oh my, Master Lian, His Majesty is urgently looking for you. Where have you been? I just went to the pavilion over there and didn’t find you."
"Oh." Lian Hua stopped in her tracks, "I’ve been in the courtyard; it’s not that big, where could I go!"
Zhang Qing choked; that wasn’t what he meant, he simply wanted to convey His Majesty’s urgency in looking for her.
Lately, Master Lian’s temper had been so volatile, never seen before in its ferocity—oh my, what’s going on with her.
But it didn’t matter, he thought that once she saw the trinket that His Majesty had sent her, she would be in a better mood.
The story was a long one; originally, His Majesty had purchased things while touring outside the palace, and after passing through several hands, it was finally forgotten under the carriage seat in a compartment.
Later, in a rush to return, he thought he had lost it somewhere and didn’t see it again.
Busy with endless tasks up until now, it wasn’t until a Young Eunuch from the Star Palace came to find him, presenting the item, that he knew where it had been lost.
He immediately took it to His Majesty, and as His Majesty was also troubled over the affairs of Master Lian, his mood greatly improved upon seeing it, and he ordered a reward for the eunuch who found it.
Master Lian, unlike other consorts in the palace, had no love for jewelry or adornments; His Majesty had racked his brains trying to appease her.
Even offering her gold and silver, she had rejected it with the phrase, "Undeserved wealth shall not be accepted; I do not merit it," and turned it down.
Gifts for Master Lian must align with her tastes—it’s most crucial, for it’s not about the value of the gifts, but whether she takes a liking to them.
He approached, with a fawning smile, "Yes, yes, yes, it’s a failing of my vision that I could not find you, please bear with me."
Upon hearing this, Lian Hua deliberately took a moment to look at his eyes.
Forget it, after all, Chief Steward Zhang has poor eyesight, why vent anger at him.
"It’s all right," she said, feigning nonchalance, "Isn’t His Majesty busy with official affairs? What does he want with me?"
Zhang Qing, with hands tucked in his sleeves, smiled broadly and gestured towards the Side Hall, "Why don’t you have a look inside, and then you’ll know?"
Lian Hua looked at Zhang Qing suspiciously, then at the Side Hall; what could that big scoundrel want from her?