Flowery Hair: A Maidservant

Chapter 474 Conferring the Title of Imperial Concubine

Mid-Autumn Festival is here again.

As night fell over the palace walls, the lanterns in each palace lit up one after another, illuminating the long palace road like a silver river falling to earth.

This year's Mid-Autumn Festival banquet was more grand and solemn than in previous years.

Firstly, Empress Dowager Zhou had just returned to the palace from her temporary residence, and secondly, members of the imperial family and nobles were also ordered to attend the banquet, adding to the lively atmosphere. Among them, in addition to the imperial family members such as Prince Rui's Mansion, the Zhenbei Marquis Mansion, the Lin'an Marquis Mansion, the Han family, the Song family, and the Shen family were also allowed to enter the palace.

The Imperial Kitchen had begun preparing for the banquet a few days earlier. The newly made mooncakes from the Imperial Kitchen were stacked in layers on a gilded plate, with the words "fortune" and "longevity" printed on the flaky crust. The fillings, such as red bean paste and jujube paste, were all made with exquisite craftsmanship.

The small kitchen in Meng Shu Palace was quite ingenious. Dong Gua, relying on his excellent cooking skills, made several novel fillings: pine nut and walnut, rose and hawthorn, and even a savory mooncake with crushed crab meat, which tasted quite different.

These mooncakes were naturally not served at the palace banquet. Apart from sending some to the two empress dowagers, Consort Chun, Consort Qi, and Consort Yun, even the emperor did not have the opportunity to taste them.

The banquet was held in Linde Hall, where the fragrance of osmanthus wafted outside and the melodious sounds of string and wind instruments filled the air inside.

Empress Dowager Zhou sat at the head of the table. Although she had been carefully treated by Physician He, she still looked somewhat ill. However, she always smiled and gently reminded the Emperor to "drink in moderation" when she accepted the jade cup he personally handed her.

The imperial relatives and nobles took their seats according to their rank, and during the banquet, they exchanged toasts and spoke nothing more than auspicious words such as "full moon and family reunion," "national prosperity and peace," and "respectfully wishing the Empress Dowager good health."

The concubines sat in order of rank. Consort Qu was still "nurturing her pregnancy" in Chunxi Palace and had not yet given birth. Although Consort Qing occasionally made small moves, it was only to take the opportunity to say a few words to the Emperor. These days, no matter whether she claimed to be ill or found other excuses, the Emperor had never visited Zhaoqing Palace. Gradually, the sound of the pipa in the palace also stopped.

Consort Chun arrived at the banquet carefully escorted by Aunt Mei, Mengzhu, and Mingyue. She was seated at the very front, and the Emperor spoke a few words to her gently, instructing Min Rong to take good care of her.

The Empress sat upright on her throne, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the jade cup. Occasionally, her gaze would rise and look past the figures at the table, towards the old lady Han and her granddaughter Han Shuyi below.

Han Shuyi was dressed in a dark blue palace gown, with only a silver hairpin in her hair. After entering the hall and performing the kneeling ceremony, she kept her eyes down and stood respectfully beside her grandmother, holding her breath and not saying a word. It was as if the music and banquet around her were separated from her by an invisible barrier.

During the conversation, the war in northern Xinjiang was inevitably mentioned.

Although the great victory was secured, the aftermath was still underway. While the epidemic was under control, the soldiers remained stranded at the border. The Emperor publicly discussed military achievements, bestowing exceptionally generous rewards upon Han Guangbi and expressing his deep reliance on him. The Shen family, father and son, also received rewards for their outstanding military exploits, and the gates of Shujing Palace were finally opened earlier that morning—Consort Shen was released from confinement, though she claimed illness and did not attend the banquet. Upon receiving the news, Consort Mu, after the palace gates opened, took the Second Princess to Shujing Palace, reuniting the long-separated mother and daughter.

Until the moon was high in the sky and the banquet ended, apart from the two empress dowagers leaving midway, not a single accident occurred.

The Emperor and Empress left their seats side by side. Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival, and according to custom, the Emperor will stay in Renming Hall tonight.

Meng Shu led the palace servants to escort Consort Chun back to Huining Palace. The night breeze was refreshing, and neither of them rode in a sedan chair. The lanterns along the palace road stretched out, casting their shadows that were sometimes long and sometimes short.

Consort Chun suddenly said softly, "In previous years, at the old house in Lin'an, every Mid-Autumn Festival, after having the reunion dinner in the old lady's courtyard, we would go to the lake to release lanterns. At that time, we just thought it was a mundane custom to observe the occasion and didn't find it special. Now, thinking about it makes me nostalgic."

Ruizhu followed beside her, smiling as she added, "There are so many styles of lanterns in the mansion that it's dazzling, but I remember that Your Highness chooses the same one every year."

Upon hearing this, Meng Shu's eyes sparkled with contemplation. She said gently, "Why did you suddenly bring up these things? I remember Wan'er was most impatient with these mundane rituals, and even her choice of lanterns was done perfunctorily."

Consort Chun smiled faintly, her gaze falling on the moon's reflection floating on the palace wall in the distance: "Releasing lanterns was originally to pray for good fortune. Back then, the days always seemed long, with elders and brothers protecting me, and you all accompanying me every day. Apart from the lessons assigned by Mr. Lin, what real worries could I have?"

Meng Shu said, "Wan'er knows that troubles cannot be resolved by prayer alone. It's better to take things one step at a time. If you really want to release lanterns, what's so difficult about that? Next year, we can have someone prepare them in advance, choose a few styles you like, and personally draw and embroider the patterns. Then we can release them by the Taiye Pond."

Consort Chun's eyes lit up, and she nodded with a smile: "Great! That's settled then. Maybe we can even bring the two children along."

Meng Shu couldn't help but smile as she imagined the scene and replied, "It's settled then. I'll make a lotus lantern for Wan'er myself, and Wan'er must return the favor with one. It doesn't matter what style it is, even the simplest hexagonal lantern will do. Yu Nu'er and I will both be happy."

“What’s so difficult about that?” Consort Chun was amused by her.

It was getting late, so the two said goodbye in front of the palace gate. Consort Chun, supported by Aunt Mei's arm, stepped into Huining Palace.

Meng Shu returned to Lingcui Palace in silence. She first went to the warm pavilion to check on Yu Nu'er, who was already asleep. With Mingyue not present, Xia'er, Chun'er, and the two wet nurses were temporarily taking care of her.

After washing up, she changed into a moon-white nightgown and stood outside the palace gazing at the full moon in the sky.

Green Willow presented a cup of warm osmanthus wine, "Your Majesty."

Meng Shu reached out and took it, "You go and rest first. Distribute the festival gifts to the palace servants. You don't need to stay with me tonight."

Green Willow said softly, "I've already had Winter Melon distribute the festival gifts. The moon is so beautiful tonight, would you like me to accompany you to the courtyard to enjoy the moon for a while?"

Meng Shu turned her head and saw her worried expression, and said softly, "I'm fine. I haven't dreamed of my mother since last year's nightmare. It was just that Wan'er mentioned the lanterns, which reminded me of when I first arrived at the Tang residence."

At this point, she suddenly smiled, a thin layer of moisture welling up in her eyes: "Back then... I finally settled down. It was also a Mid-Autumn Festival night like this, and the manor ordered us to release lanterns by the lake. I chose a lotus lantern to pray for my mother. Just as I put the lantern into the water, a butterfly suddenly flew over and gently landed on my fingertip..."

"At that time, I always felt that perhaps my mother knew that I was living a peaceful life and came to see me specially."

The night breeze, carrying the fragrance of osmanthus blossoms, swept across the corridor, scattering her words in the moonlight.

Green Willow stood quietly by her side, and after a while spoke softly: "If the Lady in heaven could see that you now have the eldest prince and are living a peaceful life in the palace, she would surely be at ease."

When Green Willow first arrived in Jinnan, she was instructed by the government to visit Mengjia Village. Later, Meng Shu also asked her to pay respects to her mother every year. After that, she found Zhou Bai, and according to Meng Shu's wishes, Zhou Bai moved her sister's coffin to a garden on the outskirts of Lin'an.

"Mm." Meng Shu nodded and smiled.

......

The third day after the Mid-Autumn Festival.

On the 18th day of the eighth month of the second year of the Zhenghe era, Jingming carried the bright yellow imperial edict out of the palace, and the procession carrying the edict arrived at the residence of Governor Han in Yongchangfang.

The imperial edict reads: "Han Shuyi, the adopted daughter of Han Guangbi, the Grand General of Liaodong, is intelligent, virtuous, and graceful. She is hereby conferred the title of Consort and bestowed the title 'Shun' upon her. She shall reside in Chenghui Palace and enter the palace at an auspicious time three days from now."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Special Note: I just read the comments and checked the information. It's a bit of an exaggeration to say that she entered the palace based on her father's military achievements and was ranked among the four consorts. However, for the sake of the later plot, I still decided on her consort rank and adjusted the order slightly. Also, regarding Han Shuyi's status as an adopted daughter, the Marquis of Zhenbei knew she was Han Guangbi's biological daughter, and the Emperor also knew, but outsiders were unaware. *bows*