An Assassination Attempt

As Qiu Die finished speaking, Chunlan noticed that something was amiss with her expression.

She was startled and had just opened her mouth to explain that her mistress was not plotting against Consort Jing when a voice sounded behind her.

"Where's the invitation? When does the banquet start?" As Hua Meng spoke, she walked up behind Chunlan.

After paying her respects to Hua Meng, Chunlan presented the invitation with both hands. "Our mistress knows how precious your condition is now, Consort Jing, but the orchids are blooming so beautifully that she wanted to invite you to see them with her." Chunlan paused before continuing, "Our mistress specifically instructed the other consorts and ladies not to use incense, rouge, or powder when they come to admire the flowers today. Also, you may bring your own food. If there's anything at the banquet that catches your eye, you may honor us by trying it as well."

Hua Meng did not answer at once. Instead, she opened the invitation in front of Chunlan and looked at the elegant handwriting, which held a hint of sharpness. She nodded. "Go back and tell your mistress that I will certainly be there."

Hearing this, Chunlan immediately smiled.

Only after Chunlan left did Qiu Die step before Hua Meng and bow to admit her fault. "Mistress, I was wrong."

Hua Meng said nothing. She turned and went inside, and only after sitting down did she idly toy with the invitation in her hand and ask, "What did you do wrong?"

"First, I should not have made a decision on your behalf without permission. Second, I forgot the emperor and empress dowager's admonitions and made reckless suspicions about Consort Qi."

As soon as Qiu Die finished her earnest reply, Hua Meng gently set down the invitation and looked at her. "You realized all that so quickly. It seems you really are a clever person after all." Only, she was a little too clever.

After saying this to Qiu Die, Hua Meng saw her bow to thank her for her grace. Then she noticed the bewildered expression on Ling Cui's face as she hurried over. Sighing inwardly, Hua Meng patiently continued, "The two of you are my senior palace maids. Everything you say and do represents my wishes. Today, whether or not Consort Qi intends to scheme against me, I must attend this banquet. Because only a few days ago, the emperor said that the inner palace was harmonious, with everyone united in waiting for the child in my womb to be born."

After listening to Hua Meng, Ling Cui obediently nodded at her. "Don't worry, Mistress. I'll do as you say."

Hua Meng knew that although Ling Cui was neither as quick-witted nor as steady as Qiu Die, her loyalty to her was certainly greater than Qiu Die's.

Hearing her say this, Hua Meng smiled. "Hurry back and rest a little longer. This afternoon, you and Nanny Jiang will accompany me to admire the flowers."

At the news that she could leave Sparrow Plume Palace, Ling Cui's eyes instantly widened with delight, and she nodded repeatedly.

After watching Ling Cui leave, Qiu Die pursed her lips. "Mistress, there is another fault I must admit."

Almost the instant Qiu Die finished, Hua Meng replied, "You mean that I asked you to teach Ling Cui more, but you didn't put your heart into it?" Ignoring Qiu Die's astonished gaze, Hua Meng continued, "Ling Cui will leave the palace in a few years. I wanted you to teach her more now so that she wouldn't embarrass me after she left. Still, even if you don't teach her, she should have learned enough by the time she leaves."

Hua Meng was good to Ling Cui not only because Ling Cui had grown up with her since childhood.

More importantly, after the Hua Family met with disaster in her previous life, Ling Cui, who had already bought her freedom, had given all the silver she had saved over the years to Lu Shi as she was about to leave the capital.

Later, Ling Cui had even disregarded her family's attempts to stop her and rushed in front of Wei Ningyan's carriage to kill her.

Although she failed, Ling Cui was the only one among the servants who had attended Hua Meng for years who remembered to avenge her.

For these reasons, the reborn Hua Meng had decided early on to let Ling Cui leave the palace and marry once she was old enough.

As soon as Hua Meng finished speaking, Qiu Die fell to her knees before her with a thud.

Only now did she realize that none of her little schemes had escaped her mistress's notice.

In fact, Hua Meng had not noticed them at first either. Only after she had inadvertently discovered that Qiu Die might be one of Emperor Jing'an's people had she paid attention to such things.

These past days, she had been hesitating over whether to speak plainly with Qiu Die.

After all, although Qiu Die might be one of Emperor Jing'an's people, she was, on the whole, very useful.

With Ling Cui destined to leave the palace, Hua Meng truly needed a trusted aide to help her handle certain matters.

Her actions today gave Qiu Die a chance, but also gave herself one. If Qiu Die could not understand, Hua Meng would find a way to replace her, however difficult it might be.

Hua Meng did not tell Qiu Die to rise. Only when it was almost time for Nanny Jiang to bring her daily soup did she look at her and say, "Get up and go rest. You needn't attend to me today."

"Yes."

Qiu Die offered no defense, nor did she say anything to soothe Hua Meng's anger. She was clever to begin with, and by now she had guessed Hua Meng's intentions.

She still needed to give the matter careful thought.

No third person knew what had happened between Hua Meng and Qiu Die, so when Nanny Jiang brought the red date, snow fungus, and lotus seed soup and did not see Qiu Die, she thought nothing of it.

After Hua Meng said she was going to the Imperial Garden to admire the flowers that afternoon, Jiang Chan nodded and smiled. "Your pulse is excellent, Your Ladyship. It's good for you to go out for walks and get some sunshine." She continued, "Then I'll make some snacks later for you to eat at the banquet this afternoon."

"Mm." Hua Meng answered Jiang Chan, then remembered something she had heard from Consort Wan two days earlier. "The first of next month is one of the two days each year when palace maids may see their families. Qiu Die has no family to see, and Ling Cui is in no hurry, so you should go see your daughters then."

The usual gentle smile had been on Jiang Chan's face, but at Hua Meng's words, her expression grew emotional and her eyes filled with tears. "Thank you for your consideration, Your Ladyship."

Hua Meng said no more. She merely smiled at Jiang Chan and gestured for her to go about her work.

Though Hua Meng knew nothing of the art of managing servants, she understood the principle: if you wanted a horse to run, you had to feed it grass.

At the start of the wei hour, Hua Meng set off for the Imperial Garden with Jiang Chan and Ling Cui, accompanied by Consort Wan and Yi Yue.

Just after leaving Sparrow Plume Palace, they saw Consort Ying and her party waiting not far ahead.

Consort Ying was not the only one in her palace; there was also a junior attendant. Ordinarily, the young woman did not dare approach Consort Ying, but today, because Consort Qi had invited all the consorts of the inner palace, she dared to appear before her.

Of the four women, Hua Meng and the other two consorts had sedan chairs to ride in. Only the junior attendant walked.

Fortunately, the junior attendant did not have many people serving her in her daily life and did some things herself, so the distance would not tire her too much.

When Hua Meng and the others arrived, everyone in the inner palace except Consort Qi was already there.

Although the women wanted to draw closer to Hua Meng when they saw her party, they all remembered what Emperor Jing'an had said before and the message Consort Qi had sent them today.

Everyone stopped three paces away to speak to her. Smelling no fragrance other than the natural scent of flowers, Hua Meng was in excellent spirits. "Sisters, you needn't be so very careful."

As soon as Hua Meng finished, Consort Bai hurriedly smiled and said, "I would like to be close to you, Sister, if only to share a little of your good fortune and conceive a child myself. Even a princess would be wonderful." Consort Bai had entered the palace in the same year as Hua Meng, but without a bestowed title, she was half a rank below her.

Hua Meng truly had not expected Consort Bai to speak her mind so directly.

She knew that ever since her pregnancy was discovered, almost all the consorts who had entered the palace this year and three years ago had been hoping to conceive a child of their own.

Most, however, had merely sent people to Sparrow Plume Palace to inquire about her usual routine and diet. So far, Consort Bai was the only one to say it so directly.

"Don't be anxious, Sister. When it comes to children, everything depends on fate." Perhaps feeling that her words sounded too insincere, Hua Meng continued, "Most importantly, no matter how anxious you are, you must put your mind at ease. I've heard my sisters-in-law discuss it at home. Sometimes, the more anxious you are, the harder it is to conceive."

Everyone knew that Hua Meng's family had many children, so on hearing her words, they naturally nodded as though they had heard words of gold and jade.

Consort Qi arrived just then. Seeing everyone gathered around Hua Meng, she was a little displeased, worried that they might hinder her.

Before she could speak, however, she heard Hua Meng's last words.

At once, Consort Qi recalled how anxious she had been while trying for a child all these years.

Feeling that she understood why she had not conceived all these years, Consort Qi looked at Hua Meng even more warmly than before.

The consorts gathered in twos and threes to admire the flowers, while Consort Wan and Consort Ying stood on either side of Hua Meng.

Consort Ying did not care for flowers. Though she listened as Consort Wan told Hua Meng the names of the orchids before them, she still spared a little attention to look around.

Had she not heard that Hua Meng and Consort Wan were coming today, she certainly would not have come.

Just as she was thinking how much she disliked these things and wondering whether to go and get something to eat, a commotion suddenly sounded outside the Imperial Garden.

"What was that?"

Consort Qi asked in displeasure, and someone immediately went to investigate.

The palace maid returned quickly. She came running, her face full of panic. "Your Ladyship, there's an assassin!"

At the news, the Imperial Garden immediately fell into chaos.

Just as the consorts were panicking, unsure what to do, a palace maid carrying pastries suddenly appeared beside Hua Meng.

Taking advantage of the confusion, the maid quickly approached Hua Meng. Then, as she hurled the pastries in her hands at Hua Meng, she lunged forward and slammed herself viciously into her.