Rain strands began to fall from the sky, an autumn rain chased away the last bit of Indian summer heat.
Xia Ruqing hurriedly tidied up before heading to Jiaofang Hall.
As usual, Yu Lan was there to greet her, but this time she was more courteous, "The ground is wet and cold, the Empress asked Lady Xia to be exempt from courtesy!"
Xia Ruqing had already finished kowtowing, and inwardly sneered, if she was to be exempt from courtesy, why not say so earlier instead of pretending to be magnanimous now.
Her expression remained respectful as she accepted the reward with gratitude, then walked back with her two servants.
Unfortunately, Xia Ruqing happened to meet the concubines who came to pay their respects to the Empress.
The Emperor had many concubines, but not many with high ranks. Besides Noble Concubine Shih, among the four consorts were Consort Ning and Consort Yun. Among the nine second-tier consorts were Consort Hui Pin and Consort Zheng Pin, these few were the elders from the Eastern Palace.
The others entered the palace last year through selection and mostly held the ranks of Lady or Honored Lady.
"Servants pay respects to Noble Consort and to each Lady and Honored Lady!"
Xia Ruqing performed the ritual of kneeling; she only recognized Noble Concubine Shih at the forefront, the rest left no impression in her mind.
Noble Concubine Shih was dressed in a peach-red Yunjin palace dress embroidered with large peonies, very bright. Her hair was styled in a tall bun adorned with a full set of pomegranate red agate gold Bu Yao and a Phoenix Crown, her almond eyes gleamed radiantly, exceedingly beautiful.
The palace maids behind her were also lavishly dressed, respectively carrying a floral silk parasol for her, projecting an overwhelming aura of opulence.
"You are Lady Xia?" Noble Concubine Shih slowly approached, looking down at Xia Ruqing.
"Indeed, I am!" Xia Ruqing lowered her eyes, appearing extremely humble.
This was the deep palace, there should be no ambiguity in keeping low profile; being rash would not lead to long survival.
Noble Concubine Shih stared at Xia Ruqing for a while, then smiled coldly and slowly said, "I remember that Ladies are not allowed to stay overnight in Zichen Hall, does Lady Xia not understand etiquette?"
Being stared at like this already unsettled Xia Ruqing, what she heard gave her a jolt, and she quickly kowtowed.
"Servant deserves death for breaking the rules, please ask Lady to punish!" At this moment, no matter what, she had to concede, and she couldn't go against her.
Actually, the Empress hadn't said anything about this matter, most people turned a blind eye, perhaps this was the Emperor's intention.
Using this to make a fuss, Noble Concubine Shih was clearly making trouble out of nothing!
"Since you know you broke the rules, copy the Women's Directive a hundred times!" Noble Concubine Shih said with satisfaction.
"Yes!"
Even if it was trouble out of nothing, she had to comply.
Noble Concubine Shih left satisfied, and Xia Ruqing stood in the rain before returning to Zhaohua Pavilion with clothes mostly wet.
Although she carried an umbrella, after kneeling in the rain for so long, it was inevitable she would be wet. She hurried to change clothes and sat on the bed covered with a quilt, Qiu Hong and Qiu Tong attended her, serving hot tea.
"Noble Concubine Shih really meddles too much, even the Empress didn't say anything!" Qiu Hong said indignantly.
"I think she is jealous of our mistress' favor, she is feeling uncomfortable!" Qiu Hong, however, looked smug.
"Silence!" Xia Ruqing shouted angrily.
"How dare you discuss Noble Consort in private? You must punish yourself!" Xia Ruqing showed no mercy.
It was one thing to curse inwardly, but saying it out loud was courting doom.
"Mistress?!" Both were shocked, they couldn't believe they were wrong for standing up for their mistress.
"Quickly punish yourself! Twenty slaps each!" Xia Ruqing commanded sternly.
The two expressed slight reluctance, but they slowly sank down and slapped themselves.
After it was over, Xia Ruqing sent them out and called Xiao Xizi in.
"Mistress…" Xiao Xizi was alert and cautiously approached.
"Don't be afraid!" Seeing his reaction, Xia Ruqing's emotions relaxed.
Even though that was her tone, Xiao Xizi felt that his mistress was different now, much stronger, maybe... she'd gained favor and thus confidence.
"How long have you three been with me?" Xia Ruqing took a sip of hot tea and asked.
"Responding to mistress, exactly one year!"
Xia Ruqing set the teacup down, collected her expression, and said with a serious tone, "Would you be willing... to stay by my side?" Those two fools were absolutely unusable, at this rate, she'd die by their actions.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Xizi immediately knelt down without even thinking.
"Servant is frightened! Servant is willing to stay by mistress!" He said, completing a few vigorous bows.
"Mistress, please don't drive servant away!" Xiao Xizi was quite nervous, having grown content at being with a mistress who neither beat nor scolded.
Xia Ruqing felt slightly uncomfortable, hastily told him to rise, and continued, "I hope you've thought it through, following me isn't just enjoying good days! If you ever lose your loyalty, don't blame me for being ruthless!"
"Mistress, what are you saying! Ever since I started serving you, I've never thought of leaving, I want to stay with you forever!" Xiao Xizi was merely a teenager, speaking with slight bashfulness.
For that reason, his words rang true.
If Mistress Xia hadn't picked him, he would have been relegated to rough duties, in the palace those left by selection only had that path.
"If so, then serve well and be astute!" Xia Ruqing softened her tone.
In her memory, Xiao Xizi was always loyally dedicated, Xia Ruqing felt assured with him.
"Yes, mistress!" Xiao Xizi enthusiastically performed his kowtow.
"What do you want to eat for lunch, mistress? I'll go to the imperial kitchen and ask them to make it!" With her mistress favored, they were all eager to flatter.
Xia Ruqing glanced at the weather, thought, "Cook a bowl of noodle soup to ward off the cold, make it chewy with hot broth and add some chili sauce and rice vinegar, the rest is up to you!"
After getting caught in the rain, spicy and sour flavors chased away the chill.
Xiao Xizi responded and went swiftly.
Xia Ruqing walked to the window, looking at the drizzle outside, cleared her mind, and picked up her brush to slowly start writing.
A hundred times of Women's Directive, Noble Concubine Shih...
...
Jiaofang Hall
"Mistress, Noble Concubine Shih left from here and went to the Empress Dowager!" Yu Lan said.
The Empress squinted slightly then smiled, "She's still so impatient!"
Thanks to being cousins with the Emperor, and having childhood ties, she had longed for the empress title for quite some time.
There was no way she would let her succeed.
What difference does it make that she's the Empress Dowager's niece or a childhood friend? She was the one the late Emperor decreed marriage to, the empress title could only be hers, Fan Mengzhen's!
"Mistress is correct! It's just a mere Lady; what difference does that make?"
Yu Lan commented, presenting a bowl of milk custard to the Empress.
The Empress stirred the silver spoon, not taking a bite, lost in thought.
After a while, she instructed, "Go to the storage room and find a few rolls of fine fabric, select some good jewelry, and send them to Lady Xia!"