Chapter 328: With regards to being biased (2/2)

Lil Thing was amazing!

Chu Qingge was completely at a loss. “Han Yunxi, what you two laughing about?”

But Han Yunxi’s reply was as simple as ever. “Nothing much.” After that, she kept on joking with Zhao mama, talking about a whole heap of things as she ignored Chu Qingge.

Chu Qingge had come with full intentions to show off her strength, but her proud heart suddenly felt a sense of inferiority from being ignored. She gritted her teeth and left filled with hate. Han Yunxi, just you wait!

As soon as she went outside, she saw Emperor Tianhui drinking tea.

“Miss Chu, would you like to take a break?” Emperor Tianhui asked thoughtfully.

Finally, Chu Qingge sensed that something was amiss. She felt a bit strange, but she was too preoccupied to pursure the matter. “Many thanks for Your Majesty’s kindness, but Qingge needs to seize this time to question more court ladies. There’s quite a few I still need to find.” Chu Qingge was very earnest. She spent all morning interrogating court ladies, asking for the most minute of details. She even repeated a few of her questions just in case the court ladies were lying. She had no idea that Emperor Tianhui had been watching her the entire time.

Chu Qingge was both industrious and diligent, but Han Yunxi spent her entire morning sitting down to gossip with Zhao mama, who told her lots of funny stories and scandals of the imperial palace. Han Yunxi wasn’t being lazy, she’d just finished examining most of what she needed to investigate. She’d checked Noble Consort Yun’s body, asked the court ladies a few questions, and generally knew where things stood.

Emperor Tianhui only left when it was nearly noon, but had someone send a sumptous lunch to Chu Qingge. It even had fruit for an after-lunch dessert. Han Yunxi and Zhao mama had to wait for the sedan chair to take them back to their living quarters to eat. Their temporary residence at the palace was rather far from Noble Consort Yun’s quarters.

Chu Qingge sat alone at her table, elegantly enjoying a table full of delectable, delicious-smelling delicacies. Meanwhile, Han Yunxi and Zhao mama were left waiting by the door.

“Don’t worry, esteemed wangfei. This old servant used silver to ensure the sedan chair arrives quickly. I’ve also arranged the palace’s famous flower feast for you,” Zhao mama murmured in a low voice.

“It’s fine, I’m not hungry,” Han Yunxi said honestly. With an old hand of the harem like Zhao mama by her side, she’d eaten and lived very well.

However, by the time Chu Qingge finished her meal, there was still no sign of their sedan chair. Zhao mama immediately understood what was going on. She cried angrily, “Those despicable calves! They took the silver but didn’t do the work! Don’t think they can underestimate this old servant just because I’m not in the palace anymore! I was here before the empress dowager was an empress dowager, before the emperor was an emperor!”

Han Yunxi felt her mouth twitch at the sight of Zhao mama. She never thought the woman had such a bold side to her personality. Inexplicably, she began to imagine the past. The empress dowager and Grand Concubine Yi, Emperor Tianhui and the Duke of Qin–they must have been embroiled in palace schemes of life and death back then. But Long Feiye should’ve been very young.

“Aiya, how come you two are still here?” Chu Qingge’s voice rose up. Han Yunxi turned to see the girl walking towards them. Behind her, various court ladies were cleaning up the table of half-finished food.

Han Yunxi ignored her and murmured, “Zhao mama, why don’t we walk there instead? We have nothing to do anyways.”

Chu Qingge saw that they were about to leave and laughed out loud. “Han Yunxi, if you two are hungry, I can tell them to hold on clearing the table. You can eat what’s left.”

Zhao mama lost her temper. There was nothing cute about this Miss Chu at all. Esteemed wangfei hadn’t bothered her all morning, so why did she keep picking on them?

“Miss Chu, the mistress of this palace only passed away recently, and yet you’re eating an ostentatious meal in her very hall. Aren’t you afraid she’ll find you at night to demand her share?” Zhao mama’s tone was very serious.

Chu Qingge felt a chill wind at her back after hearing those words. She subconsciously darted her head towards the coffin and spirit tablet in the main hall, where Noble Consort Yun lay at rest. Immediately, she felt her hairs stand on end.

“Old servant, what kind of nonsense are you spewing? That meal was awarded by His Majesty! Are you saying His Majesty’s made a mistake with his conduct?” Chu Qingge replied sternly.

“Miss Chu, you keep mentioning His Majesty left and right. Noble Consort Yun won’t be happy to hear that. She was always a type who liked to eat vinegar, don’t you know?” Zhao mama reminded her faintly.

Once again, Chu Qingge’s hairs stood on end. Still, her mouth refused to admit defeat. “What, are you guys jealous that His Majesty’s biased in my favor?”

Zhao mama laughed. “What kind of things is Miss Chu saying? Everyone in the palace knows that His Majesty’s just and impartial. How could he be biased in your favor? Now if you’re talking frequent biases, my family’s Duke of Qin is precisely such a man.”

Han Yunxi wasn’t even planning to speak up at this point. For the first time, she realized how amusing it was to have Zhao mama by her side! Most likely, Chu Qingge hadn’t caught the true meaning behind the mama’s words. Everyone in the palace knew Emperor Tianhui was just and impartial. If word spread that he was favoring Chu Qingge, she’d have a tough time of it during her stay here! The infighting between females of the imperial harem was even more terrifying than the struggles between men of the court. They could be callously cruel. It was impossible for the emperor to show them all consideration; otherwise, why would so many harem members meet with tragic deaths or unexpected miscarriages?

As expected, Chu Qingge didn’t catch the implication in Zhao mama’s words at all. She laughed coldly and said, “Is that so? Then why haven’t we seen His Highness Duke of Qin coming over to deliver lunch? Qin Wangfei, I heard that His Highness Duke of Qin dotes on you. As it turns out, rumors are just rumors in the end!”

Unfortunately, as soon as Chu Qingge finished speaking, a eunuch by the gates loudly announced, “His Highness Duke of Qin arrives!”