Schemes Of A Flower

Hua Yan had slept through until dawn the next day from her first night at the Eastern Palace; she hadn't even eaten dinner, seemingly living the adage of exhaustion from a long and arduous journey.

After a good night's sleep, she woke up feeling refreshed and invigorated.

Hearing the sound of her stirring, Qiuyue entered the room first, followed by a trail of over ten attendants.

Hua Yan had experienced the grandeur of the previous day and did not wish to spend another two hours being tended to for simple grooming and dining. Just as she was about to speak, she caught sight through the beaded curtain of a large crowd gathered in the outer courtyard. Peering through the gaps, she vaguely made out the figure of Lai Fu, the Eastern Palace's Chief Steward, leading the group. She paused, asking with surprise, "Is that Steward Lai Fu outside with so many people? What's happened?"

Qiuyue glanced out and whispered with a sigh, "It is Steward Lai Fu. I heard he was ordered by the Crown Prince to bring the servants of the residence to greet you." She added after a moment, "They've been here since before dawn, waiting for over an hour already."

"What?" Hua Yan was startled and glanced outside at the sky. Although she had slept soundly and missed dinner the previous day, she hadn't woken up late—the sun wasn't even out yet. She frowned, "Why have they come so early?"

Qiuyue shook her head, indicating her own uncertainty. Could this be a rule of the Eastern Palace?

Puzzled, Hua Yan looked outside again and directed her words to the lead maid, "Just a simple tidy-up will do. I don't like complications and fuss. From now on, unless necessary, we won't use the full array of services like yesterday."

The maid responded respectfully, and without a word, she commanded other servant girls to finish preparing Hua Yan in just the time it took to brew two or three cups of tea.

Beautiful as the snow with delicate features, her elegance and grace were unmatched. Clad in a long dress of green damask and brocade, trailing on the floor with a few wind chime flowers embroidered on the hem. Her slender figure was like an ink painting of West Lake from afar, yet up close, she resembled a blooming jade lotus by the Qujiang riverbank. Truly, her beauty was captivating, causing anyone who laid eyes on her to find it hard to look away.

Once she was properly dressed, the attendants in the room fell silent, and even the lead maid's eyes showed a hint of amazement. She thought to herself that while she had believed Miss Zhao from the Prime Minister's residence was the most beautiful in Nanchu, the simply dressed Crown Princess Consort was indeed just as beautiful. It was hard to imagine how stunning she would look in full attire.

As she thought this, she saw that Hua Yan did not move like ordinary girls, with gentle and delicate steps. As soon as the attendants finished, Hua Yan strode briskly from the inner room, impatiently flipping the curtain aside. Amidst the tinkling sound of the beaded curtain, she had already reached the door of the outer hall, looking at the hundreds of silent and respectfully standing servants of the Eastern Palace, she raised her eyebrows at the person in front, saying, "Steward Lai Fu, what is this about?"

Although Steward Lai Fu and the others had been waiting for over an hour for Hua Yan, his face showed no sign of impatience. Seeing her question him, he smiled and gave a very respectful bow, saying, "Your Highness, the Crown Princess Consort, I am here on the Crown Prince's orders to present all the servants of the residence for you to review, and all the accounting books, too. From today onward, you will manage all affairs in the Crown Prince's Residence."

Hua Yan's expression suddenly changed, and she exclaimed in shock, "What? Say that again."

Unsure of what Hua Yan's exclamation truly meant, Steward Lai Fu quickly repeated his statement calmly and clearly.

This time, Hua Yan understood perfectly. She was furious, glancing at the amassed group and the neatly stacked account books held in their hands as if she could shoot flames from her eyes and incinerate everything. She took a moment to control her breath before her voice squeezed through gritted teeth, "I am not yet the Crown Princess Consort; has the Crown Prince been kicked in the head by something?"

The butler, upon hearing her words, immediately felt as though a chilling wind had swept over him, his legs trembling slightly before he managed to steady himself. He dared not carry on the conversation, promptly replying, "You have been designated as the Crown Princess Consort by His Highness himself. You are the mistress of the Eastern Palace, and although the grand wedding has not yet taken place, it is only a matter of time before it does, and it certainly will not change. This old servant, along with everyone within the Eastern Palace, has since followed His Highness's orders from the day the Empress Dowager's benevolent edict of marriage was issued a year ago, respecting the Crown Princess Consort as our mistress. Now that the mistress has moved in, it is only right that you take charge of the household."

Hua Yan could scarcely catch her breath; she glared at Lai Fu, her gaze somewhat dark and vicious.

Even though Lai Fu was accustomed to the Crown Prince's cold stare when angry, he found it difficult to withstand the Crown Princess Consort's bare intent to kill. He quickly knelt down, lowered his head, and cautiously apologized, "The affairs of the Eastern Palace are indeed complex, but this old servant will surely assist the Crown Princess Consort, along with the various stewards of the Eastern Palace. Please be at ease." As he finished speaking, he looked up and saw Hua Yan's expression growing worse. He hastily corrected himself, "Although it may seem like we have hundreds of servants in the Eastern Palace, compared to the households of the noble families in the capital, it is actually quite few. The accounts may seem numerous, but there are only a few categories to manage, and…it's not that difficult to oversee."

The frigid breeze above chilled his garments, and he struggled to continue speaking.

Yesterday, when he received this assignment, he felt it was anything but a simple task. The Crown Prince had given the orders, and he dared not object. Thus, he had made arrangements the previous night, laboring until well past midnight, to ensure that everyone performed flawlessly today. But now, things seemed even more challenging than he had imagined. He hadn't spoken more than a few words before the Crown Princess Consort's face turned as dark as water and her eyes blazed like fire, as if he were being tormented in both ice and flame, with a dull blade chopping away at him from above.

He thought back on his life, having served the Empress and followed the Crown Prince since his birth, weathering many storms, and felt he had experienced quite a bit. But now, he truly felt he couldn't endure it any longer.

For what must have been the duration of a cup of tea, he dared not even breathe heavily. The crowd behind him, which had looked like a dark, pressing mass when he knelt, also silently and simultaneously dropped to their knees, with some even bowing their heads to the ground.

Without a word being spoken, the grim aura that permeated like a frost in May threatened to freeze everyone in the courtyard to death.

Qiuyue, unable to watch any longer, walked up to Hua Yan and gently tugged at her sleeve, softly calling out, "Miss."

It was a pitiful sight to behold. Her young mistress seldom became angry, nor was she easily provoked by others. When the Empress Dowager's edict of marriage arrived in Lin'an on the day of the Flower Capital, it was the first time she had been truly enraged. Today marked the second.

With her aura now fully unleashed, even Qiuyue found it hard to stand firm, which clearly showed that she had been severely infuriated by the Crown Prince's actions.

Qiuyue had not expected that, having just arrived at the Crown Prince's Residence and after a comfortable night's sleep, the Crown Prince would present her mistress with such a startling surprise.

Hardly acquainted with the Eastern Palace, her mistress was suddenly confronted with the responsibility for its management and all the attending servants. It was as if she had been bound with a thick iron rope, signifying that the position of the mistress of the Eastern Palace was not just secure—it was as firmly fixed as can be, impervious to any attempt to unsettle it.

Hua Yan, hearing Qiuyue's soft call, slowly and deliberately withdrew her gaze from the butler.

The butler felt the immense pressure on his head and body lift all at once and he breathed a sigh of relief. Internally, he showered blessings upon Qiuyue's ancestors for dozens of generations, weakly lifting his arm to stealthily wipe the large beads of sweat from his forehead. He thought to himself, no wonder the Crown Prince had spent half of his energy dealing with the Crown Princess Consort's issues last year. Indeed...

He quietly rejoiced that he had always strictly followed the Crown Prince's instructions, loyal to his arrangements and commands. Ever since the Crown Princess Consort entered the residence, he had not dared to slacken his duties for a moment, fearing that if he did, he as the Chief Steward might not even have a place at the makeshift burial grounds after death.

Hua Yan looked at the soft-spoken Eastern Palace Chief Steward and the servants who were nearly scared stiff like pieces of mud patting them, but even so, not a single voice emerged from the thick crowd. Her annoyance suddenly faded, and she let out a light chuckle, "The Crown Prince is indeed extraordinary. The people of the Eastern Palace are truly remarkable to behold."