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"Wow, why is there so much jewelry!" Lian Hua exclaimed as the red cloth was lifted, revealing a whole tray.

She couldn’t help standing up, disbelievingly widened her eyes at the tray filled with beaded hairpins and gemstone accessories, picked up a string of flawless light blue gemstone bracelets, and murmured, "A pie in the sky, we’re going to strike it rich ..."

The Emperor was initially pleased with her reaction, but her following words made his forehead vein throb as his eyes narrowed dangerously.

A pie in the sky?

This ungrateful wretch is dreaming too beautifully. Without a lesson, she really thinks pies fall from the sky!

In a corner of Canglan Court.

"Xia Hua ... Sister Xia Liu, everything has been cleaned up."

"Mm, go take a rest." Xia Liu said as she packed up the laundered clothes, which she still had to iron and fold before handing them over to Xiao Qing to be considered done.

Xia Liu, previously named Xia Hua, had been transferred from the Star Palace to Canglan Court, under Nanny Qi’s supervision. To avoid the name clash with Lian Hua, Nanny Qi had renamed her Xia Liu.

The Little Palace Maid rubbed her wrists and couldn’t help but complain, "Sister Xia Liu, when will these days end?"

"Keep your voice down." Xia Liu looked around and glared at her, "Be careful that Nanny Qi hears you."

The Little Palace Maid retorted rebelliously, "We are clearly palace maids from the Star Palace. How come ..."

Suddenly dispatched here to perform menial tasks, she was somewhat discontent.

"His Majesty trusts us, that’s why he sent us here. Focus on your duties and don’t think too much," Xia Liu said as she turned to walk towards the house to properly iron the collected clothes in the newly established laundry room.

The laundry of Canglan Court was never sent to the Laundry Bureau; it operated independently. She really didn’t understand why, though she had heard it had always been this way since she arrived.

The laundry room was established by Nanny Qi after her arrival. Previously, it was very casual; since her arrival, all the Master’s clothes were left for her to launder and organize.

The Little Palace Maid looked around and couldn’t resist following Xia Liu inside, whispering quietly, "I just heard His Majesty and Master Lian have returned. Sister Xia Liu, wasn’t it said that Master Lian also served in the Star Palace before, and worked with you too? How come now ..."

How come she now does not even allow people close to her, forgetting those who are beneath her after climbing high?

Xia Liu’s hands tightened on the clothes, her gaze lowering, "Dong Xue, you have just left the Star Palace a few days ago. Why have you become so undisciplined?"

As she spoke, she glanced at the Little Palace Maid Dong Xue.

Dong Xue shuddered, a chilling fear crawling up her spine.

She quickly said, "Yes, Sister Xia Liu, I recognize my mistake. I just remembered I have other things to do, and I’ll go do them now."

As she spoke, she quickly walked out of the house. Just as she was about to exit, a stern "Stop" halted her steps.

She was somewhat afraid. Sister Xia Liu usually seemed very approachable and always considered her, and since both were from the Star Palace, that was why she had dared to ask such a question.

After asking, she instantly regretted it. For a moment, she found Sister Xia Liu frightening.

She turned around, tentatively asking, "Sister Xia Liu, do you have any other instructions?"

After putting away the clothes, Xia Liu walked over, took Dong Xue’s hand, and smiled gently, "I didn’t frighten you just now, did I? These matters you can discuss only with me. The origins of Master Lian are not for us to criticize; if overheard, we would surely be punished."

Dong Xue breathed a sigh of relief, realizing it was for her own good and nodded, "Sister Xia Liu, I’ll only talk about it with you, not with others."

Xia Liu looked at her approvingly, "Good, those of us from the Star Palace must look out for each other. After all, we are outsiders in Canglan Court. We must be even more careful with our words and actions, understand?"

Dong Xue nodded again more emphatically.

Xia Liu patted Dong Xue and said, "Go attend to your duties. Remember to fetch a soup tureen when you come back, Nanny said that after the Mid-Autumn Festival, we need to stew Bird’s Nest Soup for Master Lian."

"Sister Xia Liu, I got it, you’ve told me thrice already, if Nanny Qi finds out, she will definitely praise you for being so diligent in your duties."

As Dong Xue spoke, she walked out of the room and headed into the distance.

Once the person had completely disappeared from view, Xia Liu dropped the smile from her face and looked at the clothes that were laid out, her eyes filled with complexity.

Inside the Side Hall.

Lian Hua was pleasingly massaging the Emperor’s shoulders and back, incessantly flattering, "Oh my, His Majesty is indeed quite handsome, it seems that all handsome men are quite magnanimous."

The Emperor rested with his eyes closed, allowing her to massage him without responding to or looking at her.

Lian Hua continued to fawn over him, "My lord, oh my, look at your shoulders, so sturdy indeed, just brimming with authority and vigor, it surely matches your broad-mindedness—the broader the chest, the sturdier the shoulders."

As she spoke, she kneaded harder, her hands growing sore.

The Emperor opened his eyes, raised his eyebrows without speaking, and tapped his teacup with his finger.

Immediately grasping his intent, Lian Hua said, "Leave it to me, my lord!"

She walked from behind the Emperor to the table, like a flatterer, and earnestly poured him a cup of tea, the cup full to the brim.

She accidentally poured too much, the tea almost spilling over.

Setting down the teapot, Lian Hua sheepishly asked, "My lord, can you drink it like this?"

"?" His Little Concubine was indeed amusing, always ready with a joke!

The Emperor glanced at her sideways, turned his head away, and proudly looked elsewhere, still ignoring her, but a faint smile crossed his eyes.

Lian Hua caught on and hesitated, then leaned forward, intending to sip the tea with her mouth to make it just right.

Yet as she leaned in, she caught his stern gaze from the corner of her eyes and heard a cold snort from his nostrils.

Lian Hua quickly straightened up, awkwardly laughing, "Oh, my lord, it’s not what you think, I just wanted to check if the tea temperature was alright, haha..."

Uh... it was a bit inconsiderate; it’s too improper to drink like that, especially with my lord watching.

Lian Hua had no choice; the tea was too full, so she carefully held the teacup with both hands and went to the basin to pour some out.

In her heart, she lamented how difficult it was to please His Majesty; she had exhausted all her tricks and flattery, yet none of it had eased his mood.

Alas, it was all her own doing—had she known that there were so many pieces of jewelry, each personally selected by him, she wouldn’t have been so superficial.

Alas, she wondered why she hadn’t examined them first and then chosen to lavishly praise them. By the time she realized, it was already too late...

Alas, she only remembered seeing His Majesty’s dangerous gaze after she had recovered from the shock of the jewelry; he had been watching her for a long time, and she knew that look all too well!

In a panic, she immediately started currying favor, starting at one end of the tray, lavishly praising every beaded hairpin and bracelet.

After praising the jewelry, she thoroughly praised the lord’s taste.

After praising his taste, she lavishly praised His Majesty himself.

But despite all she had done, His Majesty still ignored her—oh, the anxiety nearly drove her to pull her hair out.

After passing him the tea, while the Emperor was drinking, Lian Hua pondered deeply on what to do next.