jdhmnovel Chapter 385 (115 words added)
Chapter 385 (115 words added)
Xue Ruanruan walked lightly through the snow, wearing a plain cloak, snowflakes fluttering down her shoulders. Suddenly, a commotion arose around the corner ahead, as if people were arguing. Curious, Xue Ruanruan quickened her pace. She saw two palace maids wrestling, with several others trying to break them up. Xue Ruanruan frowned slightly and called out, "What kind of behavior is this! Running wild in the palace!" The two maids, seeing it was Xue Ruanruan, immediately stopped fighting and knelt down, begging for forgiveness. Xue Ruanruan inquired about the cause; it was merely a dispute over a small reward. She sighed and said, "Such a small matter has escalated to this point. If word gets out, others will laugh at us." With that, she took some loose silver from her sleeve and distributed it to everyone, saying, "We're all in the palace; we should be harmonious and not quarrel over such things." Everyone thanked Xue Ruanruan and dispersed. Xue Ruanruan patted the snow off her body and continued walking, but in her heart she was thinking that the inner palace seemed calm on the surface, but in reality there were undercurrents, and she still needed to be careful.
Snow began to fall early in the morning. Murong Xun stood in front of his study, watching the swirling snowflakes, lost in thought. Just then, a young eunuch rushed in, "Your Majesty, Consort Xue mediated a dispute among the palace maids in the Imperial Garden and even paid out of her own pocket to appease everyone." Murong Xun's lips curled into a slight smile, showing even more appreciation for this woman who always acted with kindness.
In the afternoon, Xue Ruanruan was embroidering in her room when she suddenly received a message that His Majesty summoned her to the Imperial Garden. A little apprehensive, she quickly tidied her appearance and went. Upon arriving at the Imperial Garden, she saw Murong Xun standing in a pavilion amidst the snow, surrounded by blooming red plum blossoms—a breathtaking sight. Seeing her, Murong Xun smiled and said, "Consort Xue, I heard you did a good deed in the Imperial Garden today." Xue Ruanruan curtsied and replied, "Your Majesty, it was nothing more than a small matter; I simply couldn't bear to see everyone arguing." Murong Xun stepped forward, picked up some snow from a nearby branch, made a small snowball, and gently tossed it to her, laughing, "Such a kind heart! I'll accompany you to enjoy the snow today." Xue Ruanruan was initially taken aback, but then bent down and scooped up some snow in return. The two played in the snow, their laughter echoing throughout the Imperial Garden.
When they saw that figure, Xue Ruanruan and Murong Xun were playing happily. Their smiles instantly froze on their faces. It was the Empress, accompanied by a group of concubines. The Empress smiled broadly, "Oh, Your Majesty and Consort Xue are enjoying the snow here, how delightful!" Murong Xun frowned slightly, but still stepped forward to greet the Empress, "The Empress has come too, let's enjoy the snow together." Xue Ruanruan was nervous and quickly bowed to the Empress. The Empress looked at Xue Ruanruan, a hint of displeasure flashing in her eyes, "Consort Xue certainly has the leisure to play around with His Majesty like this." The other concubines echoed, their words laced with sarcasm. Xue Ruanruan lowered her head, not daring to speak. Murong Xun noticed her embarrassment and put his arm around her shoulder, "It's a rare snowfall today, let's all enjoy ourselves." Seeing this, the Empress didn't say anything more. Afterwards, everyone sat down in the pavilion, drinking tea and admiring the snow. However, the atmosphere became somewhat subtle. Xue Ruanruan knew that the struggle in the harem was likely to be stirred up again because of today's events.
A hint of tenderness flickered in Murong Xun's dark, deep eyes as he held Xue Ruanruan's hand. This subtle gesture, however, only fueled the Empress's anger. The Empress picked up her teacup, took a sip, and said veiledly, "Consort Xue, you are so favored by His Majesty. I wonder if your embroidery skills are as adept as this playful act?" Xue Ruanruan's heart tightened. Although she knew embroidery, she couldn't guarantee she could please all the concubines present.
Just as she was wondering how to answer, a young eunuch rushed over, knelt down, and reported, "Your Majesty, news has come from the Empress Dowager that she is feeling unwell." Murong Xun's expression changed, and he immediately stood up and said, "I will go to the Empress Dowager's place right away." He then turned to the others and said, "You may all return home as well." With that, he hurriedly left.
Watching Murong Xun's departing figure, the Empress snorted coldly and said to Xue Ruanruan, "Consort Xue, you're lucky today." With that, she led the other concubines away. Xue Ruanruan let out a long sigh of relief, and only after everyone had left did she drag her weary body back to her quarters. She knew that although she had escaped a calamity today, her days in the palace would likely be even more difficult from now on.