Chapter 291: Hua Momo
As soon as the palace maid left, a Momo came waddling over.
Upon seeing her, Xiao Yue couldn’t help but frown.
This was Hua Momo, who managed the storeroom. She only oversaw two gauze storerooms and held a minuscule amount of power, yet she was insatiably greedy.
Their residence wasn’t far from Hua Momo’s storeroom. Furthermore, since they ground incense and pearls and needed gauze for their work, and used quite a bit of it, they often interacted with her.
Logically, Hua Momo’s role in managing the storeroom was merely to guard it; the items inside weren’t hers. The things Wen Mingqian needed were approved by the Empress, so she should just take them, requiring only a little effort from Hua Momo. Yet, she insisted on seeking favors.
Naturally, she wouldn’t ask directly, as Wen Mingqian was a favorite of Her Ladyship the Empress. But she was like a persistent leech, latching onto anyone and demanding something before letting go.
For instance, she would always complain about aches and pains, asking Wen Mingqian for supplements.
Or she would say the smell in her room was unpleasant and ask for leftover incense powder.
Wen Mingqian naturally didn’t bother with her, and even told Xiao Yue that people like her weren’t worth offending, nor was it necessary to curry favor with them.
Just give her something one out of three times, and that would be enough.
When Hua Momo had nothing to do, she liked to wander around, looking for opportunities to gain something.
At this moment, she happened to walk by Wen Mingqian’s place and saw Xiao Yue giving a large handful of dried longan meat to that palace maid.
She then sidled over, smiling and saying to Xiao Yue, “Miss Xiao Yue, has Her Ladyship the Empress rewarded you with something good again? Oh my, that’s truly enviable.”
This time, Xiao Yue didn’t want to engage with her, especially since she had just taken a pair of shoe uppers from this room two days prior.
“Hua Momo, are you still wandering around at this hour? There’s a lot of rain in spring; be careful your things in the storeroom don’t get moldy. You should take them out to air them,” Xiao Yue said, turning to go inside.
Hua Momo, however, was not deterred and followed her in. “I’m very thirsty from walking here. Miss, please be kind and pour me a bowl of tea.”
As she spoke, she praised how fragrant the room was.
Xiao Yue was truly annoyed by her but helpless. She found an unused teacup from a shelf in the outer room and brewed her a bowl of tea.
Holding the tea, Hua Momo’s old eyes darted around the room, “Where are the dried longan meats the Empress rewarded you with? Are they from Fuzhou? That place is known for its good dried longans!”
“The Empress only rewarded this much in total, and Madam Wen hasn’t even seen it yet, so I can’t casually give it to anyone,” Xiao Yue said as calmly as possible. “Momo, please don’t ask for it now!”
Hearing this, Hua Momo knew there was no hope and could only finish the bowl of tea before leaving.
“Honestly, at her age, why does she have no respect at all?” Xiao Yue grumbled after she left. “It’s only because Madam Wen is kind-hearted; otherwise, if she reported it to Her Ladyship the Empress, she’d surely be sent to the Laundry Bureau!”
She was also bothered by this Hua Momo.
Unexpectedly, Hua Momo hadn’t gone far but instead pressed her ear against the curtain to listen.
This woman not only loved to take advantage of small benefits but also enjoyed eavesdropping.
Knowing Xiao Yue disliked her, she stood there to hear if she would curse her.
After hearing Xiao Yue’s words, the old woman muttered curses, “Shameless little slut? It’s not like I’m cutting flesh from you, so why does it hurt you? You give it to others, so why can’t you give it to this old lady?!
Even if that Madam Wen is capable, so what? In the end, she’s just a servant serving the Empress. She’s gotten lucky and appears before the Master every day, so she naturally receives many rewards. Who among us in the back of Yin Mountains can even be seen?
Even if your fingers are a bit wide and a little spills out for us, it’s only right. Moreover, I only asked you once in my life, how could you have the nerve to refuse?”
As she spoke, she walked forward and was about to pass through a moon gate to get to the back when she heard someone call for Madam Wen.
She stopped and hid behind the door to peek.
Wen Mingqian was about to return to her residence when she heard someone call her from behind.
When she turned around, it was the eunuch Xiao Shunzi, who had spread false rumors that day.
“Madam Wen, please wait a moment, I have something for you,” Xiao Shunzi said, out of breath from running.
Wen Mingqian looked at him with a cold gaze, her expression unreadable.
Xiao Shunzi smiled awkwardly and said to Wen Mingqian, “Madam Wen, someone asked me to give you something.”
He then began to reach into his robes.
Wen Mingqian took a step back and said, “I don’t want it, please take it back quickly.”
“Don’t do that, Madam Wen, I’m entrusted with this,” Xiao Shunzi quickly stopped her. “Please, you must take it, or I’ll be beaten to death.”
In his hand was an embroidered sachet, with lotus seeds and a double-happiness pattern embroidered on it.
“Eunuch Xiao Shunzi, please, don’t make things difficult for me. Whoever gave you this, take it back. I absolutely cannot accept it,” Wen Mingqian refused sternly and tried to leave.
However, Xiao Shunzi was very persistent. This item was sent by Dong Gang to Wen Mingqian, and he had repeatedly instructed that it must be personally delivered to Wen Mingqian and accepted by her.
Of course, he had also promised Xiao Shunzi a reward, otherwise, Xiao Shunzi wouldn’t have willingly risked his life for him.
These palace maids and eunuchs in the palace were actually without support. Even if they left the palace in the future, most would be left to fend for themselves in old age.
Therefore, they valued money more than anything and always tried to save up more for themselves so they wouldn’t suffer from hunger and poverty in the future.
Dong Gang was generous and spared no expense to achieve his goals. Xiao Shunzi, having attached himself to this powerful figure, naturally had to flatter him with all his might.
As for whether Wen Mingqian was willing or if this matter was improper, he didn’t care.
Moreover, he thought that Wen Mingqian, a divorced woman, being favored by Dong Gang was clearly her good fortune.
As for her repeated rejections, he believed it was just an act for outsiders to see; women always liked to put on a show.
“Madam Wen, you must accept this. I won’t say who sent it, just know that it’s from someone with good intentions.
I have to leave the palace soon. You know they search everyone at the palace gate, and it wouldn’t look good if this was found. After all, there’s a letter inside, and if rumors spread…”
While speaking, Xiao Shunzi took advantage of Wen Mingqian’s momentary daze to stuff the item into her hand and then ran off.
Wen Mingqian, naturally, had to keep Dong Gang on a string. Dong Gang was not only the Empress’s nephew but also Consort Hui’s son-in-law.
Consort Hui, while lacking great talent, was extremely selfish.
To curry favor and please the Empress, she had once publicly accused Shen Fu of having an affair with Bu Yuegui, claiming she had witnessed it herself.
Such baseless words, spoken from her own lips, condemned Shen and Bu as adulterers.
Not only did she rise to the rank of Consort because of this, but her daughter also married Grand Tutor Dong’s grandson.
