The door was opened and closed once again. Hong Li’s arrival this time has inadvertently provided me with a piece of information.
Is it really just a coincidence that Liu Ye-er and the Pure Consort have the same surname?
Now that Liu Ye-er is already deranged and Old Maidservant Zhao is already beaten to death by the planks, I must go and search for Liu Ye-er’s hiding place. It’s just that there isn’t a suitable time now.
Su Xi-er laid on her bed again as she thought, her gaze once again landing on her left wrist. The effectiveness of the green medicinal powder is pretty good. The bruise has become much fainter.
She reached out her right hand to touch her left wrist. It doesn’t hurt anymore. I will be able to fully recover in two days at most.
A certain man’s appearance kept emerging in her mind involuntarily. He was obstinate and unruly, lounging in his casual arrogance.
Su Xi-er shut her eyes but it was of no use. It was still impossible to get rid of the image of Prince Hao’s face.
She clenched her fists tight. This man is too dangerous. He has already left an impression in my mind just by interacting with him once, not to even mention that I have encountered him quite a few times.
There is a type of person in the world who can imprint an indelible impression in people’s mind with just a glance.
Pei Qianhao is like that, and the same goes for Yun Ruofeng…
When she thought of Yun Ruofeng again, her expression changed. She immediately raised her right hand and slammed the bed board ferociously.
All who are full of infatuated love are let down! He disrupted the Ning Imperial Household, caused Lianchen to become a little puppet emperor, and had an affair with Ning Anlian. I will definitely make him pay the price!
Su Xi-er didn’t leave the room for the whole day. Hong Li brought both her lunch and dinner in for her to eat.
Hong Li was rather clever. She told the others that Su Xi-er wasn’t feeling well; thus, she would be eating in her room and convalescing in the day so that she could scrub the chamber pots at night.
Initially, after the other palace maids found that out, they had been extremely displeased in their hearts. However, when they heard the latter part, they were finally able to vent the anger they had been holding in.
What is she putting on airs for? Isn’t she still just someone who scrubs the chamber pots? The palace maid with the lowest position in the Palace Side Quarters.
~~~
Night descended soon after Su Xi-er had finished her dinner.
She left the room and walked towards the southwest. On the way, there were a few sparsely scattered palace maids who were still sweeping the palace paths. When they caught Su Xi-er passing by, each of them would freeze in place without exception, simply watching her as she faded into the distance.
The bright moonlight sprinkled on Su Xi-er and was like an aureole plating her with a layer of silver light.
Coupled with her small face, fine features, bright eyes, and white teeth, she was extremely beautiful!
That kind of beauty was not glamorous. It was as if it had been born from heaven and earth, and the sun and the moon, gifted by nature itself. No matter where she was, she would always be emanating a unique and unrivalled dynamic beauty.
A palace maid couldn’t help but gasp in admiration, “In the past, I felt that she was like a vixen. Now that I look at her, I feel that…she is so beautiful from the bottom of my heart.”
There was another palace maid who had stayed in the same room as Su Xi-er in the past. She immediately interrupted, “She will be out of luck sooner or later. She wasn’t born into an influential and noble family, but possesses an appearance that induces jealousy in others. She will suffer hardships in the future!”
“What you said is right too.”
In the end, all the palace maids put away their brooms and prepared to return to their rooms to rest.
~~~
Su Xi-er arrived at the wooden cabin at the southwest side and placed all the chamber pots on the pallet weaved from bamboo strips. Then, she pulled the rope and dragged the pallet towards the side of the well.
Su Xi-er had only taken a few steps when she saw the fat palace maid previously jeered at by everyone in the afternoon standing a bit further down the path, almost as if she had been waiting for her.
However, Su Xi-er did not regard her with contempt at all. On the contrary, she felt that the latter was a little different in the sense that she was sincere in helping.
The fat palace maid snatched the rope from Su X-er’s hand in a flash. “There are so many chamber pots. When are you going to finish moving them with that small body frame of yours? I’m fat so I’m strong.”
Su Xi-er smiled at her. “What’s your name?”
The fat palace maid was obviously taken aback, pausing for a moment before she softly answered, “I’m Ruo Yuan. Yuan from round and fat*.”
“‘Yuan’ from ‘circumference’ and ‘yuan’ from ‘reunion’**,” Su Xi-er elucidated again.
Sometimes, we can tell how people view themselves from how they explain their names.
Ruo Yuan was dumbstruck again. She mumbled falteringly, “I…have never heard anyone interpret my name in such a way.”
”It’s you who are unable to let it go. In the Palace Side Quarters, no one will care about whether a palace maid is fat or thin, only if they can finish their work on time, done their work well, listened to the old maidservant’s instructions, and if they have broken the rules.”
Su Xi-er’s words enlightened Ruo Yuan. What she said is correct.
When I just entered the palace, there were indeed many people who derided me. After a few years however, the number of people who mocked me for being fat has definitely decreased.
It’s me who hasn’t let it go. It’s me who finds myself repugnant.
Su Xi-er had hinted to me and shown me the light.
“Su Xi-er, you have become different.” Ruo Yuan looked at her, her round face full of bewilderment.
“I’ll move the chamber pots with you. If we continue talking, I won’t be to finish scrubbing the chamber pots in time.” Su Xi-er smiled.
“Yes, let’s move them over first!” Ruo Yuan exerted her strength in dragging them.
Not long after, all the chamber pots had reached the side of the well, and Ruo Yuan began to collect the water from the well.
There were only fifteen chamber pots tonight, fewer than before.
Halfway through scrubbing the chamber pots, Ruo Yuan’s sleepiness struck her. She walked to a nearby tree trunk, leaned against it, and fell asleep.
As Su Xi-er looked at her sleeping face, she was suddenly reminded of Lü Liu.
Back when I was Ning Rulan and stuck in the army camp, Lü Liu walked several miles to obtain some fresh vegetables for me. Not only that, after preparing them into a meal for me, she didn’t take a single bite; only falling asleep on the dining table as I ate.
Such a wonderful Lü Liu. Yet, she had died a tragic death for me.
Sorrow engulfed her like an eternally flowing river, causing her tears to involuntarily trickle down.
“It’s not your first day scrubbing the chamber pots. You’re only shedding tears now?” A clear and rich man’s voice suddenly sounded. Immediately after that, a white handkerchief appeared before her eyes.
Only then did Su Xi-er realised that her tears were already falling. She immediately raised her head and forced her tears back.
Then, she bowed and paid her greetings. “This servant pays her respects to the Third Imperial Prince.”
She had recognised his voice when he had spoken.
Although it is clear and rich, it is ice-cold like frost.
Speaking from a certain perspective, his voice is very much like his complexion, terribly ashen pale with no fluctuations of emotions.
Situ Li stuffed the handkerchief into her hand and his gaze landed on her left wrist. “Is it better?”
Su Xi-er nodded. “Many thanks for bestowing the medicine, Third Imperial Prince. This servant is much better.”
“This medicinal powder has been newly applied, but I didn’t give you medicinal powder. Where did you get it from?”
Su Xi-er pursed her lips. Can I say that it’s Prince Hao who gave it to me?
“This is a medicinal powder that originates from Xiliu Nation, and is exclusive to Beimin’s imperial household. Apart from the people in the imperial household, there are two other people who have it. One of them is Prince Hao while the other is Commandery Prince Xie. Su Xi-er, who gave it to you?” Situ Li analysed it slowly. His voice wasn’t imposing but when she heard it…there was an indescribable feeling.
Since she was unable to escape from Situ Li’s eyes, she could only speak the truth. “Replying to the Third Imperial Prince, it was Prince Hao who gave it to this servant.”
(* ‘Yuan’ is ‘round’.)
(** These two words contain ‘yuan’ in them.)
