She had just taken a few steps forward when she heard Hong Li calling her from behind. When she turned around, she saw that there were two white steamed buns in Hong Li’s hands.
“You only drank a few mouthfuls of congee. When you work tonight, you’re going to faint halfway through.” Hong Li proceeded to stuff the steamed buns into her hands.
Su Xi-er handed a steamed bun back to Hong Li. “I’ll just eat one.”
“What did you tell Old Maidservant Liu? She actually dared to defy Prince Hao’s edict, and let you support her back to her room.” Hong Li’s face was full of puzzlement. She had originally followed Su Xi-er, but when she saw that the latter was talking to Old Maidservant Liu, she didn’t move forward.
“Just inconsequential words. You should go back and rest since you still have to get up early to work tomorrow.” Su Xi-er then swiftly walked towards the southwest side.
Hong Li didn’t follow. No matter what she said, it will eventually benefit us in the future.
Su Xi-er had already finished eating the steamed bun by the time she arrived at the southwest side. She first pulled up a bucket of well water and washed her hands before she walked towards the wooden cabin.
There weren’t many chamber pots tonight. Strange. When I first came to the Palace Side Quarters, I had to scrub numerous chamber pots every day. Why is the number getting increasingly smaller these days?
After moving all the chamber pots onto the bamboo board, she counted twenty of them in all. She would only need two hours to scrub all of them clean.
The weight of twenty chamber pots was much lighter than the seventy to eighty of the past.
Not long after, Su Xi-er was dragging the bamboo board to the side of the well.
She collected a few buckets of well water and poured them onto the chamber pots. When she was scrubbing the second one, a clear and mellow man’s voice entered her ears. It was Situ Li.
“I came to take a look if you are still working with all your might like last night.”
“Third Imperial Prince, you must be jesting. The number of chamber pots has been decreasing recently. Even if this servant wanted to work with all my might, I wouldn’t be able to do so.”
Situ Li moved forward and was only a metre away from her. “Regarding Ruo Yuan’s matter, Prince Hao had already gone to investigate. Hence, I didn’t interfere.”
Su Xi-er indifferently replied, “She was called over by Eunuch Zhang from the Imperial Household Department to carry out labour. Nothing happened to her.” She then continued to scrub the chamber pots.
“Who said that nothing happened to her?” Situ Li suddenly asked.
This sentence surprised Su Xi-er. She immediately raised her head. “The Imperial Household Department is specifically in charge of dispatching servants from the various palaces. Why would something happen to Ruo Yuan while she is there?”
“Indeed, she was originally fine, but something just happened. Prince Hao ordered for Ruo Yuan to be transferred to the Laundry Service Bureau. All the heavy manual work is to be carried out by her.”
In the Palace Side Quarters, Ruo Yuan chops the wood and carry heavy items. Although she has much work, there is minimal danger involved since no one will target her.
But it’s different for the Laundry Service Bureau. Dirty clothes get sent in unceasingly, resulting in times when one can’t even sleep for a few nights in a row. If they accidentally spoil expensive clothes when washing and are blamed, even their heads wouldn’t be enough.
Su Xi-er muttered to herself, “She’s just an ordinary palace maid. Why did Prince Hao transfer her to the Laundry Service Bureau? Besides…” Situ Li helped her say the following words.
“The task of deploying palace maids has always been managed solely by the Imperial Household Department. This time, Prince Hao’s hand has even reached trivial matters. Su Xi-er, why did Prince Hao do this? Do you not know?”
All of a sudden, Pei Qianhao’s words from today flashed across her mind. “You don’t believe this prince. Why did you seek the Third Imperial Prince’s assistance with a request that had already been accepted by this prince? The things I’m interested in, this prince will destroy all of them.”
Everything Prince Hao is doing is targeting me.
When she was ruminating, Situ Li continued speaking calmly.
“Whoever hung the bell on the tiger’s neck must untie it, whoever started the trouble should end it. Rather than confronting him head-on, why don’t you make him lose interest in you.”
“Then, Third Imperial Prince, are you interested in this servant?”
Situ Li looked at her for a long time with no expression on his face. “I have no interest in you at all. If you die, the most I’ll feel is that it was a pity that a person with roughly the same circumstances as me had died.”
Su Xi-er looked at him, thinking to herself. He has always said that he and I are fellow travellers on the same path. How can a lowly servant be in roughly the same circumstances as the Third Imperial Prince? In any case, a lean camel is bigger than a horse.
This was what she thought in her heart but she didn’t voice them out.
The deafening silence was prolonged for a few moments before the sound of footsteps interrupted them. Situ Li didn’t say another word before darting into the woods.
Looking in the direction of the sound, Su Xi-er found that Old Maidservant Liu was limping more severely as she was hurrying over.
She stopped in front of Su Xi-er and said in a low voice, “Go with me tonight to where Eunuch Zhang is. I will instruct someone to scrub the chamber pots here.”
Su Xi-er nodded, taking a glance at the woods before leaving with Old Maidservant Liu.
As the two people began to disappear into the distance, Situ Li came out from the woods and looked at Su Xi-er’s departing figure. Old Maidservant Liu has always kept her thoughts deeply hidden and never told anyone about the load on her mind. Why would she be so close to Su Xi-er? She is really charismatic.
Old Maidservant Liu stealthily took Su Xi-er to leave the Palace Side Quarters and walk to the Imperial Household Department.
In a slightly spacious room located at the backyard of the Imperial Household Department, Su Xi-er saw Eunuch Zhang. His hair was already grizzled, and his eyes were deeply sunk in his sockets. The incisive looks revealed in his eyes from time to time made her feel that this person wasn’t simple.
Eunuch Zhang looked at Old Maidservant Liu. “Go back to the Palace Side Quarters. I’ll let her go back after saying a few words.”
Old Maidservant Liu nodded and left.
In the room, Eunuch Zhang kept sizing up Su Xi-er and only spoke after a while. “I heard from Old Maidservant Liu that you are very formidable?”
Su Xi-er looked straight at him. “You flatter me.”
Eunuch Zhang decided to not mince his words. “Old Maidservant Liu is the reigning emperor’s wet nurse and serves her master wholeheartedly. You should be clear on what she wants to do.”
Su Xi-er had long surmised that, since the emperor was young, the court politics would be dominated by the Empress Dowager, Prince Regent, and County Prince Xie. How can Old Maidservant Liu bear to see His Majesty become a puppet?
When she thought of the word ‘puppet’, her expression changed slightly. Her imperial younger brother she doted on the most, Ning Lianchen, was controlled by Yun Ruofeng. He’s probably a puppet emperor now right?
Eunuch Zhang coughed softly and continued. “You have the courage to approach Prince Hao, suggesting that you’re not an ordinary person. It’s just that I am not as easily convinced as Old Maidservant Liu”
Su Xi-er showed a smile on her face. “Eunuch Zhang, how can I persuade you?”
“An interesting lass. Ruo Yuan has been transferred to the Laundry Service Bureau by Prince Hao. Regardless of what means you employ, if you are able to rely on yourself to have Ruo Yuan transferred back to the Palace Side Quarters while retreating unscathed yourself, then I will believe you.” Eunuch Zhang was also taking a gamble.
He was like Old Maidservant Liu and had received favours from the emperor’s biological mother. As a result, he could now be considered to be a cut above the other servants. It could be said that it was time for him to repay her favour.
Su Xi-er looked straight at him. “Alright, it’s a deal then. However, before that, I have to ask, where is the exact location of the Laundry Service Bureau?”
“Keep walking ahead towards the southwest corner of the Palace Side Quarters, or walk to the northeast corner of the Imperial Household Department.”
“Alright Eunuch Zhang, remember your words tonight. If I am able to do it, you will let yourself be used by me with absolutely no complaints.”
Eunuch Zhang nodded. “I always mean what I say. Now, go back earlier and don’t let anyone discover you.”
Su Xi-er nodded and turned around to leave swiftly.
As Eunuch Zhang looked at the closed room door, the expression in his eyes gradually becoming profound. Among the countless beauties in Beimin, Su Xi-er is the only one who has caught Prince Hao’s interest. As long as she has the ability, so what if I am used by her?
