It is really…hilarious.
Su Xi-er picked up the Chinese bodice and peered at it carefully, managing to notice that the bottom of it had significantly frayed and that the string had come loose. There was a box with a needle and thread, as well as some red fabric, placed at the side.
Why did he send the Chinese bodice for me to mend? Also, the this fabric feels very soft and it looks like it’s brand new from its colour. If that was the case, how has the bottom been worn out and why has the string come off?
The only explanation seems to be that this pure red Chinese bodice was purposely damaged by someone. If I’m right, Prince Hao truly has too much time on his hands and is muddle-headed, stirring up trouble just for the sake of it.
But, since I had already promised him last night, I must do it.
Mending this Chinese bodice was quite simple, and would only take her an hour to complete. She would have plenty of time to manufacture the itchy powder afterwards.
Su Xi-er cut a piece of fabric from the corner of the cloth and laid it over the frayed area at the bottom of the bodice. After she threaded the needle, she began to sew the cloth onto the worn-out segment.
Finding herself working in earnest as she stitched threat by thread, the frayed area was soon covered by the new fabric. The only thing left to do was mend the bodice’s ribbon, and all that took was sewing it on.
Just as she had re-threaded the needle with the red threat and was ready to begin, the room door was suddenly pushed open.
Su Xi-er raised her head abruptly. A woman clad in a cyan dress entered her sight: Miss Qing
Placing the Chinese bodice in her hand down, Su Xi-er stood up. “Miss Qing, why have you come today?”
When Miss Qing caught sight of the pure red Chinese bodice, the expression in her eyes changed as she cast a sidelong glance at Su Xi-er. “What did you tell me previously? Big Brother Wu was acting mysteriously today so I followed him. Who knew that he would come to the Palace Side Quarters and even entered your room!”
“Miss Qing, you should directly express your thoughts to Imperial Bodyguard Wu and not randomly make conjectures.”
“Are you starting to challenge me?” Miss Qing raised her slender eyebrow. She quickly walked over to Su Xi-er and raised her right hand to grab the Chinese bodice before she was intercepted by Su Xi-er.
Furious, Miss Qing bellowed, “Let go!”
Su Xi-er smiled faintly. “Miss Qing, If you tear the Chinese bodice, you won’t have an easy time in the future.”
“You are threatening me?”
“It’s not a threat, but a reminder. You can’t possibly think that this Chinese bodice was secretly hidden by Imperial Bodyguard Wu, right?”
Miss Qing’s eyebrows were knitted as she glared at Su Xi-er fiercely. “Big Brother Wu isn’t someone like that. Only a rascal would have a secret stash of Chinese bodice. Moreover, it’s a striking red colour. Disgusting!”
Miss Qing has unintentionally cursed out Prince Hao. Disgusting and a rascal…
Su Xi-er’s eyebrows were curved as she smiled at her. This appearance made Miss Qing even more antipathic. Just as she was about to berate her, she heard her indifferent tone.
“Imperial Bodyguard Wu is indeed not a rascal, and doesn’t cause others to feel nauseated. But this Chinese bodice was brought over by Imperial Bodyguard Wu under the orders of Prince Hao. The edges are frayed and the string has dropped off, requiring it to be mended.”
Miss Qing’s entire body was stiff as she stared at Su Xi-er with a stupefied look, not reacting for a long while.
It wasn’t just her, anybody who had heard those words would have had the same reaction. Prince Hao, high and mighty, as well as revered and feared by others, had actually done something like this!
Su Xi-er waved her hand in front of Miss Qing’s eyes. “The palace maids keep calling you Miss Qing. What’s your real name?”
Miss Qing, having yet to come back to her senses, blurted out her real name without thinking.“Ye Qingzhu.”
Right after she said that, she hollered, “Why did I tell you my name?!”
“Ye Qingzhu. A pretty good name.”
Ye Qingzhu snorted coldly. “Don’t cotton up to me. It doesn’t work on me. My position is much higher than yours in the imperial palace, thus, you must respectfully call me Miss Qing like all the other palace maids.”
Su Xi-er nodded and didn’t bicker with her. “Yes, Miss Qing. Since you already know that the Chinese bodice was brought over by Imperial Bodyguard Wu under Prince Hao’s order, you can leave now, right?”
Ye Qingzhu’s eyes were filled with doubt. She looked at the red Chinese bodice quietly and said in disbelief, “Ever since Prince Hao was bestowed his title and constructed his residence, Big Brother Wu and I have always been in the Prince Hao Residence. Although the Beauty Palace exists, Prince Hao has always kept his distance from women. How is it be possible for him to secretly hide a Chinese bodice?”
Every single one of her softly spoken words entered Su Xi-er’s ears. She was completely stunned when she heard what she said.
Is that for real? Prince Hao keeps his distance from woman. If that’s the case, why did he establish the Beauty Palace? Purely to ruin his own reputation?
Ye Qingzhu shook her head repeatedly. Finally, she looked at Su Xi-er. “It’s too strange. All the strange things are gathered around you. Why on earth is that? You’re merely a lowly palace maid.”
“Miss Qing, it’s better for you to go and ask Prince Hao if you have any doubts. I am a lowly palace maid, and don’t dare to ask Prince Hao for the reason. Since he has instructed, I will just follow.”
Ye Qingzhu pursed her lips tightly. “Since that’s the case, I won’t make things difficult for you anymore. Mend it properly. I will go and ask Big Brother Wu.” She then turned around and walked out of the room.
Su Xi-er continued to mend the Chinese bodice.
From what I know of Prince Hao, he would absolutely not have a secret stash of Chinese bodices, but he still somehow had this sent over for me to mend. This action was also beyond my expectations.
With no further interruptions, Su Xi-er finished mending the Chinese bodice very quickly.
She kept the needle and thread box as well, as the red Chinese bodice, properly before placing them into the wardrobe. Then, Su Xi-er took out the culms and used another piece of coarse grey cloth to start squeezing the juice out of them.
She blended the extract into the plaster powder from the wall to create a mixture of itching powder. This type of grass could cause much itchiness.
It took an hour in total to manufacture the itching powder. Finally, Su Xi-er used the coarse grey cloth to wrap the itching powder properly before storing it in the fragrance sachet at her waist.
The Empress Dowager had bestowed the fragrance sachet to her, and forbidden her from removing it. This had inadvertently helped her a great deal.
Su Xi-er then tidied up the remnants of her work that had been left on the wooden table. Once she took care of everything, she noticed that there were already red spots on her arms. She wasn’t careful when she had been making the itching powder just now.
Walking over to the wardrobe, Su Xi-er took the white porcelain bottle inside it and poured some of the medicinal powder on her arm. In an instant, the red spots on her arm had subsided greatly.
This time, she used the medicine given by Situ Li. There was still another bottle that was given by Prince Hao. She realised that although they were both light green medicinal powder, there was a difference in the efficacy.
For Situ Li’s bottle, the powder blended into the skin rapidly and it focused on removing scars, as well as red spots on the body. As for Prince Hao’s bottle, not only did it blend into the skin expeditiously, it also had the effect of making the body fragrant.
Once her arms no longer itched, Su Xi-er placed the white porcelain bottle back into the cupboard.
Just as she wanted to rest, the sound of knocking and Wu Ling’s voice could be heard from outside the room.
“Are you done mending?” Wu Ling didn’t mention the words ‘Chinese bodice,’ As a fully grown man, he wasn’t able to say those words out loud.
Su Xi-er replied, “I have finished sewing. This servant will send it out to you after I’m done wrapping it.”
“No need, I’ll come in and get it.” Wu Ling stepped into the room.
Su Xi-er used a grey cloth to wrap the red Chinese bodice, as well as the needle and thread box, and passed it to Wu Ling.
Wu Ling couldn’t stand the awkward feeling and quickly took the package before turning around to leave.
“Imperial Bodyguard Wu, can you tell this servant why Prince Hao sent the Chinese bodice over?”
Wu Ling paused in his tracks. “I don’t know. You can ask Prince Hao personally.” He then left hastily.
Prince Hao’s thoughts can’t be guessed. I have followed Prince Hao for many years. How can it be possible for Prince Hao to have the hobby of hiding Chinese bodices? But it’s really not easy to elucidate the matter today. Don’t tell me that he wants to give the Chinese bodice to Su Xi-er?
He felt that when it came to Su Xi-er, everything would cease to make sense!
