As the imperial guards walked into the Palace Side Quarters, Su Xi-er raised her head slightly to take a look and immediately caught a glimpse of Wu Ling and Eunuch Zhang.
The commotion this time is too massive. It’s normal that Prince Hao would interfere.
Old Maidservant Liu was about to pay her greetings before Wu Ling waved his hand. “Old Maidservant Liu, your leg’s condition isn’t very good. You can be excused from paying your greetings. I came here today under Prince Hao’s orders to assign maids from the Palace Side Quarters to the Laundry Service Bureau.”
Wu Ling looked towards Eunuch Zhang and signalled him to select the palace maids.
Old Maidservant Liu withdrew to one side. Eunuch Zhang walked to the palace maids and swept his gaze across each one of them, the expression in his eyes becoming strange when he saw Su Xi-er.
The incident in the Laundry Service Bureau occurred too suddenly to have been an accident. Could it have been Su Xi-er’s doing? Don’t tell me that this is her plan to have Ruo Yuan transferred back to the Palace Side Quarters. If anything, this will only make the situation more serious.
Continuing this train of thought, Old Eunuch Zhang was startled with a sudden revelation. Among all the palace maids from the Laundry Service Bureau, only Ruo Yuan didn’t get afflicted with the red spots. She’s sick, and still lying in the Laundry Service Bureau right now.
The Laundry Service Bureau is currently in a state of pandemonium where no further complications can be afforded. If Ruo Yan continues to stay in the Laundry Service Bureau while running a fever, and infects the other palace maids with unclear conditions, the situation will be even more chaotic.
By that logic, won’t Ruo Yuan have to be transferred back to the Palace Side Quarters?
Eunuch Zhang’s expression was complicated. If my suspicions are correct, the culprit behind this huge uproar is Su Xi-er!
Noticing that Eunuch Zhang was still not selecting the palace maids after a long time, Wu Ling couldn’t help but remind him, “Eunuch Zhang, what’s the matter with you?”
“This old servant will be selecting now.” Eunuch Zhang swept his gaze across the palace maids, his finger pointing to several maids, including Lian Qiao, in rapid succession.
At least ten palace maids from the Palace Side Quarters have to be transferred. Counting the ones that I just chose, I’m still short of one.
Wu Ling saw Eunuch Zhang looking in Su Xi-er’s direction again and randomly pointed at a palace maid. “Since we need to pick ten, let’s just take her. With that, we’re finished here.”
Wu Ling naturally had his reasons for choosing this moment to speak. Su Xi-er can only be reassigned by Prince Hao’s personal command. Others can’t transfer her as they please. Although Prince Hao hasn’t said anything yet, I can at least understand this much as his personal guard.
Eunuch Zhang nodded. Before he left, he instructed, “Old Maidservant Liu, please reallocate the work to the remaining palace maids accordingly since there are now fewer palace maids in the Palace Side Quarters.”
“Yes, Eunuch Zhang.”
Wu Ling and Eunuch Zhang then took the ten palace maids with them to the Laundry Service Bureau, leaving Old Maidservant Liu to reassign their work to the others.
Obviously, there would be more work due to the decrease in manpower. Not only did Su Xi-er have to scrub the chamber pots at night, she still had to pull weeds in the morning.
Until the situation in the Laundry Service Bureau stabilised, every palace maid in the Palace Side Quarters would be very busy. Seeing that there was no indication of when the situation would be resolved, each of them secretly sighed to themselves.
Just as all the palace maids were preparing to leave to carry out their work, two eunuchs came while carrying a rattan stretcher.
Upon taking a closer look, they realised that they all recognised that fat and round figure. It’s Ruo Yuan!
“Old Maidservant, where’s the room of this palace maid? This lowly one will carry her into her room.”
Old Maidservant Liu nodded and took the two eunuchs to Ruo Yuan’s room. Before leaving, she called out to Su Xi-er and told her to simmer the medicine.
Su Xi-er made a quick ‘mhm’ of affirmation before walking to Old Maidservant Liu’s room. The medicine for colds is located on the second shelf of the cupboard.
She took the medicinal herbs out of the cupboard and walked out of the room. Just as she reached the side of the washing pond, she saw Hong Li.
Seeing the medicinal herbs in Su Xi-er’s hand, Hong Li immediately remembered the matter of Ruo Yuan having just returned. “Let me simmer it. I haven’t recovered from my cold yet, and have to simmer my own medicine anyways since there are fewer palace maids now.”
Su Xi-er passed the medicinal herbs to her. “I’ll leave it to you then. Deliver it to Ruo Yuan’s room later. She is rather seriously ill.”
“Mhm, I’ll send it over after I’ve finished.” Hong Li replied earnestly. Since Su Xi-er has picked Ruo Yuan, she definitely has her reasons.
After Su Xi-er handed everything over to Hong Li, she walked towards her room to pick up the medicinal powder. The scars on Ruo Yuan’s body will fade faster if she applies the medicinal powder.
There were two small white porcelain bottles in the cupboard. The one on the left was given by Pei Qianhao, while the one on the right was given by Situ Li.
Finally, she decided to take the bottle on the right.
She quickly made her way to Ruo Yuan’s room, just barely catching Old Maidservant Liu coming out.
Old Maidservant Liu glanced at Su Xi-er. “I didn’t expect that after the commotion in the Laundry Service Bureau, Ruo Yuan would return due to a freak combination of factors. Let her rest properly these few days. She’ll only work again after her body recovers.”
Old Maidservant Liu wasn’t aware of the conversation between Su Xi-er and Eunuch Zhang that night, so she didn’t relate the incident in the Laundry Service Bureau to Su Xi-er at all.
“I’ll go in to check on Ruo Yuan and pull weeds later.”
Old Maidservant Liu nodded. “Mhm. Everyone will have to be busy these few days.” She then left.
Su Xi-er immediately entered the room, finding Ruo Yuan still unconscious from her high fever. She then lifted the latter’s sleeves to reveal the angry red marks from being beaten with the cudgel.
Taking out the white porcelain bottle, Su Xi-er poured some of the medicinal powder on the wounds on Ruo Yuan’s arms.
All the places thrashed by the cudgel had scars on them. Since these injuries were also present on Ruo Yuan’s thighs and back, Su Xi-er had to flip her over to apply the medicine. This difficulty level is a little high.
Su Xi-er tried to move her a few times, but couldn’t manage it.
The medicinal powder on her arms and thighs were quickly absorbed into her skin, leaving behind a faint remnant scent that rapidly dissipated.
Ruo Yuan woke up drowsily and felt a comfortable sensation on her arms and thighs. When she saw Su Xi-er, her eyes suddenly widened in disbelief.
Su Xi-er smiled. “You have returned to the Palace Side Quarters. Come, your back definitely has scars. Turn over and I’ll help you apply the medicinal powder.”
“Really? I have come back…” Ruo Yuan’s eyes instantly became moist.
“Flip over.”
Ruo Yuan came back to her senses. She moved the lower part of her body and lifted her clothes up. “Where did your medicinal powder come from?”
“All that matters is that it is a good medicinal powder. Don’t tell others.” Su Xi-er spoke while applying the powder to the chillingly thick and long purple bruises on Ruo Yuan’s back.
“Su Xi-er, you are really nice. I have been an orphan since I was young, and was picked up by Eunuch Zhang when he left the palace to purchase things. Seeing that I was strong, he took me into the palace and I arrived at the Palace Side Quarters.” Ruo Yuan’s voice was soft, a few sniffles sounding out between her words.
So that’s how Ruo Yuan entered the palace.
“ I will come and help you apply the medicine over the next three days. You don’t need to go out and work these few days. You can do so after your condition has improved.”
“Su Xi-er, I didn’t help you when you were bullied in the past. I’m sorry, I really deserve to die,” Ruo Yuan started to reproach herself.
Su Xi-er only held onto the white porcelain bottle without speaking. At this moment, someone knocked on the room door.
Old Maidservant Liu entered the room shortly after. “Don’t go and pull weeds anymore. The imperial physicians have arrived at the woods beside the Palace Side Quarters, saying that they’re searching for a type of grass.”
Su Xi-er didn’t respond, while Ruo Yuan was baffled and couldn’t refrain herself from asking, “Something bad happened? Why did the imperial physicians go to the woods beside the Palace Side Quarters? Why are they looking for plants?”
