Empress Qian was shocked by the chief maid's vivid description. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest. Two shocking lights shone out of her squinted eyes.
After carefully going through her memories, Empress Qian mumbled,
"I remember ten years ago, the former Master's case happened after the massacre of the Zheng family. There were rumors in the Palace that Master Bian's apprentice volunteered to take the case. He put Master Bian in prison and tortured him to death. Because His Majesty didn't like to hear these old things, no one dared to mention it later."
Sulian angered without any expression. She folded her hands together and said to the Empress,
"So it is an old rumor. But we have stayed in the Palace for long. Everyone knows that some rumors are the truth. You see, Leng Qingtang took charge of the Eastern Depot anyway, and later the Imperial Ceremony Office, Imperial Guards, and the Garden."
Empress Qian nodded
In the Master's room, Yanwan was stared at by a young maid with icy eyes. As if she had been frightened, her face changed drastically.Taking two steps backward, her eyes were watery, reddish, and brimming with tears. Anyone who looked at her could tell that she was about to cry and hence their heart would melt with pity.The air was awkwardly frozen for a while.Leng Qingtang's face darkened. He remained silent and turned his deep gaze to the side, away from Yanwan and Gu Yunxi.Gu Yunxi irritatedly rushed to pull Qinger away and scowled her."You should have behaved better. Now get out!"Being scolded by her Lady in front of the person she disliked, Qinger felt embarrassed and aggrieved.Pressing her plump lips together, she sobbed,"I... I'm the one who cares for you the most!"Looking at the back of Qinger, who was running away, Gu Yunxi felt sorry as well.
After sending off Cheng Wanli, Gu Yunxi went to the kitchen to prepare dinner for the Master.A figure flashed outside, preceding a graceful woman wearing perfume and a flowing gown.Slender as a willow, Gu Yunxi was standing before the large wooden chopping board and cutting vegetables. Her fair and long fingers grasped a giant kitchen knife as if it was not a clumsy and heavy chunk of iron.In the blink of an eye, a handful of sour beans were sliced up and neatly lay into a green row on the chopping board.As soon as she looked up, Yunxi found Yanwan standing next to her. Tilting her head, the woman was watching her cutting vegetables with interest.Gu Yunxi was taken by surprise, so she stopped immediately."Lady Yanwan, why are you here?""The imperial doctor in the Palace came over to change the dressing of the Master's wound. It's inappropriate for me to stay. The servant told me you are
Shortly after Gu Yunyao ordered, her maid Song Qin came in, holding a roll of sakura pink brocade with both arms."Your Ladyship, here's the feather brocade."Gu Yunyao nodded and gestured Zhao An. Zhao An took the brocade roll and held it in his arms. Then he turned his heads to ask Gu Yunyao,"May I use your gold hairpin, Your Ladyship?"Gu Yunyao was confused, but she didn't ask him why. She raised her wrist, pulled out the gold hairpin carved with a moon, and gave it to Zhao An.Zhao An looked at the hairpin and pressed his lips. He stabbed the hairpin's sharp top into the brocade and stirred two holes on the smooth brocade.Song Qin cried out with sorry and pity,"Oh! What are you doing, Lord Zhao? You destroyed such fine brocade!""Song Qin!"Gu Yunyao snapped. She put her index finger on her lips to quiet her down.Song Qin was aggrieved, but she d
Less than two hours later, Song Qin returned to the Shelves Library.Feng, the eunuch, and Lord Liu, the manager-on-duty of the Shelves Library followed Song Qin like two limp lettuces. Lord Liu was holding a new roll of feather brocade.Zhao An leisurely sat on the chair, shaking his legs."So, did you make it?"Song Qin walked in like a cork. Her pretty face looked complacent. Zhao An knew that she made it but still put on an act.Song Qin raised her brows and gave him a bright smile,"In the Imperial Ceremonial Service, I roundly abused them and ordered them to take another roll of feather brocade to have a careful look. This roll is intact, but it's not pink. It's champagne. Do you think it's alright, Lord?""Well..."Zhao An slowly got up from the chair and took the brocade from Lord Liu. He looked over and over and finally nodded, saluting to Lord Liu reluctantly,
Gu Yunxi entered Leng Qingtang's room and found him lying on the side, weaving a red string.The bright red string freely danced between his slender fingers.His jade-white fingers stood out against the red string and, together with his peerless face, formed a beautiful scene that encouraged people's imagination and accelerated their heartbeats.Candlelight filtered through the valance onto him and bathed him in dreamlike and tempting golden light.He heard the knock at the door. His eyelashes lifted as he looked up, and something shining flashed in his dark eyes.The girl in white was standing in his front with her hair filleted high. She looked natural and unrestrained in men's clothes."You are here."Leng Qingtang curled his lips to give her a gentle smile in which she saw thousands of stars."Have a seat."He lowered his head a bit and tried to move inward to mak
After dinner, Gu Yunxi put away the dishes, and Leng Qingtang lay on the folded quilts, playing Weiqi with himself. He had the black pieces by the left hand, and the white pieces right hand, immersing in the game.Chiliarch Cheng Wanli came to pay his respects, and Gu Yunxi left the room tactfully.Before she went out of the door, Leng Qigntang gave her an affectionate smile and reminded her,"You must come back when we are finished!"There were him and Chiliarch Cheng in the room.As the Master had ordered, Cheng Wanli pulled a chair to sit beside the bed. He asked about Leng Qingtang's health and then took over the black pieces and began to play the Weiqi with Leng Qingtang.He said as he played, "The situation in the Palace is the same as before. The young Prince is born weak. Her Grace in Chuxiu Palace fetches imperial doctors almost every day. Recently, I heard that the Imperial Ceremony Office got in
The east and west sections of the Kunning Palace were set aside exclusively for Empress Qian's maids to rest in rotation.The Empress and the Imperial Noble Concubine ranked the highest in the imperial harem. Thus, their servants were different from the inferior concubines' maids, who had to seek residences outside the Palace after their shifts.Sulian rushed to the west side room with the reporting maid. Before she entered the door, she could hear a faint weep floating from inside.Sulian pushed the door open and went in.The room was not big and its furnishings were plain. Nonetheless, it was neat and tidy. On the east side, two narrow beds were set side by side. Yanwan was lying on the inner bed, sobbing quietly with her face against the wall.Two other maids were sitting on the bed edge, muttering as if to comfort Yanwan. Seeing Sulian arrive with a servant, they hurriedly got up and curtsied."Leave u
Wanhua Tower.Gu Yunxi was startled by Fu Danqing's words. Embarrassed, she lowered her eyes with a hint of concern and confusion and looked at the table, where a full bag of gold ingots was placed. Then she raised her head and fixed her gaze on the graceful woman on the other side."Ten Pounds Fu" must charge ten pounds of gold for each painting.Now Yunxi offered one hundred pounds for only three paintings. Fu was not losing money from this deal!"Lady Fu, forgive me for being too abrupt. Do you find the reward... not enough?"Gu Yunxi raised her eyebrows and spoke out straight for she didn't have much time to prevaricate with this peculiar courtesan.Fu Danqing turned her charming eyes to impatient Gu Yunxi as a faint yet bright smile flickered across her gracefully curved lips."Lord Yun, you misunderstood. As the saying goes: if you drink with a bosom friend, a thousand cups are too few;