tallest building

Chapter 220 The Sound and Dust Fade Away

As soon as the palace maid named Chunmei came out, Wen Mingqian recognized her as the little palace maid he had met being punished when he went to the hospital that day.

"Eunuch Zhou, Madam Wen," Chunmei stepped forward and bowed, "What instructions do you have for this servant?"

When she greeted Wen Mingqian, she gave her a special smile, a smile full of gratitude.

"It's about Princess Duanmin. You can talk to Lady Wen about it slowly. I have to go now," Zhou Fu said before leaving.

He is indeed very busy; there are countless things to do in the palace, from top to bottom.

“Mrs. Wen,” Chunmei called out, “I really thank you for that day.”

"You've already thanked me, don't take this small matter to heart," Wen Mingqian said. "Now it's my turn to ask for your help!"

“Please speak freely, my lady,” Chunmei readily agreed.

Wen Mingqian briefly explained to her, and then said, "Why don't you come to my room? If you have any needlework to do, just bring it with you. We'll just keep talking anyway, and your hands are free."

The young palace maid had already received help from Wen Mingqian and knew that she was a kind person, so she readily agreed. She went back and took out her needlework, then followed Wen Mingqian to her residence.

On the way, Wen Mingqian smiled and said to her, "I really didn't expect you to have served a princess. You look to be only seventeen or eighteen years old."

"My lady is too kind in praising me. Actually, I'm already twenty-five this year." Chunmei's face flushed red. "I was nineteen when the princess was sent to marry a foreign ruler."

Chunmei was petite and delicate, with a round face and single eyelids, making her appear even younger.

"Then why didn't you leave the palace this year?" Wen Mingqian knew that a group of palace maids over the age of twenty-five had been sent away this spring.

Chunmei shook her head and said with a bitter smile, "My mother sold me into the palace so that my sister-in-law could marry into the family. I begged her and my brother not to send me into the palace, and to sell me to a wealthy family nearby."

But my mother and brother, only greedy for more money, sent me to this deep palace. Now, more than ten years have passed, and although my mother is still alive, my family's life remains miserable. If I were to leave, I would only be sold again.

Wen Mingqian couldn't help but feel sorry for her after hearing this, and comforted her, "Although you entered the palace, the masters you met were all very good, which can be considered your blessing."

“What you say is true, madam,” Chunmei nodded. “When I first entered the palace, I was just doing odd jobs in the back, and I gradually moved to the front.”

That year, a banquet for beauties was held in the Imperial Garden. I was assigned to serve tea, but someone bumped into me and I broke the teapot. Luckily, the princess covered for me, otherwise I would have been dragged away and punished.

The princess was kind-hearted. Knowing that although I would not be punished in person, I would still be punished later, she simply took me to her palace.

The princess treated us servants very well, and we all thought that since she was of such high status, we could follow her even after she got married.

Unexpectedly... the princess eventually went to the borderlands for a political marriage.

No princess of any dynasty or generation willingly agreed to a marriage alliance, especially Princess Duanmin, who was of such noble status.

“Princess’s righteousness is admirable. Back then, the alliance between the King of Fenye and the Northern Wusun was unfavorable to our Great Zhou. Princess’s journey beyond the Great Wall for the sake of the people deserves to be recorded in history,” Wen Mingqian said.

“I am illiterate, so whether I am recorded in history books or not is of no importance to me,” Chunmei said. Although she did not know Wen Mingqian well, she trusted her and spoke from the heart. “Although the princess is a noblewoman of the imperial family, she is truly pitiful. When she left the capital, we all wanted to go with her, but the princess said that the borderlands were bitterly cold and far from her homeland, and she would only feel at ease if she took fewer people with her.”

But she was worried about those of us who stayed behind, so before leaving the palace, she made arrangements for us all. She asked the ladies in the palace who were on good terms with her to choose us. Consort Yun chose me because my name matched that of Qiu Xing, who served her.

There are tens of thousands of palace maids like Chunmei in this palace. They are like moss at the base of a wall, not even worth mentioning.

Even so, they also experienced poignant joys and sorrows.

"Speaking of which, I've been in the palace for two months now, and I haven't seen Consort Yun even once," Wen Mingqian said, making a point of mentioning Consort Yun.

“Our Lady is frail and often falls ill, so she doesn’t come out when she’s about to fall ill. Besides, Her Majesty the Empress has long since exempted her from paying her respects.” Chunmei lowered her eyes.

She knew that Wen Mingqian was extremely favored by the Empress, and that the Empress disliked Consort Yun. She didn't know if Wen Mingqian knew the details, but whether he did or not, it was best to say as little as possible.

Just like when Princess Duanmin was sadly married off to a distant place, her tears had long been drowned out by a chorus of praise and admiration.

No one mentioned again that the princess had originally been in love with someone else, and that she and her sweetheart were in love and were about to get married.

The two walked to Wen Mingqian's residence while talking. The Empress had also assigned two maids to serve Wen Mingqian.

Upon entering, Wen Mingqian asked Chunmei to sit down and instructed a palace maid to prepare tea.

Chunmei was inevitably reserved, but Wen Mingqian smiled and said, "Why are you being so polite with me? I invited you here to help me out. Just sit down, have some tea, and we can talk in detail later."

Chunmei then reluctantly sat down.

Since Chang'an entered the palace, Wen Mingqian had more needlework to do. At this moment, he was making shoes for Chang'an, and while sewing the soles, he chatted with Chunmei.

"Her Majesty the Empress asked me to make some face cream and face powder for the princess. I wonder what the princess's preferences are?"

"The princess loved orchids. In the past, her palace was filled with orchids of all colors, and the perfumes she used were mostly orchid-scented. Her favorite rouge was called 'Water Flowing Red,' but since the princess left the capital, the palace has stopped making this rouge. Perhaps it's because its color is too light, and it's almost like you're not wearing any at all."

"What color does the princess like?"

"The princess usually prefers light blue and light purple, and Qiu Xiang is second in preference."

"I've heard that the princess is skilled in painting. What does she like to paint the most?"

"They're all mainly orchids, mixed with bamboo and rocks. My lady, may I ask another question? Do you really need these to make face powder and rouge?"

"It's not really necessary, but think about it, these face powders and rouges need something to hold them. Whether it's a box or a bottle, it naturally needs to have patterns and colors on the outside."

"My wife is so thoughtful. When the food is ready, the princess will surely love it."

"If you're not busy, feel free to help me out. It would be a way of doing your part for the princess. What do you say?"

"Can I really do it? If I can, that would be wonderful!"

Chunmei was overjoyed upon hearing this, but what she didn't know was that Wen Mingqian was fully aware of all of the princess's preferences.

However, she couldn't let anyone know, so she had to use Chunmei's words to say it, so as not to arouse suspicion.