Ning Dao Covered with Snow

Chapter 285 The drunkard doesn’t care about drinking

Just as Yan Ciwan put away the sachet, she heard Consort Jin continue speaking.

"The Sage has sent a maid named Qiushuang. She will be in charge of serving you from now on. You can ask her for anything you need."

Yan Ciwan frowned slightly, feeling a strong sense of resistance, but she knew that the emperor's will was difficult to defy and that she had no right to refuse.

A moment later, a palace maid dressed in an apricot-colored ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) walked in with her head bowed. She bowed to Consort Jin, then slightly raised her head, revealing a fairly pretty and fair face.

"This servant, Qiushuang, has come to serve Lady Ning by order of His Majesty. If there is anything I do not take good care of you, please tell me directly, and I will certainly make improvements."

When Qiu Shuang entered the room, her footsteps were so light that they were almost inaudible. Yan Ciwan immediately realized that this palace maid had excellent lightness skills and must be a master.

After bidding farewell to Consort Jin, she took Qiu Shuang back to the West Annex Hall. At the same time, she pondered that the Emperor had specially arranged for someone to be placed by her side, surely to use Qiu Shuang's eyes to monitor her.

Autumn Frost opened all the doors and windows and then began her daily routine of sweeping and cleaning.

Yan Ciwan moved a chair and sat on the veranda to bask in the sun.

She glanced through the window at Qiu Shuang, who was wiping the cabinet with her back to her, and then took out a sachet from her sleeve.

When she received the sachet from Consort Jin, she felt that it was heavier than ordinary sachets, and that it must contain more than just spices.

She untied the thin string, poured all the spices from the sachet into her palm, and quickly pulled out a small sachet wrapped in oiled paper.

The sachet was milky white. She leaned closer to smell it and noticed a faint fragrance. She wondered what its purpose was.

Soon she felt a little dizzy and sleepy. She forced herself to put the spices back into the sachet, then wrapped the sachet in oiled paper and put it into her sleeve.

After doing all that, she leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep.

Fortunately, the sleep wasn't too long.

Half an hour later, she woke up, sat up and rubbed her temples. After carefully examining herself, she found that there was nothing wrong with her body.

At this moment, she understood the purpose of the incense pill.

She turned her head and looked into the house, and saw Qiu Shuang carrying a bucket of dirty water and walking out.

After Qiu Shuang left the west side hall, she handed the wooden bucket to a young eunuch who did manual labor. Then, Qiu Shuang walked up to Yan Ciwan and asked her what she wanted to eat for lunch.
Yan Ciwan stretched and casually replied, "Whatever, I'm not picky."

Lunch was delivered quickly, and Qiu Shuang set the food on the table, inviting Yan Ciwan to dine.

As a result, Yan Ciwan saw on the table that the dishes were exactly the same as the dishes from last night!
She frowned and complained, "Why is it always these?"

Qiu Shuang immediately said, "If Lady Ning doesn't like these dishes, this servant will remove them and have the Imperial Kitchen prepare other dishes."

Yan Ciwan waved her hand to indicate that it was alright, and then picked up her bowl and chopsticks and slowly began to eat.

Qiu Shuang stood by, helping to serve soup and pick out food, truly fulfilling her duties.

After eating and drinking her fill, Yan Ciwan took a nap. When she woke up, she pulled Qiu Shuang to play shuttlecock together. Qiu Shuang politely declined, but to no avail, so she had to bite the bullet and play with her.

Consort Jin heard the commotion outside and asked Song Qing to go outside and see what was going on.

A short while later, Song Qing returned and said, "It's Lady Ning and Qiu Shuang playing shuttlecock." Consort Jin nodded to indicate that she understood, and then continued to bury herself in her embroidery.

Song Qing couldn't help but whisper, "This Lady Ning was imprisoned here as a suspect, but the Emperor has taken good care of her, treating her like a prisoner at all."

Consort Jin paused in her needlework, her brow furrowing slightly: "How can you and I discuss matters concerning the Emperor?"

In fact, she also noticed that the Sage's attitude towards Ning Ci was unusual, but no matter what the Sage was thinking, it was beyond her control. All she could do now was to do her best to ensure Ning Ci's safety within the Immortal Abode Palace.

Song Qing lowered her head: "It was this servant who spoke too much."

A eunuch came in to report that the Emperor would be spending the night at Xianju Palace again tonight.

Consort Jin's face lit up with joy, and she hurriedly ordered people to prepare the wine, dishes, and incense that the Emperor liked. But once everyone had left, the joy on her face quickly faded, and she secretly suspected that the Emperor's true intentions were not what they seemed.

In her younger days, when she was still young, the Emperor favored her for a period of time while she was still young and infatuated. But so many years have passed, and the novelty has long worn off. In addition, as she has grown older, even with proper care, she is not as delicate as the new concubines who have just entered the palace. In recent years, the Emperor has only come to the Immortal Abode Palace three or four times a month, and each time he only has a meal and chats. He rarely stays overnight.

It is extremely rare for someone to stay at the Xianju Palace for two consecutive days like this.

As the saying goes, there must be something fishy about unusual things. Consort Jin had to think more carefully. Song Qing's words just now lingered in her mind, and her doubts gradually deepened. Could it be that the Emperor really had some feelings for Ning Ci?
Yan Ciwan and Qiu Shuang played shuttlecock all afternoon, and both of them were panting and sweating profusely.

As the sun was about to set, Qiu Shuang put away the shuttlecock and asked, panting, "Would Madam Ning like to take a bath first, or have a meal first?"

Yan Ciwan wiped the sweat from her brow and indicated that she needed to take a shower first.

So Qiushuang went downstairs to prepare hot water for her bath.

Once the hot water was ready, Yan Ciwan took off her clothes and enjoyed a comfortable hot bath.

Before she had even finished her bath, Qiu Shuang came to inform her that the Emperor had arrived and they all had to go out to greet him.

Yan Ciwan never expected that the Sage would come to Xianju Palace again tonight. She hurriedly dressed, her hair still wet, but she didn't have time to dry it slowly. She quickly tied her wet hair up and fixed it with a silver hairpin, and then ran out of the West Side Hall with Qiushuang.

They knelt among the palace maids, respectfully welcoming the emperor into the Immortal Abode Palace.

The Emperor walked at the head of the procession, with Consort Jin slightly behind. As they headed toward the main hall, the Emperor suddenly stopped near Yan Ciwan and called out Ning Ci's name.

Ning Ci raised his head and saw the sage looking down at him.

"What's your majesty's order?"

The sage raised his right hand and touched her hair with his fingertips.

This action was truly inappropriate between strangers, and Yan Ciwan instinctively shrank back, her body hair standing on end.

The emperor chuckled at her wary reaction. He took the embroidered handkerchief from the eunuch following behind him, wiped his fingers that had just touched Yan Ciwan's hair, and said slowly.

"It's cool at night, and if you go out with your hair still wet, you're more likely to get headaches."

Yan Ciwan lowered her head: "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am thick-skinned and a little wind won't bother me."

"You're still too young, you don't understand the importance of taking care of your health at all," the sage sighed, seemingly helpless. "Don't kneel here anymore, go back to your room quickly."

"Yes."