Palace maid Shuoning

(Up)

As dusk fell, the deep blue sky swallowed up the last rays of the sunset.

Jiang Shuoning and Chun Chan walked side by side down the long street. Chun Chan chewed on a dried apricot, saying between chews:

"Did you see that just now? I told Consort Rong that the scar-removing ointment was ready, and the look in her eyes... tsk tsk, she looked like she wanted to skin me alive. If I hadn't been so sweet-talking and quick-witted, you probably wouldn't have been able to leave Yihua Palace tonight."

As she recalled Rongfei's piercing gaze, Chunchan couldn't help but get goosebumps all over her body.

Seeing that Jiang Shuoning didn't respond, she glanced at her sideways and nudged her with her elbow: "What are you thinking about? You seem distracted."

She then took out dried apricots wrapped in an embroidered handkerchief from her sleeve, picked out a piece and handed it over: "Here, freshly dried, both sour and sweet, want to try some?"

Jiang Shuoning snapped out of her reverie, glanced down at the dried apricots in her palm, and felt a slight bloating rise in her stomach again. She raised her hand and pushed them away, saying softly, "You eat them."

Chun Chan didn't stand on ceremony, stuffing the dried apricot into her mouth, then took two steps back, squinting as she sized her up:

"That's not right. Has Consort Rong taken her anger out on you during these days of confinement?"

Jiang Shuoning reached out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her back to his side, and whispered a reminder:

"Just keep to your own path. If any concubine sees you eating on the palace road, and someone with ulterior motives adds fuel to the fire, you'll be in big trouble."

Chun Chan chuckled sheepishly, hastily wrapped the dried apricots in her embroidered handkerchief and stuffed it back into her sleeve, but she still said, "Yes, yes, Sister Shuoning is right, this servant knows she was wrong."

She covered her mouth and chuckled, her eyes crinkling at the corners, showing no sign of admitting her mistake whatsoever.

Jiang Shuoning glanced at her but said nothing more. Looking up, he saw a palanquin approaching.

A woman sat in the sedan chair, dressed in a bright peach-pink dress, with her hair styled in a droopy bun and adorned with jewels.

The pearl hairpin in her hair trembled slightly with the swaying of the sedan chair; the excessive layers of jewelry gave it a somewhat vulgar appearance.

The woman's eyes were slanted upwards at the corners, and her face was full of smug satisfaction.

Jiang Shuoning lowered his eyes and reached out to tug at Chun Chan beside him. Chun Chan was looking around erratically and only reacted when she was pulled. She glanced up and saw the approaching palanquin, and immediately took a step back with Jiang Shuoning, standing still with her head down.

The palanquin passed by the two of them, and a faint scent of perfume wafted through the air. At first, it was pleasing to the eye, but upon closer inspection, it became cloying and made them feel uncomfortable.

Chun Chan lowered her eyes, watching the palanquin disappear into the distance. She chuckled softly, then asked in a low voice, "Do you know who she is?"

Jiang Shuoning looked at her with a puzzled expression.

Chun Chan straightened up, pulled her along, and continued walking towards the Imperial Hospital. She then took out a dried apricot and put it in her mouth, chewing as she spoke:

"The newly appointed Imperial Guard Attendant. Guess what her background is?"

She couldn't keep a secret, and before Jiang Shuoning could speak, she blurted it out:

"A little palace maid in the Imperial Garden was dancing late at night. The Emperor saw her and said she looked beautiful in pink, so he summoned her to his bedchamber that very night and promoted her to the rank of Imperial Concubine the next day. She's very proud of herself now and is quite arrogant."

Spring Cicada chewed on a dried apricot and added:

"Sigh, there aren't that many coincidences in this world. But she did gamble right, she'll enjoy a lifetime of wealth and honor. I heard her brother used to be a lowly guard in the cold palace, but now he's been transferred to the Imperial Horse Administration, where he's making a lot of money. It's true what they say, when one person attains enlightenment, even their chickens and dogs rise to heaven."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Shuoning's lips curled slightly, and he said in a low voice, "In this deep palace, everyone wants to live comfortably. There's nothing wrong with choosing any path."

Chun Chan glanced at her sideways, frowned, her eyes darting around, and then popped another dried apricot into her mouth, chewing as she said, "What? Are you going to dance in the Imperial Garden too?"

Jiang Shuoning was taken aback by her words, glanced at her sideways, and shook his head helplessly.

(under)

Inside the Imperial Medical Academy.

Doctor Qin examined the scar on Jiang Shuoning's neck; it had scabbed over, with a slight redness around it. He instructed:

"There's no need to wrap it with the white cloth anymore. It's getting hot, and covering it up will only make it worse."

He handed a flat, round ointment to Jiang Shuoning: "This is a half-month's supply. The girl's scars will need three boxes to completely disappear."

Jiang Shuoning took the ointment and nodded slightly: "Thank you very much, Doctor Qin. You've gone to so much trouble these past few days. It doesn't matter if there's a scar or not; it's just a minor injury."

"Miss Shuoning is quite carefree." Bao Zhong came out from outside, walked up to Jiang Shuoning, took the box of ointment from her hand, and leisurely looked up at Physician Qin. "Physician Qin, is this ointment really scarless? Does His Majesty intend for it to be completely restored?"

Physician Qin nodded slightly and smiled, "Please rest assured, Eunuch Baozhong, this ointment has been specially tested by someone, and it can eliminate scars regardless of their severity."

Upon hearing this, Bao Zhong glanced sideways at the two-inch-long scar on Jiang Shuoning's neck, his face darkening, and he said sarcastically:

"Miss Shuoning, please don't say anything about whether or not it leaves a scar. The Emperor has decreed that the scar must be removed. If it can't be removed, it will implicate the Imperial Hospital."

Jiang Shuoning glanced at him, pursed her lips, and didn't reply.

Chun Chan, carrying a medicine bottle, lifted the curtain and came in. Seeing Bao Zhong, she grinned and said, "Grandpa Bao Zhong is here." She then handed the medicine bottle to Jiang Shuoning, "Take it three times a day to aid digestion. It's very effective; I take this when I'm overeating, but it's a bit bitter."

Just as Jiang Shuoning was about to take it, Bao Zhong snatched it first, uncorked it, smelled it, frowned slightly, and looked at Jiang Shuoning with eyes full of doubt: "How can you eat so much while under house arrest?"

Physician Qin chuckled from the side, "When Miss Shuoning came in, I noticed her complexion was off, so I took her pulse. It's indigestion; if she frequently eats food that's hard to digest, her stomach will naturally suffer over time."

"I knew she looked off today! She wouldn't have said anything if Doctor Qin hadn't taken her pulse; she was clutching her stomach the whole way."

A cicada chirped in from the side.

Seeing Bao Zhong staring at him without speaking, Jiang Shuoning took the medicine bottle and ointment back from his hand, then turned and gave Physician Qin a slight smile:

"Thank you for your hard work, Physician Qin. I'll come back for more once I've finished this box of ointment."

He then took out some silver from his sleeve and placed it on the table, before saying to Chun Chan, "I'm leaving now, it's getting late."

She turned and walked towards the door, and just as she stepped over the threshold, she heard Chun Chan say to Bao Zhong.

"Eunuch Baozhong, your little lackey is here again. Even when you're not here, he's always running to the Imperial Hospital. He's the one who tested this plaster before we dared to use it on Shuoning."

Jiang Shuoning's steps suddenly stopped, and he froze on the threshold.

The night was slightly cool, and the lakeside of Panting Lake was quiet and still.

This is a relatively secluded corner of the palace, surrounded by green trees that dim the sunlight.

"Now that Changmen Palace can't control you anymore, letting you run around everywhere?" Jiang Shuoning said unhappily, his voice low. "You went to see Chun Chan behind my and Baozhong's backs. Are you only satisfied when everyone knows your true identity?"

Zhou Zhengyin's lips trembled, and after a long while, he managed to squeeze out, "I...I want to help you. I think...I've done something wrong again."

Bao Zhong stood by the lake with his back to them, gazing at the dark surface. Stars fell sporadically into the water, shattering into fine ripples with the gentle breeze. He stood with his hands behind his back, his lips pressed together in silence.

Jiang Shuoning looked at Zhou Zhengyin's pitiful appearance lying at his feet, closed his eyes, as if he wanted to force something back down.

Suddenly, I heard a rustling sound.

She opened her eyes.

Zhou Zhengyin raised his hand and loosened his collar.

As the moonlight fell, Jiang Shuoning finally saw clearly that on the side of his neck, near his Adam's apple, there was a fresh scar about two inches long, covered with a thin layer of brown scab, with the edges showing the red of new flesh.

It was located in almost the exact same spot as the one on her neck.

Jiang Shuoning's pupils suddenly contracted, and he seemed to be nailed to the spot.

Zhou Zhengyin didn't look up; his voice was muffled, carrying a hint of tentative, cautious probing.

"Your wound is here... I also got a cut here. I applied some ointment, and it healed in five days. It healed much faster than yours."

He paused, then added softly, "This ointment really works. Don't worry about scarring... it will heal."