Palace maid Shuoning

(Up)

As soon as Jiang Shuoning stepped into Yihua Palace, Fengchun ran over with a strange smile on her face: "Congratulations to Sister Shuoning."

"What's the congratulations for?"

She frowned and glanced at the corridor out of the corner of her eye.

Qing'er was still wiping the floor.

Ever since Suihe was slapped and forced to kneel by Consort Rong because of the Ninth Prince, she has vented all her anger on Qing'er. She's forced to do hard labor and only eats one meal a day.

Suihe is right, when you're full, you'll have nothing better to do.

But she hasn't made a move on herself yet. She's waiting.

Just as Feng Chun was about to speak, Sui He walked over, a rare smile on her face. She reached out and grabbed Jiang Shuoning, looking him up and down.

"Shuoning, your good fortune has arrived. The Empress has found you a good place because of your good service. You will rise to great heights in the future, but don't forget which way the gates of Yihua Palace face."

Jiang Shuoning smiled and subtly withdrew her hand: "Sister Suihe, I am too dull to understand what you mean."

Suihe and Fengchun exchanged a glance.

Fengchun leaned forward and lowered her voice: "Her Majesty said that during the New Year, she will betroth Sister Shuoning to Eunuch Feng. This is a great honor."

Jiang Shuoning's face drained of all color.

Her mind raced. Was Consort Rong sending her own people to Feng Xi's side without a fear of arousing the Emperor's suspicion? Or did she simply not care?

Suihe studied her face and smiled, "Look, you're so happy you can't even speak."

Jiang Shuoning didn't reply and turned to walk towards the bedroom.

Behind her, Suihe stared at that straight back, her smile growing colder and colder.

Inside the bedchamber, Consort Rong was taking a nap on a chaise longue.

Jiang Shuoning quietly walked over, tucked the blanket that had slipped off, knelt down at the foot of the bed, reached his hands into the blanket, cupped Rongfei's cold feet in his palms, and pressed the acupoints with neither too light nor too heavy pressure.

Four years have passed. She learned this technique at the Imperial Hospital. Consort Rong is prone to feeling cold and has trouble sleeping; this method helps her sleep more soundly.

She kept her head down, her hands moving without stopping, but another image flashed through her mind.

When she was six years old, she stepped into the palace for the first time in winter.

She remembered that the snow was heavy that day, and the wind was blowing in from both ends of the passageway, like knives scraping her face. She was wearing a cotton-padded coat that was several sizes too big, and even with the cuffs rolled up three times, her wrists were still exposed.

The old woman leading the way walked ahead, her steps quick and hurried. She couldn't keep up and had to jog to catch up, her shoes slipping on the snow.

The old woman glanced back at her, said nothing, and kicked her in the back of the knee.

She fell headfirst into the snow, her chin hitting a crack in the brickwork, drawing blood from her teeth.

She didn't dare to cry, and got up to continue following along.

After walking a few steps, she couldn't help but look back at the path she had come from. The palace gates were closed, leaving only two large vermilion doors, tightly shut together like a wall.

She looked up and saw red walls all around her, so high that she couldn't see the top, with only a narrow strip of sky visible.

At that moment, she suddenly understood.

There is no way in this palace, only a way out.

The clapper sounded at the fourth watch of the night.

Consort Rong turned over and slowly opened her eyes: "The bird's nest has arrived?"

Jiang Shuoning snapped out of his daze: "Your Majesty, Eunuch Feng said it will be delivered tomorrow. He said this time the bird's nest is of the highest quality, and Your Majesty should be given priority."

Consort Rong nodded slightly, about to get up. Jiang Shuoning quickly placed a pillow behind her back. Her hands were already so sore and numb, her fingertips were numb and swollen, and even her bones ached.

She secretly moved her fingers in her sleeve, knelt down again, and gently massaged Consort Rong's calves.

As she continued to squeeze, her eyes reddened, and she began to sob.

"Why are you crying?" Consort Rong glanced at her.

Jiang Shuoning moved her knees to Rongfei's side, kowtowed three times, and looked up with teary eyes: "This servant has heard... that none of the girls around Eunuch Feng have been able to stay for more than half a year."

She lowered her head, her voice trembling, "It's not that I'm afraid, it's that I'm afraid I won't be able to serve Your Highness anymore."

Consort Rong looked at her for a moment before speaking: "This is your good fortune, you should accept it. In a while, I will privately ask Feng Xi. If he is willing, you can go to his place at night and come back during the day. You can still serve me."

Jiang Shuoning opened his mouth.

"Alright, you may leave."

She pursed her lips and kowtowed, saying, "This servant thanks Your Majesty for your kindness."

She stopped after exiting the palace gate.

I looked down at my hands. My fingertips were red and swollen, and there were two red marks on my palms from being pressed against the brick surface.

She slowly clenched her fist, then relaxed it.

It hurts. But it wasn't for nothing.

She looked up. Only one star shone in the dark sky, its direction pointing towards Changmen Palace.

(under)

The Changmen Palace was shrouded in darkness.

Zhou Zhengyin lay in bed with a persistent high fever. His dreams were filled with humiliation. Feng Xi, Eunuch Qiao, and Xiao Shunzi surrounded him, their faces cursing. Laughter surged from all directions, overwhelming him.

He wanted to shout, but no sound came out. He wanted to run, but his legs wouldn't move.

He saw Jiang Shuoning standing outside the crowd. He desperately reached out to grab him, but couldn't reach him.

The scene shifts, and he dreams again of Granny Yu perishing in the flames. He cries his heart out, desperately reaching out to grab her, but he can't. He only hears Granny Yu's last words:

"Your Highness, the old woman can no longer protect you."

"From today onwards, be a mute. Once you're mute, no one will harm you."

Granny Yu knelt in the sea of ​​fire, kowtowing. The first and last time. The roof beams collapsed, and the fire engulfed her.

He cried, but no one came. Only the fire burned.

Eunuch Xin placed a damp cloth on his forehead. His lips trembled incessantly, tears streamed down his face, and he mumbled something incoherently.

Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of a figure standing at the door.

He got up and walked towards the door.

Jiang Shuoning, wearing a purple cloak with the hood covering half his face, stood outside the threshold, blending into the night behind him.

She handed over the food box, her voice soft, yet every word seemed to have been pulled from an ice cellar: "It's bad luck if he dies during the New Year. Here are six doses of medicine; please trouble you to give them to him on time, Father-in-law."

Eunuch Xin took the food box; it was heavy. He looked up, trying to see her face clearly, but only saw a pale chin under the hood.

After saying that, she turned and left. Her cloak billowed in the night wind before disappearing into the darkness.

Eunuch Xin stood at the door, gazing in that direction for a few moments. A night breeze swept in, and he shivered, not from the cold, but from those few words.

He carried the food box back into the house, put the medicine on the table, sat on the edge of the bed, looked at Zhou Zhengyin's flushed face, and sighed.

The clapper sounded at dawn. One by one, the lights in the rows of low houses came on.

Xiao Shunzi ran out of the house, still sleepy-eyed, and walked to the corner of the wall. He paused, bent down to pick up something, examined it carefully, and his eyes suddenly lit up. He looked around furtively, stuffed the thing into his pocket, and ran back into the house.

Jiang Shuoning stood in the shadows, watching Xiao Shunzi close the door. His lips twitched slightly, so slightly that it was as if he hadn't moved at all.