Chapter 44 (1/2)

Chapter 44 Original and most updated translations are from volaretranslations

The folding screen wasn’t very wide, but I didn’t realize such a scene existed behind it A si of a landscape painting to acco a cleverly sheltered space…

There was a pool e that smelled likehere as I sank into the water I could see the e calmly on the bed beyond the screens, whose layers were as thin as cicada’s wings He was holding a rolled-up object of so his eyes to smile at me

I nearly ducked my entire face underwater

Stea the skin of e of the pool I say, it’s only been a few days since I’ve washed Was I really that dirty?

I gave a bitter look to the court ladies scrubbing ive me a second skin It’s not as if I was a corpse, this skin was still high quality…

One after the other, docile faces wore innocent, pitiful expressions as they knelt by the edge of the pool I softened, but then…why did they scrub even harder than before? This level of torh to break my poor waist

My face turned wooden as I felt extrelance beyond the screens I could see the vague for through a book without even lifting his head “Why don’t I heard the sound of water? Use all your strength to scrub for Zhen”

“Yes”

“Dont’don’tdon’t…” I hastily protested, pushi+ng ure beyond the screens es

Softly, a voice laced with a s you pain, Zhen can take the trouble to replace them”

He actually put aside the book andto say this line, right? I fell silent, tired froritted teeth to endure thecourt ladies Their hands felt like a thousand knives, and I kept my silent disapproval obvious

Suddenly, a disturbance sounded from outside

“Your excellency, estee eunuch spoke softly, his voice was unusually clear in the quiet surroundings I was astonished

Soainst so eunuch kneeled on the ground, face pale as he clutched his stoht fran scent of ept sand and fresh blood That man walked in with impatient steps I could actually hear the sound of his sword scabbard clinking against his armor Even weapons could be worn in the main hall, so close to the emperor?

There was the sound of so on one knee

“I received news that the emperor was attacked en route by assassins Your servant is very much troubled at heart”

“My beloved official has just returned from the frontier pass, and should rest for a few more days” The emperor reached out a hand to help hi serious that happened”

I couldn’t see very clearly through the hazy screen

The two people went through the usual rites of ruler and vassal Originally, it should be a pleasing sight, but why…did so feel off?

This general looked to be on in his years, hale and hearty with long experiences in the battlefields His keen intuition noticed soht away as he looked in my direction His face seemed to flash in surprise before his eyes sharpened, and an i manner followed his arched eyebrows

Thisquarters He probably didn’t have too lared back at hiain his attention, and the two talked softly for a while

Soaking in athe bath with hot water too, but… How long were those two going to stay there?

“Your Majesty, regarding thethe title of ‘Ehter…”

What?

Noas curious I hid in the pool and cocked my ear to listen

“We can discuss this matter in the future,” the eone in athe situation at the border Come with Zhen into the study”

“At your Iave a shallo in response

The eht went past hientle s eneral seeet a clearer picture

“My beloved official,” the erabbed hieneral off before the latter had a chance to look back

I had the illusion that this general was a forure His eyes were so incisive and ruthless And yet, was the e me…?

—

Tih to prepare a cup of tea passed by

I finally crawl out froet dressed and haveupon ed out the doors, only to be followed by a quick-witted eunuch

“Master, his Majesty said that you’ve yet to recover and to not recklessly wander about The wind is fierce outside and you ht catch a chill”

What?

The wind is fierce…catch a chill?

I raised a sleeve to shade my eyes as I looked up towards the warm sunshi+ne

“Even with strong sunlight, there’s no guarantee that it isn’t windy either See here…” the young eunuch raised his hand and earnestly pointed in one direction Oh, hat do you know? The leaves on those little trees really were rocking and swaying

I narrowed my eyes and looked at him “You, what’s your name?”

“Little Li”

“Good…very good, not bad” I stared at hiuy He could even say a dead caift, what a talented guy

“What are you holding in your hands?”

“To answer Master, these are robes”

…looking at the style of these robes, it was definitely tailored for a man They were snohite but rather old, as if they’d been worn for a long time The emperor wouldn’t wear clothes like these I narrowed my eyes at him

“The laundry roo set, these are clothes for the disfavored lord in the Cold Palace”

Cold Palace?!

Disfavored lord…?

—

I nodded at hiainst the robes Little Li’s expression see, head bowed in respectful deference

Un, the ers was cold and slippery as water Even though it was a bit old, the quality was still reood If even the Cold Palace clothes could be sent to the laundry roo, the person there couldn’t be too much out of favor

I thought a bit before rolling up my sleeves and clapped hi himself beneath my blows, head still bowed

“Take me to stroll around for a while for exercise”

He hesitated a second before steeling hiree

The air outside was very fresh I stretched my arms beneath the fine, sunny day, butMy eyes couldn’t help but glance towards Little Li and the robes in his hands After walking a few htfully looked back “Little Li, as it that barged into the e about conferring a title for an empress?”

“General Qi[3] rendered great services for the previous e territories He is one of the dynasty’s ith Since his Majesty’s ascended the throne, he has neither appointed an empress nor helped produce any sons, so petitions to the court have earnestly requested his Majesty to accept General Qi’s daughter…”

Little Li stole a glance at ly folded and refolded the robes

Eh, it was pretty understandable

General Qi didn’t see his duties By acting in this way, the e the security of his throne It wasn’t a bad idea I drew into thought as I rested a hand on his shoulder for support We hadn’t taken more than a few more steps before I suddenly stopped

Wind billowed the robes draped over his ar likerose up within my heart

“What’s the deal hat you just said? There are only eunuchs and court ladies in the inner court Are you telling me that there’s an un-castrated male, too? Could he be the emperor’s inner attendant?”

No, he shouldn’t be in the Cold Palace if that was the case

Little Li kept his head lowered and answeredaround rew I took another step, and stopped “Little Li, where did you take me for our stroll?”

This place looked like the quarters of the imperial harem…

But it felt like it was

My eyes travelled over to a pond filled with beautiful red lotuses before I asked him under my breath, “Where do the other concubines live? We’ve walked for so long, but all I’ve seen are lotus ponds,trees, or plants and flowers”

He didn’t utter a word Yet though his head was bowed, those eyes kept roving back and forth, filled with secret intelligence He was probably thinking of what to say My hand moved on his shoulder and pinched him

His eyebrows bunched together, but he didn’t dare to cry out

“To…answer Master, his Majesty hasn’t been interested in wo the past few years, so he never accepted any concubines”

Ah…

Not interested in women?!

Impossible Such an amorous, licentioushere and there They’d never stoppedfor a second

Hey, don’t stop talking if I haven’t interrupted you I signaled hio on with my eyes He actuallyto speak another word

I laughed “You’re a devoted and loyal servant, you knohen to keep your ood!” A tolerant smile appeared on my features, but my force on his shoulder didn’t lessen

There were plenty of ways to pinch a person…

One was the er held onto a section of skin while the wrist twisted to add pressure The other was the scholarly pinch, ers trapped a length of skin between the the opponent

A refined, delicate lady like myself would of course have to use orchid hands[4] when I e method

“Yeo…your servant will talk…isn’t choosing to speak enough?!” He couldn’t avoid me this time as his complexion turned deathly pale, face crumpled up like the wrinkled folds of a meat bun

Speaking of meat burns, they were one of my favorite foods I don’t know if the imperial kitchens kne to make thee filling I ca