Chapter 1

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Author: Xiao Yao

Title – Chapter 2

It had been cloudy for several days and the first snow of winter finally fell, the solemn cold wind stirred the grains of snow, then the curtain was slightly lifted, and with the hair on her neck standing up on its roots she went inside the room.

Inside the room, the chilly cold draught gave Hui Ming a start stunning her a while before putting down the hands she had on her neck, and as soon as she raised her head, she saw Qiu Ya, who should have died more than ten years ago, patting the fleeting snow on her body and crossing the threshold, step by step she went into the room, her facial features slowly becoming vivid and clear as if she had come back from a previous life. Please read at insidethemirror. DO NOT REPOST.

In fact, isn’t that so?

Qiu Ya didn’t notice Hui Ming’s trance and sighed comfortably from the heat in the room, then she casually greeted Hui Ming: “Why are you up late today, have you eaten?”

Hui Ming with a double layered coat draped over her sat on the wooden stool, she looked at her with a blank expression as if she still wasn’t fully awake, then after a long while stammered: “No, not yet.”

Qiu Ya gave her a strange look, but didn’t ask any questions and just sat down beside her, although she could see that Hui Ming didn’t want to talk anymore, she was really not a person who could bear it, so after a moment she couldn’t help but open her mouth and in a low voice whispered in Hui Ming’s ears: “His Majesty coughed up blood last night!”

Hui Ming pinched her palms hard, lowered her head and let out a “hmm”.

Qiu Ya was also unconcerned, but her voice became lower and lower: “The doctors have taken turns in staying inside the side hall, they’re all afraid and saying that His Majesty won’t be able to survive this winter, if that becomes the case… it’s just I don’t know who would…” The remaining few words became more and more vague, even Hui Ming could hardly hear her and although they were in their own room, but in the imperial palace, caution was a habit that needed to be carved into the bones.

Nonetheless it did not to need to be finished, in the palace, whoever heard this would also be able to guess her unfinished words, His Majesty has passed the year of destiny1, and this illness came at a critical time, a new crown prince had not been established for several years, so they didn’t know whether after His Majesty’s death, would the successor be the di2 born Xin-wangye3, or Rui-wang, the son of Concubine Xian.

In fact, it was not only the servants in the palace, but also the nobles all over the capital, they worried about this day by day, to the point that their hairs must have turned white, right?

But Hui Ming didn’t need to pay attention to this, because she not only knew that His Majesty had survived this winter; she also knew that neither Xin-wang and Rui-wang grabbed the throne in the end, instead, both sides suffered a loss, and ultimately fortune favored the fool, it conveniently landed on the pitiful Seventh Royal Highness; she even knew that this somewhat foolish Seventh Royal Highness also did not end well and was eventually conspired by the Empress and State Councilor4, that even his life was taken away!

As for whether this malicious Gu State Councilor finally succeeded in usurping the throne, Hui Ming really didn’t know, because as soon as Seventh Royal Highness died, Hui Ming and the dozens of people in the palace who knew the truth were sentenced to death and buried.

Who knew that after being given the three-feet of white silk5, then without the feeling of suffocation and oppression having yet passed, she would open her eyes and return to the winter when Su-gonggong just referred her to the imperial palace.

That’s right, Su Jin, Su-gonggong6!

As if a thread had finally been straightened out from a messy hemp ball, Hui Ming’s spirit suddenly quivered and her head that was in chaos since the beginning seemed to have been illuminated by a flash of light, Su-gonggong! If, if she was not in the pit of the abyss at this moment, nor was she in a dream, but had really returned to the time when she was a court lady in the palace, wouldn’t it mean that Su Jin, Su-gonggong… was still alive?

Qiu Ya was shocked by Hui Ming’s sudden movement, then after waiting for a while and seeing her become motionless again, she stretched out her hand and pushed her: “What’s wrong with you?”

Hui Ming turned her head slowly looking like she couldn’t even open her mouth, and with a dry voice: “Qiu Ya, you were on duty just now, did, did you see Su-gonggong?”

Qiu Ya hearing this immediately had a complex expression that seemed to have a look of both envy and sympathy, then nodded: “En, with His Majesty in such a condition, Steward Su couldn’t leave for even a bit, it’s a very busy time.”

It was no wonder why Qiu Ya reacted like this, Hui Ming entered the palace at the age of ten and at this time she was already fifteen years old, taking all things in consideration, she had not yet been in the palace for five years, in addition, her family was just a common dweller in town, also she herself had no extraordinary talent and the reason why she could become a maid serving in front of the emperor at such an age was all due to the favor of others.

And the person who promoted her was of course in Qiu Ya’s own words the head steward, Su Jin, Su-gonggong.

As a woman, to unaccountably climb up through the ambiguous subject between a man and a woman, it was easy to be looked down upon, not to mention that the man you relied on nevertheless was a rootless eunuch.

Despite Hui Ming’s immeasurable resolve, but once such a reputation spread, it would be hard to say anything, otherwise, among the many little palace ladies in the Bureau of Administration, why for no reason, did Su-gonggong only single her out and stuff her to serve in front of the emperor?

Ever since Su Jin suddenly proposed for her to be an imperial maid, those people in the palace that she would often encounter had a look of both wanting to curry favor and subtle contempt, which Hui Ming was no stranger to.

If formerly she was in such a situation, she would definitely be embarrassed and feel wronged, that she would not even be able to say any unbearable words. But nowadays, not to mention that she had changed a lot, it’s just that her experience of more than ten years in the palace in the last life was enough to make her not take it to heart, and she immediately calmed her mind, keeping her face still as she continued to chat away: “His Majesty’s illness is really pressing.”

Since ancient times there had been such things as private relationships between palace maids and eunuchs, and at this time Hui Ming was behaving normally so after Qiu Ya’s surprise, she also became serious and reached out for the copper pot, then said, “Who said it’s not! It was fine a few days ago, who knew it would suddenly become so severe.”

Hui Ming heard this and looked down at the extinguished charcoal fire in the brazier7, it was indeed true, this was the thirty-third year of Xuan De, she was originally an ordinary sewing maid from the Bureau of Administration and she didn’t know why but for some reason she had entered Su-gonggong eyes last month, then without a word, she was directly promoted straight to serve in front of the emperor.

Although the relationship between her and Su-gonggong had been spread out, in fact, Hui Ming have only seen Su-gonggong a few times, the first time she met Su-gonggong was last month, because she had soiled a piece of cloth, she was punished by the gugu8 in charge to stand in the courtyard. Please read at insidethemirror. DO NOT REPOST.

This so-called standing was standing like a post motionless at the foot of the wall according to the rules, this was a skill that the young ladies who have just entered the palace had to practice, but for people like Hui Ming who had long ago finished her apprenticeship, this was not practice and was just pure corporal punishment.

During the winter climate, although it didn’t snow, but after standing in the cold wind for a long time, her whole body was shaking all over and when Su-gonggong came to the Bureau of Administration to look for the head Momo9, she was frozen all over, so when it was her turn to greet, Su-gonggong had already been standing in front of her for a long time, but because she was freezing, she staggered while greeting and almost fell to the ground.

The reason why it was almost was because in the last moment, Su-gonggong reached out and supported her.

Hui Ming remembered very clearly that Su-gonggong did not appear any different to her at the time, and after lifting her up he immediately let go, then he just casually said something to the head Momo: “A person of the palace should be punished for doing something wrong, but in such a day, I am afraid they will suffer from the cold wind and pass it on to others.” After that, because of these words, Gugu was also exempted from her punishment later. And because of this incident Hui Ming was grateful to Steward Su, then two days later, Su-gonggong came to her door in person and instructed her to pack up, then he personally arranged her residence as he took her to serve in front of the emperor.

The rumor that she clung onto Su-gonggong and that they were in association also came out at this time.

Hui Ming silently clenched her fist tightly, she entered the palace at the age of ten and died at thirty, she had always been responsible in her life, and although she didn’t die peacefully, she had not suffered any great injustice. If there was anything that she couldn’t let go of, apart from the dear Little Highness who she took care of growing up, which was now Seventh Royal Highness, there was only Su Jin, who she had often thought of in the past ten years, Su-gonggong.

In her previous life, she had always thought that Su-gonggong was “fond of her”, and was using his influence to oppress her to have a relationship with her, unwilling for her to return home to her good maternal family that was waiting until she turns twenty-five, so not only did she always dislike and treated Su Jin coldly during her lifetime, even after Su Jin died, she didn’t respond well to even obtain his ashes to be put in a suitable place.

But in fact, Su-gonggong never mentioned to her about being in a relationship, let alone acted impolitely, from the moment she was referred to serve in front of the emperor as a maid, and even at the final moment of Rui-wang’s rebellion, she was also safely sent in advance to the palace of Imperial Concubine Kang.

Regardless of the facts, in speaking of it, Su-gonggong was the only benefactor she was regretfully concerned about in her last life.

That heavens brought her back to life from the dead and she happened to return back at this time, was this wanting her to save the other person and repay her debt of gratitude?

But she was just a little palace lady, so how can she save Su-gonggong?

Before Hui Ming could comprehend anything, a little eunuch’s very respectful voice suddenly came from outside the curtain: “Is Hui-gugu here? Master has something the matter and came over, wondering if it is convenient for Gugu?”

Hui Ming was stunned for a moment and immediately reacted, this was the voice of the small inner eunuch inside the imperial palace, Yuan Bao.

The reason why she remembered this so clearly was because of the last thing Yuan Bao said to her in her previous life which made her deeply think, and every time she remembered it, it would be just like being slapped on the face, causing her to feel an unforgettable pain for a lifetime——

“Master said, that originally it was when Gugu entered the palace for the first time that there had been several encounters but no interaction which is also a kind fate, so according to this several sightings he gave his consideration and sent you to serve in front of the emperor with good intentions, unexpectedly though Gugu’s mind is very serious, but gave birth to so many rights and wrongs out of nothing, even so, sending you was right!”

Hui Ming tightened her fist again and suddenly reacted, Yuan Bao was Su-gonggong’s apprentice, so the master he was talking about was Su-gonggong!

Sure enough, as soon as the voice outside fell, Qiu Ya hurriedly smiled and turned to Hui Ming and said, “He was just mentioned and the person is already here, isn’t that having a bond of understanding?” Without waiting for Hui Ming’s reaction, she lifted up the curtain and went out to meet them, then immediately outside the door, there was a faint voice of greeting: “I have seen Steward Su.”

Qiu Ya went out with a wink while Yuan Bao who Su-gonggong brought would naturally not come in and be an eyesore at this time, then the curtain was raised and the magistrate outside stayed by the door after Su Jin entered, and before Hui Ming could recover, the room was only left with Su Jin standing in front of Hui Ming——

Su Jin, Su-gonggong was still alive. Pl ease read at insidethemirror translations. DO NOT REPOST.

TRANSLATOR’S NOTES:

1. 天命之年: nearing the age of 50 ↩

2. 嫡出: born of the legal wife ↩

3. 王爷: prince ↩

4. 国丈: Emperor’s father-in-law ↩

5. 三尺白绫: to die, or to commit suicide ↩

6. 公公: eunuch ↩

7. 火盆 ↩

8. 姑姑: aunt ↩

9. 嬷嬷: wet nurse ↩

If there are any mistakes, please do not hesitate to point it out.

Title – Chapter 2

❀.(*´◡`*)❀. °˖✧°˖✧° ˖✧°˖✧° ❀.(*´◡`*)❀.

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