Chapter 3

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Author: Xiao Yao

Chapter 2 – Title – Chapter 4

After regaining awareness, Hui Ming just like doing needlework in the Bureau of Administration, carefully disassembled the mess of hemp in her mind, clearing each thread one by one.

This was the thirty-third year of Xuan De, His Majesty just fell ill, although it seemed to be bearing down menacingly on him, there was no danger to his life, and it wasn’t until the Ghost Festival in the thirty-fifth year that Rui-wang murdered his brother and conspired to rebel, then led troops to the palace to force the emperor to abdicate, after that when His Majesty granted the death of Rui-wangye only then did he really take to his bed and never left it again, and he only had time to support the remaining Seventh Royal Highnesses on the throne, then died within half a month. Please read at insidethemirror. DO NOT REPOST.

In the last life, half a month before that incident Su-gonggong suddenly dispatched Yuan Bao to send her to the palace of Imperial Concubine Kang, who was indifferent to the affairs of the world, even though Yuan Bao explained that Su-gonggong had referred her to the serve in front of the emperor because he had encountered her several times when she first entered the palace and saw that she had been embarrassed by Momo, so he intervened in a moment of kindness, but nowadays she seemed unwilling, that’s why she was being sent away. But Hui Ming didn’t believe it at the time, and suspected that Su Jin was deliberately wearing her down to force her to submit, but then the incident of Rui-wang’s rebellion occurred, many guards and people of the palace were cut like weeds under a sickle, and Su Jin, the chief eunuch serving the emperor, was among them.

Hearing the news of Su-gonggong’s death, Hui Ming became panicked for a while, although she inquired about the cause of death, she didn’t think much about it, but when she came back and took a look with her past decades of experience, she could see at a glance that there was something strange about it.

First, Rui-wangye’s plot to rebel to force the emperor to abdicate, wasn’t this a matter of great importance? Did Su-gonggong already know the situation long ago and sent her away in advance?

If you say that Su-gonggong didn’t know and it was just a coincidence that she was transferred away, but who was Su-gonggong? Although she heard that he came as an official slave1, he was already running errands when he was an adolescent, then after the last chief steward passed away the previous year, he directly took the sixth-grade chief eunuch position at the age of eighteen, the most capable person in front of His Majesty, the master of the palace, that even the government officials must be polite to him when they meet him, for such a person, even if the rebels rushed the palace, Su-gonggong was in the safest place next to the emperor, so how could he die as easily as those other worthless little people in the palace?

Not to mention, he was the person closest to His Majesty for so many years, even if he really for some reason had died, according to the rules of the palace, they should have given him a decent burial, in any case, he was not like those many ordinary imperial servants who didn’t have a name and would just fall into the fire and burn to ashes then thrown into a dry well.

No matter how you thought about it, there was something the matter with this, it’s just that she didn’t know where exactly did Su-gonggong know about this information, was it a haphazard conjecture, or— —

The matter of Rui-wang’s rebellion, was he involved in it?

As she poked the charcoal fire in the basin, there was no look of surprise in Hui Ming face, the days in the palace were dull and boring, only Su-gonggong made a rare wave in her life, and as early as in her previous life while doing the repetitive and rigid boring occupation of a female palace maid for several years, the hot summer and cold winter passing year after year, under the palace porch in front of the banana leaves, she would inadvertently remember every time and when she had come to her senses, everything about Su-gonggong had been tossed in her heart a thousand times.

It’s just that at that time, Su-gonggong was already dead, and knowing the ins and outs of the matter was no longer useful, Hui Ming pondered about this in her heart, but never deliberately made any special inquiry, and only out of habit had she thought about it then let it go.

Even if she wanted to know during that time, but it was too late.

Fortunately, she came back early enough and the rebellion of Rui-wang was still a year and a half away, so it wouldn’t be too late if she started to plan from now on, it’s just she didn’t know how involved was Su-gonggong at this time, and whether there was still room to step back at this moment?

“Hui-gugu? It’s Yuan Bao, Master told me to bring some charcoal fire to Gugu.”

In the course of being lost in thought Hui Ming suddenly heard a respectful voice suddenly come from the door, and the person who Hui Ming just heard was none other than Su-gonggong’s only little apprentice Yuan Bao.

Charcoal was a fine silver cinder, it burned for a long time, and when used there was no need for somebody to frequently set out and wait all night, it didn’t produce smoke that would choke people, not to mention the people in the palace, even those concubines that fell from favor couldn’t often use it.

Yuan Bao, as Su-gonggong’s apprentice, faced the palace maid in front of him with a dignified appearance, though he was half a year older than her, but in front of Hui Ming, except for when she was sent away in the end and he had a cold scowl when explaining to her that one time, the rest of the time he behaved just like an ordinary small eunuch in the palace, calling her gugu with respect and consideration.

Indeed, from the beginning to the end, Su-gonggong never treated her unfairly nor with disgrace, not to mention he took care and supported her with great kindness instead, but what about her? Nothing more than not knowing the immensity of heaven and earth2 and imagined she was the object of his affection, receiving so much care from Su-gonggong but without even a single word of gratitude…

Hui Ming had this in her mind, and after receiving the silver cindered charcoal fire, she suddenly stopped Yuan Bao who was intending to leave: “Where is Su-gonggong now?” Please read at insidethemirror. DO NOT REPOST.

“Still keeping watch in the Hall of Heavenly Virtue.” Yuan Bao said pausing for a moment, then added a few good words for his master: “He was originally busy, then when he heard that Gugu’s body wasn’t feeling comfortable early this morning, the master squeezed out some time to come over and at the moment haven’t even had time to eat yet.”

When Hui Ming heard this she raised her head up and looked at the sky, it was almost time for the afternoon meal, but he didn’t even eat that morning?

“No matter how busy he is with His Majesty, he can’t not eat something, you should also persuade more.” To the benefactor who she owed a lot of debt in her previous life, Hui Ming’s words contained a bit of concern.

To be able to become Su-gonggong’s apprentice, Yuan Bao could also be regarded as an outstanding person from the palace, and when he heard Hui Ming’s tone of voice rather soften, with a change of mind he immediately lowered his head and suggested: “With Master’s temper, where can we persuade, but if Gugu has nothing to do, why don’t you try to persuade this time?”

Hui Ming paused, and thinking about various things from her previous life, also agreed: “Alright, does your master avoid certain foods? I’ll bring a meal to send to him.”

“Ai, for such a small matter how can I let Gugu do it?” Yuan Bao’s eyes lit up and his words became more and more meticulous: “This humble servant will properly prepare it and come back, then if you please Gugu.”

Hui Ming couldn’t decline Yuan Bao’s courtesy, so she nodded in response.

His Majesty’s illness came too urgently, so as the chief eunuch serving in front of His Majesty Su-gonggong looked to be busier than usual, and although it was late afternoon when Yuan Bao asked Hui Ming to come, but after Hui Ming arrived at the corridor behind the Hall of Heavenly Virtue, she still had to wait for two quarters of an hour3 before she saw Su-gonggong’s dark robe hastily come out from around the corner.

Hui Ming stood up straight and watched the other person’s bamboo-like figure walk in front of her and even though there were thousands of regrets and gratitude in her heart, when the time came to actually speak, she still could only curtsy, and practice the common greeting: “Su-gonggong.”

The weather was really cold and although there were no snow falling under the cloister, the palace maid couldn’t compare to the master, and usually couldn’t wear those big woolen fur clothes, only a little quilt coat, so after standing outside for a long time, she couldn’t hold her whole body from becoming cold.

“Why didn’t you wait inside?” Under the cloister behind the Hall of Heavenly Virtue Su Jin watched as she put her palms on her mouth to breathe and slightly frowned, after all, he was the sixth-grade chief eunuch, so once his expression became serious there was quite a bit of power and influence.

Although the Hall of Heavenly Virtue was the residence of His Majesty, there would always be some remote and narrow huts in the corners for palace servants to rest in for a while, the most common one was the tea room in each palace, where some servants kept watch of the fire, so that hot water would always be available in case the master wanted to use it at any time, also if the servants who were on duty get some free time outside of doing their errands, they could come there to loosen up and ask for a sip of hot water to keep warm, so when Su Jin said “inside”, this was the place he meant.

Of course, Hui Ming knew this place, the reason why she didn’t go was because she felt that the effort to stay there was unnecessary in just a short time, it was also because it was always a place where people talked and passed on gossip, she didn’t come to look for Su-gonggong while she was on duty so it’ll be inevitable that others would gossip behind their backs when they saw this.

Palace maids being in a relationship in the end was not something honorable, although she didn’t care about this undeserved reputation now, but since Su-gonggong wasn’t that kind of person, she was unwilling for such a thing to spread and smear his clean name.

After Su-gonggong spoke, he likewise saw the misgivings on Hui Ming’s face and his expression became stifled, he slightly looked down, the original slight joy he felt gradually fading away, his voice also changed to the calmness of an ancient well: “But is something the matter?”

“There is nothing, it’s just Yuan Bao sent the charcoal fire just now, so I came to thank Gonggong for your concern.”

Hearing these words, Su Jin’s eyes grew more downcast and didn’t even say anything, just slightly nodded his head.

Perhaps it was that Steward Su still had his prestige, so even after she had come back, Hui Ming couldn’t help but straighten up in front of the young Su-gonggong, and her original words of concern therefore had an additional bit of respect and caution for a superior: “I heard Yuan Bao say that you have been too busy to even take care of your meal these days, although doing one’s duty is important, Gonggong shouldn’t work too hard, lest your body suffer a loss.”

Su Jin’s expression didn’t change, his delicate back remained upright with his tone still flat: “Alright, then I’m busy here, so I won’t bother you later in the evening.”

Hui Ming heard this and it made her pause, when she was just on the way there, she was still thinking of waiting for Su-gonggong to see her again in the evening, then she would use the name of gratitude to ease her attitude, wait and get to know Su-gonggong more so she could better slowly inquire about Rui-wang.

But now that Su-gonggong said he was busy with things, Hui Ming naturally couldn’t say anything, so she bowed and took her leave as not to delay Su-gonggong’s work anymore.

Su Jin slightly nodded and with a deep gaze he watched her go around the corridor step by step until she had walked in front of the stairs, then when she was about to step out of the corridor, this was the only time he saw the color of the sky outside.

“Wait a minute.”

Hearing the sound, Hui Ming turned her head, she was already a long way off and she couldn’t clearly see the other person’s expression under the rustle of the blowing snow, but his flute like low voice was still as dull without any emotion in them at all: “You stay, I’ll call Yuan Bao to bring an umbrella.”

===========================

The author has something to say:

Small theater — — really fragrant4

Su-gonggong: Understood, saying this much, isn’t it that you just don’t want me to come find you this evening, then I won’t go, this dignified chief eunuch attends to numerous affairs, who has the time to deal with you!

Three seconds later…

Su-gonggong: Ai it’s such a cold day, bring your umbrella with you! Please read at insidethemirror. DO NOT REPOST.

TRANSLATOR’S NOTES:

1. 官奴: slave that came from families who were convicted and punished to servanthood ↩

2. 不知天高地: an exaggerated opinion of one’s own abilities ↩

3. 两刻钟: 30 minutes ↩

4. 真香: used to describe someone doing something that he or she had previously sworn never to do. ↩

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

Chapter 2 – Title – Chapter 4

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

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(❤ω❤)

I do not own any of the novels translated in this website. All credits go to their respective author/s.

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