Volume 1, Chapter 9: Zhao Ye Grows Jealous and Deliberately Entices Xiangzhu to Plead for Mercy
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Zhao Ye looked closely and saw that it was the same palace maid who always spoke to him with a stern face, never smiling—Xiangzhu, the one whose expression never softened even when the smallest eunuch could break into a grin.
Sure enough, she was the one who didn’t understand proper decorum!
A wave of irritation rose within Zhao Ye’s heart.
He wanted to close the window, to avoid seeing and thus avoid annoyance, but his hand, gripping the frame, froze.
That young eunuch looked unfamiliar—why was Xiangzhu with him?
What had they said to each other? Why was this cold-hearted one smiling so beautifully?
Their direction of return seemed quite secluded.
Where had they just been?
A fire seemed to burn in Zhao Ye’s heart. Because of the incident at noon, he did not want to return to the Xiefang Palace so early, so he stayed in the library to read for a while longer.
Unexpectedly, that little palace maid once again intruded into his sight, disturbing the calm lake of his mind.
Fine, then he would go back and see what new tricks she had conjured.
Xiefang Palace had three kitchens—in the front, middle, and rear courtyards respectively.
Xiangzhu occasionally managed to have a meal in the middle courtyard’s kitchen, but more often she ate in the rear kitchen, waiting for the masters to finish their meals and their chores to end before she could take her turn.
A palace maid like Shuangling, effective in serving her master, had other maids to deliver her meal boxes.
Under the corridor outside the front kitchen courtyard, several young palace attendants were gathered, eating cakes and chatting idly.
Xiangzhu did not disturb them but led Liangcai to circle around a small path to the kitchen’s back door.
“Sister, why are you so late today? Luckily there’s still some porridge in the pot. I’ll help you serve it,” said the kitchen eunuch, Xiao Muzi, cheerfully as he scooped some rice.
His eyes glanced and caught sight of Liangcai.
“Oh, this eunuch looks unfamiliar—is he newly assigned here at Xiefang Palace?”
Xiangzhu replied, “He’s on duty at the Imperial Household Department. Eunuch Fuyun sent him to assist me, which delayed our meal time, so we came together.”
“Xiao Muzi, give this bowl of porridge to Eunuch Liangcai, and spare me a piece of cake, will you?”
“Look at what you say, how could we let sister’s porridge go to waste?”
Xiao Muzi’s mouth was sweet and his hands nimble; soon he had served another bowl of porridge in front of Liangcai.
The two found a spot to sit and quickly ate.
Xiao Muzi also brought a small plate of wild vegetables to the table. As he turned to leave, voices of several palace women came from outside the window.
“Why did Miss Ouyang ask Xiangzhu if she wanted to serve the Fourth Prince closely?”
“Shuangling is at the blossoming age; it’s natural for the Fourth Prince to fancy her. But how old is Xiangzhu? Could Miss Ouyang be deliberately humiliating her?”
Someone laughed, “If you ask me, Xiangzhu probably feels she’s nearing the age to leave the palace and doesn’t want to suffer outside. Seeing Shuangling with a good match, she’s likely tempted to climb onto the Fourth Prince’s favor.”
The palace women under the corridor whispered and gossiped, turning the noon incident where Xiangzhu carefully arranged the meal into a story that she was actively trying to seduce the Fourth Prince and was shamefully exposed by Ouyang Yanwan.
Xiao Muzi thought silently that these people were careless to speak such idle gossip where the subject could hear it.
He stepped out to remind them but from afar saw under the thick ginkgo tree at the courtyard gate a tall figure in a deep blue brocade robe.
It was none other than the Fourth Prince, Zhao Ye.
Xiao Muzi’s legs went weak, and he knelt immediately on the corridor floor.
He was grateful he hadn’t spoken out earlier, lest he disturbed the Fourth Prince’s eavesdropping—a sin he could hardly forgive.
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Liangcai was very upset and wanted to go out to silence those palace women, but he knew he could not cause trouble for Sister Xiangzhu.
He quietly observed Xiangzhu’s expression, seeing her eat naturally, which eased his heart somewhat.
“No matter what others say, I believe Sister has no intention of clinging to the Fourth Prince. She truly wishes to leave the palace and live freely.”
Xiangzhu smiled and changed the subject, “With such rumors circulating, it won’t hurt to have you respond when you return, right?”
“Sister, I... I...” Liangcai’s face flushed and paled repeatedly.
Fear flickered in his eyes.
Sister had guessed that Eunuch Fuyun sent him to serve her, but he was truly useless...
Yet when words came to his lips, he found no way to explain. His silver tongue, honed over the years, faltered miserably under Xiangzhu’s words, stammering and unclear.
“Don’t worry,” Xiangzhu whispered resignedly, “Eunuch Fuyun will surely ask you when you return, and he will believe your explanation.”
She considered herself familiar with Eunuch Fuyun, and Fuyun likewise knew her well.
Since Xiefang Palace had already heard that Ouyang Yanwan wanted to help the Fourth Prince bring Xiangzhu into his quarters, it was only reasonable that Xiangzhu would rather be sent to the Cold Palace than remain there—thus her desire to move away made sense.
Seeing Xiangzhu truly unruffled, Liangcai relaxed and recovered his spirits.
“I’m full. Let’s go pack.”
“Pack? Where to?”
An untimely voice sounded.
Xiangzhu suddenly raised her eyes and saw, indeed, Zhao Ye.
She did not pause to wonder why he was here or how much he had overheard; he was already kneeling on the ground.
“Greetings, Fourth Prince.”
Zhao Ye’s tone was indifferent: “Must I ask again?”
Xiangzhu straightened slightly but kept her head lowered, replying, “My lord, I have been reassigned to serve in another palace and must move to a new residence.”
Zhao Ye narrowed his eyes.
This little palace maid was sly—she answered, but he could not get a single word on where she was moving to.
Since that was the case...
Zhao Ye asked Liangcai, “This young eunuch looks unfamiliar. Where are you assigned, and why come to Xiefang Palace?”
“I serve at the Imperial Household Department,” Liangcai replied.
“Look up.”
Lowering his gaze, Liangcai raised his head but dared not meet Zhao Ye’s eyes directly.
“You have a decent appearance and are not old. I like those clean and clever. Don’t go back to the Household Department; serve by my side instead.”
Zhao Ye’s words were so unexpected that Liangcai could not help but look at him.
One glance, and Liangcai was terrified, collapsing to the ground with his forehead pressed to the floor, speechless for a long time.
It was said the Fourth Prince was a gentle gentleman, treating others kindly and rarely harsh to servants.
Yet from the smiling eyes of the Fourth Prince, Liangcai glimpsed a trace of coldness.
Had he misread it?
“What’s wrong? Is it hard to serve by my side?”
Zhao Ye’s calm tone concealed anger.
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Because of his unique physical condition, Zhao Ye had endured much from childhood, but today he could not suppress the anger in his heart, provoked repeatedly by Xiangzhu and those around her—something he shouldn’t have allowed.
“Your Highness, forgive me. I was too excited and momentarily stunned. Thank you, Your Highness. I will serve loyally and diligently from now on.”
“Very well. Rise.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
Liangcai stood up respectfully and approached Zhao Ye.
Out of the corner of his eye, Zhao Ye saw Xiangzhu still kneeling and deliberately said, “You may rise as well.”
“Since Liangcai is now with me, there’s no reason for him to serve you. If you need help, you can request someone from the Household Department.”
Zhao Ye’s voice softened slightly as his fingers curled trembling behind his back.
“I will remember your words, Your Highness, and dare not use anyone from your presence.”
Xiangzhu replied before rising.
Zhao Ye regretted his softness when he saw Xiangzhu’s stubbornness and quickly turned away, his blue brocade robe swaying.
Liangcai looked at Xiangzhu with concern.
Xiangzhu reassured him with her eyes, and Liangcai hurried after Zhao Ye, who was nearly out of the courtyard.
After the Fourth Prince left, the other kitchen servants dared to rise.
Those who had gossiped about Xiangzhu dared not meet her gaze, shrinking into corners like frightened quails. It was unclear how much Xiangzhu had heard.
“Sister Xiangzhu is moving away from Xiefang Palace?”
Xiao Muzi stepped forward, “Do you have many things? Let me help you move.”
Seeing that the palace would soon lock its doors for the night, Xiangzhu sighed, “It’s too late today. I’ll move tomorrow when the gates open. I’ll borrow a cart from you then.”
“Sure, no need to borrow a cart—borrowing people is fine too.”
Xiao Muzi smiled brightly.
Xiangzhu ignored the other palace maids and left the kitchen for her room.
After closing the door, Xiangzhu finally had time to ponder Zhao Ye suddenly assigning Liangcai to serve him.
The Fourth Prince was a good master. Xiangzhu believed Liangcai would live more comfortably serving him than at the Household Department.
The Fourth Prince would soon be granted a princely title, and after the Crown Prince ascended...
Xiangzhu stopped herself from such rebellious thoughts.
Actually, she should be glad that Liangcai had found a good place, but for some reason, unease lingered in her heart.
Xiangzhu was not especially close to Liangcai; it was only because of his pure-hearted desire to repay kindness that she had grown concerned for him in their brief time together.
She trusted the Fourth Prince was not one to trouble a young eunuch without reason.
Since she would stay another night, Xiangzhu took fresh clothes from her trunk, preparing for a bath.
Just as she returned from the large bathhouse carrying a wooden basin and had not yet entered her room, Shuangling anxiously came running.
“Xiangzhu, you must hurry! The master ordered someone to drag Liangcai into the courtyard to be beaten. If they delay any longer, the rods will fall on him!”