Chu Yihan and Su Yingxueâs reconciliation in the early morning spread through the entire imperial palace like pigeons taking flight.
The eunuchs and palace maids in Su Yingxueâs quarters gathered with flushed faces, âI heard the emperor stayed with Her Majesty all night, not resting until the ugly hours.â
âUgly hours? I heard the empressâs voice at tomorrow at noon!â
âWhat did the empress say?â
âIt seemed like she was saying, âDonât wantâ¦'â
âEh~~~â
The palace maids and eunuchs blushed deeply, clearly getting the hint but too embarrassed to discuss it openly.
The little rascal was brought out early in the morning to sit at the palace gate and bask in the sun. Looking at the blushing faces below, he furrowed his brow and tugged at Shan Baoâs beard, âAh, they⦠strange!â
Shan Bao nudged his hand with his head as if to say: Tiger never understands human oddities.
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Heâs already exhausted dealing with a little brat; he couldnât care less about these strange palace folk!
Su Yingxue stayed in bed until the sun was high, and though Zhilan urged her countless times, she just responded lazily, âLet Her Majesty lie down a while longer, just a while longerâ¦â
Her delicate waist really couldnât take the torment, couldnât take it at all.
When Chu Yihan got up, she felt as if she were broken in bed.
âYour Majesty, several concubines have come to visit, and this maid has already turned them away several times. If Your Majesty doesnât get up, shall we keep them for lunch?â Zhilan tried her best to help Su Yingxue sit up, attempting to dress her.
However, Su Yingxue collapsed back onto the bed, her voice hoarse as she pointed outside, âDonât keep them! Let them go eat with Chu Yihan! Iâve been eaten to the bone by him, and now I have to deal with his women? Not happening! This old lady is going on strike!â
She didnât care for the title of empress!
All she wanted now was someone to rub her back, to stick a needle in her; otherwise, forget getting out of bedâshe was hurting even lying down.
Zhilan knew her temperament all too well and could only go out to inform Leng Shuqing and the others very politely and subtly, âThe empress is under the weather. This maid will need to fetch the court physician for the empress. Perhaps the rest of you should return to your palaces to wait.â
After standing all morning in vain, four out of the five women began to show a bit of temper.
Gui Ren expressed her complaints to Zhao Yi in a low voice, âIs the empress playing us for fools? An entire morning wasted for nothing! Donât they think we get tired too?â
Zhao Yi too felt a touch of grievance, âThe empress herself lingered in bed, why didnât she say so earlier and let us return to rest?â
âWhatâs the point of going back to rest? Itâs just as boring anyway.â Ru Fangyi breathed a sigh, looking as though she had seen through everything long ago.
Leng Shuqing was more composed and dignified than the rest. After a proper curtsy, she turned with a solemn look and admonished them, âIs it your place to gossip at the gate of Her Majestyâs palace?â
The three women who had spoken immediately bowed their heads, no longer daring to speak.
Leng Shuqing left before the others, but Zhilan, watching from behind, couldnât shake the feeling something was amiss.
On the surface, Leng Shuqing seemed to have stood up for Su Yingxue, but why did it look like the other threeâs expression showed they disliked Su Yingxue even more now?
Zhilanâs eyes held a trace of concern as she decided to make a trip to the Imperial Medical Academy.
This matter of pretense, she had to arrange a full set for Su Yingxue.
Su Yingxue remained in bed until the afternoon, forced to get up only by her hunger, but considering the court physician had come and gone for appearances, continuing to pretend to be ill seemed like a waste.
So she had Zhilan bring in a table, eating while sitting on the bed, planning to lie down again after finishing.