Chapter 344: My Old Face Gets Hot

The night inside the palace walls seemed a little darker than outside.

Liu Suxin did not settle down. She just wore a plain middle-colored dress and sat quietly on the couch by the window, staring at the swaying shadows of the trees in the courtyard in a trance.

Although the living quarters of the Shangyi Bureau's Si Zan were not luxurious, they were elegant and respectable in every way.

The beech furniture was polished to a warm and shiny finish, and the window frames were covered with plain white mica paper.

There is a low couch by the window, covered with a blue-gray gauze cushion.

Against the wall is a treasure chest, displaying several volumes of books, a Duan inkstone and some exquisite cultural relics.

The whole house was meticulously tidy and spotless.

The plain gauze palace lantern on the table, which had not been extinguished, was emitting a warm yellow light.

Tap, tap, tap.

Three soft but clear knocks on the door broke the silence in the room.

Liu Suxin was instantly pulled out of her thoughts and did not show any panic.

The movement of getting up was quick and steady, with a leisurely rhythm that had been trained over the years.

When he reached the door, he was a little surprised to see the visitor.

He lowered his head and saluted with his arms crossed, the height of his arms raised and the position of his fingers interlaced being meticulous:

"Your humble servant Liu Suxin greets Yu Shangyi."

His back was straight as a pine tree, his posture respectful but not humble.

Standing outside the door was her immediate superior, the head of the Shangyi Bureau, Yu Jingheng, a fifth-rank Shangyi official.

She was a little older, with a dignified face. She was wearing a dark blue palace dress, her hair was neatly combed, and she only wore a plain silver hairpin in her hair.

She nodded slightly, and after returning the greeting, a hint of helpless smile flashed across her eyes.

His shoulders relaxed slightly, and a familiar and intimate expression appeared on his face as he said angrily:

"You, you value etiquette the most. We've worked together in the Shangyi Bureau for a lifetime. Why should you be so formal and rigid in private?"

As she spoke, she walked into the house naturally.

A faint smile spread across Liu Suxin's lips, and her movements became less rigid. She said softly, "Then I'll listen to you, elder sister."

Following the invitation, Yu Jingheng sat down beside the couch and gently rubbed his brows:

“I have trouble sleeping at night, and my heart is always restless.

Thinking that my sister's soothing tea is the most soothing, I shamelessly came to ask for a cup."

"Sister, you've come at the right time. Just sit for a while."

Liu Suxin responded and turned to walk towards the tea table in the corner.

Take a celadon tea grinder, grind the prepared tranquilizing herbs into powder, and then measure the tea powder and pour it into the rabbit-hair cup.

During the preparation process, the water in the copper pot simmering on the small red clay stove first rolled like crab eyes and then became dense like fish scales, which seemed just right.

With the wrist hovering, water is poured into the cup and flows like a thread.

Pour a small amount first and stir quickly with a silver spoon to form a delicate cloud foot.

When the cloud foot begins to solidify, slowly pour boiling water along the wall of the cup, while using the spoon to flick it lightly and forcefully with your wrist, making the movements fast but not chaotic.

The tea soup gradually began to ooze with rich, white tea foam, like piles of clouds and snow.

Finally, he took the celadon cup holder and placed the ordered tea in front of Yu Jingheng.

Yu Jingheng took the teacup, first looked at its color, then smelled its fragrance, and finally took a sip.

The warm tea slid down my throat, bringing with it the fragrance of herbs and a hint of bitterness, which really soothed my mind.

She sighed contentedly, "Sister Liu's tea is still the best. No one else can learn to brew it at the right temperature and with the right balance."

Liu Suxin smiled lightly: "What's the big deal? Sister, come whenever you want to drink."

A cup of tea, the warmth dispels the night chill, and also seems to bring people closer together.

Yu Jingheng put down the teacup, his tone filled with sincere concern:

"Sister, you've been out of the palace for a while and stayed at the Sixth Princess's residence. Why don't you take this opportunity to stay?"

Liu Suxin sighed softly upon hearing this, a trace of sadness appeared between her brows.

"Old sister, you know that... I was young and impulsive back then, and I offended His Highness..."

The past is too painful to recall, and she doesn't want to talk about it.

Yu Jingheng said gently, "But now the Sixth Princess has grown up, and I heard she got two serious jobs in succession.

What's even more rare is that he was rewarded by His Majesty's Qingluan Guard, a unique favor among all the royal heirs.

What else are you dissatisfied with? Isn't it more relaxing to stay at home than in the palace?"

"Oh my dear sister, please stop saying that!

I am not a well-known figure, how can I have the nerve to talk about whether I am satisfied or not?"

Liu Suxin smiled bitterly and shook her head, then paused and lowered her voice.

"To be honest, I do want to do that, but I'd have to ask His Highness the Sixth Prince to spare my old face.

Do you want me to beg you shamelessly? I've already ruined the little bit of friendship we had back then, how can it be enough?"

Yu Jingheng stared at her and asked tentatively, "You've been here for a while, is there no room for improvement?"

“The maids in the mansion were very polite and treated me very attentively.

It’s just that my job is to teach etiquette, but the Sixth Prince hates these empty formalities the most.”

"Are you talking about that Miss Sui Mo? She was born into the Imperial Blue Luan Guard, so naturally she's extremely polite..."

The topic seemed to naturally turn to this former imperial guard.

The two chatted for a while longer, and after a cup of tea, Yu Jingheng stood up and said goodbye.

Liu Suxin respectfully escorted her to the door, watched her figure disappear in the night corridor, and then gently closed the door.

He turned around and went back to the house to pack up the tea set. The gentle smile on his face had long since disappeared.

His eyes were as calm as water, even with a barely perceptible sharpness.

She and Yu Jingheng have worked together in the Shangyi Bureau for many years. They have always kept to themselves and maintained the proper respect between superiors and subordinates.

It is normal for my boss to ask me about my work when I return to the palace this time.

But discussing private matters of the royal heir's residence like just now, even vaguely touching on the royal heir's temperament and the people in the residence...

This has violated the big taboo in the palace!

It was inevitable that the palace people would talk about it in private, but Liu Suxin asked herself whether her relationship with the other party was close enough for them to be open and frank.

Yu Jingheng is one of the two fifth-rank officials of the Shangyi Bureau, and commands four subordinates.

The Secretary of Records is in charge of teaching classics and writing papers;

The Music Department is in charge of music matters;

Sibin is in charge of the audience with guests and the rewards for banquets;

As Si Zan, she was in charge of the palace's enthronement and sacrificial rituals, and guided the palace ladies' behavior and speech.

Although his rank is one level lower, it can be seen from the assignment he is given that he holds an extraordinary status in the Shangyi Bureau.

She is the Si Zan chosen by His Majesty, and she comes from the Qiandi Palace, so there is some affinity between them.

Liu Suxin never thought of using her meager connections to climb the ladder. After working together for many years, Yu Shangyi should know that she did not have such ambitions, so there was no need to test her.

So what was the purpose of her seemingly casual chat tonight? Was it directed at the Sixth Princess?

Liu Su's mind raced as she carefully recalled the conversation just now.

Yu Shangyi specifically mentioned Miss Sui Mo, which seemed a little awkward, so...

What she really wanted to find out was why His Majesty made an exception to reward the Qingluan Guards?

But what does this have to do with a Shangyi who is in charge of the etiquette of the inner court?

Liu Suxin silently kept this doubt in mind.

The palace is deep and mysterious. There is no need to force yourself to understand many things. Just stay vigilant.

She put the cleaned tea sets back in their places one by one. After she finished tidying up, she felt a little tired and prepared to move forward.

Opening the closet door, his fingers unconsciously touched a set of neatly folded new clothes.

The material is the finest satin, and the color is a calm but not old-fashioned mauve.

Dark patterns woven with silver threads can be faintly seen, emitting a low-key luster under the light.

It has a cross collar, right lapel, wide sleeves, and the neckline and cuffs are trimmed with a circular pattern in the same color.

The stitching is fine and even, and the tailoring is fitting and dignified, showing status without losing decency.

Just before she left, the princess's mansion specially made new autumn clothes for her.

The fingertips felt the soft and slightly cool touch of the fabric, and Liu Suxin's mind drifted away with this touch.

After a lifetime of abiding by the rules, he finally experienced the long-lost comfort in the Sixth Princess's Mansion, a place without rules.

The Sixth Prince has a lively personality. He is not harsh on his servants and is even a little indulgent.

She had seen with her own eyes that there was a mentally retarded idiot in the mansion, and even the girl Sui Mo took good care of him.

What made her even more jaw-dropping was that she once saw the maid sitting at the same table with His Highness and eating together.

They talked, laughed, and joked during the meal, with no barriers between master and servant.

It would be fine if it was only for Miss Sui Mo and the others, after all, they were from the Qingluan Guard, so it was reasonable to win their hearts.

But maids like Taoyao and Yingnuo received the same treatment.

No matter what delicious food, drinks or fun things he gets, His Highness never forgets to share the rewards.

Sometimes they are leftovers from His Highness, and sometimes they are brand new.

When Liu Suxin was young, she felt that everything about this was against the rules and was simply inappropriate, but now looking at it again...

Everywhere in that mansion is filled with the fresh touch of humanity, a warmth that can never be seen within the deep palace walls.

Why……

Liu Suxin sighed softly, and her old face became hot for no reason.

I remembered that when I left, I deliberately only took one set of new clothes with me, and left the other set in the wardrobe at home...

How could this be considered forgetfulness? It was clearly a slight tentative thought, a hope that even he himself did not want to delve into.

She slammed the closet door shut, as if to shut out her chaotic thoughts.

Forget it, I don’t want to think about it anymore, just leave everything to fate.

Liu Suxin turned off the lights, lay on the bed, and kept her eyes open in the darkness.

I just don't know if my old bones still have that blessing...