The sedan lifted off the ground. Sitting inside, Xie Changfeng felt a sense of unreality. He had only entered the Eastern Palace after the selection in mid-April of this year. Before his marriage, he had naturally been a young man in love, often imagining how heroic and valiant the Crown Princess must be. However, once he entered the Eastern Palace, he realized that the Crown Princess was not someone of his status, someone he could just see whenever he wanted. It was still spring when he moved into Chengguang Pavilion, but now it was already autumn.
As his thoughts raced, the sedan stopped in front of Guangming Hall. Xie Changfeng was helped down from the sedan by his attendants. When he pushed the door open and walked in, Ling Shumo was leaning against the bed with her eyes narrowed. She heard a noise near the door and casually pulled a booklet from the bedside table and stuffed it into Xie Changfeng's arms.
Xie Changfeng wanted to take the booklet. He was waiting for Ling Shumo's next instruction, but Ling Shumo was already lying on the bed with her eyes closed.
Xie Changfeng flipped open the booklet and was surprised to discover that it was a love story between a poor scholar and the prime minister's son. He had vaguely guessed that the princess had summoned him to study, but after reading the contents, his almost certainty wavered. How could the princess possibly enjoy hearing such a story?
Shi Qi coughed lightly and reminded quietly, "Start reading. Once His Highness falls asleep, you can come out."
Xie Changfeng quickly put aside the distracting thoughts in his mind and lowered his head to look at the first page of the booklet.
To help Ling Shumo fall asleep quickly, only one candle was burning in the room. The light was so dim that Xie Changfeng almost had to press the entire booklet against his face to see the words clearly.
A gentle male voice soon sounded from the bedside. Ling Shumo's breathing became steady after she had just heard the beginning of a story.
Xie Changfeng closed the book in his hands and gently placed it on the bedside table, fearing to wake Ling Shumo. Since entering the room, his attention had been fixed on the book, so he hadn't even seen Ling Shumo's face clearly. He was extremely curious about what the princess looked like, and just as he was considering whether to sneak up on Ling Shumo's face for a closer look, he heard subtle footsteps behind him. Xie Changfeng turned around and saw Shi Qi raise his hand and extinguish the only candle in the room.
Xie Changfeng didn't dare to have any other thoughts. He hurriedly followed Shi Qi and left the inner room in the dark.
That night, he rested on the small couch where the night watchman rested. He closed his eyes, but his mind was in a turmoil, and he didn't feel sleepy at all. His mother, an honest official, had fallen ill and couldn't even afford her own medical treatment. The one thousand taels of silver in medical expenses weighed like a heavy stone on his heart, making even the simplest breath feel heavy.
But whether he sleeps or not, time will continue to flow at its original speed.
The moon disappeared into the night sky.
The morning glow filled the sky little by little.
There was a sound of someone turning over in the inner room. Xie Changfeng hurriedly put on his shoes and was about to go in to help Ling Shumo wash up, but was stopped by a round-faced servant. "It's almost time for the morning court. You are not familiar with the habits of the princess. Let me help her dress and wash up."
After the round-faced attendant finished speaking, he didn't care about Xie Changfeng's reaction and just lifted the curtain and walked in.
The round-faced attendant was called Bohe, and he was Ling Shumo's personal attendant. If Ling Shumo summoned the servants from the Eastern Palace's backyard to sleep with her, the backyard masters would naturally serve Ling Shumo, allowing Bohe to rest and relax. But he clearly didn't want to, and someone else took over the job of serving Her Highness. The opportunity to appear before Her Highness was something that no amount of money could buy.
It wasn't until Ling Shumo was served by Bohe that Xie Changfeng realized something was amiss. Bohe had just smiled at him, seemingly trying to help him, but her real purpose was to replace him and serve the princess.
But by the time he figured it out, it was too late. Ling Shumo hurriedly ate breakfast and packed up before heading back to the palace.
Ling Shumo had already left, so Xie Changfeng couldn't possibly stay in Guangming Hall by himself. He had come here in a sedan chair, but he had to walk back to Chengguang Pavilion.
When Xie Changfeng pushed open the door to the east courtyard, the five young masters in the room, led by Xiwu, all looked at him.
Xiwu stood up from the stool, walked a few steps to the door, and leaned out half of his body to look out. After confirming that Xie Changfeng had returned on his own, he mocked him without hesitation, "Xie Changfeng, you're really something. You went to Guangming Palace and didn't even get a position as a sixth-rank servant, and you came back so disgraced. Even I feel ashamed for you."
If you ask me, since you have this opportunity, it is useless. You might as well let me go last night.
If it was me who went to Guangming Palace to serve Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess yesterday, I might have become the master and moved into my own palace now.
When I become the master, I will be merciful and appoint you as a servant in my palace. You can also benefit from my influence and move out of this unlucky place in the East Wing Courtyard."
When Xiwu finished speaking, everyone in the room burst into laughter.
Xie Changfeng clenched his fists, unable to utter a single word of rebuttal. If he had indeed slept with the princess yesterday, the person in charge of recording the affairs of the Eastern Palace would have asked Her Highness the Princess for a position. But at best, he had been summoned and spoken to yesterday; it didn't even count as true service to Her Highness. Her Highness was so preoccupied with her affairs that she had long forgotten about him. How could anyone care about his life or death?
He had gone to Guangming Palace once, and now he was sent back in one piece. His future in the East Wing Courtyard would be even more difficult. Xie Changfeng deeply regretted not having been more clever this morning and shown his face to Her Highness the Princess. But even if he regretted it now, it was no use.
Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess asked someone to read the storybook yesterday, which was just an accident. He probably won't have a second chance to see Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess in his life.
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