Chu Fan turned his gaze towards Qiuya and the other palace maids. He asked with a hint of doubt in his tone, "Qiuya, are you palace maids really from other forces or families as Eunuch Li said?"
Qiu Ya replied respectfully, "Your Majesty, most of us do come from various factions or families. But please rest assured, Your Majesty, we all have absolute loyalty to you and the State of Wei."
Chu Fan couldn't help but blush when he heard Qiu Ya's answer. He initially thought that these palace maids were from poor families and were forced to be palace maids. So out of sympathy, Chu Fan allowed them to eat his leftovers.
However, now that he knew that these palace maids actually came from different forces or families, he realized that it seemed inappropriate to let them eat his leftovers. Was he being a little too bullying?
Chu Fan's thoughts were not surprising. On Blue Star, many palace dramas depicted eunuchs and palace maids who came from poor backgrounds and suffered all kinds of bullying and injustice. Therefore, in his subconscious, palace maids were seen as a vulnerable group that needed special care.
He was worried that they would not be able to enjoy the delicious meal, so he allowed them to eat his leftovers. However, he did not realize that all this was his own wishful thinking.
Chu Fan spoke slowly, a hint of apology in his tone: "You don't have to eat my leftovers anymore. It's my fault for not being considerate enough to take good care of you all this time, causing you to suffer unnecessarily."
Qiuya paused, massaging Chu Fan's legs, when she heard his words. The four palace maids, all filled with an indescribable sadness. Although they had received His Majesty's care and attention in the palace, they knew the strictness of its rules, and they dared not even dream of sharing a meal with His Majesty.
They even regarded the leftovers specially authorized by His Majesty as a rare gift, because they knew that even a prominent family like the Changsun family would feel extremely honored to have the honor of having dinner with His Majesty during the New Year, and the family's status would be significantly improved.
Many families and forces outside the palace would spend vast sums of money just to get a plate of His Majesty's leftovers, but such wishes were often difficult to fulfill. Now that Chu Fan no longer allowed them to enjoy these leftovers, they felt a deep sense of loss and regret.
Chu Fan noticed that Qiu Ya stopped massaging, and the four palace maids also showed a gloomy expression on their faces. He couldn't help feeling a little guilty and uneasy.
Chu Fan continued, "You can't blame me for letting you eat leftovers. I thought you were from poor families, but I didn't expect you to have such an extraordinary background. If I had known you were from other forces or wealthy families, I wouldn't have asked you to eat my leftovers. So you can't blame me for this."
Qiuya and the other four palace maids shook their heads at the same time when they heard this. Their reactions made Chu Fan even more confused. He didn't know what they were really thinking.
At this time, Hong Zhu spoke up, "Your Majesty, we are not upset because you have allowed us to eat the leftovers. On the contrary, deep down we are sad that we cannot eat your leftovers."
This answer made Chu Fan's face full of black lines. He found it unbelievable. How could there be a young lady who was proud of eating leftovers?
Chu Fan did not choose to explain too much at this time. He just sighed softly and said in a calm tone:
"Since you are all proud to taste the food I eat, from now on you will sit down and eat with me. This way, when Mu Xi and other women are not in the palace, I won't seem so lonely when I eat alone.
This way, you won’t feel awkward, and I won’t feel lonely. Even if Mu Xi and others come to the palace, we can still sit at the same table and eat together. This will not only enhance our mutual understanding but also deepen our relationship.”
At this moment, Hong Zhu's eyes flashed with an unconcealable joy, but she still adhered to the palace rules and responded softly, "Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty. However, I'm afraid this approach violates the palace rules. I'm afraid it's not appropriate to do so."
Chu Fan's expression turned serious, and he said firmly, "What I say is the rule. Can I even change the ancestral precepts, and would I care about a small rule in the palace? If anyone disagrees with this, then please stand up and tell me directly that I should step down. If no one dares to do so, then what I say is the imperial decree, and no one may disobey."
Chu Fan's domineering response shocked the four palace maids around him. They were deeply moved and in awe of Chu Fan. Their love for Chu Fan also became stronger.
Tears welled up in the eyes of Hong Zhu and the other palace maids. They responded in unison, "Your Highness, we will obey His Majesty's command."
Seeing their reactions, Chu Fan felt a little relieved. He whispered, "Since the matter has been decided, why don't you continue to massage me?"
Hearing that Chu Fan did not alienate them, Qiu Ya and the other palace maids felt warm in their hearts, and they began to gently massage Chu Fan again.
Chu Fan had no real concerns about whether Qiuya and the other maids would betray him and the imperial family. Given the power of Chu Yuanwu, the ancestor of the imperial family, even if these maids fled to the ends of the earth, they would be hunted down. Chu Fan believed that through his time with Qiuya and the others, he could sense their loyalty.
Chu Fan once again raised his question to Eunuch Li, speaking with a hint of curiosity and inquiry, "Your eunuchs aren't recruiting the sons of other factions or large families, are you? After all, your eunuchs have a special status. Those factions and families wouldn't be willing to sacrifice their children and force them to sever their earthly roots and become eunuchs, right?"
Eunuch Li replied respectfully, "Your Majesty is wise. Most eunuchs come from impoverished families. Most are orphans or those whose families can no longer support themselves, and are sent to the palace to seek a way out. Although they are of low status, they are loyal to Your Majesty and have no second thoughts."
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