Chapter 8: The Hardship of Washing Clothes, and the First Appearance of an Old Friend
The moment the laundry room door opened, a damp, musty smell, tinged with chill, mingled with the astringent aroma of soapy water, choked the air. In the yard, a dozen bluestone washboards stood side by side, each piled high with laundry, from silks and satins to coarse linen. The piles resembled small mountains of various colors, leaving little room for even a foothold.
Yun Zhi carried a large basin of cold water fresh from the well and walked unsteadily to her washing table. The water was icy cold, and the moment it touched her fingertips, she shivered. The wound on her hand felt like being pricked by needles, and the pain made her fingertips numb.
This was her seventh day in the laundry room. Every day, she had to get up before dawn to fetch water, chop wood, and wash clothes. She wouldn't return to the drafty laundry room until late at night, her body feeling heavy as a lead. The housekeeper disliked her and always assigned her the heaviest work. While others washed three basins of clothes, she had to wash five. Others used tepid water, but she had to use freezing well water—euphemistically saying, "Sinners should suffer a little to learn their lesson."
Her hands had long been a mess. Her once slender fingers were now swollen like carrots, and deep gashes oozing blood from her knuckles. Some had festering and formed thick scabs. Every time she rubbed clothes, the rough fabric rubbed against the wounds, causing her to sweat profusely. But she dared not stop—if she did, Mammy's whip would lash her back mercilessly.
"Yunzhi! What are you dawdling for? If you ruin this prince's python-patterned robe while washing it, you won't be able to pay for it even with your ten lives!" The housekeeper's sharp voice came from the side, and the whip in her hand slapped the ground. Yunzhi shivered in fear, and the soap nut in her hand fell to the ground.
She bent down hastily to pick it up, but just as her fingertips touched the soapberry, she slipped on the water stains on the ground and fell heavily onto the bluestone slab. The cold water in the basin splashed all over her, and the cold cloth stuck to her body, making her teeth chatter and causing the old wound on her back to ache.
"Useless thing! You can't even hold a basin of water!" The nanny walked over quickly and raised her hand to hit him.
Yun Zhi subconsciously closed her eyes, but the expected pain didn't subside. Puzzled, she opened them and saw a man in a long, cyan robe standing before Mammy. He was tall and straight, with a gentle face. He was holding a medicine box, and his eyes held a hint of gentle distance.
"Madam, calm down." The man's voice was as clear and melodious as a spring stream. "It's just a small matter. Why get so angry? If you hurt someone, you'll only end up delaying your laundry."
The nanny's originally ferocious face instantly changed into a flattering smile when she saw the man, and even her voice softened: "It turns out to be Doctor Xie! Why are you here?"
Thank you, doctor?
Yun Zhi's heart skipped a beat. She raised her head and carefully looked at the man in front of her - he had gentle eyebrows, a high nose bridge, and a faint smile always on the corner of his mouth. Although he was more mature than she remembered, his gentle temperament was exactly the same as the brother from the Xie family whom she had met in the Taifu Mansion when she was a child!
Xie Heng, a judge at the Imperial Hospital, was a longtime doctor in the Xie family. When her father was still alive, Xie Heng had often come to the Imperial Tutor's residence to check her grandfather's pulse, and they had even flown kites together in the garden. Later, something happened at the Imperial Tutor's residence, and she hadn't seen him since. She hadn't expected to meet him again on such an occasion.
Xie Heng's gaze fell on Yun Zhi, first sweeping across her wet clothes, then falling on her festering hands. His eyes changed instantly - shock, heartache, and a hint of disbelief, like a stone thrown into a calm lake, causing ripples.
He obviously recognized her too.
"I'm here to check the pulse of the old nanny in the mansion. I was passing by and heard the noise, so I came to take a look." Xie Heng quickly calmed down, his tone still gentle, but he stood between Yun Zhi and the nanny without leaving any trace. "This girl looks very weak. If you don't mind, why don't you let her rest for a while? I can check her hand. If the wound gets infected, it will be troublesome."
How could the nanny dare not give Xie Heng face? The Imperial Hospital Chief is someone close to the Emperor, and even the Prince has to give him some face. How could she, a mere housekeeper, dare to offend him? She quickly smiled and nodded: "Thank you very much for your concern! I'll let her rest for a while, you can keep watching!"
Xie Heng nodded slightly, turned around and helped Yun Zhi up. When his fingers touched her arm, he deliberately used less force, fearing that he would hurt her. Yun Zhi's body stiffened for a moment, and she subconsciously tried to move away, but he gently pressed her shoulder.
"Come with me," he whispered, a barely perceptible soothing tone in his voice. "Let's go to the woodshed next door. I'll take care of your wound."
Yun Zhi didn't say anything, just nodded and followed him into the woodshed next door. The woodshed was filled with dry firewood. The light was a little dim, but warmer than outside. Xie Heng asked her to sit on a pile of dry firewood, opened the medicine box, and took out a bottle of ointment and a piece of clean gauze.
"Put your hand out," he whispered.
Yun Zhi hesitated for a moment, then slowly extended her hands. Her hands were badly swollen, and the wounds were stained with soapy water and fabric fibers, looking horrible. Xie Heng's eyes fell on her hands, his brows furrowed tightly, and his fingers gently touched her wounds, his movements as light as a feather.
"Does it hurt?" he asked, with a hint of heartache in his voice.
Yun Zhi shook her head, her voice a little hoarse: "It doesn't hurt."
How could it not hurt? Every time she washed clothes, the wound would be soaked in cold water and rubbed against the fabric, causing her sleepless nights. But she had gotten used to it, used to hiding the pain, used to not showing weakness to anyone.
Xie Heng didn't expose her. He simply picked up a clean cotton cloth, dipped it in warm water, and carefully wiped the stains off her hands. The warm water touched the wound, bringing a slight sting, but more of a long-lost warmth, making Yun Zhi's eyes inexplicably hot.
"When the incident happened at the Imperial Tutor's Mansion, I was practicing medicine outside. When I returned, it was too late." Xie Heng murmured as he wiped his wounds, with a hint of guilt in his tone. "I've been looking for you for a long time, but there has been no news of you. I didn't expect... you to be in Prince Duan's Mansion."
When Yun Zhi mentioned the Grand Tutor's Mansion, her body stiffened again, and the light in her eyes dimmed: "It's all in the past."
Xie Heng glanced at her and didn't mention the past anymore, simply focusing on tending to her wound. He first gently applied the ointment to her wound, which had a refreshing minty scent. The burning pain instantly felt much better after it was applied. Then he carefully bandaged her hand with gauze, his movements gentle and skillful.
"This ointment is specially made by the Imperial Hospital. It's very effective for treating external injuries. Remember to apply it once a day." He handed her the bottle of ointment and took out a small bag of cakes from the medicine box. "I brought this from home. Take it and eat some when you're hungry."
Yun Zhi looked at the ointment and pastries he handed over, and a warm feeling welled up in her heart. Since the incident at the Taifu Mansion, apart from her mother's last words of advice, she hadn't felt such warmth for a long time. She raised her head and looked into Xie Heng's gentle eyes. Her lips moved, wanting to say "thank you", but she didn't know how to start.
"You're welcome." Xie Heng seemed to see her embarrassment and smiled. "Back in the Taifu Mansion, you helped me pick up the kite. This little thing is nothing."
When Yun Zhi mentioned kites, a scene flashed through her mind—a spring day in a garden, she and Xie Heng were flying a kite together. The string snapped, and she ran to pick it up, accidentally falling. Xie Heng quickly ran over to help her up, even offering her a piece of candy to comfort her. Those days were so carefree.
She couldn't help but let the tears well up in her eyes, and she quickly lowered her head so that Xie Heng wouldn't see.
"I should go now. If I don't leave now, Madam will get suspicious." Xie Heng stood up, sorted out his medicine box, and then reminded him, "Take care of yourself here and don't put yourself in a difficult position. If anything happens, find a way to send me a message and I'll do my best to help you."
Yun Zhi raised her head, looked at him, and nodded vigorously: "Thank you, Brother Xie."
Xie Heng smiled, turned around and walked out of the woodshed. When he reached the door, he looked back at her again, with a hint of worry in his eyes, and then left quickly.
Yun Zhi sat in the woodshed, clutching the bottle of ointment and the package of pastries tightly in her hands. The ointment still lingered, and the sweet aroma of the pastries wafted through the oil-paper wrapping and filled her nose. She looked at her bandaged hand, feeling the coolness of the wound. Finally, tears welled up in her eyes, falling onto the back of her hand, bringing a touch of warmth to her.
This was the first time she had felt warmth from a stranger in all the time she had been at Prince Duan's mansion. It wasn't Xiao Jin's indifference, nor Lin Wanru's harassment, nor Su Yurou's calculations, but a pure, unbiased concern.
It was like a ray of light that suddenly shone into her gloomy life, allowing her to finally feel a touch of warmth in the endless cold and despair.
She carefully placed the ointment and cakes in her arms and wrapped them tightly in her clothes, fearing they would be discovered. Then she stood up and walked out of the woodshed. The housekeeper was still outside supervising the other maids doing the laundry. When she saw her come out, she just glared at her and didn't bother her anymore.
Yun Zhi returned to her scrubbing table and picked up the python-patterned robe again. Although her hands still hurt, the ointment had eased the pain considerably, and she felt a sense of security. She lowered her head and scrubbed the clothes carefully, her movements slower than before, but more determined.
She knew that her life would be hard in Prince Duan's mansion, and she would encounter many difficulties and humiliations. But she was no longer alone. At least Xie Heng remembered her and cared about her.
This warmth, like a seed, took root in her heart. She believed that as long as she lived well and did not give up, one day this seed would sprout and bloom, leading her out of this dark quagmire.
As the sun set, golden afterglow streamed through the laundry room window, falling on Yun Zhi, casting a faint golden glow over her frail figure. She lowered her head, scrubbing the clothes diligently, a faint smile playing at the corner of her mouth. The teardrop mole at the corner of her eye, shone faintly but resolutely in the afterglow.
At night, Yun Zhi returned to the servants' quarters. She closed the door, pulled the package of cakes from her bosom, and carefully unwrapped the oil-paper. Inside were several pieces of delicate osmanthus cakes, still carrying a faint fragrance. She picked up a piece and put it in her mouth. The sweet fragrance instantly filled her mouth and sweetened her heart.
Then she took out the bottle of ointment, carefully unwrapped the gauze, and reapplied a layer of ointment to the wound. The cool feeling of the ointment penetrated her skin, and her tense body gradually relaxed.
She lay in bed, looking at the moon outside the window, her heart filled with an unprecedented peace. She knew that new sufferings would be waiting for her tomorrow, but she was no longer afraid.
Because there was already a glimmer of light in her heart, a glimmer of light that was enough to support her to move forward.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
