Chapter 237 World Ten (Eight)
The palace attendant had not expected that Chu Boyu would actually ask about the condition of a dancer. For a moment, he was at a loss for words and could only vaguely say, "Your Majesty personally gave her medicine for her injuries. I believe the dancer is now safe and sound."
Chu Boyu frowned slightly. He could clearly see the confusion on the palace attendant's face when he asked the question.
Chu Boyu thought about it carefully and realized that no one else would care about the safety of the precious fan.
Chu Boyu held the civet cat tightly in his arms and asked the palace servant to lead the way to visit the precious fan.
In the hall, everyone else had already gone to work, except Bao Shan, who, due to a leg injury, remained in her room to rest. Footsteps could be heard, a steady and powerful sound completely different from the woman's light steps. Bao Shan's beautiful eyes trembled slightly, and she slightly lifted the silk pants on her legs. From a distance, it looked like they had been accidentally rolled up by the brocade quilt.
Chu Boyu stopped, stopping the palace attendant from raising his hand to ask Bao Shan to perform the salute. He was standing by the window, and the sunlight poured down on Chu Boyu, making him look gentle.
"How are your injuries?"
Hearing the sound, Bao Shan trembled slightly, like a frightened bird. Her eyes widened and her voice was soft and timid: "It's all right. Your Majesty has been so kind as to give me the medicine, and I haven't thanked you yet."
Bao Shan sensed Chu Boyu's gaze, which had fallen on her injured calf. She quickly bent her legs, but the quilt suddenly slipped off, and the edge of her white silk pants rolled up, revealing a section of skin as smooth as jade.
But there was a slight flaw in the white jade, and there were mottled blue marks on the snow-white skin. Just by looking at this horrifying appearance, one could tell that Baoshan's words "nothing happened" were a lie.
Chu Boyu was puzzled, so he followed his heart and asked, "Are you afraid?"
Baoshan shook her head timidly, and her scattered hair also swayed with it.
Baoshan today is no longer as exquisitely made up and graceful as she was when she performed the dance that day.
Her hair was like clouds, her face was clean, without even a touch of rouge, but her beauty was still visible.
Unlike the softness on the high platform that makes people want to hug her, her graceful posture is captivating.
Although Baoshan claimed that he was not afraid, Chu Boyu could already see that Baoshan was afraid of him.
Except for the brief exchange of glances between Baoshan and him when they first entered the room, the two of them lowered their heads and hummed like mosquitoes, as if Chu Boyu were some kind of monster.
Chu Boyu found it strange. Although he was an emperor, Zhong Xianghan and General Zhong had said more than once that he was mild-mannered and could not intimidate his servants.
If the palace servants were allowed to choose for themselves, most would probably prefer to serve the good-tempered Chu Boyu, rather than living in fear in Empress Dowager Zhong's palace.
But Baoshan was afraid of him and didn't even dare to tell the truth.
While Chu Boyu was confused, strange thoughts emerged in his mind.
He was used to seeing all kinds of women, some were as strong and unbridled as Empress Dowager Zhong, and some were the court ladies intent on currying favor with him...
But no one was like Bao Shan, who was afraid of him the first time they met and was always cautious when interacting with him.
Chu Boyu deliberately lowered his voice: "Why are you afraid?"
When he exposed this fact, Bao Shan's face turned pale, and she dared not tell any more lies to deceive the emperor. Bao Shan's long eyelashes trembled, and she said softly, "I was born timid and was raised in the Imperial Music Bureau. Seeing the emperor's face for the first time, I couldn't help but feel... uneasy. Your Majesty—"
Baoshan raised her face, and the tip of her nose was red, like a ripe plum.
The tightened lotus root powder skirt made Baoshan look even thinner. She called out to Chu Boyu softly, her voice trembling.
"I shouldn't have lied to your majesty."
After saying this, Baoshan lifted the brocade quilt and was about to stand up to apologize to Chu Boyu.
The lotus-pink top and white silk pants clearly outlined the ups and downs of her body. It was the first time that Chu Boyu saw such a scene. His eyes froze for a moment, and he quickly turned away.
But just as Baoshan's legs touched the ground, she cried out and fell down. Chu Boyu stretched out his arms and embraced her.
It is an indescribable softness, as if even if all the skilled embroiderers in the world were gathered together, they would not be able to imitate the same softness.
Chu Boyu half-hugged the precious fan, his palms resting on the fan's waist, almost holding the fan's entire body in his arms.
Baoshan was thin and delicate. Chu Boyu felt calm when he stroked Baoshan's slender waist, which was so thin that it could be held in one hand.
It was as if a plundering thought was about to come.
——This is when facing extremely weak and pitiful things, the desire to control them forcefully will arise uncontrollably.
She is so weak, she certainly can't resist, right?
Even if she was pushed down on the bed, Baoshan could not resist.
Because she was afraid of Emperor Chu Boyu, she could only cry and tolerate everything Chu Boyu did.
Even someone as gentle as Chu Boyu would inevitably have evil thoughts about such a precious fan that could be bullied by anyone.
Chu Boyu was frightened by the thoughts in his head. He held the treasure fan steady and took it back into his palm.
Bao Shan explained softly, "There's nothing serious about your leg, just some bruises that haven't gone away yet."
After saying that, Bao Shan raised her eyes timidly, looking cautious, as if she was extremely afraid that Chu Boyu would punish her for concealing her injury.
But Chu Boyu seldom blamed the palace servants, not to mention that the precious fan in front of him was damaged by a civet cat. Chu Boyu already felt guilty about it, so he would not blame them.
He only ordered the palace servants to deliver the best ointment to the precious fan, and to make sure that no scars were left on it.
How could there be any flaws on such smooth and jade-like skin?
This time, after delivering the medicine to Baoshan, the palace attendant did not leave immediately, but asked Baoshan about his well-being with a respectful attitude.
After all, a woman who could be mentioned twice by Chu Boyu would definitely not be just a dancer in the future.
Baoshan answered in a soft voice. Her delicate appearance made the palace servant's eyes flicker slightly. He thought to himself, no wonder Chu Boyu cared so much about Baoshan.
She looked so charming and charming that if he were healthy, he would want to hold her in his arms and protect her.
Bao Shan rested for only half a month before returning to the Jiaofangsi. The bruises on her legs had completely disappeared, and there was no longer any trace of the marks she had deliberately left.
Le Niang was still worried that Bao Shan had not practiced dancing for a long time and might not be able to catch up with the progress of the Jiaofangsi.
But when Le Niang saw Bao Shan's graceful figure and elegant steps, all her worries disappeared.
Because she danced in front of the emperor, according to palace rules, Baoshan was allowed to move freely in the palace.
So, after finishing her dance practice at the Jiaofangsi, Baoshan went to the kitchen, took the meal she had ordered in advance, packed it in a lacquered wooden food box, and went to look for Yinhua.
When Yinhua saw Baoshan, she smiled deeply. As soon as it was time to get off duty, she lifted her skirt and hurried over to Baoshan, who had been waiting for her for a long time in the distance.
Yinhua was familiar with the palace and quickly found a pavilion.
The two sat at the railing and looked at the meal taken out from the lacquered wooden food box.
Steamed pork in lotus leaf, winter bamboo shoots with magnolia slices, a plate of crispy and crumbly Hu pancakes, and two bowls of thick glutinous rice porridge.
Yinhua's eyes lit up slightly, and she hugged the treasure fan and exclaimed softly, "These are all my favorite foods! If only you, the treasure fan, were the one who treated me the best."
Bao Shan said softly, "Eat quickly before it gets cold."
Because Yinhua had a big appetite, Baoshan specifically asked the kitchen to make more, and naturally took out double the silver.
Baoshan only ate a bowl of glutinous rice porridge and a few chopsticks of food, then put away his bamboo chopsticks.
After a while, looking at the completely eaten food, Bao Shan whispered, "Are you full?"
Yinhua nodded heavily.
Baoshan packed up the food box and prepared to return to the Jiaofangsi.
Yinhua took the food box from Baoshan's palm. The food box was so big, and it was not big enough for Baoshan's frail body.
If I walk back to the Jiaofangsi from here, I'm afraid my palms will turn red.
Yinhua and Baoshan were walking side by side when she suddenly remembered something. Her relaxed brows suddenly furrowed, and she grumbled softly, "That Xiu-nu Sun, who had been confined to her room for reflection, has been released after only a month."
Baoshan's expression was sullen. Empress Dowager Zhong reprimanded Sun Ruxuan for bringing a civet cat to the banquet, disturbing the emperor. It wasn't Sun Ruxuan's mistake that led to Baoshan's injury. A month of reflection on this matter was sufficient.
Yinhua served in Empress Dowager Zhong's palace, so she naturally knew that Empress Dowager Zhong disliked the civet cat beside Chu Boyu.
Moreover, this civet cat has a spoiled temperament. Others who want to get close to it only get a cold glance from it. Only Chu Boyu can get close to the civet cat.
But now, this civet cat actually took the initiative to look for Sun Ruxuan.
Because of this, Chu Boyu also met Sun Ruxuan several times, which made the other beautiful girls who tried their best to get close to Chu Boyu feel jealous.
Yinhua sighed softly, her eyes filled with sorrow: "Your Majesty has not yet favored any of the beautiful ladies who have entered the palace.
Nowadays, everyone is speculating whether Sun Xiunv is the first person.
Baoshan stretched out her soft hand to smooth Yinhua's furrowed brows, and said softly, "How did you guess that?"
Yinhua snorted lightly, not hiding her dislike for Sun Ruxuan at all: "I naturally don't want Sun Xiu Nu to be the first person in the harem.
Baoshan, think about it, Miss Sun has already lost face in front of others because of her self-reflection. If she were to gain power, she would definitely... Moreover, at the banquet that day, I heard that His Majesty didn't even look at Miss Sun.
If it weren't for that civet cat being so close to Miss Sun, Your Majesty wouldn't have gone to see her. It's true that cats and dogs are the most annoying."
Bao Shan said gently, "Don't worry. Even if Miss Sun is favored, the harem has the Empress Dowager and His Majesty.
Even if a concubine wanted to do something wrong, it would not be easy to succeed.
As for the civet cat, I think Sun Xiunu has a talent that allows her to get close to the civet cat. Such talent is something that can only be envied. Well, you still have to be on duty today, so don't frown. It's not good for others to see you."
Only then did Yinhua put Sun Ruxuan's matter aside.
After parting with Yinhua, Baoshan stood there. Although she tried to comfort Yinhua, she actually didn't believe her words.
Of course, a concubine cannot act recklessly, but if she punishes a little dancer, she will at most be reprimanded.
Otherwise, in the dream, Baoshan would not have been framed by the concubine and beaten to death.
Baoshan walked slowly, thinking to himself that Sun Ruxuan was really lucky.
Sun Ruxuan did nothing, and good fortune came to her.
The civet cat nurtured by Chu Boyu took the initiative to seek out Sun Ruxuan, an opportunity others would have sought but couldn't find the means to achieve. Such unending blessings are truly enviable. Unlike her, who, despite all her scheming, only ended up with the saying, "Aspirations are high as the sky, but life is fragile as paper."
Baoshan was alone in the waterside pavilion, studying the dance Le Niang had taught her. Suddenly, a black ball flew out from the bushes. Baoshan stopped and looked in that direction.
It was a civet cat with black fur, without a single speck of other colors.
It lay on the ground, its round eyes warily scanning its surroundings. A golden bell hung around its neck. When the cat ran out just now, the bell had made a crisp sound.
Baoshan looked at the familiar figure and guessed that perhaps Chu Boyu had ordered him to put a bell on it in order to make it easier to find the civet cat.
The raccoon cat seemed to sense someone was watching him. Its round eyes turned and met Baoshan's gaze. Baoshan opened his lips and called out, "Moyu."
Baoshan remembered that this was its name.
It is said that no matter whether it is Chu Boyu or Sun Ruxuan, as long as Mo Yu calls his name, it will jump into the other's arms.
But if someone else calls it, the civet cat will definitely ignore it.
The precious fan is one of the many people.
The raccoon cat heard someone calling, but it didn't move. Instead, it stretched out its paw and licked gently.
Baoshan did not feel lost. After all, not everyone is lucky enough to be close to animals.
Baoshan walked towards Moyu, she bent down and held the furry civet cat in her arms.
Mo Yu obviously didn't like it, and he raised his claws and pounced on the treasure fan, scratching the treasure fan's brand new clothes and leaving several marks.
"Moyu, if you don't behave, you will be punished."
But Mo Yu was obviously not afraid. He was favored by Chu Boyu and acted recklessly in the palace. How could he listen to the words of the weak woman in front of him?
So, Mo Yu continued to raise his claws until he caught the tattered cuff of the treasure fan.
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