Chapter 246 World Ten (Seventeen)
Today was the only time of the year for the palace maids to meet their families. The courtyard where the precious fan lay seemed quite desolate and lonely, as the other palace maids crowded in front of the palace gate to meet their families.
Baoshan walked slowly and stopped in front of a stone table and stone bench. She bent down and brushed away the fallen leaves on the bench.
Baoshan's eyes trembled slightly. In such a situation, she should have been lonely and sad, but Baoshan's heart was calm.
Baoshan's life before entering the palace was not easy. Therefore, Baoshan had no attachment to her relatives outside the palace. However, people do not like those who are heartless and disloyal, so Baoshan had to put on a sad and pitiful face.
Yinhua said goodbye to her mother and sister who had come to visit her, and hurried over to Baoshan. She opened the bundle her mother had stuffed into her, revealing a new dress, shoes, and some snacks.
Yinhua looked at the clothes that were obviously not suitable for her body and wrinkled her nose. "I have grown so much taller, but the clothes are still cut according to the measurements of the past few years. I really don't know if my mother cares."
Bao Shan smiled softly and said, "You should give your measurements to Auntie. Next time she comes, she'll give her clothes that fit her."
Yinhua snorted softly and muttered, "Before I entered the palace, my mother never measured my size, and the clothes she made for me were always perfect. Now... I won't give them to her. If the clothes she sent me can't be worn, I'll just cut them up with scissors and make pillows and sachets."
Baoshan laughed at her childish temper.
Yinhua threw the pastry into her mouth again. The overly sweet taste made Yinhua's nose and eyes wrinkle.
Country people have never eaten good food, so their meals are low in salt and sugar.
Yinhua Niang thought that the snacks eaten by the nobles in the palace were all sweet.
Yinhua's mother hardened her heart and put two more spoonfuls of sugar into the cake. However, she never expected that the cake she made would be completely inedible.
Yinhua turned slightly, then placed her head on Baoshan's shoulder and whispered, "They didn't come to see me in the past few years. I don't know why this year, they sent someone to the palace two months in advance, asking me to wait at the palace gate on the appointed time.
I don't say I hate them, because I came to this palace of my own free will. I don't harbor any hatred, but I do harbor resentment. But when I heard my mother was coming to see me, my joy always outweighed my resentment.
I was the only one waiting at the palace gate, watching my mother and sister looking towards the palace gate.
I went forward, thinking that my mother would ask me if I had eaten well and slept well, as she did in the past. I asked if I had been hungry in the palace with such a big appetite.
But none of them did. Baoshan, do you know what my mother asked?"
Baoshan held Yinhua's hand, transferring his warmth to her. Baoshan shook her head softly and asked, "What are you talking about?"
Yinhua's voice dropped noticeably. "She said, 'Yinhua, you're living like a noblewoman now. This cloth must be worth a lot of silver.'"
The fabric Yinhua was wearing today was given by the Empress Dowager herself, so it was naturally very valuable.
Ever since she got the treasured fan from the tailor shop, Yinhua had been reluctant to wear it. Today, in order to see her family, Yinhua carefully put it on.
Yinhua said in a hollow tone: "Mother said that my brother is getting married, my sister is getting married, and my father is not in good health. There is a need for money everywhere in the house. She said, Yinhua, you are rich now, can you..."
The younger sister, who was being led by Yinhua's mother, also looked at Yinhua with envy. She reached out her hand and touched the material on Yinhua's body, her voice full of envy: "Sister, do you have any other good material like this?"
Yinhua coldly rejected her mother and sister. She actually had a lot to say in her heart -
When she first witnessed someone die in the palace, Yinhua, though a brave woman, was frightened to the point of not being able to sleep the whole night. Fortunately, she had the treasured fan to keep her company.
The two little girls hugged each other and fell asleep peacefully.
Yinhua wanted to say that life in the palace was great, with food to eat and beautiful fabrics to wear, but she still missed her family and her parents.
But Yinhua said nothing. She took out her purse and put it into her mother's hand. She also gave the cakes that she had saved specially and was reluctant to eat a single bite to her sister.
Before Yinhua's mother could say anything, Yinhua said coldly, "That's all the money I have. The next time you come to the palace, I might have angered the noble, and you might see my corpse. If that's the case, don't come again."
Yinhua thought she was a cruel person, but she didn't expect that she was so useless. She gave all the money she had saved for several years to her mother and sister.
Yinhua hugged Baoshan's waist and sobbed. It was unclear whether she was crying for her silver or because she was sad that no one would come to the palace to see her from now on.
The precious fan gently slid down Yinhua's back. When Yinhua had cried enough, she took out a handkerchief and wiped the tears from around Yinhua's eyes.
"The rouge has melted."
Yinhua was a little embarrassed: "Am I really useless?"
Baoshan shook her head and softly denied, "The silver can be saved up. Yinhua, you should serve the Empress Dowager outside her palace. If you get a reward or two, you can make up for the silver.
Besides, your mother’s sister, although she has other purposes for this trip, she will always meet the above.
Unlike me, I’m afraid no one will come to see me for the rest of my life.”
Yinhua immediately stopped crying and said solemnly, "You and I are family. There may be no one to visit you outside the palace. But inside the palace, I will always be by your side."
Bao Shan's eyes were soft and she nodded gently: "Yes, and you too."
Yinhua had to be on duty that night, so she hurried off. She watched the palace maids come and go, all returning from the palace gate, and a pang of sadness washed over her. She took a detour, passing through the palace gate. The palace gate, once bustling with activity during the day, was now deserted by only a few scattered figures.
Yinhua looked at the empty palace gate and sighed softly, "I was so focused on myself today that I completely forgot about the treasured fan.
First, she went to see her mother and sister alone, and then she cried about her relatives in front of Baoshan.
But Baoshan has no one to visit her. She has a soft heart, but is easily moved to tears. I'm afraid that my behavior today will bring back her sorrows."
The more Yinhua thought about it, the more upset she became.
Until everyone at the palace gate had left, he didn't even notice that the emperor was standing behind him.
Yinhua turned around and saw Chu Boyu. She trembled and bowed quickly, saying, "Your Majesty..."
Chu Boyu had already heard Yinhua's mumbling. He frowned and asked, "You are..."
Yinhua quickly replied, "I am serving outside the Empress Dowager's palace. My name is Yinhua."
Chu Boyu responded lightly, obviously not caring much. He looked up at Yinhua and said, "What do you mean by no one visiting the treasured fan?"
Today is the day when the palace maids meet their families, and Chu Boyu already knew this.
In Chu Boyu's eyes, although Baoshan was sent to the palace by her family and became a dancer in the Jiaofangsi.
But Baoshan has such a gentle and kind nature, she must have grown up under the care of her parents.
At the very least, Baoshan should have had a relative who loved her and protected her like a pearl, so that Baoshan could become so weak and ignorant of the world.
But just now, when Chu Boyu heard Yinhua say that no one came to visit the treasure fan, he was confused about what it meant.
Yinhua was reluctant to say it at first. She thought it was just the sound of her own complaints that angered Chu Boyu, so Chu Boyu not only punished her, but also punished Baoshan.
But Chu Boyu saw Yinhua's hesitation and said softly that he had no intention of punishing her. Yinhua hesitated for a moment before telling the truth.
Yinhua not only described the relative who sent the precious fan into the palace as a heinous person, but also described the precious fan, which was only a few years old at the time, as extremely miserable, like a small cabbage growing in the ground, which made those who heard it sad and those who saw it cry.
But even so, Baoshan never bullied others after entering the palace. She was kind-hearted and treated people kindly.
However, she was falsely accused by Tang Xiunü and even though Tang Xiunü had been sent back home, Yinhua was still indignant.
Chu Boyu frowned, and after hearing what he wanted to know, he raised his hand and let Yinhua leave.
Chu Boyu had indeed not expected that Baoshan would be in such a situation when he was young.
She was beautiful and delicate, like a pure white lotus flower growing from a pond full of mud, untouched by dust. Her fragrance was so pure that it made people reluctant to look away.
But a trace of panic arose in Chu Boyu's heart. He suddenly didn't want the beautiful and pure treasure fan anymore.
After all, Chu Boyu was a mild and cowardly person, and apart from his identity as an emperor, he seemed to have nothing outstanding.
But Baoshan was different. Although she was of humble status, she was good at dancing and had a gentle personality. However, she never became cruel because of being bullied by others.
Chu Boyu felt as if he was about to lose his grip on the treasured fan.
Chu Boyu closed his eyelids until his wandering thoughts and slightly irritable mood gradually calmed down.
Chu Boyu finally opened his eyes. He touched his chest, where it had been beating restlessly. He even had many terrible thoughts—like imprisoning the precious fan in a golden cage. Chu Boyu was the emperor. He could order the most skilled craftsmen in the land to construct a cage for the precious fan out of gold, silver, and jewels. It would be large enough for a person to sit, but not enough for them to stand up. Thus, the precious fan would be forced to remain in the cage, timidly waiting for Chu Boyu to return from court and bring her food and water.
By then, the precious fan will be inseparable from him.
No matter how beautiful the bird's feathers are or how wonderful its singing voice is, it can only hover in Chu Boyu's palm.
This crazy idea made Chu Boyu terrified.
But Chu Boyu also felt the beauty of locking the precious fan in the cage.
In the end, in the struggle between heaven and man, good intentions prevailed.
Chu Boyu leaned over and gave the eunuch a few instructions, and the eunuch was surprised when he heard them.
But he looked calm and arranged many matters according to Chu Boyu's instructions.
Bao Shan looked at the palace maid standing in front of her, her brows furrowed, and her porcelain-white face was full of doubts.
She stretched out her jade-white finger, pointed at herself, and asked softly, "Are you saying that my family is looking for me at the palace gate?"
The palace maid nodded repeatedly.
Bao Shan looked at the night scene in the courtyard and said, "But shouldn't the palace gates be locked by now?"
The maid's face was in a panic, and she quickly explained: "Because some of the maids' families are in the outer city, it will take a long time for them to rush over.
Therefore, this year we are showing special grace and the palace gates will not be closed until noon."
Liar.
Bao Shan thought to herself that the palace maid spoke hesitantly and her words were full of mistakes.
Baoshan thought carefully and realized that the palace maid had deliberately told him these words, obviously wanting to lead him to the palace gate.
In a flash, Baoshan's mind was already turning over and over, and many calculations emerged.
But she had no intention of refusing. After all, only by knowing yourself and your enemy can you defeat their plan.
So, Baoshan pretended to know nothing. A look of joy appeared on her face, and she said softly, "Someone really came to see me."
Baoshan turned around and instructed the palace maids in the same courtyard to leave a message for Yinhua, saying that her relatives were visiting and she might be back late, so Yinhua didn't need to wait for her.
After saying this, Baoshan left with the palace maid who brought the message.
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