Chapter 29 The Grand Tutor Recommends People
"You're injured, let's treat it first." Xiao Qing paused. "Imperial Physician He happens to be in the palace..."
She looked at Zhao Youchen, "Lord Zhao, would it be appropriate to invite Physician He over?"
Zhao Youchen's face darkened considerably.
According to the Grand Tutor's instructions, although He Shu and Ming Xiu were placed under house arrest in the palace, He Shu was brought in with the imperial decree to recuperate the young emperor.
If His Majesty were unwell, it would be perfectly reasonable to summon He Shu, but what's going on here? Does a mere palace servant need an imperial physician?!
"Your Majesty's grace is great. I am but a servant and do not need the imperial physician. It is just a minor injury and I will be fine after a night's rest."
Before Xiao Qing could say anything more, Zhao Youchen quickly said, "Your Majesty, the Imperial Guards have readily available medicine for injuries. Ying Ying's previous injuries were also treated in the Imperial Guards."
Xiao Qing knew that this place was still a feudal society with strict class distinctions and people divided into different classes. Even if she wanted to do good deeds, she couldn't go too far, otherwise she might not be helping people, but harming them.
So she stopped insisting and asked Zhao Youchen to take Yingying to treat her injuries first.
She thought to herself, Yingying's physical condition is quite good. She has been in the palace for less than a week, and she has already been beaten twice.
Moreover, she had observed him before; he walked all the way to Chengde Palace, and apart from walking a little slowly and sometimes limping, he did not show any pain along the way, and there was no blood on the ground.
Zhao Youchen took Ying Ying out.
He couldn't leave Xiao Qing for too long, so he ordered the guards outside to fetch medicine for her injuries.
In that brief moment, Zhao Youchen squinted at the boy, who looked to be about ten years old, and suddenly asked, "That's really strange. Even if Chef Wang discovered that you hadn't taken 'Qingxin,' why didn't he send you to the palace prison, but instead used torture to force-feed you the drug?"
Ying Ying seemed somewhat puzzled, but still said, "This servant does not know."
Zhao Youchen sneered, "You adapt to your new identity very quickly. You just used 'Qingxin' and you're already calling yourself a servant. You'll be serving His Majesty from now on. You've really risen to the top in one step."
He deliberately spoke in such harsh words, his eyes fixed on his face, trying to gauge his emotional reaction.
Even a palace servant would be angered to be spoken to like that to his face. Yingying was just a young man who had just entered the palace, and he had been given "purifying heart" without his knowledge.
Yingying was truly calm, only saying coldly, "A small favor should be repaid with a great one. Your Majesty saved my life, and I have no home or livelihood, only this lowly life to repay you. It's nothing but 'purity of heart,' what is there to fear?"
"Oh? Is that so? You should repay His Majesty with your life, but what do you have to repay me with?" he blurted out with a cold laugh.
Ying reacted faster.
"I will repay Lord Zhao's kindness, but I only have one life. I have given it to His Majesty, and I cannot give it to Lord Zhao. Does Lord Zhao mean that I should give a portion of my life, which I gave to His Majesty, to Lord Zhao?"
Zhao Youchen's expression changed, and a surge of anger rushed to his head. Just as he was about to reprimand him, the guard who had come to fetch the medicine trotted over and bowed to present the medicine.
Without a word, he took the medicine, weighed it in his hand, tossed it to Ying Ying, and then strode into the hall.
As soon as Zhao Youchen left, Xiao Qing couldn't resist going to the nearby warm pavilion to see the three kittens.
Those three poor little creatures had suffered a lot, drinking dew and being exposed to cold winds. Now that they've been rescued, they're being treated to good food and drink, and they can even sleep in soft little blankets, curled up in such a blissful position.
Xiao Qing tiptoed closer and looked for a long time. She really wanted to reach out and touch the soft fur, but she was afraid of disturbing their sleep, so she could only watch longingly.
A palace maid nearby whispered, "Your Majesty, these were changed out earlier. What do you think we should do with them?"
Xiao Qing looked over and saw the cotton cloth that had been used to wrap the three kittens while they slept.
No, it should be called a cotton-padded coat. It looks like the boy's own clothes.
"We can return it to Yingying later." Xiao Qing's attention turned back to the kitten.
"Your Majesty, what should be done with that eunuch Ying?"
Xiao Qing turned her head and then remembered that this palace maid was one of the four palace servants that the Grand Tutor had arranged for her before he left.
Previously, she had Mingxiu by her side, so she would always turn to Mingxiu for help and didn't pay much attention to the others. But now that the Grand Tutor has imprisoned Mingxiu, although she does most things herself, she still needs these people more often.
Xiao Qing sometimes suspected that this was the Grand Tutor's purpose.
Well, one of them.
This palace maid was named Mei Shu, and she was about twenty years old. She was much more composed than Ming Xiu. It was said that she had previously worked in the Nanhua Palace as a stewardess in the Inner Palace Bureau.
Xiao Qing glanced to the side again, where another palace maid, Dan Ying, stood. Although she was only eighteen years old, she was similar in temperament to Mei Shu, both being calm and composed.
Even though the Grand Tutor arranged for them to be by her side, she still only favored Mingxiu. They never showed any dissatisfaction, quietly doing what they were supposed to do and standing where they were supposed to stand, which showed that they were very well-mannered.
She looked towards the doorway again, where two palace attendants were standing. They were also arranged by the Grand Tutor and were older than Yingying, both around eighteen years old. One was named Ma Hong and the other Liu Yi. They both looked like reliable people.
However, the Grand Tutor had said that male palace servants could not be older than twenty, so these two would leave the palace in two years. They had been sold into the Nanhua Palace as children, and it had been ten years since then.
The Grand Tutor valued their diligence and experience in Nanhua Palace over the years, so he arranged for them, along with Mei Shu and Dan Ying, to sit next to Xiao Qing.
Xiao Qing hadn't cared before, but now, looking at each item, she vaguely understood.
Mingxiu grew up outside the palace and was unfamiliar with palace etiquette and conduct. Not only was she lacking in knowledge, but she was also unconventional and carefree in temperament, which made her flustered and unable to handle things properly in her daily life.
At that time, the Grand Tutor said that Xiu still needed to be trained, which was probably what he meant.
These four individuals had spent a long time in the palace, with Mei Shu even serving as a head palace maid. Ma Hong and Liu Yi, on the other hand, had risen through the ranks in the palace on their own, and were certainly not lacking in cunning and resourcefulness.
More importantly, they will be leaving the palace in two years, so if Mingxiu is willing to learn from them, they will certainly not keep it to themselves.
The Grand Tutor found Mingxiu a good teacher. At the same time, he also found her several capable assistants.
If she's willing to use it without worry.
"What does Mei Shu think?" Xiao Qing asked earnestly.
Mei Shu bowed and said, “Your Majesty’s intentions are what we servants must carry out. Your Majesty needs one chief steward, four attendants, and eight junior attendants. Since Chief Steward Ming is not here, if Your Majesty decides to appoint attendants, they can be appointed as junior attendants first, and carefully trained by Attendants Ma and Liu. They will surely be useful in the future.”
Mingxiu wouldn't have said those words.
It's not that Mingxiu is bad, but at this moment, Xiao Qing clearly felt that even without Mingxiu, things weren't chaotic around her.
Although Mingxiu held the title of chief steward, Mei Shu and others were clearly more adept at handling palace affairs.
Grand Tutor, even though he's gone, the people he recommended are still playing a role.
Zhao Youchen announced loudly from outside the door, "Commander of the Imperial Guards, Zhao Youchen, requests an audience with His Majesty."
Mei Shu silently retreated and stood with Dan Ying, one on each side of the cat's nest.
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