Hongzhu hesitated for a moment, wanting to help Xia Dongchun with the copying so she could recover properly.
But they were afraid of being discovered, as deceiving the Empress Dowager was a serious crime, and the two of them, mistress and servant, could no longer withstand the slightest disturbance.
Thinking that her mistress had offended Consort Hua and suffered a facial injury, she sent a message back to the Xia family for help. But all she received was the reply, "A married daughter is like water spilled from a bowl."
Now that they have entered the palace, they must abide by the palace rules. Whether they live or die depends on their fate, and they must not implicate the Xia family again.
Hongzhu was bought into the household by the mistress's birth mother, and the money she received for selling herself saved her entire family's lives. Therefore, no matter how bad the mistress was in the eyes of outsiders, she would never leave her.
Moreover, the young master has treated her well over the years.
Hongzhu said, "I have inquired and found that the other ladies are also seriously injured and can hardly get out of bed. They will probably need to rest for a few days first."
"You really don't need to be in such a hurry. You should take care of your health first."
Xia Dongchun forced a smile and said, "Now you're the only one who still cares about me and is dragging me down."
Hongzhu shook her head and said, "My lady is not a burden."
"How about we go and plead with Consort Jing again? If she's willing to help you, perhaps you'll still have a chance to rise in status!"
Xia Dongchun said, "Now I'm afraid of standing out. I stood out too much in the past, which is why I'm in this situation now."
"Besides, Consort Jing has already helped me a lot, and I can't bring myself to ask her for more help."
The two were saddened again. Xia Dongchun finished his tea and continued writing for a long time, his eyes bloodshot before he finished copying half of it.
Thinking she could rest for the day, Hongzhu heard Baojuan requesting an audience outside, so she quickly invited her in.
"This servant greets Consort Xia. May Consort Xia be blessed."
Xia Dongchun said, "Please rise. Did Consort Jing have something to tell you when you came at this time?"
Baojuan said, "Reporting to Consort Xia, someone from the Hall of Mental Cultivation said that His Majesty has exempted all the ladies from the Buddhist scriptures and told them to rest well."
"Our mistress specifically sent me to tell you that you no longer need to copy it."
"Thank you, Jing Changzai. I understand. If you hadn't come to tell me, I would still be writing furiously right now."
Baojuan said, "Your Highness, please rest well. I'll head back now."
Xia Dongchun smiled and nodded, and after everyone left, she and Hongzhu chatted happily for a long time.
However, upon seeing the half-copied scripture in front of him, he felt disgusted again.
Several hours of work were wasted!
Seeing this, Hongzhu quickly stepped forward to tidy up, saying, "This servant will take the things out right away."
Xia Dongchun quickly said, "Keep the copied Buddhist scriptures safe, you might need them next time."
"I've figured it out. The palace likes to punish people by making them copy these things. From now on, I'll copy some whenever I have free time, just in case I need them someday."
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