Chapter 001 Chapter 1
Chapter 1
The rain in April brings a surprise to spring. The setting sun shines through layers of clouds and falls on the glazed tiles. The refracted light makes the water drops dripping from the rosy palace walls transparent, and the colorful scenery is very beautiful. However, the people walking below have no time to appreciate this beautiful scenery.
After a night of heavy rain, dewdrops fell along the leaves. Someone wiped them carefully with a handkerchief and handed it to the person next to him. Amid the hurried footsteps, the sound of a soft silver bell fell into everyone's ears, swaying in the breeze, driving away the morning fatigue.
Ruan Yun used her slender hands to cut off the excess branches and leaves of the mountain peony. When she stood up, her pretty face had a slight smile on it and her voice was soft, "I worked so hard to grow this plant. I will take good care of it and send it to the palace of Concubine Shu."
The young eunuch was a little stunned. If the flowers were beautiful, the person before him was even more beautiful. The rising sun shone on the shyly opened petals, and also shone on her face, which was as beautiful and bright as a crabapple.
Ruan Yun angrily said to him, "Don't you want to be a clerk?"
The young eunuch suddenly came back to his senses and shook his head in embarrassment, "Sister is so beautiful that it is hard not to look at her."
Ruan Yun wiped the dew on her fingertips with a handkerchief, her eyelashes drooping like raven feathers, "Go quickly."
The young eunuch left with the flowers in his arms. People around him could only stare at him secretly, then lowered their heads and went back to their own business.
Ruan Jun raised her head again, her almond eyes were filled with deep and shallow flowers, but just as the young eunuch said, her creamy skin and peach blossom cheeks matched each other, her figure was so timid that the moon was ashamed of the flowers, and the moment she put down the handkerchief, she had already put on a faint smile and looked very friendly.
However, this beautiful scene was broken by a sudden cry. Ruan Jun frowned and looked towards the source of the sound. Ting Xu's little face was twisted in one place due to crying. She was afraid of disturbing the nobles in the palace, so her lower lip was bitten and full of teeth marks.
Ruan Yun walked towards Ting Xu. Ting Xu looked up and saw her. She wanted to avoid her but then she just stood there. She quickly wiped her tears with a handkerchief and didn't dare to make any more noises while sobbing. She said softly, "Sister Yun."
Ruan Yun sighed, pulled Tingxu to the railing, made sure no one was watching, and wiped away her tears with her boneless hands. "If you were seen by the nobles in the palace, I'm afraid you would be dead."
Ting Xu raised her eyes full of panic, then quickly lowered her head, her voice hoarse, "I know, I remember the palace rules very clearly, I took the small path all the way back, so no one saw me..."
As Ruan Jun heard Xu sound more and more aggrieved, she couldn't help but feel a little sorry for her.
All palace maids were selected to enter the palace at the same time. Tingxu entered the palace at the same time as her. She was young and worked as a maid in the remote west three palaces. However, she was often bullied. She was too thin to resist and could not even compete for food. She was still seen by eunuch Deng, the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Poor Tingxu was asked to work in the greenhouse.
Ruan Yun started talking to Tingxu on the first day she came. At that time, Ruan Yun had a lot of experience in tending flowers and plants, and although Eunuch Deng did not say it explicitly, he always favored Ruan Yun. Over time, everyone in the flower room respectfully called Ruan Yun "sister". Tingxu was bullied for a long time and dared not eat for several meals in a row, but Ruan Yun saved food for her every day, and when she saw her injuries, she used her own money to ask the imperial physician to prescribe medicine. This made Tingxu so dependent on her.
The hearts of people in the palace are unpredictable, and it is rare to meet a little girl as kind-hearted as Tingxu. Ruan Jun finds her interesting and feels sorry for her, so she can't help but treat her as her younger sister.
Ruan Yun brushed away the strands of hair from Tingxu's face. "What's wrong? Didn't you go to give Yu Ronghua a weeping crabapple?"
Tingxu cried for too long and her voice was sobbing. "Yu Ronghua complained that the weeping crabapple blossoms were not blooming well. She said that the people in the flower room dared to fool her because she was not favored now. Then she said that the flowers sent to the palace of Concubine Shu every day were carefully cultivated by the flower room. She scolded me and asked someone to spank my hands."
Ruan Jun immediately looked at Tingxu's hands hidden in her sleeves. The pair of delicate little hands were swollen beyond recognition, and the red marks were horrible to look at.
She frowned. If the masters in the palace wanted to punish their servants but didn't want to be caught and reported to the empress, they would usually choose these places that would not attract much attention. Ting Xu was also implicated.
This year is the second year of His Majesty's reign. Due to the frequent disasters in various places since he ascended the throne last year, His Majesty postponed the selection of beauties to this year. The palace selection was completed some time ago, and all the beauties will enter the palace in March. Therefore, the Ministry of Internal Affairs is extremely busy.
Yu Ronghua had been out of favor for a long time, so the greenhouse could only pick out some flowers that they liked and send to her. Of course, she could not see the flowers that the greenhouse carefully cultivated every day like the favored Concubine Sheng.
Ruan Yun went into the palace maid's quarters, took out a few pieces of silver from her purse in the cabinet, wrapped them in a handkerchief and asked Tingxu to hold them. "Go to the Imperial Hospital and ask the female doctor to prescribe some medicine for you. You don't have to be on duty tomorrow. Take good care of yourself, so that the nobles won't be upset to see the injury on your hand."
The entry of a newcomer into the palace means that someone will share the favor. Even the Empress Shufei, who is the most favored by the emperor, would probably not want to see it. Just to show her virtue and not be jealous, the masters in the harem call each other sisters on the surface, but vent their anger on the servants in private.
Tingxu wrapped her handkerchief around her hands, "Sister, Yu Ronghua also said that she wants to see the alpine peonies grown in the flower house tomorrow."
Ruan Yun's face instantly dimmed. Alpine peony is extremely difficult to cultivate. Of the ten pots she raised last year, only three are still alive. When Concubine Shu found out, she asked the emperor, and the emperor gave all three pots to Concubine Shu. Not even the Empress got any, so how could there be any left for Yu Ronghua?
She quickly recovered as usual, with a smile on her beautiful face again. "It's okay, go to the Imperial Medical Bureau, Yu Ronghua, I can take care of it."
After seeing Tingxu off, Ruan Jun stood in front of two pots of alpine peonies, leaning against the railing as if she was hiding away, but her almond-shaped eyes were filled with ripples of autumn water, calm and peaceful.
Precious flowers have always been the favor of the masters of each palace, and it is difficult for Yu Ronghua to satisfy them this time.
…
Hanyu Palace.
Ruan Yun stood outside the palace with two young eunuchs early in the morning. Each of them held a pot of beautiful flowers in their hands. Ruan Yun stood respectfully in front, waiting for Yu Ronghua to get up.
The morning light was dim, shining lazily on people, driving away the early morning chill. The soft spring breeze brushed across her face, and Ruan Yun's hair moved slightly, half covering her jade-like face.
The two young eunuchs stretched their necks unconsciously to look ahead, then their gaze returned to their own hands, and they sighed silently in their hearts.
I don't know how long I waited, the curtains in the hall were opened, and Chen Lu said coldly: "Come in."
Ruan Jun followed Chen Lu into the Hanyu Palace. The beaded curtains rustled and the thin gauze curtains were opened. She saw only the seven-layered brocade embroidered golden skirt sliding past her eyes. When she knelt down, all she could see was her beautiful face inlaid with pearls and jade, and the golden phoenix and butterfly steps swaying.
The only sound from above was the sound of teacups. The three of them knelt quietly, not daring to make the slightest sound.
Chen Lu received Yu Ronghua's gaze and said in a cold voice: "The master said he wanted high mountain peony, are you guys clearly trying to deceive the master?"
The two young eunuchs were already trembling with fear. Ruan Yun calmed down and said softly, "Please forgive me, Yuronghua. Only three pots of alpine peony survived this year. These three pots were awarded to the Concubine Shu by the Emperor. We dare not disobey the Emperor's order."
Yu Ronghua suddenly closed the lid of the teacup and pressed down heavily with the gilded armor on her hand. Before anyone could react, the teacup burst all over the floor. Ruan Jun felt a sudden pain in her shoulder, and the hot tea spread through her thin palace dress onto her skin.
Ruan Yun didn't dare to worry about her own injuries. Her red lips turned pale in an instant, and her teeth trembled. "My lady, please forgive me."
Yu Ronghua stood up, her pretty face showing her anger at the moment, "Forgive me? The flower room is really getting better at serving, you guys really figured out how to flatter the powerful and bully the weak. Even if I am no longer favored, I am still Yu Ronghua in the palace. What do you dare not give me when I want it?"
The temperature was still low in early spring. The wound that was burned by the hot tea just now felt much better after being blown by the cool breeze. However, her dress was soaked and stuck to her body. A few beads of sweat appeared on Ruan Yun's temples, and her arms couldn't help shaking. "Only three pots of alpine peony were cultivated. It was because we did not do our job well. Now all three pots were given to the Concubine Shu. It was the emperor's golden words that could not be disobeyed. However, the azaleas in early spring this year are particularly beautiful. Do you like them, my lady?"
Yu Ronghua is an old acquaintance of the Qian Mansion. She has always been spoiled and willful. Ruan Yun has heard people mention that when Yu Ronghua was still in the Qian Mansion in her early years, she was very favored by the emperor. However, her temper was too arrogant, and the favor became less and less every year. Although she is Ronghua, she has no children. It would be good if the emperor could come to her place once every six months.
The beads of sweat on Ruan Yun's forehead fell into strings and slid down her jade-white cheeks. Her eyelashes were gradually covered by sweat. She took a deep breath and felt a stinging pain when her palm shook inadvertently. The fragments of the teacup just now accidentally pierced into her palm. Ruan Yun's almond-shaped eyes gradually became misty. She was used to taking good care of her hands, but today she hurt herself without paying attention.
Chen Lu stepped forward at this time and whispered: "Master, it's almost noon."
Yu Ronghua turned the armor, closed her eyes and then opened them again, a faint smile appeared on the corners of her lips, she raised her hand slightly and said calmly: "Let's go to Fengyi Palace."
Ruan Yun heard her head burying even lower. As she listened to the footsteps approaching her, she held her breath and tried her best to steady her trembling arms.
Yu Ronghua walked to Ruan Yun's side, turned around suddenly, and a sneer appeared on her lips, "You are very eloquent, raise your head."
Ruan Jun did not dare to disobey Yu Ronghua's order, but her heart had already fallen into the valley.
When she entered the palace, she was lucky to have a good skill in tending flowers and plants, which won the appreciation of Eunuch Deng. However, Eunuch Deng did not assign her many tasks and asked her to be careful about everything. At that time, Ruan Yun knew that the root of everything was her face.
If she were just a little palace maid, her appearance would be too eye-catching and no master would like her.
Slowly raising her head, Ruan Yun saw a red glow in front of her eyes.
The moment Yu Ronghua saw her raise her head, the faint sneer on her face disappeared, and only coldness remained on her face.
The long armor slid across Ruan Yun's jaw, and the burning pain spread from her cheek to her body, and the burned area became even hotter.
Ruan Yun's red lips were half open, but before she could make a sound, Yu Ronghua turned her face to the side. Chen Lu immediately handed her a handkerchief. Yu Ronghua lazily wiped her fingertips that had touched Ruan Yun's face, and then she threw the handkerchief lightly on the ground.
Half-kneeling on the ground, Ruan Yun could no longer tell where the pain was. Her nose was full of blood, and her jaw was probably bleeding. The pain in her palms and shoulders had long since become numb. Ruan Yun gasped for air, closed her eyes and prepared to beg for mercy, when Yu Ronghua spoke slowly:
"I am going to pay my respects to the Empress now, you slave girl, just kneel here."
The last note drags on, and Yu Ronghua seems to be thinking:
"Just... kneel until I return to the palace."
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