Chapter 003 Chapter 3
Chapter 3
There was a rumble of thunder outside the hall, and the residual light illuminated everyone's face clearly. When Ruan Yun saw Yu Ronghua's expression, she trembled and subconsciously took a step back.
Ruan Yun held Tingxu's arm tightly, and a bloody taste rose in her throat.
Eunuch Deng's face was gloomy, darker than the sky outside. "Master, the servants in the palace are all very weak. I'm afraid this time..."
Yu Ronghua was in no mood to play along with Eunuch Deng, "Then take the two of them away."
His gaze, as cold as a snake's tongue, slid across Ruan Yun and Ting Xu. "I've decided on these two."
The heavy rain was about to stop, and the drizzle hit the window, blurring the candlelight in the distance. In the dimness, the palace maids could be seen holding the lamps, and everything returned to normal.
Tingxu closed the window and took out a bottle of ointment from the package with swollen eyes. "Just now, Master Deng sent someone to deliver a package and said that there is ointment for treating burns inside. I will help my sister apply it."
Ruan Jun was only wearing a thin undershirt, her round and plump shoulders were half exposed, but a horrible red mark on the lower part broke such beauty, and her delicate figure showed her frailty.
Yu Ronghua unceremoniously asked them to leave, and Eunuch Deng had no choice but to arrange for them to live in the lowest-class ear room. The dilapidated house was so cold that it made people shiver.
Ruan Jun did not reply to Ting Xu's words. Instead, she held Ting Xu's hand. She had just coughed for a while, and her throat was hoarse. "From today on, no matter who in Hanyu Palace tells you, don't believe them."
A mist appeared in her almond-shaped eyes. Her master Yu Ronghua had a vicious mind and had lived in the deep palace for a long time without any favor. She wanted to use herself to win favor, but what would be her fate after she had used him up?
Tingxu nodded heavily, "I always listen to my sister. It's my fault that my sister got hurt."
Ruan Yun forced a smile and stroked Tingxu's black hair. "They are the masters, and we can't fight them. Please help me get a basin of hot water and apply the medicine later."
Ting Xu nodded hurriedly, stood up, opened the door and prepared to go out. Unexpectedly, he bumped into someone as soon as he stepped out of the door. Chen Lu said unhappily: "Don't you watch where you walk? What are you doing?"
Ruan Yun pulled up her clothes from her shoulders. Chen Lu saw it with her sharp eyes and came over to hold Ruan Yun's hand, stopping her from getting up. "The master knows that Miss Ruan Yun was accidentally injured today, so he asked me to bring her the best burn ointment and a box of Hibiscus Jade Cream. You must take good care of yourself."
Don't hit a smiling person. Ruan Jun had no need to make enemies with Chen Lu for her attitude, so she politely accepted it.
Ruan Yun watched Chen Lu leave with cold eyes. Ting Xu walked over to look at the two bottles of plasters placed on the bedside, "Sister, do you want to use it?"
Looking up, Ruan Jun nodded, "Yes, she has already sent it."
…
This month, except for Tingxu being on duty outside, Ruan Jun rarely stepped out of the room.
Yu Ronghua got up from her afternoon nap. The maidservant served her peeled oranges one by one. She closed her eyes and asked casually, "How is that slave girl?"
Chen Lu immediately understood who Yu Ronghua was talking about and stepped forward. "She hasn't been out much in the past month, but someone saw her and said that her face looked rosy. She must be getting better."
Yu Ronghua's hand on her leg suddenly froze, and she spat out the seed from her red lips. The maidservant carefully took it. Her beautiful eyes opened, and there was a firmness in Yu Ronghua's eyes, and she was determined, "Send the Tenglong Xiangfei purse in the makeup box to Yu Qian, and invite the emperor to come for dinner today."
She turned her head and saw the letter she had collected. Every word in the letter was still fresh in her mind. Yu Ronghua clutched the hem of her skirt and said, "Since Ruan Yun's injury has healed, let her come over to serve you and give her the green and heavy brocade skirt that I just made for her."
Chen Lu knelt down in shock, "Master..."
Yu Ronghua said coldly: "Why? I can't even summon you now?"
Ruan Jun received her clothes and was sitting in the room. She opened the window and rubbed her chin unconsciously with her hand. Although the scar had faded and the Hibiscus Jade Cream was very effective and the mark had long been gone, she still could not forget the pain of Yu Ronghua's long armor scratching her face on that rainy day.
Chen Lu unhappily placed the dress in front of Ruan Yun, "The master asked you to serve dinner in the main hall today, and this is a reward for your dress."
Ruan Jun paused and took it with a smile, then curled her lips and said, "Thank you, Sister Chenlu, for coming here."
Ruan Yun unfolded the skirt and stroked it with her slender finger bones. The palace maids' dresses only came in two colors: light red and green. Although the colors were suitable, the fabric was not something that a palace maid could have.
Ruan Yun lowered her eyes to hide the tears that were gradually forming in her eyes and wiped away the water stains at the corners of her eyes with the back of her hand. "Mother, my daughter can no longer live for me."
…
Purple Palace.
Yan Shiyu was bent over his desk handling state affairs with a furrowed brow. He changed several cups of tea but did not take a sip.
Wei Maoyuan trembled as he changed to another cup, and advised: "Your Majesty has been dealing with government affairs for a long time, why not have a cup of tea and rest for a while?"
Yan Shiyu withdrew his gaze from the memorial, raised his eyes and grasped him, tapped his fingers lightly on the table, and the white jade ring also made a crisp sound, "You are doing a better job in this job."
Wei Maoyuan knelt down quickly, "I dare not, but the emperor has been dealing with state affairs for a whole day, and it is time to rest for a while. It is almost time for dinner, and the Empress Shufei and Yu Ronghua have sent people. Look..."
After saying this, Wei Maoyuan looked up and saw Yan Shiyu's dark eyes narrowed slightly, and added, "Yu Ronghua also sent someone to send something over, would you like to take a look?"
Yan Shiyu's eyes fell on the table, and he said indifferently, "Bring it up."
The person in front of Yu was nimble and skillful, and the purse embroidered by Yu Ronghua herself was placed respectfully on Yu's desk.
He did not move his hand to take it, his eyes fell heavily on the purse. Just when Wei Maoyuan was frightened and wanted to speak again, Yan Shiyu stood up and said, "Let's go to Yuronghua Palace for dinner."
Everyone in Hanyu Palace was very happy when they heard the news. If their master was favored, their lives would be much better. Ruan Jun naturally heard about this as well.
There were several boxes of cosmetics on the simple table. After thinking it over, she decided to put the cosmetics back and not even stain her lips with any red.
Yu Ronghua was delighted at first, then smiled bitterly. After wiping the tears from her face, she ordered, "Go to the kitchen and watch carefully. Don't make any mistakes."
Then she sat back in front of the makeup mirror and said, "Help me put on my makeup. I must show my best appearance in front of His Majesty."
The inner hall became busy, and Ruan Yun also changed into that dress and stood outside the hall waiting, looking gentle and well-behaved, with her head lowered and her hands folded neatly in front of her.
After a while, the eunuch outside came in and said that Yu Ronghua walked out of the inner hall with her hair in her hair. When she saw Ruan Yun, she walked forward without changing her expression and said, "You stay here and wait."
Ruan Yun agreed gently, and it seemed that she had no intention of overstepping the line, so Yu Ronghua felt relieved.
Yan Shiyu stepped down from the imperial procession, and Yu Ronghua saluted him tenderly, "Your Majesty, may you be well and safe."
Reaching out his hand to help Yu Ronghua up, Yan Shiyu said calmly, "My beloved concubine, there is no need to be polite."
The word "My beloved" and Yan Shiyu's familiar voice made Yu Ronghua's eyes red. She was born extremely beautiful, and such a delicate and charming look would move anyone.
Seeing her leaning against his chest, with a glimmer in her eyes, Yan Shiyu said in a calmer tone, "What's wrong? Are you unhappy to see me?"
Yu Ronghua tried to grab Yan Shiyu's sleeve but finally pulled her hand back, "I am so happy."
Yan Shiyu didn't say much, and walked in front with his hands behind his back. Yu Ronghua's hand fell empty for a moment, and she concealed the disappointment on her face very well. The handkerchief in her hand was almost broken, and she quickened her steps to catch up with Yan Shiyu in front.
When Ruan Yun knelt on the ground, she saw a black robe with a gold dragon pattern fluttering past.
Chen Lu walked last and stood beside Ruan Yun, "Go in and serve me carefully."
Ruan Jun agreed and walked into the inner hall with very light steps.
After Yu Ronghua helped Yan Shiyu wash his hands, she sat opposite him. She caught sight of Ruan Jun out of the corner of her eyes and signaled her to come over. Ruan Jun had no choice but to stand beside Yu Ronghua.
Yan Shiyu ate his meal without any interest, and casually asked, "My beloved concubine, why did you think of embroidering a purse?"
Yu Ronghua put down the jade chopsticks she was using to serve the dishes, "Your Majesty, in the past, your favorite thing was the purse that I embroidered."
Her fingers placed under the table were about to dig into her palms. When she had presented the purse to the emperor in the past, he had never asked about it like this. It was because of these vixen in the harem that she had lost her heart!
Yan Shiyu concealed the impatience in his eyes and said coldly, "I just asked casually."
Yu Ronghua quickly turned the conversation to the meal, "Your Majesty, please try the milk-broiled fish. It tastes very delicious."
After she finished speaking, she looked at Ruan Jun, who immediately understood what Yu Ronghua meant. She took a step forward, lifted her sleeves with her slender fingers, and delicately placed the most tender piece of fish on the plate into Yan Shiyu's bowl.
Yan Shiyu's dark eyes sank slightly, but his gaze stopped when he saw Ruan Jun's flawless white jade and pale finger bones as white as bamboo shoots.
Under the candlelight, the woman's face was pretty and bright, her willow-like eyebrows stretched out like distant mountains, her almond-shaped eyes were full of moisture, and her eyes moved around and then quickly lowered their heads like a panicked rabbit; her action made the whiter area on her neck exposed, and Yan Shiyu calmly looked away, but his eyes suddenly returned to her hands.
Ruan Yunbu left immediately after serving the dishes. During the second half of the meal, Yu Ronghua smiled very reluctantly, but Yan Shiyu could tell at a glance that he was not interested in that.
While Yan Shiyu was taking a bath, Yu Ronghua looked at Ruan Yun who was kneeling at her feet and slapped her, "You bitch, how dare you seduce the emperor!"
Lifting Ruan Yun's chin and seeing her face which was more beautiful than a flower, Yu Ronghua wished she could scratch her face right now!
It's not that she didn't see the emperor's eyes just now. That look showed that he was already interested. It was a pity that he didn't use it on her, this bitch! If she wasn't kept alive so that the emperor could come to Hanyu Palace often in the future, she would have wanted to kill the bitch right now to vent her anger!
Ruan Yun was forced to tilt her head back, her eyelashes trembling violently, and her tears rolled down and hit the back of Yu Ronghua's hand. It hurt, it really hurt.
Chen Lu looked in the direction of the bathroom and said nervously, "Master, the emperor is about to come out."
Yu Ronghua suddenly turned away Ruan Yun's face and said sinisterly, "Recently, you don't have to come to the palace to serve."
Ruan Yun immediately got up and just as she was about to walk out, Yu Ronghua said from behind her, "Don't try to play any tricks, or I'll kill you first!"
Feeling even more aggrieved, Ruan Jun clenched the handkerchief in her hand, her fingertips almost embedding into her palm but she pulled it back abruptly.
When Yan Shiyu came out, he happened to see Ruan Yun leaving. Yu Ronghua brought a cup of tea and said, "I specially picked dew to make tea. Your Majesty, would you like to try it?"
Yan Shiyu nodded slightly and took the teacup. He took a sip and held the cup with his thin and strong fingers without using it again. "My beloved concubine, you don't have to bother to do this yourself."
Yu Ronghua found the right moment, her face full of shyness, "As long as the emperor likes it, it's worth it for this concubine to do this."
Yan Shiyu's eyes fell on the doorway, and he casually asked, "Is there a new servant in your palace?"
Yu Ronghua's body froze. Sure enough, it was that slave girl who had bewitched the emperor's eyes. After a few breaths, Yu Ronghua adjusted herself and said, "Your Majesty has not been to my palace for a long time, so many people have not seen you."
Yan Shiyu patted her shoulder and gently tapped her knees, "Go to sleep."
Ruan Yun went all the way back to the servant's ear room, the pain from her tears mixing with the wounds was even more severe.
Tingxu waited at the door, and when he saw Ruan Jun coming back, he hurried over. When he saw the wounds on Ruan Jun's body, his eyes suddenly turned red, and he stamped his feet and said, "How could Yu Ronghua do this!"
Ruan Yun grabbed Tingxu and brought her to the ear room. She pressed a handkerchief against her face, which was burning with pain. Ruan Yun murmured, "Tingxu, you should live for yourself at least once."
Tingxu was so anxious that he couldn't hear anything and just shook his head. "I'll go get some medicine for my sister."
Ruan Jun gave a bitter smile, it turned out to be so painful that tears flowed unconsciously. She acted according to her master's mood, and this was the only outcome she would have.
She looked down at her palms, where there were several obvious crescent-shaped fingerprints. She suddenly closed her eyes and her hands gradually tightened. At least now, she was still useful to Yu Ronghua, and that was enough.
The next morning, Yu Ronghua helped Yan Shiyu get dressed. Just as she forced a smile, trying to persuade the emperor to come back tonight, Yan Shiyu asked her in a mild and neutral tone:
"What was the name of the maid who served the dishes last night?"
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