Chapter 13

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Li Shuyao hurried back to her room, closing the two doors behind her. The first thing she did was rush to the mirror, scrutinizing her face over and over. She pinched her cheeks on the left, then squeezed the right side until both were slightly flushed from the gentle torment. Only then did she lower the mirror with a thoughtful expression.

After a moment, her mind exploded like a firework: those seemingly chaotic, colorful tributes really worked!

Her skin had become noticeably finer! She could no longer see any pores; her complexion was pale with a flush of red, and a faint pink glow made her look healthy and vibrant.

She had no idea what ingredients those products contained, but since they were offered to the royal family, they surely wouldn’t cause any damage.

So, rounding it up, this trip was actually a gain for her?

Thinking this, Li Shuyao’s smile grew brighter. She jumped up, spinning around several times before calming her joy, washing up, changing clothes, and curling up on her comfortable little bed like a lazy kitten.

That night was filled with sweet dreams. When she awoke the next morning, a happy smile lingered on her lips, and her spirit was better than ever.

She sat up on the bed and stretched before touching the blanket, pondering whether to sleep a while longer or read a book.

After only half a minute of hesitation, she happily decided to take another nap!

After all, a second sleep was the happiest thing in the world—nothing, not even delicious food, could compare.

She lay back down, spreading the blanket over her lower abdomen, closed her eyes, adjusted her position, and began to choose what to fantasize about before sleep...

“Hey, did you hear? The eldest prince was poisoned yesterday!” Suddenly, a mysterious voice sounded outside Li Shuyao’s door.

The voice was deliberately hushed, mostly breathy, with a slightly muffled tone. Because it was so close to her door, every word still reached Li Shuyao’s ears clearly.

She snapped her eyes open, propping herself up in bed and leaning forward, adopting an eager posture to listen to gossip.

She didn’t dare move, fearing she might scare them off. What if they stopped talking? She would turn into a frantic little creature running wild!

Li Shuyao even held her breath intently.

Then another person outside spoke: “Heard about it. Such a big matter can’t be kept secret.”

“They say it was someone from Yanxi Palace.”

“Apparently, an old nanny.”

“Close to Consort Nara.”

“Close? Why would someone so close harm the eldest prince?”

“Maybe she was bribed?”

“But I heard it was a palace maid who does the sweeping.”

Several voices chimed in—four or five people judging by the tones.

Li Shuyao wasn’t sure, so she quietly took a breath and continued eavesdropping.

“So that’s why the Emperor rushed off yesterday—to deal with this?”

“More than that; even the two elder ancestors in Cining Palace were alarmed.”

“What happened to the eldest prince afterward?”

“Should be fine, otherwise the Emperor wouldn’t have returned so quickly.”

“They say the poison is a slow-acting stupidity drug, needing years of consumption to take effect.”

“Think about it: the eldest prince is five now and will begin study in the imperial study next year. If this poisoning goes unnoticed, he’ll grow dumber and dumber until he becomes mentally impaired. Whose face would that disgrace?”

“...”

Those words silenced the others.

Li Shuyao silently agreed in her heart: whose face indeed—the entire royal family’s honor.

By this point, she understood the situation clearly. Her sharp mind quickly recalled the passage from her books.

Consort Hui, now Consort Nara, had been bold and headstrong in her prime, offending many. After losing a son, she learned to restrain herself—but it was too late.

When the Emperor intended to promote her to concubine, hidden enemies stirred, scheming to harm the child.

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Li Shuyao continued recalling.

Consort Nara was somewhat aware of these dirty deeds. The nanny who attacked the eldest prince acted under her orders; outwardly, it seemed as if she was bribed, but in truth, it was a spy strategy.

Otherwise, how else could Consort Nara have “just happened” to catch the nanny in the act the first time?

Despite the Emperor’s best efforts to suppress the news, it still alarmed the two elder ancestors in Cining Palace.

So the truth was clear—

Consort Nara deliberately escalated the matter to flush out the hidden enemies!

...

End of recollection.

Li Shuyao refocused on the voices outside her door.

She listened patiently for a while longer, only to find them repeating the same speculations over and over. Her enthusiasm waned.

She had thought she was hearing a juicy scandal, but it was just old, stale news.

Not at all tasty—she’d rather get her second sleep!

Hugging the blanket, she decisively lay back down.

After a while, she felt something was off—the voices outside were growing louder.

She sat up and squinted toward the door, unsurprised to see several blurry figures pacing just outside.

Were they deliberately speaking right by her door to be overheard?

What was their aim? Could it be that they hated her so much they wanted to keep her from sleeping?

Their plan was flawed. After her experience crossing over, Li Shuyao’s sleep quality had become astonishingly good. Nothing but fresh gossip or a shift in duty could disturb it!

Thinking this, she gave up even her pre-sleep fantasies, lay down again, closed her eyes, and emptied her mind. Within five minutes, her breathing became steady and deep, and her sleeping face serene.

Outside, the voices continued for a while, then stopped due to the silence inside.

They exchanged glances.

“Is she up or not?”

“She hasn’t come out for breakfast; probably still asleep.”

They looked at each other uncertainly.

“What now?”

“Wait?”

“That’s too deliberate…”

“Maybe come back in the afternoon?”

“...”

“Alright, let’s decide on afternoon.”

“Hmm.”

—Thanks to Song Fuwen, palace maids began whispering that Li Shuyao was the Guo Luoluo young mistress designated as an offering to the Emperor!

Being a tea-serving maid was merely a stepping stone.

Once the news spread, many maids grew more envious of Li Shuyao.

Yet some, knowing they couldn’t compete, gave up early and began plotting other “back-up plans.”

Li Shuyao was their easiest target to latch onto.

* * *

Li Shuyao slept until the sky was bright, then groggily washed up.

She carefully chose a mint-green palace dress and sat at her dressing table to prepare.

After a long while, she finally left her room, first seeking food.

In the small kitchen, she found only a small bowl of plain porridge, a few pickled vegetables, and three pieces of pastry.

She ate a little, feeling rather pitiful, then considered that there were about four hours before her duty began. If she went to the rear quarters to find Qingyao for a meal, would there be enough time?

Until yesterday, she had feared being discovered associating with Qingyao by the people of Qianqing Palace and bringing trouble to her, so she had endured over a month without meeting Qingyao even once.

Now, even the Emperor knew they were close friends—openly acknowledged as inseparable confidantes!

So... going to the rear quarters now should be fine, right?

Biting her silver spoon, she pondered anxiously for a long time, long enough for the porridge to start digesting, waves of hunger coming and going.

Finally, she made up her mind.

A child must never go hungry!

She put down the spoon without guilt, washed the dishes she’d used, and with joyful anticipation, hurried toward the rear quarters.

—Upon learning she was awake, the maids who had been waiting for her were disappointed.

Li Shuyao stayed in the rear quarters until half an hour before her duty began, then reluctantly returned to the tea room.

When she arrived, the previous shift of maids had left, the imperial study was quiet, and the two little eunuchs who checked the tea were nowhere to be seen.

Li Shuyao knew the Emperor was likely not in the study at this moment.

She felt an inexplicable relief, turned, pushed open the tea room door, and began her day’s work—cleaning.

She washed tea utensils, changed the water, wiped shelves and tables, and swept the floor.

Only after completing the routine did Song Fuwen arrive, fashionably late.

Seeing her come, Li Shuyao obediently went to a corner and sat on her small stool, pulling out the travel journal she had hidden yesterday, intent on studying traditional characters.

Unexpectedly, Song Fuwen behaved unusually, approaching her with a gentle smile, rummaging in her sleeve.

Li Shuyao’s skin crawled with unease.

Her mind screamed: a sly fox bringing gifts to the hens...

Song Fuwen reached her side and took out a delicate square wooden box, about the size of an adult man’s palm. Opening it revealed several milky-white pastries resting quietly inside.

Li Shuyao’s thoughts raced: she’s going to poison me...

Song Fuwen placed the box on Li Shuyao’s low table and said softly, “Sister Shuyao, I heard you slept all day without eating breakfast or dinner. That won’t do. If you don’t eat, and your health suffers, how will you serve the Emperor later?”

“I was truly worried, so before your shift, I arranged to bring you some pastries from the imperial kitchen. Eat them quickly; it will help you work better.”

Li Shuyao was speechless.

She twitched her nose, catching a faint, sweet, elegant fragrance from the tiny pastries—about the size of a one-yuan coin.

After a long silence, she lifted her clear eyes seriously and looked at Song Fuwen.

“Do you really think just these few pieces can fill a person up?”

Song Fuwen had prepared for many reactions: suspicion, hatred, endurance, compliance, distance...

She even recalled the first day Li Shuyao came to the tea room, bringing her some pastries, only to have them slapped away.

Song Fuwen expected retaliation or at least rejection, bracing herself mentally.

But she never expected this response.

Her smile stiffened awkwardly, her mind slowed as if rusted, unable to find words to explain.

Li Shuyao then lowered her head, poked the milky pastries hesitantly, then snapped the box shut, stood up, and stubbornly shoved the box back into Song Fuwen’s hand.

She snapped fiercely, “I’m not eating your food.”

“Because I’ve already eaten my fill at Qingyao’s!”

Song Fuwen was speechless.

Outside the door, someone listening intently was also left utterly silent.