Chapter 12

On the other side, in the tea room of the Imperial Study, after Li Shuyao left, Song Fuwen stood in place, arms crossed, stewing in anger for quite a while.

However, the two newly assigned palace maids were busy tidying up the tea set, preparing the nighttime refreshments, and no one came over to comfort her.

Song Fuwen reluctantly lowered her arms. After a moment, as if suddenly recalling something, she furrowed her brows and murmured, "They’ve been out for so long, why haven’t they come back yet?"

The two palace maids exchanged a glance and, in perfect tacit understanding, lowered their heads and continued their work earnestly.

Song Fuwen stepped outside and was surprised to find that there was no one around.

Where had they gone?

Driven by curiosity, she found a young eunuch serving nearby, slipped a small silver fragment into his sleeve, and then asked about Li Shuyao’s whereabouts.

The little eunuch hesitated for a moment, unwilling to return the silver, then tiptoed closer, whispering into Song Fuwen’s ear the location of Li Shuyao.

Upon hearing that Li Shuyao had gone to the Eastern Warm Pavilion, Song Fuwen was taken aback. "But didn’t His Majesty summon Lady Guo Luoluo to accompany him today?"

The eunuch whispered, "Yes, but something must have happened in the harem today. After Madame Gui from Yanxi Palace paid a visit, the emperor took the imperial carriage and headed toward Yanxi Palace..."

Realizing what he had just revealed, the eunuch quickly covered his mouth with his hand, then nervously tugged on Song Fuwen’s sleeve. "Sister Song, you must not tell anyone this came from me."

Song Fuwen nodded knowingly. Such matters brought her no benefit; it wasn’t worth offending those close to the emperor.

She turned back toward the tea room.

Inside, the two palace maids were whispering to each other. Seeing her return, a flash of awkwardness crossed their faces before they stood up from their small stools.

"Fuwen, why are you back? Did you leave something behind?"

Song Fuwen’s expression flickered uncertainly; after a long moment, she spoke with a bitter tone, "Do you know where Li Shuyao went?"

Their curiosity instantly piqued.

With a troubled look, Song Fuwen approached and lowered her voice, "She went to the Eastern Warm Pavilion."

"I've heard before that she has a good relationship with Lady Guo Luoluo. What do you think it means that Lady Guo Luoluo called her over during the accompaniment?"

"Is that true?"

"Impossible, right?"

Both seemed incredulous.

Song Fuwen pursed her lips. "I only heard it from someone else. If you don’t believe me, you can ask her when she returns."

The two palace maids exchanged glances again. "What about you?"

Feigning fear, Song Fuwen replied, "I naturally went back to my quarters to rest after my shift."

"When I go back, I’ll think about how to mend my relationship with her. After all, with that connection, who knows when she might no longer be working in the tea room?"

She left the matter hanging, letting her imagination run wild, then turned and strode away.

*

At this moment, Li Shuyao was unaware that she was being talked about.

After washing their faces together, she, Qingyao, and Lingluo each went into the inner chamber to change into clean clothes.

When they returned, the round table in the room was already set with seven or eight miniature yet exquisitely crafted pastries.

Nanny Lin stood smiling gently nearby, her weathered face full of kindness. She beckoned them, "Are you tired? These are new delicacies recently developed by the imperial kitchen. The ladies of the harem all say they’re quite good— even the Empress Dowager praised them highly. Come, have a taste."

Li Shuyao happily took Qingyao’s hand and sat down.

After sitting for a moment, Li Shuyao instinctively felt something was amiss. Quickly standing up, she put on her old obedient expression and said to Nanny Lin, "Nanny, let me serve the young mistress with the refreshments."

Nanny Lin was momentarily speechless.

Guo Luoluo Qingyao was equally silent.

Even Lingluo looked somewhat helpless.

After all, she had already used tribute offerings, yet only when it came to eating snacks did she remember her role as a palace maid—wasn’t that a bit late?

Qingyao and Lingluo simultaneously felt a headache at Li Shuyao’s extremely slow reflexes.

But Nanny Lin knew Li Shuyao’s nature well.

Long before, when Eunuch Liang mentioned bringing a palace maid to the tea room, she had secretly investigated Li Shuyao’s background, character, and experiences since entering the palace.

She had also inquired with Nanny Rong, the storeroom keeper, and combined with recent observations, she hardly needed to think twice to know that this was precisely the sort of thing Li Shuyao would say or do.

Her smile remained unchanged, only growing more indulgent as she said to Li Shuyao with satisfaction, "Very well, then you stay in the room to serve. I have other matters to attend to, so I’ll be leaving first."

"Please take care on your way, Nanny," Li Shuyao bowed deeply.

Once Nanny Lin left, Li Shuyao relaxed in front of her close friends, dramatically patting her chest. "That really scared me just now."

"Qingyao, you don’t know, these days in the Palace of Heavenly Purity have been like walking on thin ice for me..."

She rambled on with complaints and grumbles, growing angrier until she could hardly contain herself, clenching her fists tightly and gritting her teeth, "I don’t know who arranged this for me, but if I catch that person..."

"What will you do?" Qingyao asked, feeling something was off.

Why this reaction from Shuyao? Wasn’t she happy to be a tea-serving palace maid?

...Could it be that her good intentions had backfired?

Anxiously pondering, she suddenly heard Li Shuyao’s last words. She quietly lifted her hands to her chest, biting her lip with concern.

Then she saw Li Shuyao pound her not-too-small, tender fists heavily onto the rosewood table. Several white porcelain plates rattled and flew slightly before settling back down.

The clinking of silver forks and porcelain plates sounded like a death knell, causing Guo Luoluo Qingyao’s heart to jump sharply.

After pounding the table, Li Shuyao put on a fierce expression, declaring, "I’ll pound him to death!"

Guo Luoluo Qingyao was speechless.

She resolved then and there not to reveal the truth to her.

*

After that topic, they began eating the pastries. Once their hunger was somewhat sated, they huddled together, whispering secrets.

Guo Luoluo Qingyao recounted her clever encounters with other official women in the rear quarters, while Li Shuyao lamented that she hadn’t made a single friend here, as no one wanted to associate with her.

Guo Luoluo Qingyao comforted her: "It’s the quality, not the quantity, of friends that matters. One friend like me is enough."

Li Shuyao considered this and found it reasonable. Her worries vanished instantly, replaced by a happy, carefree demeanor.

The Eastern Warm Pavilion felt as lively as a nest of spring swallows, with constant chatter filling the air.

Only when Liang Jiugong sent someone early to fetch her did Li Shuyao reluctantly let go of Qingyao’s hand, taking several lingering glances back as she left, moving slowly.

Unfortunately, the emperor’s carriage was moving swiftly today.

After leaving the Eastern Warm Pavilion, Li Shuyao intended to skirt around the main gate of the Palace of Heavenly Purity, pass through the right corridor, descend the steps, walk a short distance, pass several small doors, and then return to her quarters.

She thought she still had time to dawdle, but as she stepped out of the palace gate, she saw a bright yellow imperial carriage rapidly approaching her direction, soon to stop at the foot of the steps.

Her heart instantly panicked. Without thinking, she turned and dashed behind a nearby round pillar, then, along with several palace attendants, knelt down and performed the grand kowtow.

—The palace attendants knelt facing the steps, while in front of Li Shuyao was only a large, round red pillar.

At this moment, everyone lowered their heads to the ground, so no one noticed her awkward posture.

Kneeling there, she heard steady footsteps slowly ascending the steps. When the last step was reached, the footsteps stopped.

Then a clear, mellow male voice, gentle as a spring, spoke with some fatigue, "Where is Lady Guo Luoluo?"

"Your Majesty, Lady Guo Luoluo is currently waiting for you in the Eastern Warm Pavilion," came Liang Jiugong’s voice.

"Hmm." The emperor’s voice continued, emotionless.

Then footsteps resumed, gradually fading away until completely silent inside the door.

Li Shuyao swiftly rose from the ground. As she did, the nearby palace attendants slowly straightened.

By the time they fully stood, Li Shuyao had already slipped past several pillars and turned right, disappearing from sight.

She had slipped away.