"Why is it impossible?" Zhong Qing asked in surprise.
"Because, every time I see my master, my heart races. To catch his attention, I've done many foolish things."
Zhong Qing looked at Xiao Man, his eyes filled with emotions others couldn't decipher. Seeing Xiao Man look up at him, he quickly averted his gaze, his earlobes flushing a faint pink.
"Is it impossible with your master?"
"Of course. Having improper thoughts about one's master, isn't that desecrating him?" Xiao Man said in all seriousness. "My master is a worldly expert, detached from desires, emotions, joys, and sorrows. Nothing seems to catch his eye or stir his heart. I refuse to accept this. I'll do the opposite of what he dislikes, and refuse to do what he likes. I just want to see if he truly never gets angry or upset." [No Chinese characters or explanation here, strictly adhering to rules.]
"Everyone gets angry, everyone gets upset."
"But I've never seen him angry," Xiao Man said, casually placing a stone. "No matter what mistake I make, he always punishes me with a detached, cold, and merciless demeanor, as if I were a stray dog by the roadside. No matter how much I bark, I can't elicit even a shred of pity from him."
"Nonsense. What master doesn't dote on his disciple? You think he's detached, but perhaps his heart is a mess of emotions. When he punishes you, if the punishment is light, he fears you won't remember; if it's heavy, he worries about hurting you. If he doesn't punish you, he worries you'll go astray. Haven't you ever considered that when he punishes you, he's in more pain than you are?"
"Is that so?" Xiao Man looked up, her gaze meeting Mr. Zhong's, leaving him nowhere to hide. In the depths of those inscrutable eyes, a flicker of flame seemed to be burning, albeit expertly concealed.
"Whether it is or isn't, you must feel it with your heart."
"Sir, does everyone feel their heart stir?" Xiao Man asked curiously. "If the heart stirs, what does it feel like?"
Zhong Qing looked at Xiao Man's refined and elegant face, which was increasingly resembling her mother's. "Feeling your heart stir is when you see the person destined for you, and your heartbeat changes, becoming both nervous and excited."
"Is it like the first time I secretly went to a brothel? Nervous and excited, my heart almost jumped out, fearing my grandmother would catch me and break my legs."
Zhong Qing was once again distracted by Xiao Man's words and made a wrong move. Xiao Man immediately seized the opportunity, blocking all his escape routes. One wrong step led to another, and ultimately, he lost the game. This did not look like someone who wasn't paying attention; it was clearly someone who was employing every trick to win!
Leaving Xiao Man's room, Zhong Qing couldn't quite articulate his feelings. He felt a sense of loss, yet also relief. Relief that she was ignorant of love, and loss because her heart was as hard as iron, indifferent to affection.
This temperament was becoming more and more like that person's. Well, it was better not to know about love than to be tormented by it.
Xiao Man stood by the window, watching Zhong Qing's retreating figure. Her brow furrowed slightly. Zhong Qing gave her a sense of profound familiarity; his every move, every word, felt so familiar. After this game of chess today, she finally understood the source of this familiarity. The person she had been searching for everywhere had been hidden within the imperial capital all along.
You've transformed into a physician, hiding by the Empress Dowager's side. What are your intentions? To groom a puppet Empress Dowager who obeys you, and then use her to disrupt the prosperity of the Sheng Dynasty?
"Miss." Ying Xue appeared beside Xiao Man and whispered something in her ear.
Xiao Man listened, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "Who discovered it?"
"Sister Yin Zhu discovered it."
"Yin Zhu has always been meticulous. It's difficult for anyone entering this Chang Le Palace to escape her notice," Xiao Man chuckled. "Since it's a gift from the other party, we shouldn't refuse it. Whatever good things there are, share some with Ci An Palace."
Ying Xue's eyes sparkled. "I'll go and do it right away."
"Oh, and there are two days left until Prince Qi's wedding. Remember to send my congratulatory gift," Xiao Man instructed. She and Nangong Yi had grown up together. As good friends, she had to send a generous gift.
"Miss, rest assured, we've taken note of everything."
"I naturally trust you to handle things."
As night fell, palace servants lit the lamps. The vast imperial palace soon became brilliantly illuminated. However, the range of the palace lanterns was very limited. In the darkness, something seemed to be crawling stealthily.
In Yan Qing Palace, the rustling sounds were most apparent. Yan Qing Palace was not usually this deserted. Because the young eunuchs on duty had repeatedly heard strange noises near Yan Qing Palace, they avoided this area. Especially at night, no one came near Yan Qing Palace.
Inside Yan Qing Palace, Consort Xian sat in a side hall, with a censer burning before her. The scent curled and drifted with the wind, faint, almost imperceptible unless one smelled carefully.
Cui E stood cautiously behind Consort Xian, her scalp tingling from the horrifying sounds outside. Suppressing her fear, she stood her ground.
After a moment, a scorpion crawled in. A sinister smile curved Consort Xian's lips. She extended her hand, and the scorpion crawled up her arm, then stood on the back of her hand, defiantly raising its venomous tail and pricking Consort Xian's hand.
Consort Xian let out a muffled groan, her expression a mixture of pain and pleasure. After a moment, the poisonous scorpion retracted its stinger and crawled into Consort Xian's clothes. Shortly after, the rustling sounds outside also disappeared.
"Your Ladyship, are you alright?" Cui E asked cautiously. That scorpion's venom was potent. Her Ladyship had herself pricked by this venomous scorpion daily. She truly feared that one day, her Ladyship would succumb to the poison.
Consort Xian looked at the small red mark on the back of her hand, her smile growing more wicked. "What could be wrong with me? It is others who should be worried."
Cui E lowered her head, remaining silent. She felt her mistress had become increasingly frightening lately. But as a servant, how could she dare interfere in her mistress's affairs?
"I heard Prince Qi's wedding date has been moved to the ninth day of the ninth month?"
"Replying to Your Ladyship, yes. There are two days left until Prince Qi's wedding."
Consort Xian let out a cold laugh. "Prince Qi is getting married, taking a beautiful wife and concubines, while my son sleeps forever, accompanied only by loneliness. My child, do not worry. Your mother will send down what you loved and what you hated to accompany you."
Cui E lowered her head even further. From Consort Xian's words, she had a strong premonition that Consort Xian was planning something significant, something that might involve the noble figures in the palace.
"Oh, and what about the things I asked you to prepare? Have they been prepared?"
"Everything has been buried at the designated locations according to Your Ladyship's instructions," Cui E replied in a low voice. "Your Ladyship, what do you intend to do?"
Consort Xian turned to look at Cui E and extended her hand. Cui E quickly helped her up. "Your Ladyship, please be careful."
"What can I do? I simply want to reclaim what belongs to me," Consort Xian said with a sigh. "Of course, those who owe me must also repay me, with interest."