Eunuch Su, Eunuch Su!

Decades of routine were deeply ingrained in the palace servants' lives. As soon as the fourth watch drum sounded outside, Hui Ming, lying on the kang, opened her eyes.

It was her turn to be on duty today.

The sun rose late in winter. Before the hour of Chen (7-9 am), the room was still shrouded in darkness, making one's heart tremble. Qiu Ya, sleeping beside her, seemed to have sensed her movement. She opened her eyes slightly, mumbled a greeting, then turned over and went back to sleep.

Opportunities for palace maids to sleep in were rare. Hui Ming didn't wake her up. She got out of bed in the dark, poured hot water from the basin that had been kept warm on the brazier the night before, and quietly got dressed. Then, wrapping herself in the sky-blue jacket she had just received last month, she left the room.

The snow had stopped, leaving only a crescent moon hanging in the sky. Its faint light reflected off the accumulated snow, illuminating the path. Accompanied by the soft crunching beneath her feet, Hui Ming stepped on the cold light and entered Qiande Hall through the side door.

It was time for the servants to change shifts. Apart from the Emperor's bedchamber, which was still shrouded in silence and darkness by layers of curtains, the side hall was already lit with candles, and servants were busy with their duties. Palace maids and eunuchs came and went in an endless stream, their footsteps silent. Despite the hustle and bustle, the vast Qiande Hall remained utterly quiet. Even when they needed to communicate, they only spoke in hushed tones, using a few simple and clear words. The servants serving the Emperor often only needed a glance to understand what they needed to do.

Hui Ming stood at the door, momentarily stunned. She looked up and saw Governess Wei, the head palace maid of Qiande Hall, beckoning her. When Hui Ming approached, Governess Wei lowered her voice and instructed gently, "His Majesty woke up twice last night. He might want to see someone. Prepare the hairbands and hairpins. Since he is still unwell, choose something comfortable and simple. Don't bring anything too extravagant."

Governess Wei, the head palace maid, came from the Bureau of Imperial Bedchamber. She had a gentle disposition but was meticulous and cautious in her work, rarely making mistakes. Although she was a little older now and no longer served in the bedchamber, she was still the most trusted personal maid by the Emperor's side. A couple of years ago, the Emperor had promised her a future as a Noble Consort. If not for the Emperor's need for her attentive service, she would have already become a proper mistress.

Due to this, Governess Wei held a rather unique position in Qiande Hall. Although she was still a servant in name, she already possessed the demeanor of a mistress. She didn't bother with other trivial matters and dedicated herself entirely to the Emperor's daily life. All the dozen or so palace maids serving the Emperor had received her guidance and instructions.

As for Hui Ming, who had entered through Eunuch Su's connections, she was the focus of Governess Wei's attention. Not to mention that she was still new here. Even when she had served in the Emperor's presence for two years and was already very familiar with her duties, Governess Wei still reminded her several times a day, as if she couldn't possibly perform her duties without others' guidance and help.

Remembering this, Hui Ming didn't say anything. She just bowed silently in agreement and went to the side chamber behind the hall. She took out a small copper key, unlocked a gilded wooden box, and following Governess Wei's instructions, she found a plain gold satin headband. It was made of fine silk, a tribute from Yunzhou. It was simply embroidered with a few cloud patterns using feather thread. It was comfortable to wear and wouldn't feel obtrusive. There was also a heart-shaped warm jade pendant hanging from it.

The jade pendant was only the size of a copper coin and made of warm jade. It shouldn't have been a big deal, but Hui Ming paused, looking at the pendant, and decided to remove it with a needle and thread.

It wasn't that Hui Ming was being difficult. It was just that she suddenly remembered that in her previous life, when she presented this headband to the Emperor, Governess Wei, upon seeing it, had commented that the jade pendant might be uncomfortable for the Emperor. She then instructed Hui Ming to remove it in front of everyone, almost causing her to be late for her duties.

At that time, under the scrutiny of everyone's eyes, Hui Ming's face flushed red with embarrassment. She wished she could disappear into a hole in the ground. She didn't even dare to look at anyone for several days afterward. But now, thinking back, it was just a small ripple in a long river. If she hadn't seen the jade pendant today, she probably wouldn't have remembered it at all.

But now that she remembered, Hui Ming naturally didn't want to repeat the same mistake. After removing the jade pendant, she carefully checked everything else she had taken out. After making sure there were no other issues, she carried the lacquered wooden tray filled with hair ornaments and stood steadily outside the bedchamber.

Comparatively, managing the hair ornaments was an easier job. There were also fewer people assigned to this task among the palace maids serving the Emperor. Hui Ming stood outside the curtains and waited for another two cups of tea before seeing two palace maids from the Bureau of Imperial Wardrobe arrive, also carrying lacquered trays.

They were biological sisters, both with round faces and delicate eyebrows, looking youthful and pleasant. Originally, the Ministry of Internal Affairs had assigned them to the Bureau of Imperial Bedchamber. However, the Emperor hadn't been fond of young girls in recent years. Although these two were pretty, they had a childish air about them. So he had them transferred to the Bureau of Imperial Wardrobe to work for a few years until they were older.

The palace maids serving the Emperor were all named after tea. Hui Ming remembered that the older sister was called Kukou (Bitter) and the younger one was called Yugan (Sweet Aftertaste). However, they were about the same height, and after all this time, Hui Ming couldn't tell them apart.

Fortunately, the Emperor was still lying inside, and the palace maids were in no position to chat and laugh. Not being able to tell them apart didn't matter much to Hui Ming. She simply bowed her head slightly to each of them and gave an almost imperceptible nod, which was their way of greeting each other.

Normally, it would be time for the Emperor to wake up, but now that he was seriously ill, there was no telling when he would wake. The palace maids in charge of serving tea and water, afraid that the water would get cold, didn't enter the bedchamber. They waited outside with their porcelain basins and teacups, ready to mix hot and cold water when needed.

People like them had been trained to stand still since they were young. Hui Ming stood in place, recalling the appearances and names of the remaining palace maids. As the light inside the hall gradually brightened, Yun Hua, the palace maid serving in the bedchamber, announced cheerfully, "Your Majesty, you're awake?"

With this announcement, the entire Qiande Hall seemed to come alive. Several young eunuchs entered and rolled up the bed curtains, instantly illuminating the room. Governess Wei came out and gave instructions. The palace maids waiting outside entered the bedchamber one by one with warm water and tea for rinsing and washing, and Governess Wei personally attended to the Emperor's needs.

Hui Ming, along with the two sisters, Kukou and Yugan, silently took a few steps back. Although the Emperor was awake, he was still unwell and needed to be examined by the imperial physicians first. If he couldn't get out of bed, they would have to withdraw with their clothes and accessories.

As expected, not long after, Consort Xian, who had been attending to the Emperor in the side hall, rushed into the bedchamber like a gust of wind. After another cup of tea's time, guided by Eunuch Su, two white-haired imperial physicians entered from outside, carrying their medicine boxes. They knelt respectfully outside the bedchamber and bowed.

Su Jin obviously noticed Hui Ming standing to the side. Their eyes met, and he nodded slightly before turning and entering the bedchamber. After a few words, he invited the imperial physicians inside.

After a while, the palace maids who had served water and towels came out and stood quietly behind Hui Ming and the others. Then Governess Wei, who had been personally attending to the Emperor, came out and checked the clothes and accessories that Hui Ming and the others had prepared. It seemed that the Emperor's condition had improved, and he was well enough to summon his officials.

Hui Ming stood still, allowing Governess Wei to examine everything. She thought there wouldn't be any problems, but when Governess Wei saw the jade pendant she had removed, she frowned slightly and said with concern, "You removed this heart-shaped pendant. Those who know will understand your attentiveness. But those who don't might think you're careless, using a headband with a missing pendant for His Majesty. Wouldn't that be our fault again?"

"It's good to be attentive when serving His Majesty, but if you overdo it, it becomes presumptuous." Governess Wei's tone was as gentle and kind as ever, but her words sent chills down Hui Ming's spine.

The last time, she hadn't removed the jade pendant and was criticized by Governess Wei for being careless. This time, she followed Governess Wei's instructions, but she was accused of being presumptuous and trying to show off?

Hui Ming's expression remained unchanged, but her grip on the lacquered tray tightened. She didn't even need to look up to sense the displeasure in the eyes of the surrounding palace maids. Even the two sisters, Kukou and Yugan, had subtly moved a step away from her.

Indeed, the palace servants serving the Emperor were the best of the best. They couldn't afford to make any mistakes. She had relied on her "relationship" with Eunuch Su to climb to this position, but she couldn't seem to do anything right. If she wasn't careful, she might drag others down with her. Who would genuinely be happy about that? It was only natural for them to dislike and distance themselves from her.

So, in her past life, the reason she was always subtly isolated in Qiande Hall, besides her own preoccupation and unlikeable behavior, was also partly due to someone deliberately sowing discord?

If she still couldn't see through Governess Wei's hypocrisy and deliberate attempts to undermine her after reliving her life, then she had truly wasted all her years of service in the Emperor's presence. Realizing this and replaying Governess Wei's past actions in her mind, Hui Ming's eyes grew darker.

She had sensed Governess Wei's distrust and dissatisfaction in her past life. As the head palace maid serving the Emperor, it was natural for her to dislike a palace maid who had risen to her position through a "relationship." If not for her rebirth, Hui Ming would never have imagined that someone like Governess Wei, with her status and future prospects, would go to such lengths to discredit a lowly palace maid like her.

If it weren't for the wrong time and place, Hui Ming would almost feel flattered.

Countless thoughts flashed through her mind, but facing the current situation, Hui Ming simply lowered her head. Just as she was about to thank Governess Wei for her "kindness" according to the rules and settle the score later, Eunuch Su's deep voice came from the side, "What's going on here?"

ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっ

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