Eunuch Su, Eunuch Su!

Hui Ming naturally didn't know that Eunuch Su was already preparing for the consequences of her potentially damaging the jewelry. She had been an embroiderer at the Bureau of Imperial Attire, so steady hands and meticulousness were a given. As long as she knew the steps, cleaning jade ornaments was a simple task. The only troublesome part was that before cleaning, the jade had to be soaked in warm water mixed with pearl powder for half an hour. The problem was, the side chamber not only housed the Emperor's jewelry but also his robes and clothes for the next few days. To prevent these items from being tainted by smoke, no braziers were allowed in the room.

Qiande Hall was heated with underfloor heating, so it wasn't cold. However, in such weather, warm water would quickly turn cold and needed to be changed frequently.

Hui Ming was diligent and would rather make a few more trips than be lazy. After several back-and-forth trips, on her second trip to fetch hot water, she saw from afar the two most likely contenders for the throne – Prince Xin and Prince Rui.

Prince Xin was born to the current Empress, making him the legitimate son. Prince Rui, however, was born to the most favored Consort Xian and was older. After the death of the Crown Prince, the Emperor had not appointed a new heir. These two princes, each with their own backing, were practically at odds with each other. Even when they came to pay their respects to the Emperor, they arrived together, as if they were afraid of appearing less filial if they were even a few steps behind.

Although Hui Ming couldn't recall their appearances, she wasn't interested in getting a closer look at these two feuding brothers. She simply bowed from afar while standing in the corridor. As she was about to leave, a group of people approached from the corner. The eunuchs and guards who had just straightened up bowed and greeted the approaching wet nurse holding a swaddled baby. "Greetings, Ninth Prince."

The current Emperor had five sons. The most prominent one had been the late Crown Prince, the legitimate son of the late Empress, who had been deeply loved by the Emperor. He had been appointed Crown Prince at the age of three but unfortunately had passed away. Of the remaining princes, besides Prince Xin, Prince Rui, and the Seventh Prince who lived in Grand Consort Dowager Kang's palace and was said to be "mentally deficient," there was this youngest one, the Ninth Prince.

The Ninth Prince was not even a year old and could only be carried in the arms of his wet nurse. As the Emperor's youngest son, he should have been the most doted upon. Unfortunately, he had been weak and sickly since birth. It wasn't just a figure of speech; he was truly plagued by illnesses. He couldn't be away from the imperial physicians for a moment, his mouth never free from medicine. Before even reaching his first birthday, he had already walked through the gates of hell several times. His survival was a testament to his will to live.

For this reason, the Emperor didn't dare to be too affectionate towards his youngest son. Apart from ordering the Imperial Hospital to take good care of him, he only saw him occasionally during festivals when the weather was good. This time, it was clear that the Emperor's illness had frightened the Ninth Prince's mother. Upon hearing that the Emperor was summoning his sons, she immediately had the wet nurse bring him to pay his respects, despite the risk of him catching a cold.

Neither Prince Xin nor Prince Rui considered their youngest brother a threat, not at his age, nor in his condition. They put on a show of brotherly concern, inquiring about the Ninth Prince's health and diet.

Although Hui Ming was standing far away, palace rules dictated that when the masters were talking, servants couldn't just turn and leave unless they had an urgent task. By the time the two princes finished their display of brotherly affection and entered the hall with their youngest brother, the water in Hui Ming's jar had already turned cold.

Hui Ming sighed helplessly and poured the cold water at the base of a nearby pine tree. She turned and went back to the tea room to get more hot water. While waiting for the water to boil, another thought occurred to her –

The Emperor had summoned all his sons. Now that Prince Xin, Prince Rui, and even the Ninth Prince were here, would the Seventh Prince, also his son, come?

Thinking of this, Hui Ming's movements paused. If she were still serving the Seventh Prince and he was in a stable mood, he would definitely take this opportunity to come and pay his respects. After all, since moving to Grand Consort Dowager Kang's palace at the age of three, the Seventh Prince had never seen his father again. Moreover, his situation was different from the Ninth Prince's. Although the Ninth Prince rarely saw the Emperor, the Emperor still cared about him, and everyone in the palace treated him with the utmost care, sometimes even more so than the Empress. They were all afraid of being implicated if anything happened to him.

But it was different for the Seventh Prince. The Emperor was already weary of his "mentally deficient" son. Even if he did see him, he probably wouldn't care, and the servants naturally wouldn't pay him much attention.

However, the less attention he received, the more important it was for him to come and pay his respects. As the saying went, "Out of sight, out of mind." If he could be seen, at least the palace wouldn't completely disregard him. He was, after all, a prince. What if one day he complained to the Emperor? Even if it was just for the sake of appearances, the Emperor wouldn't just stand by and watch his own son go without proper winter clothes. His life would definitely be better.

However, Consort Tian was shortsighted. She spent all day in the cold palace, filled with resentment and blaming her misfortune on her son's "incompetence." She had never paid attention to his situation. It was highly likely that she wouldn't bring him to pay his respects today...

Thinking of this, Hui Ming sighed inwardly. But in her current position, there was nothing she could do. After changing the water, she returned to the side chamber and continued cleaning the jade ornaments. After the two princes left and the Emperor summoned his officials, requiring him to change clothes again, Hui Ming served him once more. As it approached lunchtime, she had already forgotten about the Seventh Prince. But then, she unexpectedly saw a thin, small figure standing outside the hall.

Was it the Seventh Prince?

Hui Ming looked closely several times and confirmed that the child in the courtyard was indeed the young prince she had visited yesterday. Compared to his frail appearance yesterday, he seemed to be wearing an extra layer of cotton padding under his vest today. The thick cotton made him look a bit bulky, but it was warm enough for this weather. He was currently lowering his head, being led by the hand by an older woman. At first glance, he looked no different from any other child.

The Seventh Prince was actually capable of being led by the hand without throwing a tantrum?

Hui Ming's eyes widened. She shifted her gaze to the woman holding the Seventh Prince's hand. The woman looked quite old, with her hair tied in a bun and wearing a plain brown jacket. Although her hair was streaked with gray, she looked neat and tidy. Her round face held a kind smile, giving off an air of warmth and affection.

But Hui Ming had never seen this woman before among the Seventh Prince's servants.

"Greetings, Seventh Prince." Eunuch Su, who was inside the hall, must have heard the announcement. He strode over in a few quick steps and bowed with one knee on the ground. Hui Ming, caught off guard, couldn't help but take a few steps forward. She thought that in this unfamiliar Qiande Hall, with a stranger suddenly approaching, the Seventh Prince would definitely be scared and try to hide. However, the little prince only stiffened slightly but showed no other unusual reaction!

"Greetings, Eunuch Su." By now, Hui Ming had walked closer and saw the woman seemingly take a step forward, blocking the Seventh Prince. She spoke to Eunuch Su with utmost respect. "His Majesty hasn't been well these days, and His Highness has been very worried. But without your permission, we didn't dare to disturb him. Today, we heard that His Majesty is recovering and summoning his sons. His Highness was overjoyed and wanted to come and pay his respects. Would you please inform His Majesty?"

Given the Seventh Prince's age, he should have been the one to say these words. However, everyone knew about his condition. Su Jin's expression remained unchanged. "His Majesty is currently speaking with General Fang. He might not have time for His Highness at the moment."

The woman didn't seem surprised. She coughed and continued, "His Highness wouldn't dare to disturb His Majesty. We'll wait here."

Su Jin paused. "In that case, please have His Highness wait in the side hall and have some tea."

Hui Ming frowned slightly. The side hall was frequently used by servants and was rather chaotic. To other masters, these ordinary servants naturally didn't matter. But for the Seventh Prince, it would be better to wait in the courtyard. In such weather, the servants, afraid of getting their shoes wet, would rather take the covered corridor, leaving the courtyard empty and quiet. Just as she was worried, she saw the woman bow and reply, her voice weak but firm. "His Highness is shy. We'll just wait here."

Hui Ming was impressed by this woman. Although she looked ordinary and even a bit disrespectful, everything she did was for the Seventh Prince's best interest. The fact that the Seventh Prince was able to stay calm and composed here must be due to her understanding and care for him.

But why had she never seen this woman before when she served at Grand Consort Dowager Kang's palace? If this woman had always been by his side, perhaps the Seventh Prince's condition wouldn't have worsened to that extent? Had she been transferred from somewhere else, or…? Looking at the woman who was still coughing and seemed unwell, Hui Ming couldn't help but have some bad premonitions.

Seeing that they wouldn't comply, Su Jin didn't press further. He simply nodded and took two steps back as a gesture of respect before turning to re-enter the hall. Just as he turned, he bumped into Hui Ming, who was standing only inches away from him.

Su Jin was tall. Standing in front of him, Hui Ming had to lower her head, her gaze falling on his robe. The fifteen-year-old girl hadn't fully matured yet. Bathed in the weak winter sun, the downy hair on her head looked as soft as a chick's, making him want to cup her head gently in his hands and hold her tight, even if it meant breaking her wings, just so she could never escape.

Hui Ming, who had been focused on the Seventh Prince and hadn't moved out of the way in time, was also startled. She quickly took a few steps back and curtsied. "Eunuch Su."

A complex look flashed across Su Jin's usually aloof face. He dug his nails into his palm, the pain bringing him back from the abyss of dark thoughts.

"What's wrong?" His voice was a little hoarse, perhaps from the dry weather.

"N-nothing." Hui Ming shook her head quickly. Su Jin glanced at her trembling eyelashes, his grip tightening. He walked past her and into the hall.

Watching Eunuch Su's red robe disappear into the distance, Hui Ming let out a long breath. She unconsciously touched the goosebumps that had appeared on her neck. Coming back to her senses, she turned her attention back to the two people in front of her. She stood a polite distance away and asked softly, "May I ask your name, madam?"

The woman was slightly startled by her question. She quickly bowed with a smile. "This old servant wouldn't dare. I am just a lowly servant serving His Highness. My surname is Zhao."

It was indeed as Hui Ming had guessed. This Nanny Zhao was not a prominent figure among the Seventh Prince's servants. In her previous life, she had been in and out of Grand Consort Dowager Kang's palace for more than ten years and had never even heard of this person. Now, seeing Nanny Zhao's cautious and ingratiating attitude, Hui Ming was even more certain that this Nanny Zhao was either newly transferred or…

She was someone who shouldn't be here.

Thinking of this, Hui Ming's heart skipped a beat. She vaguely remembered that in her previous life, not long after the Seventh Prince was moved to Grand Consort Dowager Kang's palace, there seemed to be a period when his condition worsened, and he would often have episodes. At that time, she had just been assigned to serve him and was still fumbling around, trying to understand his temperament. She only remembered that it was very difficult to handle him during that time. It seemed that a few palace maids and eunuchs who were serving the Seventh Prince at that time were either punished or transferred because they couldn't take good care of him.

Could it be that this Nanny Zhao…

Was one of the people who were transferred because of the Seventh Prince?

If that was the case, then it made sense. Nanny Zhao was obviously very familiar with the Seventh Prince's temperament and knew how to take care of him. However, she was still so cautious and even a bit frightened. It was clear that she had suffered a lot because of the Seventh Prince.

Thinking of this, Hui Ming couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for the woman in front of her. The Seventh Prince was the Emperor's son, but because of his illness, he was like a hot potato that no one wanted to touch. Those who served him had to be extra careful. If they did well, it was their duty. If they made even the slightest mistake, they would be blamed. It was truly a thankless task.

Hui Ming had experienced it firsthand in her previous life.

"So it's Nanny Zhao." Hui Ming smiled kindly at Nanny Zhao. "My name is Hui Ming. I serve in His Majesty's chambers. If you need anything, feel free to ask."

Nanny Zhao was stunned for a moment before quickly bowing again. "Thank you, thank you, Sister Hui Ming."

Seeing her cautious manner, Hui Ming didn't press further. She knew that with her current status as a mere palace maid, there was nothing she could do to truly help Nanny Zhao and the Seventh Prince. Moreover, she didn't know how long Nanny Zhao would be able to stay by the Seventh Prince's side. If she acted rashly and attracted too much attention, it might even backfire and harm them instead.

Thinking of this, Hui Ming could only sigh inwardly. She chatted with Nanny Zhao for a while longer, asking about the Seventh Prince's situation, before bidding farewell and returning to the side chamber.

Author's Note:

Eunuch Su, who almost scared his crush to death: …I'm sorry.

ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっ

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