Xia Niangniang - Chapter 11

Chapter 11

“ Xiao Bao,” the Blind Concubine called out as he stood at the entrance to the courtyard of the cold palace, “Have you put in order everything?”

“Yes, Master. I have packed several things we commonly use daily.”

“Mm!” The Blind Concubine nodded his head. His fingers were stroking the old and shabby courtyard’s gate, fluttering eyelashes, “Suddenly leaving this place, I actually feel reluctant to part with it.”

Xiao Bao looked around the small courtyard and agreed, “After all, we have stayed here for many years.”

The Emperor stood on the side and said, “The Little Prince said, if you feel reluctant to leave, you can come back to stay at this place one or two days a month. You can just leave your daily utensils here and nobody will dare to move it. The Little Prince will send the maids to come regularly to sweep and clean this place.”

The Blind Concubine felt a bit awkward: “Really have to thank the Little Prince. According to the palace maidens, it was the Little Prince who went to face the Emperor, begged and pleaded, so that the Emperor could agree and allow me to move out from the cold palace, to accompany the Little Prince in his study.”

Halfheartedly, the Emperor replied, “Mm.”

Inwardly he said, if not because he could not clearly state his status, why would he use the Little Prince’s actions as an excuse, letting that little child Rui Ze take all the credit for himself.

He wore a very jealous expression.

The Blind Concubine moved in to the *Serving House.

*t/n (literally: 端灵轩 – Duan Ling Xuan, Duan – serve, Ling – effective, Xuan – a room like study, or lofty).

This place was near to the Little Prince’s residence, also not very far from the Emperor’s sleeping quarter. It wasn’t big, but exquisitely decorated.

The Blind Concubine was very delighted. “I can smell the flowers’ nice fragrant.”

The Emperor said, “try to guess, what kind of flowers they are?”

The Blind Concubine attentively sniffed to smell, trying to draw out his memories for quite some time, “Dahlia, the Night Fragrance…. It seems like there are also Orchids and Lilies.”

Xiao Bao clapped his hands in delight: “Your Grace guessed perfectly.”

The Blind Concubine laughed and said, “I am very sensitive to sounds, smells and flavors, after all.”

The Emperor told him: “From now on, you can stay here peacefully. Whatever kind of flowers you like, just tell the palace’s servant and have them planted for you. If you are short of something, don’t hesitate to say.”

The Blind Concubine replied: “This is already more than enough. There isn’t anything lacking. Do not exert another great effort for me.”

Nodding his head, Emperor added: “The Little Prince’s temper is still of a child, don’t let him always have his way. I know that you have a very gentle temper, soft-spoken, but please don’t dote on him too much, it will make him spoiled rotten. “

The Blind Concubine nodded his head, “What you have said is right, I understand.”

The Emperor put away his folded fan, reached out to hold the Blind Concubine’s hand.

The Blind Concubine startled, out of reflex he tried to withdraw his hand, however, he was unable to do it.

“Living here, you must take better care of yourself.”

The Blind Concubine blush a layer of crimson, a little bit nervous to speak: “Yes, I will….”

“I will come to visit you regularly.”

“Ehh?? This… This won’t be good….”

The Emperor’s brows twitched: “What matter won’t be good?”

The Blind Concubine asked a question in reply: “Shouldn’t you be still on your guard duty in the Emperor’s quarter?”

The Emperor choked off all of a sudden.

“And also, I am here to accompany the Little Prince on his study”, The Blind Concubine perched up his head, in all seriousness, “It could be said, I will be occupied with my responsibility. I won’t have any free time to drink and chat with you.”

Speechless, the Emperor could only look in despair at his predicament.

The Blind Concubine reached out and gave his shoulder a gentle pat, “You better head back to work. If you were caught by the guards on duty, your salary would be deducted.”

The Emperor had no choice but to suffer in silence. Stiffly from head to toe as if being pushed towards outside the door by the Blind Concubine.

Xiao Bao forced to hold back his laughter, bore it until his stomach hurt. There was an amount of unspeakable satisfaction.

When the Blind Concubine got back into the room, Xiao Bao held up his thumb: “Master, this kind of teasing truly is a masterpiece.”

Sipping a mouthful of tea, the Blind Concubine said: “Who told him to continuously hide the truth from me.” Letting out a bit of laughter, “Let him have a taste of suffering in silence’s flavor.”

A palace’s servant came and told them: “The Little Prince requests Your Grace to come to the Imperial Garden.”

The Blind Concubine asked: “What’s the matter?”

The palace’s servant replied: “The Prince is in the Imperial Garden practicing his combat skills.”

The Blind Concubine said: “Alright, I will go.”

Xiao Bao half believing – half doubting: “At this very young age child already learns combat skills?”

The Blind Concubine smiled all the while, “He is from a Royal household, naturally he must be skilled in both civil and military.”

After changing clothes, they followed the palace’s servant to the Imperial Garden.

The Little Prince was having an expression of a person who had suffered bitterly and in deep hatred as he maintained his horse stance.

Upon seeing the arrival of the Blind Concubine, with both legs shaking and quivering, he cried out: “Your Grace, please help me to plead at the General!”

Feeling strange, the Blind Concubine inquired: “Why, what happened?”

The Little Prince put on a sad face: “I can’t bear this stance any longer, but the General said I may not move, if I move, I will suffer a beating.”

Xiao Bao interrupted: “This matter, it won’t be good for His Grace to help you plead.”

The Blind Concubine concurred: “Combat skills high value is in its persistence. You have to listen to the General, be good and practice hard.”

The Little Prince had squatted until both his legs to his stomach were all shaking. He conveniently called them in as his reinforcement, but never thought that they would be unwilling to plead on his behalf. All of a sudden, he felt that he was treated unjustly. Putting his buttocks to sit on the ground, crying loudly like a baby.

The Blind Concubine was softhearted, he took out his handkerchief to wipe the tears for the Little Prince.

From quite a distance, a dignified voice resounded, coming close to their place: “Who said you can stop?”

The Little Prince was afraid, scolded by the voice who told him to stand up. He moved very fast to hide behind the Blind Concubine.

The Blind Concubine busily defended him: “The Prince is still a child, please don’t blame him, General.”

That dignified voice said: “I teach him combat skills, certainly everything must be in accordance to the rules. He cannot escape the corporal punishment.”

Upon hearing this, the Little Prince recoiled beside the Blind Concubine leg. His little hands clenched tightly on the Blind Concubine’s clothes. “The General’s beating is so painful. Rui Ze is unable to bear pain….” His voice was chocked, sounding extremely pitiful.

The Blind concubine bit down his lip, went to face the General, knelt down on the ground. ““I am willing to be punished on behalf of the Little Prince.”

“What!!” Xiao Bao cried out in shock, “Master, this couldn’t be approved!”

That voice asked: “Who are you?”

The Blind Concubine hesitated for a while, “I am ……. An ordinary Imperial Concubine, newly appointed to wait on the Little Prince.”

Rui Ze miserably rushed to come out from behind the Blind Concubine, hung low his head: “General, you can just punish Rui Ze. Rui Ze admits the mistake.”

The Blind Concubine spoke: “General, are you happened to be the same General who two years ago triumphed over the other country and recovered the lost territory on the borderland. The General that upon hearing the name, the enemy troops will tremble in fear, General Qi Sheng?”

“You know me?”

The Blind Concubine stated word for word: “Even if for a long time I have lived in the depth of the palace, nevertheless, I always hear of General’s fame based on great military, I have been admiring General’s military accomplishment. How the General fought for the country, the extraordinary skill in the battlefield, it is truly of a hero. Please accept my respect.”

General Qi burst out a loud laughter.

His sharp eyes keenly gazed at Rui Ze, “The Little Prince really did find a persuasive talker!”

Rui Ze looked like he was suffering from swallowing a housefly of hardship.

General Qi waved his hand, saying: “For the moment, you are excused from your corporal punishment.”

Little Prince surprised and happy at the same time: “Really?”

General Qi crooked a brow: “Crying, kneeling, ruse of self-injury. Unfortunately, I could not enjoy this kind of drama with variety tricks!”

Xiao Bao immediately stepped forward to support the Blind Concubine and helped him rise, while fixing a glare at Rui Ze, the little rice dumpling.

The Blind Concubine came to in front of General Qi Sheng, faced upwards in respect, said: “All I have said just now was the truth.”

General Qi said: “The battlefield is perilous, a trifle careless is precisely what caused you to be removed from the horse and become a dead body. Whether it is the Generals or the soldiers, everybody was going all out and readily to risk their life. Qi Sheng engaged in the battle, fought the enemy in hopes to be able to lead all of the *brothers safely home. Unworthy of the Hero title.”

*t/n (He refers his troops as his brothers.)

 The Blind Concubine fluttered his eyes, said: “Since ancient times, for they who marched into battle, who wouldn’t want to be like that? I truthfully admire General, absolutely not because of pleading for the Little Prince, saying cheap flattery…”

“I know.”

Qi Sheng cut off his words, sincerely said: “I know you meant what you said.”

The Blind Concubine’s whole face blushed.

His heart was slightly feeling happy.

General Qi Sheng told him: “The midday sun is scorching, don’t just stand under it. Let me take you to a shady tree.”

The Blind Concubine felt a little bit embarrassed, he refuted: “I am not that delicate, this is not even the hottest periods yet, why can’t I endure it.”

Laughing, General Qi Sheng said: “Just look at yourself, emaciated and looking so thin. Even a burst of wind can blow you away.”

He brought the Blind Concubine to rest under a shady place. Rui Ze since earlier had taken a small tree’s twig, digging the ant’s hole in the ground. His head faced down on the small hole tunnel.

General Qi Sheng narrowed his eyes, his voice heavier to several degrees: “Little Prince, you really thought that this matter is concluded just like this? Right now, increase the practice for another hour, otherwise, if the Emperor inquires, do not blame me for not showing any mercy.”

Rui Ze lifted his head as if someone had trampled on his tail. Immediately, His small face creased. Throwing away his small twig, crestfallen while stood up under the big scorching sun, resuming his horse stance’s practice.

His face returned to his expression of a person who had suffered bitterly and in deep hatred.

Xiao Bao secretly laughed endlessly.

At the time they got back at night, Little Prince kept shouting his legs hurt, couldn’t walk anymore, ordering the palace’s servants to carry him back to his palace.

The Blind Concubine and Xiao Bao altogether got back with him.

The three of them entered the main room, Little Prince asked them: “Have a meal together with me?”

Ordering the palace’s servants to arrange the meals.

The Blind Concubine said: “In a moment, I will give you your medicine and massage. Tomorrow you won’t be hurt anymore.”

Xiao Bao spoke: “Master, he wasn’t hurt. Unmistakably, he just faked it, to make the General believe, he regretted that he couldn’t be able to say that his leg has ruptured.

The Blind Concubine laughed slightly: “However, no matter what, the Little Prince had been suffering all day today. To have a little comfort, it is reasonable.”

Rui Ze nodded his head with all his might: “It is a must.”

 The Palace’s servant brought the cooled mung bean soup, the Blind Concubine ladled out a small bowl for him: “Drink slowly.”

He hadn’t finished his words, from outside the door, a loud voice announcing: “His Majesty the Emperor has arrived---”

End of chapter 11.