Xia Niangniang - Chapter 27

Chapter 27

The Emperor ordered to let Xiao Bao back to serve at the serving quarter.

Bao was brought by the Internal Affairs Head Administer back to the serving quarter.

All along the way, he kept silent without saying anything.

When he had just entered the Palace, he was assigned to serve at the Empress Dowager’s Palace. Because he was still so young, he had to suffer the bulling and humiliation. The cries from being beaten and punished everyday were never ending. One winter, the Empress Dowager needed someone to go to the Cold Palace to watch over a sinner. The Palace’s servants all were unwilling to go, so they pushed this matter on him. He didn’t understand anything, to the extent that even The Empress Dowager’s face, he had never seen before. He was just brought to the Cold Palace by an old Administer.

Once, The Blind Concubine asked him, what kind of fruit was it that he liked to eat.

He answered after a very long time, it was an orange.

As a matter of fact, he was a mere servant. Never ate many kinds of fruits. Until now, he could only remember the flavor of an orange.

There was a time during winter, on his way back to the Cold Palace, he picked up an orange. Probably when they sent them to the rear palace, one of them dropped down unknowingly.

He hurriedly picked it up, hid it in his sleeve, slightly running all along on his way back to the Cold Palace.

The Blind Concubine was hugging Yu Li and warmed themselves in front of the furnace.

On the furnace, they boiled water. The hot steam from inside the kettle made the lid of the kettle move.

He stepped forward and gave the orange to him, “Master, eat this.”

The Blind Concubine told him, “You eat it. It was rare to be able to pick this up.”

He shook his head, “I want Master to eat it. Master’s body is unwell, the whole winter you haven’t eaten a single fruit yet.”

The Blind Concubine said, “Then we will share it.”

After saying that, he peeled the orange, divided the orange’s segments, put it on the kettle’s lid. The hot steam was raised up little by little through the kettle’s lid. Warming up the orange.

The Blind Concubine passed some of the segments to him, saying, “Here, have a taste.”

He put it in his mouth, immediately, a burst of warm juice poured out, impressively warm. With some sweet scent. This kind of flavor, almost made people melt.

The Blind Concubine smilingly asked him, “Delicious?”

He nodded his head with all his might.

The Blind Concubine told him, “Before, during the winter, mother would feed me oranges, I thought it was cold so I was unwilling to eat them. Mother would warm it like just now. I leaned on my mother’s bosom, watching her peel the orange segment by segment, then put them on the kettle lid. The steam slowly raised, warming the kettle’s lid, the oranges also would be warmed little by little. Eating the sweet and warm orange during the winter, that kind of feeling, really couldn’t be compared to other things.”

He and The Blind Concubine had been together for many years, The Blind Concubine had never once gotten angry at him. To the point of when he was angry, The Blind Concubine would exhaust his mind to find a way to comfort him.

He and The Blind Concubine fed and raised Yu Li together. Basking in the sun on their small yard together. Chatting idly. Sitting peacefully together until the sun fell behind the mountain.

He loved when the Blind Concubine was having a smiling expression.

The life in the Cold Palace was hard, however, he felt that that was the happiest period of his life.

He was a just mere servant, he hadn’t eaten many kinds of fruits. However, he felt that the most delicious fruit in this world, he had already tasted.

In that winter, in front of the little furnace.

That kind of feeling, truly couldn’t be compared to other things.

The moment he entered the serving quarter, Xiao Bao caught a glimpse of the staggering Bling Concubine that came running his way.

He hurriedly walked forward, “Master, be careful. You could fall!”

The Blind Concubine hugged him tightly, on his face, he was wearing a tearful smile.

Xiao Bao’s heart was stung by a spell of pain, “I am here, I am here.”

The Blind Concubine seized his hand, not wanting to let go, as if afraid if once he let it go, he couldn’t grab it anymore.

Xiao Bao was a little embarrassed. He shyly laughed: “Master, Xiao Bao will never go, for the rest of my life, I will stay by your side.”

“Stupid child!” The Blind Concubine revealed a smile which hadn’t been seen for a long time, “You are saying foolish things again.”

He held Xiao Bao’s hand, saying his heartfelt, “Master wants you to go out of here after all.”

Go to a far faraway place, never to come back.

“Master, don’t say those kinds of words again”, Xiao Bao lowered his head, “Wherever Master is, so is Xiao Bao, I will never leave your side.”

The Blind Concubine didn’t say anything anymore, just slightly laughed.

Once in a while he would say these two words “Stupid child.”

He was already dead, decayed and turned into dust, he could never have whatever he desired anymore.

He poured out all of his hopes and entrusted them onto this child, Xiao Bao.

If Xiao Bao could go out from the Palace, be free, he would also be free, without any regret.

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Today Jue Yu came to visit him at the serving quarter. General Qi also tagged along.

The Blind Concubine’s mood had become better, he drank a small bowl of porridge.

Jue Yu told him: “This evening, I will set out to go home to my Pear Flowers Garden. Qi Sheng also will go home with me.”

The Blind Concubine wasn’t able to restrain his smile: “Then, congratulations.”

Jue Yu proudly lifted his face upwards, from his sleeve, he drew out the Deed of Slavery and fluttered it in the air, “Right now I am the Master, he is the slave, I told him to go home, he wouldn’t have the guts to disagree.”

Qi Sheng bent over to plant a kiss on Jue Yu’s face, then gently said: “Of course, I am all yours.”

Jue Yu said to Mu Yan: “We are leaving, you have to take care of yourself, the prescription that I gave you, take them on time on a daily basis, you may not skip even once.”

The Blind Concubine nodded his head: “You don’t have to worry.”

He suddenly grabbed Jue Yu’s hand, “I want to ask you a favor, you have to agree.”

Jue Yu asked: “What kind of favor?”

“Take Xiao Bao out of this Palace” , The Blind Concubine earnestly said, “Wherever is fine, Pear Flowers Garden is fine, to the end of the world is fine too, even to the rivers of Jiangnan is also fine. Take him out. Go to a far faraway place. Never to come back.”

Jue Yu was shocked, “Then, what about you?”

“Right now, there are more than ten of the Palace’s servants serving me alone, I will be fine and take good care of myself. You two must promise me to ensure Xiao Bao’s wellbeing and take him out. I can only trust you guys.”

Jue Yu still hesitated, The Blind Concubine turned to Qi Sheng, “I had asked General Qi before, if in the future I had a favor to ask, would General Qi would help me out. That time General Qi had assured me, if it was within his ability, he would be most grateful to help me out. Do you remember this, General Qi?”

Qi Sheng paused, then nodded his head.

The Blind Concubine’s eyes gradually poured out his tears, “I only have this wish. You two must promise me. Only you guys could take Xiao Bao out from this Palace. Once you guys are out from here, I will never have another opportunity to send him out.”

Jue Yu bit his lips, seemingly he made his decision: “Alright. I promise you.”

The Blind Concubine said: “I sent Xiao Bao to fetch the silks and satins at the Palace gate, when you two are about to go out, you surely will meet him. No matter what he has to say, willing or unwilling, without the slightest hesitation, just take him and go.”

End of The Blind Concubine Chapter 27.