Mysteries in the Imperial Harem: Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Keep on Living (Part 2)

“Peng!” Taking the bowl out from the small metal door, the warden who was carrying the food bucket walked away.

“I want to eat!” Suddenly a long hand stuck out from the cell door and in a slightly harse voice, she shouted, “Give me something to eat!”

The warden squatted and peered into the small metal door. Looking at Qing Feng who was half lying down on the floor in order to stretch her hand out, he laughed and said, “Didn’t you say you won’t eat? Now you want to eat… But can’t!” From the start she was very mad. In this prison, no one is qualified to be proud! The warden wanted to life his legs to leave but Qing Feng grab his ankles and refused to let go. “Give–Me–Somthing–To–Eat!” She has yet to find her Youngest Sister, she cannot die now. She has not eaten for three days and she must eat something, even if it is rotten or smells, she still will eat!

As she used too much strength to grab onto the ankle, the nails sank deeply onto the flesh, hurting the impatient warden and irritated him that he lifted the other leg so as to step on the hands that was holding on to him. At this time, another warden passed by and patted his shoulder. He kicked the almost empty food bucketed and laughed, “She wants to eat, so give her something to eat.”

Both of them exchanged a look and the warden put his foot down and smiled. He picked an empty bowl to scraped half a bowl of porridge and squatted down to look at Qing Feng as he grab a handful of dirt and gravel and put into the bowl. He threw it beside Qing Feng’s hand and coldly laughed, “Eat! You better eat every single drop, or else… Don’t think of eating anything in the future.”

If it is not the rancid smell that made one vomit is still there, she would have thought that it was a bowl of dirt. Slowly releasing the warden ankle, Qing Feng picked up the bowl and without a word, she started to stuff the bowl of porridge and dirt into her mouth.

The other female in the prison was watching the silent female whose mouth was making gurgle noises. She did not know if it was because of the dirt in her mouth or was it because the critical moment, that cold indifferent gaze made her unconsciously trembled.

Qing Feng obediently swallowed the rotten porridge covered with dirt as the two warden laugh loudly outside. It does not matter if your original identity is noble or that you have a stubborn temper, at the end of the day, won’t you still be like a dog and beg abjectly for mercy?

The two of them walked away laughing while Qing Feng holding tightly onto the bowl. As the dirt rattled in her mouth and the rotten porridge, that she once said that she will not eat even if she died, was swallowed bit by bit.

*****

Bypassing the front courtyard is the trail towards the Imperial Prisons. Usually other than the patrolling palace guards, there are seldom anyone who would head towards that direction. Shifu (master or teacher) said that if this medicine cools, the effectiveness will decrease. The young medical attendant lowered his head, held on the tray tightly and picked up his pace. Just as he was about to cross the courtyard, a light blue figure suddenly appeared in front of him and scared the young medical attendant that his hands jolted and he almost spilt the contents of the bowl. It was fortunate that the oncoming person reacted quickly and manage to avoid bumping into the person. But in order not to bump him, the female twisted her foot and fell onto the ground.

“Ah–” The female clutch her foot and shouted painfully, “You don’t look where you walk!”

Wen Yu looked at the female that has fallen on the floor, she had a palace maid hairstyle, young and was wearing an light blue palace outfit with embroidery. It seems that she is a favourite palace maid of one of the concubines. He cannot offend this kind of person. Her words were spoken bluntly but Wen Yu did not dare to talk back and instead carefully asked, “Is this older sister all right?”

The female move her ankle and immediately grimace in pain, “My leg is sprained.”

Wen Yu panicky repeated, “I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”

The female raise her head and starred at him fiercely while she scolded him, “What are you still standing there for, quickly support me up!”

“Oh, yes.” Wen Yu finally recovered from shock before looking around him and found a stone table behind him. Wen Yu quickly put down the tray and ran back to the female’s side to support her up gently and asked cautiously, “Is your feet… All right?”

Propped by his hand to stand up, the female looked secretly at the bowl of medicine at the nearby stone table and unforgivably replied, “Who says it is all right, it hurting to death.”

The female’s hand was tightly clutching his sleeves and refused to let go, as if she fear that he would run away. Wen Yu suffered speechlessly, even if she doesn’t tightly grab him, he wouldn’t have dared to run away! Tugging back and forth is not appropriate thus Wen Yu smile apologetically, “This older sister, why don’t I help you to check on the foot injury. If it is seriously, I will request a physician for you.”

The female rolled her eyes and replied, “There should not be any direct contact between men and women. Who needs you to check on my foot injury! Support me to walk a few steps to see if it can still move.”

“Oh, yes.” Wen Yu foolishly supported the female to walk up front and totally did not notice that there was a light figure silently neared the stone table…

Limping slowly for a few steps, Wen Yu wanted to tell her not to walk so much since she sprained her ankle but the female still insisted to walk forward a while longer before stopping. Her rude and unreasonable attitude changed and she said, “It is fortunate that I still can walk! Forget about it, I will just go back later to rub some medicated oil on it and it will be fine.”

Wen Yu starred at her ankles and asked confusingly, “Are you really all right?” Just now, she was still in great pain and now after two steps she was back to normal?

Loosening his sleeves, the palace maid coldly snorted and criticising, “In the future, be careful when you walk. This is the Imperial Palace, not other places. If you are still impetuous and instead bumped into one of the mistresses, you should worry about your skin.”

“Older sister’s is correct in lecturing.” Wen Yu did not dare to say more and kept nodding his head.

After ensuring with a secret glance that there was no one at the stone table, the female waved her hands and impatiently responded, “It is fine. You can do what you need to do.”

“Yes. Yes.” Wiping his forehead full of sweat, Wen Yu was secretly rejoicing. This female looked like someone who is not to be trifled with. It is fortunate that her injury was not serious else if this matter was made public, Shifu will definitely scold him!

Running back to the side of the stone table and picked the tray up, Wen Yu lowered his head as he hurried passed the female. He did not dare to glance at her, afraid that she will suddenly change her mind and not let him leave.

Seeing Wen Yu walking out of the small courtyard, the palace maid then walked quickly to the stone table. Her limping foot did not show any signs of injury as she stood by the stone table. After verifying that there was no one else around, she then whispered, “Older sister Shui Xin.”

At the side of the stone table and behind the tree, a slender silhouette walked towards Yi Yue and was about to say something when a “kuang dang” sounded nearby.

“My medicine! Oh no oh no…” Anxious panicky low voices sounded. The voice was clearly from the young medical attendant.

Medicine was spilled? Yi Yue frantically said, “Older sister Shui Xin, what to do?” It was so difficult for her to find this deserted place, where there are lush greenery around, to take action. But now the medicine is spilled, doesn’t it meant that they have wasted their energy?

Yi Yue’s was not resigned but Shui Xin was clam with slightly furrowed brows. Suddenly a thought flashed through her eyes and Shui Xin tugged on Yi Yue’s hand, anxiously said, “Lets go quickly.” Its not possible for the medicine bowl to break without rhyme or reason, and it is after it was manipulated by them. It was only when it was so near to the Imperial Prison before it broke, who was it? Who exactly was helping her in the dark?