Chapter 62.1: broadened my horizons

Su Xi-er was currently resting on her bed, thinking about how He Ying’s eyeballs would be dug out.

However, she heard another piece of news the next day. He Ying’s eyeballs weren’t dug out, and the Empress Dowager was still furious over Flower’s death.

Su Xi-er had just finished her breakfast when she overhead the nearby palace maids discussing it fervently.

“Why did the Empress Dowager only fly into a rage now? Why weren’t there any movements last night?”

“How will Prince Hao deal with it, or will he not care at all? After all, Flower is dead, and Miss He is also involved.”

“But I heard that Miss He didn’t have her eyes dug out.”

Right at this moment, Old Maidservant Li appeared and bellowed, “Get to work, all of you. You have nothing to do after you eat right? Discussing matters of the imperial palace right after your bodies recovered, aren’t you all afraid of getting your eyes gouged out?”

The palace maids immediately dispersed and went to work.

Old Maidservant Li looked at Su Xi-er helplessly. Although I’m the old maidservant-in-charge, I can’t afford to offend this lowly palace maid. “Su Xi-er, go back to your room to rest. If the imperial guards send valuable clothes other, come out and wash them.” She then turned to leave.

The attitude Old Maidservant Li adopted towards this palace maid was one of avoidance.

Su Xi-er walked towards her own room, but suddenly stopped when she was about halfway there, feeling that something was amiss. She turned around abruptly, noticing the rustling of the foliage in the woods beside the Palace Side Quarters as she did so.

There’s no reason for the leaves to make such a sound without there being a breeze. Hence, she walked towards the woods.

When some palace maids from the Laundry Service Bureau saw her, they felt that her actions were strange. Why is she going there for no reason?

However, their curiosity was quickly overcome by the need to finish their work. There are so many clothes. If we still don’t finish washing them, there will be punishment waiting for us. 

Just as Su Xi-er neared the woods, the sound quietened down. Such an obvious discrepancy can only mean that someone is hidden in the undergrowth. 

However, who is the one hiding? While I don’t know, I can certainly find out.

Hence, she pretended to be going for a stroll as she entered the woods. Waiting until she was out of earshot of everyone, she then yelled out,  “Since you have come, you should just reveal your face. Otherwise, please go back. Spying on someone isn’t so easy.”

Yet, what answered her was silence.

Undeterred, Su Xi-er called out again, “It’s just the Laundry Service Bureau. What is there to monitor? No one dares to damage the clothes when washing.”

Wu Ling heard these words as he stayed hidden in his secret spot. Strange, how exactly did she discover me? My skills in camouflage are great enough that I have never been discovered.

“Come out. I already know where you are.”

Wu Ling felt that it was strange. Has she really discovered me? Fine then, I should just come out. He also felt a little awkward, as it was his first time spying on a palace maid.

Wu Ling walked out from his hiding spot and asked her, “You simply walked into the woods. Weren’t you afraid that I deliberately led you here to kill you?”

“If you really want to kill this servant, I wouldn’t be able to escape. I only came to find out who was hiding here. It turns out that it was you, Imperial Bodyguard Wu. Are you peeping on palace maids?”

Her question caused Wu Ling to lose face. Why would I peep on palace maids… Looking at it from a different perspective however, Prince Hao instructed me to monitor Su Xi-er. Isn’t that… 

“Imperial Bodyguard Wu, could it be Prince Hao’s orders? This servant feels that you really don’t have it easy. Not long ago, you had to send a red Chinese bodice. Now you have to spy on a palace maid. It would be one thing if you were spying on a man, but spying on a woman might cause others to misunderstand.”