Carrying such a secret in one’s heart, concealing it entirely was nearly impossible.
Bai Yu and Qiao Yun quickly noticed something slightly off about Ling Jingshu.
“Miss, your mood these past few days seems especially good,” Qiao Yun ventured with a smile.
Without realizing it, she had been speaking more than usual, and her eyes and brows were perpetually brimming with cheerful light — that already beautiful face of hers had grown all the more radiant and dazzling.
Ling Jingshu had never forgotten Qiao Yun’s true identity, and when speaking to her she had to hold something back. She laughed with deliberate casualness: “Before, I was locked in the imperial prison every single day, short of clothing, short of food. Now I’ve finally made it through all that bitterness to see better days — of course my mood is much better than before.”
As simple as that?
Whatever Qiao Yun privately believed, it was not her place to press further.
In the letter she sent to the Crown Grandson, Qiao Yun concealed nothing, and wrote on the paper every detail of how Ling Jingshu’s spirits had been exceptionally bright these past few days while Wei Yan continued treating her illness.
What the Crown Grandson felt upon reading that letter — that was something no one could know.
After resting for five or six days, Ling Jingshu could no longer hide away in her room and avoid people.
Ling Jingshu went first to see Female Official Qian. Female Official Qian had prepared in advance and called over ten palace maids, saying with a cheerful smile: “Sister, these palace maids will be under your management from now on. You’re delicate and precious — don’t do any of that rough work yourself, or you’ll hurt your hands. Just give them your instructions and let them do it.”
“Thank you for the reminder, Sister Qian.” Female Official Qian had shown such goodwill — Ling Jingshu naturally had to receive it graciously.
The two of them chatted warmly for a few moments, and then Female Official Qian personally led Ling Jingshu on a tour of every corner of Zichen Palace, explaining clearly and thoroughly which flowers and plants in the palace needed tending.
After completing the tour, Ling Jingshu had a clear sense of how to carry out her duties, and soon took them over.
Fortunately, the Emperor was a man and had no particular enthusiasm for flowers and plants, nor did he have Empress Xu’s habit of placing potted plants everywhere. She carefully performed her duties and stayed a little farther from the Emperor’s bedchamber — which meant fewer chances of encountering him.
She was still thinking about this when Eunuch Ding came over with a face full of smiles.
Ling Jingshu quickly composed herself and stepped forward to salute with a smile: “This servant greets Eunuch Ding.”
Eunuch Ding’s manner was impossibly warm and amiable: “Female Official Ling, please rise. We are all the Emperor’s servants — it’s fine for Female Official Ling to refer to herself as ‘this servant’ in the Emperor’s presence, but you really must not do so in front of me. If the Emperor were to hear of it, I’d be stuck with the charge of bullying a newcomer. Just be at ease with me.”
Bullying any other newcomer would be one thing — but this Ling Jingshu had now gained the Emperor’s favor, and who knew what glorious future lay ahead of her. Eunuch Ding had made up his mind to win her over.
Ling Jingshu smiled slightly and, going along with the suggestion, changed the way she spoke: “Since Eunuch Ding has said so, I’ll gratefully accept this kindness from the Eunuch.”
Eunuch Ding’s brow smoothed out, and he said with a smile: “The Emperor has been recuperating these days and staying in the bedchamber all day, listless and with little energy. This servant thought — why not move a few potted plants into the bedchamber? The fragrance would be pleasant, and the Emperor could enjoy looking at them. Perhaps it would lift His Majesty’s spirits a little. I’m afraid I’ll have to trouble Female Official Ling.”
What a fine piece of high-sounding talk!
What a masterful Eunuch Ding — so skilled at “divining the imperial will”!
This had nothing to do with moving plants into the bedchamber. He was plainly creating an opportunity for her to appear before the Emperor — and using this maneuver to flatter and please His Majesty!
Ling Jingshu inwardly seethed, yet she knew she could not refuse: “Eunuch Ding has been most thoughtful. I’ll go and find a few pretty potted plants right away and have them carried into the Emperor’s bedchamber.”
Eunuch Ding coughed once, hinting with deliberate suggestiveness: “The Emperor’s bedchamber — how could just any ordinary palace maid be allowed to come and go freely?”
Ling Jingshu picked up the thread without so much as a blink: “Eunuch Ding is right. Later I will carry them in myself and will not entrust it to anyone else.”
Only then did Eunuch Ding give a satisfied nod. He issued a few more instructions, then turned and departed.
Watching Eunuch Ding’s figure disappear from view, Ling Jingshu’s smile quietly faded from her face. She stood in place for a moment, then exhaled a long, restrained breath.
……
The Emperor’s mood was somewhat dark and oppressed.
Each day he lay in bed, unable to leave the bedchamber, at most getting up to walk a few steps. There had been nothing of great importance in court recently either — with the Crown Prince presiding over affairs, he had no need to worry.
These kinds of days were truly rather tedious.
Eunuch Ding glided over and said softly with a smile: “Reporting to Your Majesty — Female Official Ling, knowing Your Majesty has been feeling stifled staying in the bedchamber, has specially selected a few attractive potted plants to bring over. She hopes that when Your Majesty admires the flowers and plants, your spirits might lift a little.”
At the sound of Ling Jingshu’s name, the Emperor’s eyes brightened, and his energy instantly improved considerably: “Oh? Where is she?”
Eunuch Ding was quietly delighted.
Judging by the Emperor’s reaction, his efforts today had certainly not been wasted.
“Female Official Ling is still waiting outside, waiting for Your Majesty’s permission before coming in.” Eunuch Ding said obligingly with a smile: “Female Official Ling is not only beautiful — she is also this thoughtful and considerate. Such wholehearted devotion — Your Majesty must not let it go unappreciated.”
This string of words filled the Emperor with imperial delight: “Very well — let her come in!”
Soon, Ling Jingshu entered the bedchamber.
Since entering the palace, she had grown accustomed to wearing light green palace robes. The fabric of a female official’s gown was of finer quality than the palace maids’ attire, and the style far more exquisite. Ling Jingshu had chosen the simplest and most understated cut.
Her figure was graceful and slender, her waist barely enough to encircle with one hand. Her fair, smooth face was touched with a faint flush of rose; her eyes were clear and dark and bright; her lips soft, glossy, and beautifully shaped; and the faint smile at the corner of her mouth made her all the more captivating.
That flash of green entering his field of vision was instantly dazzling.
Ling Jingshu carefully set the potted plant in place, then bowed in greeting: “This servant pays respects to Your Majesty.”
The Emperor said in a kind and cheerful tone: “No need for formalities! Were there not a few more potted plants? You are a slight and delicate woman — won’t carrying them be too strenuous?”
For these past six months he was to abstain from wine and from women — but having such a tender and beautiful charming creature right before his eyes, it was pleasant enough to simply look at her a few times each day.
Ling Jingshu answered respectfully: “This servant is grateful for Your Majesty’s consideration. This servant still has a little strength for this.”
The Emperor fancied himself a man who cherished fragile beauty, and could not bear to have Ling Jingshu do such rough work. He glanced at Eunuch Ding.
Eunuch Ding was like a worm in the Emperor’s stomach — without waiting for the Emperor to speak, he smiled and said: “This servant is idle with nothing to do — let me help Female Official Ling carry them in!”
The Emperor gave a satisfied nod.
With so many attendants and eunuchs in the imperial palace, the way Eunuch Ding had climbed to his current position was precisely through reading expressions and catering to preferences — he could always accurately divine the Emperor’s thoughts.
Once all the potted plants had been carried in, the bedchamber was filled with verdant greenery, and it did indeed look a great deal more interesting.
The Emperor looked at Ling Jingshu standing respectfully to one side and was just about to say something when he heard an attendant come to report: “Reporting to Your Majesty — Prince Yan has arrived.”