The Favorite of the Sick and Weak Lady - Chapter 54

“…What awful luck,” Xiao Yu thought, on the verge of tears. She slowly composed herself and looked up.

The woman on the sedan was dressed in a bright yellow brocade long dress, embroidered with golden peonies symbolizing wealth. Her black hair was styled into an elaborate updo, with a golden tassel hairpin adorned with blue and red agates. The woman’s face was delicate and well-preserved, making it impossible to tell her age.

“Who are you? You don’t look like someone from the palace,” said Consort Liu.

Xiao Yu was weighing her options, but before she could speak, the eunuch who was guiding the way respectfully interjected, “Replying to Your Highness, this young master was summoned to the palace by His Majesty this morning.”

“Oh? The Emperor?” Consort Liu chuckled, propping her head up with one hand. She seemed intrigued, her gaze on Xiao Yu half-smiling. “To be summoned by the Emperor, do you have some extraordinary talent? I heard that a while ago, the Emperor brought in some acrobats from outside the palace. They were quite skilled. The Emperor even had a stage built in the Imperial Garden for the consorts to watch. It’s a shame I never had a chance to see them. I wonder what skill this young master possesses to be summoned by the Emperor?”

What skill?

Xiao Yu was dumbfounded. What was going on? How did this get twisted into acrobatics? Were all the people in this palace crazy?

“Replying to Your Highness, Young Master Xiao is not…” The eunuch was about to explain.

Consort Liu’s eyebrows furrowed, and her voice suddenly turned cold. She snapped, “You dog servant, when I’m speaking, who gave you permission to interrupt? Someone, take him away and beat him to death with a stick.”

As soon as she spoke, two guards stepped out of the ranks and seized the young eunuch.

“Your Highness, please spare me…”

“Your Highness, please spare me, this servant knows his mistake…”

The eunuch’s wails faded as the guards dragged him away, followed by a series of agonizing screams.

This…

Xiao Yu’s heart jumped, and cold sweat dripped down her back.

“Now, young master, tell me, are you an acrobat?” Consort Liu asked with an innocent smile, as if she hadn’t just ordered a man to be killed.

Xiao Yu immediately knelt down. Yuan Niang also knelt beside her.

Consort Liu didn’t seem to care about her answer. She seemed to have already confirmed her suspicion and answered her own question. “I knew it. Look, isn’t that dancer the one who was brought into the palace with the acrobats a few days ago? I saw her from a distance. That figure is simply delightful to look at. Since we’ve met, come with me to Sheng Rui Palace.”

Huh?

No… She didn’t know how to do anything!

Xiao Yu was paralyzed.

In her shock, two guards came forward and lifted her, giving her no chance to resist. The procession, with the sedan chair at its head, soon arrived at Sheng Rui Palace.

As soon as they entered the courtyard, they were met by eight people kneeling on the ground in unison. Consort Liu got off the sedan and walked directly into the hall without even glancing at them. Xiao Yu and Yuan Niang were brought into the center of the hall.

When Consort Liu returned, her personal maid, Mama Li, came forward to help her remove her outer robe. She glanced at the two people brought in and was secretly surprised. She calmly said, “Your Highness, why did you bring back two people? They don’t look like they’re from the palace.”

“I happened to run into them. They’re the acrobats the Emperor brought in. I’ll have them perform for me later,” Consort Liu said as she sat on the couch.

Mama Li called for a palace maid to serve refreshments, then opened a delicate wooden box, took out a silver needle, and poked it into the pastries. After confirming they were safe, she put the needle away. “That’s wonderful. This old servant can also be an eye-opener.”

Consort Liu nodded and sighed, “The last time I watched an acrobat show was before I entered the palace.”

Mama Li replied, “Yes, twenty years have passed in the blink of an eye.”

Consort Liu’s eyes were full of nostalgia. She then looked at the two people kneeling in the center of the hall and instructed, “What are you waiting for? Get on with it.”

Xiao Yu: “…” A performance? Were the people in this palace really sick? First, that tyrannical emperor gave her a woman, and now this Consort Liu insisted she was an acrobat and dragged her here.

What kind of things was she getting into?

The little eunuch next to her saw her still kneeling in a daze. He secretly glanced at his master on the couch and couldn’t help but whisper a reminder, “Why are you still frozen? Hurry up and perform for Her Highness, unless you want to lose your head.”

Xiao Yu’s body trembled. The horrifying scene of the eunuch being beaten to death by sticks flashed through her mind. She didn’t dare to waste another minute. Her mind was in a panic.

As an athlete, what other skills could she possibly have? She couldn’t just run two laps around Sheng Rui Palace, could she?

“Why haven’t you started yet?” Consort Liu’s voice held a hint of displeasure.

“I… I’ll start right away…”

“Young master, why don’t I perform a dance for Her Highness first?” Yuan Niang whispered.

Xiao Yu looked at Yuan Niang gratefully. She quietly moved to the side, her mind still racing. After the dance was over, she slowly walked forward. “Your Highness, I need a few porcelain bowls.”

“Oh?” Consort Liu raised her eyes and looked at her with interest. She gave a look to Mama Li. Soon, a palace maid came in carrying a stack of blue and white porcelain bowls.

Xiao Yu looked at Yuan Niang. “Could you please help me place the bowls on my head?” She pointed to her head.

Yuan Niang nodded, her hands also sweating nervously.

Meanwhile, sounds of smashing porcelain echoed from another hall. Xiao Chengze kicked the eunuch in front of him. “You useless thing! Why are you kneeling here? Go and keep an eye on her! Report back immediately if anything happens!”

“Yes…” The kneeling eunuch’s voice trembled, but he still mustered up his courage. “This servant will go now.” The eunuch didn’t dare to hesitate and scrambled out of the hall.

The man’s face was gloomy. How could she have escaped? He had planned everything. As soon as Xiao Yu and the dancer left the Donghua Gate, he would have his men seize her on the charge of colluding with a dancer, and preferably hack her to death. Who knew that someone would unexpectedly intervene and take her away?

And that person was Consort Liu, someone he absolutely could not afford to offend.

Xiao Chengze kicked a bronze palace lamp, his face distorted with rage.

Xiao Yu walked back and forth in the hall with ten bowls balanced on her head.

This performance…

Consort Liu couldn’t help but support her forehead. She took off her jade bracelet and handed it to Mama Li. “Not bad. Reward her!”

“Yes.” With a look from Mama Li, a young palace maid came forward with the jade bracelet and presented it to Xiao Yu.

Huh?

Xiao Yu blinked at the jade bracelet in front of her. Was that all it took to pass? She didn’t expect this Consort Liu to be so easily fooled. Her head was safe for now. She happily accepted the jade bracelet.

“Thank you for the reward, Your Highness.”

Consort Liu waved her hand dismissively. “I’m tired. Send them out.”

“Yes,” the eunuch replied.

“Wait a moment.” Consort Liu stood up with the help of Mama Li and sized up Xiao Yu. The young man in front of her had a good appearance, but it was a shame. She paused and said, “Mama Li, you personally escort them out. Take the Gongchen Gate to avoid disturbing the Empress Dowager’s peace.”

Mama Li was stunned. To not disturb the Empress Dowager, shouldn’t they take the Xihua or Donghua gates? But the Gongchen Gate… if she remembered correctly, it was the closest to the Empress Dowager’s Shou Kang Palace.

However, as a seasoned and smart palace veteran, she knew not to ask what shouldn’t be asked. Mama Li led the two of them past the Shou Kang Palace and towards the Gongchen Gate.

The Gongchen Gate, also known as the Great North Gate, was in the northern part of the Imperial Palace. It was a relatively secluded gate. Ministers would take the Donghua Gate for morning court. This gate was generally only used by palace servants going out for errands, and people usually wouldn’t risk disturbing the Empress Dowager by passing through here.

Mama Li brought the two to the gate, took out her waist token, spoke a few words to the guards, and then sent them out.

As soon as Xiao Yu stepped out of the palace gate, she saw Song Yanyu in his armor. She was surprised. “Third Brother, why are you here?”

Song Yanyu clearly saw her too. He walked over and smiled. “I’m on duty here. My brother-in-law is…” He looked at the woman standing behind Xiao Yu and frowned slightly. “Who is this?”

Xiao Yu didn’t think much of it. She could just arrange a place for her to stay or give her some silver to send her on her way. “Her name is Yuan Niang. She’s a dancer from the palace,” Xiao Yu explained.

A dancer?

Song Yanyu was surprised that she was bold enough to bring a dancer out of the palace. That was a capital offense. Even if nothing happened, what about his little sister?

His face immediately turned cold. He snorted, walked to Xiao Yu’s side, and carefully looked at Yuan Niang. “You are a dancer. Do you know that leaving the palace without permission is a capital offense?”

Yuan Niang immediately fell to her knees. “Please, sir, be merciful. I don’t want to stay in the palace. As long as you let me go, I will be your cow or horse.” Her words were sincere.

What’s going on? Xiao Yu was a bit confused. Wasn’t Yuan Niang a reward from the Emperor? Why couldn’t she leave the palace?

Looking at the woman kneeling and kowtowing, Xiao Yu’s heart ached. No matter what, she had brought her out, so she couldn’t just abandon her.

“Third Brother, Yuan Niang didn’t escape. The Emperor gave her to me,” Xiao Yu said.

Song Yanyu frowned. “What happened?”

Xiao Yu had no choice but to tell Song Yanyu everything that had happened in the palace.

Song Yanyu was unsure what to do. He hesitated for a moment. “Let’s go back and talk about this first. This girl’s identity is special, so it’s best not to let anyone else know.” He looked at the dancer’s clothes on Yuan Niang and took off his cloak, throwing it over her. “Get up first.”

No matter what, she was already out. Even if they sent her back now, it would be too late. They needed to leave first.

Xiao Yu helped her up. Yuan Niang looked at her with gratitude. She wrapped the cloak around herself, covering her body. The two got into a carriage with Song Yanyu’s escort and soon returned to the residence.

Bringing someone out of the palace was a serious crime unless she was truly a gift from the Emperor. Song Yanyu didn’t dare to make a decision on his own, so he secretly sent someone to invite the eldest young master, Song.

As soon as Xiao Yu returned, a servant informed Song Luoning of her return. The young mistress nodded slightly, stood up, and walked towards the front hall.

Cui Zhu saw this and hurried to follow, teasing her, “Miss and young master have such a good relationship. You’ve only been apart for a short while, and Miss is already so eager to see him. And he’s not going anywhere.”

Song Luoning’s face turned red. She glared at her and slowed her pace. “You’re everywhere.”

“This servant is worried about Miss’s health,” Cui Zhu said.

“Is that so?” Song Luoning snorted. “If you talk nonsense again, I’ll send you back to the Prime Minister’s residence and have Mama Zhang teach you some rules.”

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