Ling Yunche watched Yanwan leave with tenderness in his eyes. He didn’t turn back to the entrance of the Cold Palace until her figure completely disappeared at the end of the palace path.
For the sake of Yanwan living a good life in the future, he had also taken care of this Consort Xian for nearly a year.
He hoped this lady wouldn’t disappoint them!
As evening approached, Zhao Jiuxiao saw that it was time to get off duty. He had made an appointment to drink with friends, so after greeting Ling Yunche, he hurriedly left the Cold Palace.
Ling Yunche did not leave. Consort Xian’s dinner hadn’t been delivered yet. The imperial kitchen completely disregarded the meals for the Cold Palace and had never delivered them on time.
After a while, a young eunuch from the imperial kitchen finally delivered Consort Xian’s meal, carrying a food box.
“You’re not off duty yet, Guard Ling. Your job is quite exhausting!”
This young eunuch from the imperial kitchen came to deliver food frequently and was very familiar with Ling Yunche. As he spoke, he nimbly stepped forward and slapped the door of the Cold Palace hard twice.
Ling Yunche opened the food box to check. Inside were four dishes, two meat and two vegetable, and a generous portion of rice.
“The food is decent today. No problems here. If you have matters to attend to, you can leave first. I’ll pass it in when the person inside comes out.”
Since Consort Xian had saved the Empress Dowager a few days ago, the meals had improved. It was likely that the Empress Dowager had given some instructions.
The young eunuch exchanged a few pleasantries with Ling Yunche and then turned and left the Cold Palace. Anyway, the food was delivered, and he didn’t care whether the people inside came to get it or not.
Ling Yunche looked at the food box at the door and shook his head helplessly. How could Yanwan think this person could leave the Cold Palace?
That silly girl had no idea what kind of life this Consort Xian lived in the Cold Palace.
The Cold Palace was home to a bunch of crazy concubines.
Consort Xian usually spoke and acted somewhat normally, but her insistence on keeping up appearances in the Cold Palace didn’t make her look like a normal person at all.
What normal person would wash clothes with an extended pinky finger while wearing a nail guard!
It was truly pitiful for that maid named Suoxin, who not only had to serve people but also had to act crazy along with her master!
As Ling Yunche was silently criticizing, he heard a shout from inside the door.
“Guard Ling, I’m here to fetch the meal. Thank you for your trouble.”
Hearing the voice, Ling Yunche knew it was Suoxin. He lifted the food box, walked to the barred door on the side, and passed it through.
Looking through the gap in the barred door, he thought Suoxin was coming to fetch the meal alone, but unexpectedly, Consort Xian was standing behind her.
“Why has Your Highness Consort Xian come out as well? You were injured a few days ago, you must not be careless!”
Having been accustomed to flattering Ruyi for the past year, Ling Yunche could smoothly utter these heartwarming words whenever he saw her.
His sweetheart said that this lady must have experienced enough of the fickleness of human nature in the Cold Palace, so to gain her trust, he had to say more pleasant things.
Ling Yunche, who was originally a wooden and dull person, had been quite trained up over the past year or so.
Ruyi was seen wearing a dark grey Qipao. Her figure was gaunt, and if she hadn’t made a sound standing behind Suoxin, she really wouldn’t have been easily noticed.
Ruyi looked at Ling Yunche with a gentle expression. Seeing that he still cared about her, waves of warmth surged in her heart, and a smile appeared on her emaciated face.
“Thank you for your concern. It’s just a superficial wound. After using Imperial Physician Jiang’s medicine, it has mostly healed. Thanks to you the other day for saving this palace once again.”
Seeing the concern on Ling Yunche’s handsome face, Ruyi’s smile became even more gentle, and her voice, though hoarse, sounded crisper.
Ever since she entered the Cold Palace, everyone avoided her like the plague. Only Ling Yunche wasn’t afraid of power, not only taking good care of her but also saving her from danger multiple times.
Thinking of this, the resentment Ruyi felt towards the young man who had personally sent her to the Cold Palace eased considerably.
Although she was in the Cold Palace, there was still someone who cared about her. Even though Hongli held ultimate power, how many people in this palace were truly sincere towards him!
Ling Yunche revealed an awkward smile and hurriedly waved his hands, not daring to accept this gratitude.
“This is what this servant should do. Guarding the Cold Palace, it is natural for me to look after Your Highness’s safety.”
The incident had passed, but when Consort Xian, the person involved, brought it up, Ling Yunche still felt a guilty conscience.
After all, when Consort Dowager Ji attacked Ruyi with a knife that day, he could have saved her in time.
But to blow things up, he deliberately waited until the dagger stabbed Ruyi before stepping in. This lady was lucky to be alive!
How could Ruyi know that the guard in front of her was just putting on an act at the request of his sweetheart? She simply thought Ling Yunche was a loyal and honest person who didn’t seek anything in return for saving her life.
The smile on her face became more pronounced, and a blush appeared on her pale, gaunt face, though it was unclear if it was the reflection of the evening sunset.
Holding the food box, Suoxin stepped back to Ruyi’s side. She knew the reason her master disregarded her injuries to come out was specifically to thank Guard Ling in person.
She turned her head and glanced at Ruyi. Although her expression was as calm as always, a bright joy flowed in her eyes.
This joy was subtle, but Suoxin, having served Ruyi for many years, knew her master was in a very good mood right now.
Listening to Ruyi and Guard Ling talking, Suoxin watched quietly from the side, but a strange feeling flashed in her heart.
She always felt that her master’s current demeanor was somewhat familiar, but no matter how she thought about it, she couldn’t remember where she had seen it before.
Ling Yunche dealt with Consort Xian with false sincerity. He wanted to get off duty, but seeing Ruyi’s leisurely appearance, he could only offer a perfunctory twitch of his lips.
Listening to Ruyi’s tolerant forgiveness towards Consort Dowager Ji, who had stabbed her, a flash of calculation crossed Ling Yunche’s eyes, and he chimed in:
“Your Highness possesses a noble character. If Consort Dowager Ji knew you didn’t blame her, she could rest in peace. With such kindness, Your Highness truly shouldn’t continue wasting away in the Cold Palace.”
He sneaked a glance at Ruyi. Seeing her slightly raised chin and an increasingly transcendent and peaceful expression, he continued:
“It is only in the Cold Palace that this servant had the chance to meet Your Highness. If I had known you were so generous and kind, I would have spent some silver a few years ago to transfer my cousin to serve in your palace, which would also save you from having no one to rely on now.”
Ruyi’s expression froze, and a myriad of emotions surged in her heart. She didn’t expect that even though she was already in the Cold Palace, Ling Yunche was still willing to let his cousin come serve her.
After a long while, Ruyi cocked her pinky with the nail guard, unconsciously tugged at the corner of her clothes, pursed her full lips, and said in a hoarse yet playful voice:
“You dare call yourself a cousin? This palace is already in the Cold Palace, and you still dare to send your cousin here. Be careful that your cousin doesn’t get angry with you when she finds out!”
Ling Yunche secretly observed Ruyi. Seeing her pouting, acting like a little girl, and her eyes constantly fixed on him, a rebellious thought suddenly popped into his mind.
Could it be… that this Consort Xian actually had her eyes on him?
Ling Yunche had sensed something slightly off just now, which was why he changed his sweetheart into a cousin!
Having been trained by Yanwan for a year, Ling Yunche was no longer the same person from the drama. Anyone who underestimated him would suffer the consequences.
Yanwan was absolutely right; once a person lets go of their bottom line, turning dark happens very quickly.
Ling Yunche felt somewhat disgusted by Ruyi’s unrequited affection and lack of feminine virtue, but he became even more confident about what was to come.
“My cousin has a soft personality and listens to this servant the most. She also works hard in the Sizhiku. If she could serve Your Highness, it would be her blessing. If Your Highness leaves the Cold Palace and needs someone, you must give my cousin a chance!”
Ling Yunche actually believed she could leave the Cold Palace!
Ruyi suddenly felt the weather was very hot; otherwise, why did her cheeks feel like they were burning? She turned her head to look at the moonflower on the wall, holding back for a long time before replying:
“Alright, if this palace truly leaves the Cold Palace, I will definitely transfer your cousin to my palace!”
Listening to their conversation, Suoxin had a complex expression on her face. She wasn’t worried that Guard Ling’s cousin would steal her position; she just felt that being by her master’s side might not necessarily be a good place.
Although Suoxin was loyal, she wasn’t stupid. Following this master, she had truly experienced all sorts of unimaginable things!
If given the chance, Suoxin only wanted to leave the palace as soon as possible. Besides, she had reached the age to be discharged anyway. This Guard Ling was truly… truly loyal!
“This servant won’t delay Your Highness’s dinner any longer. If you need anything, just order this servant.”
Seeing that his goal was achieved, Ling Yunche didn’t want to continue dealing with Ruyi. He found a random excuse to send Ruyi back, turned around, and left the Cold Palace.
This lady was nearly ten years older than him, yet she put on the pretentious demeanor of a little girl in front of him, which left him utterly speechless.
While Ling Yunche dealt with Ruyi in the Cold Palace, whenever he was free, he went to the Sizhiku to complain to Yanwan, saying that this lady seemed to have improper designs on him.
Yanwan hadn’t expected Ling Yunche to tell Ruyi that she was his cousin. This move was brilliant!
On the surface, Ruyi appeared aloof and proud, but deep down, she wasn’t a righteous person, which was evident from her constant suppression of the original owner who resembled her.
What decent person would chat and share their innermost thoughts alone with Ling Yunche at night when they had nothing else to do!
Ruyi harbored romantic intentions yet blamed the scumbag Emperor for being fickle; the two of them were clearly birds of a feather.
However, Yanwan didn’t need to worry about this. The original owner’s face had long been replaced with hers, and she had no desire to look like an old woman.
In a secluded corner of the Sizhiku, Chunchan, a good friend of the original owner, was keeping watch for the two of them from a distance while Yanwan and Ling Yunche whispered to each other.
“Yanwan, if you’re free tomorrow, come with me to meet Consort Xian. This lady specifically requested to see my ‘obedient and well-behaved’ cousin.”
Saying that, Ling Yunche pinched Yanwan’s little hand. His handsome face carried a wicked smile, completely shedding the honest man facade he had in front of Ruyi.
Wei Yanwan looked up at Ling Yunche, her small face showing a hint of worry as she said:
“Little Ling, I’m a bit worried that Consort Xian won’t use me when she sees my face. After all, the ladies in the palace all prefer their subordinates to be ugly so as not to steal their thunder.”
Ling Yunche agreed with this. His Yanwan was indeed outstandingly beautiful. Even though she dressed identically to the other maids in the Sizhiku, the maid outfit seemed to have a fairy-like aura on her.
She was indescribably pure and lovable. No man who saw her would dislike her, but it was hard to say for women.
“Stop worrying blindly. This Consort Xian is very easy to fool. Having taken care of her for so long, don’t I know what kind of person she is? I’ll have a good talk with her then. Don’t worry, your cousin is confident he can persuade her.”
Ling Yunche had made up his mind to send Yanwan to this Consort Xian. With Yanwan’s beauty, going to other palaces really wasn’t safe.
Consort Xian was easy to fool, and maybe Yanwan could even become a head maid after going there.
Ling Yunche knew Yanwan’s family couldn’t be relied upon, and he had no family either. Over the past year, listening to Yanwan’s words, he had managed to get quite a bit of silver from Noble Consort Hai.
With the money, life for him and Yanwan had finally improved.
Yanwan had brainwashed him quite a bit over the past year, so Ling Yunche didn’t think being ambitious was a bad thing.
After all, no one was born willing to live a hard life. As long as one could live a good life, who would refuse it!
Listening to Ling Yunche’s words, Yanwan looked at him eagerly, pretending to be relieved on the surface while laughing with joy inside.
Wasn’t Ruyi always supposed to be smart? Being manipulated by this little guard, Ling Yunche, if she found out the truth, she might just kill herself out of anger in advance!
Yanwan’s display of weakness made Ling Yunche even more determined to get this done well. After all, Yanwan had told him that she hoped to work hard for their future, earn more silver, and not have to live a hard life even after leaving the palace.
The two talked for a while and agreed to meet at the Cold Palace tomorrow. Seeing that Chunchan was still helping keep watch, Ling Yunche felt embarrassed to make her wait longer and reluctantly said goodbye to Yanwan.
Listening to the two of them scheming, the System felt that it had truly broadened its horizons. It had thought this host might approach the Emperor, but it didn’t expect her to take such a roundabout route to approach Ruyi!
Seeing Ling Yunche coaxed by the host to the point of almost patting his chest and guaranteeing everything would be fine, the System became even more excited for the days ahead.
Ling Yunche had turned dark, and it wondered what the future plot would become!
Seeing Ling Yunche leave, Chunchan turned to find Yanwan. After the two met up, Chunchan asked curiously:
“Did Ling Yunche have something to discuss with you? He’s been coming over more and more often!”
Yanwan stuffed the pastries Ling Yunche brought her into Chunchan’s hands without hiding anything and whispered in her ear:
“You know Consort Xian in the Cold Palace, right? Eunuch Jin Zhong said she’s going to be released soon. Ling Yunche is helping me scheme to get to Consort Xian’s side. If I really manage to go, I’ll find a way to transfer you and Lancui over too.”
Chunchan and Lancui were the original owner’s good friends in the Sizhiku, and they were extremely loyal to her in the drama. Yanwan planned to continue using these two.
Since transmigrating into this body, she had learned how good these two were. Being lowly maids, they looked out for each other. For the original owner, this affection was truly rare.
“Sure, Yanwan. If you can become a head maid in a lady’s palace, Lancui and I will both come to you. Although life in the Sizhiku isn’t as hard as before with your care, there’s no real way out here.”
As she spoke, Chunchan opened the oil paper wrapping the pastries. Seeing that the pastries were adorable and each had a different pattern, she teased:
“This guy Ling Yunche treats you well. Look at this package of pastries, they’re definitely not cheap.”
Yanwan pinched a piece and stuffed it into her mouth, finally shutting her up.
Ling Yunche naturally treated her well. Without her, this kid’s life would be very tight.
Even the ring he bought for the original owner was the cheapest ruby!
But she wasn’t the original owner. She had seen all kinds of good things in the modern world. Even if Ling Yunche gave her everything he had, it might not move her.