Song Shutang was not given much time to react, but fortunately, she did not have many belongings to begin with, so packing up was quick. Under the subtle gazes of the others, she picked up her bundle and followed Lu Ping’s footsteps.
Exchanging a glance with Cui Wenshu, both of them saw surprise in each other’s eyes.
Lu Ping’s reaction and attitude were not within Song Shutang’s expectations.
This was not the demeanor of someone coming to fetch a master.
Along the way, with Lu Ping walking ahead, she still did not find an opportunity to speak with him. However, she was relatively familiar with the various parts of the palace, and this path led to the Imperial Presence.
Lu Ping was also quietly observing Song Shutang. When they arrived at Qianyuan Palace, he stopped:
“There are still matters to attend to in the Imperial Presence. Miss Song, please settle in first.”
Song Shutang bowed: “Yes, Eunuch, please attend to your duties.”
Lu Ping nodded, beckoned a young eunuch to take Song Shutang away, and then headed straight for the Imperial Study.
Calm and composed, polite and proper—her first impression was quite favorable, Lu Ping thought to himself.
“Your Majesty, Miss Song has been brought over and settled in.”
“How was it?”
Lu Ping reported truthfully. When he mentioned the woman’s slight surprise, a faint smile appeared in Pei Hengyu’s eyes.
The smile was so subtle that even Lu Ping failed to catch it.
Lu Ping was also puzzled. Having served the Emperor for many years, this was the first time he had been assigned such a task—to bring a palace maid to the Imperial Presence.
What was even more perplexing was that she was brought here to continue as a palace maid, not to become a master.
Ah, he truly could not fathom what his master was thinking.
“Enough, stop pondering here.” Pei Hengyu glanced at Lu Ping’s expression and knew exactly what he was thinking. With a stern face, he said, “Not enough tasks to keep you busy?”
Lu Ping composed himself and bowed: “Your Majesty, forgive my offense.”
The man’s gaze returned to the memorial in his hand, but he could not help but recall that night at Luoxing Tower, the woman’s bright eyes and the undisguised ambition within them.
He was giving Cui Wenshu this face.
But only this once, and it did not mean he was willing to fulfill their wishes as they desired.
Yet, it was undeniable—Song Shutang was beautiful.
She could still stir a flicker of interest in him.
After being led to the side room by the young eunuch, Song Shutang sat on the hard bed, surveying the small room.
The room was not large but tidy, with a single bed and a small cabinet. It was worlds apart from the eight-person shared bed she had slept on in the Yeting, but it was still clearly a servant’s quarters.
…Her eyes shifted, somewhat surprised. So, she was here to continue as a palace maid in the Imperial Presence?
The doubts she had harbored along the way finally found an answer at this moment. Song Shutang could not quite articulate her feelings now.
But she also vaguely realized that this Emperor’s thoughts were truly difficult to guess.
She had thought too simply before.
Now, arriving at the Imperial Presence as a palace maid, she was completely in the dark—unfamiliar with the Emperor, unfamiliar with those serving in the Imperial Presence, and, more frustratingly, without any means to gather information.
The sun outside the window was blazing. She lowered her gaze, seeing her elongated shadow on the ground. After a long while, she let out a deep sigh.
Gurgle, gurgle—her stomach growled at an inopportune moment. She blinked, temporarily setting aside her tangled thoughts, straightened her clothes, and thought, Well, let’s fill my stomach first.
Fortunately, she was lucky enough to run into the young eunuch who had escorted her earlier. The eunuch was probably around her age and was named Shun Fu.
He did not know what status Song Shutang held, but since she had been brought personally by Eunuch Lu, he assumed her position in the Imperial Presence must be somewhat higher than his own, and thus his attitude remained quite attentive.
“The rules are stricter when serving in the Imperial Presence. Eunuch Lu Ping is the chief steward—everything here falls under his management.”
“Are there any palace maids?”
“Yes, Sister Caisuo and Sister Caiyuan are both senior maids, though it’s usually us eunuchs who attend to the Emperor directly.”
Song Shutang nodded. So there were no palace maids serving before the Emperor, and from the way Shun Fu mentioned Caisuo and Caiyuan with such ease, she guessed they were just ordinary maids.
As for herself…
After finishing her meal and chatting briefly with Shun Fu, Song Shutang returned to the side chamber in the western hall. She waited until the sun was nearly setting, yet still no one came to assign her any duties.
This feeling of uncertainty was utterly agonizing. Unable to wait any longer, Song Shutang decided to seek out Lu Ping.
Lu Ping was also troubled by this matter. Naturally, Shun Fu had informed him of what had happened during the day, but regarding how to treat Song Shutang, the Emperor had given no instructions, and he dared not act recklessly.
Song Shutang was still dressed in the winter attire of a low-ranking maid from the Yeting—a coarse, bluish-gray cloth garment with white lace trim at the collar and cuffs. Simple as it was, on her, it seemed to fade into the background.
As Lu Ping watched her approach, he stepped aside politely and said, “Miss Song.”
Song Shutang curtsied slightly. “I dare not claim the title of ‘miss.’ Please just call me Xiao Song.”
Lu Ping clasped his hands and smiled. “Is there anything you find unsuitable?”
Song Shutang shook her head. “This servant has come to ask if there is any work that needs doing?”
Her eyes curved into a gentle smile. “For a servant, having no tasks is what brings unease.”
Her words were tactful, but Lu Ping understood the underlying meaning. He smiled warmly and said, “Set your mind at ease. Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve, and things are temporarily quiet in the Imperial Presence…”
Before he could finish, he was interrupted by a call from inside the Imperial Study—Pei Hengyu raising his voice to summon him.
Lu Ping hurriedly responded, then offered an apologetic smile as he gently dismissed her. “Miss Song, please return and rest for now.”
Song Shutang glanced briefly toward the Imperial Study but did not press further. “You attend to your duties first, Eunuch.”
By the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, Song Shutang remained virtually invisible in the Imperial Presence.
No one assigned her any work, yet she lacked nothing in terms of food or necessities. She was content to use this time to further acquaint herself with the workings of the Imperial Presence.
Shun Fu had been right—although there were palace maids in the Imperial Presence, they rarely appeared near the Emperor. She had also encountered Caisuo and Caiyuan, who had politely delivered new clothes to her.
Those who served in the Imperial Presence carried an air of authority about them. Though the two maids smiled, Song Shutang sensed a faint trace of hostility in their assessing glances.
In her heart, Song Shutang began to form a rough judgment of the few people in the Imperial Presence.
She heard that the Emperor and Empress had gone to Huiyuan Temple in the outskirts of the city, where the Empress Dowager was residing in quiet devotion, having not even returned to the palace for New Year’s Eve. The Emperor and Empress had gone to pay their respects and would not return until the sixth day.
She dared not wander freely in the Imperial Presence, and beyond this, she had been unable to uncover anything else.
She gazed at the clothes delivered during the day, now lying on her bed—one set in pale purple, another in bluish-green, made of silk with delicate floral patterns. Though still not extravagant, they stood in stark contrast to the coarse cotton garments she wore.
Her slender white fingers traced over the garment as she pondered something. After a moment, she went to the cabinet, retrieved the sewing basket, threaded a needle, and began embroidering on the clothing.
/
Returning from outside the palace, it was nearly dusk.
Pei Hengyu ordered Lu Ping to personally escort the Empress back to Chongqian Palace, while he himself returned to the Imperial Presence.
Those on duty in the Imperial Presence held their breath, performing every task with even greater caution.
Upon returning, Lu Ping naturally observed this situation. Summoning Shun Fu for an inquiry, he learned that the Emperor had flown into a rage upon his return.
Shun Fu’s brows furrowed as he spoke, “It’s all my fault. I was too loud when serving His Majesty tea.”
Lu Ping waved his hand dismissively. “You still need to hone your ability to read the room. Go on for now.”
Just as Shun Fu turned to leave, he was called back. “Go and summon Miss Song.”
Under Shun Fu’s puzzled gaze, Lu Ping frowned impatiently. “What are you waiting for?”
“Yes.”
The sun sank in the west, its lingering glow enveloping everything. Lu Ping’s brows remained furrowed. While others were unaware of what had transpired, he knew all too clearly.
It wasn’t Shun Fu’s loud tea-serving that displeased His Majesty; rather, the Emperor was already furious. Not only had he argued with the Empress Dowager at Huiyuan Temple, but on the return journey, refugees from the outskirts had blocked the imperial procession.
The refugee issue, which Pei Hengyu had prioritized since the beginning of the year, appeared well-managed on the surface, and Li Qianyi had indeed put considerable effort into it.
Yet, a grave incident involving the loss of innocent lives had occurred.
A soldier assigned to relief efforts had forcibly taken the newly matured daughter of a refugee. The young woman resisted desperately but was brutally beaten and ultimately bled to death.
The refugees brought the case to Jingzhao Prefecture, only to be harshly driven away by its officials. Nearly a month had passed, and the young woman’s body remained unburied.
Lu Ping saw Pei Hengyu’s expression turn icy in an instant.
“Jingzhao Prefecture truly has immense audacity.”
Had he not ventured outside the palace, he might never have learned of this matter.
Pei Hengyu’s face remained cold throughout the journey, leaving everyone around him trembling with fear.
From a distance, Lu Ping spotted a graceful figure in purple approaching. His eyes narrowed slightly. It was often said that clothes make the person. Though Song Shutang was still dressed in a palace maid’s attire today, her beauty was captivating enough to hold one’s gaze.
He took two steps forward, descending the stairs to await her arrival. Raising a hand to stop her attempt at a greeting, he said, “His Majesty is inside. Go and attend to him.”
These words took Song Shutang by surprise. Attend to the Emperor?
Shun Fu handed over a rosewood tray, upon which sat a porcelain cup. Lu Ping instructed:
“Go ahead, Miss Song.”
The door to the hall opened and then closed gently.
Holding the tray, Song Shutang glanced back and saw that Lu Ping had not followed her inside.
She could feel her heartbeat quickening uncontrollably. Her fingers tightened around the edge of the tray as she took step after step inward.
Having served as a palace maid for two years, her etiquette had always been impeccable. Now, she walked with a slight bow, her steps light and measured. Yet, after only a few paces, she dared not proceed further.
This was the Imperial Study, a place she had never entered before. Though unfamiliar with its layout, the increasingly rich fragrance in the air reminded her that she was drawing closer to the ruler of the realm.
This scene instantly pulled her back to that day at Luoxing Tower in the Yeting.
But here, in this space entirely his own, the sense of oppression was undeniable.
Pei Hengyu heard the sound of the door opening. After waiting a few moments without Lu Ping bringing the tea, he spoke with displeasure:
“Why haven’t you come over?”
…Song Shutang took a deep breath. No wonder Lu Ping had called her in to serve without any warning. The Emperor’s tone clearly indicated he was in a foul mood.
As a servant, the worst fear was when the master was displeased, for there was no telling whether the master might vent their anger on you.
She dared not delay. After briefly glancing up to take in the layout of the study, she immediately lowered her head again and walked over quietly, placing the teacup smoothly to the right of Pei Hengyu.
Phew. Song Shutang had never realized that such a simple action could feel so difficult.
“Who told you to come?”
Those who served in the Imperial Presence never dared carry even the slightest scent on them. Along with the teacup, an unfamiliar fragrance had drifted down.
Pei Hengyu narrowed his eyes, tossed the writing brush aside, leaned back into the spacious armchair behind him, and spoke coldly.
The woman’s body stiffened instantly, then she swiftly knelt. “Your Majesty, forgive this humble servant.”
After asking, Pei Hengyu realized that aside from Lu Ping, no one else would have the nerve to summon someone in.
He snorted softly. Lu Ping certainly knew how to dodge responsibility.
The woman knelt on the floor, her head bowed. The purple gown made the skin exposed outside appear even more delicate and pale. “Nervous?”
It would be a lie to say she wasn’t nervous, especially after the brush stand had fallen earlier, disturbing the master. Song Shutang inwardly scolded herself several times for being so careless. She nodded slowly.
“Do you know who I am?”
The exact same words as that night, yet they carried a whiff of danger to Song Shutang’s senses. She lowered her head even further.
“You are the Son of Heaven.”
Her fingers nearly dug into her palms. She pressed her lips together and mustered the courage to look up, meeting the man’s gaze directly.
“That night at Luoxing Tower, this humble servant was blind, failing to recognize Your Majesty’s esteemed countenance. This servant deserves death.”
The implication was clear: that night at Luoxing Tower, she had not intentionally deceived the Emperor.
Her eyes held a forced calm. Despite her fear, she dared to look directly at him.
Since she had come to serve in the Imperial Presence, he had never summoned her, precisely to see what tricks she might try. Now, it seemed that although she was somewhat clumsy, she possessed a sincere sort of courage.
Some of his earlier irritation faded slightly. Pei Hengyu suddenly felt a playful urge. He crooked a finger. “Come here.”
He watched as the woman’s face flushed crimson inch by inch. The eyes that had just been filled with courage now held panic, yet she slowly shifted forward on her knees, stopping about three feet away from him.
His expression remained impassive, and he said nothing.
She moved forward another two steps.
Nearby, the Suanni incense burner burned quietly. Song Shutang thought it must be the faint smoke that made the man before her appear unclear.
A light sweat had broken out on her forehead at some point, but she dared not wipe it away. Only the drum-like beating of her heart echoed in her chest.
Her gaze fell into the man’s unfathomable eyes. She bit her lip slightly and moved forward a few more steps.
The distance was too close now—so close that Song Shutang could clearly see the small mole at the end of the man’s eyebrow and hear the sound of his breathing.
“Do you know what to do?”
Pei Hengyu, amused, looked down at her and spoke, breaking the stagnant atmosphere that had just settled between them.
With such an action and such an atmosphere, Song Shutang’s eyelids trembled slightly. She understood what Pei Hengyu meant, but…
She nodded. “This humble servant knows.”
With that, she turned her body, picked up the brush stand that had fallen on the floor, and placed it back on the imperial desk with utmost reverence, bowing her head.
“This servant will pick it up right away.”