Chapter 25: My Colleague… s

After Shen Yuezhuang passionately finished explaining how arduous and crucial her path of bed-warming was, the old butler was silent for a moment.

Seeing that Liu Yun had already gone to change for her bath, the butler beckoned Shen Yuezhuang over to the low couch.

He didn’t speak. He just wrapped a hand warmer in a thick blanket, waited a moment, then took it out and pressed the warm blanket against Shen Yuezhuang’s hand.

The old butler glared, spreading his hands. He hadn’t said a single word, but the action was full of mockery.

For this?

Utterly scorned, Shen Yuezhuang: “…”

The old butler said earnestly, “Young lady! Don’t rely on your mistress’s momentary favor to do whatever you please. The days are long! Whatever you want to do, if you want to stand firm, the most important thing isn’t your mistress’s current fancy. It’s to be irreplaceable and unique in her eyes!”

“Look at this…” The butler shook the hand warmer with a mixture of disappointment and frustration. “A thing like this can do everything you’re supposed to do. Aren’t you worried?”

She certainly ought to be!

If anyone could warm the bed in her place, how could she beg for favors the next time she wanted to go out and play?

Shen Yuezhuang had been about to go warm the bed and sleep, but now she sat back down, wearing a look of worried agreement. “So what do you think I should do?”

The old butler breathed a sigh of relief, looking pleased that she was teachable. “Silly child, listen to me. This thing can warm your bed for you, but it can’t attend to your mistress’s bath!”

~~~

That night, steam from the medicated bath filled the room behind a screen.

Shen Yuezhuang sat on a low stool by the tub, barely an arm’s length away from Liu Yun.

She rested her chin on her hands, her elbows propped on the edge of the tub, and stared at Liu Yun without blinking.

The water in the tub was a clear, brown medicinal broth, slightly hot. Liu Yun’s face was flushed from the steam. Her long, wet lashes were lowered. Even though her eyes were closed, she had a look of imminent tears.

Liu Yun said the medicine helped improve blood circulation and ease the pain from the cold. When the Ice Poison was acting up in the past, she always soaked for at least half an hour.

Liu Yun also said that when soaking in this medicine, the patient had to close their eyes and concentrate, and the surroundings had to be completely silent. So Shen Yuezhuang was not allowed to speak or move until Liu Yun opened her eyes.

Shen Yuezhuang had never heard of a medicated bath with so many rules. But she obediently waited until Liu Yun opened her eyes before letting out a long sigh of relief.

“Finally done! No wonder you need someone to watch over you. Sitting with your eyes closed for half an hour, it’s hard not to fall asleep, isn’t it?”

Shen Yuezhuang walked over to the table behind Liu Yun to get a towel, mumbling the whole time. “It feels less like I’m attending your bath and more like I’m protecting you during your meditation!”

A faint smile tugged at the corner of Liu Yun’s mouth. But it soon faded as she met Shen Yuezhuang’s probing, curious eyes.

Liu Yun had a bad feeling. The next moment, Shen Yuezhuang slowly leaned in, bringing her face close.

She sniffed, showing her distaste for the strong bitterness. But her eyes were still fixed on Liu Yun, her gaze moving from her shoulder to her eyes.

“Soaking like this every day… don’t you get pickled in it?”

Shen Yuezhuang had hated taking medicine since she was a child, making a fuss over it like it was killing her. Liu Yun knew well how much she disliked the bitter smell. The question made her feel a strange irritation.

Liu Yun gave a light snort, lifting her chin slightly.

The strands of wet hair plastered to her temples and neck added a touch of soft charm. She raised her eyebrows in a half-joking, half-serious way. “Who knows? Why don’t you come and have a sniff?”

If she said sniff, then sniff. Since Liu Yun had already offered her neck, it would be a waste not to.

Shen Yuezhuang lowered her head. Liu Yun felt a cool draft on her neck. She frowned slightly, holding her breath as she turned her head away, looking pained.

Liu Yun’s throat was terribly dry. Amidst the cloud-like, ink-dark hair, only her ears were red-hot, as if they were about to bleed.

Shen Yuezhuang didn’t sniff for long. The bitter smell of the medicine was too strong. There was no way to tell if Liu Yun was bitter.

She lifted her head and took a deep breath to suppress the urge to retch.

“No good. It’s too bitter!”

She couldn’t even stand it for that short moment. How did Liu Yun sit there with a blank face for so long? And she had to soak for days every month!

“…” The burning red at the tips of Liu Yun’s ears hadn’t faded yet. But the barely perceptible panic in her eyes had already settled. Her smile deepened, but it didn’t reach her eyes, carrying a deep, bone-chilling cold.

She spoke in a light, almost joking tone. Unhurriedly, she stood up from the water, grabbing the undergarment Shen Yuezhuang was holding and draping it over herself.

The white undergarment, half of it falling into the tub, was quickly stained a murky brown, sticking wetly to her body.

Her demeanor was even more casual and indifferent. She called out for someone to come in and change the water. Then she paced over to the tightly sealed window, completely ignoring Shen Yuezhuang, who was following behind her.

She might have been waiting for this moment all along. Waiting for Shen Yuezhuang’s disgust and loathing. Waiting for Shen Yuezhuang to actively distance herself and give up. Waiting for Shen Yuezhuang to complete, on her own, the severance that she herself could not.

She should be relieved. A short pain is better than a long one. But the arrival of this day was still too fast, her heart pounding like a pestle in her chest.

Six years in the palace. They had only just met again on the third of this month. Today was only the fifteenth, and she had already earned Shen Yuezhuang’s disgust. At this rate… soon, very soon!

Liu Yun lifted her chin high, her lips forced into a tight smile. Her eyes were fixed on the hermetically sealed window. She could smell the lingering bitterness, and her throat felt as painful as a knife blade.

Shen Yuezhuang didn’t know what Liu Yun was thinking. She was just thinking that the wet undergarment looked… really not very dignified. So before the servant could come in to change the water, she used the large blanket she was holding to wrap Liu Yun up.

Her arms circled Liu Yun’s shoulders, pulling the blanket tight around her front. It looked almost like a hug from behind. The unexpected warmth stung Liu Yun’s heart. She pressed her lips together, refusing to make a sound. She just listened to the orderly footsteps of the servants coming and going behind her.

Changing the water would take some time. Shen Yuezhuang got tired of standing after a while, so she leaned her head against Liu Yun’s shoulder—which made the hug look even more real. Liu Yun’s lips moved as if to say something several times before she finally gave in, asking coldly, “Aren’t you afraid the bitter smell will get to you now?”

That reminded Shen Yuezhuang.

Just a moment ago, she hadn’t been able to smell any bitterness in the water. At Liu Yun’s words, she immediately sniffed, moving from Liu Yun’s shoulder up to her neck and behind her ears.

Sure enough, away from the medicinal broth, the bitter smell faded, replaced by a faint, clean, cool scent.

Liu Yun frowned and scolded her. “Shen Yuezhuang, are you a dog? Sniffing all over a person!”

The butler managed the household well. Their low whispers didn’t draw a single look or comment from anyone inside. Shen Yuezhuang rested her chin on Liu Yun’s shoulder and looked up at her. “You smell nice~”

Liu Yun’s gaze froze for a moment. “Sorry to disappoint you. Not pickled yet!”

She stared unblinkingly at Shen Yuezhuang’s face and continued, “But it’s only a matter of time. You’d better be careful. Stay away from me. Otherwise, I won’t be responsible if you start feeling sick just smelling me in the future.”

Liu Yun had always been the opposite of how she felt. The more upset she was inside, the brighter her smile.

She was always someone who planned ahead. But this time, after she said those words, she didn’t even know what she was hoping for.

Was she hoping Shen Yuezhuang would say she didn’t mind? Or that the smell was still bearable? Or that Shen Yuezhuang would show disgust and accept her suggestion to “stay away”?

She pressed her lips together. She suddenly realized that all the schemes and tactics she had learned in the palace were useless in handling her relationship with Shen Yuezhuang.

All her political maneuvering and weighing of interests fell apart in front of Shen Yuezhuang.

She could only accept the outcome—those who fall in love first were destined to be led by the nose.

Then, Shen Yuezhuang, that rope, twitched. She smiled a sly, brilliant smile, as bright as ever.

She stood on her tiptoes and whispered in Liu Yun’s ear, “I think next time you have your bath, you could sprinkle some flower petals. That way, you won’t smell the bitterness!”

She had a look of pride, waiting to be praised, as if she had come up with a brilliant idea.

But Liu Yun’s attention was wholly on the phrase “you won’t smell the bitterness.”

The moon in her heart felt like it had just gone through a solar eclipse. After the darkness came a brilliant, newfound radiance!

Her fake smile faded. After a few moments of silence, it was replaced by an impatient scolding.

“Shen Yuezhuang, that’s a medicated bath. What flower isn’t also a medicinal ingredient?” She tapped Shen Yuezhuang on the forehead. “Can you just stop causing trouble? What if the properties clash? Do you want to kill me?”

Shen Yuezhuang blinked. “…Then, how about some sugar?”

“…Yeah. I’ll ladle you a bowl to try!”

The fresh water was ready. Liu Yun pushed Shen Yuezhuang’s hands away. As she turned, she couldn’t help the corners of her mouth from lifting.

Shen Yuezhuang was still following her. “Oh, I know! You can suck on a honey date while you’re soaking. Hey, if you could just cure this poison, you wouldn’t have to soak, right? Who gave you this poison? Go find the poisoner!”

Liu Yun had always been extremely reticent about her affairs in the palace. But perhaps she was in a good mood tonight. Without much hesitation, she called Shen Yuezhuang over and put the blanket over her head again.

“Let go! If you stand still, I’ll tell you.”

“…” Shen Yuezhuang’s hands were itching to move. “And if I do move?”

The sound of water rustled in the room. Liu Yun said, unhurriedly, “If you move, you’ll never get me to tell you!”

Under the blanket, Shen Yuezhuang’s face was a picture of agony. She twisted her ten fingers together. “Then hurry up and say it. I’ll try my best to control myself!”

Her only answer was the sound of water, growing faster.

Finally, just before Shen Yuezhuang was about to lose control of her hands, Liu Yun pulled the blanket off her.

She was already fully dressed. Her palm landed on the top of Shen Yuezhuang’s messy hair, ruffling it randomly.

“You dope!” she scolded with a laugh. “Come out and talk!”

~~~

Liu Yun was not cut out for storytelling. The story she told only had a time, a character, and an outcome.

“Not long after I first entered the palace, a beauty was tributed from the Southern Frontier. She became a consort. Later, she tried to poison the Late Emperor, but by chance, I ended up poisoned instead.”

In the space of just a few steps from behind the screen to the bedside, Liu Yun had finished telling the story of the illness that had plagued her for years.

All Shen Yuezhuang could glean was that the poison, called Ice Poison, was from the Southern Frontier, contracted about five or six years ago.

Liu Yun was unwilling to elaborate on the details and twists of the story, so Shen Yuezhuang didn’t press.

As she climbed onto the inside of the bed, she was already thinking about whether her family had any business ties with the Southern Frontier, or if she could find a great shaman from that region—since the poison originated there, if Great Liang couldn’t cure it, they’d have to go to the source!

Suddenly, she heard Liu Yun gasp. She snapped back to reality, remembering something. She lifted Liu Yun’s blanket and pulled out a still-hot hand warmer.

Shen Yuezhuang carefully placed it on the nightstand and said, “Careful. That’s my colleague in bed-warming.”

“…” Liu Yun laughed in exasperation. “Colleague?”

Shen Yuezhuang pulled out two more and added, “Colleagues.”

Liu Yun clenched her fists. “Did the butler make you put those there?”

Shen Yuezhuang was kneeling on the bed. Her face was a picture of melancholy. Her drooping brows and eyes gave her a soft, pitiful look. “Yeah. I have no choice! This bed-warming job is too easy. Anyone can take my place. The butler also taught me a lot about navigating the world of work. I think he’s right. There are so many palace maids in your palace. It’s not enough for me to be just important. I have to be irreplaceable before I can… you know, stand firm in your palace!”

Liu Yun’s mood today had been a rollercoaster. She looked at Shen Yuezhuang’s head for a long time, a pained expression on her face.

“So, you’re not a palace maid. Why do you need to stand firm in my palace?”

Shen Yuezhuang’s slightly furrowed brow was like the misty rain over Jiangnan. At Liu Yun’s words, the clouds parted. Her bright eyes were full of clear realization.

That’s right! The butler thought she was a palace maid. She had only wanted to learn a skill to curry favor with Liu Yun, making it easier to go out and play in the future. Why was she worrying about this?

A flash of anger crossed her face as she stared viciously at the hand warmers on the nightstand. Liu Yun stood by, arms crossed, and casually remarked, “What? About to assassinate a colleague?”

Shen Yuezhuang said, her voice filled with righteous indignation, “They’re detrimental to Her Highness’s health! They should be sentenced to exile!”