Chapter 72
In front of the Library Pavilion, the little palace maid with a red and swollen handprint on her face was both crying and laughing when she saw Lu Dieqing, her eyes filled with tears.
She looked as wronged as a little child.
Lu Dieqing patiently and gently coaxed A’Sang, patting her on the shoulder.
“Don’t overthink it. How could I not want such a good friend like you?”
As she said this, A’Sang looked at her with teary eyes, tears streaming down her face.
“Qingqing…”
She clutched her sleeve, raised her hand to wipe her tears, and haphazardly wiped her face clean.
Not all palace maids had family backgrounds and backers.
For example, she had none.
She had been sent to the palace as a maid simply because her family was too large.
Since she had been sent to the palace, it also meant that her family no longer needed her.
In the future, even if she survived until she could leave the imperial palace, she wouldn’t know where to go. She could only try to save some money for her old age, so that she could live a little more decently.
It was no exaggeration to say that she was like a floating duckweed.
In the deep palace, there was no one to trust. Everyone was just getting by and trying to stay alive.
Others were still thinking of gaining the appreciation of the nobles, to get more rewards, or a higher status. But A’Sang had never thought of it that way.
She knew that she was clumsy with her words and not suitable for getting along with nobles. On the contrary, a simple life was more suitable for her.
The job at the Library Pavilion was very much in line with her personality. Few people came to disturb her. Although it was not valued, at least she wouldn’t starve, and it wasn’t tiring.
She had gotten used to this kind of life.
When she met Lu Dieqing and knew her identity, she had even felt a sense of regret.
Lu Dieqing didn’t look like someone who should live a hard life.
With such a stunning face and a naive and kind personality, she looked like she should be pampered with wealth and honor.
That was why A’Sang had softened and had secretly let Lu Dieqing into the Library Pavilion to read the puppetry manuals.
She had thought that although she was of humble birth, just a little palace maid, for a noble lady like the hostage of the Shan Kingdom to have to secretly beg someone to even read the manuals was truly a pity and a shame.
The Little Princess of Shan, whom she had so admired, had now transformed into someone who could save her at a critical moment, and even held the Crown Princess’s waist token in her hand.
The disparity was not small.
It was because of this that A’Sang was afraid.
She vaguely felt that only when Lu Dieqing was as ordinary and helpless as herself did she have the right to be her friend.
Once the other became a noble and dazzling existence, she would become insignificant, and she would feel ashamed of herself when she saw her.
The friend standing by Lu Dieqing’s side should be someone like her, not a humble little palace maid like herself.
Faced with Lu Dieqing’s smiling gaze, A’Sang almost lowered her head to the ground.
“A’Sang,” Lu Dieqing said, looking at her and encouraging her in a small voice.
“Aren’t we friends? Why is it that you were allowed to help me in the past, but I’m not allowed to help you now? You’re in trouble, and you have something on your mind. If you could tell me, wouldn’t it be better to have another person to help you think of a way?”
“I don’t want to become distant from you.”
Lu Dieqing spoke softly and gently. With every word she said, another layer of tears welled up in A’Sang’s eyes.
She burst into tears.
How could she be so lucky to have such a good friend as Lu Dieqing?
Being cared for by the other like this, her heart was so warm, as if all her troubles had disappeared.
All her wild thoughts and self-blame from the past few days had turned into empty fantasies under Lu Dieqing’s gentle gaze.
It seemed that her good friend didn’t blame her at all.
“I blamed myself in my heart. When you were taken away before, I couldn’t help… and after you disappeared, I only dared to look for you secretly, afraid of being implicated by you. My heart was not sincere. I am not worthy to be your friend.”
A’Sang suddenly dared to speak her mind.
Lu Dieqing froze, then smiled.
She smiled not because of anything else, but because she realized that everyone thought differently, that everyone would bottle things up and overthink them, and then be overly harsh on themselves.
“A’Sang, that’s where you’re wrong. I don’t even blame you. How can you blame yourself first?”
“You and I both know that living safely and well in the imperial palace is the most important thing, and also the most difficult. Many times, we can’t even save ourselves and are often forced by circumstances to do things we don’t want to do but can’t avoid. We don’t look for trouble, but trouble finds us.”
“How did you not help me that day? Clearly, the moment you saw others coming for me, you gave me a look to tell me to run, and you even wanted to rush over, but there were too many of them, and you were held back and couldn’t help me.”
“Doesn’t that count as the sincerity you’ve shown as a friend?”
“A’Sang, you’re already righteous enough. It’s not about risking your own life to be righteous. It’s not like that. Everyone has difficulties. On the basis of protecting yourself, you’ve already done what you could. I don’t blame you at all, and you mustn’t be so harsh on yourself either.”
Lu Dieqing rarely spoke so much at once, but she found that if she didn’t explain these things clearly to A’Sang, the other would really continue to blame herself.
This was not what she wanted to see.
After this speech, A’Sang was successfully comforted and broke into a tearful smile.
“You’re making me feel embarrassed,” she said, suddenly feeling that she wasn’t so cowardly and unrighteous after all.
“Qingqing, are you happy at the Caiyun Academy?”
A’Sang held the still-warm food box and asked in a small voice.
Only now did she return to her usual personality with Lu Dieqing, daring to ask about things she didn’t know.
Lu Dieqing thought for a moment and nodded seriously. “Mhm! I’m happy!”
To be able to hear all kinds of interesting stories from the teacher every day, to meet different new friends, and… thinking of the Crown Princess, Lu Dieqing paused.
She thought of the origin of all this, that it all existed because of the Crown Princess.
The other was like a protective umbrella, standing behind her, silently giving her confidence.
Lu Dieqing couldn’t help but bite her lip. She was always a little troubled about how to repay the other.
“A’Sang, if you have a friend who is very, very good to you, so much so that you don’t know how to repay her, what would you do?”
She couldn’t help but confide in A’Sang.
A’Sang opened the food box and saw the exquisite pastries inside. Her eyes lit up.
“What would I do? If it’s a friend, then I would be good to her too.”
“Wait for me.” She got up and went into the Library Pavilion, coming out with a small object.
“This is for you.” A’Sang handed over a small bronze mirror.
The bronze mirror looked quite exquisite. The back was silver, and there were some patterns of flowers and plants carved on it.
“I asked someone to buy it from outside the palace. Don’t mind it…” A’Sang didn’t know if her friend would still be interested in such small things.
Lu Dieqing had wanted to refuse, but when she heard A’Sang say this, she immediately accepted the small mirror.
“It’s so beautiful. How could I mind?”
A’Sang smiled at her. “You see, this is how we are, a back and forth. If you have a friend who is so good to you that it makes you feel guilty, just give her some small gifts within your ability. She will know your intentions.”
Lu Dieqing’s face was contemplative.
Is that so?
She had always thought that the Crown Princess was fabulously wealthy and had everything since birth, so she had never thought of giving her anything.
But A’Sang’s words had opened a window for her, enlightening her!
That’s right, I can also give the Crown Princess some small gifts.
What should I give?
The girl pondered this matter, her mind absent-minded on the way back to the Caiyun Academy.
What on earth should she give?
The girl searched through her purse. The pitiful three taels of silver were still lying there.
Looking at her purse, she was a little discouraged.
She… huh? A pouch. That’s right, she could give her a pouch.
