One

What place is this

Returning to the young lady's words, this place is...

Ning Shuang and Qing Mei stared in astonishment, and then Ning Shuang bit her lip and shot a fierce glare at Xiu Er

The misty smoke enveloped the azure sky, and a face stained with blood and tears was indistinguishable, familiar yet distinctly strange. The woman’s bare feet were connected to cold iron chains at her ankles, and beneath her, crimson blood flowed in a winding path. ... In the fleeting shadows of smoke, it seemed that something whizzed past before my eyes: prison cells, chains, torture chambers, extrajudicial punishment

The three individuals sharing the same room are the most ordinary palace maids in the Department of Attire. They spend their days immersed in the humble and arduous tasks of weaving and dyeing fabrics, rarely having the opportunity to come into contact with the esteemed female officials. Now, however, they find themselves in the presence of one who has been demoted due to punishment.

Standing beside me is a slender female official, with prominent cheekbones and a pair of bright yet elusive eyes. "The servant does not know. It is only thought to be a violation of some taboo, and moreover, the time of detention at the Imperial Palace's Bureau of Palace Maids is different from that of other maids, being a little earlier."

Ah... the person who had been in a coma for a long time suddenly cried out.

The bright lightning illuminated the dark courtyard as if it were broad daylight in an instant. The woman opened her eyes, her gaze shifting, and for a moment, it seemed as if endless brilliance was gathering and swirling within her eyes, entangled. Xiu'er gasped in surprise, unable to capture the moment, and in the blink of an eye, the color of her eyes turned to silence, like a pool of stagnant water, deep and dim, with not a trace of ripple.

This bracelet is given to you, but that jade pendant must be returned to me

Thank you for your care over the past few days. This armlet is my token of gratitude. " After saying this, the woman slid down a finely crafted pure silver arm ornament from her arm

The fleeting time brushed against Xiuer's ear, resembling intimacy, yet the faint voice transformed into a chilling sound. Xiuer shivered, biting her lip, her eyes revealing a hint of grievance and shame. After a while, she tremblingly took out the jade pendant from her sleeve—the tassel had come undone, the silk threads were knotted, but the phoenix's intricate patterns on the jade remained vividly lifelike.

However, she did not stay in the Palace Justice Department for long. When Song Yueren fell from power in the internal struggle and Xie Wenjin ascended, all the palace maids originally belonging to the Palace Justice Department were completely replaced. At that time, Shaoguang was reassigned to the Chaoxia Palace, rising rapidly to become the most favored close attendant of the Empress.

Upon waking from a dream, it felt as if I had been resurrected from the dead. Sitting up straight, I realized that I was not sleeping on the damp and filthy communal bed. The courtyard was bright and tidy, and the green curtains exuded a faint fragrance. The passage of time held a hint of confusion.

Xiu'er instinctively tightened her cuffs, "Are you awake?"

At this moment, the person lying on the bed let out a groan

Xiu'er had changed the towel and was secretly taking a jade pendant from the inner layer of the woman's clothing on the couch. Startled by the words, she turned around to see no one was watching, and then smiled awkwardly, "I was just feeling sorry for her."

Xiu'er swallowed and nodded slightly

The simple yet exquisite ornaments, the arrangement of the dressing table and the bed, indeed belong to the residence of the female servants under the Four Departments of the Six Honorable Houses. Shaoguang supported herself as she got off the bed, immediately feeling a tearing pain in her shoulder blades. Both her inner and outer garments had been changed; the silk fabric was clean and soft, far more comfortable than the worn-out hemp clothing of the dilapidated room.

Zhong Yilan's eyes flickered as she suddenly recalled the two words given when the person was sent over—"from power." The former master has passed away, and the new master is unstable; from whose power? Is it from the Empress Dowager's, or from the late Empress... Zhong Yilan glanced at the red lacquer on her nails, signaled to the palace maid to remove the floral arrangement from the table, and then looked at Fuyi and said: "Three days later, bring her to see me again"

Arrive a little earlier

Your name is Xiu'er, is that correct? This garment was also changed by you for me?

She is the dream of every new palace maid, all longing for the day when they can receive immense favor and their worth will multiply. However, this legend came to an abrupt end with the passing of Empress Dugu, or rather, from the moment the Empress fell ill, the Empress Dowager began to spare no effort in expelling the maids of Chaoxia Palace. Once imperious servants nearly withered away under the private punishments of the Palace of Eunuchs, leaving only one Shaoguang, who had endured severe punishment, entered the torture chamber, and was sent to the clothing department of the Palace of Attire.

A sudden clap of thunder erupted outside the courtyard

What do you think...? Ning Shuang's voice trembled slightly, and even Qing Mei stopped her work, staring blankly at the person who was slowly sitting up from the bed.

Before Qingmei could finish speaking, Ning Shuang gave her a hard poke and said, "Miss Shao asked where this is? This is the courtyard for the maids waiting at the clothing room! What, does it seem uncomfortable to you?"

Thank you

Xiu Er blinked, thinking that she must have seen it wrong

The chill of early spring has passed, yet the weather remains biting. Fine strands of rain, carrying a sense of cold, descend in gusts, intensifying with each wave. Qingmei reached out to lower the window and shook her head, saying: "It’s raining again; the fabric in the backyard hasn’t dried yet, and now it will surely become damp again"

Time rested upon Xiuer's shoulder, while the other hand hidden in the sleeve tightly grasped the jade pendant

The dawn has awakened

Zhong Yilan painted her nails with a scarlet hue, a splendid color, permeated with a sweet fragrance. Ignoring those around her, she entered the dressing room, as if it were right beneath her eyelids, weighing the worth of everything before making a decision.

Since it was the Empress Dowager's order, how did the person get released after being demoted from the Palace of the Noble Consort to the Violent Chamber?" Zhong Yilan asked nonchalantly while blowing on the red lacquer on her nails

Time stands at the end of a dream, looking back, a disheveled and lonely woman appears in the mist

What kind of place is the violent chamber? Just returning with a life is already quite good. Over there, Ning Shuang looked up with a hint of sarcasm, "Do you think this is when the Empress Dowager was alive? The mourning period has already passed, why are you still trying to curry favor with her? If you ask me, Zhong Siyi putting her in our room is not for you to serve her."

Entering the palace at a young age, after being promoted to the position of palace official, I was directly assigned to the side of Song Yueren, the palace official in charge of overseeing palace regulations and punishing transgressions. Song Yueren is a trusted confidante of the Empress Dowager, and even the former head palace maid, Su Youmin, had to show her deference. Despite coming from a humble background, she was able to rise rapidly in status, which attracted much criticism from the six head palace maids.

Xiu'er, who was taking care of the bedside, went to see upon hearing the sound. As soon as she touched it, her forehead felt hot.

From behind, Qingmei and Ningshuang could not see Xiuer's face. Their jealous thoughts led them to assume it was because of the jewelry. Ningshuang spat in anger; however, Qingmei raised her head and secretly glanced at the woman who often appeared in rumors.

Shaoguang is a legend within the palace walls

"I thought I was awake, but it turns out I was dreaming again." By the desk, Qingmei was embroidering a floral pattern, weighing the needlework basket on her lap, "Whether it can last long or not is debatable, so why bother with it."