Chapter Seven, Xuan Ye

Listening to her brother's tone, it seems he believes that Xuan Ye truly committed suicide? Su Ying pushed Su Sa aside and said emphatically: "Xuan Ye would not commit suicide!" She opened her hand, revealing a strand of hair in her palm, "It was they who caused her death!"

The affairs of the world are unpredictable. Su Ying said, Although I may enter the palace, I might also come out in the future. Perhaps I will marry an ordinary person, or perhaps, even after marrying an ordinary person, I will still have no connection to a peaceful life—such matters in this world will not always satisfy us

Su Ying trembled all over and began to cry softly. She did not want to admit it, but she could not deny it—although she was also entering the palace, her future was not as commendable as that of her sisters.

Su Ying shook her head slowly and said, "Xuan Ye likes you..."

Bai Xiaoxiao knew that Su Ying was always discreet in her actions, so she was certain that Su Ying would come today. Therefore, she made a special effort to dress up. Seeing Su Ying kneeling beside her with a bowl in hand, she smiled and said, "I knew I would eventually have to eat Su Ying's meat porridge, but I didn't expect it to be for this matter"

Last night, it was Xuan Ye who helped her with her hair, but today there is only one person in the mirror. Su Ying was combing her hair when tears began to well up again. She hurriedly held them back, thinking: "Su Ying, oh Su Ying, what good does crying do? Will others sympathize with you? Will they feel pain for you? Will they help you? ... ... Don't cry! Su Ying, you will not cry anymore!"

Xuan Ye's posture certainly does not resemble that of someone asleep. Her face is turned inward, and her body is curled up, which is quite peculiar

Aying... Aying! Su Sa shook her sister's shoulder and exclaimed, "You look like someone who is about to enter the palace?"

As Su Sa hurriedly arrived at her sister's door, the maids sent by the various aunts, who were blocking the entrance in layers, immediately stepped aside quietly. Su Sa did not look at them and walked straight up to push the door—only to find it bolted from the inside. Su Sa frowned and kicked the door open.

I know you really want Xuan Ye to follow me," Su Sha said calmly, "but I have my own plans. With Xuan Ye's temperament, it is not suitable for him to be by my side

"Who are you?" Su Ying was certain that she was not from the Su family, yet she felt that she must have seen this woman somewhere before, desperately trying to recall her origins, but no matter how hard she tried, she could not remember.

The next day, when the sky was bright, Su Ying finally woke up. As soon as she opened her eyes, she felt that something was amiss: she had woken up late, Xuan Ye had not come to call her, and there were no toiletries prepared.

Su Ying was truly taken aback when she received the incense burner: this elegant and ancient eight-treasure gold incense burner is small and exquisite, fitting perfectly in her hands. The lid is adorned with a large amber carved in the shape of a walnut, with every detail clearly discernible. Surrounding the amber are raised diamond patterns, which are quite beautiful. The body of the burner is covered with intricate lotus patterns, each flower center embellished with a gemstone, and each gemstone is of a different color.

I said that my brother would take Xuan Ye away, and Xuan Ye would not die. They also said that my brother had not arranged anything for Xuan Ye and did not want Xuan Ye to go serve. They claimed that Xuan Ye died because there was no hope left.

Several incense burners had already fallen to the ground, scattering incense ash everywhere. With a dazed expression, Su Ying reached out to touch the next incense burner, asked it a question, and then smashed it to the ground. The swirling incense ash made Su Sa frown, but Su Ying paid him no mind, not even glancing at her brother. She was completely absorbed in questioning the incense burners, her dreamy gaze tinged with a hint of madness

Su Ying called out again, her voice even softer. She had already breathed in a certain cold breath, as if it were coming from the dark underground

Su Ying had long been prepared in her heart and was not particularly surprised. Even Master Su and the concubines seemed to have an inkling, so it was not entirely unexpected. Master Su hesitated several times before finally saying: "Serving the princess in the palace is not the same as your occasional visits. Take care of yourself." His expression did not reveal whether he was worried or pleased, but Su Ying understood that he was not very happy.

"You have done something foolish again!" Su Ying said, "I have told you that the queen uses the incense 'Moon Rising over the Sea' blended with Wen Feng incense. How could I possibly use a fragrance that is better than the queen's? Even if the queen does not notice, Wen Feng incense will certainly be aware of it"

Morning and night, I must seek justice for Xuan Ye!" As she thought this, tears streamed down her face, and she gradually fell into a daze, on the verge of sleep

The young lady is also aware of the maid's temperament. If you truly enter the palace, they will certainly drive me out of the residence. Then, I will never have the chance to see you again in this lifetime... Xuan Ye suddenly shed two tears as she listened.

A faint, unusual smile appeared on Bai Xiaoxiao's face, like a fleeting ripple that vanished in an instant.

That night, Xuan Ye selected some spices from those gifted by everyone, placed them in the incense burner given by Bai Xiaoxiao, and lit them to scent Su Ying's clothes

Su Ying and Xuan Ye busied themselves in the side room for a while, arranging the clothes and lighting incense. When Su Ying was learning about fragrance blending, she had gathered around seventeen or eighteen small incense burners, all of which were now put to use, creating a spectacular display of smoke swirling on the ground. Noticing that Su Ying appeared somewhat fatigued, Xuan Ye advised her to take a rest soon.

"This incense burner, I have never used it even once," Bai Xiaoxiao said, "I have heard that items brought into the palace cannot be brand new, so you can decide for yourself."

A Ying..." Bai Xiaoxiao exchanged a glance, and the maid beside her immediately brought over a tray. Bai Xiaoxiao lifted the red silk covering the tray and said softly, "My dear aunt has nothing of value to send you into the palace with, but this incense burner is part of her dowry and at least it is presentable. It has followed me like a hidden gem; take it inside and use it, and do not let anyone underestimate our Dongping Duke's residence.

Before she could continue speaking, Su Sa had already struck her face with a palm strike

Su Ying did not speak, but quietly nodded her head

The news of the element's entry into the palace arrived at the Su residence on a somewhat sultry day

Xuan Ye forced a faint smile amidst the bitterness and changed the subject: "Miss, can this incense be used? The maid feels that this 'Yue Long Sha' is not as good as 'Ling Ling Xiang'"

Crying for half a day, she stuffed the strand of hair dampened by her tears into Su Sa's hand, sobbing, "Brother, Xuan Ye is not just any maid—she is the only one who grew up with me and has always protected me. You must keep this strand of hair well... After all, she truly liked you with all her heart."

"Aying, do not be sad," Su Sa said gently as she took the hair. "The things you will encounter in the future will be a hundred times more cruel and ugly than today—you must always remember what I said: in your current situation, no one fears you at all. If you want to be harsh with them, you must endure until you stand out and they can do nothing to you."

I know you have doubts in your heart about me. Bai Xiaoxiao said stiffly with a serious expression, "I don't really like you. But I never thought of wanting to kill you. If I really wanted to harm you, I would rather you enter the palace full of vigor, letting the people in the palace deal with you—by then, you wouldn't even know how you died.

There is a peculiar rule regarding incense burning: it is most taboo to create noise during the day, especially to perform it under sunlight. It must be done in the quiet of the night, allowing the fragrance to slowly rise and gently adhere to the clothing. Moreover, it is essential to avoid impatience, haste, and carelessness—the incense burner should be moved slowly, ensuring that every inch of the fabric is infused with the scent, penetrating deeply into the threads. The incense-treated garments should not be worn immediately; they must be placed in a cool, shaded area for two days. This way, the lingering fragrance will be subtle and elusive, known as "faint fragrance floating." Furthermore, it is crucial to avoid impatience, haste, and carelessness—the incense burner should be moved slowly, ensuring that every inch of the fabric is infused with the scent, penetrating deeply into the threads. The incense-treated garments should not be worn immediately; they must be placed in a cool, shaded area for two days. This way, the lingering fragrance will be subtle and elusive, known as "faint fragrance floating."

Su Ying shook her head with a smile, dressed herself, and ran to the side room without grooming herself

The woman shook her head in deep regret, turned away from her, and said as she walked off: "Poor child, you have no idea... your suffering is yet to come"

Su Sa quietly held her younger sister, gently patting her back while saying: "They miss you, don't take this matter to heart, for fear that you won't be able to enter the palace with grace."

"Must I really arrange for the maid who likes me to be by my side, facing each other day and night?" Su Sha's tone was somewhat indifferent, "Although I did not send her away, I have found her a place, which is not unfair to her."

In a moment of daze, a woman pushed the door open and walked straight to the bedside of Su Ying, sitting down and softly saying: "Poor child, if you had agreed to my terms back then, the suffering you have endured over the years would not have been in vain..."

"Remember, do not let the night wind blow in." Su Ying reminded and then returned to her room to sleep

In the evening, Su Ying was fiddling with the perfume she had just mixed at the dressing table, while Xuan Ye was combing her hair and said: "When the young lady entered the palace, I was truly worried—unlike the Seventh and Eighth Young Ladies, you have not learned the etiquette of the harem... Fortunately, everything went smoothly without any incidents"

Su Ying hurriedly said: "Aunt! A Ying suspects that Xuan Ye died under mysterious circumstances—her maid died just like that, who wouldn't have doubts in their heart? But I have not targeted you, so why did you specifically come to say these things?"

Over the years, Su Ying has caused Auntie much concern

Su Ying's eyelids drooped slightly as she slowly replied, "What difference does it make whether I am willing or not?"

Xuan Ye was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said: "Seeing the young lady being so meticulous, I am rather less saddened—perhaps this is the young lady's destiny... Everyone has their own fate, and I shall say no more."

Su Ying was sobbing uncontrollably in her brother's arms. Su Sa held her gently, patting her back, just as they did when they were children facing unbearable grievances. "A Ying," he said, "the person is already dead, what good does this do? If you go mad and act foolishly, will others admit that they harmed Xuan Ye? If you weep and wail in agony, will they suddenly have a change of heart? If you truly want to be ruthless, then do something that will leave them with no words to express their suffering, let them taste your pain too"

Su Ying was slapped, letting out a heavy groan as she fell heavily onto the bed

"It's nothing," Su Ying said calmly, "You will know in the future."

Su Ying's mother had long since passed away, but Bai Xiaoxiao was nominally considered her adoptive mother. Although Su Ying was not close to her, she would not neglect matters concerning her reputation. Early in the morning, she selected good glutinous rice and quality meat, personally prepared a bowl of meat porridge, and brought it to Bai Xiaoxiao while it was still hot

A faint fragrance wafted into the room, and Su Ying exclaimed, "Hmm," as it seemed that Xuan Ye had extinguished all the incense before dawn, indicating that the girl must have fallen asleep.

The woman did not answer, but kept asking: "Are you willing? If you agree, from today on, all the suffering you endure will have value—ten years from today will be your time to rise."

"Xuan Ye! The sky is bright!" As she spoke, she pushed open the door and saw Xuan Ye sprawled on the ground. Suddenly, she felt a strange sensation—the room was filled with a grayish-white smoke, slowly swirling in the early sunlight, carrying an air of mystery and foreboding... Xuan Ye remained motionless amidst the thick smoke.

Su Ying knew that once she entered the palace, it would be impossible to bring Xuan Ye along. Xuan Ye did not have a good reputation among the people in the Su residence, and her concerns were not unfounded

Su Ying pursed her lips, the corners of her mouth lifting into a gentle smile. Xuan Ye caught sight of her smile in the mirror, and his hand involuntarily trembled as he asked, "What is the young lady smiling about?"

The servants outside were taken aback, yet none dared to enter and intervene. They exchanged glances and quickly departed, leaving only one or two curious old women who preferred to eavesdrop secretly beneath the window.

On this day, many people came to offer their congratulations, but Su Ying dismissively sent them away, taking Xuan Ye with her to Bai Xiaoxiao's small courtyard. In the northern regions, a girl about to get married must prepare a bowl of meat porridge for her mother before leaving home, symbolizing her departure from her mother and providing her with a piece of meat for her mother's belly. It is unclear when this custom began, but the girls entering the palace also prepare this porridge for their mothers.

"This is too precious, Aying does not dare to accept it..." Suying, feeling anxious and fearful, declined, but then heard Bai Xiaoxiao say: "If it were a gift from your own mother, would you also refuse it?"

Su Sa strode to the door and drove them away, slamming the door shut. "Haven't you ever seen a dead person? One maid dies, and you don't want to live anymore, do you? If you don't want to live, then die for me! Let me see if your life is so worthless that it can only accompany a maid to the grave!"

"In case that really happens, I ask my brother to take you away—he won't let you suffer." Su Ying comforted, "Following my brother is much better than following me." She chuckled, "Look at what we are talking about! It sounds as if we are going to part ways tomorrow."

Su Ying was about to say something when Su Sa immediately covered her mouth. His expression was stern, and his gaze was chilling and terrifying, causing Su Ying to be too frightened to make a sound

"Seven days later is an auspicious day, please make preparations early, Miss," said the eunuch

Xuan Ye's entire body was icy cold, and a bluish-gray hue appeared on her stiff face—she was already dead

Su Ying was at a loss for words. A group of maidservants nearby urged her, saying, "Miss Liu, just accept it," and "The lady is treating Miss Liu like her own daughter; it would be inappropriate for Miss Liu not to accept it." Hearing their words, Su Ying had no choice but to repeatedly express her gratitude and let Xuan Ye take the incense burner.

After she said this, both of them were momentarily at a loss for words. Bai Xiaoxiao quietly left, while Su Ying silently got up and began to comb her hair at the dressing table

Aying! Su Sa hurriedly stopped her, "Do you really want to fall out with the whole family over a servant? It is simply a huge joke for a young lady of the Su family to go mad over the death of a maid!"

Xuan Ye was taken aback, having already guessed most of it in her heart. She whispered, "Your Highness wouldn't really want the young lady to go in and serve, would she?"

What on earth is this appearance of yours! Su Sa fiercely pulled Su Ying up and slapped her face again

Only those subordinates who enjoy gossiping are extremely excited

Regulations of the Northern Palace: One may only bring essential items that are frequently used into the palace. To prevent bribery among palace attendants, items brought into the palace must not be brand new; they must have been used before.

Xuan Ye was filled with envy towards the golden hairpin and incense burner that Su Ying brought back, but when Su Ying invited her to admire them, she did not dare to touch them, fearing that she might accidentally knock or damage them. When Su Ying wanted to use the incense burner to burn incense, she was even more unwilling to agree.

"Miss is really leaving," she said melancholically. "I don't know when I will be able to return again"

Su Ying shook her head and said in a muffled voice, "I just don't believe their nonsense! They say Xuan Ye committed suicide, they say she was afraid of being kicked out after I left... Xuan Ye would never commit suicide! I saw her body with my own eyes, how could it possibly be suicide? They are not only deceiving me, but they also want to persuade me to deceive myself—what on earth are they thinking? What are they thinking? !"

Su Ying was still not familiar with her surroundings, sitting curled up on the bed with her knees hugged to her chest, a few small incense burners placed beside her. As she stroked those incense burners, she murmured to herself: "Did you cause Xuan Ye's death? ... ... No? Oh ... ... " Saying this, she picked up one of the incense burners and threw it violently to the ground

I have already greeted Third Brother, and he should be going to speak with the manager in the next couple of days to have you called over there. Su Ying comforted her, jokingly saying: "Isn't this just what you wished for? Following Third Brother sooner or later, isn't that a good thing?"

That is not just any maid! That is Xuan Ye! Su Ying clenched her fists and sobbed softly

Su Sa remained silent, allowing her younger sister to continue this peculiar behavior

Su Ying did not know how long she had been asleep. When she slowly woke up, she was suddenly startled: there was a person quietly sitting by the bed. Upon closer inspection, she recognized that it was Bai Xiaoxiao

"Su Ying, oh Su Ying," that woman was so beautiful it was dazzling. Her eyes were filled with compassion as she repeatedly called out Su Ying's name, her voice incredibly gentle: "I will grant you the power to dominate the world, how about that? At that time, what would the people of the Su family amount to? No one in the entire world would dare to say 'no' to you—even the emperor, the empress, or even your adoptive father who holds the reins of power... No one could refuse you—would you be willing?" No one in the entire world would dare to say 'no' to you—even the emperor, the empress, or even your adoptive father who holds the reins of power... No one could refuse you—would you be willing?"

"Who do you think you are?" Su Sha's eyes glimmered with cold light as she spoke softly, "At home, you are merely the unfavored Sixth Miss. Entering the palace to serve as an incense attendant, to put it bluntly, you are just someone else's servant—do you really think you have the ability to turn your entire family against you now? Do you really believe that anyone is afraid of you?"

Su Ying suddenly realized: "It was you! Six years ago, it was you who spoke to me during the grand ceremony."

Su Ying pressed her trembling hand against Xuan Ye's body, forcefully turning her around

Bai Xiaoxiao stood frozen at the door and said softly, "Even if you do not doubt me, there will naturally be others stirring up trouble to make you suspect me. If I do not come to clear my name, others will only throw more dirt on me—do you think my days at home are easy?"

After Su Sa left, Su Ying barely held back her sadness, yet she was still unable to rise, lying on the bed unable to move.

The last incense burner was a gift from Bai Xiaoxiao. Su Ying gently caressed it and asked, "Did you cause Xuan Ye's death? ... ... Oh, it really is ... ... "

Su Ying returned home with the queen's reward, causing an even greater sensation in the Su residence. Even the usually indifferent Seventh Miss Su Lan displayed jealousy in front of everyone.

The maid thought that the young lady would marry into a humble family, and that she could also enjoy a period of comfortable life.

No," Su Ying slowly shook her head and said, "I do not need to hold power over the world. In due time, I will naturally find the person who killed Xuan Ye, and I will naturally avenge her. What do I need the world for?

She set down these words, stood up, and walked away

Xuan Ye! Su Ying softly called out and took a step forward

Xuan Ye stared blankly as she placed the comb on the dressing table and softly asked, "Does the young lady wish to enter?"