She was an ordinary maid, carrying a large food basket in her hand. She must be delivering meals from the kitchen.
"Send it inside?" A maid came over, lifted the lid and took a look. The dinner inside was really not good. The rice looked like leftovers and had lost its heat long ago. One corner was stained by other soup. It was just one dish and one soup. It didn't look good at all and there was no fragrance when it was opened.
"The housekeeper asked me to deliver it." The maid said softly.
"Let her carry it in." The old woman raised her chin, pointing at Shui Ning.
As soon as Shui Ning saw this maid, she was overjoyed. This was the maid named Mingxin who served Xie Feng. Of course she knew her. She had been trying to find someone outside, and now this person was brought to her.
"I... I can't lift it. Just now... I just fell and hurt my hand." Shui Ning said pitifully and moved her hand. She looked so embarrassed now. It was obvious that she was beaten by the people inside. Now she pretended to be injured, which didn't arouse suspicion.
"Do you want us to help you carry it?" A maid rolled her eyes. Seeing that she didn't want to rush out, she turned around and talked to another maid.
I'm not going to pay attention to her.
Before Shui Ning came out just now, the two of them were talking excitedly. Coincidentally, they were talking about Ji Youran. In the eyes of the two old women, Ji Youran had no good words, and from time to time she was even accused of murdering the former Crown Princess. Shui Ning was anxious and angry, but helpless.
"Can you please... help me lift it?" Shui Ning didn't dare to disturb the two women's conversation, so she could only ask Ming Xin carefully, with a hint of pleading in her eyes.
"I'll help you get it in? Nanny won't let me in." Mingxin shook his head and refused.
"No, Madam only told our master and me not to come out, but she didn't say that no one could go in. Just help me carry it in. It's only a short distance. Thank you."
Shui Ning expressed her gratitude profusely.
These words were spoken without avoiding the two old women, who heard them as well. However, they just glanced at them and continued to say what they were going to say, without any intention of being interrupted.
"Well... okay!" Ming Xin said reluctantly.
He picked up the food basket and followed behind Shui Ning, "Just this time, next time you guys should carry it yourselves!"
He looked as if he was trying to avoid it, as if someone suffering from some plague lived inside.
The two old women curled their lips and watched Mingxin carry the food basket in. They didn't mean to let her off the hook, but they thought it was just a small matter and it would be ok to turn a blind eye. Anyway, they didn't want to mention it, and they were unwilling to mention it, and they were even more unwilling to serve such a shameless woman.
But no matter how bad it was, she was still a concubine. Even though the two servants were scolding her, they still felt a little worried in their hearts.
The maid was willing to deliver it, it had nothing to do with them, at most they didn't notice that she delivered it.
When the Crown Princess asked about it, at most one of them just didn't pay attention.
Mingxin followed Shuening carrying a food basket and went inside. This house was almost the opposite of the courtyard where Concubine Ji lived before. Although the roof was good, the house was dark and damp.
"Master, I brought a maid with me. She used to be with Xie Feng." Shui Ning was afraid that Ji Youran didn't know Ming Xin, so she explained it in advance. Now she didn't dare to call her "Madam" anymore.
"The maid beside Xiefeng?" Ji Youran raised that terrifying face and looked towards the door.
Before he could see the figure inside clearly, Ming Xin had already stepped forward and saluted: "Your servant greets the queen."
"What queen? She is no longer that. The one you followed before was Xie Feng?" Ji Youran looked Ming Xin up and down.
"Yes, I serve Miss Xiefeng." Mingxin replied with her head down.
"Since you followed Xiefeng, why did you go to the big kitchen now?" Ji Youran stared at Mingxin, checking every expression on her face.
"Miss Xiefeng didn't ask me to serve her these past few days, and I didn't have much to do, so I went to the main kitchen to help out. When I heard about the food basket sent to Madam, I brought it over."
Mingxindao.
This time, the title of "Empress" was not mentioned, and the compromise title of "Madam" was used.
The so-called "by the way" means that it is thrown there without anyone paying attention. Everyone knows that it will be sent here, and people in the big kitchen don't want to go to such an unlucky place.
Mingxin said he was willing to bring it over, and the people in the kitchen were eager to do so.
"Xiefeng...how are you doing?" Ji Youran paused and asked slowly. Half of her face looked ferocious, but the other half was still pretty. Her eyes also looked like they had yin and yang, and it was very scary just staring at her like that.
“Miss Xiefeng… I don’t know either. I haven’t seen Miss Xiefeng these past few days. She said she was serving the Crown Princess and only sent someone to pass the message to me.” Mingxin’s attitude remained respectful.
Seeing her attitude, Ji Youran's expression softened a bit, "Can you call Xie Feng over?"
"Madam, I can't do it." Mingxin shook her head hurriedly.
"It doesn't matter if you can't do it. I have a few words here, please convey them to her." Ji Youran said.
She saw a half piece of waste paper that had fallen from some book on the ground, as well as a piece of black charcoal. She walked over to pick it up, flattened the paper on the table, wrote a few words on it with the charcoal, and then slowly rolled it up. "I don't ask you to see Xie Feng, just let her see this note."
“Madam…” Mingxin was frightened and didn’t dare to reach out to take it. Who would dare to take Ji Youran’s things at this time, let alone a little maid? Even if Xiefeng was here, he might not have the courage.
Unless the two people were originally in the same boat.
Ji Youran smiled, her smile was as ferocious as a ghost: "It's okay, it's just a sentence. If you can read, you can tell her after reading it. If you don't go, and something really happens, Xiefeng can't escape, and you, a little maid beside her, will naturally be implicated as well."
"Madam, what is written?" Ming was so flustered that her face turned pale. She was just a little maid, and had never experienced such a thing before. She subconsciously raised her eyes, but what she saw was Ji Youran's ferocious smile. She subconsciously took two steps back and almost stepped on the corner of her skirt, "Madam."
"Do you want to take a look? You can. After you read it, tear up the note. Then the only people who know about this are me... you, and Xie Feng. From now on, Xie Feng will value you more. After all, you know her secret now, don't you?" Ji Youran said with a smile. Although his voice was low, it was inexplicably crazy.
She didn't want to die in the backyard of the Eastern Palace. She came to the Eastern Palace to enjoy the honor and favor of the superior. She was the first person in the prince's heart. The prince didn't even want Ji Hanyue for her.
In order for her to secure her position as the Crown Princess of the Eastern Palace, she even killed her uncle. All of this was done to clear the way for her.
Now, it is just a small disaster. Not every empress dowager who finally holds power and is high above others has a smooth life. As long as the prince has her in his heart and as long as she restores her appearance, there is still a chance for everything.
But she couldn't stay here at this time. Staying here would definitely lead to death. She had to escape from here. She had to leave here...
Xie Feng, now he has hooked up with the Crown Princess! But so what, neither Xie Feng nor himself can escape!
“Madam… I… I can’t read… I’m just a little maid… I’m not lucky enough to learn to read.” Mingxin stammered, she was so scared that tears were about to fall, it was obvious that she was really a maid who had never seen the world, such maids were usually illiterate.
She is not a maid who has been learning literature and calligraphy with the young lady since she was young.
After trying it this way, I feel more at ease.
"Go, pass this note to Xie Feng. Don't worry, if Xie Feng doesn't want to, it has nothing to do with you. If this matter is accomplished, you will be rewarded handsomely later." Ji Youran chuckled.
If she stays, she will die; if she leaves, she will live. She wants to live, as she still has a long time to live. She has not yet ascended to the position of Crown Princess, which she snatched from Ji Hanyue.
Seeing that creepy smile, Mingxin was shocked and panicked. He wanted to turn around and run away, but a note was forced into his hand, and then Mingxin left in panic.
"What's mine is mine after all. No one can take it away from me, not even Ji Hanyue or Liu Jingyu."
"Your Highness, you said you liked me the most. You said you liked my gentleness and affection, my charming and beautiful appearance..."
"Your Highness, you said you would make me the Crown Princess. As long as I help you... I will do whatever you say..."
A murmured whisper, accompanied by a strange whimper, came out of Ji Youran's mouth. Shui Ning's face turned pale as she closed the door and knelt down in front of Ji Youran with a plop. "Madam, please don't say any more. If someone hears it, it will... be a disaster!"
"Hear? What am I afraid of? The prince will protect me, he will protect me. He cares about me the most, doesn't he?" Ji Youran glanced at Shui Ning, with some obscure bloodshot in his eyes.
"Yes... yes, His Highness cares about Madam the most. Madam... we can't mess around now. His Highness will come to save you." Shui Ning could only follow her words and comfort her while crying. She couldn't stay in such a place for a moment.
The table was suddenly slammed hard, and Ji Youran's resentful face turned into anger. "Qu Moying, that bitch, actually dared to plot against me. I won't let her go. I absolutely won't let her go. If I have a chance, I will definitely send her to hell. Hasn't she always wanted to find her good cousin? Then I will send them to reunite."
One person’s death is death, two people’s death is also death. What Ji Youran regrets the most now is that at that time, Qu Moying was just the daughter of a minister, and an abandoned daughter at that. Even if she died, no one would ask any more questions.
She sat down again, tightly grasping the cold quilt beside her. She still had a chance, a good chance...
She didn't accept it in the past because she looked down on it, but now she is at the end of her rope, she must accept it... She will hold on to the benefits offered by that side tightly, and anyone who wants to snatch her position as the Crown Princess will die a miserable death...