Xiao Lin Xi made his way back at the empress' chamber with ease. At his back, a junior eunuch meekly followed. With a tray on his hands, he hold the newly brewed medicine that Wei Yi Yi dread so much, she would pretend dead at the sight of it.
"Senior Eunuch Lin," Xiao Yuan Xi greeted with a smile. Both head Eunuch and first class maidservant of Xian Feng Palace stood side by side in front of her majesty's chamber. Acknowledging their presence, he nodded, however, before he could take another step, the two blocked the door. Xiao Lin Xi knitted his brows at such rude behavior.
Irritation bloom deep within his stomach but years of experience enable him to not act on his emotions. Ignoring them, he held a hand to open the door but was ultimately grabbed.
"How about a heartfelt talk, Senior Eunuch Lin?" Tang Mei wore a smile on her lips. With every slight struggle, she would tighten her grip. After a few moments, sparks form between Xiao Lin Xi and Tang Mei.
Although he's afraid that Tang Mei's grip might break the old man's already brittle bones, Xiao Yuan Xi cheered in his heart. He had his fair share of Tang Mei's scary smile and has long been aware to run faraway even with the slightest twitch of her lips. Now that it was not directed at him, he generously praise Tang Mei.
"Miss Tang, this set of actions are inappropriate," Xiao Lin Xi said, containing his dissatisfaction towards Xian Feng palace's servants.
"Senior Eunuch Lin is right to scold this lowly servant," Tang Mei continue the idle chat without fear. Xiao Yuan Xi nod his head in agreement. Servants such as them have their own set of connection and power struggle. While having a powerful master that they could tattle on is a good thing, their ability to preserved, move in the background and clean up after the dirty deed is what will really count.
Tang Mei, as a first class maidservant directly serving the empress, did not gain her position with just a snap of a finger.
"Do not be excessive!" Xiao Lin Xi flung her hand away and swiftly reach for the door. Halfway opening it, he was silent for a moment, and then, making sure he wasn't making any sound, close it gently; his ears slowly turning red.
"Do not blame us, Senior Eunuch Lin," Tang Mei said then turn her head to the side.
Xiao Yuan Xi immediately followed up. "That's right. We stopped you with good intentions."
Xiao Lin Xi wanted to lash out with these two fellow servants. Does it hurt to tell him exactly that the empress and the emperor is being intimate in the middle of the day?
As if knowing what he thought, the two raise a brow towards him. Xiao Lin Xi cough his embarrassment away. Alright, it's embarrassing to mention and they couldn't just say that their masters are being shameless while the sun is still out. If others hear of this, what would happen to the emperor's face?
Turning around, Xiao Lin Xi was met with the junior eunuch's questionable stare. He told the young man, "Step forward and you'll be punish. Enter and I'll throw you out of the palace. And don't even try to peak!"
Now, with Xiao Lin Xi in the middle, the three guard the door securely, making sure that their masters won't be disturbed. Xiao Yuan Xi held a straight face while Xiao Lin Xi have a frown--- the aura around them is as strict as it could get. A calculated smile hang on Tang Mei's lips but, that too, didn't help the atmosphere at all, instead, it seem to add to the horror.
The junior eunuch gape at their stance. "But her majesty's medicine will turn cold---"
"Ssssshhh…" with reprimanding stare, the three chorus.
Inside the chamber, the emperor and the empress remain embracing while their mind held a different thought from one anoher.
"The list of gifts addresses to you were sent to your palace eunuch. Look over it and select appropriate gifts in return," Jiang Yu run his hand along Wei Yi Yi's back intending to caress her hair. He forgot that he combed her hair into that style of a married woman--- with none hanging on her back. Jiang Yu was standing while Wei Yi Yi is sitting with her head laying around his stomach, leaning down, he easily locate the end of the hair ribbon and tug at it not knowing that it wouldn't loosen just like that.
Wei Yi Yi grumble in pain. She felt like it was her hair that got pulled instead of the ribbon. Jiang Yu saw her put a hand on her head as if she was in great pain and become worried. "Do you have a headache? Are you still unwell?"
"Ah..? No, my fever's go---"
"Forget what I said. Let your servants handle it. Go, lie back down to your bed," Jiang Yu easily scoop Wei Yi Yi and carried her back to the bed.
"What about---"
'Work…'
Wei Yi Yi was not able to finish her words as she was dropped to the bed and the quilt was tossed over her head. Even though, it was a rare instance where she wanted to work an extra hour.
Jiang Yu removed the headpieces and hairpins and then tuck her below the covers. With her whole body under a thick layer of blankets, it wasn't long before her temperature raise and she was showering with her own sweats.
"Why won't your fever go away? Aren't you drinking enough medicine?" Feeling around her forehead and not liking her doubtful temperature, Jiang Yu got impatient and stood up. "Xiao Lin Xi is so slow, I'll get your medicine instead."
"Wha---!! Boss, no! Just let me rest! Let me rest! Too much medicine is not healthy!" Wei Yi Yi wanted to cry. For them, the bitter the medicine is, the more effective it is. She just wanted to know, are they even medically approved?! They're so bitter, it might be the actual cause of her death. It's not like she never drank traditional medicine before in modern times, it just that, this type of bitterness is impossible to endure.
"Don't leave me. Stay beside me," she pleaded. Seeing Wei Yi Yi's pitiful appearance, Jiang Yu end up frustrated. He wanted to care for her but it wasn't enough to make her feel any better.
"Alright. Don't be afraid. I'm here," Jiang Yu coaxed his empress. He sat at the edge of her bed and hold her hand.
After making sure that Jiang Yu won't go to pick up her natural enemy, Wei Yi Yi closed her eyes. Secretly, she kick her foot out of the covers then heaved a sigh of relief. She swear to herself that she'll get that proper and peaceful vacation leave one day. And it must be a paid one!
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A/N:
I saw the others trying to reach out to help me with my grammar. I always saw them too late as comments don't have notifs. I'm very thankful but I can't offer anything in exchange as of yet and I'll feel bad if you spend to much time working on full editing. So instead, if you have a few minutes, maybe you could help me with short proofreading. I'll open a channel on discord for it and you could point out my mistakes there. Thank you very much.
This is the discord link >>> https://discord.gg/bbvJfTN