"Ah," Su Mei Fan gasped in surprise. She just took a step inside the chamber and as she saw the mess, considerately stopped by the door. Following her, Xiao Xiu while carrying a bundle of papers, stood behind, seemingly afraid. Worried, Su Mei Fan added, "What's the matter, Sister Ye?"
"You..!" Ye Ai Ning shakily pointed a finger towards Su Mei Fan then glare at the maidservant who let her in. The servant trembled in fear and step further to the side. Shards were all over the chamber and spilled tea dirtied the floor. Having caught in such a mess and with her acting like a madman from the slums, Ye Ai Ning can't help but feel shame. Her cheeks redden as if she was slapped. She gripped her palms tightly that her nails almost dug into her skin. Ye Ai Ning choose to rein in her emotion and smoothed her robes, however, her tone remain filled with poison as she state, "What matters are so urgent that Concubine Su must barge rudely in my palace?"
Su Mei Fan raised her arms in defense. As if trying to hide her quivering lips, she covered half of her face with her sleeves. "After going thru suffering and enduring together, is there still a need to be mean to Fan'er?"
Although intentionally throwing her weight around, still, after she was directly accused of being mean by a childlike beauty, Ye Ai Ning was struck with a bit of conscience. "Quickly state what you came for," she said, easing her tone a bit.
Su Mei Fan open her mouth, and close it, then open it again but ultimately closing it in the end. Her eyes flickering around the room and suddenly, she looked as if she'll cry at any given moment. Ye Ai Ning, as the one witnessing it, felt responsible and guilt gnawed her heart.
Lowering her gaze at the floor, Su Mei Fan fidget, shutter, and then talk her way around it, slowly telling but actually avoiding the topic. "His Majesty favored Imperial Noble Consort Ye so much that he cannot be separated for long and ordered the empress to make an exception. Knowing this, Her Majesty happily obligate and allowed the ladies with the rank of a consort and above to participate for the Autumn Hunt. B—but Sister Ye just recently made a mistake and was punished. In this, the empress can't make another exception and thus, Sister Ye must done her task or—or…"
"Stop talking about things I already know. Be quick and direct with it," Ye Ai Ning interrupted. She can no longer look at Su Mei Fan. It was as if she was a sheep being send to slaughter and all Ye Ai Ning wanted, is to get her out of her misery already. If other saw, they will accuse her of bullying, and Ye Ai Ning herself, might even nod in agreement with them.
'These pass week, how did she exactly handle this cry baby?' Ye Ai Ning thought and then flashbacks of careless mistake flooded her mind. Even before she could flip out in rage, Su Mei Fan is already drowning in tears. Ye Ai Ning reach to massage her head.
Startled, Su Mei Fan turned even more anxious. Feeling a lump in her throat and fighting against her sobs, she painfully let out her voice. "Y-yes! I'm… I was happy when we finally finished copying after these days of hurrying and so… I can't help but be excited for the ink to dry and to turn them in to Eunuch Lin. B—but Sister Ye, they are not drying! Not at all!"
"What?!" Ye Ai Ning felt her heart drop. In a large stride, she reach in front of Su Mei Fan. The first thought in her mind is that, Wei Yi Yi must be playing tricks on her. What obediently obligating?! She must be planning from the start to make it difficult for her!
This time, tears begin to roll down Su Mei Fan's rounded cheeks. With her emotion spilling out of control, she frustratingly explained, "Fan'er is not lying! Not only the ink is not drying, it seems like it was not properly diluted and now the water is separating in the surface, creating stain marks, and affecting the others." Su Mei Fan took a page from her servant and turn it towards her. "Water marks are forming around the characters. The—they're turning gray. Somehow. Wait… ah ah! I don't think they're legible anymore! I—I don't know anymore! What to do Sister Ye? If we cannot present these copies to the Eunuch, you'll be left behind!"
"How could that be?! Last time I saw, they were still fine!"
"Maybe… too much water were mixed while grinding the ink… or… or…"
"Or what?!"
"…you were given poor quality ink…"
A dreadful expression slowly crawled and form in Ye Ai Ning's face. Her breathing hitch and her color drain. She rapidly thought of ways to salvage the situation. Eunuch Lin strictly told her again and again that if she cannot get out of her confinement in time for the autumn hunt, she wouldn't be allowed to participate.
Staring at Su Mei Fan glistering eyes full of tears and her stubbornness on rubbing them off, Ye Ai Ning shake off the idea that it must be her. With her over the top clumsiness, Ye Ai Ning forbid her from touching any liquid near her. Also, Su Mei Fan helped her to finish them, even doing more than what is asked of her. She was even eyeing her like a hunter all the while.
And so, it must be Wei Yi Yi's elaborate plan! Acting like a magnanimous empress, how shameless! Biting her nails, she thought how she was able to.
The Household of internal affairs provides all the necessities. In fact, the ink stone and ink stick came from the palace. Everything was accounted and checked for their value and quality before sending them to different palaces and courtyards, and the consorts doesn't just cluelessly received them as well. If that is not the case, then it would simply be an idiotic act that will lead to your death.
True, the empress have direct hold towards everything in the inner palace. Even so, she couldn't stop the other consorts from setting up their own people and gathering their own influence. Ye Ai Ning, too, spend years to build her fortress of trusted confidantes. There's no way--- Unless…
Unless Wei Yi Yi have eyes around her…
Ye Ai Ning shuddered in sudden fear. The memory of her pawns being swept away not long ago by Wei Yi Yi resurface. And now, among her servants, someone belong to Wei Yi Yi? How long is her reach since then?
"Who grind the ink? Bring me who grinded the ink!" At that moment, distrust and insecurities consume Ye Ai Ning.
-----
A/N:
After this chapter, the following ones will be lock. I was told that 200 words are equivalent to 1ss and so, expect a 5-6ss per chapter. I'll try to write without too much excess from that 200=1 value as it was assumed that even a small excess of a few word will be count as another SS. i.e. 205=2. This is not a solid assumption as I haven't seen it myself yet. The system is the one setting the price. It wasn't manually and so I don't know how strict the system is. I would be good if the system is actually rounding it off to the nearest value, but if not I'll refrain from putting excess word.
The update will change to 1 chapter per day. I'll update around 8pm-10pm, GMT +8. I can't promise any mass release yet. I usually write in my break time then publish it right away after finishing and so, I don't have a stockpile. Sorry, it's not like I'm ignoring the comments. Actually, I always read them all. For now, I'll start with trying to speed up my release rate. Please bare with me.
Thank you for supporting me up until now. I can't express in words alone how happy I am with you being here.