The cold snap in early spring was unexpectedly severe. In one night, the north wind grew fierce, and a drizzling snow began to fall. By dawn, the snow had piled up to a meter deep. Several main paths within the Imperial Palace were hurriedly cleared, while the rest had frozen over, making walking difficult, not to mention the biting cold.
As Xing Yu opened the main door of Qishun Building, the snow had submerged the eaves and porch, and the courtyard's flowers and plants were buried, only a few begonias peeked out like mushroom caps.
Xing Yu shivered. Inside Qishun Building, however, the charcoal fire was plentiful; more than a dozen warmers were kept burning day and night, creating a warmth as in spring. In the greenhouse hidden behind the dilapidated courtyard wall next to Qishun Building, peach blossoms, daffodils, and kaffir lilies bloomed vibrantly, untouched by the blizzard, filling the eyes with signs of spring.
Although the greenhouse looked unremarkable from the outside, and even surrounded by a very dilapidated wall, trees obscured the outline of the greenhouse. But the glazed tiles on the roof of the greenhouse had been brought from Nanyu, and a charcoal-burning flue under the ground meant that even in the harsh cold, the greenhouse could remain as warm as spring.
Fu Dong and Nian Xia had just overseen the maids moving charcoal into the greenhouse, then hauled back four baskets of Gold and Silver Carbon to Qishun Building. It looked as though these days of using charcoal fires would continue for a while.
Hong Chou was a palace maid of Bushou Palace, serving as a water-sweeping maid outside the double gates. At this moment, she walked along beside the one-foot thick snow in the Imperial Garden, her embroidered shoes long wet and cold, making her shiver uncontrollably.
"Hong Chou, it's such a cold day, why are you suffering out here?" Hong Chou looked up and saw from a distance Eunuch Yu in a tea-colored embroidered egret robe. Instinctively, she wanted to slip away, but Eunuch Yu had already called her name. Fearing future trouble, she could only respond.
"Eunuch Yu." On such a chilly day, the Empress suddenly got a whim to have newly blossomed flowers arranged in a vase; but the snowstorm had damaged the flowers in the Imperial Garden, such as peach and apricot blossoms, leaving not one intact branch. Today's tasks were supposed to be done by the maids who served Noble Consort Wen in the inner court. Yet, due to the extreme cold and the difficulty of the task, she ended up being the scapegoat.
Hong Chou bowed properly, mindful of Eunuch Yu Lihuai's poor reputation—she somewhat believed the recent rumors about him. Moreover, Eunuch Yu Lihuai had tried touching her several times, making Hong Chou very uncomfortable. Usually, she avoided him if possible.
"Hong Chou, it seems I haven't seen you around these days. Have you been bullied by the other senior maids like Xing Xiu and Yu Geng again?" Eunuch Yu Lihuai peered at the young maid before him. Her looks might not be outstanding, but something about her was incomparable—her skin was as white as snow, like a peeled tender egg.
"Eunuch Yu jests, they just wish to tutor me," Hong Chou said, lowering her head to avoid Eunuch Yu's scorching gaze. "You're busy, Eunuch; if I cannot find any flower branches today, I will be punished upon my return."
"On such a snowy day, where can you find flowers still blooming?" Eunuch Yu furrowed his brows but smiled, "However, I do know a place where they happen to be in bloom."
Hong Chou was skeptical but knew she'd face punishment if she did not return with the flowers.
"Eunuch Yu, please show mercy and guide this servant."
"Why say that? We're all family here, no need for such words. I'll take you there myself," Eunuch Yu Lihuai said as he tentatively reached out to touch Hong Chou's arm—the glint in his eyes nauseating.
Hong Chou wanted to refuse. On one hand, not finding the flowers meant inevitable punishment; on the other, she fully understood Eunuch Yu's sinister intentions—she had no choice in either case.
"Come, let's go. Delaying the Empress's time would be a serious matter. The place is secluded, I found it by chance," Eunuch Yu said, half-dragging her as he walked towards the deeper part of the garden.
Hong Chou looked around; no other Palace Attendants were passing by. At this point, already deep in the Imperial Garden, she had no choice but to go out and think of a plan.
"Eunuch, where are we?" Hong Chou felt the path becoming more secluded, the snow so deep there were no traces on it. She could only vaguely remember heading towards the direction of Xingqing Hall, but Xingqing Hall, being the biggest and connected to numerous decrepit buildings to the southeast, made the journey increasingly forbidding.
"Not far now, it should be just up ahead," Eunuch Yu Lihuai glanced at Hong Chou. Despite her coat, her graceful figure was noticeable; Eunuch Yu Lihuai smartly moved closer by two steps.
"Hong Chou, in Bushou Palace, you're the one who looks most adorable. Just look how tender your face is..."
"Eunuch, haven't we arrived yet?" Hong Chou slightly retreated, changing the subject.
Yu Lihuai wasn't annoyed but seemed rather shy.
"We are almost there, this is already Xingqing Hall, just behind Xingqing Hall. Look, isn't the front.…."
Thus, Hong Chou saw, amidst the heavy snow, a circle of dazzling yellow winter jasmine flowers and vibrant pink peach blossoms beside the dilapidated walls, as if the snow had forgotten this spot.
"Thank you, Eunuch Yu." Hong Chou hurried forward, but was abruptly pulled back by Yu Lihuai by her sleeve.
"Hong Chou, how will you thank me? Look, it's warmer here compared to the garden. Let's sit for a while before we leave." The peach blossoms were actually blooming inside the pavilion, no wonder they could bloom even in the snowy weather.
"Eunuch, if the servant returns late....oh no...." Hong Chou hadn't expected Yu Lihuai to really go through with it, before she could finish, she was forcefully pulled into his embrace. Hong Chou struggled fiercely, unaware of the tears already flowing, "Eunuch, please spare me."
"Little girl, I, Eunuch Yu, have always been quite good to you, don't be ungrateful—" Yu Lihuai half-enticed, half-threatened, his hands wandering.
"Who goes there—" A sharp rebuke sounded, Xue Liu was startled, and the hand warmer fell from her hands, the burning coals tumbled down the stairs.
"Sister, are you scalded?" Xing Yu hurriedly checked Xue Liu's feet.
Yu Lihuai was taken aback. Why were there people here? Looking again, how could two palace maids dressed in fine clothes come out of the extremely dilapidated surrounding walls?
That's not right, Yu Lihuai, who had stayed long in a warm room, immediately sensed something amiss here; how could such a ruinous building be so warm?
Following that, Yu Lihuai was even more surprised. He hadn't noticed before, but now he could see, behind the wall of peach blossoms, not a corner of a house but a whole greenhouse appeared, its flowers blooming profusely, a world entirely different from the outside.
This was a greenhouse, perhaps even as luxurious as the greenhouses in the Empress's palaces.
At that moment, Hong Chou had managed to free herself and, filled with shame, tried to leave. But then she saw two maids who had caught them were now accompanied by a nanny.
"Nanny, please spare me—" Hong Chou immediately knelt down, crying.
Yu Lihuai was worldly, and now that Noble Consort Wen managed the harem and his master was a favored one of Noble Consort Wen's, even being caught wouldn't matter much. Yet at this moment, he was thinking of another issue.
Yu Lihuai saw a basket full of Gold and Silver Carbon tossed aside by Xing Yu, and after thinking over it, he couldn't figure out. Such a dilapidated place housed someone important? Especially with the Cold Palace nearby, he was familiar with everyone in the Empress Dowager's palace.
A basket of Gold and Silver Carbon in the palace was a luxury not even the concubines could typically afford. Even if it was allowed, just a few baskets were already an exceptional favor from the Empress. And here, in these few people's baskets was slowly burning Gold and Silver Carbon, which was simply more luxurious than even the Noble Consort.
Yu Lihuai immediately snapped coldly, double-checking Xue Liu and Xing Yu's faces, which indeed he didn't recognize. In this Imperial Palace, there was still a place beyond the control of his Bushou Palace; perhaps today….
"Which palace do you servants belong to?" Yu Lihuai still cautiously spoke first, though the answer was already pretty clear; any palace using such a standard of coal was beyond normal rules.
Xue Liu and Xing Yu looked at each other but remained silent. Xue Liu turned to Nanny Yun, who also remained silent. Over the years, very few people had visited their place, and even those who did were just Little Eunuchs without any rank. This one seemed to have some status; would dealing with him be more troublesome?
"And who might you be?" Nanny Yun countered, with no intention of answering his question. She glanced at Xue Liu, signaling to take action, fearing it might be too late.