Chapter 17: This Is the Fastest Way for This Palace to Protect Chu Xingchen
Those hands of Chu Xingchen, covered in calluses and old scars—how could they belong to a teenage boy?
Therefore, Su Yingxue was determined to punish these insolent servants today. “From now on, listen carefully: Chu Xingchen is under This Palace’s protection. Anyone who disrespects Prince Chu disrespects This Palace!”
“Anyone who dares to mistreat, abuse, or assign chores to Prince Chu is slapping This Palace in the face—bullying and tormenting This Palace itself! Let us see whether your lives are tougher, or the authority of Palace Law is stronger!”
Su Yingxue glanced at the kneeling servants, all holding their breath with pale, fearful expressions, seemingly terrified of her.
“Since the Inner Service Directorate assigned you here, these servants who bullied their master and blurred the lines between master and servant shall be taken back to the Inner Eunuch Directorate’s prison for thorough interrogation.”
“This Palace has only one request: may the Inner Eunuch Directorate administer impartial justice, ensuring these insolent servants receive their due punishment,” Su Yingxue said coldly. “After all, Prince Chu is not merely a Hostage Prince to the Dasheng court—he represents the friendship between two nations.”
“The Dasheng Monarch has been preoccupied with state affairs, deceived by these scheming servants into overlooking Prince Chu’s suffering. Now that the truth is exposed, we must properly address Prince Chu’s situation, make amends, and compensate him. Don’t you agree?”
“This Palace believes you are wise enough to know how to report to His Majesty. With that, This Palace shall return to the palace,” Su Yingxue said softly.
The officials hastily knelt and acknowledged her orders. Seeing this, Su Yingxue took Qiushuang’s arm and left the Cold Palace, her objective achieved.
As they walked toward the Imperial Garden, Su Yingxue suddenly remembered something and spoke coldly to Qiushuang:
“Upon returning to the palace, find some gossipy servants to vividly recount today’s events in the Cold Palace. By tomorrow, every master and servant in the Dasheng Royal Palace must know that Chu Xingchen is under This Palace’s protection.”
“Your Highness the Eldest Princess,” Qiushuang hesitated, cautiously advising, “Is this wise? Your Highness has not yet discussed marriage proposals. With the palace rumors and exaggerations… they might assume you intend to take Prince Chu as a Male Consort. What if this damages Your Highness’s reputation?”
“Qiushuang, this is the fastest way for This Palace to protect Chu Xingchen.” Su Yingxue sighed, gazing at the long palace path ahead. She knew Chu Xingchen was the future emperor who would overthrow the kingdom, the villainous overlord, the obsessive male lead who defied fate and changed destiny.
If sacrificing a little reputation now could protect him—compared to enduring horrors like Flaying and Grass-Stuffing—perhaps it might offset her previous crimes of flogging and humiliating him!
When Chu Xingchen eventually stormed the palace, she, Su Yingxue, would lose her life anyway. What use was reputation then? Besides, what reputation did she, Su Yingxue, truly have in the eyes of Dasheng’s nobility, servants, officials, and commoners?
“With such a notorious reputation for being spoiled, arrogant, capricious, and endlessly employing private punishments—what difference does one more false accusation of keeping male consorts make?”
“This Palace believes that as long as Chu Xingchen can be protected, sacrificing some personal reputation in others’ gossip ultimately has little effect on This Palace,” Chu Xingchen said gloomily. “When This Palace applied medicine to his wounds yesterday, the decision to shield him was already made. As long as Chu Xingchen remains in the Dasheng Royal Palace for even a day, he shall be This Palace’s sworn brother.”
“With this fraternal bond established, coupled with our future strict adherence to propriety, as long as This Palace and Chu Xingchen provide no grounds for the palace staff to seize upon rumors, these slanders will eventually collapse on their own.”
“Acknowledged,” Qiushuang replied upon hearing this.
“Master, that is exactly what the Eldest Princess said,” Zhaoxue reported to Chu Xingchen, who lay on the bed—supposedly unconscious and recuperating, yet now fully alert with only a faint pallor to his complexion. Having shadowed them discreetly all day, his mastery of disguising himself as a eunuch within the Dasheng Royal Palace had become flawless and routine.
“She truly said that?” Chu Xingchen’s face flushed slightly. He never expected Su Yingxue would actually confront the Cold Palace on his behalf and even instruct palace staff to spread the story, intending to use herself as a shield for him.
“How naive! These trivial favors—compared to all the years she tormented This Palace—do she truly believe This Palace would feel grateful? Dream on!” Chu Xingchen scoffed coldly, his voice thick with anger. “Were those bullying palace staff not her doing as well? It’s just that the former Su Yingxue was transparent with her moods, while the current one grows increasingly scheming and adept at political machinations!”
“Continue monitoring her. This Solitary One must see what other tricks that woman has yet to play,” Chu Xingchen snorted thoughtfully.
“Acknowledged,” Zhaoxue withdrew.
When Su Yingxue returned to her bedchamber, she found Chunfeng, Xiahe, and Dongxue gathered around a small table, bustling with activity.
“What is all this?” Su Yingxue asked curiously, approaching with Qiushuang. Noticing the embroidery hoops in their hands, she inquired softly.
Su Yingxue’s four chief maids each possessed distinct strengths. Chunfeng, the eldest among them, excelled at caregiving and needlework, her attentiveness making her responsible for Su Yingxue’s daily necessities. Xiahe, younger and fond of gossip though somewhat flighty, was a culinary genius—skilled at brewing tea and crafting delicate pastries with remarkable creativity. Qiushuang, the most cautious and steady, constantly deliberated and planned on Su Yingxue’s behalf. As for Dongxue, she embodied an innocent, somewhat timid naivety, yet her kindness made her the joy of the Eldest Princess’s residence.
Having spent these days together, Su Yingxue felt the atmosphere in the Eldest Princess’s quarters was exceptionally harmonious and cheerful—nothing like the oppressive environment depicted in the novels. Could the System’s data be incorrect?
“Eldest Princess, since winter began, the weather has turned much colder. The Bureau of Imperial Attire delivered this year’s new garments for you and the staff today. This servant has already arranged everything for you,” Chunfeng explained with a smile. She was a gentle, homely woman whose radiant warmth felt like an elder sister’s embrace, bringing Zhang Susu comfort.
She continued, “The days will only grow colder from here. Though it’s not yet time for the bed warmer, I thought it would be useful eventually. Since the bed warmer gets quite hot to the touch, I had new pouches made for Your Highness this year—something festive to ward off any lingering ill fortune.”
Su Yingxue looked down and saw that each of the four palace maids held a pouch, each embroidered with a different design.