Chapter 102: Leisurely — Sword Dancing, Tea Drinking, Sunbathing
Little Eight could hear the doubt in Nan Xun’s voice. His tone turned firm, just short of pounding his chest in guarantee. “When has this lord ever failed to deliver on a promise?”
Nan Xun gave a dry chuckle and simply closed her eyes to take a nap.
Little Eight always felt that her “hehe” was brimming with endless sarcasm and contempt.
“It’s true! I’m not lying to you this time—I know a shocking secret about that tyrant!” Little Eight hurriedly said.
He was a very reliable little beast, after all. That mocking “hehe” was practically an insult to his beastly dignity.
Nan Xun lazily lifted her eyelids, unconcerned. “Oh? And what shocking secret might that be?”
Lowering his voice, Little Eight said, “Listen closely—this tyrant, don’t be fooled by how tall and handsome he is. In fact… heh heh… he can’t perform.”
Nan Xun’s eyes flew wide open, bright as could be. A sudden, inexplicable excitement surged through her body, nearly sprouting wings and lifting her off the ground.
“Little Eight, you didn’t trick me, did you?”
“Nope. In his past life, this tyrant could do it just fine, but he probably developed a psychological shadow. So in this life, that aspect doesn’t work anymore.”
However, over the next few days, Little Eight ended up slapping his own face.
As usual, Cui Huan came to report palace gossip: a few days ago His Majesty favored such-and-such a Jieyu; the day before yesterday he favored such-and-such a Zhaorong; yesterday he favored Consort Li again.
Little Eight hurriedly said it could explain, but Nan Xun no longer wanted to hear it.
After Cui Huan served the tea and saw her mistress leisurely savoring the cheap brew, she said indignantly, “Your Highness, how can you not be anxious at all? If this continues, you’ll really spend your whole life in the Cold Palace. Why don’t I sneak out of the palace and inform the old general and the master?”
Nan Xun poked the girl’s forehead with her finger. “Cui Huan, are you stupid? Do you think the emperor just threw me into the Cold Palace and that’s it? He must have people secretly monitoring us. If a living person like you suddenly disappeared, do you think he wouldn’t notice?”
Cui Huan felt even more stifled. “Then do we just sit here and wait for death?”
Nan Xun smiled. “This isn’t waiting for death. It’s conserving our strength. Such a big incident happened in the palace—no matter how much the emperor tries to block the news, within two or three days the palace’s informants will relay it to my grandfather and father.”
After her ideological education, Cui Huan finally gave up the idea of scaling the walls to report the news. Still, sneaking out to steal some flower seeds and vegetable seeds—she did that with great enthusiasm.
“Your Highness, I stole all the flower seeds and vegetable seeds you asked for,” Cui Huan said with a grin.
Nan Xun hooked a finger under her nose and praised her. “Good girl. Well done.”
Little Eight couldn’t help muttering softly, “You look just like how Daddy Li Chen dotes on you.”
Nan Xun’s movements froze.
Little Eight immediately shut up. It seemed it had just said something it shouldn’t have.
Nan Xun went with Cui Huan to the courtyard to turn the soil. Cui Huan dug the holes while Nan Xun sprinkled in the vegetable seeds. After planting the vegetables, they planted flowers.
She planted vegetables because she was about to throw up from eating cold leftovers every day; she planted flowers because she wanted to make some floral tea—the cheap tea was truly undrinkable.
Though Chimu Palace was a Cold Palace, it had everything it should. For example, there was a well in the courtyard—said to have drowned countless concubines sent here in the past. There was also a thick old locust tree, very convenient for hanging oneself. Nan Xun wasn’t afraid of how many people had died here—she’d even seen vengeful ghosts; why would she fear these petty spirits? She was just a bit concerned about whether the water from a well that had drowned people was still drinkable.
Once Little Eight learned of her concern, he immediately gifted her a Water-Purifying Pill. Toss one small pill in, and it would guarantee the water became clean and even gathered spiritual energy.
With the water problem solved and the food problem handled, all that remained was entertainment.
Nan Xun didn’t have many hobbies. Practicing swordplay and throwing a few punches was enough. Still, she made a swing beneath the big locust tree, padding the seat with soft cushions.
Beside the swing, she placed a rocking chair; beside the rocking chair, a small table; on the table were nuts and fruit, and a teapot steaming with hot tea.
Nan Xun lazily sprawled on the rocking chair, swaying back and forth, basking in the warm sunlight, so comfortable she was about to fall asleep.
Little Eight exploded. “Have you forgotten what you’re here for? Damn it, you’re actually enjoying life in the Cold Palace!”
Living in the Cold Palace yet turning it into a five-star hotel experience—there was probably only one person in the world who could do that: Nan Xun.
Nan Xun yawned and soothed him. “Aren’t I doing this to lure that tyrant over? He wants me to live miserably, but instead I’m living so carefree and at ease. Since things haven’t gone his way, just watch—he’ll make a move very soon.”
Little Eight was temporarily appeased, though deep down he still felt Nan Xun was just making excuses for her laziness—annoyingly, excuses that were quite convincing.
They waited like this for three months. The vegetables in the courtyard grew large, the red and purple flowers bloomed brilliantly, and the swing beneath the locust tree was carpeted with fallen petals, their fragrance filling the air.
Nan Xun was practicing swordplay in the courtyard.
She already knew some basic sword techniques, and as Qin Buyao was the daughter of a military family, she had received much of Old Master Qin’s true instruction. Her swordsmanship was excellent.
She wore a simple, plain white palace dress. Her hair was swept up into a high bun, with the tail falling to her lower back.
The woman in white moved lightly and gracefully as she wielded the sword—truly like a roaming dragon, like a startled swan.
Beautiful arcs of sword light bloomed amid the softly falling, fragrant locust blossoms. The woman in white became covered in petals, her entire body infused with their scent.
Cui Huan stood to the side with a lovestruck expression, holding a teapot, ready to serve tea at any moment.
Watching the beauty finish with a gorgeous flourish of her sword and then sheath it as she walked over, Cui Huan hurried forward, wiping sweat and pouring tea.
“Your Highness, this is locust blossom tea that this servant freshly brewed yesterday. Please try it!” Cui Huan urged eagerly.
Nan Xun smiled and patted her head, took the tea, and drank it in one gulp. She smacked her lips. “The flower tea my Cui Huan makes really is different—absolutely delicious.”
Praised by her, Cui Huan’s cheeks flushed red. “Tomorrow this servant will change it to jasmine tea. I’ve made several kinds of flower tea. From now on, I’ll give Your Highness a different one every day.”
Nan Xun smiled and said “All right,” then lazily reclined back into the rocking chair.
Cui Huan immediately trotted over and presented a storybook. “Your Highness, this servant just got this storybook yesterday. You can read it for at least seven or eight days.”
“My Cui Huan is truly thoughtful. Thank you, Cui Huan baby,” Nan Xun said with a grin, hooking the little maid’s chin.
Cui Huan slapped Nan Xun’s hand away and replied shyly, “Why is Your Highness thanking me? You’re embarrassing this servant. These are all things this servant should do.”
Little Eight: …
Damn it—such a brainless fangirl.
