Maid Beneath the Skirt - Chapter 3

Chapter 6

The soft patter of water filled the room as I held a silk towel and carefully wiped the Eldest Princess’s back.

I could barely bring myself to use any pressure, yet that skin, smooth as congealed cream, still flushed red beneath my touch.

No one spoke. Layers of mist wrapped around the Eldest Princess, making her look like an immortal-so ethereal she hardly seemed real.

Just as I was wiping the curve of her shoulder and neck, the Eldest Princess caught my hand without turning around. In a low voice, she asked, “Chenhu, how would you feel if I gave you a new name?”

I froze. The damp warmth against my hand left me at a loss for how to react. I only felt as if my soul were being drawn out bit by bit, flowing down my arm and gathering on the back of my hand…

“Her Highness the Eldest Princess, the Emperor has arrived.”

Bingyi’s clear, otherworldly voice came from outside the bathing room, and I snapped back to myself.

The attendants waiting outside were called in to help dry the Eldest Princess and dress her. After the Eldest Princess left, I was tidying the dressing table when Zanghuo slapped me across the back.

“What are you doing? You’re serving the Eldest Princess, and your mind is still wandering off somewhere?”

My hand trembled, and the jade comb nearly fell to the floor. After setting it down properly, I mumbled, “The Eldest Princess was angry with me just now.”

Zanghuo’s face lit up. The other three stopped what they were doing.

Then I raised the hand the Eldest Princess had just touched in front of Zanghuo’s eyes.

“But the Eldest Princess touched my hand just now too.”

“…”

“Tell me, is the Eldest Princess still angry with me?”

Zanghuo’s expression went from sunny to stormy. She let out a sarcastic little laugh and ignored me. The other three went back to their work as well, though they used noticeably more force than before.

Chapter 3

Today was exceedingly strange. The Emperor actually remained at the Eldest Princess’s quarters all the way until lunchtime.

We went to the meal room and each carried back one dish. Every dish had already been tasted by palace maids who had entered the palace with us and been assigned to the administrative office. We waited outside for half a quarter of an hour, and only after the food-tasting maids showed no reaction would the doors be opened and the dishes handed to us.

What I received was a plate of sweet-and-sour fish. The young palace maid smiled at me, her eyes bright and her teeth white. “Sister, you’re now the favorite at the Eldest Princess’s side. I envy you so much.

“I wonder when I’ll be able to serve by the Eldest Princess’s side too.”

I frowned and left together with Zanghuo, who was waiting for me.

Eunuch Xiu, who served by the Emperor’s side, saw us arrive and hurried over to warn us, “The Eldest Princess flew into a terrible rage with the Emperor today. The five of you must serve carefully in a moment. Whatever you do, don’t speak out of turn, or else…”

Eunuch Xiu made a throat-slitting gesture. The five of us exchanged glances, held our breath, and walked in slowly.

Layer after layer of beaded curtains was drawn aside. Strangely, the Eldest Princess and the Emperor did not look at all like they had been in the great rage Eunuch Xiu described.

The Eldest Princess had a cat nestled in her arms, while the Emperor sat to the side and lifted his gaze to sweep over the five of us.

Just as I was about to set the sweet-and-sour fish on the table, the cat in the Eldest Princess’s arms suddenly sprang at me, snatched up the fish in its mouth, and ran off.

“That cat has no manners at all.” The Eldest Princess and the Emperor took their seats. The Eldest Princess smiled at the Emperor. “But Changping happened not to want fish today. Changping also remembers that Imperial Brother has never liked things from the water either, so this saves us the trouble.”

The Emperor nodded. “Changping remembers my preferences well. As expected of my full-blooded sister.”

The Eldest Princess filled a bowl with steamed egg custard and was just about to place it in front of the Emperor when Eunuch Xiu hurried in, his voice sharp and anxious. “Emperor, that little cat that stole the sweet-and-sour fish just now-it’s dead!”

The moment his words fell, the scalding porcelain bowl came smashing toward my forehead. My legs went weak, and I immediately dropped to my knees. My mouth opened again and again, yet not a single word came out.

I had nearly caused the Eldest Princess’s death…

Blood from my forehead mixed with egg custard and dripped down, but I seemed unable to feel any pain. Only the trembling of my fingertips made me remember this with increasing clarity. If… if the Eldest Princess had eaten the sweet-and-sour fish I brought her…

“You wretched thing! You grew up with the Eldest Princess, yet you had the audacity to plot against her life!” The Emperor slammed the table in towering fury. “Su Guixiu! I want you to-”

Smack!

At some point, the Eldest Princess had stepped in front of me and slapped me hard across the face. Her voice trembled with uncontrollable rage. “Chenhu, when I have treated you so well, why would you do this to me?!”

When I did not speak, the Eldest Princess backhanded me with another slap. After those two blows, her delicate hand was smeared with filthy blood and trembling. “My food has always been handled with the utmost caution and elaborate safeguards. How could a mere palace maid like you have such means? Speak! Who ordered you to do this?”

I had only just parted my lips to mumble when the Eldest Princess shouted, “You won’t talk, is that it? Zanghuo, Yuluo, take her away and give her thirty strokes of the rod! Until she confesses!”

The Eldest Princess gripped my blood-streaked face and stared at me, gritting her teeth as she ordered Zanghuo and Yuluo, “If the two of you show mercy because of your old sisterly affection, don’t blame me for driving you out of the palace!”

Being driven out of the palace meant never again being able to remain by the Eldest Princess’s side. Zanghuo and Yuluo were terrified and quickly assented, then dragged me away.

As we passed Eunuch Xiu, I heard him let out a long sigh. “Heaven’s will cannot be defied…”