Consort of a Thousand Faces

CHAPTER 47 (2): A BUNCH OF BLOCKHEADS

“Su Xi-er, you have long discovered me, right?” There was no semblance of a smile on Lian Qiao’s visage, knowing that Su Xi-er had already seen through her.

When faced with her sweet smile all day long, even the palace maids with the most vicious mouths would smile at her sometimes.

But when it came to Su Xi-er, no matter how much she curried favour with her, it was to no avail.

Su Xi-er responded with a question of her own, “What’s your purpose in tailing me? You don’t believe that I will be here scrubbing the chamber pots?”

“You will scrub the chamber pots. That much is certain. However, are you planning to return to your room to rest after finishing so early? Or are you...?” Lian Qiao’s voice trailed off as she gave Su Xi-er a scrutinising look. What exactly does she want to do with the culms? If the extract of the culms is made into powder, it would cause people’s body to itch.

Su Xi-er replied slowly, “I’ll naturally be returning to my room to rest. Don’t tell me that you still miss your bed in the past and want to come back to your former room?”

“I have no desire to return to that room now that it belongs to you. It’s just that...I am worried about you.” Lian Qiao walked closer to Su Xi-er and stared at her fixedly.

When she was three metres away from Su Xi-er, she stopped walking and looked at her. “Didn’t your body feel itchy today? Just like Hong Li.”

If I bring this up, Su Xi-er will definitely understand what I am implying.

Su Xi-er’s eyes narrowed as she sized up Lian Qiao. She understands medicinal herbs. There is bound to be a story behind why a palace maid from the Palace Side Quarters understands medicinal herbs.

When Lian Qiao saw Su Xi-er’s expression and demeanour become cold, a sense of fear and panic inexplicably rose in her heart.

“Su Xi-er...you...” Lian Qiao nervously swallowed her saliva.

Su Xi-er chuckled. “Why would I feel that my body is itchy? Lian Qiao, are you threatening me? What benefit is there for you after threatening me?”

Faced with Su Xi-er’s string of interrogative questions, Lian Qiao was nervous to the point that she was momentarily speechless. Only after a while did she manage to speak, her voice cracking with every other word. “I want to be like Hong Li and follow you. I come from an eminent family of traditional Chinese medicine. After my family waned, I entered the palace and became a palace maid in the Palace Side Quarters. I am able to help you, but please help me as well.”

Having someone who comes from an influential family of traditional Chinese medicine may actually come in handy in the future. However, enemies and allies can’t be easily distinguished right now. I can’t believe her carelessly.

Su Xi-er declined her tactfully. “Even I am in the Palace Side Quarters. With the future being so uncertain, I am unable to help you.”

Lian Qiao managed to compose herself before looking at Su Xi-er and speaking again. “Don’t be in a hurry to reject me. I am not threatening you. I know that you must have taken those culms for something; however, this will be our secret. I have to remind you though, if the quantity of the culm’s extract is too large, there will be excessive red spots in addition to the possibility of disfigurement.”

Lian Qiao then turned around and left without another word.

Su Xi-er looked at her retreating figure. This person, Lian Qiao, hides herself very deeply. Hong Li is clever and sometimes too rash. Ruo Yuan is sincere and sometimes very courageous. Lian Qiao is more composed, but at the same time, unpredictable.

Right now, Lian Qiao is anxious to prove that she is trustworthy. Since she has returned to her room, she won’t be coming again.

Su Xi-er turned around and headed for the Laundry Service Bureau.

Remembering Pei Qianhao’s words from last night, Su Xi-er took extra care on her way to the Laundry Service Bureau. “You can’t let this prince find out that you are coming to the Laundry Service Bureau again.”

Since he has already said something like this, it implies that he may have arranged imperial guards to watch over the Laundry Service Bureau.

I must survey the surroundings properly and think of a way to draw away any imperial guards before I infiltrate the Laundry Service Bureau.

In less than 15 minutes, Su Xi-er saw the entrance of the Laundry Service Bureau. Instead of rushing in, she stood a good distance away to secretly observe for a bit. Although she didn’t see any imperial guards in the open, she still purposely walked along the periphery of the Laundry Service Bureau and created some noise just to test it out.

Soon after, Su Xi-er heard a series of footsteps along with the voice of an imperial guard. “Someone is here. Everyone, be alert. If you let unrelated people enter the Laundry Service Bureau, we won’t be able to keep our heads!”

These imperial guards are probably Pei Qianhao’s subordinates. Su Xi-er had nimbly hidden herself in a corner before she carefully peeked out and discovered three imperial guards.

Pei Qianhao has instructed three subordinates to guard the place despite me being a single woman.

An idea popped into Su Xi-er’s mind. She proceeded to deliberately make an even louder sound, and watch as the three imperial guards became alert and walked towards it.

I must break the three imperial guards up. Picking up some pebbles from the ground, she purposely threw them in three separate directions.

“We’ll act separately. The sound came from three directions, so I reckon that there is more than one person!” The three imperial guards then split up.

Su Xi-er raised the corner of her mouth. The three imperial guards he dispatched are all blockheads. If Pei Qianhao’s subordinates are all this kind of ‘talents’, I reckon that he would have long been pulled down by others.

I must scatter the imperial guards strike them one by one. Even if Pei Qianhao finds out about it tomorrow, he can’t punish me without evidence.