Chapter 1127 - 1129 Chu Hai’s Origin_1
Diao Yao wanted to say no, but she was stopped by Bai Ruozhu with a look, as refusing now would only complicate matters further.
Seeing that Diao Yao did not even know to thank for the grace bestowed upon her, Imperial Concubine Liu grew even angrier. However, she couldn’t find any justification for her feelings and could only respectfully bid her farewell to Empress Dowager with a bow.
After Imperial Concubine Liu left, the Empress Dowager said with a displeased face, "The Liu Family is becoming more and more presumptuous."
Diao Yao didn’t understand what was going on, and she didn’t dare to join the conversation. Bai Ruozhu, naturally, would not join in either. The state of affairs in the court was indeed not good. Previously, those with intentions had been observing, until Prince Duan jumped out. Although he ended in failure, other ambitious ones also began to stir.
After leaving Cining Palace, Imperial Concubine Liu muttered to a palace maid by her side, "Was what Bai Ruozhu said true?"
The sharp-faced palace maid disdainfully said, "This servant thinks it was more boasting than truth. If that wretched girl truly had merit, why wouldn’t the emperor grant her an audience?"
Imperial Concubine Liu glared at the sharp-faced palace maid and said impatiently, "I’ve told you to think more when you come across matters. If the emperor were to meet with an unmarried young girl, the reward would most likely be to have her enter the palace."
The sharp-faced palace maid shuddered with a chill and quickly said, "This servant is dull. It is your highness who sees far."
Imperial Concubine Liu snorted coldly and ordered, "Send someone to check and see if it is really as Bai Ruozhu described."
...
The Empress Dowager summoned Diao Yao and Bai Ruozhu to the Side Hall to see Princess Diao Bin, since Princess Diao Bin was even less willing to appear in front of others after her wig came off last time.
Diao Yao was especially overjoyed to meet Diao Bin, and the two of them called each other sisters and talked without stopping, holding hands. In fact, Diao Bin had known Bai Ruozhu for a longer time, but although they had a good relationship, it was not as close as that of sisters.
Watching from the side, the Empress Dowager smiled and said, "It’s rare to see these two children so compatible. Looking at them, they do indeed resemble each other somewhat."
Bai Ruozhu heard this and her heart skipped a beat. She suddenly had some doubts about Diao Yao’s origins and felt a hint of curiosity about Chu Hai, particularly since his gaze towards the Imperial Palace was always very peculiar.
Seeing that Diao Bin and Diao Yao were engaged in lively conversation, she stood up and said she would go see Imperial Concubine Le. The Empress Dowager also stood up with a smile and said, "I will accompany you. Let the two young ladies have a private chat."
Diao Bin, somewhat embarrassed, blushed and said, "You did not need to leave for us, look how you talk."
Bai Ruozhu and the Empress Dowager smiled and walked towards the residence of Imperial Concubine Le located in the Side Hall. Along the way, the Empress Dowager casually said, "I see Diao Yao as a congenial child. If she were not from the Western Regions, I would have liked to take her as my adopted daughter."
"Diao Yao is a child with a simple and direct nature. She cannot tolerate those people in the palace," Bai Ruozhu gently reminded.
The Empress Dowager quickly thought of Imperial Concubine Liu’s aggressive approach from earlier and sighed, "You’re right. If it weren’t for your quick reaction today, I don’t know what trouble Imperial Concubine Liu would have caused for her."
Bai Ruozhu wanted to remind the Empress Dowager to put Imperial Concubine Liu in her place, but then remembered General Liu’s situation and had to swallow her words.
Do not think that becoming the emperor means you are the first under heaven. The emperor also has his helplessness, being unable to indulge in his desires for women too freely in the evening.
Afterward, Bai Ruozhu gave Imperial Concubine Le an examination. All was well with the concubine, and her spirits had improved significantly.
At noon, the Empress Dowager invited Bai Ruozhu and Diao Yao for a meal. It was only after lunch that the two left the Imperial Palace and returned to the Bai Residence.
Bai Ruozhu saw Diao Yao back to the yard where she lived with Chu Hai. To Diao Yao, she said, "You go rest. I’ll take your master’s pulse."
Diao Yao obediently nodded and cheerfully returned to her own room.
Chu Hai looked at Bai Ruozhu, his brows slightly furrowed. "Is there something you need to ask me? And it requires avoiding Xiaoyao?"
"I never used to inquire into your and Diao Yao’s origins, but now that Diao Yao has become good friends with the princess and will enter the palace from time to time, people consider her an acquaintance of mine. If anything goes awry, I fear my entire Bai Family could get implicated," Bai Ruozhu said, her face turning grave. "You helped block Zhou Jue for me in the past and even risked the poison flaring up again. I should be grateful to you, but I’m not alone. I can’t allow anything to threaten the safety of my family."
Chu Hai’s gaze drifted, tinged with a hint of loss and dejection. "Rest assured, we won’t do anything that could implicate your family."
Bai Ruozhu regarded him with a scrutinizing look. "Then why is it that every time you look towards the Imperial Palace, your gaze seems a bit odd? Also, Diao Yao mentioned unintentionally that her mother said she is also meant to be a princess. You’re her brother; your background can’t be simple, can it? And why won’t you tell Diao Yao about her background? You’d rather let her misunderstand and harbor affection for you than tell her you’re her real brother?"
Chu Hai staggered under the barrage of questions from Bai Ruozhu, involuntarily retreating half a step.
"I..." He hesitated for a moment, "I should just take Diao Yao and leave."
Now it was Bai Ruozhu’s turn to be stunned. Although she knew no banquet lasted forever and understood that Chu Hai, having cured his poison, could not stay at the Bai residence indefinitely, they had just saved her, and she regarded them as true friends. Now, they wanted to leave because of her pressing questions, which filled her with self-reproach.
"Did you really come to the Capital City with no ulterior motive? If someone with ill intentions discovers you, are you sure you can truly protect yourself and Diao Yao’s safety?" Bai Ruozhu asked.
Chu Hai paused, "All these years, wherever I went, I had only one goal, to find a cure for my mother’s poison. I haven’t thought about anything else."
Seeing him unwilling to divulge more, Bai Ruozhu could only sigh and turn to leave. As she reached the Main Gate, she paused, "If you have no other motives, it may be best to stay. The Capital isn’t safe these days."
After saying that, she left without looking back, while Chu Hai watched her retreating figure with mixed feelings, the shadows in his eyes deepening.
...
Three days later, the Emperor issued a decree, ordering Jiang Yichun to discreetly bring Jiao Bingqin into the palace to see him. Jiao Bingqin dressed up nicely for the occasion. Bai Ruozhu went over with her to briefly explain some rules. Jiao Bingqin, however, wore an air of disdain, and even the glances she shot toward Bai Ruozhu were laced with provocation, as if seeing the Emperor would allow her to triumph and breathe easy.
Bai Ruozhu found this amusing but did not want to burst her bubble. If the Emperor intended to bring someone of Jiao Bingqin’s status into the harem, he wouldn’t have temporarily placed her in the Bai Residence.
She had thought the Emperor would arrange another place for Jiao Bingqin after seeing her, but when Jiang Yichun returned, he still brought Jiao Bingqin back with him.
Jiao Bingqin now wore a ruby hairpin on her head, clearly an imperial gift. Her look of triumph when she saw Bai Ruozhu was even more pronounced, almost as if she was about to look down on Bai Ruozhu through her nostrils.
Bai Ruozhu’s face darkened as she cast a cold glance at Jiang Yichun and turned to head back to her own yard. Jiang Yichun hurriedly followed after, completely ignoring Jiao Bingqin, who seemed as though she was on chicken blood.