ALL NOVEL Waking up in the dark, Ye Li’s forehead throbbed in pain. Laughing bitterly at herself, she had been careless, after all. She knew that Mo Jing Qi was afraid of provoking Prince Ding’s Manor so she was sure that he wouldn’t dare do anything to her in the palace. However, it never occurred to her that Ye Yue would make a move on her. She didn’t open her eyes straight away. Instead, she lay quietly in bed for a good while and only opened her eyes slowly after she was certain that there was no one around.
It seemed she was in a better state than she originally imagined. At least she wasn’t locked up in some prison cell with no daylight. In fact, she was in a nicely decorated room which was prepared exactly as how the noble ladies in the capital would like it, reserved and graceful. Even the windows were sealed with soft gauze – the most popular gauze among noble ladies. Sitting up, Ye Li smiled bitterly leaning on the bed post. She felt weak all over. It appeared that Ye Yue did give her some strong drugs, which explained why she was so confident as to put her in this room without any guards. Ye Yue must have known that given her current condition it would be nearly impossible for her to walk to the door by herself.
With a crack, the door behind the screen was opened and in came a girl in green with something in her hands. Seeing Ye Li sitting in bed, she smiled in surprise and said: “Miss, you finally wake up!”
Ye Li looked at her and frowned slightly: “Where am I? How long have I slept?”
Putting the stuff she carried aside, the girl in green said with a smile: “You’ve been sleeping for two days after you came here. You haven’t eaten anything for the past two days. Must be hungry. I’m Xiao Yun by the way. I’ve prepared some porridge for you. Would you like some?”
Ye Li looked at the girl calmly as she filled a bowl of porridge and carried it to her. Lifting her hands, Ye Li asked with her brows raised: “I can’t eat with my hands like this.” The reason that she could sit by herself was the bed post. She had great difficulty in lifting her hand. How could she eat while holding a bowl on her own?
The girl in green smiled apologetically and said: “My bad. Let me feed you.”
Ye Li lowered her eyes and said in a small voice: “Thank you for doing this.”
“Miss, I’m just a maid who is here to serve you. You don’t have to be so polite with me.” This girl called Xiao Yun had a beautiful smile. Sitting by the bed, she fed Ye Li carefully with the porridge in her hand.
Ye Li was a little unhappy about being treated as a very sick patient but she wouldn’t mistreat herself by skipping meals. She didn’t want to give herself a hard time by not eating after having not eaten for two whole days. As to this girl who called herself a maid, Ye Li would be a fool if she did believe that bullshit.
After having the porridge, Ye Li still didn’t have her strength back. Xiao Yun called a maid inside to take care of the bowl while she herself remained in the room getting herself busy doing nothing.
Watching Xiao Yun get herself busy, Ye Li knew that she wasn’t really doing anything and she said a little indifferently: “You can sit down if you have nothing to attend to. I feel dizzy when you walk around.”
Xiao Yun wasn’t awkward even though she was exposed by Ye Li. She giggled and said: “Miss, My Lord worries that you would be bored alone so he asks me to keep you company. Ye Li smiled slightly and said: “Your lord is really thoughtful. Please thank him for me.”
Xiao Yun nodded. She blinked naughtily and said: “My Lord will go into rapture if he hears this.”
Ye Li smiled without a word. She leaned on the headboard quietly and listened to Xiao Yun ramble on about unimportant matters but never interrupted. This maid Xiao Yun must have gone through rigorous training. It could be very difficult for Ye Li to try to get anything out of her, if she did try, she might alarm Xiao Yun. Now that she wasn’t able to take actions yet, she didn’t bother to try at all.
Having been housebound obediently for two days, Ye Li felt Xiao Yun wasn’t as vigilant against her as she was. After breakfast, Ye Li asked casually: “I want to take a walk. Is it okay? I feel I’m turning into a zombie after lying for two straight days.”
Xiao Yun hesitated for a second before she agreed and she called two maids to show Ye Li around the garden.
It took Ye Li two days, but she was finally in open air. Taking a deep breath of fresh air, her originally dark mood turned lighter. Being supported by two maids around the garden, Ye Li measured this yard up casually.
This yard wasn’t large. Seeing new sprout on a tree branch rising over the wall from outside the yard, Ye Li smiled slightly: “I want to sit in the garden for a while. Is your lord here right now?” She pointed at the stone tables and chairs in front of her. Those two maids took her to a stone chair and seated her but didn’t answer her questions.
Clearly, they had been told not to answer any of her questions. Ye Li didn’t mind that. She started to examine the flowers and herbs in the garden as she leaned against the table in a good mood.
It was early spring so there wasn’t a scene of flowers blooming in a riot of color for her to admire. The north was colder than the south. Many flowers and herbs had just started to bud. Ye Li looked at the nearest flower bed, in which there was an ordinary-looking yellow flower. She bent down and was about to pick it when a slightly cool hand stopped hers. She looked up and saw Xiao Yun who wasn’t there a second ago, raising her brows in confusion.
Xiao Yun smiled and said: “Miss, though this flower looks nice, it is poisonous. So, better not touch it.”
Ye Li frowned and said as she looked at that little flower: “I noticed that only this flower bloomed in this whole garden. Though it isn’t noticeable, it is nice. I didn’t think it was poisonous.”
Xiao Yun smiled a little proudly: “Sometimes, the less noticeable a flower is, the more poisonous it is, a total distinction from those dazzlingly colorful flowers which would alarm people as soon as they are seen. An unnoticeable flower like this is a real treasure.”
Shaking her head, Ye Li said with a smile: “What kind of treasure do poisonous flowers belong to? Xiao Yun, I have a few potted orchids of the best quality which will bloom soon enough at my manor. If you like flowers so much, I can give you one.”
Xiao Yun’s eyes lighted up with a strange glow. She smiled and said to Ye Li: “I’ve forgotten who you are, Miss. Of course, you won’t like something as ordinary as this yellow flower. But all the flowers and herbs in this yard are poisonous. If it pleases you, I’ll have them changed to the types of flowers that you like.”
Ye Li smiled as she shook her head: “There’s no need for that. Exotic flowers and rare herbs have their unique beauties but ordinary flowers and herbs are beautiful as they are.” Besides, I don’t intend to linger long so don’t bother.
Xiao Yun said with a smile: “Miss, My Lord told us to take good care of you. Tell me if you like anything. If My Lord learns that you haven’t had a good time here, I’ll be in real trouble.”
Ye Li’s beautiful eyes moved slightly and she smiled a little: “Though I haven’t seen your lord but I have to thank him. If you say so… I have… promised my husband that I would watch peach blossoms with him. However, given my current condition, I might not be able to keep that promise. Do you mind getting me a few when it blossoms?”
Apparently, it didn’t occur to Xiao Yun that Ye Li’s requirement would be so simple. She smiled generously and answered: “Of course not. I promise that I’ll let you see the first peach blossoms. Do you need anything else? I’ll have them brought to you as well.”
Since Xiao Yun had made a promise, Ye Li’s smile seemed more genuine. She smiled and said: “Some powder and rouge if possible. I want powder and rouge from the best store in the capital. I’d like it with the scent of jasmine.”
“Jasmine?” Xiao Yun was surprised.
Ye Li smiled a little apologetically: “It’s indeed very common but I like it very much. Sorry to put you to so much trouble.”
Xiao Yun shook her head as she said: “No, not at all. I’ll get you what you want, Miss.”
Ye Li smiled: “Thank you so much.”
Watching Xiao Yun leave, Ye Li leaned leisurely on the stone table, breathing in fresh air. Her smiling eyes fell on those flowers and herbs in the flower bed which were yet to bud and the smile in her eyes grew deeper.