She hadn’t returned ho for several days. As soon as she arrived at the courtyard, the palace maidservants attending to her ca up to receive instructions.
Manbao said, "Bring up so water; I want to take a bath."
The maidservants agreed and went to help fetch the water.
anwhile, Manbao opened the dicine box, organized its contents, and took out the pulse case notes she’d recorded over the past few days. First, she ground the ink and recorded the dicines and acupuncture thods they used for the Empress on paper. Once she organized everything in her notebook, she tucked the notebook into the space, and the maidservants brought the heated water.
There was no other way; it wasn’t bathing ti now, so their small kitchen didn’t have any hot water, and they needed to heat it up when required.
After bringing the water in and pouring it into the bathtub, adding cold water, Manbao found so clothes and said, "Thank you, I’ll handle the rest myself."
The maidservants responded, bowed, and retreated.
Attending to Zhou Man wasn’t tiring, because she didn’t like people serving her too closely; most things she preferred doing herself, including cleaning brushes and ink.
Unlike the neighboring attendants who served the students at Chongwen Pavilion, where even morning dressing required instructing the attendants.
The newly appointed maidservants were selected by the Crown Princess later, regardless of whose people they were. At least they were often much more straightforward than Xu Yu. Since they arrived at her side, Manbao no longer felt the sensation of being spied upon.
Manbao enjoyed a hot bath and thoroughly relaxed. When she dressed up, yawning sleepily, she finally vaguely heard the study bell at Chongwen Pavilion, which slightly revived her spirit. She got up, closed the door, and went to find people.
Bai Shan and Bai Erlang were walking with Yin Huo, intent on heading to the dining hall. They looked up and saw Manbao approaching from afar; Bai Shan couldn’t help but jog forward and ran up to her, asking, "You’re back?"
Seeing her friends, Manbao was also delighted and nodded repeatedly, saying, "Yes, I’m back; I’ll be staying here tonight. I can return every night except when I’m on duty."
Catching the tone, Bai Shan understood this ant the Empress’s and even Prince Gong’s ailnts had stabilized.
He couldn’t help but grin happily. Seeing Bai Erlang and Yin Huo arriving beside them, he grabbed her hand and said, "Let’s go eat dinner together then."
Manbao said, "I still want to report my safety to the gentleman, to save him and the family from worrying."
She hadn’t been at Chongwen Pavilion for a few days. If the gentleman had wanted to assign her howork, he couldn’t find her. Maybe her family didn’t know the palace’s matters, but Mr. Zhuang certainly did, so she had to report safety.
Bai Shan said, "No rush; the gentleman is still with the Crown Prince. He hasn’t returned yet. We can go find him after the al."
Bai Erlang nodded repeatedly, "Every ti after class, the gentleman stays longer at Chongwen Pavilion for book copying or reading; he wouldn’t leave the palace this early."
Upon hearing this, Manbao turned around and followed them to the dining hall to have dinner.
Bai Shan and Bai Erlang didn’t ask about the harem situation, and Yin Huo didn’t ntion it either. At a table beside them, Feng Zongping was scratching his ears in curiosity but was embarrassed to ask.
Bai Shan helped her open her al box and said, "My uncle and aunt have entered the capital. Can you leave the palace in a couple of days off?"
Manbao calculated that the Empress’s condition no longer required day-night watch, but Prince Gong’s situation needed monitoring for at least four to five days to avert any accident, so she shook her head and said, "I probably cannot."
Bai Shan felt slightly disappointed, "Then is there anything you want? I can bring it in from outside the palace."
"I want to eat my sister-in-law’s sauced noodles, but unfortunately, you can’t bring that in."
Bai Erlang looked up and said, "The gentleman said my dad brought a lot of pickled bamboo shoots from the village. Next ti, when you have a day off and can leave the palace, we’ll find a way to buy so beef and ask Eldest Sister-in-law Zhou to make bamboo shoots and beef sauce for us."
Manbao swallowed her saliva and nodded repeatedly.
Bai Shan said, "It’s starting the autumn harvest, beef is hard to find."
In winter, there’s more chance for old and "unhealthy" cows to be slaughtered.
Yin Huo thought for a mont and said, "I’ll have soone inquire; we should be able to find so."
Bai Shan and the others looked at him in admiration; this was privilege.
Yin Huo rely smiled.
Nearby, Liu Huan imdiately said, "Make sure to invite that day; I also want to visit your house."
Bai Erlang said, "You just want to eat noodles, right?"
Liu Huan chuckled, "We’re classmates, why be so petty."
Everyone just chatted frivolously and left the dining hall after eating; only four of them were alone in private, and that’s when Manbao spoke with Bai Erlang, "I heard Princess Changyu say the Emperor has already t with people from the Ren Family and Huo Family. And since Old Master Bai and the others arrived in the capital, he knows about it already, so I guess in a few days the Emperor will summon them. Your upcoming day off, it’s just right to inform Old Master Bai about palace etiquette."
Bai Erlang nodded repeatedly; he didn’t know if his father was nervous, but he was quite tense.
But unfortunately, the Emperor didn’t give them that chance. On the third morning, when Bai Shan and the others were leaving the palace on their day off, they encountered the finely dressed Old Master Bai and Mrs. Bai at the palace gates.
Both parties t with mouths agape.
Old Master Bai raised a hand to greet his sons, but the inner attendant who had co to summon them directly reminded, "Old Master Bai, the Emperor is still waiting. Please."
Old Master Bai swallowed many words and, with a nod at Bai Erlang, followed the attendant into the palace.
Bai Shan was the first to regain his senses and promptly pulled Bai Erlang forward, bowing to Old Master Bai and calling "Uncle," then facing the attendant with a smile, saying, "Thank you, sir, for leaving the palace so early."
He discreetly slipped a purse into the attendant’s hand and smiled, "We haven’t seen each other for a year. We didn’t expect to et here; let them have so words."
The attendant hesitated a bit. It wasn’t only about the money; Bai Shan’s face needed to be considered, not to ntion Lord Zhou Junior.
Thus, the attendant took the purse and softly said, "Well, you two please hurry; the Emperor is waiting to be received in the palace."
Bai Shan quickly agreed.
Bai Erlang seized the ti to mumble to his parents, urging them to present well because he quite wanted to be Mingda’s prince consort.
Bai Shan saw his constant chattering without addressing the key point, so he pulled him aside, then spoke to Old Master Bai, "Uncle, when eting the Emperor, don’t be nervous; just ensure etiquette is correct. Our Bai Family has always been harmonious; the eldest cousin is promising and will inherit the family and support the household in the future, so Erlang just needs to be free and unencumbered. There’s no need to force anything."
Old Master Bai felt a stir in his heart and understood Bai Shan’s hint.
He then glared unsatisfied at his son; so foolish, speaking for half the day without saying anything as effective as Bai Shan’s words.
He agreed and saw the attendant was urging subtly, nodded slightly to Bai Shan and Bai Erlang, reminding them to be cautious when returning, and left following the attendant with Mrs. Bai.
By the ti Old Master Bai and Mrs. Bai reached Taiji Hall, two quarters of an hour had passed. Even though it was morning, the sun was rising early, and the temperature increased swiftly; both were perspiring in their formal attire.
Old Master Bai felt a bit regretful; had he known earlier, he would have listened to Mr. Zhuang’s advice and worn a better daily outfit; now he’s unsure if eting the Emperor in this attire counts as improper.
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