The autumn rain pitter-pattered all night and finally stopped at dawn. However, even though the rain had stopped, the rainwater accumulated on the roof did not cease, dropping down incessantly like broken beads, cleaning the bluish stone slabs beneath the eaves thoroughly and creating a steady, pleasant pattering sound.
The wind didn’t stop either, blowing the surrounding pines and cypresses into a rustle, suddenly intensified and blew open a slightly ajar window.
Imdiately, the raindrops dripping from the eaves were scattered and turned into a fine mist, drifting into the room, covering Tushere’s face lying on the bed near the window.
"Hmm—wow!"
The chill instantly stimulated her awake.
Her low cry also startled Chang Wan and Wo Xue in the other two beds, who reluctantly opened their eyes and saw Tushere sitting up, wiping rainwater from her face with her hand while grumbling angrily, "What the heck, drenched early in the morning, so annoying!"
Chang Wan rubbed her eyes and said, "What’s wrong?"
Tushere pouted and said, "The window wasn’t closed tight, the wind blew the rain in, drenched all over."
Chang Wan got out of bed and went over to take a look, sure enough, rain had seeped through the window gap, moistening Tushere’s bedding quite a bit. She chuckled and shook her head, "Sleeping in the bed near the window is just like that, gotta rember to close the window tightly, or else when it rains, the whole bed is soaked."
Tushere said, "But I just can’t seem to rember."
Chang Wan reached out to help her close the window tightly, looked down at her and said, "How about swapping back? I’ll sleep here, and you sleep in the bed you originally had?"
Tushere thought for a while, then shook her head, "I don’t want to."
"Why?"
"I’m best at sleeping during rainy days, often miss the hour and get scolded by the madam. After entering the palace, I dare not do so. Sleeping by the window, if it rains, at least the sound of rain can wake ."
Hearing her say this, Chang Wan burst into laughter, even Wo Xue, who was usually not so fond of joking, pursed her lips.
As they were talking, they heard the sound of palace attendants already moving busily outside, so the three dared not idle, imdiately got up to wash up, tidied up the beds, prepared the copper basin and towels, fetched hot water, and went to serve King Qin and Princess Qin in the main hall of Qianqiu Palace.
Originally, after entering the palace, the palace maids should live in Yong Lane, but the maids brought by Han King and King Qin from the Duke Mansion were personal attendants, different from ordinary palace attendants, so they were accommodated in the rows behind Chengqian Hall and Qianqiu Palace. Although these quarters were more spacious than the servants’ rooms in the Duke Mansion, the furnishings were simpler. When Tushere first ca, she couldn’t help but complain a few words, persuaded by Chang Wan, who offered her bed by the window, which led to the morning’s playful scuffle.
The three walked from the back courtyard to the front hall, just a few steps away, and when they entered the hall, they saw the couple had already risen.
Yu Wenye was even dressed and had walked to the open space in front of the hall to practice swordsmanship. Chang Wan imdiately stood aside to wait on him, while Tushere went into the inner hall, only to see Shang Ruyi with slightly flushed cheeks, sitting in a daze by the bed.
She imdiately approached, "Princess, what’s wrong?"
"...Hmm?"
Shang Ruyi slowly looked up at her, for so reason, her face flushed even redder, which startled Tushere a bit. She quickly reached over to feel her forehead, indeed it felt a bit hot.
She imdiately said, "Princess, are you ill? Do you have a fever?"
Shang Ruyi waved her hand, "No."
"Then, why is your face so red and so hot?"
"I just, just woke up, it’s hot."
"Hot? It rained last night, pretty cold, though."
Tushere was puzzled, still glanced at the bed, only a thin blanket was there, and it had been thrown to the bed corner, seemingly untouched the entire night, nothing looked like it could make Shang Ruyi flushed with such heat.
At this mont, Shang Ruyi was a bit "impatient", pushed her slightly, "Stop looking around, hurry and help wash up."
"Oh, okay."
Tushere didn’t know what she was thinking, could only imdiately support her off the bed, the water in the basin was not too hot anymore, but it was just right for Shang Ruyi, the warm water splashed onto her still burning face, imdiately cooled her down, and her face was not so red anymore. After washing, she sat before the dressing table again, Tushere imdiately ca over to help her comb her long hair, by then, she already looked normal.
Tushere said, "Miss, what are we doing today?"
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