"Emperor, I need to change." Hua Yin felt it was necessary to give Yan Xiu another hint.
Yan Xiu nodded. "I know. What, those two aren’t serving Concubine well enough? As it happens, I had some very good Palace Attendants selected for Concubine. I’ll have Shen Quan send them over to you later."
Feng Yin and Hua Yin both turned pale, almost dropping to their knees at the same time to silently confess their guilt.
It was their fault for failing to please their mistress. For the Emperor to point it out himself—this was a huge dereliction of duty; they deserved punishment.
Hua Yin was full of question marks. "Send what? Palace Attendants?"
How did the Emperor get from her "changing clothes" to "adding more Palace Attendants" for her?
"I understand." Yan Xiu stood up and waved Feng Yin and Hua Yin away.
Hua Yin: ...You understand my ass!
Feng Yin and Hua Yin gave Hua Yin a glance, then withdrew with a Fuli.
Hua Yin: ?
"Emperor, with them gone, how am I supposed to change and do my hair?"
If ancient clothes weren’t such a pain to wear and the hairdos such a pain to do, would she really be making these two little Beauties run around serving her all day?
Well, this was great. Now she didn’t even have to get out of bed; just sitting there wrapped in the blanket was perfectly fine.
Yan Xiu seemed to think for a long time before taking the Liuxian Skirt hanging on the rack and walking over to Hua Yin. "I’ve never helped a woman dress before, but it shouldn’t be difficult. Beloved concubine, rest easy."
Wait, wait wait, what’s that supposed to mean?
"You’re going to help me get dressed?" Hua Yin was so shocked she even forgot to use her proper self-address.
All she could think was: on which planet did the Emperor’s thought process diverge from hers this time, that he suddenly got the whimsical idea to help her dress?
"Beloved concubine, don’t be shy."
Yan Xiu looked at her with that "no need to pretend, I know what you want and I’ll satisfy you" kind of gaze.
"N-no, I wouldn’t dare trouble the Emperor to personally lift a hand. I, I can manage on my own." Hua Yin stuck an arm out from under the blanket to grab the skirt in Yan Xiu’s hand.
Yan Xiu had not intended to let go immediately; there was a ripping sound, and the beautiful Liuxian Skirt was torn cleanly into two pieces.
Hua Yin: ...
Yan Xiu: ...
A quarter of an hour later, Hua Yin came out from the inner room wearing a peach-pink ombre ruqun.
Yan Xiu was seated at the table. The dishes on the table were freshly changed; the previous ones had gone cold and had all been cleared away.
"Beloved concubine, sit and eat."
Yan Xiu’s phoenix eyes turned to Hua Yin as he spoke in a low voice.
Hua Yin’s little face flushed, and she sat down beside Yan Xiu a bit awkwardly.
"Emperor, Lady Li, Zhang Jian can’t stand anymore." Shen Quan bent and approached the two of them, speaking quietly.
Zhang Jian?
Hua Yin blinked and remembered: she had complained about Zhang Jian and asked Yan Xiu to avenge her, and then Yan Xiu had summoned Zhang Jian to see him.
"Zhang Jian still hasn’t left?"
"To answer Lady Li, Zhang Jian has been standing in the courtyard since 11:15."
11:15?
Whoa, doesn’t that mean he’s been standing for nearly two hours? Right in the hottest hours of summer. For him to only now be unable to stand—his physical stamina’s actually pretty good.
"Is he dead?" Yan Xiu asked indifferently.
"Zhang Jian only fainted from dizziness. Little Xianzi poured him a bowl of cold water and he came around; he’s still sitting on the ground now." Shen Quan added another line: "He can’t get up."
"If he can’t get up, then send him back." Yan Xiu’s face didn’t so much as twitch.
"Yes, this servant will send him back at once." Shen Quan knew perfectly well Yan Xiu was deliberately punishing Zhang Jian’s arrogance and conceit.
If Zhang Jian weren’t one of the Empress Dowager’s people, his head would likely have already moved house.