Qiu Yan said is absolutely not polite words.

  She indeed had a lot of work accumulated, waiting for someone to help share the burden. The fourth prince's crown, belt, clothes and shoes were made by the needlework department in the palace and sent over, but inner shirts, small clothes, socks and other things still needed to be done by hand. Moreover, when changing seasons, taking apart, washing and sending out the curtains, screens, quilts, covers and linings also had to be done by hand. These tasks could not be left to the eunuchs waiting on duty outside the house.

  Huayeju is indeed short of manpower.

  Apart from Chunmo and Qiuyan, the two senior palace maids, there were also two junior palace maids. Not only did Qiuyan look down on them, but even Chao Sheng felt that they didn't quite measure up. It was unclear how they had ended up here. They would chat and move around, which was still okay, and being honest was also a good trait. However, the problem was that out of ten times, about five or six times were completely unreliable, with big mistakes not happening but small ones occurring constantly, and everything was done sloppily.

  Qiu Yan and Chao Sheng said: "Don't think I'm treating you like a cow or a horse. It's just that there are too few people in Huaye House who can do things."

  Her cheerfulness also made Chao Sheng relax a bit, not so restrained, and asked tentatively: "Yu Jia, who came with me, was assigned to Songtao Pavilion..."

  "Oh..." Qiú Yàn nodded: "So, you two were originally very close, right? Don't worry, although now it's like following two masters, but they're all still in the Yíqiū Palace, and can see each other..."

  Chun Mo glanced at them and Autumn Ink hastily changed his expression, saying: "However, you'd better not be too close in private, or else people will... uh, grasp something to use against you."

  Chao Sheng understood her meaning.

  Even if they are close sisters, now each has their own family. It's fine when nothing happens, but what if something does...

  Thinking of this, she couldn't continue asking about Huan Xun anymore.

  Anyway... since we're already in the same palace, we'll always be able to see each other's faces.

  "Hmm, since you're here, we can consider ourselves as one of our own." Chun Mo reminded her: "The Second Prince... has a bad temper. In the future, when you come and go, be careful not to offend him."

  "To put it more bluntly: 'Whatever you do, don't stare at the Second Prince's legs...'"

  Chao Sheng hastily nodded.

  This reminder is absolutely necessary, otherwise you might unintentionally take a glance, and while it's nothing to others, but the second prince who is more sensitive in this aspect might feel offended, and then it would be either a beating or a scolding...

  Qiu Yan rummaged through the trunk while saying, "Actually, we weren't short-handed here originally, but when the Eighth Prince arrived, Xia Bi and Dong Zhi were reassigned to the West Wing, leaving us suddenly shorthanded. Ah, found it." Qiu Yan pulled out a white silk skirt: "This one is too tight on me, I've been meaning to alter it but haven't had the chance. Don't mind that it's old, just make do with it for now."

  Chao Sheng thanked her while taking the skirt, and Qiu Yanzi took out another piece of greyish-blue fabric: "I find this one dull too, and I haven't made anything with it either, so you can have it."

  The afternoon passed quickly, Chao Sheng didn't eat much in the morning and missed lunch. Now she's so hungry that her stomach is growling loudly. Although she can bear it, her stomach doesn't cooperate, making rumbling noises.

  Qiu Yan was taken aback for a moment, then burst out laughing: "Is this hunger? No wonder you..."

  Chun Mo glanced at the sky: "There's still more than half a time, I'll take you to the small kitchen to see if there's anything to fill up first."

  This kitchen is really small.

  There is also a small kitchen in the Yanyu Palace, which is more spacious than this one. This house is extremely narrow, with three or four people busy inside. Someone with sharp eyes saw Chunmo come in and hurriedly came to greet her: "Miss Chunmo? Why did you come at this time? Is there any instruction from the Fourth Prince?"

  "What did you do tonight?"

  "For dinner tonight, the main dish is a steamed venison with three treasures, accompanied by four small dishes and a ham and fresh bamboo shoot soup."

  "Uh, is there anything ready to eat?"

  The woman will come over and hurriedly say: "Yes, yes."

  Chao Sheng felt a bit uneasy: "Spring Ink sister..."

  That man has taken out a dish of radish cake from the steamer: "This was steamed this morning, it looks like it's collapsed a bit, but it's soft and tender to eat."

  Chun Mo thanked her and said: "This is Chao Sheng. From today on, he will be working at Huaye House. This is Auntie Li."

  Chao Sheng hurriedly paid his respects to her.

  Auntie Li waved her hand and said: "Oh my, I don't dare. In the future, if Miss Chao is hungry and wants to eat something, just come over, no need to be polite."

  Auntie Li looked unassuming, wearing a coarse linen jacket with patches sewn on it and a blue cloth wrapped around her head, but her craftsmanship was not bad. The radish cake, although its appearance had collapsed like she said, tasted just as good.

  It's also possible that Chao Sheng hasn't had such a delicate meal in nearly a year since he moved to Huanyi Alley. The radish cake was made with limited ingredients, but even so, it tasted incredibly fresh and savory to Chao Sheng, who ate too quickly and ended up biting his own cheek.

  Qiu Yan smiled on one side, and Lian Chun Mo couldn't help but smile: "Eat slowly, no need to rush."

  Chun Mo said to Qiu Yan, "Your Highness is probably going to have dinner at Songtao Residence today. Let Xiao Shun go and ask if there's anything else that needs to be prepared. I'll go take a look at the West Wing."

  Qiu Yan stood up and instructed Chao Sheng: "Take good care of the house, eat this, and tidy up your own things."

  The tide sent them away, watching the two of them walking far away with each holding an umbrella.

  To the west is Songtao House.

  Han Xun should be right there.

  Don't worry about it.

  Chao Sheng told himself, no need to rush.

  We will meet again someday.

  She went back into the house, packed up her belongings, shook out the bedding and made the quilt.

  It's already lit up inside the house because of the rain.

  The burning candle looks as smooth as sheep's fat jade, and when it burns, there is no smoke like an oil lamp. The room is simple and clean, with a fragrance unique to women.

  Outside, the sound of rain was murmuring, and Chao Sheng looked around in a circle.

  She really left Huanyi Alley.

  This is the East Palace.

  Since seeing the robe she had personally mended on the Fourth Prince's body that day, she had been somewhat distracted.

  Although they are strangers, they feel very close... just like a long time ago they were acquaintances who had been separated for a period of time and now it's a reunion after a long separation.

  It's really strange.

  How can there be such a feeling?

  Although it was someone I had never met before, today was the first time we met.

  No one had ever mentioned the Fourth Prince before - in fact, news from the East Palace was not very well-informed. It turned out that the Yunxia Palace had always been isolated, and besides, the East Palace was a separate entity... The straight-line distance between them was very close, if you could walk through the palace walls, it would probably be just a hundred steps away.

  But she felt that she was already very far away from the Yunxia Palace.

  Chao Sheng touched his forehead and took out a handkerchief from his bosom.

  Is this handkerchief the fourth prince's?

  ——————————

  The second watch is delivered.

  Tomorrow will still be double updates, and if there's enough time, I'll update the colored pages too... This week I have to finish the colored pages...... Ah, it's really not good that it's been delayed for so long. If the wedding dress isn't finished this week, it will definitely be done next week.

  Hug everyone...