Day returns?
No, not them. Wait a second, what are you talking about!
Liu Ji always felt as though she was once again gravely wounded by the Blood Princess. This literary person’s eccentric actions were far too many—Su Ling still had no idea how to deal with them even now.
To make sure her own hearing wasn’t at fault, Ni spoke up again.
“A spell… Yes, that’s right. Come to my room.”
Butler Yi nodded.
“So, you—you want to go to the Castle’s underground?”
Sista nodded again.
“But that’s the servants’ area. You, you are the noble Princess. Isn’t this a bit…”
“Enough,” Sista clung tightly to the Earth God’s Child’s hand, unwilling to let go, and inched even closer, “Are you really not understanding what I mean? Or are you refusing to obey my command?”
“No, no, no, no, no, no!”
Explaining things face to face is always the best way to solve any problem! Having learned the logic of this approach, Su Ling was now quite practiced at it.
“I just think, if you—if you go to the underground like this, I should inform Madam Ren Chang and the Butler… It’s only proper for your safety,” Su Ling stammered her explanation, “After all, the underground is filthy and cold, and to have Your Highness stoop to go down there is really a bit…”
For a member of the Royal Family to enter the servants’ quarters—this was truly unheard of.
After all, in the highly stratified Yutang Ers, no Blood Clan noble would lower themselves in such an undignified manner.
Not long ago, this elegant and noble Princess always upheld the dignity of the Nobles in her every move, strictly abiding by the Palace Rules. How had she changed so completely now?
Before Su Ling could untangle her thoughts, her soft wrist was suddenly pinched by Sista’s icy forefinger.
“Don’t tell anyone. If you do, I’ll punish you.”
With a rare trace of playfulness, she gave a quiet warning. In her blood-red eyes, a cold light flickered.
Su Ling could only obediently nod, pushing her doubts to the back of her mind and carefully replying,
“Your Highness, I will keep this a secret…”
“There are too many eyes during the day. Of course I wouldn’t go with everyone watching. Once everyone is asleep tonight, I’ll come find you.”
Sista took another step closer.
“The rendezvous point is the Second Floor Study. Wait there for me in advance, and don’t alarm anyone.”
Finishing these words, Sista finally released her grip, leaving behind a still-shaken silver-haired girl.
Sista wanted the two of them to do something shady in the Castle, deep into the night? What on earth was happening?
This development seemed a bit strange.
All sorts of worries swirled in her heart, making her restless and uneasy.
The entire Castle was shrouded in a deep, solemn silence. The night was thick as ink, swallowing all light, and only the occasional sliver of moonlight through the windows barely outlined the shapes within the room.
In this endless darkness, a faint gleam wavered—a candle stand clutched tightly in the hand of a silver-haired girl.
The silver-haired girl crept carefully ahead, the candle stand’s light gently illuminating her profile, revealing a cautious, wary expression.
To keep Sista’s actions from being exposed, Su Ling had waited until all the servants had returned to their rooms before heading out for the meeting. Sista, too, arrived as promised.
Their footsteps echoed faintly on the ancient stone floor, their sounds especially clear in this hushed night.
“Your Highness… This way,” Su Ling said, heading toward the Tax Mine Domain.
The two moved one behind the other, slowly descending from the bright and splendid upper floors of the Castle to the cold and simple underground.
As if matching the simplicity of the setting, Sista was dressed very casually tonight—her hair loosely down, cloth shoes on her feet, her slender form wrapped in simple garments, her silhouette graceful and reserved.
“Be careful, the stairs are steep,” after a short distance, Liu Ji turned back and reached out a hand to steady Sista, “Hold on to me.”
“I don’t need—well, not that I can’t…”
The Blood Princess started to refuse, but seemed to remember something, and suddenly changed her mind, grabbing Su Ling’s hand and interlacing their fingers.
After quite a walk, the two finally arrived at the underground floor.
“My room is this way.”
“I want to see everything,” before Su Ling could finish, Sista interrupted her.
“Everything? You mean…”
“Everywhere you usually live—where you eat, rest, bathe… I want to see it all. I want to understand everything about you.”
“…You ask so many questions.”
Sista tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, surveying the narrow and gloomy underground space.
Under the dim yellow glow from the Bright Platform, the hallway was narrow, the ceiling low, the walls marked with cracks and webs, and rooms lined up on both sides.
Perhaps the Princess was just curious for a moment, wanting to know about a humble maid’s impoverished life.
That’s how Su Ling explained it to herself, while hurrying ahead with the candle stand, the cramped corridor forcing them so close that their hands brushed together.
“Your Highness, this way is the corridor. Left leads to the male servants’ quarters; right is the toilet, storeroom, and female servants’ dormitory. If you go straight down to the end, there’s the Washing Hall.”
“There are two stairways connecting the underground to the upper floors—one we just came down, and another small staircase near the kitchen. But except for delivering meals, no one else can use that one…”
As they walked, Su Ling introduced the place to Sista. All the other servants were already resting, so Su Ling spoke very quietly, afraid to disturb them.
Following the route, she first led Sista to the Washing Hall.
Inside, it was pitch dark and damp, with a faint, moist smell.
“You usually bathe here?” Sista asked.
“Yes.”
Thanks to the author’s convenient setting, the Castle in Hailu Sen allowed easy access to running water for bathing, and servants rarely went more than a day without washing.
“You and the other maids all bathe here naked?” The Blood Princess frowned, almost unconsciously confirming again.
“Yes. First we rinse off, then pick a pool,” Su Ling answered earnestly. “Everyone bathes together.”
“I’ve never bathed with you…”
That woman muttered softly.
Su Ling shivered, suddenly recalling the time in the Bath Pool with Tii, their affectionate and playful moments, and the foolish scene they left behind, her face turning a little pale.
“L-let’s go to the next place,” she hurriedly urged, anxious to get the Blood Princess away from this place of right and wrong.
Then, the two headed to the Garden Room.
The kitchen and the servants’ Dining Hall were joined together. At the edge was a circle of stoves, and in the middle, on a worn wooden table, there were a few bowls sunk in water.
“Servants’ usual meals are things like Yanmai River fish and bread. Sometimes there’s milk and eggs.”
Speaking of meals, she couldn’t help but recall Tii’s hungry eyes, the way she smiled while adding butter to the bread.
Lost in thought, Su Ling stepped back, bumping right into the table.
“Your Highness, there’s nothing interesting here. Let’s hurry to the next place!”
“You’re in such a rush…” The Blood Princess gave her a suspicious look.
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