Chapter 15 The hunger strike
When Chen Hui received the big wooden tub and soap, some old clothes in the tub had a long-lasting decaying smell. When she arrived at the well in front of Xichang house, she discovered that she was happy too soon just now.
She turned and looked at the thin boy who was following her. Her expression was that of indescribable sadness.
“Are you Xiao Wu? Thank you for bringing me here. I can do the things by myself,” Chen Hui said. This servant was one of the people whose conversation she had overheard when she sneaked into Chrysanthemum Yard and hid under the bed; the one who was frightened by Xiao Liu and didn’t dare to speak.
Xiao Wu didn’t look at Chen Hui. His head was lowered and he seemed a bit shy, “Lady Chen, lord’s meaning is to let this little one keep miss company.”
Chen Hui seemed to not have understood Xiao Wu’s meaning and smiled gently, “No need. I’m not afraid of loneliness and have no need of your company.”
Xiao Wu was silent for a moment and then said with difficulty, “Lady Chen, don’t make things difficult for this little one. You presumably also know lord’s meaning.”
“That is right, wasn’t it just to let me help wash some clothes? Don’t worry. I will not goof off. You can leave,” Chen Hui continued to play stupid.
If it was another, he would’ve left because of face, but Xiao Wu had received Li Youde’s command. How would he dare to neglect his duty? Seeing that when he spoke ambiguously, Chen Hui feigned to not grasp the meaning…he had gotte a taste of how Chen Hui handled matters several times. He could guess that she was acting ignorant….He had no choice but to stubbornly say, “Lord said that this little one must watch by the side lest lady goes goof off.”
Chen Hui sat on a small bench next to the well and turned her head to look at Xiao Wu, “Xiao Wu, repeat lord’s command.”
Xiao Wu was dumbstruck for a moment. He didn’t know what she was trying to do. After he pondered for a moment, he still answered honestly, “Lord said to let lady wash lord’s clothes. If lady doesn’t wash for one day or that lady damaged the clothes, then…you will not get to eat for one day.”
Chen Hui said, “See, lord didn’t say how many pieces of clothes I have to wash a day. Can’t I work slowly and carefully?”
“Lady…can…maybe…,” Xiao Wu stuttered.
Chen Hui said, “Very well, you and I have reached a consensus.”
While she spoke, she ran to the well and shook the bucket above in the well. Suddenly, she took a few steps back with an exclamation, stroked her chest and said, “Scaring me to death. I almost fell in it. Xiao Wu, how about you draw water from the well for me?”
Seeing Chen Hui’s flustered look, Xiao Wu couldn’t say anything to refuse. Also, he was really afraid that Lady Chen would fell into the well if she slipped. Then, it would be a terrible thing. So, he picked up the bucket, turned the well pulley and slowly lowered the bucket into the well.
Chen Hui crossed her arms and waited at a side. While Xiao Wu was busy drawing water and didn’t pay attention to her, she looked around at the terrain. She had long inquired about the layout of the residence from Xiao Tiao and roughly knew the location of the kitchen. Now, after a field investigation, she matched everything in her mind. She knew that the kitchen was just behind the wall in front of her and was no more than a corridor away from her.
Xiao Wu quickly draw the water. Chen Hui threw the tub of old clothes on the ground and asked Xiao Wu to fill the tub with water. Only then did she carefully select the clothes with the least amount of fabric and threw them into the tub.
She sat down on a small wooden bench and threw that upper outer garment that looked very old, into the water. It was all soaked. Fortunately, it was now still between spring and summer. It wasn’t cold. Otherwise, even if she was beaten to death, she would not be willing to come here and wash clothes. She would get frostbite! She had gotten the frostbite when she was a child, but she had heard it from her mother. Since she could remember, her family’s condition had always been good. She had never had the frostbite. She had heard that frostbite was painful and itchy. She had seen frostbite develop to ulceration later. Even the bones could be seen. It was very scary!
That exasperating eunuch was really perverse. How well-behaved had she been this period? However, somehow, he wanted to torment her! Look at these clothes. Presumably, he hasn’t worn them for several years, right? In order to torment her, he specially took them out. It had truly been difficult on him (sarcasm). Truly a narrow-minded exasperating eunuch. Served him right to die without offspring!
Xiao Wu stood at a side. Seeing that Chen Hui was just rubbing the clothes in the water like a child playing with water, he wanted to say something. However, he remembered what Chen Hui had said before, something about reaching a consensus. Now, he couldn’t open his mouth and he thought that him being like this may be considered neglecting his duties. He couldn’t help but feel like he was in a very difficult situation. He was really not smart enough compared to Xiao Liu. As soon as Ah Da mentioned this, Xiao Liu said that he had other things to do and avoided this, but he foolishly accepted this hot potato. Now, he truly didn’t know what to do. This Lady Chen was lord’s in name after all and lord’s attitude towards her was a bit weird. It was not appropriate for him to go overboard with Lady Chen. Hence, he truly didn’t know what to do right now.
Then, then, pretend to not have seen anything…
Chen Hui played for a while with the water. She lifted the outer garment out of the water and squeezed it dry. However, her strength was not strong enough. The so-called exert oneself physically was also just making the clothes half-dry. When she lifted it in her hand, a short moment later, it dripped water.
She frowned and beckoned to Xiao Wu, “Xiao Wu, come, help me squeeze it dry.”
Xiao Wu went blank for a moment. Seeing that Chen Hui raised an eyebrow and was about to speak again, he quivered. He subconsciously walked over, took over the clothes and squeezed out a large amount of water. After he finished squeezing, he wanted to return the outer garment to Chen Hui, but she took a step back and said naturally, “Xiao Wu, can I trouble you to dry it in air for me? I still have to wash so many clothes. I am too busy.”
Xiao Wu, “…Alright, Lady Chen.”
There was a room for drying clothes next to Xichang House. When the weather was good, the clothes were left outside. When the weather was bad, the clothes would be left to dry in the room. When Xiao Wu went to put the clothes to dry in the room, she estimated her own speed and confirmed that she couldn’t go and come back from the kitchen in the short time that Xiao Wu went to hang the clothes and be so fortunate to be able to find meat in the unmanned kitchen. Chen Hui had to give up and sighed.
She picked up the second piece of clothes slowly. Suddenly Chen Hui said, “Oh, Xiao Wu, it’s boring washing clothes like this. Why don’t we chat for a while?”
Xiao Wu shuddered as soon as Chen Hui spoke. When he heard what she said, he immediately said, “This little one is uncouth and afraid to offend miss. I dare not.” He wasn’t boring. Can she not let him just stand peacefully at a side?
Chen Hui smiled enchantingly, “I’m just a daughter of a merchant. As for Xiao Wu, you have worked by lord’s side. In comparison, I am the one that don’t dare to climb higher up.”
“No, no, no, Lady Chen is now a member of lord’s backyard. How can this little one dare to compare with Lady Chen?” Xiao Wu’s nerves were very tense. He didn’t dare to neglect at all. He truly didn’t know what this lady would say next and he was quite frightened because of that.
When Chen Hui heard that, she sighed quietly again, “Then, is there anyone who is as not likeable as me in the backyard?” She sniffed and looked sadly into the distance, “Lord is so fed up with me. I also don’t know what to do. I wish to be able change with Xiao Wu, you. After all, you are closer to lord.”
Sweat began to appear on Xiao Wu’s forehead. He didn’t say a word for a while. He suddenly thought, what did Lady Chen say to him today. When lord returns, he will definitely let him tell him (LY) everything and he doesn’t dare to conceal. However, how could he tell lord these? What “not dare to climb higher”? He now felt that his head was pinned to his waistband and Lady Chen in front of him was about to drag his head down!
He took a deep breath and remembered Xiao Liu’s teachings: “The less you speak, the more you will be able to protect yourself”. Right, he shouldn’t have talked with Lady Chen from the beginning. It was the safest to be a mute!
After making up his mind, Xiao Wu was like a calabash without a mouth. He didn’t utter a word.
After Chen Hui talked for a moment, she discovered that Xiao Wu’s thoughts seemed to be wandering. He didn’t respond when she called him. She wondered whether he had fallen asleep while standing and couldn’t help but splash water on him.
Xiao Wu hurriedly stepped back.
Chen Hui was a bit disappointed. It turned out that he didn’t have the skill to stand and sleep with his eyes open. What a pity, otherwise, she could’ve taken the opportunity and take a walk to the kitchen.
“Xiao Wu, I truly didn’t know anything when I was at home in the past. Now, I have become lord’s. I don’t even know what he does. I’m truly so incompetent.” Chen Hui sighed again. She looked up at Xiao Wu expectantly, “Can you tell me?”
Xiao Wu stiffened for a moment. He was thinking whether this could be said. He stammered a bit but said with a faint pride, “Lord, he is the Chief Internal Eunuch who supervises the eunuchs. Many constructions in and outside the palace is decided by just a word from lord!”
Chen Hui made an ‘oh’ sound. No wonder, the original’s father mentioned the timber business. It turned out that he was the head of such a profitable department. No wonder his private residence was quite big.
“Lord is so awesome,” Chen Hui complimented absentmindedly. She then asked, “Then, does lord usually live in or outside the palace?”
She hadn’t encountered that exasperating eunuch too often. Except for the one time during the day, all the other times were at night. However, she didn’t know whether he was here every night.
“This, if there are work-related matters, lord would stay in the Forbidden City,” Xiao Wu said. “As for where he stayed the most in a month, this little one hasn’t counted it.”
Chen Hui smiled and thanked, “It turned out to be like that. Lord truly does his duty well.”
Xiao Wu was surprised by Chen Hui’s tone. He also realized tbat he had said too much. Afterwards, whatever Chen Hui asked, he only said that he didn’t know, didn’t understand and didn’t dare to say more.
Chen Hui felt so much regret. As the saying goes, know yourself and know your enemy even better, and you will never be defeated. Before, she had been locked up and Xiao Tiao was unreliable. She didn’t even understand the situation of that exasperating eunuch. With great difficulty, she found an opportunity to ask more, in the end, she didn’t get to know much. Xiao Wu refused to say more. Really!
Since Xiao Wu didn’t respond, Chen Hui naturally also stopped talking. Otherwise, talking to herself would be like a fool. What she ate in the afternoon was the same vegetarian meal that the kitchen sent to Plum Yard and left one portion here when they passed here. After eating, she rested for a while regardless of Xiao Wu’s urging before she continued to work slowly.
Two days went by like this. Chen Hui didn’t find the chance to sneak to the kitchen. Also, on the second day, came Xiao Liu who looked very good to talk to but who was in fact very slick and sly. She still wasn’t able to get something useful out of him. Hence, on the third day, when Xiao Liu came to Plum Yard to lead her away, Chen Hui didn’t get up at all. No matter what he said, she lay on the bed and refused to get up.
When Xiao Liu saw that he couldn’t get Chen Hui to get up, he didn’t say anything. Just in accordance with Li Youde’s command, the food was forbidden in Plum Yard this day. In the evening when Li Youde came back, he reported to him.
Li Youde narrowed his eyes in a very happy mood and humphed, “Let her be. I will see for how many days she can stay stubborn.”
Xiao Wu and Xiao Liu naturally reported to him about the situation of the first two days. Thinking about how she washed clothes unwillingly, but still had to flatter him and how aggrieved she must feel in her heart, he couldn’t help from humming a few tunes.
Li Youde originally thought that Chen Hui would be stubborn for a day and the next day she would give in due to being too hungry. However, unexpectedly, Chen Hui stayed stubborn for three days.
On the third night, after Li Youde heard Xiao Liu’s report, Li Youde was so angry that he threw the teacup on the floor. The delicate porcelain immediately broke on the ground.
Li Youde frowned. Suddenly, he thought of something and said through gritted teeth, “I know. She is taking the opportunity to do this on purpose! Let’s go! She wants to die, I won’t let her!”
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