Chapter 25: The Strange Servant-Girl (1/2)

Chapter 25: The Strange Servant-Girl

The servant-girl Dong Qing E stayed behind in the room to attend to the Emperor. Soon, the bedsheets and blankets were prepared, and she helped the Emperor get into his sleeping attire.

Han Ruzi was long used to being moved around by his attendants, so he numbly cooperated. In his mind, many messy thoughts swirled around. Various people such as the Empress Dowager, Prince Donghai, Meng E, Yang Feng, made their appearances in his mind, refusing to give him any space, to the extent that it was quite a while before he realized that Dong Qing E remained standing by his bedside. However, he had already changed and was about to lie down to sleep — he did not require any one to attend to him anymore.

“Is there something else?” Han Ruzi asked politely. In his mind, he thought that there were quite a few servant-girls with the word E in their names, though Meng E and Meng Che may well be aliases.

Dong Qing E’s face turned red for some unknown reason. She said softly, “I can attend to Your Majesty’s bed rest.”

Han Ruzi had never seen any servant-girl as shy as her. He smiled and said, “You already have.”

“Mm.” Dong Qing E did not move.

“Is this your first time attending to someone?” Han Ruzi was very willing to chat with people. In the past, nobody would engage with him — those eunuchs and servant-girls were quick to run away and no one was willing to stay by the Emperor’s side. This was the first time someone refused to leave after finishing their own duties.

Dong Qing E nodded and then shook her head. “This is my... first time... attending to Your Majesty.”

“I have no special requests. This is fine. Other attendants would usually sleep by that couch. If you think it too small, you can go to the other rooms. I sleep soundly so I do not call on people in the night.” Han Ruzi would actually prefer for others to clear out from his bedroom.

Dong Qing E’s face grew even redder and her soft turned softer. “I can... can... sleep on Your Majesty’s bed.”

Han Ruzi turned around and looked at his bed. It had a large and wide bed frame — it could nearly fill a small room by itself. But for a servant-girl to make such a request seemed to be overstepping boundaries overmuch. Han Ruzi thought for a moment and asked, “You are not used to sleeping on a couch?”

Dong Qing E looked down without speaking.

“I guess so. That couch is quite small. Even I have to curl up when I lie on it, you would find it even smaller.”

Dong Qing E was five or six years older than the thirteen year-old Emperor, and was half a head taller. She had a fuller build, and would therefore take up more space.

“Very well then. You may sleep on my bed,” Han Ruzi agreed. Ever since young, he had never treated his servants poorly, nor would he start in the palace. “But do not tell anyone else. You know, the palace has strict rules. If someone were to discover that you are not abiding by the rules, you may be punished.”

Han Ruzi still remembered the two eunuchs who were harshly punished because they had not seen the Emperor secretly write a message.

Dong Qing E nodded her head lightly, and slowly sat beside the Emperor. She was close to him — so close that they could nearly hear each other’s breathing.

“Then rest and have a good sleep.” Han Ruzi got up and smiled towards Dong Qing E. He strode towards a table and blew out the candle before fumbling his way to the couch. He lay on the couch where small pillows and a thin blanket was already prepared. The weather was not too cold, so it was just right.

“Your Majesty...” From the bed came Dong Qing E’s shocked and confused voice.

“You sleep on my bed, I’ll sleep on the couch. It’s fine, the bed I used to sleep it was no bigger than the couch — I’m quite unused to sleeping on such a large bed. Oh, remember to wake earlier tomorrow morning. We need to switch back so nobody finds out.” Han Ruzi tossed and went to sleep, thinking that this was a truly strange servant-girl. But at least she was willing to speak and even dared make requests of the Emperor, to him, this was a good thing.