Chapter 95 Poison (1/2)
As Lyuyou looked at Tang Xia, Tang Xia also gazed at that palace maid, not planning to take the soup.
The palace maid lowered her head, noticing that Tang Xia did not believe her. Then she hurried to say, ”Your Grace, please take it. If I go back with the soup, my master will beat me to death.”
As the palace maid said so, she knelt on the ground plaintively and kowtowed continuously, ”My master has been locked up by His Majesty. She is truly sorry. Please take the soup, Your Grace!”
Tang Xia and Lyuyou were both frightened by palace maid's reaction and looked at each other. Then Lyuyou came to help that palace maid up.
”All right, stop crying. You will definitely be punished without accomplishing your task.” Tang Xia sighed, ”Now that she is sorry for what she has done, I don't blame her anymore. Leave the soup.”
”Thanks, Your Grace! Thank you!” That palace maid was moved to tears of gratitude and gave the hamper to Lyuyou.
Lyuyou took the hamper and put it on the table. However, that palace maid did not leave and looked at Tang Xia and Lyuyou. It seemed that she wanted to see Tang Xia eat soup.
As that palace maid did not move, Lyuyou reminded her harshly. ”What are you doing here? Her Grace has taken your soup, why don't you go back to your palace?”
That palace maid knelt on the ground again and kowtowed continuously. ”Your Grace, my master orders me to see you eat soup so that she can believe that you truly forgive her.”
That palace maid said with reverence and awe, Tang Xia became more careful. But the palace maid just followed the order, Tang Xia could not figure out what Concubine Lan wanted to do. Lyuyou looked at Tang Xia, waiting for her decision.
”Go tell Concubine Lan that I've eaten the soup.” Tang Xia sharpened her nails but did not taste the soup.
Lyuyou understood what Tang Xia meant and came close to the palace maid. ”Her Grace has had some snacks and is not hungry now. You go back and tell your master that Her Grace has tasted it. We won't expose you.”
Lyuyou helped the palace maid up while the palace maid was reluctant to leave. As Lyuyou mastered some Kungfu, she dragged the palace maid out of the room and said with a smile, ”Go back before Her Grace has not changed her mind.”
The palace maid bit her lips, thanked Lyuyou and left.
Lyuyou followed the palace maid with her eyes and went back to the room. Then she found Tang Xia was sitting on the Royal Chair, not knowing what she was thinking about.
”Lyuyou, do you think that Concubine Lan is truly repentant?” Tang Xia looked at Lyuyou with her eyebrows knitted, ”She never liked me.”
”I don't believe her, neither.” Lyuyou went and opened up the hamper. As she smelt the fragrance of the soup, she said subconsciously, ”It smells so good.”
Tang Xia looked at the delicate hamper as if she was pondering. ”Neither do I. I guess that Concubine Lan is not sorry at all. The soup...” She paused for a while with a serious look. ”Throw it away.”
”Ah?” Lyuyou froze for a moment while Tang Xia was snoozing as she had not slept well for several days. Lyuyou looked at the delicious soup, regarding it wasteful to throw it away.
”If she is truly sorry, she should come here by herself rather than send a palace maid. Besides, she wants the palace maid to see me eat the soup.”
Tang Xia did not open her eyes, but it seemed that she knew Lyuyou regarded it wasteful to throw the soup away or she was murmuring to herself, ”If I do what she hopes, I will not be the empress.”
According to the routine Tang Xia knew about palace fighting, people would never become friends with those who were regarded as their enemies at first unless their interests were interrelated. As she was completely isolated from Concubine Lan all the time, she would have been framed by Concubine Lan many times if she did what Concubine Lan hoped.
One should not forget to guard against possible harm done by others. Although Concubine Lan was locked up by Chu Tiankuo, she still made trouble. Tang Xia thought she must be more careful.
Lyuyou understood what Tang Xia meant and obeyed, nodding her head. Then she helped tuck Tang Xia in and left with the hamper.
When Lyuyou came back with a different hamper, Tang Xia looked at her confusedly. Lyuyou wore a smile,
”Don't worry, Your Grace. It is not the soup from Concubine Lan. The servant of His Majesty came just now and told that His Majesty knew you are still angry, so His Majesty had the imperial kitchen make your favorite date cake to show his regret!”
Hearing Lyuyou's tease, Tang Xia blushed and glared at Lyuyou. ”I won't be angry just because of the date cake? Does he regard me as his empress?” As Tang Xia noticed that Lyuyou still wore a smile, she shouted shyly, ”Don't you laugh!”
”Alright!” Lyuyou wore a calm look, ”Your Grace, should I keep the date cake or throw it away?”
Although Lyuyou wore a serious look, her words were quite awkward. Tang Xia turned her head away, ”Throw it away! I must let him know that I won't be fooled easily by him again!”
”Really?” Lyuyou lifted up the hamper. ”Throw it away?”
As Lyuyou left without hesitation, Tang Xia got angry, ”Lyuyou!”
”Yep! I'm here!” Lyuyou turned around immediately and wore a look showing ”I knew you would not throw it away”.
”He should show more sincerity if he is sorry, right? Just the date cake won't do!” Tang Xia turned her head away, ”Just keep it. I can take some if I'm hungry as it is too early to have dinner.”
As Lyuyou laughed quietly, she did not tease Tang Xia anymore and left the hamper on the table.
As Tang Xia and Lyuyou made a tacit understanding, the minute Lyuyou took the date cake out, the room was full of the fragrance of date. Tang Xia went close to the table with a smile and wanted to taste the freshly-prepared date cake.
When Tang Xia picked up a piece of date cake, a hoot came from the outside of the room. Then Tang Xia had a look at Lyuyou, Lyuyou nodded her head and walked out of the room.
After a while, Lyuyou came back and wore a rather serious look with her eyebrows knitted.
So Tang Xia did not want to eat the date cake anymore and asked, ”What happened?”