Chapter 851: This old servant is yours (1/2)

Han Yunxi woke lazily and wrapped herself up in her robes. She was about to get up when she started to her senses and took a careful sniff. Immediately, she recognized the scent as aged chicken soup. The fright made her break out into a cold sweat!

“Zhao mama!” she blurted out.

At the sound, Zhao mama herself lifted the curtains. She seemed to have dressed up for the occasion because her hair was neat and tidy and covered in hairpins. Her face too, was glowing with health and full of energy. One hand held up the curtain while the other rested politely over her stomach. Her lean form stood very straight, just like the old court ladies of the imperial palaces. But her face was smiling as gently as a Buddha’s, her eyes curved into crescents.

“Mistress, this old servant is here!”

Right after that, she threw all propriety aside and covered her hands with her mouth to chuckle. After getting His Highness’s summons the day before yesterday, she and a shadow guard had rushed here overnight. If she hadn’t delayed a few times to bring over ten old hens as well, she would have arrived last night instead of this morning.

Han Yunxi’s mouth twitched multiple times before she managed to speak. “Zhao mama, long time no see, ah…”

Zhao mama glanced outside before hurrying in to murmur by Han Yunxi’s ear. “Mistress, His Highness’s shadow guards has told this old servant everything. Don’t worry, this old servant will call you princess both inside and out from now on. I’m not someone from East or West Qin, but simply one of your and His Highness’s people…” She couldn’t help but chuckle a few more times as she spoke, but forced herself to stop. “In the future, I’ll be the one of the little master’s people, too.”

“Little master?” Han Yunxi didn’t react in time.

Zhao mama laughed again, a sound filled with pure joy. “Heheh, princess, His Highness told this old servant all the details before summoning me here.”

“What details did he tell you?” Han Yunxi suddenly grew afraid.

“His Highness told this old servant to nourish your body well in the coming days and the future. We can let the princess have a single moment of illness!” Zhao mama said honestly.

Han Yunxi almost wanted to slam her head against the wall when she heard “the coming days and the future.” What did Long Feiye mean?

Zhao mama was a shrewd old woman who’d come straight from the inner palace. Long Feiye’s implicit hints were all too obvious for her ears. She even understood the things he didn’t say. Now she sat on the edge of the tatami mat and began to speak in earnest.

“Mistress, His Highness must have exhausted you in the past few days if he was in such a rush to call me. Look at you, your complexion’s all ashen. This old servant’s long told you that His Highness is still young and virile, so his vitality is vigorous. Men his age have long had three wives and four concubines by now, but he only has you. Who else is he supposed to toss about, if not you? See now, haven’t you suffered by not listening to this old servant’s words? If I haven’t guessed wrong, His Highness must have been doing you every night these few days, yes?”

As Zhao mama finished, she laughed secretly up her sleeve while examining Han Yunxi from head to toe. “Princess, this old servant will remind you again, His Highness at this age is akin to a wolf or tiger, you need to understand how--”

“Stop!” Han Yunxi shouted out desperately, her face truly pale now. Zhao mama was no unmarried woman like Baili Mingxiang, but a sharp old court lady. She was the kind who taught much of the embarrassing things that took place in ladie’s chambers. She would even understand things that Long Feiye didn’t! Had he really called her here to make chicken soup for her body? If she believed that, she’d stop calling herself surnamed Han!

“Princess, this old servant hasn’t finished yet. I mean to say that--”

“I know what you mean, no need for details. Just bring over your soup, I’ll drink it all up.”

“Princess, drinking it all is only natural! But this is different from before. This old servant has a few things that I must explain to the princess,” Zhao mama grew serious, even a bit stern.

“What’s different from before? Can’t I just drink it and--” Han Yunxi regretted it before she finished. As soon as she stopped, Zhao mama picked up the slack.

“Of course it’s different now! Because princess was muddle-headed before, His Highness instructed me to nourish your body. But now, princess is--”

“Where’s the soup? I’m hungry, hurry and bring it over here,” Han Yunxi tried to interrupt.

Zhao mama quickly carried over the aged hen soup. “Princess, I only arrived when it was getting light out, so I had to rush for time. This is just a simple aged hen soup. This old servant bought plenty of medicinal ingredients with me and ten live hens. Starting tomorrow--”

“Aren’t you afraid of Baili Yuanlong and the rest finding out?” Han Yunxi’s face was now completely white.

Zhao mama smiled mysteriously. “Princess, this old servant’s lived in the palace for so many years, but I’ve never made a mistake there, much less here in the military. Don’t worry, this old servant has my methods.”

“What kind of methods?” Han Yunxi grew restless.

“This old servant is here to wait on Miss Mingxiang, ah? Doesn’t she help His Highness greatly by being by his side? This old servant thus came to wait on her. Naturally, General Baili will be too happy to worry about anything else!” Zhao mama chuckled. Han Yunxi then understood.

“Princess…”

“Is it fine if I just finish all the soup?”