Housekeeper of the Hundred Blossom Palace

“Hmm, so that’s how it is. So the guy he picked up came to the capital from the east, huh.”

Yang muttered as she sipped her tea. It was dinner time and they were inside the dining hall. Yui Mei immediately reported to her as soon as she returned from the Inner City. 

“If it’s the east, then that means he’s a person who came from the battlefield in the provincial borders?”

Yang asked Yui Mei, who then replied with another question after taking a sip of her own tea that Yang brewed for her.

“Li Yong also said that there are a lot of people who lost their memories on the battlefield. Is the eastern region really riddled with war all the time?”

Yui Mei grew up in the borderlands which was far too remote and totally detached from bloody affairs.

That region was surrounded by desert, and the people who were still capable of attacking them even after crossing that severe desert were non-existent.

That’s the reason why Yui Mei couldn’t grasp the reality of war.

When Yang heard her query, she looked like she was deep in thought.

“Hmm, let’s see, it’s probably more accurate to describe it as a never-ending skirmish instead of a war. Actually, no troops were dispatched for war, so it’s not a real war, I guess.”

“I get it now.”

Yui Mei then nodded at her explanation.

The commoners would gauge the possibility of war based on whether there’s a generalship dedicated to it, apparently.

And right now, the only current general was General Li.

War was also a common theme in the Chinese dramas that she watched in her previous life.

There was no lack of triggers of war, be it Internal dissension in the country or dispute with foreign kingdoms.

Based on that premise, it seemed that it really wasn’t a war, because they didn’t hear any news or rumors about mass recruitment in the Hundred Blossom Palace, and it also seemed that the state of war with Xuzhou was also at a standstill. Thus, it was possible to think that the war had abated.

‘In that case, then this empire is at peace right now?’

Yui Mei thought, but Yang continued on.

“Still, that guy is as soft-hearted as ever.”

Yang sighed, slightly exasperated.

“When Ming accidentally witnessed His Majesty’s sneaking out, His Majesty probably took advantage of that soft-hearted nature of his and forced him to go along with him. He really couldn’t easily change his nature, huh, just like you.”

Yang glanced at Yui Mei while saying that.

Yui Mei pouted when she was told that she was similar to Ming, but there was something that captured her interest.

“Is that why His Majesty the Emperor treasured Lord Ming?”

Yang ran her mouth, and the revelation that would be taken as disrespectful words by anyone who heard them made Yui Mei unwittingly ask.

Yang replied with “That’s right.”

“Who on earth would willingly accompany somebody when sneaking out? His head will fly if something happened to His Majesty, you know? If it’s me, I’ll definitely pretend not to notice anything scurry out of the way if I chance on something like that.”

Yang said those words with gusto, while Yui Mei inwardly thought that it was probably true.

If it was someone like Li Yong whose whole family served the crown prince, then it was probably different, but in Ming’s case, he was just someone who came from another place outside the capital, working away from home. He didn’t have any connection with the Emperor from the start.

Loyalty wasn’t ingrained to such a person.

 ‘Oh, so Ming wasn’t someone who could leave things alone.’

Yui Mei felt that Ming was indeed quite similar to her, so her opinion of him rose a bit once again.

That should be set aside for now.

Yui Mei got some hong dou tang — a sweet soup made of red mung beans — for dessert. 

It was similar to the sweet red bean soup of Japan, but this one was more lightly flavored.

The weather had been remarkably cold recently, and this red bean soup that warmed them up was really delicious.

“Mmmfffmm, so happy.”

Yui Mei’s cheeks relaxed with every spoonful of the hong dou tong. 

Yang watched her as she also ate the same thing, and for a brief moment, both of them were engrossed with huffing and puffing, blowing on the soup as they ate.

“Oh, by the way.”

Yang abruptly said.

“Xiao Mei, there’s something I want to discuss with you about work. The cleaning of the unpopular places is already behind schedule. Are you willing to go there?”