"Could it be that I am?"
He spoke slowly, and the old lady nodded, saying calmly, "Feng'er, now you can do what you need to do. For so many years, your mother has been raising you, hoping that one day you can face the world again and let everyone know that we, mother and son, exist."
"Mother?"
Xi Lingfeng said in a deep voice. The old lady took out a letter from her sleeve and handed it to Xi Lingfeng.
“These are the people you can use. In the past, your mother was closely connected with them. Now, go and do it. You must succeed. This is your mother’s hope.”
Xi Lingfeng recalled his childhood, when he was learning martial arts on the mountain, and his mother lived at the foot of the mountain with him, in a thatched hut, where they lived for many years.
"Okay, I will help you fulfill your wish."
Xi Lingfeng's slightly tipsy voice rang out as he stood up: "Mother, let's wait for good news."
"good/."
The old lady watched her son walk away, then closed her eyes. When she opened them again, she knelt before the Buddha statue to pray, hoping that everything would go smoothly for Feng'er.
Inside the sleeping quarters of Zhengyi Palace, Hailing had just woken up from her afternoon nap when she saw two people standing there. They were Shimei and Shilan, two maids under Xilingfeng's command. As soon as they saw her wake up, they respectfully followed Yanzhi over.
As Rouge helped Hailing get up, she reported, "Miss, Miss Shimei and Miss Shilan said that they have followed their master's orders and will stay by your side to serve you from now on."
"Serve me?"
Hai Ling instinctively refused. She owed Xi Lingfeng so many favors; how could she possibly accept his people? These two maids, Shi Mei and Shi Lan, were not to be trifled with. These two girls were first-rate in martial arts, one skilled in medicine and the other in cooking; they were both top-notch. She believed that Xi Lingfeng had put a lot of effort into training them, yet now he was assigning them to her. Who was she to him? This wouldn't do.
Hai Ling thought it through and looked at Shi Mei and Shi Lan with clear, calm eyes.
"You may go back now. I have servants with me. Please thank your master for me."
Upon hearing that Hailing had refused to use her, Shi Mei was filled with disappointment. She knelt down with a thud and said firmly, "Your Majesty, since the Emperor has ordered us to come, if you send us back, I'm afraid we will be punished."
Actually, Shi Mei wasn't afraid of being punished. As long as it wasn't a serious mistake, the master wouldn't be too harsh on them.
If it were before, Hai Ling would have been more than happy to let them go back. But ever since she saw Hai Ling's superb medical skills, she only regretted not being able to serve by her side and learn medical skills from her. Now that she has this opportunity, she is going to go wherever she wants.
Inside the bedchamber, Shi Mei and Shi Lan knelt motionless.
Hai Ling was taken aback. She really didn't know what Xi Lingfeng meant. Why did he send someone over to serve her?
Although keeping these two would be of great help to her, they were not her people after all. She had no relationship with Xi Lingfeng, so how could she use his things for no reason?
"You can get up now."
"If Your Majesty agrees, we will get up."
Shi Mei and Shi Lan remained lying on the ground, refusing to move. Hai Ling couldn't help but break out in a sweat. How come everyone around Xi Lingfeng was acting like a rogue? Could it be that he himself was one of them?
But right now, should we keep these two or not?
Rouge glanced at Shimei and Shilan, and slowly said, "Miss, since they want to stay, then let them stay."
The palace is fraught with danger. These two are very skilled. If they stay by the young lady's side, she won't suffer any losses.
Therefore, Rouge was determined to keep Shimei and Shilan.
"But what about your appearance?"
These two women were exceptionally beautiful, and since they were Xi Lingfeng's maids, many people naturally recognized them. If they were discovered, it would become a topic of gossip.
"Don't worry, Miss, we'll disguise ourselves and no one will notice."
Shi Mei was very knowledgeable about disguise techniques and spoke calmly, prompting Hai Ling to sigh.
"Alright, but you have to promise me one thing?"
“Please speak, Miss,” Shi Mei and Shi Lan said happily when they heard Hai Ling’s tone. They knew that Hai Ling had agreed to let them stay, and they called her Miss Hai Ling, just like Yan Zhi did, instead of calling her Empress, because they knew that their young lady would leave the palace sooner or later.
"Don't report my whereabouts to Xi Lingfeng casually. At least get my permission first, otherwise I won't keep you here. If one day you want to return to Xi Lingfeng's side, I won't stop you. Just tell me."
Shi Mei and Shi Lan exchanged a glance and quickly nodded in agreement: "Yes, Miss, we understand."
“Yes, get up,” Hailing nodded to the two maids, then, thinking of their names, smiled and said, “From now on, I will call you Mei’er and Lan’er.”
"Yes, Miss."
Shi Mei and Shi Lan nodded happily, and Yan Zhi was also very pleased. With the two of them by her side, it would be much more difficult for those guys in the palace to harm the young lady.
After Shi Mei and Shi Lan disguised themselves and changed into palace attire, they looked like ordinary maids. Although the people in Zhengyi Palace were curious about the sudden appearance of these palace maids, they didn't say anything. Since the Empress was under house arrest, no one in the palace could leave, and no one came here. Who would bother with such a thing?
Taihe Palace is still the residence of the new emperor, Feng Zixiao.
Because of Bai Ye's disappearance, Feng Zixiao was in a very bad mood. Not only during the morning court session, but also in private, the atmosphere was chilling. Everyone in the court felt extremely oppressed. Even the eunuchs and palace maids in Taihe Palace felt as if they were in a cold current, and dared not speak loudly or walk with large movements.
Everywhere was quiet, as if it were deserted.
Outside the palace gate, Jiang Feixue led several palace maids over. The eunuch guarding the gate respectfully greeted them and then gave a reply.
"Your Majesty, please go back. The Emperor refuses to see anyone."
The young eunuch whispered that Jiang Feixue knew the Emperor was in a bad mood and naturally wouldn't see anyone. However, she did have a good remedy that would surely make Feng Zixiao happy when he saw her.
"Go and report to the Emperor that I have something to personally deliver to him."
Upon hearing this, the young eunuch thought for a moment and finally agreed, then went inside.
The emperor was in his study. Outside the door stood his personal eunuch, Xia Cheng, who was still the chief steward of the Crown Prince's residence and had now become the emperor's most favored eunuch.