The Blind Concubine

Chapter 27

The Emperor ordered to let Xiao Bao back to serve at the serving quarter.

Bao was brought by the Internal Affairs Head Administer back to the serving quarter.

All along the way, he kept silent without saying anything.

When he had just entered the Palace, he was assigned to serve at the Empress Dowager's Palace. Because he was still so young, he had to suffer the bullying and humiliation. The cries from being beaten and punished everyday were never ending. One winter, the Empress Dowager needed someone to go to the Cold Palace to watch over a sinner. The Palace's servants all were unwilling to go, so they pushed this matter on him. He didn't understand anything, to the extent that even The Empress Dowager's face, he had never seen before. He was just brought to the Cold Palace by an old Administer.

Once, The Blind Concubine asked him, what kind of fruit was it that he liked to eat.

He answered after a very long time, it was an orange.

As a matter of fact, he was a mere servant. Never ate many kinds of fruits. Until now, he could only remember the flavor of an orange.

There was a time during winter, on his way back to the Cold Palace, he picked up an orange. Probably when they sent them to the rear palace, one of them dropped down unknowingly.

He hurriedly picked it up, hid it in his sleeve, slightly running all along on his way back to the Cold Palace.

The Blind Concubine was hugging Yu Li and warmed themselves in front of the furnace.

On the furnace, they boiled water. The hot steam from inside the kettle made the lid of the kettle move.

He stepped forward and gave the orange to him, "Master, eat this."

The Blind Concubine told him, "You eat it. It was rare to be able to pick this up."

He shook his head, "I want Master to eat it. Master's body is unwell, the whole winter you haven't eaten a single fruit yet."

The Blind Concubine said, "Then we will share it."

After saying that, he peeled the orange, divided the orange's segments, put it on the kettle's lid. The hot steam was raised up little by little through the kettle's lid. Warming up the orange.

The Blind Concubine passed some of the segments to him, saying, "Here, have a taste."

He put it in his mouth, immediately, a burst of warm juice poured out, impressively warm. With some sweet scent. This kind of flavor, almost made people melt.

The Blind Concubine smilingly asked him, "Delicious?"

He nodded his head with all his might.

The Blind Concubine told him, "Before, during the winter, mother would feed me oranges, I thought it was cold so I was unwilling to eat them. Mother would warm it like just now. I leaned on my mother's bosom, watching her peel the orange segment by segment, then put them on the kettle lid. The steam slowly raised, warming the kettle's lid, the oranges also would be warmed little by little. Eating the sweet and warm orange during the winter, that kind of feeling, really couldn't be compared to other things."

He and The Blind Concubine had been together for many years, The Blind Concubine had never once gotten angry at him. To the point of when he was angry, The Blind Concubine would exhaust his mind to find a way to comfort him.

He and The Blind Concubine fed and raised Yu Li together. Basking in the sun on their small yard together. Chatting idly. Sitting peacefully together until the sun fell behind the mountain.