Almost instantly, the expressions of the three people in the room varied. They could tell that there was not only mockery but also a hint of grief in Ziying's words.
It seemed that she had gone through a lot before coming to the Palace of Longevity and Health. No one knew which palace's servant she had been before, but someone had done such things to her.
Actually, since Ziying came to the Palace of Longevity and Health, the three people in the tent had observed her carefully. She had never overstepped her bounds and had always been dutiful and loyal to her mistress. Such qualities were rare in the palace.
Shi Muyuan stood up, walked to her side, patted her on the shoulder, and comforted her gently, "The past is over. You don't need to think about it so much. Besides, now you're a servant of the Palace of Longevity and Health. As long as I don't say anything, no one will make things difficult for you again. I gave you this cup of tea just to warm you up. You must have been frightened outside just now. You're just a little maid, but you've experienced so much for no reason. From now on, follow Xiaoxiao well. I won't treat you badly."
This time, she didn't use the self - referential term "this grieving one". Instead, she used "I" in every word, instantly closing the psychological distance between the two and making Ziying feel the taste of happiness for the first time.
She felt sweet in her heart and was a bit overwhelmed by the honor. Flustered, she took two steps backward and quickly bowed, "It's because the Empress Dowager thinks highly of this servant that you say such things. But don't worry, Empress Dowager. This servant will surely not fail your expectations. Those things in the past are just passing clouds. This servant won't cling to them anymore."
With tears welling up in her eyes, Shi Muyuan let out a soft laugh and wiped her tears with her handkerchief.
"You're just a little girl who hasn't grown up yet. Why do you have to keep so many things in your heart? In the future, you can tell this grieving one anything. You can also tell Aunt Xiao. She's half of your family now. By the way, since you've decided to start anew, you'd better not use your previous name anymore."
Ziying was stunned. What good luck she had today! The Empress Dowager not only treated her so well but also wanted to give her a new name. She knew that in this vast world, few people could get a name bestowed by the Empress Dowager.
Moreover, since she had memories, only the Empress Dowager and Xiaoxiao had been so kind and caring to her.
She could see that Concubine Rui had been using her.
She used to think that although Concubine Rui used her, there was also some other kind of affection. But now, after experiencing it for real, she knew it was different. Concubine Rui had always regarded her as a dispensable pawn.
At this moment, the balance in her heart tilted to the other side. As for which side it was, only she knew.
"What about Yun Ran? If you don't like it, we can change it."
Ziying, or rather Yun Ran, took a long time to react.
These two characters had a special meaning. She had always yearned for freedom, imagining that she could soar in the sky like a cloud. This name was like half - fulfilling her dream.
Yun Ran was extremely grateful. She knelt on the ground and bowed deeply.
"From now on, the Empress Dowager is this servant's family. This servant will protect you no matter how dangerous it is."
Seeing that she was so emotional just because of a name, Shi Muyuan felt a bit helpless.
"Next time, don't be so easily touched by some words in front of outsiders. You might be sold and still count the money for others. If so, you'll fail this grieving one's expectations."
Although her words were like a joke, the little maid remembered them in her heart and never forgot them for the rest of her life.
"This servant will surely keep it in mind."
"Alright, then you can go out first. This grieving one still has something to do."
"Yes."
Yun Ran bowed her head and backed out. The Empress Dowager's words kept echoing in her mind.
Shi Muyuan checked the time and thought it was about time. Today was the day when Sanqi would test the medicine again. At first, she had been a bit against it.
From ancient times to the present, no one had ever specifically set the time for testing medicine at night. But Sanqi insisted. Although she was the Empress Dowager, she didn't intend to control others' thoughts. In the end, she had no choice but to let him do as he wished.
Shi Muyuan led a large group of palace servants to a nearby tent. Before they even entered, a strong smell of blood wafted over with the wind. She found it strange and asked the people beside her,
"Do they have to shed blood when testing the medicine? If so, won't it be misunderstood by others when it gets out?"
The two people behind also felt confused. Of course, they smelled that familiar smell of blood. But from their previous experiences, they had never heard of such a precedent.
"Maybe the divine doctor has some special methods? In that case, it seems normal. He's the only divine doctor in the world. Maybe his way of treating diseases is different. As long as the result is good, it's fine. If your Highness is scared, how about I go in first to check it out?"
Xiaoxiao's words made sense. In the end, out of respect for Sanqi, Shi Muyuan still shook her head and refused, "This grieving one has said that she will come to see it personally. How can I give up halfway? If word gets out, won't it give outsiders the impression that this grieving one is untrustworthy?"
"It's this servant who didn't think it through. But your Highness rarely sees such a scene. How about waiting outside first? I'm afraid it will dirty your eyes."
"Forget it. The people inside are all our country's commoners. Let's go."
Since the mistress insisted, these servants had no choice but to follow her in.
The moment the tent was opened, Shi Muyuan suddenly regretted it. She should have listened to Xiaoxiao's words. Otherwise, she wouldn't have seen such a scene.
The scene inside really shocked everyone.
The divine doctor was lying on the ground. Beside him was a blood - stained dagger, the one that Sanqi always carried with him. Before, she had specifically asked the divine doctor about the origin of this dagger. He said it was a gift from an old acquaintance, which was why he was so protective of it.
Unexpectedly, this dagger had become a deadly weapon today.
Looking at the bodies lying all over the place in the tent, there were probably seven or eight of them.
Shi Muyuan came to her senses and was about to order everyone else to go out. Almost instinctively, she felt that this matter must not be spread today. Otherwise, the capital city of Changjing might be in turmoil.
Just then, what people feared most happened.
Before she could give the order, a large number of commoners rushed in from behind. At this moment, these commoners didn't care about the difference in status. They rushed to the bodies and wailed loudly.