Rebirth of Rongyin

9. Loquats(1)

Photo of Yi pin/ imperial concubine Yi

"Yi pin"

Staring blankly at the flickering flame on the candle, Rongyin's mind wonders to a few years back. She remembered that day vividly, the events of that day were something she would never forget.

That day Yi pin had come to seek her out to seek protection for Yu guiren. Mingyu had tried to refuse her at the gate without her knowledge but luckily she had heard her cries from inside and came out to hear what was going on. Afterwards she had followed her to save Yu guiren from Gao guifei.

What happened in the end was something Rongyin had never wanted to remember ever again. Because of her carelessness and neglect, Yi Pin had lost her life. Although she had given her a befitting burial afterwards, this incident was one of the biggest regrets in her life.

She couldn't save Yi Pin and almost harmed Yu Guiren in the process and in the end Gao Guifei still got away with her crimes. Indeed in the past, she had failed in her duties. She had despised these duties so much for taking away her freedom but she had forgotten that with these duties so many lives rested on her shoulders and yet she had let them down.

Her eyes reddening, she raised her head upwards and closed her eyes, forcing the tears down.

Opening them again after a few seconds, they were tranquil once more.

The past was the past, now it was time for her to make up in the present. She had failed Yi Pin once, she wouldn't do so again.

Regaining her composure, she called for Erqing who responded almost immediately.

"Niangniang, you called" Erqing reported.

"Come over here" she called Erqing closer "Bengong wants you to..." The rest of the words were whispered into Erqing's ears who nodded and walked out to complete her task.

Staring at the candle light, a cold glint flash through Rongyin's eyes.

"Gao Guifei, this time, I won't let you succeed in harming the people who are under my care"

..........................................

Meanwhile.....

In the embroidery department hostels, the newly hired palace maid were all sleep in an orderly row of beds.

Some curled themselves in ball, some slept decently on their sides while some had be so lost in their dreams they threw their limbs in haphazard manners, even lying over the people beside them.

At the end of the row of beds two girls also slept peacefully. One with a cold but pretty face, laid on her back and slept, her lips lightly puckered upward like she had seen something distasteful.

The other had a smaller and cuter face, she wasn't any beauty but her cuteness was charming. She laid carelessly on her belly as she seemed to sleep peacefully, but the furrowing of her eyebrows betrayed this seemingly serene figure.

Soon an older woman walked into the room with two senior palace maids behind her. She stared at the scene disdainfully, her eyes filled with disgust as they browsed at the sleeping postures of the young maids sleeping.

Lifting the stick in her hand, she delivered the first blow to the cute girl sleeping at the edge causing her to jump up and stare wildly her face filled with horror as clutching heart. Cold sweat rolled down her back her she started at nothing in particular, but the fear on her face was unconcealed as she seemed to be staring at death in the eyes. Her movements her woken up the other girl beside her immediately noticed her abnormality.