Media: https://pin.it/4sIM7ej

The news that both Ping Junwang and Junzhu ignored Feng Yanyan and made him kneel as punishment circulated in the Wan Li palace.

Before, Beauty Feng was the primary candidate to be a concubine. After this incident, the servants would naturally think his chances were low. If not for the little prestige JuZi and the others had amongst the palace maids, they were afraid the provisions given from the kitchen and warehouse would be pitiful now.

But Feng Yanyan, who was used to sumptuous food even back in the Feng family estate, couldn't bear to look at the dishes served to him.

"They're all vegetables." There was obvious dislike on his face.

"Young master is still recuperating, it's not good to eat greasy food." Pu Tao stepped up to euphemize their situation.

Feng Yanyan laughed, the gentle contours of his face appeared to be glowing. "Don't lie. Isn't it the consequences of falling out of favor? Though there was no favor in the first place."

Humans loved to assume things and play by their unknown rules.

Today, Beauty Feng seemingly lost the competition. Hence, the people below didn't need to curry his favor anymore. After all, he was unlikely to be a future master.

Knowing this, he couldn't blame anyone. Back in his former life, he also experienced being in the lower ranks and choosing which thigh to hug. It was understandable to want to survive and prosper.

Pu Tao who saw his reaction found a new level of respect for this young master Feng. He could stay magnanimous despite the situation. The other beauties described Feng mei ren as someone petty and mean but ever since staying beside him, Pu Tao had yet to see the evil side they spoke of.

The servant girl concluded that the other mei ren were probably just jealous of their Master Feng. Look at this gorgeous silhouette sitting by the window. Pu Tao was a woman but even she was envious of young master Feng's bearing and grace.

Feng Yanyan raised a brow. "What are you sighing around for? Isn't it just a few vegetables? If this courtyard gets ignored for a lifetime, I'll depend on you sisters to live."

Pu Tao went rigid from fright. "Young master, don't speak ill of yourself ah!"

She wanted to say more but what else could be said?

In this palace, wangye was cold. Junwang was friendly but distant at the same time. Junzhu would be married off in the future. Speaking in practical terms, there was no master who was easy to follow.

If the young master Feng wanted to enter any of this master's back courtyards with his abilities or the nonexistence thereof, it would be... bleak.

JuZi entered the room with Pu Tao looking depressed and the young master Feng picking at his food but still reluctantly eating it. She pursed her lips as she understood the little girl's worries.

Just now, apart from the eunuchs named by Junwang to serve Beauty Feng, more and more servants were quietly transferring to other courtyards.

It was a first occurrence in the wangfu but it wasn't the first time that JuZi heard of this kind of thing. Maids tend to talk among themselves and it's a common situation in other estates for servants to leave an unfavored master.

Be it a concubine who lost favor or a shu son or daughter without prospects. In more ridiculous scenarios, it would be the di wife if the master favored a concubine.

>Dí - 嫡 - first wife; so a di son is the son of the first wife. Shù - 庶 - born of a concubine.<

Young master Feng's plight is distressing. A flash of callous light flitted past the first-ranked maid's eyes. She could only wait.

When Feng Yanyan saw JuZi, his face lit up. He wiped his mouth and excitedly beckoned her.

"Zizi, I was waiting for you. Come, come!"

Bewildered, the palace maid could only obey and young master Feng started acting. "You know... my foot really doesn't hurt anymore. I'm so heartbroken, I need to go out and see places."

He became long winded. Every sentence drilled into JuZi's ears. The more she heard, the more her expression faltered until she slammed the table with her palm.

Bang!

Both Feng Yanyan and Pu Tao exclaimed in surprise.

"Young master, can you please be more direct?"

Clenching his heart dramatically, he spoke. "Help me go out."

JuZi narrowed her eyes. This going out could only mean... "Sneak out, you mean."

Going out of the palace officially needed wangye or junwang's approval. This needed a lot of proceedings especially for someone who wasn't favored. But looking at Beauty Feng's dodgy behavior, it was obvious that he didn't want the official route.

"Well, it's not like that person will allow me." Feng Yanyan returned to his languid state.

To be honest, he didn't have hope for anyone to help him in this matter. What he really wanted to do was to leave without anyone knowing.

However, he couldn't hide from them because the moment he disappeared, they would search for him and it would only blow up. He didn't want to imagine what would happen if that scary King caught him. But if someone were to cover for him, then sneaking out would be much easier.

He was about to go crazy if he stayed cooped up inside this courtyard for one more day. He just wanted to be outside for a half a day.

After that, he would behave himself again. Who gave him the gall to do this thing?

He was thinking he could just accept the punishment if he was caught. Granted it was Junwang who caught him. Anyway, his Highness  wouldn't kill him right? He could use the excuse of being too brokenhearted.

Such simple thinking, only Feng Yanyan could come up with it. He was a sheltered young master before coming to the palace. Although the Feng family wasn't considered to be elites, they could provide for him. No one knew if it was his fortune or misfortune that he didn't witness any rear courtyard dramas growing up.

He was a shu son, raised by the di wife. He never met his concubine mother as the lady passed away while giving birth. His father, who was the eldest master of the Feng family, treated his only two sons equally.

The age gap between the brothers was almost a decade but Feng Yanyan knew his older brother cherished him. He was the first to know about Feng Yanyan's plans to enter the palace and the first to get livid about it. But he didn't hinder those plans and even helped his younger brother forge connections to enter Tanglin Great Palace with ease.

Inside the Tanglin Imperial City, it was also Eldest Brother Yanggu who exhorted him to always be careful of his actions. Feng Yanggu placed a little eunuch to be their messenger so whenever he was in trouble, the little eunuch would run to Eldest Young Master Feng.

Feng Yanggu was a charismatic person, he was friends with a lot of guards and eunuchs in the palace. With his glib tongue and social skills, Feng Yanyan had no idea why his route to promotion was very slow.

He was continuing to gulp the rice congee emotionlessly when he heard JuZi speak up.

"All right then. We will go out."

"Huh- cough cough" Feng Yanyan couldn't continue voicing out his surprise as he choked on the congee. Tears welled up in his eyes and rice went out from his nostrils. With a red face, it took him a while to calm down the coughing.

He gripped JuZi's arm. "What do you mean we?"

"Sister Zizi..." Pu Tao who was just listening from the sidelines also couldn't help but voice her concern.

The older servant girl, however, raised her hands to placate them. "It's alright. We just need to go back before curfew."

She gave a reassuring smile. "You have to take care of the courtyard while we're away. Make sure to reject all visitors and say that the young master isn't feeling well."

Pu Tao couldn't say anything more. She also knew where JuZi was coming from.

The first rank palace maid's grandmother is one of the oldest momo in the wangfu. She could navigate well in the palace because of her connections. It would be best if the young master had JuZi with him.

Pu Tao nodded in understanding. These days, it didn't escape her notice that sister Zizi was giving increasing attention to young master Feng's needs. Put it nicely, sister Zizi was very devoted to her chosen master.

Put it bluntly, it seemed sister Zizi... sincerely likes young master Feng.

It wasn't the first time for a palace maid to fall in love with a master. But sister Zizi's plight was rather pitiful. As a potential male concubine, young master Feng wasn't allowed to have any bed servants.

Pu Tao was overthinking here and JuZi felt the younger maid's odd stare. She frowned. It seemed this girl was misunderstanding something here. But JuZi couldn't explain herself.

Indeed, she cared for young master Feng. And she was hoping against all hopes that he would have the fortune to be a real master of the wangfu. Only that way could she feel at ease.

"Give me an hour to prepare everything. I'll fetch you in a while."

Feng Yanyan was still stunned for a while. This girl... since when did she stop using honorifics with him? Not that it mattered anyway so he only shrugged it off.

--- 

When referring to the palace maids as sisters, it doesn't always mean they're related by blood. They just call each other like that according to age and/or rank of seniority.

Edited: Feb. 13, 2023