allonlinenovel Chapter 391 Not Used to Being Served
Chapter 391 Not Used to Being Served
The palace gardens are awash with blossoms, like clouds drifting down from the heavens to earth. Each petal dances in the breeze, vying for beauty. Butterflies flit among the blossoms, their wings gleaming brilliantly in the sunlight, like dancing spirits. Pavilions and terraces are arranged in an orderly fashion, their soaring eaves and brackets like birds spreading their wings, reaching for the heavens. Winding corridors twist and turn, like a sleeping python, resting silently within the palace grounds. Eunuchs and palace maids, clad in uniform, their sleeves fluttering. Their footsteps are light and silent, as if afraid to disturb the tranquility of the palace. They move hurriedly yet orderly through the corridors, each performing their duties, silently maintaining the functioning of the palace.
Deep within the imperial palace, a mission of transformative change for the future quietly unfolds. Entrusted with a crucial task by the Emperor, Lin Feng has established a workshop in a secluded courtyard within the palace, dedicated entirely to the production of a generator. The courtyard is shaded by lush greenery, their interwoven branches forming a natural barrier, shielding the workshop from the clamor of the outside world. Lin Feng toils day and night, his eyes ablaze with a passion for technology and a desire to transform the world. He clutches a blueprint, sometimes frowning in thought, sometimes gesturing to explain, intent on imparting the principles of the generator to his workers, hoping to ignite the dawn of modern technology in this ancient world.
Chen Xin'er, Chen Yu, and Xu Tian, who remained in the palace with Lin Feng, had a different story to tell. Raised in large families, Chen Xin'er and Chen Yu had grown accustomed to a life of luxury, surrounded by maids and waited on from childhood. They felt at home in the palace, unperturbed. However, Xu Tian was a completely different story. Coming from a commoner background, he had led a simple and austere life. Now, in the palace, being waited on by the maids, the sudden luxury and attentions left him feeling uneasy and uneasy.
In the early morning, before the first rays of sunlight had fully penetrated the clouds, the palace was already bustling with activity. The maids filed into Xu Tian's room, holding exquisite copper basins. The clear water in the basins was slightly steaming, and floating on the surface were delicate petals, which swayed gently with the heat, emitting wisps of delicate fragrance. A beautiful maid, her voice as soft as a trickle, said softly, "Master Xu, it's dawn. It's time to get up and wash. The sun is shining brightly today."
Xu Tian had been deep in sleep when he was awakened by the sudden, gentle call. He flung his eyes open, only to be greeted by a group of beautiful palace maids in gorgeous attire. Their exquisite attire and delicate makeup made him feel dizzy for a moment. His face flushed crimson, a crimson that spread like a burning flame all the way to his ears. His heartbeat quickened, and he sat up in a panic, clutching the quilt tightly with both hands, as if it were his only refuge. He stammered, "I...I can do it myself. I don't need your help." His eyes were filled with shyness and embarrassment, daring to dart around, not daring to meet the maids' gazes. His body trembled slightly, like a frightened deer.
Seeing this, the maids exchanged a faint smile, a hint of good-natured teasing and resignation in their smiles. But they still adhered to court etiquette and insisted on serving Xu Tian. An older, more composed-looking maid stepped forward and said in a gentle voice, "Master Xu, this is palace etiquette. Please don't embarrass us servants." As she spoke, she slowly reached out her hand to straighten Xu Tian's disheveled clothing.
Xu Tian shrank back as if struck by lightning, pressing himself against the back wall of the bed. He waved his hands in the air in panic and shouted, "Don't... don't come over here!" His voice was filled with fear, as if these palace maids were a monstrous beast, ready to devour him. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, and his breathing became rapid.
The maids had no choice but to place their toiletries on the small table beside the bed and slowly retreat. Xu Tian watched them leave and breathed a sigh of relief, but the awkwardness and discomfort in his heart lingered for a long time. He sat on the bed, stunned for a long time, thinking to himself, "How can I survive in this palace? This kind of service is really unbearable. I'm a commoner, used to taking care of myself. Now this is really awkward."
In the afternoon, the sun lazily streamed across the palace courtyard. The stone pavement, polished by time, was as smooth as a mirror. The flowers and trees along the path were neatly trimmed, forming a variety of exquisite shapes, some resembling peacocks spreading their feathers, others resembling auspicious dragons lying on the water. Xu Tian found Chen Xin'er and Chen Yu, his face still flushed, his eyes filled with confusion and distress.
They sat on a stone bench in the courtyard, surrounded by a circle of blooming roses—red like fire, pink like clouds, white like snow. The blossoms swayed gently in the breeze, emitting bursts of sweet fragrance. Xu Tian frowned, his expression embarrassed, and said, "Xiner, Chen Yu, I'm really not used to life in the palace. I'm a commoner, how could I have ever seen such a scene, being waited on by palace maids every day? In my life, I've only spoken to Zi Yan, Wang Yao, and Xiner. Now, with so many palace maids around me, all so beautiful, I'm overwhelmed." As he spoke, he kept scratching his hair, his once neat locks now tangled like a bird's nest. His eyes revealed helplessness and confusion. He leaned forward slightly, as if confessing his inner pain to them.
Chen Yu was stunned at first, then burst into earth-shattering laughter. He chuckled so hard he collapsed, slapping his thighs with his hands, tears streaming down his face. He pointed at Xu Tian and teased, "Xu Tian, you're such a country bumpkin who's never seen the world. This is commonplace in the palace, but you're acting like a virgin, even shying away." His eyes were filled with amusement, and the corners of his mouth curled up, revealing a row of perfectly white teeth. His smile was filled with mockery of Xu Tian. His body trembled slightly with laughter, as if to break the gloomy atmosphere in the palace.
Chen Xiner couldn't help but chuckle, her laughter as clear and melodious as a silver bell. She gently patted Xu Tian's shoulder and said, "Xu Tian, you'll get used to it. Families like ours have lived like this since childhood. Just treat the palace maids as ordinary servants." Her eyes held a hint of tenderness and understanding, but the smile she couldn't hide flickered in them. Her movements were gentle, as if she were comforting a wounded child.