Chapter 4 — Funeral Song Under the Ashing Mat

“I want to stay at Tieu Tuong hospital.”
Without thinking, Tu Tu Dieu blurted out a rebuttal. Tieu Tuong Institute is the place my mother loved the most, and when she was alive, she often stayed there. His father's expression did not change, he only replied coldly:
"Tieu Tuong courtyard is too far from my residence. Khuong Vu courtyard is closer, whether you like it or not, you have to move there."
Hearing that, Tu Tu Dieu immediately changed his words and happily went to pack his luggage. I raised my head to look at my father:
“Father, don't you have your own hospital?”
Father patted my head and smiled:
"It's true that I don't have one, but father once gave a hospital to someone."
6
From that day on, Tu Tu Dieu seemed to realize that I was worth using. She started thinking of ways to please me. Today I asked for roasted duck from Dong Street, and she immediately asked someone to bring it home; Tomorrow I said I craved breakfast on Truong Street, and specifically told her to buy it herself, and she agreed. Things like rosaries that children wear, toys that children play with, are all piled up in my room. Xuan Sinh worriedly looked at me playing Cuu Lien Hoan:
"Miss, this Princess An Binh has absolutely no good intentions! Don't let her bribe you!"
I smiled slightly, as if I had accidentally dropped the Nine Lien Hoan and shattered on the ground.
"I know. I don't value these things at all."
I often went to Tu Tu Dieu's room, causing trouble everywhere, causing chaos. Yet not only did she not get angry, she also kept praising me for being lively and cute. Corresponding to that, her father's attitude towards her was indeed becoming more and more gentle. Sometimes, even we are left behind.
“Father!”
Once again, I rushed into Tu Tu Dieu's room. I saw her awkwardly stepping down from her father's lap and quickly smiling at me:
“Yet Truc, why did you come here?”
I pretended to be sulky, tilting my head and not paying attention to her. My father immediately scolded me with a stern face:
"Illegal! What are you doing here?"
I pouted and said:
"I dreamed that I was about to have a younger brother."
Tu Tu Dieu was stunned, then smiled happily. His father was also startled, then burst out laughing.
“Transmission of medicine!”
Not long after, the doctor arrived. Of course, Tu Tu Dieu was pregnant — after all, that bowl of nutritious soup was not useless. She thought her luck had come. But unfortunately, within a few days, a new favored concubine of the Emperor appeared in the royal court, with an arrogant personality, abusive behavior, and was considered a disaster for the nation. Tu Tu Dieu's older sister - the current Queen - immediately called her younger sister to enter the palace. Seeing that his father was about to truly accept her into the palace, Tu Tu Dieu immediately completed the act and took advantage of the opportunity to bring me into the palace. That's why, after many days of separation, we had the opportunity to meet Luc Lan again.
7
She seems to have changed a bit. Her appearance is still the same as before, but it still carries a bit of beauty and charm. Her body was dressed in gorgeous clothes, she didn't wear much jewelry, just a few simple and delicate items, but it made people unable to take their eyes off her. She saw me, her expression was strange, as if she had never known me before. I heard the midwife guiding the way softly say that she was the new pet of the harem - Le Quy Phi. All eyes were focused on her. Even though she was not stunningly beautiful, her temperament made others unable to help but look. I suddenly remembered what my mother once said:
“The beauty of the world,
can't compete with a bag of red bones."
When a person dies, their fragrance and color become nothing, so what's the point of having a face? That's why my mother never taught me to make a medicine to keep my beauty beautiful. But Luc Lan... must have used the red beauty pill. Thinking of this, I raised my eyes to look at her again, only to feel that behind that smile were layers of hidden pain. Red beauty is unique, so why should it be easy to interact? I only dared to glance at it, but I had to hold back my tears, afraid of revealing a flaw. Tu Tu Dieu was dissatisfied and tried to go over to find trouble, but was held tightly by the midwife. Because of Luc Lan's appearance, the Queen gradually fell out of favor, leading Tu Tu Dieu to live a difficult life. In addition, the Queen's mother's family was recently caught up in a disaster, heavily implicated, and the Crown Prince's power was also being seriously suppressed. The Queen cannot intervene in the royal court affairs, the wind blowing in her ears does not reach the bed, so she can only rely on my father - who is the most powerful person in the court.
“This must be Princess An Binh? This time I entered the palace to visit my sister?
Luc Lan walked over. Tu Tu Dieu was forced to bow, his face extremely ugly.
“The lady's eyes are really sharp. Our Princess is truly An Binh Princess. This time entering the palace, it was because the Queen remembered her sister and intentionally summoned her."
The midwife standing next to her tried to force a smile, hoping that mentioning the Queen's name would make Luc Lan less harsh. Unexpectedly, the palace maid next to Luc Lan spoke first:
“My lady asked, you are a slave and you dare to interfere?!”
Tu Tu Dieu immediately stood up.