Chapter 555: 273 Spoiling Jiaojiao (One more update)_2 Chapter 555: 273 Spoiling Jiaojiao (One more update)_2 Master Qin led cleaning palace maids inside, clearing up the mess on the floor.
The lights in the Sleeping Palace were lit.
Perhaps it was the presence of the little maid on the Phoenix Bed that added an unexpected yet lively touch to the stern and cold palace, making it seem a bit out of place yet somewhat comforting at the same time.
Gu Jiao sat on the bed, pondering whether she should get off or stay.
The Empress Dowager sat down next to her, staring at her reddened hand without saying anything.
Master Qin, who had sharp eyes, stepped forward and said to Gu Jiao with a smile, “Miss, your hand is injured. I have some ointment here. Let me apply it for you.”
Gu Jiao looked at her hand in confusion, “Where is it injured? I don’t see anything.”
The Empress Dowager’s gaze was cold.
Gu Jiao looked at her, then at Master Qin standing beside her.
Master Qin winked at her playfully.
She extended her small paw: “Alright then.”
Master Qin pretended to apply the medicine, but then, as if remembering something, slapped his own forehead and said, “Look at my memory. My hands are not clean after cleaning. Perhaps the Empress Dowager should apply the medicine instead.”
Seriously, what a crafty person he was.
Master Qin seemed to feel no embarrassment over his previous harsh words to Gu Jiao. As for shame, it was as if it cost nothing to him.
After passing the ointment to the Empress Dowager, Master Qin tactfully retreated with the palace maids.
Turns out the Empress Dowager could show concern too. Why did she never show it before? Yet, it seemed the Empress Dowager wouldn’t want her unknown side to be perceived by others.
Only Gu Jiao and the Empress Dowager were left in the room.
After some thought, Gu Jiao presented her hand to the Empress Dowager: “Hurry up with the medicine.”
If it isn’t applied now, it’ll heal on its own!
The Empress Dowager: “…”
Gu Jiao’s hand wasn’t seriously injured. After the Empress Dowager applied a bit of the cooling ointment, she told her, “Turn around.”
“Huh?” Gu Jiao was slightly taken aback.
The Empress Dowager spoke in a grave tone: “As I said, turn around.”
“Oh.” Gu Jiao obediently turned around.
As the Empress Dowager gently lifted her gown, Gu Jiao’s petite body stiffened. Just as she started to turn back, the Empress Dowager commanded: “Don’t move!”
Therefore, Gu Jiao stopped moving.
Scars covered Gu Jiao’s back. The swelling had subsided, but large purple bruises and scabs still ached. The skin around the scabs was slightly reddened.
It itched when undisturbed and ached when scratched; Gu Jiao bore it in silence.
She never mentioned how she got those scars, instead acting nonchalantly and carefree in front of the Empress Dowager.
Thinking about how she was always running around the kitchen or hanging upside down from the roof, laughing without any concern, the Empress Dowager felt an inexplicable weight in her heart.
She dabbed a bit of ointment on her fingertips and gently applied it over the wounds.
“Ouch.” Gu Jiao’s body jerked, instinctively trying to evade.
“Does it hurt?” the Empress Dowager asked anxiously.
“It itches.” Gu Jiao said.
The itch was worst when the scabs were shedding. The Empress Dowager couldn’t help her with this. All she could do was apply more ointment to cool the area down.
Gu Jiao sat cross-legged on the Phoenix Bed, allowing the Empress Dowager to apply the medicine.
Suddenly, she asked, “Empress Dowager, do you remember now?”
The Empress Dowager paused, then said seriously, “No.”
“Oh.” Gu Jiao sounded disappointed.
Having finished applying the medicine, the Empress Dowager ordered a meal to be brought in.
Having slept till evening, Gu Jiao was indeed hungry.
She looked at the exquisite dishes on the table, among them a plate of sesame-coated meat. The Empress Dowager and she shared a liking for sesame.
This was obviously the meat pie Xiao Liulang had gotten from his classmate at the Guozijian; the taste was the same.
“Empress Dowager, are you sure you haven’t remembered anything?” Gu Jiao asked suspiciously as she ate the meat pie.
The Empress Dowager responded indifferently, “Eat your food. Why are you so talkative?”
Gu Jiao continued eating quietly.
There was an abundant variety of dishes in the palace, and Gu Jiao even managed to get some crab.
The crab meat and roe had been neatly removed and placed back in the shell. All the unwanted organs had been taken out. With a single stroke of chopsticks, a mouthful of crab roe and meat was revealed.
“Empress Dowager, why aren’t you eating?” Gu Jiao asked.
“I’ve already eaten.” The Empress Dowager replied.
She had indeed eaten, and it was Xiao Liulang’s terrible cooking. The Empress Dowager had been utterly revolted. She didn’t even want to eat anything for the next three days!
After some thought, Gu Jiao took out a small paper package from her purse. Inside were three pieces of candied haw. “Empress Dowager, would you like to have some of these? It’s okay to eat them after meals; they won’t cause indigestion.”