Water Mirrored Moon - 水鏡月

Part II - Cosmetics Goddess: Chapter 29. Wu Wu Wu*

Cui Xi had given strict instructions that she should never be disturbed while she was in the mixing room, so she was surprised when she heard Su Rou's calling her from the other side of the door. Stepping out, she quickly wiped her hands on her apron, smudging it with pink powder. She raised her eyebrows at Su Rou's reluctant expression.

"Mistress, forgive me. You'd better come. The messenger stayed for your answer, and I was afraid to send her away..."

Dammit, she thought.

The only people who could not be refused were those from the imperial family and first rank households. It could not be the Seventh Prince as Murong Bo was used to being chased away by Su Qing and Zhao Ling Xian tolerated her blatant disrespect for him because it amused him. Was it someone from the Changping Shizi manor?

She hurriedly threw her apron off, smoothed her hair, and retied her mask before she went into the small reception hall adjacent to the courtyard.

Cui Xi was glad to see that the messenger, a high-ranking maid, had been seated and served tea and snacks. The girl stood, curtsied, and personally handed her a letter with a seal she didn't recognize.

"Forgive me for making you wait..." Cui Xi started to apologize, but the girl waved her hand.

"It's of no concern, Miss Wu," said the maid with a genuine smile. "Normally, this maid would have simply delivered the letter and left, but my Master* asked that it be handed to you personally. Since it was so sudden, this maid did not expect you to receive me right away. Please be at ease."

"Thank you for your kind words. May I have time to read the letter? I will send an answer to your Master immediately after."

"Yes, as you wish. I'll withdraw then," she said graciously and left.

Su Qing stepped out from behind a pillar with irritation on her face.

"The only reason that maid stayed is so that she could describe you to her Master. Hmph! What a sly thing!"

"Well, never mind..." Cui Xi muttered, staring down at the fine paper in her hand. She frowned at the seal not quite knowing what to do.

"The seal belongs to the manor of the Fifth Prince, Zhao Ling Fei, Prince of Chu, but it is not his personal seal..." Su Rou observed, peaking over her Mistress's shoulder. She glanced at Su Qing who nodded her agreement.

"Weird. I've not met this Prince and I know very little of him. Su Rou, I didn't think that he was currently in the capital...Wasn't the Fifth Prince assigned to the Southern border?" she asked, flapping the letter against her cheek.

"Yes, Mistress. He's been there for years and is the Commander of the Southern Imperial army," Su Rou confirmed.

"Even if he had been recalled to the capital, why would he send a letter to me?" she wondered aloud.

Sitting down at a writing table, she snapped the seal and smoothed open the neatly folded sheets.