The Blind Concubine

Chapter 03

The blind concubine has been very confused recently.

When eating, the bowl he holds in his hands, he suddenly discovers, does not feel crude to the touch but fine and delicate.

"Ah Xiao Bao, have we gotten new bowls?"

Xiao Bao hastily denies, "No, of course not."

The blind concubine furrows his eyebrows doubtfully, fingers skimming along the rim of the bowl and cries out as if he has discovered something interesting, "Ah!"

Xiao Bao jumps out of his skin, "What? What is it?"

"The bowl I use has a crack in it but this one doesn't have one!"

"Maybe master has remembered wrong." Xiao Bao says after a pause, his voice lacking in confidence.

"How could I have remembered wrong," the blind concubine cries, "last year, I cut my lip on it when I was drinking soup and you even scolded me for it."

Xiao Bao's eyes shift away uncomfortably. "Is that true..."

The blind concubine continues to skim his fingers along the rim of the bowl as if touching it more would make the crack magically appear.

In desperation, Xiao Bao says, "The cooks in the imperial kitchen gave me some fruits, allow this humble servant to fetch them for your ladyship."

The blind concubine agrees and sets down his bowl, sitting straight up in wait.

Xiao Bao sets the fruits on the table, peels away the skin, and places them into the blind concubine's hands.

After taking a bite, the blind concubine says, "So sweet!"

Xiao Bao parrots his agreement, "Mmm."

The blind concubine takes another bite, saying, "This is the sweetest fruit I've ever tasted."

In his heart, Xiao Bao thinks, how can it not be sweet if given by the emperor?

Bowing his head, he peels off the skin of a grape and passes it to the blind concubine.

He puts the grape in his mouth and exclaims, "It's very juicy!"

Xiao Bao smiles, "Is there?"

The blind concubine swallows the grape and stares blankly for a few seconds, "Xiao Bao, We've not had grapes for some time, is that right?"

"I received some grapes for us last year in the hottest months of summer," Xiao Bao thinks.

The blind concubine shakes his head, "Those grapes were tiny and sour, and most of them had rotten. You took one bite and spit it right back out and then wouldn't even let me take a bite. Then you cursed the administrator of goods distribution."

Xiao Bao rolls his eyes. Those condescending bastards deserved it.

The blind concubine says, "You try some too. It's very good."

Xiao Bao says, "It's enough that your ladyship likes them. Xiao Bao doesn't like grapes."

Lowering his head, he cuts the skinned mangos into slices, puts them in a small bowl, and pushes them towards the blind concubine.

The blind concubine does not move.

"Then what does Xiao Bao like to eat?"

"This humble servant does not like anything particularly."

"How can that be," the blind concubine says, "there must be something you like, tell me."

"...there really isn't."