A brittle laugh from the corner interrupted her. It was Wan'er and Xiao'er who were sitting with their heads bent close, their eyes glinting with something sharp beneath their demure lashes.
Wan'er lips curled as she whispered something behind her sleeve, making Xiao'er giggle into her rice bowl.
Zhi Yi wooden spoon came down hard on the table. "Enough gossip. Either help shell these walnuts or find another chore."
At the doorway, unnoticed by the women, Prince Jingzhe stood motionless in the shadows, his butler at his shoulder. The flickering light caught the edges of his mask as he tilted his head toward the whispered conversation.
"Are the beds truly so terrible?" The prince's voice was barely audible but filled with doubts.
The butler cleared his throat quietly. "They're adequate for border conditions, my lord. But Lady Chen comes from a noble quarters, down-filled mattresses, silk covers. Our straw pallets here must feel like stone to her."
