Woosh!
The light stung under Tao Hua's shut eyelids. Reluctantly, he slowly opened them to find that above him was the same thing he'd been waking up to for the last few days, since arriving at the palace.
Surrounding him were draping curtains, all in the shade of light blue. They weren't always that way, but under Shan Si's orders, he'd sent a few servants in to spruce up a personal chamber that hadn't seemed to have been used in years.
The curtains were made of high-quality silk, with patterns of muted white flowers, and tied up with what Tao Hua thought could be actual gold. It was a stark difference to the Tao Estate gold was actually painted silver.
Though beautiful the curtains were, both sides were undoubtedly uneven and managed by anxious hands.
As for his bedding, it was clean and comfortable, possibly the softest he'd ever touched in his life.
Nothing was like it was back in his old home. Tao Hua thought he'd lived a lavish life in the Tao Estate, but that couldn't have been further from the truth. Turns out that most of his life was a lie, and he was offered more hospitality by a thief than he was by his own father.
What an odd thing to think about so early in the morning.
To the sound of rustling and clanging, Tao Hua's heavy eyes glanced over toward the decently sized room, sprinkled with dust highlighted by the sunrise. But most of his view was blocked by a young man, no more built than Tao Hua.
He was busy fighting the uneven curtains, trying to properly tie them up. Even after a few attempts, he fumbled, nearly dropping the expensive gold ornament. When it bounced off the floor, this poor man's body would stiffen, and he'd mutter something inaudible under his breath.
Frustratingly whispering as if self-discipline were his best-known language, fluent in all three strains.
Tao Hua couldn't seem to make out what he was saying. It was still far too early to decode this man's curses—but he knew exactly who it was!
Closing his eyes, he let out a soft and exasperated sigh. "Morning, Suo Han."
Startled, Suo Han gasped and dropped the golden trinket once more. Just when he gathered it and nearly tied it up, too! Dratted thing.
The curtain drifted over his shoulders and partly onto his head, messing up his hair that already ran askew with strands of baby hairs. Pay no mind! He simply turned and immediately cupped his hands, bowing toward Tao Hua.
"M-Morning, Young Master!" he exclaimed. "Did I…did I disturb your slumber? I didn't mean to! Well, I did! I was told to! Um…do over.
Once more, Suo Han bowed, and this time it held twice the effort as his earlier one, his pale eyes strained open.
It was as if he were guilty of a crime, enacted by the least frightening person in all the palace.
"G-Good morning, Young Master! Did you sleep well?" he smiled clumsily. "I—this humble servant really hopes you—the young master slept well!"
Suo Han had a habit of speaking louder than tolerable, and each time he did, Tao Hua could feel a piercing pain at his temple. But he'd never say anything, lest he risked Suo Han breaking down and apologizing for another few hours.
So, he quickly learnt it was best just to let the servant run his mouth as he pleased. It wasn't like he was harming anyone.
Tao Hua was first acquainted with this fumbling mess of a man upon his first arrival at the Chuhen Palace; a name he overheard through various discussions.
As soon as he and Shan Si reached the inner court, which was magnificently large and riddled with tall, well-structured walls, Shan Si brought him into yet another hall. According to him and a few of the servants, this hall was known as "The Palace of Heavenly Purity."
Tao Hua didn't quite understand the meaning behind the name, or the purpose of the room. With further observation, he noticed many peculiar things, but what stood out most was a large, extravagant throne.
It was magnificent, sitting a respectable distance away from where the two stood. Just looking at it made Tao Hua feel smaller than he already was.
To reach the throne, one had to ascend a few steps of carpeted stairs. This gave whoever sat in it a bird's-eye view of all who graced the hall, as if they were meant to pitifully look down on them.
Given the red and gold that surrounded that bronze seat, it was best understood that whoever sat there served as the most important person in the palace.
Most likely the emperor and someone Tao Hua wasn't worthy of being in the presence of.
But that only made Tao Hua scratch his head. Could a country have two emperors? No one had ever educated him on court policies, so he was at a complete loss.
It wasn't long after arriving that Shan Si ordered Tao Hua to remain where he stood, leaving him behind overly decorated room, just as he and a few servants left toward the Eastern exit.
During this time, he waited for what seemed to be half an incense time—so it wasn't a long wait at all, but to Tao Hua it felt like an eternity. He'd place his hands behind his back and gently kick his foot, lightly brushing along the reflective black tiles.
When he saw his reflection, the foot stopped, and Tao Hua frowned. He wasn't sure what initiated this, but if he had to guess, it was in seeing how awful and scuffed he looked in comparison to all the glitz and glam of gold and red.
He really wasn't deserving of being in this room.
Stomping his reflection, Tao Hua jolted at the call of "Young Master!" When he looked up, he didn't find Shan Si, nor the servants. Instead, it was a skinny young man, excitedly charging toward him.
The emerging servant was clearly exerting more energy than available, judging by his skinny frame and reddened face. He was about an inch taller than Tao Hua, hair tied up in a thick ponytail, falling just above his shoulders.
Just by the way he placed his shaking hands on his knees and wheezed for breath, this man had been running for a while.
Tao Hua glanced up at the eastern exit, wondering just where Shan Si had gone for this man to be so bent out of shape.
Fortunately, it wasn't awkward! Suo Han had an innate ability to speak more words than Zhonglai's vocabulary—somehow. Tao Hua actually appreciated that of Suo Han, as he wasn't sure what to say at all.
Outside of his grandfather, Shan Si was the first to ever engage in genuine conversation with Tao Hua, and he did so in a way that made him feel comfortable. Such were the ways of an affable person, something Tao Hua could never see himself measuring up to.
Suo Han, on the other hand, did it in a way that filled the void. Not nearly the same, but greatly needed. It helped mask the tugging expression of his heartstrings, and Suo Han's blabbering covered up each peak toward the quiet eastern door.
Nothing.
So, Tao Hua decided to remain patient, as he had for twenty years. They were in the same location, after all, so he was certain Shan Si would show up.
That would be his first mistake.
As Suo Han spoke, he somehow managed to introduce himself in a number of ways, all different yet meaning the exact same thing. This was a man so intelligently creative, he came off utterly stupid.
Tao Hua knew better, however. In the back of his mind, he made a mental note to introduce him to the world of literature. Most servants couldn't read back at the Estate—surely a palace wasn't any different.
But after a few more moments of listening to Suo Han, Shan Si didn't show up and Tao Hua was aware he wasn't going to show up.
His heart sank to his stomach for whatever reason, and it only made hearing Suo Han's voice even more grating.
From each stumbled sentence, to retracted statement, and constantly restarting what he meant to say, Tao Hua couldn't help but let out a quiet groan.
Unintentional, of course. He didn't want to make Suo Han feel uncomfortable. So, in an attempt to ease his frustrations, Tao Hua weakly smiled and found himself asking Suo Han to repeat himself on multiple occasions.
The smile on that servant boy's face was enough to light up that dimly cold room, and it was like looking in a mirror. Except, the reflection was Tao Hua back in Siyue Town.
Yet, understanding Suo Han's loneliness, Tao Hua couldn't quite focus. His eyes would constantly wander back tot he deeply red door to the east, jumping from each golden pattern engraved meticulously.
And from there on, after a while in that main hall of explanation, Tao Hua finally learnt that Suo Han was the servant assigned to all his daily duties. From delivering his food, dressing him, bathing him, and anything a noble typically would be offered.
Which gave reasoning as to why Suo Han kept addressing him as "Young Master."
What he also learnt was that Shan Si had assigned Suo Han to accompany him to get washed up before heading to his chambers.
Tao Hua also understood that meant Shan Si had no intention of returning. Unsure how to feel, he just followed the talking beast of a servant through the palace, head dipped and his mind muddied.
And he thought, At least say goodbye.
Chapter end.
ILLUSTRATION OF SUO HAN IN THE COMMENTS.