I am the Ruler of the Kingdom of Mysterious-Chapter 122 - 99: Wanxi’s Notes (2)

I’m afraid of scaring her, if she gets frightened and runs away, I would be sad.

The next maid probably won’t be like her, bringing flowers to decorate my study, nor did the previous maids.

[March 13]

This morning, I deliberately stayed in the study to wait for Huilan to come and clean. As soon as she saw me, she let out a scream, dropping the freshly picked flowers all over the floor.

Huilan did not flee in fright. She stared at me for a moment and surprisingly said I am good-looking. It’s the first time in my life anyone has said I’m good-looking.

They only ever call me a freak. Even my own parents look at me with worried faces, full of disgust.

Today I spoke with Huilan a lot, more than I do in a whole year, and I was very happy.

[March 14]

Today I eagerly waited for Huilan in the study. Once she arrived, I asked her to take me to dig bamboo shoots. Seeing her look so anxious, I felt both sad and amused.

I know the steward has instructed that no one should allow me to leave the Hidden Moon Pavilion, under penalty of death.

Even though the bamboo grove is just a door away from Hidden Moon Pavilion, I cannot step through that door.

I didn’t make it hard for Huilan; it’s not easy for her either. Her little sister cries outside the yard every few days. That day, Huilan didn’t even eat a bite of the pheasant, giving the rest to her sister.

I showed Huilan the ghost stories I wrote, but she said she couldn’t understand them. She must have been too afraid to say they were bad.

Huilan told me about a very interesting person, a storyteller, who can make ghost stories come to life.

If I had such ability, I would make everyone become like me, so I wouldn’t be a freak anymore.

I asked Huilan how she learned to read and write so well. She said she has a younger brother who attends school, and she secretly learned by following him, sometimes helping him write the punishments set by his tutor—she practiced along the way.

Turns out, Huilan was sold into the Ming Mansion by her family, and they aren’t destitute; her parents just don’t care about her, like mine.

Tomorrow is the fifteenth again; I need to remind Huilan not to stay in the Hidden Moon Pavilion tomorrow night.

...

[March 16]

This morning, Huilan came to Hidden Moon Pavilion and saw the room covered in blood. I looked like a beast and terrified her.

In the past, I would deliberately let those maids see me after I had my episode every fifteenth, feeding on human blood, to teach them to fear me so that they wouldn’t try to humiliate me anymore.

But I didn’t want Huilan to see me like this. Yet, she returned too early, before I could clean up.

I locked myself in the bedroom, skipped breakfast and lunch. Huilan knocked on the door, left a food box, and then left.

Was she scared? Why didn’t she say a few more words to me?

She must have been afraid, and from now on will avoid me.

No need for her to avoid me, as I won’t see her anymore just like before. I know how to avoid her.

...

Huilan left a paper frog in the food box, which jumps when pressed on its rear—children’s toys, yet she used it to amuse me.

Seems like I overthought, the food Huilan made is as delicious as always.

...

[April 1st]

Huilan actually received her full monthly salary without any deductions.

Upon asking, I found out that she had been ingratiating herself with a senior maid in my mother’s court every day, occasionally sending her small gifts. Today, she got that maid to lead my mother to the account room, exposing their scheme to withhold my monthly allowance.

Even though my mother doesn’t like me, she has to play the role of a caring mother and would not tolerate the servants mistreating me.

I suppose no one will dare to dock my allowance for at least half a year now.

Huilan is so clever.

But she is overly kind, especially to her sister. Despite knowing her sister is lazy and greedy, she still indulges her, even when she can’t keep up with the work in my courtyard and has to help her sister with chores.

Huilan says she’s the eldest sister, and an elder sister should take care of younger siblings.

I am also the eldest sister. I have a younger brother, but Qing Yang doesn’t need my care; he wishes he didn’t have a freak for a sister.

...

[April 20]

Finally, my ghost story frightened Huilan.

She had a nightmare where children were pulling her, asking her to play with them.

Huilan asked me if I wrote such stories because no one played with me as a child.

As a freak like me, who would want to be friends with me?

Huilan, does she only regard me as a young mistress to be respected, adhering strictly to her duties as a maid?

Today, Huilan taught me how to make a Paper Mache Man. Next time, when I write a ghost story about it, I’ll depict it as a being draped in terrifying attire, scaring people away to keep them safe. (Note①)