It is rare to have a leisurely spring in one's life.
In the warm spring season, with gentle breezes and pleasant weather, Jiang Yunshu felt that this year's spring was much more comfortable than last year's.
Several spring rains had washed the world clean. After the sky cleared, the gentle breeze blew on her face, bringing a refreshing coolness.
In recent days, Jiang Yunshu often heard the laughter and playfulness of the palace maids floating in from outside the walls of Weiyang Palace. She could also see kites flying high in the sky.
Spring days were precious. After finishing their work, the palace maids took advantage of the good weather to have fun.
Two days later, the maids complained that the wind was too weak for the kites to fly high, so they switched to kicking shuttlecocks.
Kicking shuttlecocks was even more lively than flying kites. The high palace walls couldn't block their laughter and cheers, especially when they all booed together.
Whenever this happened, Jiang Yunshu couldn't help but look in the direction of the sound, even though she knew her view would be blocked by the high walls.
Taoye and Zhezhi also showed envious looks on their faces when they heard the sounds outside.
Jiang Yunshu noticed this and felt a pang of pity. Taoye and Zhezhi led a lonely life in the deep palace. Xie Lin disliked the smell of adults, so Taoye and Zhezhi had to serve Jiang Yunshu while carefully avoiding Xie Lin.
One day, Zhezhi went to the small kitchen to pick up the meals and brought back a bunch of brightly - colored feathers.
Jiang Yunshu asked curiously, "What do you have in your hand?"
Zhezhi showed it to Jiang Yunshu like presenting a treasure, "These are chicken feathers the small kitchen gave me. They've been washed clean and don't stink."
"Miss, you don't know. These chicken feathers are very precious now. In order to make beautiful shuttlecocks, as soon as the imperial kitchen kills a chicken, the palace maids immediately rush to grab the most beautiful feathers."
"No one grabs the chicken feathers in our Weiyang Palace. When the small kitchen heard about it, they specially saved the best feathers for us and gave them to me today so that we can make shuttlecocks."
The chicken feathers in Zhezhi's hand were indeed brightly colored and beautiful. Jiang Yunshu leaned over to take a look and said, "These don't look like ordinary chicken feathers. They seem to be the plumes of pheasants or golden pheasants... I wonder where the small kitchen found them?"
After hearing this, Zhezhi cherished the feathers in her hand even more and sewed a shuttlecock that day.
When Xie Lin went out during the day and Jiang Yunshu was dancing, Taoye and Zhezhi found a shady corner to kick the shuttlecock.
Seeing them having so much fun, Jiang Yunshu didn't want to dance anymore. She ran over and joined them in kicking the shuttlecock.
Before she time - traveled, Jiang Yunshu hadn't kicked shuttlecocks much. She had been busy practicing dance from childhood to adulthood, and after time - traveling, she had even fewer opportunities to kick shuttlecocks.
However, Jiang Yunshu silently watched how Taoye and Zhezhi kicked the shuttlecock for a while and quickly learned.
She kicked the shuttlecock forward, backward, and even did fancy kicks by jumping up...
Taoye and Zhezhi cheered her on from the side, and Jiang Yunshu got more and more excited as she kicked.
Xiazhi and Xiaoman also ran over to watch. The two young palace maids' eyes were full of admiration.
When Jiang Yunshu got tired of kicking, she threw the shuttlecock to the young maids and said, "You try."
Xiazhi and Xiaoman both shook their heads. They had never kicked a shuttlecock before and were afraid of making a fool of themselves in front of Jiang Yunshu at the beginning.
Hearing the waves of laughter outside the courtyard wall, Jiang Yunshu thought it was really pitiful that Xiazhi and Xiaoman were trapped in Weiyang Palace at such a young age.
"What does it matter if you can't kick well? We're just playing freely behind closed courtyard gates."
Jiang Yunshu thought that although she couldn't give the palace maids around her freedom, she should at least let them have some fun in Weiyang Palace during this wonderful spring.
Taoye and Zhezhi also said, "Right, it's not difficult at all. We'll teach you."
Xiazhi and Xiaoman looked at each other. After all, they were still just children and soon couldn't resist the temptation and started learning to kick the shuttlecock.
"Pop - "
Suddenly, a small, bald shuttlecock fell into the courtyard from over the high wall.
The laughter outside the courtyard wall stopped abruptly.
Jiang Yunshu reached out to pick up the bald shuttlecock, looked up at the high wall, and said in surprise, "How did they kick it in from so high?"
Zhezhi took the shuttlecock, looked at it, and said, "Our shuttlecocks are much more beautiful."
She weighed the bald shuttlecock in her hand. Although there were only a few feathers left on it, the bottom was heavy. "There are probably four or five copper coins sewn inside."
Only then did Jiang Yunshu remember that shuttlecocks at this time were all made with copper coins. Although four or five copper coins weren't a lot, losing them would still make the palace maid feel sad.
"Give it back to them," Jiang Yunshu said.
Zhezhi walked to the courtyard gate of Weiyang Palace and threw the shuttlecock out.
It was a long time before a palace maid ran over from outside. She quickly bent down to pick up the shuttlecock and then scurried away.
Seeing this, Zhezhi said helplessly, "We were kind enough to return the shuttlecock to them, but they treat us like a scourge."
Jiang Yunshu smiled and pushed Zhezhi, "Don't be so self - important. What she's afraid of isn't you."
It was the chief maid.
Even though they were all palace maids in the palace, the maids outside were very afraid of the maids in Weiyang Palace.
In the eyes of the outside maids, Weiyang Palace, where Xie Lin lived, was like a den of tigers and dragons, and everyone inside was terrifying.
Jiang Yunshu asked curiously, "If they're so afraid of Weiyang Palace, why do they still kick shuttlecocks next to it?"
Zhezhi quickly found out the reason, "Those maids even divided areas for kicking shuttlecocks."
"They couldn't out - compete the other maids, and the only place with shade left was next to Weiyang Palace."
"Actually, it's not that close to Weiyang Palace. There are tree branches above, and the palace wall is so high. I really don't know how they managed to kick the shuttlecock in."
Taoye laughed and said, "It was just a coincidence that it got kicked in. There probably won't be a second time."
However, Taoye was wrong this time.
In the following days, the shuttlecock was kicked in several more times. Every time Taoye and Zhezhi picked up the shuttlecock, they would throw it outside the courtyard gate.
As the number of times increased, the outside maids no longer avoided Taoye and Zhezhi like snakes and scorpions.
From running away after picking up the shuttlecock, they started to give a smile, and then to softly say thank you...
A few days later, when the shuttlecock was kicked in again, Zhezhi couldn't help but ask curiously, "How on earth do you kick it so high?"
The palace maid pursed her lips and smiled, "We have a strong - armed girl."
Hearing this, a group of maids not far away burst into giggles and all reached out to push the so - called "strong - armed girl".
After Zhezhi came back, she told Jiang Yunshu enviously, "They're divided into two teams for a competition."
Only then did Jiang Yunshu learn that there were many ways to play shuttlecock - kicking among the palace maids. The rules of the competition were similar to those of football. They used tree branches to form a simple "goal".
There were three "goals" arranged in a row: the lower one, the middle one, and the upper one. Kicking the shuttlecock into the lowest goal scored one point, the middle one scored two points, and the highest one scored three points!
Since the highest goal was very high, it was extremely difficult to kick the shuttlecock into it. It required both strength and skill.
The "strong - armed girl" surrounded by the maids was strong enough but lacked skill. She often kicked the shuttlecock flying.
Almost all the shuttlecocks that flew into Weiyang Palace were kicked in by her.
At first, the maids were very nervous. But now, seeing that the maids in Weiyang Palace always kindly returned the shuttlecock to them, they were no longer afraid.
Jiang Yunshu asked Taoye to tell those maids, "It's okay for them to kick shuttlecocks there when the chief maid is not around."
"Don't let them kick the shuttlecocks when the Chief Eunuch is around."
Xie Lin was known for his unpredictable moods. Not only might the shuttlecocks flying in annoy him, but the giggles of the maids could also potentially upset him.
The maids naturally agreed repeatedly.
Taoye said, "My lady, you don't have to worry about them. When the Chief Eunuch returns, they'll surely stay far away."
"Taking advantage of the fine spring weather to have a little secret fun in the palace isn't a big deal. Besides, the maids know their limits and would never dare to neglect their work or disturb the noble ones."
Taoye sighed inwardly. After all, their lady still lacked an official title.
Moreover, their lady was so kind - hearted that the maids showed her less respect.
Jiang Yunshu had no idea what Taoye was secretly thinking. She was preoccupied with another matter.
The shuttlecock - kicking competition among the maids sounded so interesting...
Throughout the year, there were only a few days of such sunny, mild, and pleasant spring weather.
And in one's life, how many such spring days could one have during their youth?
She couldn't join the maids in the shuttlecock - kicking competition...
But she could test Xie Lin's attitude and suggest that Taoye and Zhezhi play with the young maids in Weiyang Palace.
After all, it was just a few steps away from the entrance of Weiyang Palace. It didn't seem too excessive...
Jiang Yunshu was carefully considering how to broach the topic with Xie Lin when suddenly, she asked curiously, "Is shuttlecock - kicking in spring an established custom in the palace?"
She had also entered the palace around this time last year. Why hadn't she seen the maids kicking shuttlecocks then?
Taoye replied with a smile, "I was also wondering about this. I asked those shuttlecock - kicking maids, and they said it wasn't a thing in previous years."
"This year, it all started because the Empress Dowager Wu loves kicking shuttlecocks. It began in the Fengyi Palace of the Empress Dowager, and then the maids all started doing it..."
Jiang Yunshu looked surprised. "Really? It's the Empress Dowager?"
But then she thought about it. Empress Dowager Wu was only two years older than her and was in the prime of her youth.
Now that she was the Empress Dowager and unrestrained, it was only natural for her to have some fun in the palace.
