“So on guard. Since this prince has pulled it off once today, I won’t pull it off a second time.”
Su Xi-er really wanted to retort, “Who knows whether you will strip it off?”
“Tell me truthfully. Have you worn it?” Pei Qianhao slowly closed in on her until finally, he stood at her bedside while looking down at her.
“Prince Hao, this servant doesn’t understand why you continue to come to my room over and over.”
Pei Qianhao’s pitched rose he replied, “Over and over again? Then let this prince ask you, how many times altogether have I come here?”
Su Xi-er didn’t answer anymore. She wouldn’t have counted the number of times he came. She only felt that he had come too many times.
“You can’t give an answer? Then why did you say ‘over and over again’? Besides, nobody can control where this prince goes.” His voice was domineering and arrogant.
That’s right, I can’t control where he goes.
“Since you are unwilling to say, this prince naturally has a way.” Pei Qianhao bent down until their eyes were level.
Su Xi-er subconsciously retreated backwards when the handsome face in front of her was suddenly enlarged. Just as she had done so, a large hand reached for her waist. She could feel the warmth from Pei Qianhao’s palm through her clothes.
As his lips were about to press onto hers, he suddenly stopped, the corners of his lips upturned and his eyes slightly narrowed. There was no sense of oppression, but his devilish and unrestrained manner made people unable to understand his intent.
“Tell this prince honestly whether you have worn it, and this prince will let you off.”
Su Xi-er looked at him. The problem is that I haven’t worn it at all. Moreover, how is it his business as to whether I have worn it?
“Prince Hao, why did you instruct this servant to mend the Chinese bodice? Furthermore,why did you bestow the Chinese bodice to this servant?”
Pei Qianhao smiled. “Where did so many ‘whys’ come from? Can’t this prince suddenly be carried away by a whim?”
“May this servant be so bold as to ask, did you also take in the 72 beauties of the Beauty Palace because you were suddenly carried away by a whim?”
Pei Qianhao gazed at her. No one has asked this question of hers before. Rather, no one has dared to do so. And yet, she is now the first person who has the guts to ask.
“Are you mentioning Beauty Palace because you regret it? You want to enter?” Before she could reply, Pei Qianhao continued.
“That does make sense; after all, compared to scrubbing chamber pots in the Palace Side Quarters and washing clothes in the Laundry Service Bureau, days in the Beauty Palace are an enjoyment. However, it’s too late for you to regret now. This prince won’t take you into the Beauty Palace.”
Su Xi-er was delighted in her heart, but showed nothing on her face. She looked at him and sounded him out, “Really?”
“People can’t distinguish if this prince’s words are genuine or fake, but this time, let this prince tell you explicitly: they’re true.”
In an instant, Su Xi-er was greatly relieved as the enormous stone in her heart landed.
Suddenly, Pei Qianhao let go of her, turned around, and walked towards the wardrobe.
Opening it up, his eyes darted back and forth before finally landing on two white porcelain bottles.
Pei Qianhao took them individually, opened the covers and sniffed them. He could identify which bottle was his and which bottle Situ Li’s in one try.
His eyebrows furrowed when he found a huge discrepancy in the amount of medicinal powder left in either bottle. The bottle Situ Li gave has less medicinal powder remaining, which indicates that it was used more.
He felt displeased in his heart. She is disdainful of the things I give?
Pei Qianhao put the white porcelain bottle given by Situ Li into his sleeves without saying a word.
Su Xi-er got up from the bed and stood at one side. From her angle, she couldn’t see which bottle he had taken.
Pei Qianhao glanced at her. “You used little of the bottle this prince gave you, but so much of the bottle the Third Imperial Prince gave you. Are you really that disdainful of the things this prince gave you?”
“Prince Hao, please quell your anger. This servant applied some for Ruo Yuan. She was thrashed by the cudgel and her body was covered in bruises.”
Yet, the clarification that she thought would have mollified him only served to cause his expression to darken.
“After you finished applying with the Third Imperial Prince’s bottle, were you planning to help the fat palace maid apply the one this prince gave you?”
Su Xi-er felt that Pei Qianhao was petty. Since he has given it to me, why should he care about how I use it?
“This prince orders you, only you are allowed to use the things this prince bestows to you. If you let this prince find out otherwise, be prepared for the consequences.” He then shifted his gaze and continued looking into the cupboard.
Looking at the last shelf, Pei Qianhao bent down and took out the Chinese bodice pressed right at the bottom.
“You are still so disdainful of the things this prince bestowed you.”
Su Xi-er shook her head. “How would this servant dare to be disdainful? It’s simply because this servant has no chance to use it as a palace maid. Only a woman with status is fit to wear a red Chinese bodice. A palace maid can’t.”
Pei Qianhao walked closer to her as he held the red Chinese bodice, his voice deep and low. “What you mean is that…you want to be a woman in a high position?”
“This servant didn’t say that.”
Her reply elicited a chuckle from him. “Say whatever you think. What are you scared of? Being in an eminent position, it’s actually very simple…” At this point, his gaze hinted at a deeper meaning.
Su Xi-er immediately became alert. Would his following words be very shameless?
Looking at how on guard she was, he relaxed his expression and slowly said, “You won’t do it even if I say it out. You don’t need to be nervous. However, wear it for this prince right now.”
He then passed the red Chinese bodice to her.
Su Xi-er didn’t want to take it, so Pei Qianhao flung it at her.
He looked at her in a calm and composed manner. “Wear it.”
Su Xi-er felt helpless. If I don’t wear it, he will hang around here and not leave. It would be better if I take a step back and concede.
“Prince Hao, please turn around.”
Pei Qianhao didn’t reply and turned in the other direction. Su Xi-er walked to the corner and also turned around to dress herself.
After she was done putting on the Chinese bodice and her upper outer garment, she straightened out her clothes slightly and turned around.
The moment she turned around, she eyes widened. He…When did he turn back?!
Wouldn’t that mean that he had seen everything just now? He’s too shameless! He doesn’t feel guilty or embarrassed at all!
Su Xi-er had never been treated like this before. Her innate arrogant and chilly aura engulfed her whole body as she looked at him coldly. “Prince Hao, do you know how to write the word ‘shameless’?”
“I don’t know. Why don’t you write it for this prince to see?” He could discern the chilly aura and the deeply ingrained arrogance practically radiating from her pupils. Why does she have such an aura when she’s in a low position?
There must be some sort of story behind her. However, I have already had her background looked into. When she was very young, her mother had died and her father sold her. Afterwards, she entered the imperial palace and became a palace maid in the Palace Side Quarters from a freak combination of factors.
“Prince Hao, this servant hopes you won’t make things difficult for me.” Su Xi-er retracted her cold aura and enunciated.
Pei Qianhao was about to reply when a voice could be heard from outside the door. It was He Ying.
“Su Xi-er, get out here. You are too daring to have killed the Empress Dowager’s Flower! Servants, come and drag her out from the room.”
So it turns out that Flower still died.
Pei Qianhao looked at her. “What’s going on?”
“It’s a long story. Prince Hao, hide for a while. It wouldn’t be good if others see you in this servant’s room.”
