Without needing him to signal with his eyes, two imperial guards hauled He Ying out of the Laundry Service Bureau and toward Yuchi Mo’s location.
The very same imperial guards that He Ying had brought along were now dragging her to have her eyes dug out.
He Ying was angry and scared. The sound of her unceasing screams frightened the palace maids in the Laundry Service Bureau until their whole bodies stiffened.
Pei Qianhao swept his gaze over all the palace maids. “Are you all standing there and doing nothing because you want your eyeballs to be gouged out?”
Everyone’s expression changed and Old Maidservant Li immediately bowed. “This old servant will be returning to my room now.”
She then waved her hands at all the palace maids. “All of you, return to your rooms!”
The palace maids immediately scattered without even a single one left behind. Su Xi-er also turned around and headed towards her room.
However, she was stopped by Pei Qianhao before she could get far. “You, stay behind.”
Su Xi-er turned around and looked at him. “Prince Hao, this servant doesn’t want my eyeballs to be gouged out.”
“Who wants your eyeballs?”
This pair of eyes is the most unique. I’m still not done with appreciating them.
“Prince Hao, what do you want to do? This servant has already worn the red Chinese bodice.”
At this moment, Pei Qianhao released her arm and said slowly, “Keep this Chinese bodice. You are not allowed to get rid of it. As for what this prince wants to do, at the very least, I won’t do anything to you tonight.”
“Many thanks to Prince Hao. This servant still has to work tomorrow, so I will be going back to my room to rest.”
How could Pei Qianhao possibly let her leave? “This prince won’t instruct someone to send clothes over tomorrow. You have no work to do tomorrow.”
Su Xi-er didn’t reply, only looking at him quietly. It wasn’t because she didn’t want to speak, but because she had nothing to say.
Right at this moment, Wu Ling walked into the Laundry Service Bureau swiftly. Seeing Prince Hao, he immediately bowed and paid his greetings.
However, he was taken aback when he spotted Su Xi-er. Why is she standing together with His Highness? More importantly, she’s even staring at him in such a manner.
Pei Qianhao happened to notice his expression as he sized her up. Wu Ling only discovered Prince Hao looking at him a moment later, causing him to immediately become solemn. “Prince Hao, the Empress Dowager…”
Wu Ling paused at this point and glanced pointedly at Su Xi-er. She’s a palace maid, after all. It wouldn’t be appropriate for her to hear this.
Pei Qianhao didn’t mind it at all. “Continue.”
Wu Ling had no choice but to listen to Prince Hao’s command. “This subordinate dispatched people to send the Empress Dowager back to the Compassionate Peace Palace, but Lord Pei said that the Empress Dowager will first stay in the Pei Residence for a few days. He also…invited you to head towards the Pei Residence.”
Su Xi-er pondered a little. These words weren’t spoken by the Empress Dowager, but Lord Pei. If he went as far as to ask Prince Hao head to the Pei Residence, does Lord Pei hope that Pei Qianhao can give in and bring the Empress Dowager back to the imperial palace?
However, will Pei Qianhao concede?
“If the Empress Dowager doesn’t want to return to the palace, let her continue staying at the Pei Residence. Don’t report these trivial matters to this prince.”
Wu Ling was surprised. These are trivial matters but Su Xi-er’s matters aren’t? Despite having such thoughts in his heart, he wouldn’t dare voice it aloud.
“Alright, you are dismissed.” Pei Qianhao waved his hand before looking at Su Xi-er. “You are sometimes punctilious, but sometimes careless.” He then turned around and simply walked away, leaving Su Xi-er standing there alone, baffled.
He is letting me go so easily? He even said that I’m careless? When have I been careless?
Unbeknownst to her, Pei Qianhao’s remark was concerning the pearl that he had once placed in the tiny groove in her room. Even now, she had yet to discover it.
Wu Ling gazed at Prince Hao’s departure before turning around to look at Su Xi-er carefully. She just looks beautiful. Why does Prince Hao treat her differently?
Wu Ling’s eyelids twitched. She’s actually minding Prince Hao’s matters!
“The matter has spiralled into a huge commotion. With the Empress Dowager and Prince Hao in a rage, the whole imperial palace is trembling in fear. The ones who stand to lose the most from this exaggerated argument are the palace maids and eunuchs.” Su Xi-er explained slowly before she bowed and prepared to return to her room.
“Su Xi-er, Prince Hao doesn’t like artificial women who pester him.”
“Imperial Bodyguard Wu, why are you telling this servant all these?”
“I just casually mentioned it. However, if you deliberately act in a pretentious manner rather than carry yourself with your real temperament, you will be discovered by Prince Hao. At that time, it will cause him to be displeased and kill you.”
“Imperial Bodyguard Wu, you are worrying too much. It’s better for you to return earlier.” Su Xi-er then walked towards her room door nimbly.
Wu Ling looked at the closed door. Prince Hao will surely lose interest in her after the novelty wears off, won’t he? What Beimin doesn’t lack the most is beautiful women. This is even disregarding the fact that other small nations have to offer beauties every few years.
Wu Ling lamented for a while before he finally left the Laundry Service Bureau, hurrying to the Prince Hao Residence.
An hour later, Wu Ling entered the Prince Hao Residence, but realised that Prince Hao wasn’t resting. Instead, he was sitting in the main seat in the hall as his right fingers knocked the table again and again.
Hence, Wu Ling plucked up his courage to ask, “Your Highness, are you really not going to the Pei Residence?”
Pei Qianhao’s knocking stopped. “Pass on the news into the Pei Residence that the head palace maid serving beside the Empress Dowager had her eyeballs gouged out under this prince’s orders.”
“Ah?” Evidently, Wu Ling was unable to accept this piece of shocking news. He Ying’s eyeballs have been dug out?
“Why are you still not going there quickly?”
Wu Ling immediately stowed away his astonished expression and accepted the orders before leaving. However, he had only taken a few steps when he heard a cold voice again.
“Afterwards, go to the Laundry Service Bureau and monitor Su Xi-er. See what other tricks she is going to play.” A subtle glint flickered across Pei Qianhao’s eyes as he gave his orders.
Wu Ling was surprised again. I even have to monitor her? Truly, even I don’t understand what Prince Hao wants to do anymore. Why doesn’t he just take her into the Beauty Palace?
Finding that the more he mulled over it, the more confused he became, Wu Ling decided to purge his mind of the matter before rapidly leaving the hall and heading to the Pei Residence.
~~~
While all this had been quietly occurring, a ruckus had been going on in another part of the imperial palace.
Yuchi Mo looked at the detained He Ying. He confirmed once again, “Prince Hao instructed for Miss He’s eyeballs to be dug out?”
The imperial guard immediately nodded. “Yes.”
He Ying repeatedly protested, “I am someone who serves the Empress Dowager. If the Empress Dowager finds out, you will definitely bear all the consequences!”
Yuchi Mo shook his head. “If this subordinate doesn’t comply with Prince Hao’s orders, I will still bear all the consequences.”
“You…” He Ying’s eyes widened as went speechless as she glared at him with anger.
“Bring the stove here,” Yuchi Mo instructed as he took a small knife from the table.
He Ying’s whole body was writhing, but the ropes binding her were tight enough to prevent her from budging.
“You didn’t stay in the Compassionate Peace Palace properly and just had to run to where Prince Hao was to behave atrociously. Miss He, don’t blame me.”
“Yuchi Mo!” He Ying glared at him ferociously.
The stove was soon brought over by his subordinates. Yuchi Mo briefly heated the knife before removing it from the stove.
“These eyeballs will be gone with two moves of the knife. It won’t hurt after a few days. It’s considered a favour that Prince Hao didn’t ask for your life.” He then raised the knife and aimed it at He Ying’s eyeballs.
Suddenly, it was as if a wind had blown past her eyes.
A man clad in long black robes appeared in everyone’s sight, swiftly snatching He Ying over.
Yuchi Mo watched him without speaking a word; rather, he had expected that this person would come.
It was fortunate that Su Xi-er was currently not around. If she had been present, she would have definitely recognised the man in black clothes. This was the man who had wanted to kill her in the former Empress’ repose palace.
