“You are a maidservant waiting upon Prince Hao, his personal maidservant, and in the future you will be…” The words ‘room concubine servant’ were stuck in the woman’s throat. Her mood gradually fluctuated and jealousy flashed in her eyes.
Su Xi-er sensed the change in the expression in the woman’s eyes. She has definitely misunderstood the relationship between Prince Hao and I. However, Su Xi-er wasn’t willing to explain. The innocent have no need to justify themselves. Besides, this woman has already fallen prey to Prince Hao’s charms. Anything else I say would be useless.
The woman walked towards Su Xi-er step by step, her eyes never leaving the clothes in Su Xi-er’s hand.
When the woman stopped before Su Xi-er, she suddenly laughed. “Beauty, I’m Shui Yinglian, but you can just call me Lian-er. Can you secretly give this piece of clothing to me to wash?”
Su Xi-er shook her head and flatly refused. “Prince Hao has ordered this servant to wash it. If he finds out that you have washed it instead, both you and I will have to lose our heads. This servant’s life is worthless, so it’s not a pity even if I die. However, Eldest Young Miss, how are you going to face His Excellency County Magistrate if you implicate the whole Shui Residence?”
“You…why do you have so many arguments? It’s just washing a piece of clothing. If even I am unafraid, what do you have to be scared of? Quickly give it to me.” Shui Yinglian was getting anxious. She reached out her hand in an attempt to snatch the clothes in Su Xi-er’s hand.
Su Xi-er deftly moved the clothes behind her back, speaking more forcefully, “Eldest Young Miss, now is not the time to let your emotions affect your decisions. Each and every one of your actions is linked with the whole Shui Residence, including the numerous maidservants standing beside you. With just one slip-up, all of them may have to accompany you in losing their lives.”
When all the maidservants heard the words ‘lose their lives’ they were terribly frightened. Every one of them gazed at Shui Yinglian nervously. If by any chance the Eldest Young Miss does something bad, the Shui Residence will be done for!
Shui Yinglian’s complexion immediately became grim. She wasn’t a person with malicious intentions. As long as the person she admired didn’t have conflicting interests with her, she would sincerely treat them well.
For the beauty in front of her, Shui Yinglian had gotten a good first impression in the palace hall. But after finding out that she was Prince Hao’s personal maidservant and possibly his room concubine servant, she felt increasingly uncomfortable the more she looked at her.
Shui Yinglian pursed her lips and lowered her voice, “I don’t want to make a big deal out of the matter. Since Prince Hao has assigned you to wash them, I won’t fight over it with you anymore. However, tell me truthfully, are you Prince Hao’s room concubine servant?”
Su Xi-er looked at her. What does her brain contain? Does she think that all women are like her, completely intoxicated by Pei Qianhao’s handsome visage?
“I’m an ordinary maidservant who does some odd jobs.”
Shui Yinglian released a sigh of relief as her eyes brightened up. “Was every word of yours the truth?”
Su Xi-er nodded. “There is no need to deceive you.”
“Very well.” Shui Yinglian laughed again, now speaking with traces of cheerfulness. “Is it okay for me to watch you wash? In the future, I’ll look at you no matter what you do.”
At that moment, Lord County Magistrate’s voice sounded. “You’re simply acting willfully! Servants, lock the young miss up. She is forbidden from coming out before Prince Hao leaves!”
“Obeying your orders, Your Excellency.” Two imperial guards immediately went to Shui Yinglian.
Knowing that she was unable to win against them, Shui Yinglian backed down temporarily and followed the imperial guards to bring her along.
However, when Shui Yinglian left, she purposely winked at Su Xi-er.
Lord County Magistrate walked to Su Xi-er’s side. When he saw Prince Hao’s clothes in her hand, his attitude was much more respectful. “Were you planning to look for a basin?”
Lord County Magistrate sighed. “There is no golden basin in this estate, only a silver one. What should we do?”
“Order someone to bring the silver basin over.” It’s fine as long as it is not an ordinary wooden basin. This place isn’t the imperial palace, so I guess we should just put up with it a little.
“Prince Hao won’t reproach us?” Lord County Magistrate asked in puzzlement.
Su Xi-er smiled. “He probably won’t. However, the silver basin must be immaculate.”
Lord County Magistrate nodded before he personally went to bring a silver basin over.
Similar to what she previously did in the Laundry Service Bureau, Su Xi-er drew the well water and washed the clothes many times before hanging them up to dry.
There was no gilded bamboo pole or silver bamboo pole. Thus, Su Xi-er settled for the cleanest one.
Many maidservants saw Su Xi-er washing the clothes and lamented inwardly. It’s really not easy to serve Prince Hao.
At this moment, the rough voice of an imperial guard sounded. “Prepare for the meal!”
All the maidservants ran to the dining hall.
Su Xi-er remained at her original spot and pondered for a while before she went to the kitchen. It should also be time for Pei Qianhao’s meal.
“Madam Cook, where is Prince Hao’s dinner?”
The female cook sized Su Xi-er up carefully. It’s a fine beauty. Her skin, eyes, and figure… I have yet to see someone so beautiful. She was distracted as she stared blankly.
Su Xi-er repeated her question. “Where is Prince Hao’s dinner?”
The female cook returned to her senses. “You are the maidservant serving Prince Hao right?”
Su Xi-er nodded. The female cook pointed at the ingredients in the cupboard. “Prince Hao instructed that his dinner would be prepared by his maidservant.”
What! He made me wash his clothes, and now he’s making me cook for him.
Although I have some rudimentary skills, my cooking definitely can’t compare to this female cook, much less the cooks in the imperial palace.
“You should quickly get to it. Prince Hao instructed that just three dishes would suffice, and that his maidservant would know what to cook.”
Su Xi-er didn’t know how she should reply, so she could only nod. How would I know what he likes to eat!
She went to inspect the many ingredients inside the cupboard. I guess I should pick some simple ones.
When the female cook saw Su Xi-er taking out onions, she was taken aback. So Prince Hao actually likes to eat onions. Afterwards, she carefully watched the whole process of Su Xi-er cooking.
The female cook was extremely surprised by Prince Hao’s tastes. Seeing as to how there are eggs in every dish, he must like to eat eggs a lot…
After finishing the three dishes, Su Xi-er scooped a large serving of rice into a bowl and placed it onto a tray with the rest of the food. She then headed towards Prince Hao’s room.
When Su Xi-er entered the room, there was no one inside. She placed the three dishes and the bowl of rice on the table while she stood to one side, waiting for a certain man to come.
Soon, steady and powerful footsteps could be heard from outside. Su Xi-er knew that he had arrived.
Pei Qianhao walked into the room and briefly swept his gaze over the three dishes. “Every dish has eggs added in it. Do you feel that this prince’s body is weak?”
Eggs are a nutritional supplement. She wouldn’t add them to every dish if she didn’t think that my body is weak.
“Replying to Prince Hao, this servant only knows how to cook dishes related to eggs.”
Pei Qianhao stopped before her and raised her chin, looking at her jocosely. “Women in their postpartum confinement often eat these three dishes. Are you certain that these were cooked for this prince’s consumption?”
“Prince Hao, how do you know what dishes women eat in postpartum confinement?”
Pei Qianhao chuckled. “This prince doesn’t know specifically which dishes, but this prince knows that women in postpartum confinement must eat eggs and wood ear[*].”
“Prince Hao, if you don’t like to eat them, this servant will remove the dishes and instruct the female cook to make some that you like to eat.” She then turned her head and broke away from Pei Qianhao’s grasp.
(* A common type of black fungus.)
