“Come, have a taste.” Pei Qianhao passed the chopsticks to Su Xi-er.
“This servant can’t take the chopsticks you have used, Prince Hao.” Su Xi-er declined indirectly.
Pei Qianhao however, was undeterred. Picking up a vegetable with the chopsticks, he simply stood up and forced Su Xi-er to open her mouth to swallow it.
In an instant, Su Xi-er knitted her eyebrows. Too salty.
“Isn’t it delicious? Finish eating all three dishes. Consider it as this prince rewarding you.” He then placed the chopsticks into Su Xi-er’s hand.
Su Xi-er looked at the three dishes. I can’t finish eating all of this even if I wanted to. But I can’t refuse even if I want to. Thus, she could only stare as Pei Qianhao walked out of the room.
Sitting on the now empty wooden chair, she pulled a long face as she began eating. Every dish is salty. How would it be possible for me to eat all of this? Why don’t I… just secretly pour it out when he’s not paying attention?
However, Pei Qianhao seemed to read her mind as his deep and low voice sounded from the inner chamber. “Finish eating everything. This prince will be checking. If this prince finds out that you have secretly thrown any out, there will be an even more severe punishment waiting..”
With that, Su Xi-er’s plan was ruined and she could only force herself to eat the dishes.
Approximately an hour later, Su Xi-er had run into a dead end. I can’t finish. At the same time, there was also zero movement from the inner chamber. Is Pei Qianhao already resting?
The sun set as the moon slowly climbed into the night sky. The expression in Su Xi-er’s eyes darkened before she finally, she placed her chopsticks down, wiped her mouth, and headed for the inner chamber.
She stopped outside the door and respectfully admitted, “Prince Hao, this servant is unable to eat any more. It’s this servant’s fault for not cooking well. Prince Hao, please go ahead and punish this servant; I will have no complaints.”
There was no sound from the inner chamber, yet Su Xi-er continued to stand outside the room door without moving or speaking.
Only after quite a long while did a deep and low voice sound from the inner chamber. “Come in.”
Fearing that she would see something she shouldn’t see, Su Xi-er lowered her head as she walked in. She bent her knees and paid her respects. “This servant pays her respects to Prince Hao.”
“You have become surprisingly obedient after leaving the imperial palace. You won’t have any complaints, no matter how this prince punishes you?” Pei Qianhao unhurriedly remarked in a calm tone.
Su Xi-er nodded. “I’ll comply with however Prince Hao punishes me.”
It’s fine as long as he doesn’t make me continue eating. All I did was sprinkle a little salt, just like I had when I was still in Nanzhao. Who knew that it would have made everything so salty?
“Words are like spilt milk: they cannot be taken back. You should understand this principle.” Pei Qianhao softly said, following which his expression became devilish.
“Take off your clothes. All of them.” His tone was calm and measured; he was not joking.
This is his method of punishment. Su Xi-er’s body stiffened and her breathing almost stopped. How could I have said that I would absolutely comply with any of his punishments with no complaints? How could I have forgotten that I have to be cautious of this person’s perverted nature?
Pei Qianhao laid on his side at the bedside, his hand propping up his head as his raised eyebrows showed off a devilishly languid aura.
“There’s no use crying over spilt milk,” he reminded.
Su Xi-er raised her head to look at him, her lips firmly pursed. Her hands gradually moved upwards and started to undo the buttons.
Slowly, the grey Chinese bodice was revealed, causing Pei Qianhao’s expression to become unpleasant. She just had to wear a grey one.
When she reached the last button, Su Xi-er fiercely flung the coarse clothes onto the floor and looked straight at Pei Qianhao. “Prince Hao, are you satisfied?”
Pei Qianhao’s gaze landed on the back of her shoulder which had a dark-coloured welt. Did she not use the medicinal powder I gave her? Otherwise, how could there still be a scar?
“Walk to this prince.” Pei Qianhao straightened his body with a solemn expression. The tinge of intimidation in his tone was enough to cause people to feel oppressed.
Just as she was about to bump into him, he raised his right hand and pulled her over.
Su Xi-er’s centre of gravity wasn’t stable, causing her to fall into his embrace.
Pei Qianhao didn’t make any other movements besides his right hand wandering around the scar on the back of her shoulder. “Why didn’t you apply the medicinal powder? This scar will fade if you apply it daily.”
“This servant’s body is filled with scars. Many thanks for bestowing the medicinal powder on this servant Prince Hao. The scars on this servant’s back have already faded; it’s simply that this one is a bit deeper and requires more time.”
Pei Qianhao’s eyes slightly narrowed. “The last time I saw the scar on the back of your shoulder, it wasn’t as severe as it is today. Who whipped you?”
‘The last time I saw you’ he mentioned was referring to the day where he had forced her to change into a red Chinese bodice. At that time, he had broken his promise and turned around to look at her.
“No one whipped this servant. This servant cut myself with the golden bamboo pole when I was washing the clothes.” Su Xi-er then twisted her body, wanting to get up.
Pei Qianhao stopped her, taking out a bottle of medicinal powder from under his pillow and helping her to apply it on her scar.
Only after he was done did he realise that he had actually applied the medicinal powder for her personally. The first time…
Unmindful of Pei Qianhao’s thoughts, Su Xi-er was still wriggling around in an attempt to escape his grasp.
Pei Qianhao stowed away the white porcelain bottle before he placed his hands on her waist, reversing their positions with a flip.
His eyes were filled with danger as he observed Su Xi-er, who was now pressed under his body. “You think that this prince’s body is weak?”
Su Xi-er raised her head to look at him. “This servant has never said that.”
“The three dishes all contained eggs. Isn’t that implying that this prince’s body is weak?” Pei Qianhao’s head gradually lowered as he spoke, eventually ending up right next to her ear.
Feeling his warm breath against her skin, Su Xi-er felt very uncomfortable. She didn’t like being controlled by others.
“Prince Hao, the Beauty Palace is full of women who dress up exquisitely for the sole purpose of welcoming you into their rooms. Prince Hao…” Before she could finish, she was interrupted by Pei Qianhao.
“You also came from the Beauty Palace, although it was the Empress Dowager who dispatched you there.”
Su Xi-er’s hands pressed against his chest as she refused. “Only with their name carved on the Beauty Plaque is one considered a woman of the Beauty Palace. This servant is not one of those women as my name wasn’t carved. Please do not forget that this servant is from the Palace Side Quarters.”
Pei Qianhao chuckled. “This prince knows that you scrub the chamber pots.”
His hands then reached out to secure her own, his gaze landing on her lips.
His handsome face was gradually enlarged before her eyes.
Just as his lips were about to press onto hers, Su Xi-er raised her legs and ruthlessly kicked his buttocks. At the same time, she nimbly raised her head and slammed into Pei Qianhao with all her might.
Pei Qianhao didn’t expect that she could still launch such a powerful attack despite already being restrained by him. For a split second, his strength relaxed, allowing Su Xi-er to escape from his hands.
However, Pei Qianhao wasn’t such an easy target to be fooled with.
He reached out his right hand and made a deft grabbing motion just as Su Xi-er dodged. The Chinese bodice’s strap loosened, and the grey cloth floated onto the floor.
Su Xi-er’s expression changed. Her arms were hugged around herself as she looked at him with alarm.
Pei Qianhao commented jocosely, “The one who should be eating eggs is you. Your body is weak. It isn’t big anywhere.”
There was an overtone in his words, causing Su Xi-er’s face to turn white on the left side and red on the right side in anger and embarrassment.
“You don’t have to look at this prince in such a manner. This prince hasn’t eaten you yet.”
“Prince Hao, this servant has already received the punishment. This servant can leave now.” She then bent down to pick up the grey Chinese bodice.
Just as she was about to pick it up, a large hand blocked her path and took her towards the bedside.
In an instant, her whole body was flung onto the bed.
“Such an ugly Chinese bodice. You’re better off not wearing it.”
Su Xi-er simply didn’t understand. How is the colour of the Chinese bodice I wear any of his business?
