To think that there is actually a woman in this world who gets to enjoy such treatment. I’m afraid that even the future Princess Consort Hao won’t be able to be treated in such a manner.
The more he thought about it, the more he felt that things were anything but reassuring. Su Xi-er is only a palace maid from the Palace Side Quarters. Wu Ling shook his head. Only after a cold voice came from within the room did he come back to his senses.
“Quickly go to the silk mill.”
Wu Ling immediately bowed and accepted the order. “This subordinate will go now.” He then turned around and rapidly walked away.
~~~
In the room, Pei Qianhao placed the white fungus lotus seed soup on the table. “Come over and drink it yourself.”
Su Xi-er nodded and prepared to get down from the bed, but she didn’t consider that her clothes were long, and the collar wide. It was inevitable that she would involuntarily expose parts of her body that shouldn’t be exposed.
Upon noticing, Pei Qianhao furrowed his brow and lowered his voice. “Women are simply troublesome.”
He then lifted up the white fungus lotus seed soup. “Sit on the bedside and don’t move.” He used a commanding tone. With a displeased expression, he carried the bowl and slowly walked closer.
When he wanted to pass the bowl to her, he realised that the bottom of the bowl was scalding hot and mumbled again, “Women are simply troublesome.”
Despite his complaint, he still immediately lifted a spoonful of soup to Su Xi-er’s mouth. “Be careful, it’s hot.”
“Prince Hao, this servant will drink it on my own. I don’t need you to feed me.”
“Do you know how hot the bottom of the bowl is? Your hand will begin to blister as soon as you touch it.” Right after he said it, he felt that he had already spoken too much.
Hence, Pei Qianhao then used the spoon to open Su Xi-er’s mouth, forcefully feeding her.
Just like that, Su Xi-er drank one spoonful after another, blowing on them before drinking.
When the bottom of the bowl could be seen, Wu Ling’s voice sounded again. “This subordinate has returned. Among the numerous dresses in the silk mill, this servant randomly took a few since I don’t understand female apparel. I don’t know if Su Xi-er will like them.”
At the last sentence, Wu Ling felt that he had said something wrong! But words that had been said were like spilt milk, and could not be taken back.
As soon as the door opened, the clothes in Wu Ling’s hands were taken away and replaced by an empty bowl.
“Tidy this up, as well as the leftovers from the meal on the table in the outer chamber.”
The ‘leftovers from the meal’ were precisely the product of Su Xi-er’s failed cooking.
After he finished his instructions, Pei Qianhao took the clothes and walked towards the inner chamber. Wu Ling was even more perplexed. What show is Prince Hao putting on?
“Wear these clothes for this period.”
A few bright-coloured clothes were tossed into Su Xi-er’s hands. The dress’ lustre was vivid, and the decorative designs on their hems were varied. Some were flower petals, some were grass, some were butterflies, and others were a plain colour.
“This prince will go out. Come to the main entrance of the County Government Office after you have changed and freshened up.” Pei Qianhao then walked out of the room without sparing her another glance.
Upon seeing that Pei Qianhao had left, Wu Ling hastily finished tidying everything up before following along.
Su Xi-er picked up a pink dress with a grass design and changed out of Pei Qianhao’s clothes.
Afterwards, she combed her hair simply and rolled it high up, but felt that this type of hairstyle wasn’t matching with her clothes.
Suddenly, some words that Lü Liu had said in the past entered her mind. “Eldest Imperial Princess, you look beautiful regardless of which hairstyle you use. However, this servant feels that this Falling Bun suits you more.”
A moment later, the Falling Bun was done. It made her already striking form even more beautiful. Having drunk a bowl of white fungus lotus seed soup, her complexion was also much better.
Su Xi-er folded the clothes on the bed along with Pei Qianhao’s. When she opened the wardrobe, she discovered that there was a cloth bundle in it.
Originally, only Pei Qianhao’s clothes could be placed in the cloth bundle. However, it also wouldn’t be good if she allowed others to see her walking around with a bunch of bright and pretty dresses.
Hence, she placed all the folded clothes into the cloth bundle.
After everything was settled, Su Xi-er walked out of the room door and headed towards the County Government Office.
Today, they would be continuing their journey to Nanzhao without stopping over at a County Government Office again.
The wind and rain from last night had cleared, and the weather today was warm and beautiful. The sun wasn’t overly bright, and instead lent a dazzling gleam to whomever it shone on.
The entire way to the County Government Office, all the pages and maidservants who saw Su Xi-er would stop while staring at her in a daze.
Where did such a peerless beauty come from? We have never seen that hairstyle before. There were three semicircles at the back of her head and the rest of her hair crossed over her shoulders to scatter loosely before the chest. She was donned in a pink dress with grass embroidered at the hem.
A fair smiling visage accompanied the slightly raised bridge of her nose while her lustrous eyes were accented by her slender eyebrows.
Only after Su Xi-er faded into the distance did the group of pages and maidservants return to their senses.
We have seen a fairy. How can there be such a pretty person in the mortal realm!
The rest of Su Xi-er’s trip to the Country Government Office passed by in a similar manner.
Lord County Magistrate Shui, Wu Ling, as well as a group of imperial guards from the Prince Hao Residence, stood at the main entrance. When everyone spotted Su Xi-er, they were stunned.
Only Lord Shui and Wu Ling recognised who this woman was.
Wu Ling’s eyes widened. “Su Xi-er?”
Su Xi-er bent at the knees and paid her respects. “This servant pays her respects to Imperial Bodyguard Wu.”
She was already extremely beautiful while wearing the clothes of a palace maid. Now that she has properly dressed up, she’s even more… Wu Ling couldn’t think of a phrase to describe it. His gaze drifted to the spacious horse carriage. Will Prince Hao be unable to control himself?
After realising what he had just thought, Wu Ling wished that he could beat himself to wake himself up. Of course Prince Hao can control himself! Do I still need to wonder about that? What beauty has Prince Hao not seen before? It’s merely Su Xi-er!
“Imperial Bodyguard Wu, this humble official couldn’t receive Prince Hao properly and even caused a lot of trouble. I apologise for my faults.”
Wu Ling waved his hand. “No need. Lord Shui, you just need to manage Zhi County well. As for the rest, Prince Hao won’t take it to heart.”
Afterwards, he looked at Su Xi-er. Does Prince Hao want her to get onto the horse carriage? He is already in the horse carriage, but why has he still not given an order yet…?
“Imperial Bodyguard Wu, this servant will sit in that horse carriage.” Su Xi-er pointed to a more ordinary horse carriage in the back before walking towards it.
When she passed by Pei Qianhao’s carriage, his chilly voice sounded from behind the curtains. “Get onto the horse carriage.”
As soon as Wu Ling heard that, he immediately moved forward. “His Highness is telling you to get onto the horse carriage. Why are you still standing there? Quickly get on!” He spoke very fast, as if he wanted to chase Su Xi-er onto the horse carriage.
Su Xi-er glanced at the horse carriage beside her. A spacious horse carriage with yellow tassels suspended all around it. If I get on, I won’t be able to leave this horse carriage for this whole journey.
I will have to be alone with Pei Qianhao until we arrive in Nanzhao…
“Su Xi-er, be faster. Don’t wear on Prince Hao’s patience.” Wu Ling was getting anxious, and wished that he could push her onto the horse carriage.
Stuck between a rock and a hard place, Su Xi-er could only nod her head, following which she used her hands to push the horse carriage’s door frame slightly and exerted strength in her legs.
Just as she was about to get up, a large hand suddenly reached out from within the curtains and grasped her hand on the door frame, directly pulling her up.
Su Xi-er lost her balance, resulting in her pushing down the man who had pulled her up. In order to stabilise herself, her hands pulled onto his clothes.
Right at this moment, the horse carriage travelled forward.
