“Yes, Miss!” She looked at the prince; he didn’t seem like he was there to harm her. As a noble prince, would he secretly kill? If he wanted to, he would have already. She must have overthought it.
Xi’er quietly retreated, leaving her questions for tomorrow.
“Ruo’er, does it still hurt?” She gently caressed Ruo’er’s slightly swollen face.
“It’s nothing! I’m not that delicate! It’s late…” The smile faded, replaced by quiet tears.
“Ruo’er, if I don’t hold you, I’ll regret it for a lifetime!” He tightly embraced her, whispering softly by her ear. Her kindness made him feel small, and the more she pretended to be indifferent, the more his heart ached – a feeling he had never experienced before.
Thank you for letting me feel happiness in the days ahead. Without me, you will still be happy, and I will gradually learn to adapt to the pain.
“Miss, can I ask you a question?” After carrying her doubts until dawn, she hurried to Lan Ling’er’s room early in the morning, speaking softly. Though she wasn’t one to ramble, she felt she needed to ask to avoid feeling suffocated.
“You want to ask about yesterday’s events, right? I was just acting out a play with the prince!” Just then, Xi’er walked in, full of curiosity.
“Acting? For whom?” The miss’s words only confused her more. Acting? For her to see? How strange!
“For the empress, of course! You heard what the empress said during her last visit, didn’t you?” Lan Ling’er smiled at Xi’er. After a moment of thought, Xi’er nodded, and Lan Ling’er continued, “Actually, Prince Dong Fang was already in our mansion that night. He heard it too!”
“What? He heard it?”
Xi’er was shocked, covering her mouth in disbelief. She had felt someone was in the hall previously, confirming it hadn’t been her illusion.
Before Qingcheng arrived, the Eastern Prince had already found the place. He believed Qingcheng would seek him out, so he hid behind the screen in the living room.
“What about the Empress?” Xi’er wondered, her earlier doubts now giving way to more questions.
“The Empress was also part of his plan. He anticipated she would come to me at night, so he let Qingcheng rest here and hid to eavesdrop. When the Empress arrived, he was already behind the door of the living room!” This maneuver demonstrated his cleverness; he knew the Empress would come. Luckily, her subordinates didn’t rush in, or everything would have been ruined.
“So, after the Empress left, someone was still monitoring us!” It was terrifying to think about being watched while sleeping.
“Yes! After the Empress left, her four guards were stationed around, watching us. They knew our every move, even how many times you went to the bathroom!”
“Thinking about yesterday’s events now seems quite amusing.
The young lady went to the outhouse last night, holding a ghost mask. The screams were definitely the young lady trying to scare everyone! If she had known earlier, she would have joined the young lady instead of being so scared that she couldn’t sleep, truly believing there were ghosts.
“How clever, catching on so quickly!” Lan Ling’er said cheerfully.
“So the young lady asking me to find the Prince was also intentional, right?” Everything made sense now; the young lady was impressive.
“Hmm! Didn’t you feel someone following you?” After braiding her hair and getting dressed, she took a few sips of water before spitting it out.
“Yes, but I thought I was being too suspicious! Young lady, the Prince’s slap was also an act, right?” But the slap was so realistic that it scared her.
“Right. I deliberately provoked him, and then he slapped me!” She stretched and breathed in the fresh air.
“But wasn’t that slap too hard?” The young lady’s face was slightly swollen. Wasn’t this performance going too far?
“Silly girl, if it wasn’t hard enough, how could it deceive outsiders? Though it hurt, if it helped him, sacrificing a little was worth it.”
“What about Miss Mu Rong? Was she also involved in your plan?”
“She seemed to be the only outsider, the only one still in the dark.
“Of course not. She was just a pawn in our scheme!” Dong Fang Yu was impressive, involving Qingcheng. If Qingcheng woke up, who knows what might happen.
“But when the Prince called her, she didn’t react at all. Could it be that you really…” The young lady wouldn’t harm Miss Mu Rong out of jealousy. No, she wasn’t that kind of person!
“What could it be? We just added a little confusion drug to Qingcheng’s medicine. She’ll wake up after sleeping for a day and night. Did you think I poisoned her? Do I seem that terrible in your eyes?” This maid was so kind; how could she do something so unethical?
“So that’s how it is! Young lady, do you think the Empress will really believe it?” Jie’er pointed out the crucial point.
“Well, she should. I’ve done what I can, and the rest is up to him. Perhaps he has another trick up his sleeve!” Although indifferent, her heart prayed for him.
“Young lady, can I ask you a small question?” Jie’er hesitated, then asked again.
“Do you think you haven’t asked enough questions? Go ahead, one more or less doesn’t matter; you won’t have trouble sleeping tonight!” This maid was so different; it seemed they truly complemented each other!
“Does the young lady like the Eastern Prince?” Jie’er walked to Lan Ling’er’s side, picked up the comb, and helped her tidy her long hair.
“Perhaps!” She couldn’t distinguish her own feelings – was it like or love?
“Perhaps? Young lady, don’t you know yourself? If I were you, I would definitely fall for the Prince.” Jie’er blushed slightly, a sweet smile on her face.
“Why?” She wanted to know what kind of person Dong Fang Yu was in others’ eyes.
“Although the Prince is cold, he is extremely gentle to you. Last night, his gaze was so sincere. I believe he likes you! Such a man is rare. You must cherish him!”
“I’m different from you. The love I hope for is unique, not divided. A polygamous life is torture for me!” She could not accept such a system.
“So you would rather give up than fight for it?” If it were Jie’er, she would be willing to be the most insignificant concubine for such a good man. After all, she was born a maid and felt inferior compared to the young lady.
“If you meet someone you truly love, your love won’t be divided. You wouldn’t allow others to share his love. Human love is selfish.”
In the imperial harem, many seek the Emperor’s love. “I would rather gracefully withdraw, which would be better for everyone!” she reflected sadly, looking at her pale image in the mirror.
“What does the young lady mean? Does she not even know her feelings for the prince?”
“I have asked myself. If the Eastern Prince hadn’t saved me, would I have felt something for him? I lack security and tend to develop an infatuation with those who take care of me, often mistaking it for love. So, I’m unsure.” Huier’s gentle hair-combing made her drowsy.
“Gossip reporter? What does that mean?” Huier asked, setting a pearl hairpin in Lan Ling’er’s hair.
“It means a busybody! We say ‘gossip reporter’ at home. Different languages, different expressions!” She chuckled, realizing her mistake in discussing modern terms in ancient language.
Huier straightened Ling’er’s clothes, smiling.
“Huier, do you think my ears look like an elf’s?” Lan Ling’er asked, turning around while Huier tidied the bed.
“Young lady, do you know what human ears look like?” Huier responded with a laugh.
“What?” Lan Ling’er shook her head, curious.
“They look like a monster!” Huier giggled before continuing her work.
Lan Ling’er laughed: This girl is really something!
The sky was just lightening, and the street was peaceful. Light footsteps were heard as two figures sneaked around.
