XH 26
In the end, Xiao Hua did not get to rest and was forced to accompany Long Lian to chat. She did not know how long they were permitted to rest before the gathering starts but Xiao Hua feels a little tired after listening to Long Lian's chattering.
Le XiaoTing has close friends, but as years past since school days, each of them has their own life with different interests. Talking to Long Lian reminded her of the times where she could not catch up with the conversation with her friends when it comes to beauty products or current trends.
It was only when a maid informed them of the time did Xiao Hua's ears finally gotten some peace. Her neck felt a bit sore from the constant nodding to show that she was listening! Long Lian did return Xiao Hua back to the Third Prince, but she stayed right beside her, clinging onto her arm.
Why does this remind Xiao Hua of a little chick clinging to mother chick?
Ah Pei! Ah Lian could be counted as Le XiaoTing's younger sister! This young lady is still single and childless!
Speaking of younger sister... Xiao Hua glanced at the 16-year-old Third prince, which was only a year older than Long Lian. Somehow the Third prince gives off the feeling that he was much older than that. His calmness and patience, with the gentle, unwavering smile had shown his maturity which was not something any 16-year-old could achieve.
Even Le XiaoTing, who was eleven years older than the Third Prince, could hardly compete against his composure.
Perhaps that was how people were in this era? They have no choice but to grow up quickly or else they will fall behind and got trampled over.
Xiao Hua wanted to cry when she saw the long road before her eyes. She stared at the carriages enviously, for only royalty could ride them and escape the suffering of long walks. She could only comfort herself that her situation was better than those men that had to carry the carriage.
"Xiao Hua, come and sit with me." Long Lian gestured at her carriage with an inviting smile.
A Princess sharing a carriage with a maid? It's okay to do so in private in the name of friends, but they are in public now! (⊙_⊙)
"This servant does not dare."
"Long Lian, be mindful of proper conduct," the Third prince stopped Long Lian from continuing to extend her invitation.
Long Lian could only bitterly swallow back her good intentions. She was aware that as a princess, she must not be overly friendly towards a servant according to the etiquette. She should have asked Xiao Hua to be her sister instead! No one will dare to say anything about their friendship then! (⇀‸↼‶)
"Xiao Hua, come over," the Third prince called out.
Confused, Xiao Hua walked closer to the carriage where the Third prince was in. She could not see his figure properly, as the one seated carriage was covered with a thin white veil. "What are your orders, Your Highness?"
"Get in."
Xiao Hua freeze, along with the servants around them. The eunuchs and servants immediately strained their ears, unwilling to leave out even a sound! They were not allowed to raise their head to look at their masters without permission, but that does not mean their ears could not listen!
"P-Prince?" Xiao Hua stammered in shock. Did she hear wrongly?
"Your legs are still healing from the burn. It's best not to walk too much," The Third prince explained.
Those servants that were standing close enough feel as if they had heard a huge secret. For the servants that had stood far away and yet to find a chance to sneak closer, was in despair over their incompetence of training their ears well enough!
Team 'Closer Servants' secretly gave Team 'Further Servants' gloating smiles, igniting Team 'Further Servants' outrage. Team 'Further Servants' could only clench their teeth with a bleeding heart for missing the chance to obtain extra income by selling the information.
A servant's worries were the same as the worries' of their masters! Earning money! (✧ω✧)
Xiao Hua wanted to say... her legs were already completely healed from the burn! That burn was not very serious, to begin with! Actually, there were many things she wanted to say about this situation!
The shocked Long Lian recovered her wits and scrutinized her brother and Xiao Hua. After a while, she slowly smiled deviously.
"Third brother is benevolent for thinking about your maid's health. But to have a male and female to share a carriage is improper, so why don't this sister share my seat with Xiao Hua on your behalf?" Long Lian kindly suggested.
"There's no need for younger sister's generosity. Xiao Hua is this brother's maid. Naturally, it should be this brother's seat to be shared."
The Third prince parted the curtain and stretched out an arm to wrap around Xiao Hua's waist to lift her up, placing her beside him in the carriage. He felt that waiting for Xiao Hua to enter the carriage by herself would take a long time and they were in a tight schedule so it would better to just carry her in. The carriage was designed for a single seat, and the Third prince was not a small sized person despite his delicate appearance.
"Go," the Third prince ordered and the carriage started to move.
Despite the gentle sway, Xiao Hua fought to remain as still as a doll, not daring to move or else she would accidentally touch the prince. There was almost no space between them and she could feel the heat coming from the Third prince's body with the scent of trees. A part of her was already melting in happiness for having such a good opportunity to get close to the Third Prince.
Long Lian pouted in dissatisfaction, but the inner-self was busy squealing! She had feared one day Xiao Hua would get married and would leave, following her husband to somewhere far. But seeing her Third brother treating Xiao Hua well gave her an idea, which was to get them both married to each other!
Yes, Xiao Hua would be her sister for real! (๑˃ᴗ˂)ﻭ
As for Team 'Closer Servants' was fortunate enough to hear everything, they could not hold back their excitement and it was revealed on their face.
This is juicy news ah! They have a chance to get nice rewards now! [̲̅$̲̅(̲̅ ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°̲̅)̲̅$̲̅]
These servants dared to sell any information they had because they do not have a sole master, as their duty was generalized in the palace. Compared to servants that were assigned under a master, they have lower chances to promote into higher ranking positions. A servant that was capable and talented was quick to be assigned under a master, but those that were ordinary were considered as leftovers.
It was a common practice in the palace for officials or concubines to ask questions from these groups of servants with no loyalty, in exchange for some money. Servants were the best spies and informers, for they were easily looked over by important peoples.
Unfortunately, they had overlooked something. An Wan halted before the group of servants. "Our Third prince has the appearance of a gentleman but we all know his temper is not something that anyone can withstand."
She was acting as if she was just idly saying what was in her mind, but that was actually a reminder for the servants!
The servants with the intention to sell information started to sweat inwardly. How can they not remember the Third prince's temper?!
The Emperor's favorite Concubine He could only swallow her anger when her favorite fish pond was demolished when she accidentally said something that angered the Third Prince. After that incident, she would go in the opposite direction whenever she saw the Third prince to avoid unfavorable incident to befall on her!
"Sister An Wan is indeed Third prince's first rank maid."
Yes, we hear you and we would not do anything that would send their head flying! Thank you for your reminder, elder sister! ＼(º □ º l|l)/
"That I am." An Wan left the group of servants that were reminded and followed the carriages on foot. She could have easily given them hush money to keep their mouth shut, but since threats worked well, why would she waste the Third prince's money?
When the carriage finally stopped, Xiao Hua did not care about etiquette and jumped out of the carriage first.
An Wan, who had used to seeing elegant and graceful movements from high ranked servants or ladies, find it funny when she sees Xiao Hua's clumsy movements.
In contrast, the Third prince seems to have glided out from the carriage, his long pink robes moved as if it was a part of his body, slide along his movement gracefully.
"Xiao Hua, follow An Wan and don't go anywhere without her," The Third prince ordered.
"Yes, Your Highness." Xiao Hua obediently stands beside An Wan.
The Third prince climbed up short wide stairs and stepped into a large gate. The guards standing beside the entrance yelled, "The Third prince arrives!"
Xiao Hua tried her best to copy An Wan's movement. Head dipped low, eyes trained on the back of the Third prince and at the same time to avoid stepping onto the Third prince's long cloak that seems to be giving the floor a free sweeping service.
If the palace servants had not swept the floor every day, who knows how many kilograms of dirt the cloak would have collected by the time he left.
The Third prince walked slowly as he generously giving out friendly smiles to everyone that had stepped forward to greet him.
"Third prince, it's good to see you are in good health."
"Third prince is our hero! Thank you for saving Princess Long Lian from Munzhu!"
"Third prince, the color of your clothes is rather bold! I love it!"
Xiao Hua could not resist raising her head to look at the person that had spoken the last sentence. A very obvious pregnant lady that could not be hidden under the thick robes was dressed in a striking green dress with her hair decorated with pearl hairpins was examining the Third prince's clothes in fascination.
She seems to be genuinely praising him!
Now that Xia Hua had raised her head, she notices that the Third prince was surrounded by different types of beautiful ladies.
"Enough. Let the Third prince greet Us first." A rough and deep voice interrupted the fashion gathering and Xiao Hua unconsciously stepped back. She feels intimidated as if an invisible force was pressed onto her.
"Father Emperor, please ease up your presence or else the misses would get hurt," the Third prince said in a helpless tone. His hand was supporting the pregnant lady, but she does not seem to need it as she does not look affected by the pressure at all.
The Emperor found it strange that his third son would say that, for all the ladies here, even their maids, were cultivators. They could withstand his pressure as it was a mild one, and he pressured them just to warn his concubines to stop harassing his third son.
His eagle eyes landed on a kid, who was the only one with the difficulty of withstanding his pressure. Seeing the little girl was standing beside his Third son's first-ranked maid, he makes eye contact with his Empress.
The Empress nodded with a gentle smile. "Your Majesty, that is Long Zhu's new personal maid."
The Emperor frowned but pulled back his presence. He turned his piercing gaze on his Third son and his expression clearly showed that he was not pleased with his choice of a maid.
This maid was even weaker than his frailest concubine! This kind of maid, how can she be useful?!
Xiao Hua with short-sightedness did not see the Emperor's disapproving eyes on her, as well as his darkening face. Of course, she did not dare to look at the Emperor in the first place.
She was busy feeling relief that the pressure was finally gone.