XH 32
Xiao Hua was saved from answering when Long Lian was distracted by the entrance of a group of scantily dressed females. They stood in the middle of the place and start dancing seductively, following the tempo of the music that was played by another group of females at the side.
Xiao Hua noticed that the Eighth Prince's table was empty. No wonder the dancing women were allowed to enter and start the pg-18 dance performance. Even the crown prince no longer cared about appearance and already drinking wine as if they were water, refilling them without stopping.
The dancing ladies were dressed in layers of thin red robes, and would slowly remove a layer after a layer, tempting the crown prince, which was the only man here. Sadly, the eunuchs could not be considered as men.
"Elder Sister Hua, we will need to meet up with the Third Prince soon." An Wan informed Xiao Hua because Xiao Hua and Princess Long Lian had not touched their food but talking instead.
"So soon?" Long Lian pouted. "We haven't started to eat yet!"
"Let's quickly eat then," Xiao Hua laughed softly and removed her eyes from the distracting dancers. She dropped different types of dishes onto Long Lian's plate.
"Ah, Xiao Hua, do you want rice?" Long Lian asked when she noticed she was the only one with a bowl of rice. "Third brother does not really like rice so the kitchen did not prepare a bowl for him."
Hearing that, Xiao Hua feels weird. How could the Third prince not like rice? Rice, to most Chinese people, was almost a necessity. It was mostly poor people that could not afford to eat rice in this time era. It was only modern people like Le XiaoTing could choose to eat noodles or other culture's food and does not view rice as a necessity in their meal.
"Then what does third prince usually eat?" Xiao Hua asked curiously and declines the offer for a bowl of rice.
"Hmm, third brother loves soup the most, especially ginseng chicken soup. Every meal, he would drink soup without fail."
Soups were indeed delicious but... "Is he even full from that?"
"Third Prince might not eat rice most of the time, but he eats plenty of dishes," An Wan explained.
"An Wan, pack some dishes for third brother to eat later, or else he would skip his meal again," Long Lian ordered in a disapproval tone.
"Third prince skips meals?" Xiao Hua asked in disbelief. Somehow Xiao Hua got a perception that wealthy people enjoy eating and never miss a meal. Not to mention that earlier today, she had seen how much the Third prince could eat!
Long Lian noticed that Xiao Hua seems to be asking more questions today. Usually, the small-sized girl hardly talks, and even if she does not know anything, she did not even bother to ask, as if it was a difficult task to open her mouth to speak even a word. Long Lian's eyes brighten as if she had been enlightened.
Xiao Hua asks more question because it's about the Third brother!
Happily, Long Lian tried her best to tell Xiao Hua what her third brother like to eat and what he does not like to eat, totally forgetting to eat herself. Xiao Hua feels that it was rude to eat while Long Lian was talking so she did not eat either.
When An Wan saw that the dancing ladies becoming even bolder, flashing more of their skin, she decided it was time to leave.
"Princess Long Lian, it is time for this servant and Elder Sister Hua to join the third prince. It would not be good for third prince to wait for us."
"Oh no!" It was only then that Long Lian remembers about the food.
Seeing that the princess was staring at the table filled with food with a helpless expression, An Wan suggested politely, "Princess Long Lian, how about we pack these foods into meal boxes. When Princess return to her residence, have a servant to reheat it before consuming it."
"Alright, do it."
An Wan and Long Lian's new maid quickly packed the food into the prepared food boxes when Eunuch Sun, the Empress' head eunuch appeared.
"Princess Long Lian, the Empress would like to invite Princess to share desserts with her," Eunuch Sun said after the greetings were passed around. His sharp eyes noticed the food box and waved a hand towards a younger eunuch. "This servant will reheat the food for Princess."
Long Lian know that she was in for a lecture from her mother soon, so she was not in hurry to leave. She wanted to follow Xiao Hua and An Wan to the Emperor's study, but Eunuch Sun, with an unyielding smile, steered the Princess to where the Empress was waiting.
The sky was slowly getting dark so An Wan lit a small lantern so that they could see their path. Xiao Hua happily admired the vast sky, its beauty tugging her heartstring, making her feel nostalgic.
How long has it been since Le XiaoTing takes the time to stare at the sky? Her life was filled with her fast pacing work on weekdays, and on weekends, she would have brief visits to her hometown where her mother stayed at.
Le XiaoTing always asked her mother to stay with her in the city so she can take care of her, but her mother was a simple woman and have no desire to part with her house where it was filled with memories. Her father died young, leaving her mother alone with a young daughter, working hard to support them both.
Now that Le XiaoTing had transmigrated into Xiao Hua's body, she was worried about her mother. Did she know her daughter was gone? Is she depressed and crying every day? Did she eat and sleep well?
Unfortunately, her worries would never disappear unless she found a way to return back to her original world. But the chances of doing so does not look positive.
An Wan noticed the younger girl seemed to be despondent. She did not know what caused her to be this way, but An Wan has no desire to talk to Xiao Hua. Her heart was still in conflict even if her head was clear. It was hard to fight against her own feelings.
"Sister An Wan, what is that?" Xiao Hua suddenly asked and pointed at the bushes that were as tall as her knee, but they were trimmed neatly.
An Wan carelessly glanced at where Xiao Hua pointed and her heart missed a beat. She prided herself to have high sensitivity and alertness, but she had not noticed what Xiao Hua, a non-cultivator, did!
"Isn't that the Eighth Prince?" Xiao Hua guessed since she could only see the back of the small kid, curled up into a ball. His dark green clothes blend with the bushes well, but it black, luster hair with light green hair crown accessory that caught Xiao Hua's eyes.
An Wan's eyes narrowed when she saw the Eighth Prince prince was holding onto something that should not be in the hands of a child. She quickly approached the bushes, leaving Xiao Hua with no choice but to follow.
"Eighth Prince, why are you here alone without Eunuch Heng?" An Wan appeared quickly in front of the Eighth Prince prince, surprising him that he dropped the long wooden smoking pipe onto the ground.
The Eighth Prince prince stared at the two maids in fear. His large eyes were already teary, as if afraid of getting scolded. "D-Don't tell anyone!"
An Wan gave the Eighth Prince prince a warm smile as she kneels down before him as her other hand picked up the dropped pipe. "Eighth Prince, where did you get this?"
The Eighth Prince prince pressed his lips together, and shakes his tiny head fiercely, refusing to answer. But his large, round eyes did not hide how scared he was.
An Wan would prefer to carry the Eighth Prince prince over to the Emperor to deal with him, but she was just a lowly servant and touching a prince was not allowed. Besides, forcing a prince to do something was not something a maid was allowed to do.
The only choice was to find Eunuch Heng. An Wan stared at Xiao Hua in conflict before making the final decision.
"Elder Sister Hua, please look after Eighth Prince until I return with Eunuch Heng."
Xiao Hua nodded. "I will, Sister An Wan."
"Eighth Prince, Eunuch Heng must be worried and looking for you everywhere. Please wait here for An Wan to brings Eunuch Heng over," An Wan informed the Eighth Prince prince with a reassuring tone. Her gentle smile, bright eyes, and submissive vibes make one trust her.
The Eighth Prince nodded rigidly. An Wan gave Xiao Hua a worried glance before disappeared quickly.
Xiao Hua, holding onto the lantern that was passed to her by An Wan, stared at the Eighth Prince prince and he stared back.
Unknowingly, both were thinking the same thing.
'What a cute and silly looking kid.'