Mu Wanqing, the “blessed servant girl” that Mo Yange was searching, couldn’t be nearer. She was currently stuck in Fragrant Garden, with the impression of being moldy from inactivity. Unfortunately for her, more than a hundred soldiers had her residence surrounded without dead angles, leaving only the option to fly away or burrow into the earth to escape. Without wings and devoid of skills like Icarus, she was left with the option of escaping through the earth, and so she dug. Not even a minute has passed before she renounced to the idea – the whole place was covered with thick slabs of marble and granite which could weight up to dozens of kilograms each. The quality of the material was genuinely the best which could only spell into her effort to dig through in vain.
God! Buddha! Please grant me an excavator!
It was early summer, a season where flowers bloomed everywhere. Inside the courtyard, a variety of flowers blossomed in various shades of pink on the trees, from afar, they were like colorful velvet balls. As the wind blew, like fine embroidered thread, they unraveled and floated down to the ground. The fine weather was now a normal occurrence. Since there was no outsider in her house, she was dressed in white clothes covered by a pink surcoat. She sat on the swing and swayed her legs, bored senseless. Without other means of entertainment, she was reciting silently a reference book on human anatomy. After she was done, she revised what she knew about muscles, tendons and ligaments. A sudden sneeze interrupted her thoughts.
“Who is talking behind my back?” She rubbed her nose while mumbling.
Xu’er, who was embroidering beside her, got up immediately when she heard Mu Wanqing. Her concern could be heard in her voice. “Princess, did you catch a cold? Do you want me to bring you another coat?”
“I’m fine!” Mu Wanqing replied, but she was startled by Xu’er’s red and slightly swollen eyes. After a careful examination, she remembered the abnormal mood of her servant lately. Her mood changed. She stopped swinging and walked to Xu’er and inquired, “What is wrong? Did anyone bully or did something happen at home?”
Xu’er straightened her body and quickened to deny. “N-nothing.”
“Are you sure?” Mu Wanqing stared at her and saw the panic on Xu’er’s face, but just when she wanted to ask again, she heard hurried footsteps coming from the entrance. Shortly after, a guard came in, more like he rushed in with a dozen blue-clothed servants in tow. When Xu’er saw them, she trembled and hid behind Mu Wanqing with a yelp. “Princess!”
Mu Wanqing grabbed her hand and asked, “What is going on?”
The person in lead was a middle-aged man dressed in blue who had some body weight. His mousy eyes were fixed on Xu’er and a trace of severity flashed through them. He waved a hand and ordered, “This is the girl, catch her!”
The servants behind immediately moved toward her.
“Stop!” Mu Wanqing’s face became cold. She glanced at everyone as her voice grew louder. “Do I need to remind you that I am a princess? Now, what do you plan on doing again?”
“What are you waiting for? Move!” The middle-aged butler hurried them when he saw them hesitated and threw a disdainful glance at Mu Wanqing. His non-verbal was screaming out arrogance and haughtiness. “Princess, I am Xu Fu, one of the butlers of this mansion. This maid had violated the rules, hence I came to apprehend her. You don’t need to care about this matter. Another maid will be sent over to take over her duties.”
He turned to Xu’er and spoke with a stern tone. “How gutsy for a servant. You dare to steal money from the mansion. Did you think no one will know?”
“This servant didn’t! I know, it’s must be you. You’re trying to frame me!” Xu’er was in disbelief as tears flowed down her cheeks. She turned to Mu Wanqing to beg. “Princess, save me. I really didn’t steal anything. Fu Xu wanted take advantage of me, but I refuse him, so he frames me!”
“I said earlier that if you’re obedient, you will get many benefits, but did you listen to me? This is what happens to those who don’t obey. Now, how will you support your sick mother?” Fu Xu let out a nasty laugh as he moved in front of Xu’er and slapped her. As the girl was still shocked, he yanked her toward him. “Are you still hoping someone will save you? Let me tell you, the princess has already lost his Highness’ favor. She couldn’t look after herself, let alone save you. So, you better-”
Paf! A resounding slap by Mu Wanqing interrupted his words. He could feel a searing pain on his cheek.
“Jerk!” Mu Wanqing gritted her teeth in anger as she frowned. Although she knew this body’s predecessor wasn’t favored, and her so-called husband didn’t deign to care about her, she didn’t care much about it. She cared more about teasing those bodyguards than having power and influence. Yet, such brazen bullying right in front of her eyes triggered her indignation. She couldn’t stand watching her maid, Xu’er, getting oppressed by Fu Xu. Under the impulsivity of anger, she gave him two resounding slaps which came out unexpected even for her.
It didn’t matter if they attack her, but touching her people? That’s out of the question!
“Y-you… You dare to slap me?!” He covered his face in disbelief, unable to react properly.
“Why can’t I? Not only can I slap you, but I can also even teach you a lesson!” She declared while pulling up her sleeves, ready to beat him up. Fang Jing had taught her self-defense. Although her skills were nowhere near those of the guards “protecting” her, it was still enough to take care of no-good bastard like Fu Xu.
A few moments later, Fu Xu’s screams resounded. He was beaten until his nose and face swell, and there were barely any places left without bruises.
After she made sure he learned his lesson, she stopped beating him up. She stood in front of Xu’er protectively and gave a chilly warning, “You better remember. If you pester my maid again, I will break your legs!”
“Y-you… wait until I tell this to the General!” Fu Xu screamed. He groaned in pain and ran away with hands covering his face, bringing in tow the others servants.
“Ideally, bring your general here. Thank you very much!” She talked back without joy, then she pulled Xu’er’s hand, checking for any sign of injuries. Fu Xu didn’t hold back when he slapped the girl and her fair face showed signs of swelling. Her face was wet from tears, making that lovely little girl all the more pitiful. Mu Wanqing felt distressed and tried to comfort her. “Don’t cry anymore. It’s fine now! I don’t have ointment, but there are boiled eggs. Let’s go back to peel them and rolled them on the swollen part, alright?”
“I am fine.” Xu’er held back her tears but continued more anxious. “But the Prince trusts Fu Xu. He will rebuke you if Fu Xu exaggerates his story!”
“Bah! Don’t mind it. I am the princess, remember? No matter what, it couldn’t be worse.”
Yet, Xu’er remained worried. Her spirit waned when she saw how little care Mu Wanqing had. She gave birth to an idea, if the prince blames the princess, she will shoulder all responsibilities. The princess must not be dragged in her matters. “Princess, you are a good person! Heavens will always bless good people.”
“Hum!” She hummed in agreement to words she didn’t pay much attention to since most of her mind was anticipating the upcoming conflict.
From the information provided by the waiter, Mo Yange has been a soldier for more than a decade. It was impossible for a person like that to be confounded by based trickeries. As long as he agreed to hear her out, she would be able to give him the absolute proof of Xu’er’s innocence. In the worst case scenario, he turned out to be a muddle-minded man, her status as his princess can ensure Xu’er’s safety. Anyway, everything still had to wait until it happens. There was no margin for error. Even if Mo Yange was an unreasonable person, she cannot back down and let people look down on her. She had to be on par with him in term of grandeur.
This is what people say – I am weak, but I can bluff!
All is left was to wait for the upcoming storm.
Xu’er’s words held true – Fu Xu was Mo Yange’s confidant. Not even 15 minutes had passed, and another group of aggressive servants marched to Fragrant Garden, headed by a person dressed in white scholar clothes with lotus pattern descending from his left shoulder to his right side of his waist. The leader was proud and arrogant with the temperament of a millennium iceberg. Next to him stood Mo An who was whispering something to him.
She observed him carefully as soon she knew he was Mo Yange. Not bad, quite handsome!
However, on a more personal point of view, she had to say that being this handsome was a sin. At least, he would be a presentable trophy if his head gets chopped off one day. Do not judge her for her thoughts! Her profession forged her to be this way.
Mu Wanqing lifted her head and looked straight at him. There was a firmness in her gaze. She pushed her chest out and kept her head high as she strode toward him. A sneer came out. “Mo Yange, did you finally decide to come to see me?”
As soon her words were exported, the whole atmosphere changed and so did everyone’s expression. Mu Wanqing’s expression shifted to an aggrieved and heartbroken one as she stared at her “husband”. The man appeared to be choked by anger while the corner of his mouth twitched. Then, Mu Wanqing snorted. Her look was determined, unlike her usual foolishness. “What? Is your Highness that terrific? I just call a name, act a bit cold and talk louder. What is there to be scared of? Did you think you can scare me by looking at me like that? Let me tell you all, I am so not scared!”
She remembered her university days when she had to face those bloody cadavers during human anatomy class. The first time, everyone was so scared their legs were giving out, some even ran out, but not her. She was the only calm out that remain at her seat.
If corpses can’t scare me, why should I be afraid of how you look at me?
“They are not scared because you call my name, act cold or talk louder. The reason is…” The man in white couldn’t endure it any longer. His mouth curved into a brilliant smile as his eyes bent into crescents. “…I am not his Highness.”
Mu Wanqing’s brain short-circuited. “Then, who are you?”
A trace of amusement flashed in his mind while he observed Mu Wanqing. He clasped his hands and greeted her with a chuckle. “This subordinate is his Highness’ lieutenant general. My name is Qin Huaiyang. Greetings Princess! Well, as for his Highness…” He elongated the last word. A laugh escaped his mouth as he stepped aside, revealing behind him a man with a terrible expression.
Mu Wanqing, the “blessed servant girl” that Mo Yange was searching, couldn’t be nearer. She was currently stuck in Fragrant Garden, with the impression of being moldy from inactivity. Unfortunately for her, more than a hundred soldiers had her residence surrounded without dead angles, leaving only the option to fly away or burrow into the earth to escape. Without wings and devoid of skills like Icarus, she was left with the option of escaping through the earth, and so she dug. Not even a minute has passed before she renounced to the idea – the whole place was covered with thick slabs of marble and granite which could weight up to dozens of kilograms each. The quality of the material was genuinely the best which could only spell into her effort to dig through in vain.
God! Buddha! Please grant me an excavator!
It was early summer, a season where flowers bloomed everywhere. Inside the courtyard, a variety of flowers blossomed in various shades of pink on the trees, from afar, they were like colorful velvet balls. As the wind blew, like fine embroidered thread, they unraveled and floated down to the ground. The fine weather was now a normal occurrence. Since there was no outsider in her house, she was dressed in white clothes covered by a pink surcoat. She sat on the swing and swayed her legs, bored senseless. Without other means of entertainment, she was reciting silently a reference book on human anatomy. After she was done, she revised what she knew about muscles, tendons and ligaments. A sudden sneeze interrupted her thoughts.
“Who is talking behind my back?” She rubbed her nose while mumbling.
Xu’er, who was embroidering beside her, got up immediately when she heard Mu Wanqing. Her concern could be heard in her voice. “Princess, did you catch a cold? Do you want me to bring you another coat?”
“I’m fine!” Mu Wanqing replied, but she was startled by Xu’er’s red and slightly swollen eyes. After a careful examination, she remembered the abnormal mood of her servant lately. Her mood changed. She stopped swinging and walked to Xu’er and inquired, “What is wrong? Did anyone bully or did something happen at home?”
Xu’er straightened her body and quickened to deny. “N-nothing.”
“Are you sure?” Mu Wanqing stared at her and saw the panic on Xu’er’s face, but just when she wanted to ask again, she heard hurried footsteps coming from the entrance. Shortly after, a guard came in, more like he rushed in with a dozen blue-clothed servants in tow. When Xu’er saw them, she trembled and hid behind Mu Wanqing with a yelp. “Princess!”
Mu Wanqing grabbed her hand and asked, “What is going on?”
The person in lead was a middle-aged man dressed in blue who had some body weight. His mousy eyes were fixed on Xu’er and a trace of severity flashed through them. He waved a hand and ordered, “This is the girl, catch her!”
The servants behind immediately moved toward her.
“Stop!” Mu Wanqing’s face became cold. She glanced at everyone as her voice grew louder. “Do I need to remind you that I am a princess? Now, what do you plan on doing again?”
“What are you waiting for? Move!” The middle-aged butler hurried them when he saw them hesitated and threw a disdainful glance at Mu Wanqing. His non-verbal was screaming out arrogance and haughtiness. “Princess, I am Xu Fu, one of the butlers of this mansion. This maid had violated the rules, hence I came to apprehend her. You don’t need to care about this matter. Another maid will be sent over to take over her duties.”
He turned to Xu’er and spoke with a stern tone. “How gutsy for a servant. You dare to steal money from the mansion. Did you think no one will know?”
“This servant didn’t! I know, it’s must be you. You’re trying to frame me!” Xu’er was in disbelief as tears flowed down her cheeks. She turned to Mu Wanqing to beg. “Princess, save me. I really didn’t steal anything. Fu Xu wanted take advantage of me, but I refuse him, so he frames me!”
“I said earlier that if you’re obedient, you will get many benefits, but did you listen to me? This is what happens to those who don’t obey. Now, how will you support your sick mother?” Fu Xu let out a nasty laugh as he moved in front of Xu’er and slapped her. As the girl was still shocked, he yanked her toward him. “Are you still hoping someone will save you? Let me tell you, the princess has already lost his Highness’ favor. She couldn’t look after herself, let alone save you. So, you better-”
Paf! A resounding slap by Mu Wanqing interrupted his words. He could feel a searing pain on his cheek.
“Jerk!” Mu Wanqing gritted her teeth in anger as she frowned. Although she knew this body’s predecessor wasn’t favored, and her so-called husband didn’t deign to care about her, she didn’t care much about it. She cared more about teasing those bodyguards than having power and influence. Yet, such brazen bullying right in front of her eyes triggered her indignation. She couldn’t stand watching her maid, Xu’er, getting oppressed by Fu Xu. Under the impulsivity of anger, she gave him two resounding slaps which came out unexpected even for her.
It didn’t matter if they attack her, but touching her people? That’s out of the question!
“Y-you… You dare to slap me?!” He covered his face in disbelief, unable to react properly.
“Why can’t I? Not only can I slap you, but I can also even teach you a lesson!” She declared while pulling up her sleeves, ready to beat him up. Fang Jing had taught her self-defense. Although her skills were nowhere near those of the guards “protecting” her, it was still enough to take care of no-good bastard like Fu Xu.
A few moments later, Fu Xu’s screams resounded. He was beaten until his nose and face swell, and there were barely any places left without bruises.
After she made sure he learned his lesson, she stopped beating him up. She stood in front of Xu’er protectively and gave a chilly warning, “You better remember. If you pester my maid again, I will break your legs!”
“Y-you… wait until I tell this to the General!” Fu Xu screamed. He groaned in pain and ran away with hands covering his face, bringing in tow the others servants.
“Ideally, bring your general here. Thank you very much!” She talked back without joy, then she pulled Xu’er’s hand, checking for any sign of injuries. Fu Xu didn’t hold back when he slapped the girl and her fair face showed signs of swelling. Her face was wet from tears, making that lovely little girl all the more pitiful. Mu Wanqing felt distressed and tried to comfort her. “Don’t cry anymore. It’s fine now! I don’t have ointment, but there are boiled eggs. Let’s go back to peel them and rolled them on the swollen part, alright?”
“I am fine.” Xu’er held back her tears but continued more anxious. “But the Prince trusts Fu Xu. He will rebuke you if Fu Xu exaggerates his story!”
“Bah! Don’t mind it. I am the princess, remember? No matter what, it couldn’t be worse.”
Yet, Xu’er remained worried. Her spirit waned when she saw how little care Mu Wanqing had. She gave birth to an idea, if the prince blames the princess, she will shoulder all responsibilities. The princess must not be dragged in her matters. “Princess, you are a good person! Heavens will always bless good people.”
“Hum!” She hummed in agreement to words she didn’t pay much attention to since most of her mind was anticipating the upcoming conflict.
From the information provided by the waiter, Mo Yange has been a soldier for more than a decade. It was impossible for a person like that to be confounded by based trickeries. As long as he agreed to hear her out, she would be able to give him the absolute proof of Xu’er’s innocence. In the worst case scenario, he turned out to be a muddle-minded man, her status as his princess can ensure Xu’er’s safety. Anyway, everything still had to wait until it happens. There was no margin for error. Even if Mo Yange was an unreasonable person, she cannot back down and let people look down on her. She had to be on par with him in term of grandeur.
This is what people say – I am weak, but I can bluff!
All is left was to wait for the upcoming storm.
Xu’er’s words held true – Fu Xu was Mo Yange’s confidant. Not even 15 minutes had passed, and another group of aggressive servants marched to Fragrant Garden, headed by a person dressed in white scholar clothes with lotus pattern descending from his left shoulder to his right side of his waist. The leader was proud and arrogant with the temperament of a millennium iceberg. Next to him stood Mo An who was whispering something to him.
She observed him carefully as soon she knew he was Mo Yange. Not bad, quite handsome!
However, on a more personal point of view, she had to say that being this handsome was a sin. At least, he would be a presentable trophy if his head gets chopped off one day. Do not judge her for her thoughts! Her profession forged her to be this way.
Mu Wanqing lifted her head and looked straight at him. There was a firmness in her gaze. She pushed her chest out and kept her head high as she strode toward him. A sneer came out. “Mo Yange, did you finally decide to come to see me?”
As soon her words were exported, the whole atmosphere changed and so did everyone’s expression. Mu Wanqing’s expression shifted to an aggrieved and heartbroken one as she stared at her “husband”. The man appeared to be choked by anger while the corner of his mouth twitched. Then, Mu Wanqing snorted. Her look was determined, unlike her usual foolishness. “What? Is your Highness that terrific? I just call a name, act a bit cold and talk louder. What is there to be scared of? Did you think you can scare me by looking at me like that? Let me tell you all, I am so not scared!”
She remembered her university days when she had to face those bloody cadavers during human anatomy class. The first time, everyone was so scared their legs were giving out, some even ran out, but not her. She was the only calm out that remain at her seat.
If corpses can’t scare me, why should I be afraid of how you look at me?
“They are not scared because you call my name, act cold or talk louder. The reason is…” The man in white couldn’t endure it any longer. His mouth curved into a brilliant smile as his eyes bent into crescents. “…I am not his Highness.”
Mu Wanqing’s brain short-circuited. “Then, who are you?”
A trace of amusement flashed in his mind while he observed Mu Wanqing. He clasped his hands and greeted her with a chuckle. “This subordinate is his Highness’ lieutenant general. My name is Qin Huaiyang. Greetings Princess! Well, as for his Highness…” He elongated the last word. A laugh escaped his mouth as he stepped aside, revealing behind him a man with a terrible expression.
