The Mute Wife Who Brings Prosperity-Chapter 683 - 645: Self-Awareness (Part 2)

"Eunuch Sanbao said, before His Highness returned to the palace, he hadn’t eaten anything. How about I go and prepare some food?"

Zhao Xi slowly opened his eyes and looked at her for a moment, "Do you still have the energy?"

Wan Qiu’s small face flushed red, "As long as Your Highness is hungry, I will go."

Seeing her about to put on clothes and get off the couch, Zhao Xi pulled her back, "Those two palace maids who just came in, how is your usual relationship with them?"

"Ah?" Wan Qiu didn’t expect him to ask this and was momentarily stunned.

"Hmm?"

"It’s quite alright," said Wan Qiu.

Since she came to the Eastern Palace, apart from Aunt Gu Yu, she had never argued with anyone. The servants who could come to the backyard had a good relationship with her.

"Then from tomorrow on, let them both serve you," Zhao Xi said.

This was to give her half the treatment of a master. Wan Qiu quickly shook her head, "Your Highness, I don’t need anyone to serve me."

Zhao Xi smiled faintly, "If no one serves you well, how will you serve me?"

Upon hearing this, Wan Qiu’s cheeks burned slightly, and then she burst into laughter.

"What are you laughing at?"

Wan Qiu said, "When Your Highness first returned, your face was so gloomy it scared me. Now that I see you relaxing your brow, it shows your mood has improved, which makes me happy."

Zhao Xi lowered his eyelashes, neither confirming nor denying.

Wan Qiu feared speaking too much might upset him and continued dressing.

"What are you doing?" Zhao Xi asked her.

"I am going to sleep in the watch room to keep the night watch for Your Highness."

He was a restless sleeper, most afraid of being seen, and certainly didn’t like sharing a bed with someone.

Moreover, she was only responsible for the role of a bedroom maid to train him; she didn’t have the right to stay in the sleeping hall after midnight.

Zhao Xi seemed to see through her concerns, "Stay."

Wan Qiu was full of surprise.

"After all, it’s the first time, and your body will inevitably be uncomfortable, so don’t move around anymore."

Wan Qiu felt such shame she wished the ground would swallow her up. Clearly she was there to train him, and she found herself being the one taught.

Before coming, Wan Qiu had heard from the nanny who trained them that every prince had a particularly deep impression of their first Enlightenment Lady.

The Enlightenment Ladies only had three outcomes.

Either, the prince didn’t want this witness to his embarrassing first time to live in the world, so he would find an excuse to dispose of her.

Or he would directly send her to the Inner Court Department for another position.

If lucky enough to catch the prince’s eye, earning a title in the future was their fate.

Though it was Wan Qiu’s first time being an Enlightenment Lady, she could sense that His Highness was actually very lonely at heart, especially tonight. Wanting her to stay was to fill a certain void inside.

It was evident that once His Highness fell in love, he would be a very tender person.

Thinking of this, Wan Qiu quickly stopped her thoughts, afraid she would get carried away, forget her identity, and desire more and more.

So even if Zhao Xi invited her to stay, she insisted on finishing dressing, stepping down, blushing, "If someday His Highness wishes to summon me, just call for me. But staying in the inner hall is not in line with the rules, and Your Highness is someone who values rules greatly. I cannot do this, otherwise, if someone else finds out, it would truly be my fault."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xi only faintly responded with a "hmm" and said nothing further to insist she stay.

Wan Qiu flipped through the wardrobe to get quilts and went to the watch room.

Zhao Xi lay on the wide Kui Dragon Pattern Couch, and before long, fell into a deep sleep.

Eunuch Sanbao remained outside, estimating that any further interference by Gu Yu would be useless after everything was settled, yawned, and retreated to rest.

——

During the New Year holiday, it was Zhao Xi’s vacation. As long as the Emperor in Qianqing Palace did not summon him and there was nothing from the Empress in Kunning Palace, he could sleep in.

Before, during the holidays, he could sleep from morning until evening. After being crowned Crown Prince, probably due to busy state affairs, even if he was tired, he would only sleep an extra hour than usual before getting up.

Wan Qiu was well aware of Zhao Xi’s habits, so every day she would wake up before him, timing it perfectly.

Today was naturally no exception.

But just as she was fully dressed, there was a sudden commotion outside as if Aunt Gu Yu and Eunuch Sanbao were bickering.

Hearing Gu Yu’s voice, Wan Qiu suddenly froze.

She originally thought the night was still early, and after serving His Highness with grooming, she could quietly return to the East Courtyard. As long as the three sisters didn’t talk, Gu Yu shouldn’t notice anything. Unexpectedly, Gu Yu came over so early.

Wan Qiu sat dazedly on the soft couch at the end of the corridor, momentarily at a loss.

In the inner hall, Zhao Xi called out a few times but received no response. When he came out to look, he saw Wan Qiu with a pale face, her expression blank, and asked aloud, "What’s wrong?"

Wan Qiu suddenly came to her senses, shaking her head, "Nothing, this servant had a nightmare."

"Is everything alright?"

"It’s fine." Wan Qiu neatly folded the blankets and put them back in the wardrobe. "Your Highness, please wait a moment. This servant will be right there to groom you."

Speaking of grooming, the warm water must be brought in from outside. Opening the door would inevitably run into Gu Yu.

Wan Qiu felt very conflicted in her heart.

Wrestling with this conflict, she sat on the soft couch for quite a while.

Zhao Xi noticed something amiss and asked, "Are you still feeling unwell?"

Last night, at the beginning, she cried directly, and he saw it with his own eyes.

"No, this servant will come right away."

Wan Qiu quickly concealed the emotions in her eyes, first helping Zhao Xi change into a clean Four-clawed Golden Python Robe, and she tidied up herself before going out to open the door.

Then she discovered that outside stood not only Gu Yu and Eunuch Sanbao, but also Zhi Xia with exquisite makeup.

Seeing her come out, Gu Yu was shocked, and then her eyes burst with anger.

Zhi Xia also wore a look of disbelief.

Sister Wan Qiu was supposed to be sick, wasn’t she? Could it be that last night she wasn’t out on business, but came secretly to serve His Highness?

Thinking of this, Zhi Xia’s little face showed some complexity.

They were all sent together as bedroom maids. In the past, His Highness only needed Wan Qiu to serve closely, and they never had incidents of rivalry because they felt it unnecessary; they were all sisters.

If they were sisters, why hide it? Was she afraid they would be jealous and fight for favor?

The more she thought, the more indignant Zhi Xia felt. She lowered her head and didn’t say a word to Wan Qiu.

Gu Yu, on the other hand, was so angry that she laughed, "I heard Miss Wan Qiu was sick, but apparently last night, she stayed in His Highness’s room to seek treatment?"

This remark just nearly revealed that her illness was one where she couldn’t live without a man, incredibly venomous.

Even though Wan Qiu was prepared, she didn’t anticipate Gu Yu’s harshness. Her face turned slightly pale.

She had mentioned pretending to be sick to avoid His Highness, but given the situation yesterday, when His Highness went out at midday and didn’t return, how could she not worry?

Coming to Chengming Hall was merely to see him return personally so that she could sleep peacefully back in her room.

But the developments that followed were beyond her expectations.

She didn’t know what His Highness had encountered outside, but when he returned, he brought her into the inner hall, and then...

Recalling everything from last night, Wan Qiu knew she hadn’t intentionally seduced him.

Yet, in the eyes of outsiders, if she explained now, she’d appear hypocritical.

She sighed silently, bowing in salute, "Aunt."

Perhaps fearing Zhao Xi inside would hear something, Gu Yu refrained from making a scene, merely shoulder-bumping Wan Qiu aside, then ordered Zhi Xia, who held the grooming tools, "Why not hurry inside to attend His Highness’s grooming?"

"Yes." Zhi Xia bent her knees, rose, looked at Wan Qiu with a complex expression, then stepped through the hall door.

Watching Zhi Xia’s back, Wan Qiu intended to say something, but Gu Yu’s warning voice reached her ears, "Weren’t you sick? Why not quickly return, eat medicine, see the doctor, and what are you lingering here for?"

Wan Qiu pressed her lips, looked at Eunuch Sanbao, "Please take care of His Highness, Eunuch."

Eunuch Sanbao waved his horsetail whisk, "Miss, just rest assured and go back, I am here."

His Highness had already favored Wan Qiu, now he wasn’t afraid of Gu Yu making trouble anymore.

As for Zhi Xia who entered, tut tut, let her fend for herself!

Sure enough, after just a short while, Zhi Xia emerged with reddened eyes.

Gu Yu observed this, her expression looking quite unpleasant, "What happened?"

"Nothing." Zhi Xia sniffed, suppressed her voice, "His Highness said not to have me serve, so I could only leave."

Gu Yu scolded, "Useless waste!"

Earlier in the inner hall, while His Highness only said "You may leave, I will handle it myself," the treatment made Zhi Xia feel wronged instantly. And now, being scolded by Gu Yu made her even more uncomfortable. She retorted, "Knowing I’m useless, why didn’t Aunt find someone able to please His Highness, but made me disgrace myself in public? If I had the skill, would I remain in the East Courtyard daily, wasting time with embroidery and play?"

This comment actually amused Gu Yu, "It’s rare that you have self-awareness."