Han Fen glanced at Caiyu. Although she had just been snubbed, her hairpin was askew and some strands of hair fell on her temples. Her cheeks were unusually flushed, which made her look both pitiful and stubborn, with a breathtaking beauty.
Han Fen gasped.
No wonder the prince had tolerated her again and again. This girl was truly a natural beauty, arousing pity even from onlookers. Two strings of Buddhist beads had been broken because of her.
"Guard Han?" Bailu asked eagerly, "What's the order exactly? Is it something about the prince..."
As the head maid, she should have served Song Yinghuai personally. But as soon as she entered the pavilion, she was punished to sweep the yard. She didn't have the courage to take the initiative to look for Song Yinghuai.
Now she was just hoping that Song Yinghuai would order her to go first. Even just serving tea would be fine!
Han Fen said, "The old princess sent someone to pass a message. Nanny Li is not feeling well. After observing Miss Caiyu's etiquette and rules yesterday, Nanny Li thought she was doing okay, so she won't send anyone to teach her rules anymore."
Caiyu was a bit stunned, then curtsied and said, "Yes, this servant understands."
Bailu and the others looked at each other in dismay.
It wasn't that Caiyu didn't need to learn the rules anymore. It was clearly that the prince had punished Nanny Li severely yesterday.
Nanny Li was old and couldn't bear it. She was probably still lying in bed unable to get up.
Seeing this situation, the old princess naturally understood. If she sent a new person, she was afraid that this person would also be punished half to death by the prince calmly.
By then, both mother and son would lose face.
Caiyu also understood the reason behind this very well.
Han Fen then continued, "The old princess also said that although you don't need to learn the rules anymore, Miss Caiyu, please remember your own identity. When serving the prince, you must do your best and abide by your identity as a servant. If you serve inadequately, the old princess will definitely show no mercy and expel you from the mansion!"
These were just words to save face, and everyone understood.
Caiyu continued to respond obediently.
After Han Fen finished speaking, he turned around and was about to leave.
But Caiyu called him from behind and hinted, "Guard Han, does the prince need this servant to serve him in the bath today?"
Due to some incidents these days, she hadn't found another opportunity to serve in the Quiet Spring.
If Han Fen left, Bailu and the others might take the opportunity to beat her up again, so she deliberately asked this question, planning to find an excuse to slip away.
Han Fen's mouth twitched, and he looked at Caiyu as if she were a monster.
She still dared to mention serving in the bath!
Wasn't she afraid that the old princess would drag her over and beat her up again!
Before Han Fen could scold her, Caiyu deliberately sighed and said, "It seems you don't know either. Forget it. You go back to the room with me to pack up some things, and then we'll go see the prince together!"
After saying that, she turned around and walked towards the room where she lived.
Finally, she had an excuse to ask Song Yinghuai to allow her to stay in the side hall again!
Han Fen: ??
When Han Fen came to his senses, he found that he was already following her and standing outside the room with his sword in his arms, waiting.
Han Fen stood outside Caiyu's room, his mind in a mess.
He had a feeling of confusion, like "Who am I? Where am I? What am I going to do?"
Why was he led around by the nose because of a single word from Caiyu?
He should have just turned around and left!
But when he met the resentful looks from Bailu and the others standing in the yard, he suddenly thought that if he followed her here and then slipped away halfway, wouldn't it be very embarrassing and make him look stupid?
So he could only continue to wait with a gloomy face.
Bailu and the others looked even more gloomy.
Bailu was extremely shocked and kept staring at Caiyu's door.
This bitch was really serving the prince in the bath every day?
When a man and a woman were in close contact like that, it was inevitable that there would be some special treatment. No wonder the prince favored her!
Had this bitch really climbed into the prince's bed?
No!
This couldn't be!
If someone was going to climb into the prince's bed, it should be her, Bailu!
She was the candidate for the concubine maid favored by the old princess. Who did Caiyu think she was to get there first?
"Sister Bailu, what should we do?" Taoyao gritted her teeth and glared at that direction.
Who didn't want to serve the prince?
She just didn't dare to think about it.
If it was Bailu, she could still suppress her inner desires. But it was Caiyu, and she was not convinced!
Bailu's eyes were on fire, and she almost gritted her silver teeth to pieces. "Let's take it one step at a time! The old princess told us to keep an eye on Caiyu and not let her seduce the prince. As long as we find any clues, we'll immediately report it to the old princess. I don't believe we can't drive her away!"
As for serving the prince in the bath...
Bailu thought that she would also find an opportunity to get there first.
Caiyu was packing up slowly in the room while making a secret plan in her heart.
Bailu and the others were sent by the old princess to monitor her. For now, she must never serve the prince in the bath.
She deliberately revealed this information. She guessed that Bailu would be stimulated and try to replace her.
Then let her go and serve. Song Yinghuai was not an easy person to deal with.
Since the old princess had ordered Bailu to live in the Lotus Sound Pavilion to cause trouble, she had no choice but to use someone else's hand to drive her out!
Caiyu opened the door, stuffed the burden into Han Fen's hand, and said with a smile, "Let's go, Brother Han."
The corners of her lips curled up, looking as bright as a spring flower.
Han Fen reflexively took the burden and strode back to the side hall with Caiyu, leaving Bailu and the others looking stunned.
Caiyu happily unpacked the burden and arranged her things one by one in the hall.
She didn't have many things. The side hall of Song Yinghuai was very spacious. After she finished arranging, it was still like a stone falling into the sea, looking still spacious and quiet.
She was very dissatisfied and got busy again. She went to the garden to pick large clusters of sweet osmanthus branches, selected a few and arranged them into beautiful flower bouquets in clean vases, and placed them on the antique shelf, the desk, and the bedside.
When Song Yinghuai came in from outside, he saw Caiyu tinkering with a wide-mouthed lotus tank.
Song Yinghuai walked slowly behind her and frowned, asking, "What are you doing?"
The sudden voice behind her startled Caiyu, and she knocked over the lotus tank.
Caiyu let out a scream, and then was suddenly pulled back and bumped into Song Yinghuai's arms.
The lotus tank fell from the table and made a cracking sound.
Song Yinghuai pushed her away and said unhappily, "Why are you still in the side hall? Who allowed you to move the things in my side hall?"
Caiyu turned her head and quickly curtsied. "Your Highness! Didn't you tell this servant to stay last night..."
Song Yinghuai: "That was last night. I said you should leave when dawn broke this morning... What's wrong with your face?"
His voice suddenly turned cold, his eyes sharp as a blade, and the low-pressure aura emanating from his body instantly enveloped them.
Caiyu touched her still swollen and unmedicated face, a trace of fear flashed in her eyes, and she quickly turned around and said,
"It's okay. It's nothing. Your Highness, don't look."
"Turn around." Song Yinghuai ordered harshly.
But Caiyu refused to turn around and instead said, "I just accidentally bumped into the railing outside while tidying up the hall. Your Highness doesn't need to care."
Bump into the railing?
The coldness at the corner of Song Yinghuai's lips couldn't be suppressed.
He was neither blind nor stupid. What kind of railing could cause such a mark?
He put his hand on Caiyu's shoulder and gently forced her to turn around. His cold eyes fell on the mark on her face.
Caiyu covered her face and her eyes flickered. "Your Highness, don't look. This servant is very ugly now."
"Ugly?" Song Yinghuai's thumb slowly rubbed against her wound, his voice low and with a hint of hidden anger. "Afraid of being ugly but still provoking others? Hmm?"
Caiyu turned her face away from his fingertips, pursed her lips as if annoyed but not really, and said, "This servant said it was just a self-inflicted bump. Who provoked anyone? This servant is timid and never dares to provoke others!"
Song Yinghuai sneered. "You're really good at playing the retreat-for-advance game."