Chapter 33.1: banter

Su Xi-er bowed and paid her greetings, “This servant her respects to prince Hao.”

If she was right, he was going to say, “Do you want to know why this prince is here?”

“Quickly go and do your work,” a clear and melodious voice escaped from between his lips. He didn’t even glance at her once. 

Su Xi-er was taken aback, but quickly returned to normal. Have I guessed incorrectly, or is he pretending? Only if he has too much time would he come to the Palace Side Quarters to watch me scrub the chamber pots.

“Prince Hao, why are you here?” Since he isn’t telling me, I’ll ask then.

Pei Qianhao’s pair of eyes sized her up from top to bottom. She’s so gaunt and tiny. How did she get the strength to knock me out? If I don’t play some tricks, when would she admit to anything?

Pei Qianhao was quite confident in his own intuition. It must be her.

“There’s naturally a reason for you to appear here, Prince Hao. This servant will go and work.” When Su Xi-er saw that he didn’t respond, she spoke respectfully before she walked towards the wooden cabin.

Pei Qianhao watched her place all the chamber pots onto the bamboo board before she pulled the coarse rope and hauled it towards the side of the well.

She has such a delicate body yet, she is able to drag such a heavy load, even if her speed is a little slow.

“Where’s the fat palace maid who was with you? Why didn’t she come and help you?” Pei Qianhao couldn’t help but ask.

Su Xi-er stopped what she was doing and raised her head to look at him. “She’s called Ruo Yuan, not fat palace maid.”

“She’s originally round and fat,” Pei Qianhao coldly refuted.

“Prince Hao, she was taken away by the imperial guards this morning,” Su Xi-er went straight to the point. Since he has taken the initiative to mention Ruo Yuan, I will seize the opportunity to ask.

Pei Qianhao raised his eyebrow. “She’s a fat palace maid from the Palace Side Quarters with no usefulness at all. Which palace’s imperial guards would capture her?”

Su Xi-er was a little surprised. Judging from his tone, he isn’t the one who commanded the imperial guards to take Ruo Yuan away? If it wasn’t him, then who would it be?

Displeased with the doubt contained within her gaze, he walked over and pinched her chin, his eyes slightly narrowed. His voice was filled with oppression, “You suspect this prince?”

“Just like you said, Prince Hao, Ruo Yuan is just an ordinary palace maid in the Palace Side Quarters. This servant also doesn’t understand, why would someone take her away?”

Pei Qianhao lowered his head and stared fixedly at her eyes, only able to see a completely calm expression.

Damn it, what kind of expression is this!

“If this prince had done it, this prince would admit to it. You have a lot of nerve now.” His voice was deep and low. His hand continuously stroked her chin before finally reaching her lips.

Su Xi-er didn’t evade. “She is this servant’s good friend, someone very important. No matter how timid a person is, they would also become more daring when it’s related to someone important. Prince Hao, don’t tell me that there has never been a time when you desperately wanted to protect someone with all your might?”

The hand wandering on her lips abruptly stopped. Desperately protect someone with all my might? There has never been someone like that.

“She is your subordinate. When did she become your good friend?”

“Prince Hao, she and I are both palace maids in the Palace Side Quarters with equal status. 

How can you say that she is my subordinate?” The ones who were close to her right now were Hong Li and Ruo Yuan.

Hong Li is an intelligent collaborator, while Ruo Yuan’s sincerity is more similar to Lü Liu.

“You’re that worried about her?” Pei Qianhao raised the corner of his mouth, lowering his face until his lips pressed close to her, but was short of kissing her, his breath scorching hot as it landed on her face.

“This servant wants to know who exactly has taken her away. That’s all,” Su Xi-er slowly replied.