Chapter 172: Chapter 172: 172: Blessings to the Prince (2)

“These are the clothes sent by the Princess Consort,”

the haughty maidservant stood in front of Lv Zhu and casually threw the clothes on the ground.

Lv Zhu had a delicate appearance; at this moment, she puffed her cheeks, which were slightly red around her eyes, exuding a pitiable yet somewhat charming air.

“You…” Lv Zhu glared with anger and retorted, “Qing He, what is this attitude!”

“Heh, what attitude?” Qing He stepped and ground the clothes underfoot, tilting her chin up in arrogance, “This is the attitude.”

The Prince’s Mansion’s servants were arrogant to the meek and subservient to the powerful.

Although they had always been somewhat opportunist, taking the side of the Princess Consort.

Yet, at least when Prince Cheng was alive, it was just small antics.

But such behavior had only begun after Prince Cheng’s death.

Now in the mansion, Princess Consort Cheng was in charge, and these servants were so bold—surely someone had instructed them.

Lv Zhu was extremely angry, but aside from arguing with them, she was powerless.

After Qing He finished trampling, as if suddenly remembering something, she covered her mouth dramatically, “Ah, I forgot to tell you, these are the clothes your young miss must wear to enter the palace. Make sure you wash them properly, but do not taint the Emperor’s eyes.”

Lv Zhu, overcome with anger, suddenly pushed Qing He.

Qing He staggered from the push.

First surprised, then with rising anger, she lifted her head and aimed a slap towards Lv Zhu’s face, “You lowly wretch, you have quite the nerve to hit me!”

Lv Zhu instinctively closed her eyes.

The hand had not struck yet, but the wind arrived first.

The breeze passed over Lv Zhu’s cheek, bringing a cool sensation, yet she did not feel any pain.

“Ah! It hurts…”

Instead, the sound of Qing He’s surprised cry echoed in her ears.

Lv Zhu immediately opened her eyes.

A hand as white as snow caught Qing He’s wrist, and following the arm, Lv Zhu saw a somewhat pale girl standing next to her, dressed in white undergarments with loose, unbound black hair cascading down her back.

The person in front of her was very familiar to Lv Zhu.

Yet Lv Zhu also felt some strangeness.

The aura of the young miss was unfamiliar…

Dignified and elegant, yet with an aloof coldness, there was a sharpness about her.

Like a cold moon on a winter’s night, piercingly chilly but dazzlingly bright.

She glanced indifferently at Qing He, and with a slight flick of her fingertips, Qing He uncontrollably fell backward.

Qing He was standing at the edge of the steps, and with that fall, she tumbled down the stairs, groaning in pain.

“Did you see clearly?”

The girl’s voice, cool and indifferent, rang out like the flowing of a spring, with a resounding ding-dong sound.

Lv Zhu was completely dumbfounded.

See… see what exactly?

“You… you dare push me!” Qing He, with a livid face, struggled to get up, her eyes wide with fury, “Do you still think you are the miss of the Prince Cheng Residence? What are you now…”

Chuzheng walked slowly down the stairs.

Under Qing He’s furious gaze, she stepped on Qing He, pushing her back down.

The girl bent down, locking eyes with Qing He.

That familiar face, now as if covered with frost, was still the same face, but gone were the usual timidity and weakness.

The blazing sun hanging high in the sky seemed to become her backdrop.

Unparalleled and noble.

Pure and transcendent.

Qing He’s throat seemed to be blocked by ice, and she could not utter a word; her heartbeat thumped wildly, her mind emptied of everything, leaving only a vast blankness.

With her back pressed to the ground, the coldness seeped in from her spine and spread throughout her body, making her limbs gradually grow stiff.

The girl’s pale lips parted slightly, and each word crashed down onto Qing He’s heart, shattering it like ice, “No matter what, I am still the miss of the Prince’s Mansion, and it is not your place to insult me.”

What kind of life had the original owner been living?

Even a mere servant could bully her.

Was this a life befitting a human?

And they still want to bully me!

No way!

There weren’t even any windows!

A woman must not be bullied!

Chuzheng withdrew her foot, her chin tracing an arc in the air, “The clothes, wash them clean.”

Her crisp, clear words caused Qing He’s little face to lose all color.

As Chuzheng’s voice fell, Qing He immediately scrambled up from the ground, frantically picking up the clothes that had been thrown on the floor and fleeing in panic.

The courtyard quieted down.

The shadows of flowers swayed, and the sunlight stretched the girl’s silhouette slender.

“Miss…” Lv Zhu called out softly.

“Next time someone bullies you, get rid of them,” Chuzheng turned to look at her, imparting her exclusive secret, “That way, no one will bully you.”

This person was the original owner’s maid, meaning she would be following her from now on.

If she was hers, how could she let others bully her?

Lv Zhu: “…”

Get rid of, get rid of?

Which one to get rid of?

Miss… couldn’t have been traumatized and gone mad, right?!

“Miss, I… let’s go back to the room first. It’s cool outside; don’t catch a cold,” Lv Zhu whispered softly, as if afraid of startling Chuzheng, her face full of caution.

Chuzheng thought blankly.

This body is a bit weak…

Just that moment, and it felt like she had used up all the strength of her life.

–

“Ouch.” Around the corner of the corridor, a figure crashed into the two maids: “Qing… Qing He sister, are you alright?”

Qing He was supported by two maids, one on each side.

“Qing He sister?”

“Qing He sister, are you alright?”

Only then did Qing He seem to come back to her senses, looking back nervously.

How had she been so easily frightened?

Thinking of those eyes from a moment ago, Qing He couldn’t help but shiver.

“Qing He sister?”

“I’m fine,” Qing He quickly moved through the maids.

The two maids watched Qing He’s hurried departure, puzzled.

“What happened?

“Don’t know…”

As Cheng Xiao’s personal maid, Qing He returned to Cheng Xiao’s courtyard and bumped into Cheng Xiao who was about to leave.

Cheng Xiao wore a vibrant green long gown, blooming bright and attractive, exuding a young lady’s delicate charm.

Her features were not particularly outstanding, but together, they were exceptionally pleasing to the eye.

Seeing Qing He, Cheng Xiao’s brows knitted, “Qing He, didn’t I have you deliver clothes to that stupid girl? Why have you brought them back?”

Hearing her mistress’s voice, Qing He felt as if the stone in her heart had finally landed.

“Miss…”

Qing He glanced around, pulling Cheng Xiao into the courtyard.

“Qing He, what are you doing? I still need to go out,” Cheng Xiao complained, being pulled by Qing He.

Qing He nervously whispered, “Miss, something’s not quite right with the girl in the south courtyard.”

“What’s not right? Did she get scared into stupidity?” Cheng Xiao withdrew her hand and patted it, a mocking smile curling her lips, “Going to the palace means a dead end, she must have been startled by that news.”

“It’s not that,” those eyes didn’t look at all like someone who had been scared stupid.

Qing He honestly reported to Cheng Xiao everything that happened in the south courtyard,

including Chuzheng hitting her and making her take the dirty clothes back.

Upon hearing this, Cheng Xiao’s pretty face darkened, “She actually dared to hit you? What a big nerve! A few days without discipline, and she forgets what she is.”

“Miss, I really think there’s something wrong with her…” Qing He said in a low voice.

“Hmph, what does it matter if something’s wrong? Right now in the Prince’s Mansion, my mother calls the shots,” Cheng Xiao said fearlessly, “I’m going out now, I’ll deal with her when I return!”

“Miss…”