Lord Shui stood outside the door. Unclear of the situation inside, he became anxious at the thought that his daughter had somehow provoked Prince Hao.
What a grand farce this has turned into. Even the physician has been invited to the County Government Office. If I hadn’t escorted my daughter over, I wouldn’t have known at all.
Cold sweat dripped down his hands as Lord Shui contemplated the situation. Watching his listless daughter from the corner of his eye, he turned to chide her in a stern voice. “When you see Prince Hao later, you’re not allowed to raise your head. Kneel down and kowtow continuously. You damned lass. You keep creating trouble for me. If Prince Hao wants your life as punishment, how am I going to face your deceased mother?!”
Shui Yinglian gradually came back to her senses. She was no longer flustered or scared, but smiling instead. “Everyone has something they care about. It’s also the same for Prince Hao. It’s just that I didn’t expect that, didn’t…”
“What’s wrong? Why do you look so despondent, like you have lost your soul?” When Lord Shui grew worried when he saw his daughter in such a state, raising his hand to feel her forehead.
Shui Yinglian turned her head and avoided his hand. “Dad, the clothes I’m wearing belong to Prince Hao’s personal maidservant. I exchanged clothes with her and passed myself off as her when I carried the water to the room. I was discovered by Prince Hao and almost punished but his personal maidservant took the punishment in my stead. The physician must have been invited by Prince Hao to treat his personal maidservant.”
The series of events caused Lord Shui to be dumbfounded. The personal maidservant is that woman! Inviting the physician to treat her on the very same night, I’m afraid that she’s not simply a personal maidservant right?
“Dad, let’s wait here quietly. I will take the initiative to admit my mistakes when Prince Hao appears. In the future, I won’t ever do bold things again.” Shui Yinglian declared slowly. Compared to Su Xi-er, I’m not bold at all.
“I played a prank on you. I’ll let you punish me however you like.” How many women in this world are brave enough to say such a thing to the most powerful man in Beimin?
It was unclear how long they waited until the physician finally came out holding his medicine box. He was led outside the County Government Office by the imperial guards from the Prince Hao Residence.
Lord Shui immediately chased them. “Your prince…”
The imperial guard immediately waved his hand. “Speak more softly. His Highness isn’t in a good mood. Aren’t you courting death by requesting an audience right now?” He then reached his hand forward and led the physician forward.
For a moment, Lord Shui didn’t know what to do. Should we leave or stay?
“Dad, you should leave me behind. I shall continue to wait here. How can your daughter let a servant girl receive punishment for my own mistakes?” Shui Yinglian knelt down before the room door, still clad in the grey coarse attire.
After fleeing and returning to her room, she had contemplated it seriously. It hadn’t even crossed her mind that, with Prince Hao’s temper, he wouldn’t have let Su Xi-er off so easily? Having even let Su Xi-er bear the punishment for her offence, Shui Yinglian’s conscience was feeling heavy.
That was why she came here. Her father had just happened to find her in such a state while she was heading here and decided to come along as he was concerned about her.
However, when they arrived, Shui Yinglian discovered that Prince Hao’s treatment of Su Xi-er did not match that of a master towards a servant.
In the room, as Pei Qianhao gazed at Su Xi-er, he recalled the physician’s words. “She contemplates too much and has too many things weighing on her mind. This may be due to her past experiences that have become nightmares, though that also seems strange. With how young she looks, how could she have so many things to brood over?”
The physician had left medicine behind. She would recover in three days if she drank a bowl every day. When he left, there was still a perplexed look etched on the physician’s face.
Pei Qianhao was similarly baffled. Contemplating too much and having too many things weighing on her mind. What exactly is she hiding that requires so much energy to ponder over?
What on earth happened to her?
