She cursed the princess all night.
She silently prayed that her cousin had never touched her before, so this time should be fine too…
As soon as dawn broke, she eagerly got up and meticulously dressed herself.
As a concubine of the驸马, she had to pay respects to the Eldest Princess. She had forgotten a few days ago and was now making up for it.
Accompanied by her personal maid, Xiao Lan, Zeng Honglian, swaying gracefully, walked to the Eldest Princess's sleeping quarters. Seeing that Qiao Ci's personal maids were all guarding outside the entrance, she gritted her teeth.
The sun was already high in the sky, and she still wasn't up. She must have slept very late last night!
“Your humble concubine Honglian is here to pay respects to the Princess. Please inform her.” Although the handkerchief in her hand was almost poked through by her fingernails, Zeng Honglian maintained a smiling, approachable demeanor on the surface.
“What concubine? This is the Princess's manor, where did a concubine come from?” The two maids had already learned the previous night that the Princess had severely punished the 驸马, and they were extremely delighted.
Look at how pampered the 驸马 was before, privately bringing his own cousin into the Princess's manor. Yet, the Princess had tolerated it, making them, as maids, angry at her lack of assertiveness.
Now, the Princess had finally asserted herself. Let's see how this slut would act arrogantly in the Princess's manor relying on the 驸马 in the future.
Zeng Honglian was extremely surprised by the servants' obstruction, but she did not show it on her face, still smiling, “It is this commoner’s ignorance of etiquette. May I ask when the Princess will be awake?”
“When the Princess wakes is not for us maids to comment on. If you have something to say, wait here. Speak less and don't wake the Princess,” Maid Cui Liu stood straight, but her voice remained very low.
“Then, what about my cousin? At this hour, he should already be studying,” Zeng Honglian tightly twisted her handkerchief, unwilling to compromise just like that. Now, she urgently wanted to know if her cousin was also inside.
“There is no cousin here,” Cui Liu said sarcastically.
A flash of anger flickered in Zeng Honglian’s eyes, but she quickly regained her composure, gritting her teeth and saying, “I’m looking for the 驸马.”
“The 驸马 is not in the Princess’s chambers.” Liu Cui observed Zeng Honglian carefully and indeed noticed the flicker of surprise in her eyes. She then said with a hint of malice, “The 驸马 is probably in the doghouse now.”
Doghouse?
Zeng Honglian didn't understand for a moment and asked, “Doghouse? What doghouse?”
“Last night, the 驸马 angered the Princess and was punished to sleep with the dogs, oh no, punished to kneel in front of the doghouse,” Cui Liu spoke with full confidence.
The Princess had ordered that from now on, Zhao Shimei would be treated the same as a dog. All the humiliation he had inflicted on her before would be returned a thousandfold.
“How is that possible…” Zeng Honglian looked incredulous.
Recalling that there was a dog named Wangcai in the manor, and a small house had been specially built for it, Zeng Honglian no longer thought about paying respects and hurried towards the doghouse, with Xiao Lan following closely.
When she arrived, Zhao Shimei, who had been kneeling until sunrise, was already drowsy. Wangcai disdainfully pushed its food bowl aside, and only after ensuring its safety began to eat with relish.
The person in front of her, swollen like a pig's head, with none of his former demeanor visible… was this truly her cousin?
It was correct; the clothes he was wearing were the same ones she had personally put on him yesterday.
“Cousin~” Zeng Honglian squatted down and nudged Zhao Shimei.
Zhao Shimei slowly woke up, opened his eyes which were swollen into narrow slits. Seeing Honglian, he instinctively leaned forward, wanting to kiss her, which startled Zeng Honglian into slapping him directly…
Qiao Ci slept until she naturally woke up. After washing up with the service of her maid Cui Zhu, breakfast was promptly served.
Thinking of Li Su, Qiao Ci instructed, “Go invite Li Su over to have breakfast together.”
Little Spoon asked excitedly, “Host, isn’t this Li Su your little one?”
“Are you sure you don’t want to come out and play in this world?” Qiao Ci asked instead of answering.
Little Spoon immediately responded with a dejected tone, “Alas, it’s so difficult to have friends and attachments in a small world. Little Spoon needs some time to recover.”
“Just delete the data,” Qiao Ci suggested.
“Perhaps not. He is the first friend Little Spoon made in a small world. Little Spoon doesn’t want to forget him.”
“Mm,” Qiao Ci said nothing more.
Li Su arrived.
Seeing that the whip marks on his face had somewhat faded, Qiao Ci gestured for him to sit down and eat.
With a hesitant expression, he walked to the seat indicated by the Princess and sat down. Qiao Ci placed a crystal shrimp dumpling for him, but Li Su dared not eat it.
Although the Princess had saved her last night, it was a fact that she desired her body. Who knew if there was some indecent medicine in the food.
Sensing his hesitation, Qiao Ci did not get angry, “I will never force you from now on. Don’t worry, it’s not poisoned.”
Cui Liu saw that the newcomer was so ungrateful and seemed to be developing in the direction of the 驸马. She wanted to speak up for her Princess but dared not speak too much in front of her. She could only glare fiercely at the unappreciative Li Su.
Since the Princess had spoken, Li Su was also ravenous. After thinking about it, he began to eat ravenously.
Before he was captured and brought to the Princess's manor, he had often gone hungry. After entering the Princess's manor, he hadn't eaten all day, so he was extremely hungry.
“Eat slowly, no rush,” Qiao Ci looked at the little one like this, her eyes obscure.
Li Su also knew his eating manners were not refined. He reached out and scratched his head, smiling shyly, and continued to eat.
Despite enduring so much hardship, he still possessed the purest smile. Even Cui Liu and Cui Zhu by his side were momentarily dazzled by his smile.
Looking at him, he didn't seem to resemble the 驸马 in appearance. The 驸马's eyes were filled with calculation and aloofness, while Li Su was pure and beautiful.
Moreover, in terms of appearance, the 驸马 should have resembled the youth more, only possessing six or seven parts of the youth's handsomeness.
After finishing his meal, Li Su didn't know what to do next and felt as if he were sitting on pins and needles.
He was accustomed to life in the common folk. Suddenly arriving in such a magnificent place and eating such exquisite food filled his heart with unease.
“Don’t be constrained, make yourself at home.”
How could Li Su truly treat it as his home? He just nodded but dared not respond.
“Um, can you let me leave? I have a mother-in-law outside to take care of. I said I was going out to find food and haven't returned for two days. My mother-in-law is not in good health, I don't know how she is doing,” perhaps because this high-and-mighty Princess was too easy to talk to, Li Su gathered his courage and asked softly.
“If you've fallen to the point of going out to find food, how can you take care of your mother-in-law?” His own little one had to be kept under his watchful eye.
Li Su’s eyes instantly darkened, “I know I can’t provide a wealthy life for my mother-in-law, but…”
“How about bringing your mother-in-law to the Princess's manor? There’s no shortage of food and drink here, and there are imperial physicians to help her recuperate,” Qiao Ci interrupted him and asked.
His mother-in-law's health had been declining recently. It would be wonderful to have imperial physicians treat her, but…
His eyes showed struggle.
Qiao Ci understood instantly and said helplessly, “I won’t force you.”
“Really?”
“Really.”