Chapter 37
Chapter 37
“Your Highness has not visited me in such a long time. I wonder what has been keeping you so busy?”
Though the woman spoke to Weiqing Song, her smiling gaze slid toward Shengsheng Zhou.
Weiqing smiled faintly. “I have been rather occupied. I fear I have neglected you, Secondary Consort.”
Secondary Consort?
Shengsheng was genuinely surprised. In the original novel, this Secondary Consort had lived in such seclusion that even the heroine had barely seen her. Why had she appeared so early?
“You certainly do seem busy…” Wei Zhang glanced meaningfully at the two very different young women in the room.
Weiqing merely smiled without answering.
“Which of these young ladies has caught Your Highness’s eye?” Wei Zhang asked when he remained silent. “Why not let me make the arrangements and bring her into your household?”
Shengsheng had not expected the Secondary Consort to be so direct.
As if he had anticipated the question, Weiqing replied casually, “They are merely palace maids whose service I find convenient. There is no need to trouble yourself.”
“I see…” A contemplative look passed through Wei Zhang’s eyes. Then, as though making a lighthearted suggestion, she said, “This one rather pleases me. Why not give her to me, Your Highness?”
The brush in Shengsheng’s hand nearly slipped.
What was so pleasing about her face that everyone who saw it wanted to claim her?
Still, she was not particularly worried. Weiqing had gone to such elaborate lengths to make her his personal maid. Surely he would not hand her off so easily.
“Very well.”
The man’s clear, pleasant voice sounded beside her without warning.
This time, the brush truly did fall from her hand.
She stared at Weiqing in astonishment, but his usual mild smile remained in place, as though he had agreed to give away nothing of importance.
Wei Zhang looked surprised as well. She plainly had not expected him to consent so readily.
“In that case, I shall gladly accept her.”
People in power had never regarded servants as people who mattered. Shengsheng had understood that long ago.
Yet she had committed a grave error: she had begun to believe Weiqing was different.
His easy manner and irreverent jokes had almost made her forget that he, too, belonged to the ruling elite.
Worse, he was the Crown Prince who occupied the Eastern Palace.
“Serve the Secondary Consort well from now on. Understood?” His tone was as gentle as ever.
Shengsheng bowed and acknowledged the order.
Zhiyu Jiang was completely dumbfounded. How had the older sister who gave her a kite become Shengsheng’s new mistress in the blink of an eye?
“Miss Jiang will remain here,” Weiqing continued. “I will also have someone care for your bird. Devote yourself to serving the Secondary Consort.”
A possibility suddenly occurred to Shengsheng.
Without betraying a thing, she raised her eyes to Weiqing. A moment later, she followed the Secondary Consort out.
***
Shengsheng had assumed Wei Zhang wanted her only so she could torment her.
Yet once they returned to the Secondary Consort’s residence, Wei Zhang did not spare her so much as a glance. She simply ordered someone to send Shengsheng to an isolated courtyard and informed her that, unless specifically summoned, she would not be needed for personal service.
So that was it.
Wei Zhang had been testing Weiqing.
Had he refused, it would have proved that Shengsheng held some place in his heart. His cold indifference, however, had convinced the Secondary Consort that Shengsheng truly was nothing more than an insignificant palace maid.
Yet Shengsheng was still a gift from the Crown Prince. Wei Zhang could not dispose of her too hastily, so she had tucked Shengsheng away somewhere out of sight instead.
After serving at Fusheng Duan’s side, Shengsheng had learned more than a little about the minds of women in the inner palace. It took her no time at all to unravel Wei Zhang’s intentions.
Night deepened, and the residence fell silent.
For the first time in what felt like ages, Shengsheng slept alone.
Zhiyu had always clung to her before, and the lazy bird had spent most days dozing in their room. Now that neither of them was there, the solitude felt strangely unfamiliar.
Sleep gradually overtook Shengsheng. Once it did, she no longer cared whether she was accustomed to being alone.
Half dreaming, she suddenly felt something cold against her neck.
Her eyes flew open. She seized the dagger hidden beneath her pillow and stabbed viciously upward.
She had concealed it there in case Wei Zhang harbored sinister intentions. Apparently, the precaution had not been wasted.
“It is me.”
A deep male voice sounded in the darkness as one hand clamped around the wrist holding her dagger.
After the first rush of terror passed, Shengsheng focused on the shadow above her. In the hazy moonlight filtering through the window, the man’s face gradually became clear.
“Jian Zhang?” she cried.
What was Weiqing’s guard doing here?
“His Highness wishes to see you.” Feeling the tension leave her arm, Jian knew she had recognized him.
After Jian escorted her to the familiar main hall of the Eastern Palace, Shengsheng silently arranged her expression.
She had guessed correctly. Weiqing had given her to Wei Zhang for some other purpose.
Why else would he have deliberately kept Zhiyu and Pecky behind, if not to ensure her cooperation?
“Your Highness.”
Eyes respectfully lowered, Shengsheng bowed to Weiqing.
*I am so freaking done. Dragging me out of bed in the middle of the night…*
Weiqing silently repeated the peculiar phrase to himself. What did *freaking done* mean? Was it some kind of pun?
What a strange expression.
When he failed to answer, Shengsheng called again, “Your Highness?”
Only then did Weiqing free himself from his confusion.
“Are you comfortable at the Secondary Consort’s residence?” he asked gently, rolling a string of prayer beads between his fingers.
*Comfortable? I have never been so comfortable in my life.*
Shengsheng’s face crumpled. Tears shimmered in her eyes as she forced a smile.
“How could this servant be comfortable away from Your Highness? I have been unable to sleep all night.”
Jian immediately interjected, “Your Highness, this maid is deceiving you. She was snoring when I arrived.”
Weiqing fell silent.
There was no need to tell him. He could see that much for himself.
He coughed lightly, drawing Shengsheng’s murderous glare away from Jian.
Offending her would bring Jian nothing good. She had dared to drug even Weiqing, her own master.
“You have suffered, Xiaohong. Ever since I sent you away, I too have tossed and turned in regret.”
Jian stared at his decisive and usually perceptive master in disbelief. Though Weiqing could be irreverent, Jian had never heard him lie so solemnly before.
If Jian had not gone to wake him, His Highness would have slept straight through the night.
“Jian, withdraw.”
Weiqing truly wanted to suggest that the guard enroll in one of those “facial-expression management” classes Shengsheng was always thinking about. Jian’s efforts to undermine him were far too obvious.
Once they were alone, Weiqing continued, “Since the bond between master and servant runs so deep, would Xiaohong be willing to help me resolve a problem that has troubled me for many years?”
*There it is. I knew a weasel offering New Year’s greetings to a chicken could only be plotting dinner!*
Outwardly, however, she looked perfectly innocent.
“Of course, Your Highness. But this servant is merely a lowly palace maid. I fear…”
*Money. More, more, more. You understand?*
Weiqing smiled with perfect comprehension. “Naturally. If you succeed, you will be richly rewarded.”
“This servant will do everything in her power!”
He smiled in satisfaction and said lazily, “It is nothing terribly important. I merely want you to help me deal with the considerable nuisance that is the Secondary Consort.”
She was forever running to his mother to complain about him.
It was unbearably tiresome.