Chapter 16
The early morning sunlight spilled over the Crown Prince’s residence like a layer of gold. Chief Hai had already dealt with the mess left over by the previous night’s fight. The injured guards were also being taken care of in the rear court. That place had always been vacant, so they had placed the bodyguards there. It could be considered their dwelling. Moreover, the rear courtyard was the furthest away from the front courtyard and they were unlikely to disturb the crown prince. Chief Hai’s considerate way of handling things really satisfied Shang Wuxin.
“Crown Prince!” Wu Wei and Wu Ju both stood at the bedroom’s entrance. Earlier today, Wu Wei had come back and had heard about last night’s unrest, causing her to blame herself. She wanted to handle her side tasks as soon as possible. As the crown prince’s personal maid, she ought to take care of his everyday life. If anything had happened to him last night, she wouldn’t have been able to wash away the guilt even if she died ten thousand times.
Since the two of them didn’t get a reply, they moved to stand outside the bedroom. After waiting for a long time, they finally heard a voice coming from inside and respectfully walked in. Wu Wei started combing the crown prince’s hair and arranging his clothing, while Wu Ju tidied up the room and the bed.
“Why did you come here after returning, instead of resting up?” Shang Wuxin asked as she glanced at the mirror’s reflection of Wu Wei combing her hair. When it came to her own people, she had a very lenient heart. Not to mention how highly she thought of the useful and devoted ones.
Looking at the crown prince’s fine black hair, Wu Wei couldn’t help but sigh with emotion. Compared to him, all the palace’s consorts and princesses were inferior. Listening to his caring words, she said, “This servant isn’t tired. Being able to wait upon You is this servant’s good fortune.”
Shang Wuxin didn’t have much else to say. Since Wu Wei was willing to serve her, she regarded her as a very competent maid. Glancing at Wu Ju, who was in the middle of putting the bed in order, she said, “You got injured last night. A bit later, go out to train with Wu Wei, so you can protect yourself better in the future and become This Prince’s strength.”
“Many thanks, Crown Prince!” Wu Ju happily replied.
Watching these two, a hint of warmth flowed in Shang Wuxin’s heart. Their ages weren’t much bigger than her own. She was worried that if she kept being as cold as usual, the two maids would be apprehensive whenever they faced her. Although it was a good thing to be feared, being feared too much was only a burden. In addition, she intended to nurture the two of them, to become her left and her right hands. Therefore, they didn’t only need skill, but also self-confidence. Though that wasn’t something that could be improved in a short time.
“You’ve come so early today. Is there something the matter?” Shang Wuxin asked. Because the two of them were her personal maids, they resided in the same courtyard so they could serve in front of the sleeping quarters at any time. However, she didn’t like having people outside her room when she was sleeping, so she made them go rest at night.
“Crown Prince, young master Huan Mo Che has come to the residence to tutor in writing. Crown Prince ought to receive the guest,” Wu Wei stated. Even if she knew that the crown prince didn’t put the two mentors in his eyes, and she also believed he was quite intelligent and didn’t have a need for mentors, it was after all the Emperor’s decree. Moreover, young master Huan’s motive to suddenly volunteer as a tutor for the crown prince was too suspicious. But no matter what, they shouldn’t rashly offend him.
“Oh? He showed up unexpectedly early.” Due to the toxin remaining in her body since birth, she couldn’t avoid easily tiring out, even if her martial arts was outstanding. Furthermore, she was originally the type to pay attention to her sleep and she had a hard time getting out of bed, so she usually woke up very late.Since the two maids had shown up outside her sleeping quarters, she was roused comparatively early, but she didn’t expect the so called First Son of the capital to also come so early. What could be the reason in the end?
“Since he came, let Chief Hai entertain him.” Shang Wuxin stared at her own tied up hair, then at her androgynous facial features. Because she had recently started sleeping without the binds around her chest, her breasts had slowly began to grow. It was rather troublesome.
“But…” Wu Wei looked at the crown prince and said with some intent, “Young master Huan has been waiting for You in the great hall, saying he wanted to instruct You in writing. Chief Hai was basically unable to convince him, nor drive him out of the residence, so he could only let him sit in the great hall.”
Mentioning about that, Wu Wei also found it quite strange. Who didn’t know that this young master Huan was very difficult to deal with, not even giving face to the princes and princesses. Yet why did it seem like he wanted to cooperate with the crown prince now?
“Should this servant make young master Huan leave?” Wu Wei asked.
Shang Wuxin took a look at her own neatly arranged clothes, then said with a smile, “I’m afraid you simply won’t be able to make him leave.” A person who wasn’t in any official position, yet he could make the nobles and the officials follow him, as well as have the princes and princesses fighting over his favor. How would Wu Wei ever be able to get rid of such a person?
Shang Wuxin unhurriedly strolled into the vast great hall of the Crown Prince’s residence, at once noticing the gentleman sitting there. He was dressed in light blue clothes, his silky black hair loosely draped over his shoulders with a single jade hairpin binding it. As he was leisurely sampling the tea, holding the cup with both hands, he presented a simple and elegant, yet tranquil image. This kind of man deserved the ‘Capital’s First Son’ title. It was exactly this type of countenance that let people feel cleansed and peaceful. But unfortunately, Shang Wuxin disliked Huan Mo Che at a glance. Not for any other reason, but because he had a pair of striking peach blossom eyes on that neat-looking face, making his appearance all the more intense.
Shang Wuxin recognized him as the man she had met eyes with that day on the street.
Huan Mo Che also realized that someone had come in, and put down the tea to stand up. “Greeting the Crown Prince!” No matter how popular he was in the capital, he didn’t actually hold a government post. Meeting the crown prince, he was still required to salute.
“At ease.” Shang Wuxin walked up to the seat of honor and no longer looked down at Huan Mo Che.
On the other hand, Huan Mo Che slightly raised his head to study the crown prince. That day they had met eyes, but they had been too far apart and the crown prince had been sitting in his carriage. Thus Huan Mo Che hadn’t been able to clearly see his face. As he took a careful glimpse now, he couldn’t help getting a shock. The crown prince was dressed in a light purple brocade robe today. Whenever the edges of the robe fluttered a little, they would draw an elegant arc. A jade hairpin held his hair together, without any unnecessary decorations. He was incomparably graceful with an innate noble aura. No flowery clothes or precious stones could match him; covering up his appearance, they would only seem lacking and inappropriate. His pair of sharp black eyes were like a deep abyss.
Ever since the day Huan Mo Che had seen that pair of eyes, they kept invading his mind. So when he heard that the emperor wanted to find mentors for the crown prince, completely outside of his own expectations, he had agreed to do it. Now that he saw those eyes, as well as the crown prince, Huan Mo Che thought his heart felt rather comfortable.
Notes: Edit pending…
My nickname for Huan Mo Che is Mochi (need you ask why…) Also Huan sounds like Juan, kekeke, Don Juan. Suits his peach blossom (seductive) eyes. BTW, my nickname for Han Xuan Hao is shameless boy~ I get sidetracked a lot.
I tried finding a suitable pic for Huan Mo Che in my stash:
The peach blossom eyes and the neat look
Peach blossom eyes again, and a scholarly look, more playful tho.
This one looks gentle and mature, and the eyes and the hair style seem close to the description.
I kinda decided on those three. Variety is nice ^^.
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