The Dragon's Flower

XH 115

The Empress' courtyard was indeed beautiful. The garden was filled with beautiful flowers that were planted on the fresh soil, blooming beautifully. The space of the courtyard was spacious as well, and the air was fresh and sweet thanks to the flowers. Butterflies in different patterns and colours were flying around the garden, enjoying the flowers.

Xiao Hua wondered if she had accidentally stepped into another world.

Two maidservants in a yellow dress with looks that were more attractive than other servants approached them before curtsied towards Xiao Hua, both easily recognizing her identity thanks to her uniform. However, they had performed the curtsy with disdain, as if they were forced to paid respect to someone underneath their status.

"Elder Sister Hua, Her Highness is waiting for you," one of the maids with plump curves that would be irresistible to certain males that preferred their woman with meat on them said with an overly sweet voice that seems fake, but nevertheless trying to act spoiled with her slow blink.

Xiao Hua had to resist her goosebump from appearing on her skin. Honestly, this young lady was straight even if she likes looking at beautiful ladies! Or do they think showing off their looks and charms would make Xiao Hua felt inferior?

Sadly, Le XiaoTing had experienced inferiority before and learned to overcome it as she gets older. Her body was given by God and her parents. To felt unsatisfied with what she has will invite bad luck! Dark thoughts with envy often make one act irrationally.

RIP cannon fodders.

If her mother had not scolded her for thinking in such a way when she was younger, Le XiaoTing does not know where she would be now.

Should Xiao Hua act like a pig when she meets the Empress, just like the female lead from 'To Be A Virtuous Wife' Chinese novel? But somehow she gets the feeling she will be hated even more if she does the pig acting.

"Then, this elder sister will count on little sister to lead the way," Xiao Hua said as clearly as she could, even twisting her tongue to make her voice sounded a little higher class.

The maids just smiled and led the way, releasing the soldiers from the task and allowed them to return to their task, which was patrolling the Empress' courtyard until Xiao Hua and the rest finish visiting the Empress. 

Reaching deep into the courtyard, they stopped before a room and the two maidservants pushed open the door before motioned Xiao Hua to enter. Xiao Hua does not dare to enter as she could not see beyond the room with a widescreen of a red phoenix flying in the sky painted on it that was placed after the entrance inside the room to hide the chamber's view.

"Would one of the little sisters inform the Empress on this elder sister's arrival? It would be terrible to surprise Her Highness." Xiao Hua clapped inwardly when she was certain that the two maid's smile dimmed slightly!

So Xiao Hua was right to remain on guard and think even more. This method must be one of the traps for her to commit mistakes so that the Empress has a reason to censure her.

Is it too late to run away? ＼(º □ º l|l)/

One of the maids stepped into the room and announced Xiao Hua's arrival. It was only until the Empress verbally allowed her to enter did Xiao Hua stepped into the room.

But the two maidservants quickly stepped before Da Bei and Duan XiYing. "Her Highness only allowed Elder Sister Xiao Hua to enter."

Shit!!!! (ᗒᗣᗕ)՞

Xiao Hua pinched her hand, the movement hidden under her wide sleeves, to clear her mind and control her panic before stepping back out from the room.

"These little sisters, the Third Prince had ordered Xiao Hua not to go anywhere without the two of them, for Xiao Hua is still inexperienced with the royal etiquette and would perhaps offend important people. Please inform Her Highness that Xiao Hua does not wish to disobey her master's order and could only decline her invitation."

"Let them in," A familiar voice of the Empress called out from inside the room. Naturally, she had heard everything.

"Please excuse this inexperience servant's blunder," Xiao Hua said loudly before stepping into the room with Duan XiYing and Da Bei.

The two maids were willing to let Duan XiYing pass, but their reluctance was painfully obvious when Da Bei stepped into the room, who looked unconcerned that he just stepped into a lady's room.

Since Xiao Hua had already offended them, she might as well go all the way! She just hoped her golden thigh, the Third Prince, will get her out if things get out of hand. She purposely stopped before she could step out of view from the widescreen and started with her plan.

"Oh, this incompetent servant had offended the Empress for asking a male to enter Her Highness' bedchamber!" Xiao Hua makes her voice shaky and apologetic, even twisting her face to look guilty. "This servant will ask Da Bei to return to the Third Prince's side quickly!"

The two maid's response was too slow that the Empress was forced to speak. "There's no need for that. The two of you will be working in the kitchen for a week for making trouble."

The Empress: Incompetent servant? Ha! Who was this little stinky maid tried to fool? If that boy was sent to Long Zhu, he will know his personal maid was in her hands!

"Yes, Your Highness." The two maids were forced to swallow their grievances and accepted the punishment. But their dislike towards Xiao Hua bloomed to hate.

The Empress had told them to do their best to display Xiao Hua's incompetence so that she could use it to hold it over the Third Prince's head and force him to change his personal maid. After that, one of them would take over the personal maid position as the Empress had promised.

The Third Prince's personal maid position was empty for years and most of the maidservants had eyed it since years ago. Their heart could not accept the fact that an unknown girl suddenly appeared out of nowhere and took the position they had worked hard for the Third Prince to pick them one day.

In their eyes, Xiao Hua was a commoner, only suited to be a low ranked servant! Her looks were plain, nothing to brag about. But she managed to throw them off the game and forced them to be punished.

Fortunately, they were just sent to the kitchens for a week, which means that the Empress had not given up on them!

But the two of them were just young maids, not experienced or sly enough to lead Xiao Hua to fall into a trap. There were still inner maids of the Empress, along with her personal maidservant. Soon, that lowly maid will suffer her own retribution!

"Come in, Xiao Hua," The Empress invited, and as expected, her voice showed nothing but pleasantry, as if she truly welcomed Xiao Hua's arrival.

The Xiao Hua that stepped past the screen divider and into the room, was secretly amazed at the spacious room. There was another divider at the further end of the room, leading to her inner chamber.

The Empress was dressed in red and gold, with a similarly shaped phoenix as the entrance's screen divider, was embroidered on her dress. Behind her stood two maidservants around An Jing and An Wan's age, with the air of experience and maturity.

Giving the best curtsy she could perform, Xiao Hua politely greeted, "This servant greets Your Highness. Please pardon this servant's faults."

The Empress inwardly wanted to slap the stinky maid in front of her. Faults? Incompetence? The way she kept on asking her to excuse them was utterly shameless! Was that not just to give her a leeway to escape punishment if she offended her, the Empress?!

Her rage stewed inwardly but outwardly, the Empress' smile grew wider as her phoenix eyes twinkled. "This Empress had met you once before and you have grown."

"It's thanks to the Third Prince's great effort than this servant managed to grow this much."

The Empress' smile grew even wider. "This Empress is amazed that you could cultivate, and even able to reach the first rank of the higher stage in such a short period. Seeing from before that there isn't even a single strand of cultivation in you, this Empress had thought you do not have any fate when it comes to cultivation."

The Empress picked up her teacup that one of her inner maidservants had passed to her, and calmly sips the tea, flashing the catchy golden nail protector on her right hand's pinky.

Xiao Hua, who had to sharpen her mind to dissect every of the Empress' words to make it sound as mean as possible came into the conclusion that the Empress had insulted Xiao Hua in having no fate in cultivating, but have good fate in riding the Third Prince's tailcoat!

With a polite smile, Xiao Hua said demurely, "It was all thanks to the Third Prince's generosity. He had given this servant Nutrient pill and since then, this servant could cultivate. The Third Prince has an unending kindness for constantly supplying Nutrient Pill to this servant once a week."

Heise had not written if the original Xiao Hua could cultivate or not, so Xiao Hua just assumed that this body was able to cultivate was all thanks to the Third Prince.

The Empress' face turned unpleasant and the sharp clang was rather loud when she placed down the teacup on the porcelain teacup holder. 

This stinky girl dared to throw her own son's affection onto her face?