The Dragon's Flower

XH 22

Xiao Hua was originally worried about what to do with the food when they could not finish them all. But to her delight, the Third Prince’s appetite was the same as Long Lian’s! Both of them possess a huge appetite! Thanks to his spacious stomach, Xiao Hua does not need to stuff herself to death with food.

The food served on the table was enough for three people!

Xiao Hua scowled at the Third Prince’s slim figure. How could he and Ah Lian retain their figure with that large food consumption?

Xiao Hua had long ago stopped eating; only moving her chopsticks around as fake movements to look as if she was eating to avoid the Third Prince stuffing her with food. When the Third Prince finally stopped eating, Tian Zi came over with a bowl of water and a cloth and whisper to Xiao Hua quietly. “Elder Sister Hua, the task of cleaning His Highness’ hands will be handled by you.”

Tian Zi gave the task to Xiao Hua because she was the Third Prince’s personal maid, and since the prince had been generous to share a meal with her, she should do something in return.

Xiao Hua felt a bit embarrassed as she took the cloth and soak it into the lukewarm water. She squeezed out the water before tentatively reached out to hold his hands, which he willingly allowed, and gently cleans them.

Wow! His fingers are slender! Comparing to her own hand, the Third Prince’s hands looked more like a female’s compared to hers’.

When the chore was done, she quickly moved away before handing the wet cloth to Tian Zi. As a maid, she should be the one to feels she had been taken advantage of as she had no choice but to clean him, but why does she feel as if she had taken advantage of the Third Prince instead?

“Your Highness.” Tian Chi saluted at the doorway.

“What is it?”

“Eunuch Xiang is here to deliver a message from the Emperor.”

“Father Emperor sends Eunuch Xiang? Invite him in.” Tian Chi bowed and left.

“Tian Zi, have someone bring in the appropriate tea set. Use the tea leaves given by Father Emperor from my last visit. Xiao Hua will brew the tea.”

“Understood.” Tian Zi quickly assigned one of the maids standing at guard outside of the room to get what was needed. The tea set arrived at the same time as Tian Chi returned with Eunuch Xiang.

The Third Prince stood up to welcome Eunuch Xiang, who was deeply touched at his gesture. The middle-aged eunuch had gone to the Second Prince’s manor earlier to pass the invitation from the Emperor personally. Yet the hospitality between the Second Prince and the Third Prince differs vastly. He was forced to wait before the Second Prince could pull himself away from the business that was left unattended during his service to the military. However, the Third Prince had his servant sent him in right over to meet him and even stood up to receive him!

The tea set was placed on a side table and Xiao Hua quickly brews the tea. Since the Third Prince had spoken, even if she wanted to complain about her lack of knowledge in brewing, it was too late! The guest was already here!

Xiao Hua filled the teapot with two teaspoons of tea leaves before pouring hot water into the teapot until it was filled halfway. She used a chopstick to spin the teapot’s content for a few times before pouring the water away along with the dirt that had stick onto the tea leaves. After that, she poured clean hot water into the teapot until it was full.

Now let’s wait for a bit for the flavor to release from the tea leaves! ٩(◕‿◕)۶

 

Xiao Hua could only follow what her mother had done from what she could remember. Her mother always brewed tea during their weekend reunions and Le XiaoTing never complained. Her deceased father loves tea, and Le XiaoTing knows that her mother drinks tea as her own way to remember her late husband.

“Third Prince, the Emperor had sent this servant to pass on the invitations to every prince. The Emperor wishes to have a family dinner tonight and to catch up with new events.”

“For Father Emperor’s personal eunuch to personally come to deliver the invitation to this prince is an honor.”

“This servant only obeys the Emperor’s command. This one still needs to deliver the Emperor’s invitation to other princes. Please excuse this servant’s rudeness, Third Prince.”

“Then this prince shall not delay Eunuch Xiang any longer or else the invitations would not reach others in time. Tian Zi, escort Eunuch Xiang out with a warming jade.”

“This lowly one does not dare to accept such precious treasure.” Eunuch Xiang immediately refused. Warming treasure was just like its name. It produces gentle heat that helps to warm one’s hand during winter. There was no winter season in Guilin Country, but today’s wind was colder than normal days.

“A precious treasure needs to have an owner and would be a waste not to use it. This prince wishes for Eunuch Xiang to have it. The day is chilly, and your body is not as tough as before. You must take care of your health to continue serving Father Emperor.”

Eunuch Xiang knew that even if the Third Prince had said it was for the Emperor’s sake, the prince was actually worried about him. “This servant humbly thanks Third Prince for your generosity and will treat the treasure well.” With a respectful salute, Eunuch Xiang followed Tian Zi out.  

“Master.” Da Liu suddenly appeared inside the room, causing Xiao Hua to jolt in surprise. It was lucky for her that she was not holding onto the hot teapot or else she would have spilled the content all over.

“What have you found out?” The Third Prince asked as he returned to his seat and looked towards Xiao Hua.

Xiao Hua blinked in realization. She was not supposed to be here, listening to what was going to be a secret! Alright, this young lady understands and will immediately get rid of herself!

“Please excuse Xiao Hua.” Xiao Hua bowed.

“Xiao Hua, serve the tea for this prince,” The Third Prince said, stopping Xiao Hua from leaving.

Oh yes! The tea is not yet served! She carefully poured the tea into a teacup and placed it in front of the prince.

“Da Liu,” The Third Prince called out as if to remind his guard to speak. Da Liu glanced at Xiao Hua for a moment before turning back to the Third Prince.

“Master, the Emperor is angry when the Second Prince insists on having Miss Liu as his Princess Consort. The Emperor invited all princes tonight is because of this issue.”

“Oh?” The Third Prince leisurely sips the tea, and let out a satisfied sound, his eyes gleam in pleased surprise. “Xiao Hua is good at brewing tea.”

“This servant does not dare to claim it. Xiao Hua had never learned the art of tea brewing.”

The Third Prince smiled with his mood well. “This prince is very satisfied. From now on, you will brew tea for this prince.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

With this, she had already made him satisfied? Xiao Hua was now curious how tea normally tastes here. All she gets to drink every day was water as tea was not something a servant could drink due to their lack of money to buy tea leaves unless they hunt for the tea leaves themselves.

The only time she tasted tea was during that time when the Third Prince nearly chokes her with tea. However, at that time she had not properly tasted it, being too busy swallowing the content down her throat to survive.

The Third Prince’s eyes shifted to Da Liu, telling him to continue.

“This servant had gotten some information about Miss Liu. She is a concubine born, the fifth young miss. Her father is a merchant, often traveling around, leaving his main wife to deal with the household. Fifth Miss Liu was kidnapped by the men hired by her elder legitimate sisters, with orders to kill her. Fifth Miss Liu managed to escape by killing them all and met the Second Prince by chance.”

“Hmm. You’ve done well Da Liu.”

Xiao Hua remembered reading that the heroine had transmigrated into the book for quite some time, and exchanged blows with her vicious legitimate born sisters. Due to the heroine’s suddenly strong personality, the sisters felt threatened as their father begin to pay attention to his previously stupid daughter that had suddenly grown a brain filled with intelligent juice.

When they heard their father wanted to bring the heroine to the merchant market, the evil sisters planned something evil. On that day, the evil sisters had hired assassins to separate their father and the heroine before making the kill, intending to cover the true reason of her death by using the wild animals as the scapegoat.

Obviously, the heroine escaped as she was a top mercenary that had killed countless of targets in her original world. It was not a challenge to her when she dealt with those assassins. Her evil sisters had underestimated her and only sent low-grade assassins to deal with her.

“The Emperor intends to have all princes to give their opinion on the Second Prince’s insistence in having fifth Miss Liu as his Princess Consort.”

“Did you manage to drop it?” The Third Prince asked.

“Yes. Eunuch Xiang was the one that picked it up and had already informed the Emperor.”

“Good. I want you to go to South Guilin Village to see if there is new information. Have Xiao Liu, Da Bei, and Da An get ready to enter the palace tonight with me.”

“Understood, Master.”

“Dismiss.” Da Liu disappeared, leaving the Third Prince with a beaming smile and wickedness shown in his eyes. Xiao Hua originally understands what they were saying, but got lost in the last part of their conversation.

Is this the famous ‘Behind the Scene’ of the novel where the author decides not to mention because it’s not important? (￣～￣;)

Tian Chi returned and the Third Prince immediately tossed a new order to her. “Tian Chi, find An Wan and tell her to prepare to enter the palace later.”

“Master, will there be a second maid?” Normally the Third Prince would at least have two inner maids around him, so why would he only ask Elder Sister An Wan?

“The second one would be Xiao Hua.”

Xiao Hua and Tian Chi: ‘…’

Idiot Prince, don’t just decide on a whim!!! (╬ Ò﹏Ó)

“Do you want to cure your eyes?” The Third Prince asked Xiao Hua a startling question.

“Huh?” Xiao Hua responded foolishly.

“The cure for your eyes will be in the palace tonight. Don’t you wish to see everything, even this prince, properly?” The Third Prince’s voice was slightly husky and Xiao Hua’s heart quickens a bit.

“Yes.”

The Third Prince smiled. “Good.”

...Oh, did she answer without thinking again? This Third Prince bewitched her again!!! (°ㅂ°╬)