The Dragon's Flower

XH 58

Xiao Hua finally left the Ping household, carrying along more than a handful of snacks for the Third Prince, much to a person's satisfaction.

However, he will need to appease his darling wife.

"Shui' Er..."

"Husband," Ping Shui interrupted gently. "This wife had never bothered you whenever you meet the Second Prince."

Ping Shui stared at her husband, with her eyes asking, 'So why are you interrupting my meeting?'

"This wife is glad that Miss Xiao Hua decided to overlook my rudeness as a host," Ping Shui continued lightly. "A host should always treat her guests well."

'If Xiao Hua complained to the Third Prince and got him angry, I will be in trouble.' Ping Shui's eyes continue to tell him the unspoken meaning beneath her words. 

"Shui 'Er, listen to me..."

"This wife had not neglected her wifely duties. Perhaps husband found this wife unsatisfying? Please enlighten this wife of my wrongdoings so that I can learn from it."

Her eyes turned accusing despite her submissive words. 'You are the one that falls for my seduction and now you are blaming me for your addiction?'

"Of course not!" General Tang exclaimed. "I'm very happy to have Shui 'Er as my wife!"

To prove the truth of his words, he hugged his wife while being careful of his strength to avoid hurting her. He was about to press his mouth to hers when Ping Shui stopped him, her fingers lightly pushing back his pouting lips.

"Shui 'Er," General Tang whined and had Xiao Hua heard it, she would have broken out massive goosebumps.

Ping Shui smiled seductively and lightly teased her husband by caressing her fingertips over his lips, lightly scratched over it with her neatly trimmed nails. She secretly smiled when she saw her husband shivered with his eyes glazed in desire.

She removed her fingers and pushed her husband's chest to create some distance between them. 

"It's still broad daylight. Husband, do not behave improperly," Ping Shui chastised.

Poor General Tang that had gotten hot and bothered by his wife was forced to rein in his desires. His eyes displayed his wounded feelings, trying to get his wife to pity him.

Ping Shui was taller than the average females around her age, which gave her an extra boost in height when she went tiptoes to give General Tang a light kiss on his tanned cheek that was free from facial hair. He usually does not care about his beard, allowing it to grow freely and only shave them away once a month, but his wife disliked it, so he made it a habit to shave them. 

"Tonight, I will do whatever you want," Ping Shui whispered to his ears. 

General Tang groaned at the thought of it. He could feel his body reacted to his alluring wife and cursed that it was still hours away from nighttime.

It was not wrong to assume that Ping Shui had chosen General Tang as her husband to help the Third Prince to strike the Second Prince's camp. To her, it was a pleasant benefit that this muscular man was just the type of man she was attracted to. 

She truly enjoyed seducing the playing hard-to-get man and the reward she has gotten in return was far sweeter than she had imagined.

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Xiao Hua returned to the Third Prince's residence, walking at a speed of a turtle's to avoid dropping the meal boxes stacked high in her hands. The carriage rider had dropped her at the gates and the guards stationed at the gates did not offer their help.

"Elder Sister Hua!" Si Si coincidentally passed by and nearly did not discover Xiao Hua's face that was half hidden behind the boxes. "Let me help you."

Without waiting for a reply, Si Si had already taken three boxes, leaving the remaining two to be carried by Xiao Hua.

Xiao Hua smiled with reservation. "Thank you, Si Si."

But Si Si did not notice Xiao Hua's misgivings, too busy staring at the exquisite food containers that was clearly not from any ordinary shop. "What is this, Elder Sister Hua? Did you buy snacks for us all?"

Si Si's tone and sentence were just right, sounding like a child desiring some candies. But her eyes were sharp, assessing every detail she could get from Xiao Hua's mouth and body language.

Xiao Hua did not bother to hide the truth, too scared that the other girl will eat the snacks if she explained a moment slower. "These are for the Third Prince. We need to be very careful when carrying them."

"The Third prince asked Elder Sister Hua to do an errand?" Si Si's mind was quick, already trying to make use of this rare opportunity.

"Yes." 

It was not exactly a lie as the Third Prince did send her to visit Madam Ping Shui to inquire about her and General Tang's relationship using the excuse of sending health products to the truly sick Grand Tutor. The Grand Tutor Ping Pong caught a cold after spending a night with open windows, allowing cold air into his room.

Si Si followed behind Xiao Hua, using the excuse of helping Xiao Hua to carry the heavy meal boxes. Xiao Hua did not stop Si Si, intending to make use of the free labor.

Xiao Hua arrived in front of the Third Prince's room and found Da An standing guard in front of it. He approached Si Si and held out his hands.

"No one other than Elder Sister Hua can enter."

Si Si gave a surprised look before looking at Xiao Hua with a concerned expression with the air of being wronged surrounding her. "Si Si is only helping Elder Sister Hua to carry the snacks. Elder Sister Hua, how about you place the containers inside first before coming back to take these from my hands?"

She managed to sound concerned and obedience, even thinking up a way that benefit herself at the same time. When Xiao Hua had to come out again to take the remaining boxes, Si Si will use that chance to let her existence known. 

But contrary to her plans, Da Bei jumped down from the roof and took the containers from Si Si's hands without a word.

Da An's eyes were full of mockery when he stared at Si Si. "We don't need your help anymore. Please leave."

Only inner maids and blackguards like Da An could enter the Third Prince's rooms, after getting the permission from their master, of course. With just an identity of a low ranking servant, this girl dared to dream big and used others in her scheme?

Si Si was rather annoyed at the way she was treated. But she nodded meekly with averted eyes, as if Da An had bullied her. The Third Prince's door suddenly opened and An Jing stepped out.

Si Si could not stop her automatic reaction. Her eyes quickly tried to peek into the room but An Jing was rather quick to shut the door behind her.

Xiao Hua, who had wanted to walk into the room when An Jing opened the door, wanted to cry. These food containers might not be overly heavy, but it was a different thing when she had carried these boxes for quite some time! The distance from the front door to the front of the Third Prince's bedroom was not a joke!

"Si Si, from now on you do not need to serve Elder Sister Hua. You may continue your previous duties," An Jing announced.

Gaping in disbelief, Si Si actually dared to ask, "Why? Did Elder Sister Hua said something about me?"

Xiao Hua could not help but frown, an expression that An Jing rarely saw on the other girl. Xiao Hua usually could be spotted with either a blank, blur, timid or nervous expression. An Jing had never seen Xiao Hua angry but even if she was upset, she usually just sulked until something else captured her attention.

"Elder Sister Hua did not say anything," An Jing said coldly. "Even if she did, who are you to question my decision as the head servant?"

Si Si trembled and immediately kneeled down. "Si Si does not mean it that way! I just want to know if I had done something to upset Elder Sister Hua if I can no longer serve her."

"I did not say anything about you."Xiao Hua stared at Si Si with a fierce glint in her eyes. "Anything you have done around me are known to Sister An Jing. I do not need to waste my saliva to say repeat your offenses to others that are aware of it." 

She had originally wanted to just let it go after the first blame, but who would have thought this girl would blame her for the second time?

Did you think this young lady would just let you bully me? Only the Third Prince is allowed to do so!

Xiao Hua: '...' Wait, did she just admit something irresponsible...?

"Elder Sister Jing, why would I be dismissed? There must be some misunderstandings!" Si Si was very unwilling. Xiao Hua was her ticket to get the Third Prince to notice her!

"It seems I had been rather lenient for you to dare question my decision. Do not forget that I, An Jing, the head of servants, have to right to beat you up before kicking you out from the Third Prince's residence for insubordination!"

Si Si was a cautious person. She knew how to keep her head low and acted accordingly. It was when she saw the chance to get promoted that she accidentally allowed greed and impatience to control her mind. Once she saw a better path for her in the future, she could no longer reconcile going back to her low position!

"Da An, get her back to her quarters and have her to be punished according to the rule," An Jing ordered.

Si Si did not make things difficult and let Da An escort her back to her quarters without resisting. But no one noticed how cold her eyes were with her head facing downward.

Xiao Hua watched Si Si leave with mixed feelings. The other girl might seem friendly but Xiao Hua was still someone that could see aloofness behind the friendly facade. She thought that if she tried to be nice to Si Si, the other girl would treat her with genuine warmth, but after so many months, Si Si still remained the same, viewing Xiao Hua as her stepping stone. That was why Xiao Hua pretended to be silly, let her trip over her own scheme. 

Xiao Hua was not at all upset over Si Si's dismissal, but she still feels a bit uneasy over it, like a foreboding feeling. Perhaps she was a bit paranoid.

"Elder Sister Hua, the Third Prince agrees with Si Si's dismissal." An Jing explained. "Don't worry; the Third Prince had made sure to choose a better person to serve you."

Once An Jing said there will be a new helper, half of her anxiety disappeared. As long as she has a human alarm clock, she does not care much as she could do those things by herself.