The Prince of Jin still remembered falling in love with Gu Shui Rou at first sight in Jiangnan; at that time, the misty rain was hazy, and Shui Rou, holding a smoky blue oiled paper umbrella, slowly walked into his sight.
Gu Shui Rou was not exceptionally beautiful, but she possessed the gentleness of a Jiangnan water town, which made her delicate features appear somewhat outstanding. However, after three years of being pampered in the Prince's Mansion, Gu Shui Rou, who was spoiled by the Prince of Jin, became more bossy and overbearing, losing some of her former gentleness.
But the Prince of Jin still liked her.
Helping Gu Shui Rou to her seat, the Prince of Jin used serving chopsticks to pick up a dish for her, then smiled gently at the person beside him, "Shui Rou, are you feeling better? Do you need me to find an imperial physician for you?"
Gu Shui Rou did not eat the dish the Prince of Jin picked for her, her eyes indifferent, "This servant is still not feeling well. Your Highness cannot stay overnight tonight."
Such blunt words made the Prince of Jin's expression stiffen. He only wanted to accompany his beloved, not to do that.
Gu Shui Rou did not notice the man's abnormality; instead, she followed her heart and mocked him, "Didn't Your Highness have a beauty by your side last night? Why bother putting on a show here with this servant? It's disgusting."
These words were much more excessive than usual. Ru Yan couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat, but Gu Shui Rou didn't care at all. The Prince of Jin loved her and would never get angry.
As expected, the Prince of Jin suppressed his anger, a hint of disappointment on his handsome, peerless face, "I only love you, and I didn't touch them."
"This servant didn't stop Your Highness from touching them. This servant is tired, Your Highness should go back, lest you catch the illness from the Main Courtyard."
The Prince of Jin's face stiffened. He closed his eyes to calm down for a moment, then stood up and flicked his sleeves, leaving only the words, "You rest well."
After he left, Ru Yan was still a bit scared, "Mistress, you must not be so reckless in the future. Although His Highness loves you, he is also a favored son of heaven. You cannot be so willful…"
Gu Shui Rou interrupted Ru Yan, "He forced me to marry him, causing me to be separated from my beloved. It's already good that I don't hate him."
Ru Yan's face fell. She really wanted to say, 'Mistress, your beloved is like heaven and earth compared to His Highness.'
But after witnessing three years of the Prince's dream-like indulgence towards her mistress, Ru Yan slowly relaxed. His Highness loved her mistress the most and would definitely not get angry.
On the other side, the Prince of Jin returned to Study. He was full of anger, but when he opened the door and saw the girl kneeling perfectly straight inside, he was slightly startled.
He hadn't expected this servant to actually be kneeling, after all, he had only said it casually.
But he didn't tell her to get up. Instead, he walked around her to the back of the desk and started reading by himself.
A Rao secretly looked up, then gently rubbed her knees, only to be seen by the person above, "Kneel properly."
The girl was startled and quickly straightened her back and knelt properly, looking obedient and well-behaved.
The Prince of Jin's expression softened, then he secretly scoffed at her foolishness.
After an unknown amount of time, it wasn't until he felt a bit thirsty and picked up his teacup that he realized it was empty, "Someone, pour water."
After a long pause, there was no response from outside. The Prince of Jin was startled, then saw the servant kneeling perfectly straight below weakly raise her hand, her voice very soft, "This servant is indeed the attendant serving in Study."
She and Cui Ping were casually assigned by Gu Shui Rou, but De Consort, unable to bear it, ordered the two of them to specifically serve in Study, and today happened to be A Rao's shift.
Looking at the innocence on A Rao's face, the Prince of Jin choked.
He had no water to drink because he had casually told this foolish servant to kneel, and the foolish servant had been kneeling for so long that she had no time to serve him in other ways.
"Get up, this Prince wants water."
He watched with cold eyes as A Rao struggled to stand up, then carried the teapot and walked out.
Not long after, the girl limped in, holding the teapot and pouring water into the teacup.
"Go stand outside."
"Yes."
It was the first time the Prince of Jin had encountered such a docile servant, both foolish and soft. He wondered how she had managed to survive in the Prince's Mansion until now.
A Rao stood outside looking at the door. Cui Ping stopped in front of her. She peered into Study and whispered, "What, failed to seduce His Highness and got kicked out by him?"
Seeing A Rao not respond, she wasn't annoyed. Instead, she looked at her newly done nails and giggled, "How pitiful. But His Highness only likes the Consort, so you should give up."
A Rao was plain-looking, how could she be worthy of serving His Highness? Only she, Cui Ping, a born servant of the Prince's Mansion, was worthy of standing by His Highness's side.
As for the Consort, how could a man's love last forever? Once love was gone, that 'white moonlight' would become a grain of rice stuck to the clothes, utterly detestable.
By then, she, Cui Ping, would be His Highness's most beloved woman!
Cui Ping looked at A Rao with disdain and pity, then swayed her waist and left.
Suddenly, the man's voice came from inside, "Grind the ink."
A Rao was startled. She tentatively walked in and stood in front of the desk under the man's indifferent gaze. Only then did she timidly lower her eyes, "This servant, this servant is clumsy and doesn't know how to grind ink."
Music, chess, calligraphy, and painting were pastimes only for nobles. How could ordinary servants know them?
"Foolish."
A Rao pursed her lips, about to kneel again, when she heard the man's impatient voice by her ear, "Watch how this Prince does it."
The man's fingers were long, slender, and cool, and the back of his hand was well-proportioned and beautiful. When he held the inkstick, it was exceptionally pleasing to the eye.
The Prince of Jin put down the inkstick, wiped his fingertips with a handkerchief, then glanced at A Rao, "Understand?"
The girl hurriedly looked up, hiding the shimmering in her watery eyes, and nodded repeatedly, "This servant understands."
However, when her fingers gripped the inkstick, she remained motionless.
The Prince of Jin was waiting for the ink to write, and when he became a bit impatient, he realized that the foolish servant hadn't moved at all. He frowned, about to tell her to get out.
But seeing the girl's full, smooth earlobes turn slightly red, even her neck tinged with a faint pink, he was slightly startled, and the words he uttered unconsciously changed tone, "Come here, this Prince will teach you."
This servant was plain-looking, but her figure pleased him.
The Prince of Jin mused, his fingers casually resting on the back of the girl's hand. The warm, soft, and smooth touch made him subconsciously caress it again, his gaze darkening. He rubbed the hand in his palm for a while before the man reluctantly let go.
"Do you understand?"
A Rao nodded, already able to grind good ink.
She was quite intelligent in that regard.
The Prince of Jin glanced at the ink, then swept his gaze over A Rao's figure, before finally putting his mind back on the book.
In the evening, after bathing, the Prince of Jin looked at the girl, who was shorter than his shoulder, standing obediently in the corner like a lamp. He suddenly found it somewhat amusing, "What is your name?"
"This servant is A Rao."
"A Rao? Is it the 'Rao' from 'yaorao' (enchanting)?"
A Rao nodded blankly, only to see the Prince of Jin suddenly raise an eyebrow and smile faintly. At that moment, the entire hall seemed to light up.
After smiling, the man's eyes quietly turned cold, "Tonight, it's as usual. If you dare to get on the bed, this Prince will make you kneel for a day and a night."
Seeing the girl tremble with fright as he wished, the man then lay on the bed with a hint of malice.