Chapter 14 - Raise You For a Lifetime

When Rong Xi was working at the external relative’s family, every time they took a rest, all those young maids who were at the age of experiencing the first blooms of love would often be bored. To pass the time, they liked to pass around and share those sorts of indecent stories.

On the other hand, she wasn’t really interested in those types of books. But when those girds would sit on the stone steps and chatter about the contents inside, Rong Xi would also walk over to sneak a few glances at the books.

She had a deep impression of two books in particular: [The Young Master’s Lovely Servant] and [The Prince’s Beloved Maid].

Although she never read either two books,she had also discovered a lot of information from the maids conversations. The gist of it was how that lovely servant and beloved maid won the favor of their master, and how the unruly young master and the lofty prince fell for their maidservant. Of course, these books also described the clouds and winds1 as well.

The young master of that external familywas also quite similar to the male protagonist in the novel. He was obviously someone who needed to prepare for the exam, but he spent day after day entangling with the few maids that were slightly prettier instead of conducting proper matters or harboring any ambitions.

Later, the madam of that family schemed to send those greedy maids out of the estate. Only then did that young master finally begin to act more proper.

Her current situation was nothing like the so-called lovely maid or beloved servant. While Mu Huai did not explicitly state anything, since he told her to serve her in the inner hall tonight, her status changed from being an ordinary palace servant to his personal servant. Thinking of this, Rong Xi’s breathing became sluggish.

She timidly climbed towards Mu Huai’s neck and suppressed the sadness and fear she felt.

Seeing how the woman in front of him was about to fall on the ground, and her originally smooth hair had become more and more messy, Mu Huai hooked an arm around her slim waist and helped her sit securely.

When Rong Xi didn’t answer him and avoided his eyes, Mu Huai asked again, “Do you feel aggrieved to serve me?”

Rong Xi frowned and shook her head. With a faintly crying sound, she replied, “This slave… This slave doesn’t feel aggrieved.”

Mu Huai’s gaze sank, and one of his hands grabbed her chin, moving her face closer. The two people’s foreheads were almost touching.

He stared into her eyes as he asked again, “Not aggrieved or don’t dare to be aggrieved?”

Rong Xi slightly averted her gaze and looked at the man’s well-defined fingers. When she met us gaze again, he noticed her eyes had become deeper.

Rong Xi’s upper lip slightly trembled, and she finally replied, “Not aggrieved…this slave doesn’t feel aggrieved, this slave is willing to serve Your Highness…”

Finished, Mu Huai glanced at her moment before finally releasing her.

The light autumn wind blew into the room, blowing out many of the lit candles. Mu Huai’s lips slightly hooked up. Under the light of the remaining candles, his beauty was out of this world but also resembled Asura.

He obviously hadn’t done anything that showed he was angry, and those handsome eyes still carried smiles within them, but Rong Xi felt a fear towards him that emanated from deep within her bones.

What a nightmare-like master.

Rong Xi only felt her hair standing up. She was thinking about the future, when she would no longer be a palace servant serving beside him.

In the middle of the night, as she was sleeping she could hear him calling her name in her dreams. It caused her whole body to jolt awake from the chill.

Mu Huai brushed her hair, almost like he was comforting a kitten, “You don’t know how to serve a man?”

Rong Xi shut her eyes. She knew why Mu Huai asked this question.

Amidst the absurdities of last night, Mu Huai already knew that she was not an innocent and naive little girl. In order to help Lady Yu gain favor, she had learned some ways to bewitch men.

Originally she thought that she would never need to use these strategies in her lifetime, but who knew that she would have to use them in front of Mu Huai. Who could’ve known.

Rong Xi’s breathing became faint. With her lowly background, there were too many things that were beyond her control. Since it has already come to this point, hating the heavens or hating the person would only worsen her situation. She tried to calm herself down as she slowly leaned over and probingly placed her lips against Mu Huai’s throat.

She could clearly feel the exact moment Mu Huai’s breath hitched. She moved downwards, her lips stopping at his Adam’s apple.

Mu Huai’s hands were still on her long hair. Seeing the beauty’s watery eyes slightly tilt upwards, she looked at him timidly. He nodded, allowing her to continue.

Rong Xi calmed her furiously beating heart, and tightly shutting her eyes, she stretched out her tongue. As if she was eating a sugar cube, she moved her lips up and down.

Feeling the damp itchiness by his neck, Mu Huai furrowed his brows, his fingers burrowing into Rong Xi’s hair.

Vixen.

He secretly cursed in his heart. Cupping the woman’s head, he quickly regained control of the situation.

Just like a vent, he sucked and nipped.

When Rong Xi continuously moaned in a low voice, the dark red curtains had already fallen down from someone’s pulling. She glanced sideways at the faint candlelight, and slowly closed her eyes.

*****

The next day, Hanlin Academy was on break.

Because the duties of Hanlin Academy weren’t very difficult, one usually just needed to repair book bindings or help officials compile books and draft summons, it was considered to be a pretty relaxing position. Every official in Hanlin Academy worked for ten days and had one day off. Every month, the number of days they could take off was two days less than normal officials.

The imperial princes and princesses would also take this chance to sleep in for a few hours instead of getting up early to go attend lessons.

Mu Huai didn’t have the habit of sleeping in, and did not really act lazy either. Even though he had done it until late at night yesterday, he still woke up feeling very refreshed in the morning, not even feeling the slightest bit tired.

Using one arm to prop himself up, he half-laid on the bed, rubbing the center of his forehead with his hand.

The woman beside him was still deeply asleep. As Mu Huai recalled the happenings of last night, he looked down at her.

Seeing Rong Xi had pulled the quilt up all the way to her head, tightly wrapping herself up, she resembled a little bun. Mu Huai reached a hand out to open a corner of her quilt.

Unfortunately, Rong Xi did not react as he expected. Instead of continuing to sleep soundly, her face was pale and she had broken out into a cold sweat. One look and it was obvious that she was feeling extremely uncomfortable.

Mu Huai slightly panicked upon seeing this. He was indeed a little rough last night, did he hurt her?

He carefully hugged Rong Xi and patted her back, “What’s wrong?”

Mu Huai’s voice carried a rare concern within, but when Rong Xi opened her mouth, she was unable to speak due to the pain in her stomach.

Her body was originally very healthy. When her periods came, she didn’t have any cramps like most other girls. However, that day when she helped Mu Huai with his fever, because she bathed in ice water in late autumn, it still impacted her body.

Seeing how Rong Xi didn’t speak, Mu Huai became even more flustered and anxious. He could faintly smell that in addition to her body’s refreshing sweet milky fragrance, there was also the smell of blood.

Rong Xi helplessly leaned against the man. Just as she was about to open her mouth to tell him that it was nothing, Mu Huai instead began to search her body. When he flipped her over, he found that her originally white inner robe was stained with blood.

In the beginning, there was only a few drops of blood on the bedsheet, but now it had become a large patch.

It looks like he still hurt her.

Mu Huai’s expression was very heavy, and his heart was full of regret.

Seeing how the tips of Rong Xi’s ears were bloodred, he guessed that she must’ve been extremely scared. It was he who did not control his strength and ended up hurting her.

He had always had an arrogant personality, but this was the first time he ever felt guilty for a woman.

His voice unconsciously carried hints of anxiety, but he pretended to be calm as he coaxed Rong Xi in a low voice, “Don’t be scared, I will send for the palace’s best imperial physician to treat you…give you the best medicine to cure you…if it can’t be cured, don’t be afraid…my Quyun Palace doesn’t lack servants, if it really can’t be cured then I’ll raise you for a lifetime…”

When he saw Rong Xi didn’t reply, Mu Huai buried his head in between the crook of her neck. His heart became even more frantic and he added on, “Not only will I raise you, I’ll give you however much you want fo ryour mnothly salary.”

When he finished, there was a feeling that welled up in her heart that Rong Xi could not describe. She gently pushed him.

“Someone come.” Mu Huai raised his voice and wanted to order his bodyguards to send for an imperial physician. Rong Xi placed a hand on his wrist and finally opened her mouth after a moment, stopping him with much difficulty, “Your Highness…”

The bodyguard who came was already standing outside of the inner hall, quietly waiting for Mu Huai’s command. He could vaguely hear the sound of a woman talking inside.

That voice was extremely familiar, soft and tender. It sounded like Rong gugug who closely served by Mu Huai’s side.

The bodyguard immediately lowered his head. When he thought about how he was guarding outside of Mu Huai’s chambers last night, he had also heard Rong gugu‘s voice.

It was just that the sounds from last night were the faint sounds of sobbing.

At the time, that bodyguard was suspicious that he had heard wrongly. How could a woman’s crying be heard from inside of Mu Huai’s inner hall?

But now, he could confirm that he did not have a problem with his ears.

It looks like Rong gugu and His Highness…

Thinking of this, the bodyguard’s face also blushed.

—“Whatever you have to say, you can say it when the imperial physician comes.” Mu Huai told her.

He moved Rong Xi’s hand away from his wrist and wanted to raise his body to sit on the wheelchair by the bed.

Rong Xi’s cheeks were burning at this time as she bit her lip to ask him, “Does Your Highness know…women and men are different, every month…we get periods…”