Chapter 2

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The East Palace had all kinds of soup to offer.

Her mother just wanted her to spend more time with the prince by bringing him soup so that he’d acknowledge her at an earlier date.

She always told her mother that the prince never let her in because he was busy with government affairs and that he would let Mr. Huang hold it for him.

She never knew if he would drink the soup himself, nor did she ever see him. She just hated to embarrass herself like this.

But her mother was unusually insistent and believed that the prince would be touched by her over time.

Li Baojia found it undeniable because she knew the prince all too well.

He had been in this prestigious position since birth. His mother was Empress Deming, who was in charge of the Six Palaces. His maternal grandfather was raised at the well-known residence of Duke Jing’an, to say nothing of the fact that his father was the current Emperor.

As for himself, he could compose poems at the age of six and learned martial arts at the age of nine.

At 14, he participated in the Conference on the Thought of Confucius alone, arguing against 100 scholars as a teenager. His speech on Governance made the audience rise in amazement.

Now that he had come of age, he had developed a way to rule the country. He was an unprecedented talent.

He was definitely not easy to please because there were simply too many people waiting to do that. A bowl of soup was never going to win his affection.

If it did, he would be the laughingstock of the world.

Determined not to deliver the soup, Li Baojia stopped the maids from hustling. “No need. I’m not going today.”

Taotao was a little surprised. “But the soup is ready now. So if we don’t go now, Madam will…”

“I thought I said there was no need,” said Li Baojia resolutely.

The maids all stopped. Taotao indeed looked shocked at that moment.

Li Baojia had never struck her as a woman who was so tough-minded as to defy her mother’s orders.

Li Baojia had just wanted to catch up on some sleep again, but now it was only a little past 7 in the morning. She knew only the diligent prince would get up so early.

Her eyes swept over the needlework basket next to the collapsed chair, which still contained a few scraps of bright yellow cloth, which were obviously excellent fabrics judging from the sheen.

She suddenly remembered that during this period, she made a double-buttoned purse with a Mandarin duck pattern for the prince. However, he casually threw it aside, and it was later taken by his lover, Su Ruhui.

Taotao tilted her head in confusion. “Miss, what are you looking for?”

Li Baojia was a little anxious. “Wait, where is that purse?”

Taotao breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, so that’s what you’re looking for. I thought something important was missing. Rest assured, Miss. It was brought to the crown prince’s residence a few days ago. By some chance, you will see the prince wear it on him later.”

Li Baojia was somewhat desperate.

In her previous life, she had made this purse for the prince because she was certain that she would marry him.

Now her mind was made up that she would not marry him. That was why she was surprised at the fact that the prince had her purse, which was a personal item to her.

She decided she must take it back.

Li Baojia thought about it for a while but couldn’t come up with any good ideas.

“How about I go and ask for it, right?” she thought.

She thought an important figure like the prince had probably forgotten who she was and that it wouldn’t be much of a problem for her to ask for her purse back.

The prince was known to outsiders to be gentle and courteous. Next to her, few people knew him for who he really was. She thought he wouldn’t give her a hard time if he cared to keep his reputation.

Still, the thought of having to face him worried her.

The East Palace was not accessible to anyone, but she got to see him occasionally because her father was his teacher.

She realized she had to go in person if she wanted her purse back.

Li Baojia didn’t expect to have to deal with the prince again shortly after her rebirth.

She also knew the longer that purse sat there, the more likely the situation would be against her.

No more time should be wasted.

Having made up her mind, she said to Taotao, “Dress up. I have to go to the East Palace.”

Taotao’s happiness was overwhelming. “Miss! You’ve finally figured it out!”

The maids turned around and started to get busy again.

Li Baojia refused Taotao’s offer to give her a complex hairstyle and said she would just wear a simple one.

Taotao chuckled. “Miss, just now, you said you didn’t want to go, but now you are so eager. So why don’t you dress up nicely and then go so that the prince will be impressed at the first sight of you?”

Li Baojia glared at her and thought to tell her that she should never mess with a man like him if she wanted to stay safe. She just wanted him and Side Concubine Su to end up together.

Taotao spat out her tongue. “Sure, Miss. Let’s stick with a simple one, then.”

After changing into her dress, Li Baojia hurriedly got in the carriage to the East Palace.

At the East Palace.

Prince Zhao Yi was dealing with government affairs in the palace. Mr. Huang was waiting outside the door while two maids were whispering behind the gate.

“Isn’t today the day that the lady from the Li family brings soup to His Highness? How come it’s already this late in the morning, and she hasn’t shown up yet?”

“Who knows? She better not come. His Highness is upset at the moment. Except for the fact that that woman has a good family background in her favor, His Highness would never take a second look at a woman like her,” a maid said arrogantly, taking pride in her good looks.

The round-faced maid next to her echoed her, but she thought otherwise.

After all, in her opinion, Li Baojia was the most suitable woman for the prince because she was beautiful and kind-hearted. She still remembered how she helped her the last time she accidentally dropped the prince’s cake.

As they were talking, Li Baojia arrived.

When Mr. Huang saw her, he subconsciously walked forward to take the food box and send her away.

Only when he got closer did he see that the girl and her maids were empty-handed.

He froze for a moment, thinking that she might have something different to offer today.

Li Baojia gave a salute to Mr. Huang. “Mr. Huang, can I go and see His Highness? I have something important to tell His Highness.”

Hearing this, Mr. Huang was a bit embarrassed. “Well…His Highness is not seeing anyone right now. If you want me to deliver anything to His Highness, I can help you.”

Li Baojia was a little relieved and quietly whispered the purpose of her visit in Mr. Huang’s ear.

Mr. Huang’s eyes widened upon hearing it. It didn’t occur to him that she should come here to ask for her things back. He’d never dealt with this before.

After all, it was given to the prince.

He thought about it and said, “Just wait here for a while. Let me go inside and tell him accordingly.”

When Mr. Huang entered the palace, Zhao Yi was marking the folders of the selection of the young ladies. When he came in, he asked indifferently, “What is it?”

Mr. Huang bowed respectfully and said, “Miss Li is outside asking to see you.”

He also glanced up at the prince and said carefully, “She said…said she wanted to take back the purse she gave you a few days ago.”

He froze for a moment and gave a light laugh. “Let her in.”

Obviously, he didn’t think she wanted the purse back but was just using tricks to see him.

With this in mind, he thought he’d let her in and see what trick she would play.