Consort of a Thousand Faces

Su Xi-er bowed and paid her greetings again. “This servant pays her respects to Prince Hao.”

 

“Walk to this prince.” Pei Qianhao’s ice-cold aura was replaced with a languid appearance, relaxed eyebrows, and an indifferent look.

 

Su Xi-er’s face was filled with deference as she unhurriedly replied, “Prince Hao, this servant can’t approach someone of your noble status. If you have any instructions, could you directly say them?”

 

Her words prompted a chuckle from Pei Qianhao, but his expression remained indolent. “Haven’t you gotten close to this prince many times? One more won’t make a difference. You just have to move forward. This prince won’t punish you.”

 

Every time we have interacted up close has been because he had the intentions to do so. When have I ever taken the initiative to approach him? These words of his make it sound like I always approach him and cling onto him.

 

Su Xi-er simply looked straight at him. “Prince Hao, this servant doesn’t understand your purpose in sending Imperial Bodyguard Wu to bring me here. This servant is slow-witted. Please explicate, Prince Hao.”

 

“Slow-witted? This prince can’t see that you are slow-witted at all. You can’t guess why I made you come? Did you have a good time in the Beauty Palace?”

 

His three repeated questions were informing her of his intention. “Rather than staying in the Beauty Palace, it’s better if you simply come to this prince’s side.”

 

First, it was to ruin the Empress Dowager’s plan. Second... Pei Qianhao just wanted to see her reaction.

 

“The Empress Dowager issued a verbal edict to dispatch this servant to the Beauty Palace. This servant can’t defy the Empress Dowager.”

 

Pei Qianhao picked up the celadon teacup and passed it to Su Xi-er. “Come, I’ll bestow this cup of green tea to you. ”

 

His languid air had disappeared, replaced with an earnest expression. 

 

Su Xi-er walked forward step by step, and lowered her head as her hands reached out to take the celadon teacup.

 

However, before her hands had touched the teacup, Pei Qianhao had already let go of it.

 

Crash! The celadon teacup shattered across the floor.

 

If it had been other servants, they would definitely have knelt down immediately, claiming “this servant deserves to die”. Yet, Su Xi-er didn’t give any sort of reaction, instead staring at him with an unfathomable expression in her eyes.

 

For the first time, Pei Qianhao felt that there was still someone in the world who he couldn’t read. Furthermore, this person was a woman.

 

“Pick up the shattered teacup pieces and sweep this area clean. Since I have instructed you to come, you can definitely be useful. Sweeping, helping this prince wash the clothes, and serving tea will all be left to you.”

 

Transferring me here just for all this… he’s definitely purposely doing this on purpose.

 

“Do you understand?” Pei Qianhao asked again.

 

Su Xi-er nodded. “This servant obeys Prince Hao’s decree.” Pei Qianhao will only be satisfied with this sort of reply.

 

“If you don’t perform well, this prince will punish you.”

 

He then walked out of the hall without sparing her a glance.

 

~~~

 

Wu Ling had been standing outside the hall all this time. When he spotted Pei Qianhao coming out, he immediately moved forward to receive him, bowing as he paid his respects. “This subordinate pays his respects to Prince Hao. May I know when we will be leaving Zhi County?”

 

“We’ll set off tomorrow.”

 

Wu Ling immediately respectfully replied with an affirmative before remarking, “Your Highness, Su Xi-er originally wasn’t willing to come; even threatening to knock her out wasn’t enough. Only after some time had passed did she acquiesce to my demand. 

 

Interest flickered across Pei Qianhao’s eyes. “She came voluntarily?”

 

“Her attitude changed at the drop of a hat, suddenly agreeing and boarding the horse carriage without another word. She didn’t speak the entire way here, not even informing this subordinate when she was hungry. Thus, this subordinate gave her three white steamed buns.”

 

Pei Qianhao’s eyes became pensive. Seeing how she is quick-witted, intelligent and opinionated, could she have voluntarily come here because she had something to do with Nanzhao in the past? Could her relatives be in Nanzhao?

 

With this in mind, Pei Qianhao immediately instructed, “Go and investigate Su Xi-er. Find out where she was born, who her parents are, and which relatives she had before she entered the imperial palace.”

Wu Ling was taken aback. Why does he want to look into this without rhyme or reason? He had previously had me investigate Su Xi-er’s days in the Palace Side Quarters; now he’s having me look even further into her past outside the palace.