Chapter 36

Baoqin inwardly called it bad. All the words her master had just said were heard by the Crown Prince. Would the Crown Prince now dislike her master?

However, come to think of it, this Crown Prince was really something. Every time he came to the Qingge Hall, he did so silently, and he always managed to enter at the most critical moments. If this continued, she would never dare to chat casually with her master again.

Xiao Xixi smiled shyly: "I married into the Eastern Palace because I admired the Crown Prince's appearance and talent. Eating and waiting for death is just a matter of going with the flow."

Luo Qinghan waved his hand, and all the extra people in the room withdrew.

He lifted the hem of his robe and sat cross-legged on the soft cushion.

Xiao Xixi poured him a cup of tea.

"Your Highness seems to be in a good mood today."

Luo Qinghan replied indifferently: "Yes, it's not bad."

He sized up the woman in front of him, noticing that her complexion was rosy and lustrous.

"You look like you've recovered well."

Xiao Xixi immediately took out a handkerchief to cover her mouth and nose, coughing lightly and pretending to be weak: "I just look better, but I'm actually still very weak inside and need a long time to recover."

Luo Qinghan had already seen through this woman's lazy nature and paid no attention to her performance.

"Since your body has recovered, you should be able to serve in the bedchamber now."

Xiao Xixi was so scared that she couldn't catch her breath and started coughing violently.

This time, it was a real cough.

Luo Qinghan pushed the cup of tea in front of him, which he hadn't touched, to her, gesturing for her to drink some water to soothe her throat.

Xiao Xixi coughed until her face was red, and it took her a while to recover.

"Your Highness, don't joke like that, it's too scary."

Luo Qinghan asked: "Just serving in the bedchamber, why is it so scary?"

Xiao Xixi wanted to say that she was still a minor, but in this era, women came of age at sixteen, and she was exactly sixteen this year. Using this as an excuse was clearly not feasible.

She put on a pained expression and said: "I'm afraid of the pain."

"Just endure it, and it will pass."

Look at that, was this something a human would say?!

Xiao Xixi knew she couldn't avoid it today. Since there was no one else around, she steeled her heart, knelt on the ground, and pitifully pleaded:

"The reason I entered the palace is to help the Crown Prince ascend the throne. As for other things, I don't dare to ask for them, nor do I want them."

Luo Qinghan lifted her chin, his voice clear and firm.

"Whatever I give you, you must accept, even if you don't want it."

Xiao Xixi felt like crying but couldn't.

Luo Qinghan's fingertips brushed past her lips, and he said indifferently: "Since you've entered the Eastern Palace, you are my woman, and serving in the bedchamber is inevitable. Don't you understand this simple truth?"

Understanding is one thing, but putting it into practice is another.

Xiao Xixi pursed her lips and said nothing.

Luo Qinghan released her chin, used a handkerchief to wipe away the lingering warmth on his fingers, and said calmly:

"To gain something, you must pay a price. If you want to earn my trust, you must show me your sincerity. If you can't even serve in the bedchamber, how can I believe that you are truly thinking for me?"

His tone didn't sound like a husband speaking to a concubine but more like a teacher instructing a student on how to behave.

Xiao Xixi was speechless.

Luo Qinghan had many things to attend to. He didn't stay long and got up to leave.

Before leaving, he seemed to remember something and suddenly said to Xiao Xixi:

"I told General Zhongwu about your poisoning. People from the General's residence should come to visit you this afternoon. This is the reward for you shielding me from the poisoned wine."

Xiao Xixi bowed: "Thank you, Your Highness, for your kindness."