Chapter 7

"Is the ground comfortable?"

Gu Yanling was just thinking about this and that when she heard Xiao Xinghan speak, she subconsciously got up and asked tentatively, "Are you going to let me go?"

Xiao Xinghan didn't answer. After touching the bottles and jars in his bag, he placed his hands in the basin beside him and washed them slowly. Gu Yanling remembered what Li Youfu said about the young master handing over a handkerchief after washing his hands. She had been disdainful before, but now she wanted him to let her go, so she wanted to show off, so she picked up the handkerchief and was about to give it to him, but was avoided.

Gu Yanling followed his gaze and looked at her hands. Haha, her palms had just been on the ground and were stained with dust, leaving marks on the snow-white silk handkerchief. Feeling rejected, Gu Yanling had no choice but to put the handkerchief in her coat pocket as if nothing had happened, and wiped her hands on her clothes.

Xiao Xinghan saw his move: "..."

"If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."

Gu Yanling's chest was filled with anxiety, as if she had a rabbit in her mouth. She quickly packed her bag, fearing that she would be unable to leave if she was late. Without waiting for the other party to speak, she trotted to the door, but was stopped by Li Youfu who was guarding outside. He pretended to be calm and said, "The young master has agreed to let me go."

Li Youfu immediately ordered someone to take his bag. Gu Yanling, who was not as strong as him, said angrily, "This is mine!"

"Take it and check what medicine is inside." Li Youfu's action was naturally in accordance with the wishes of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

Gu Yanling turned around and glared at the culprit angrily: "What do you want? Didn't you do anything?"

Xiao Xinghan walked over slowly. He was tall and had an aura of majesty without even being angry. Standing in front of Gu Yanling, he felt oppressed. Gu Yanling suddenly felt a little intimidated.

Xiao Xinghan lowered his eyes and looked at him: "If it fails to harm someone, it doesn't count as harming someone?"

Gu Yanling swallowed and said, "How about I just hang the sachet on myself?"

Li Youfu saw that he had no intention of repenting: "How dare you! Who are you to be compared with the young master?"

Gu Yanling had never been wronged like this before, and her temper flared up: "How precious is the young master's status? You are clearly bullying me! Then just hand me over to the authorities and accuse me of attempted murder! What's the point of detaining me without authorization!"

Even though Li Youfu knew that he didn't know the rules, he didn't expect him to be so reckless. It was obvious that His Highness didn't want to do anything to him, otherwise he wouldn't have allowed him to continue to argue and offend His Highness.

"You're being unreasonable. You were a servant in the mansion, but you plotted to murder the young master and then fled in the middle of the night. Even if I sent you to the government, did you think you could hide?"

Gu Yanling's face turned pale all of a sudden. Although it was not obvious because of his dark skin, he was still somewhat frightened by these words. After all, the other party was a high-ranking official. If he ordered the corrupt official to punish him severely, his life would be in danger. Not to mention being sent to prison, even if he didn't die, he would be skinned alive.

The composure he had been maintaining began to crumble. It was clear that his previous performance was just a bluff.

Xiao Xinghan saw that Gu Yanling was so scared that she was about to cry. Her dark eyes were filled with tears, which added a bit of liveliness to her ordinary face in the night.

"You are so cowardly and yet you want to teach someone a lesson."

His tone was flat and emotionless, but Gu Yanling still felt that Xiao Xinghan was mocking her, and tears immediately fell from her eyes.

Xiao Xinghan looked at him quietly for a moment, then walked out the door without saying anything.

Seeing that Gu Yanling was crying non-stop, Li Youfu said, "That's enough. Now you know you're scared."

I really don't know what to say about him. Those who are ignorant are truly fearless. If he succeeds today, even ten heads won't be enough to chop off.

Gu Yanling couldn't stop crying.

Li Youfu's head hurt from his noise: "Stop crying, where did your cleverness go? The young master is very generous. If he really wanted to have a quarrel with you, would he let you stand here and talk back without any harm? Why don't you wipe your tears and apologize to the young master?"

Gu Yanling's tears stopped immediately, she whimpered, and said in disbelief, "Are you saying that the young master is willing to let me go?"

Li Youfu: "Otherwise, would you be standing here crying now?"

"Serve the young master more carefully in the future."

Gu Yanling's tears were still hanging on her eyelashes. She asked confusedly, "What do you mean?"

Li Youfu tutted his words, "You seemed quite clever before, but now you've become stupid again. What I mean is that the young master has allowed you to serve him, and you might even replace me in the future."

Gu Yanling: “…” No, who said I have to serve him?

He doesn't want to serve anymore! He needs to make other plans!

Li Youfu refused to give in: "Tonight you will keep watch for the young master with me, and learn carefully."

He was worried if those young eunuchs didn't serve him well. Although he didn't know why this kid caught the prince's eye, since the prince had tacitly agreed, he would take good care of him, so that he could feel more relaxed in the future.

Gu Yanling usually slept through the night. If the mattress here wasn't uncomfortable, he would have gotten up at noon. Hearing that he had to keep watch all night, he was horrified: "Doesn't that mean I can't sleep?"

Li Youfu was dissatisfied with his attitude: "You can take a nap at night. After you rest, the young master rarely gets up to go to the night."

Gu Yanling was naturally unwilling: "I, I won't serve you anymore."

Li Youfu scolded him, "How dare you! Serving the master is a blessing for you, and you still have the right to refuse? You did something so wrong, and the master still forgave you, yet you are still ungrateful."

Gu Yanling wanted to cover her ears.

If Li Youfu had a beard, his expression at this moment would definitely be puffing out his beard and glaring. What else could Gu Yanling say? After all, she was in someone else's territory and could only know the situation and think that if she didn't perform well, would she not be served?

Alas, it was a wrong decision for him to sneak into this mansion. Now he regrets it so much.

Xiao Xinghan was sitting on the bed at this moment. Seeing Gu Yanling's eyes red and walking towards him reluctantly, he looked at her.

"Young Master."

Xiao Xinghan ignored him.

Gu Yanling was just frightened to tears, but now that she knew she was safe, she returned to her normal self, her eyes starting to wander around again, secretly looking at Xiao Xinghan's bedroom. She saw that the furnishings in the room were simple and there were not many things. It seemed very spacious, not as luxurious as she had imagined. Soon her eyes were attracted by the huge bead hanging on the head of the bed.

"What is this?" Gu Yanling saw it for the first time and felt it was strange. How could it glow?

Li Youfu didn't know what to say to him. If you said he was brave, he would cry like a tearful person after a few words of scare. If you said he was timid, he would dare to pluck the hairs of a tiger, and he really didn't remember the beating. "You can't be so unruly in front of the young master."

Gu Yanling thought, "He's really arrogant. He has no rules, so what?" He didn't want to serve him anyway. If he didn't like it, he could just let him go. So after Li Youfu finished speaking, he reached out and took the beads off without hesitation, "Let's see what's wrong?"

While stealing glances at Xiao Xinghan out of the corner of his eyes, trying to see what his attitude was, he never expected to be caught again. The other party was also looking at him. It can't be said that it was also, because Xiao Xinghan's eyes had been on him since he came in, so he took in his expression.

Gu Yanling suddenly withdrew her gaze and held the bead tightly. The bead was indeed big and glowed all over. It was very beautiful!

"Night Pearl, a reward for you."

Xiao Xinghan suddenly spoke, and Gu Yanling shuddered with fear. When she heard what he said, her eyes widened in surprise, "Give it to me?"

"Really? Are you really going to give it to me?"

Li Youfu was also confused about what His Highness was thinking. Seeing that Gu Yanling was still wondering if it was true or not, he was really troubled. "Young Master said that he gave it to you as a reward, how could it be false? Why don't you thank him quickly?"

Gu Yanling, however, became alert and quickly put the beads back to their original position, "I don't want it."

Who knows what he's thinking? Maybe he has ulterior motives. After all, I tried to harm him with the sachet today. How could he be so kind? This bead looks valuable. It's very likely that they're trying to frame him. If he accepts it, they can accuse him of stealing and punish him with just cause!

The more Gu Yanling thought about it, the more she felt that this was possible. She cursed Xiao Xinghan in her heart for his vicious mind and evil intentions. Fortunately, he was smart and didn't fall for it!

Xiao Xinghan saw his expression changing again and again. How could there be such a fool who could show his thoughts on his face and still think he was so smart? "What are you thinking about?"

Gu Yanling thought that what she was thinking was obviously something she couldn't tell you, "Why did the young master give me this pearl as a reward?"

Xiao Xinghan: "After all, I'm not rewarding you for accusing you of theft."

Gu Yanling widened her eyes again, with an expression that said, "As expected!"

Li Youfu: "...How dare you! Young Master rewarded you with such a precious treasure, yet you didn't kneel down to express your gratitude. In your heart, you're actually plotting against Young Master!"

Can you control everything in the world and control his inner thoughts?

Gu Yanling was very cautious: "Anyway, I don't want it."

Besides, if Xiao Xinghan didn't have this thought in his mind, would he have said this? He was too careless to be caught tonight, so he should be more careful in the future.

Xiao Xinghan didn't bother to pay attention to him: "Li Youfu."

Li Youfu knew that His Highness was going to rest, so he hurried forward and knelt to take off Xiao Xinghan's shoes. It was the first time that Gu Yanling saw a servant being treated like this, and he thought that massaging shoulders and backs and serving tea would be enough.

The Gu family is considered one of the richest families in Yangzhou City. They have a large mansion and many servants, but they don't let their maids and servants serve them to this extent. None of the servants in his courtyard serve him like this. Are all officials so pretentious?

Wait until the bed curtains are closed.

Li Youfu pulled Gu Yanling behind the screen and whispered, "Make another sachet tomorrow when you have time. Don't try to be cunning."

Gu Yanling: "Then you have to return my bag to me."

Li Youfu: "I'll give it to you after the inspection is complete."

Gu Yanling: “…”

The master was resting inside, so Li Youfu didn't want to say too much. Seeing Gu Yanling's attitude, he knew that his scolding was in vain. He snorted coldly, "That night pearl just now was a good thing. You are really unlucky."

Gu Yanling never suffered a loss verbally: "You sound jealous. You must be feeling upset that the young master gave me such a good thing but not you."

Li Youfu was so angry that he laughed: "You bastard, you little bastard—I serve the young master, what rewards have I not received?"

Gu Yanling: "Everyone can brag, so tell me what rewards you got?"

Li Youfu: "...Don't ask about things you shouldn't ask about. The young master likes quietness, so please be quiet when serving him. Don't disturb his peace."

Gu Yanling thought to herself that you might as well take my life. He has always been a talkative person and can talk to anyone. When he goes out to buy snacks, he will chat with the stall owner.

However, she was indeed frightened tonight, but fortunately she got through it safely. Gu Yanling's tense mood finally got a moment of relaxation. She was somewhat tired, and now seeing that she could not go back, she could only follow Li Youfu to keep watch and walked straight to the footstep beside the bed and stopped.

Li Youfu looked around and saw that Gu Yanling had already sat down at the foot of the bed and closed her eyes.

“…”

His Highness was sleeping lightly, and Li Youfu didn't dare to make a sound for fear of disturbing him. He glared at Gu Yanling, hoping in his heart that this kid would not cause any more trouble.

Facts have proved that

Gu Yanling was indeed not restful in his sleep. He felt a pain in his back while drowsy and slept very uncomfortably. He stretched out his hand to move around unhappily and found that he was not in bed but sitting on the ground. So he turned around and stretched his head to crawl onto the bed. Then he met Xiao Xinghan's eyes, which rarely showed any emotion. He stared at him unhappily as if he was disturbed.

Anyone who is not in a clear mind and suddenly looks into such a pair of cold eyes would be frightened, and the sleepiness was immediately scared away. Gu Yanling leaned back, pulling the bed curtain with her. With a ripping sound, she fell to the ground with the bed curtain.

Li Youfu was taking a nap on the couch outside the screen when he heard a clang. He woke up instantly and hurried in. His eyes went dark when he saw this scene. He looked at the Crown Prince sitting up, with a frosty look on his body from being woken up, and his eyes were gloomy as if a storm was about to come.