Chapter 21 The Slave

As dawn broke, perhaps because she was too tired from the previous day, Huiyi slept soundly all night, a rare occurrence.

But when she opened her eyes, the bright red covering the bed stung her eyes, and Huiyi frowned and rolled around on the bed.

People who have just woken up are always a little dazed, so Huiyi's mind was full of questions like, "Where is this place? Why is it so red?"

"Yu Niang, Bi Qing~"

Out of habit, she started calling for help. Huiyi kicked off the thin quilt around her waist and sprawled out in a spread-eagle position.

The body and voice of someone who has just woken up are still soft, but Yu Niang and the others who were waiting outside immediately heard them and hurriedly brought in toiletries.

The sound of light, quick footsteps entered the room, as always.

The bright red brocade curtains were lifted and hung up, letting in the sunlight, which shone on the young woman who was still sleeping in the morning.

The thin silk dress was soft and smooth, but after a good night's sleep, it could no longer cover the body. The soft fabric piled up on the lower abdomen, leaving only a pair of underpants, the most private thing a young woman wears, covering her plump, snow-white breasts, and her slender, beautiful legs were also exposed.

Her snow-white skin was dazzlingly contrasted by the vibrant colors below.

This is what it means to have everything laid out before you.

But at the same time, what Yu Niang could see was a clean and tidy bed.

This indicates that the noble lady and the prince consummated their marriage last night.

Yu Niang worried for the young couple for a while, then suppressed her emotions and called out softly.

"Princess, please get up. Today you still need to pay respects to your maternal uncle and aunt."

Huiyi, who had originally intended to lie down lazily for a while, became much more awake upon hearing these words.

She's going to see her aunt and uncle today!

Although she didn't like Lin Lanting, her husband, the marriage was already arranged, and the Lin family elders were now her parents-in-law.

Paying respects to one's parents-in-law in front of the ancestral hall is a tradition that has been observed since ancient times. It is impolite to be disrespectful and bring shame upon one's parents.

She hurriedly got out of bed and had the maids help her wash and dress.

When Huiyi got out of bed, she glanced at the long couch and saw that there was only a pillow lying there all alone, without a single person in sight.

"And him?"

Huiyi asked him casually, not even bothering to mention his name.

However, Yu Niang and the others knew who they were asking about, and immediately replied, "The Prince Consort got up half an hour ago and is practicing martial arts outside right now."

"oh."

Just as scholars read books in the morning, it's normal for military officers to practice martial arts as well.

Huiyi responded and continued cleaning her teeth.

After a cup of warm honey tea, my body felt truly awakened, and I felt refreshed from head to toe.

Today she is meeting her elders, but she cannot lose her princess-like dignity, so she must put some thought into her attire.

She wore a playful yet elegant black bun, with a lotus-shaped hairpin in the center, and gold leaf hairpins on both sides. She also wore a gold hair ornament on her forehead and temples, with jade beads and gold chains hanging down that swayed gently with her movements.

Her clothes were also carefully selected: a pale yellow blouse and a peony red skirt, exuding wealth and splendor, certainly befitting the title of a princess of the imperial family.

As she was drawing her eyebrows in front of the dressing mirror, she saw a square-faced old woman, Zhou Zheng, leading a group of maids in.

"This servant greets Your Majesty with best wishes."

“I am Granny Yuan, who serves in the Second Young Master’s courtyard. Now that Your Highness has come to the house, the Madam has bestowed several maids upon you for your service. I have brought them here for Your Highness to see.”

Upon hearing that the maid was sent by her mother-in-law, Madam Guo, Huiyi, who had read many stories about discord between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law, immediately looked over out of curiosity, wanting to see if it was as the stories described, where the mother-in-law would immediately make things difficult for the new bride and send a pretty maid to her son's courtyard to annoy the new bride who didn't like her.

She is, after all, a princess. Even if Madam Guo doesn't like her, she shouldn't be so unruly, right?

Her gaze fell on the four maids, and Huiyi realized that she had been reading too many storybooks and had become obsessed.

The four maids were all dignified and pretty, neither ugly nor overly beautiful.

She was just a well-dressed girl in a large family.

"Okay, I understand. Biqing, go and make arrangements for them."

She brought many servants with her when she married into the Lin family. In addition to Biqing, who was a first-class servant, there were four second-class servants named Jindie, Yindie, Jinque, and Yinque, plus eight third-class servants.

There was originally a first-class maid named Biyun, but when she was fourteen, she committed the disgraceful act of seducing the Crown Prince, and was punished by her parents with twenty lashes and sent to the inner palace.

Now that four more maids have been added, it's a bit too many.

But it's not a big deal, it's not like we can't afford it.

Huiyi gave Biqing a brief instruction and continued to apply makeup in front of the mirror.

Granny Yuan let out a soft "Ai," sounding rather unaccustomed to it.

The Lin family had separated ten years ago, and the Lin residence was small, consisting only of Lin Zhongshu and Madam Guo with their two sons.

The couple lived in the main courtyard of Qingbai Courtyard, while their two sons lived in the east wing and the west wing, respectively.

The second young master lived in the east wing, and she had served him since childhood, making her an old servant in the east wing.

Ever since he nearly fell victim to a maid's scheme at the age of fourteen, the second young master, who already disliked being served by maids, became even more averse to them. In the east wing, besides old women like her, there were only servants.

Now that a precious and noble daughter-in-law has arrived, it's natural to send some maids over to serve her.

However, Madam Guo knew that the princess had no shortage of servants, so she only selected a few steady and meticulous ones to express her gratitude.

Granny Yuan had been in charge of the east wing for a long time, and she always had a lot of power. Suddenly, a new mistress arrived with her own staff, and it was no longer her turn to manage things.

Granny Yuan couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions.

But since she was facing a princess from the imperial family, she dared not utter a single objection and could only respond with a forced smile.

With her sash draped in a turquoise veil, Huiyi noticed that breakfast wouldn't be ready for a while. She stepped out of the house and saw Lin Lanting outside, brandishing his spear with great enthusiasm.

He was dressed in a black outfit, with a belt tightly fastened around his narrow waist. His trousers were tucked into long boots, making his long legs appear even more straight and powerful. His bulging muscles were also clearly visible under the black clothes.

Unlike the burly and rugged generals that Huiyi had seen before, Lin Er was much more delicate, but still upright and heroic. Especially when he stood in front of her, he could easily overwhelm her.

There's enough space on each of my shoulders to sit on.

Lost in thought, Huiyi saw Lin Lanting walking towards her after finishing practicing with his spear.

The morning air is usually fresh and cool, but as soon as Lin Lanting approached, the air seemed to become scorching hot, and it was also mixed with a strong scent.

It must have been the smell of his sweat, but it wasn't unpleasant; it even carried the warmth of the sun, like the scent of soil and vegetation after a heavy rain.

"Hey, you're up! Do you sleep in just as much at home, you lazy princess?"

While other scholars would start reading early in the morning, Lin Lanting would start practicing martial arts every morning without fail.

Because he was sleeping on a long couch today, he woke up earlier than usual. When he opened his eyes, he was met with a blinding red. Lin Lanting was stunned for a moment before he remembered that he had married last night.

Without even thinking, Lin Lanting guessed that the spoiled princess would definitely be grumpy when she woke up. With the idea that it's better to avoid trouble, he moved much more gently.

This is very difficult for him.

After he finished washing up, he waved for several more quarters of an hour, but seeing that there was still no movement in the room, he couldn't help but give the spoiled princess a nickname in his heart.

Not only did Huiyi's expression change, but Yu Niang and Bi Qing also felt that things were getting a bit tricky.

If an ordinary man dared to mock their princess like this, he would surely be slapped. But the man before them, Lin Erlang, was the princess's husband, not some outsider.

Moreover, Yu Niang, being the older woman, could sense a hint of intimacy and playfulness in Lin Erlang's tone.

From the perspective of marital harmony, this is a good omen.

"Who are you calling a lazy pig!"

"You stink! Get out of here!"

Having nothing of value to use, Huiyi had no choice but to take matters into her own hands, throwing a punch and cursing.

She thought it would be best to push him into the mud, but she overestimated herself and underestimated Lin Er.

The punch landed without causing any pain or itch, and the person didn't budge an inch; instead, my own hand ached from the impact.

"It's smelly and hard, like a rock in a cesspool!"

Huiyi rubbed the back of her hand and muttered to herself.

Lin Lanting tossed the spear into the arms of his attendant Changqiu, shook his head and said with a helpless smile, "I'm the one who got hit, and I'm the one who got scolded. Sure enough, the princess of the imperial family is hard to serve!"

"Well, what can I do? She's a princess, after all. It's only right that I suffer some injustice."

After sighing, still seemingly remembering Huiyi's earlier disdain, Lin Lanting sniffed herself before entering the room.

"...It didn't smell that bad, did it?"

Muttering to himself, Lin Lanting strode to the bathroom and poured an extra bucket of water than usual.

Once refreshed, Lin Lanting instinctively reached out to take the clothes Changqiu offered, but only touched thin air.

Looking up, Lin Lanting saw Huiyi, who had just caught her breath, walking gracefully in with her maid. Only then did she remember that now that the mistress of the house was here, male servants like Changqiu were no longer allowed to enter and leave the house at will.

He chuckled to himself, then decided to take matters into his own hands and be self-sufficient.

But at this moment, Granny Yuan, who had been watching from outside, rushed in upon seeing this.

"Don't worry, Erlang, this old woman will take care of you~"

As she spoke, Granny Yuan took Lin Lanting's clothes from the rack and was about to help her mistress get dressed.

Lin Lanting glanced at Granny Yuan and said with a smile, "No need for Granny, I can handle this little thing myself."

When there are long-term clients, they only lend a hand when it's inconvenient. Lin Lanting is not the type to stand still and let others serve her from head to toe.

He wasn't pretentious or delicate, and he disliked others for being too slow, preferring to act efficiently himself.

"But how can Erlang do without someone to serve him?"

There was a hidden meaning in his words of concern, and Huiyi, being as perceptive as she was, immediately understood it, and her face darkened.

Is this because she came over and didn't have her people serve Lin Er, so they're picking on her?

Yu Niang and Bi Qing weren't stupid either. They immediately realized the old woman's words had a hidden meaning. Seeing their princess's expression, they immediately turned cold and said with their hands raised, "Where did this old woman come from, so ignorant of etiquette? She barged in without being summoned by the princess. Does she think this is her own backyard?"

"Biqing, according to the old rules, how should such a mistake be punished?"

"According to the rules, anyone who dares to offend the princess shall be punished with forty strokes of the cane!"

Biqing was also quite angry, and immediately answered with a stern face.

On the very first day of the princess's marriage, this old woman from the Lin family dared to speak so sarcastically; she was truly audacious!

With the two women working together in this coordinated manner, Granny Yuan's mind suddenly cleared, and cold sweat poured down her back. She immediately knelt down and begged for forgiveness, saying, "It was this old servant's mistake; please forgive me, Princess!"

The commotion was so great that Lin Lanting, who was getting dressed, couldn't even pretend to be blind.

"Forty strokes of the cane? That's too harsh!"

Is it that serious?

Seeing Lin Lanting's nonchalant attitude, Huiyi angrily cursed, "Idiot!"

"If you don't understand anything, don't speak!"

Lin Lanting couldn't even remember how many times this spoiled princess had scolded him. Although he was annoyed, he gradually developed a strange habit with her.

Not wanting to argue about anything, nor wanting to argue about anything, he frowned and asked in confusion, "What do you mean? What kind of riddle are you playing?"

Huiyi was too lazy to explain anything to that scoundrel Lin Er, so she gave Biqing a look.

Bi Qing understood and said coldly, "Our princess is now the mistress of this place. This old woman came in without being summoned. Does she not treat our princess as her master?"

"And listen to what she's saying, Prince Consort! What do you mean the Prince Consort has no servants? Isn't she just sarcastically blaming our princess for not serving him?"

"I've never seen such a servant before. He dares to talk back to his master on his very first day. He thinks he can't understand human language. He's been running rampant in this little corner of the world for years and now he thinks he can act all high and mighty!"

Bi Qing recounted the whole story in a few words, and Lin Lanting's brows furrowed more and more as he listened.

For him, these twists and turns seemed to open the door to a new world.

He found it novel and bizarre at first.

Seeing Lin Lanting deep in thought, Huiyi feared he was a pig-brain and sneered, "Now you understand, right? If you still don't, you'll be sleeping in the same litter of pigs from now on!"

This is something Huiyi has learned over the years: if you don't want others to look down on you or bully you, you must fight back hard the first time someone looks down on or insults you, otherwise there will only be endless trouble in the future.

The same applies today. If I don't establish my authority, this old woman will continue to bully me because of her age.

How absurd!

Granny Yuan, kneeling on the ground, became increasingly apprehensive, regretting her actions.

She had heard of Princess Chang Le's reputation, but felt that since she had married their second son, she should be more gentle and humble.

Who would have thought she was such a spoiled brat who bossed around and scolded their young master at will?

If she had known this would happen, she would never have dared to have such foolish thoughts.

Now she has no choice but to beg for mercy, otherwise those forty strokes of the cane would be too much for her old bones.

Lin Lanting thought it over, then smiled and defended herself, saying, "Couldn't the princess be a little more lenient with me, at least in her words? It's not good to hear people say that."

Huiyi ignored her and continued to watch coldly.

Lin Lanting glanced at the old servant kneeling on the ground and chuckled, "Princess, how about this? My old servant is getting on in years and I'm afraid he can't withstand forty strokes of the cane. Besides, it's not a good omen for him to bleed on the first day of his marriage. If you spare him the caning, I guarantee he will never appear before you again. What do you say?"

Huiyi thought about it and felt that Lin Lanting's words made sense.

This old woman is not young. If something really happens, it would be unpleasant for rumors to spread that she has already taken someone's life shortly after marrying into the family.

Since Lin Er has promised not to see this old woman again, then she'll let it go.

"……snort!"

Huiyi gave a soft snort to show her attitude, and then went to apply lip rouge. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lin Er give the old woman a look, and the old woman kowtowed and left the house with trembling hands and feet.

The matter was resolved, and the house returned to silence, except for the soft click of Lin Lanting picking at the hem of his laces.

"Your Highness, I've had my fill of those eyebrows today."

"Last night my eyebrows were thick and short, like a caterpillar."

Before Huiyi could even feel pleased with herself for being complimented on her beautifully drawn eyebrows, she heard what followed.

Her heart skipped a beat, and she glared at him angrily.

A note from the author:

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