Chapter 24: Testing

When I went in, I didn't see Xiao Mingzheng at all. Only Old Man Li was busy with something inside. After watching for a while, I found out that he came here to light the lamp and add charcoal to the stove in the study, and other trivial things.

Seeing Zhong Min coming, he simply said, "It's great!" and gave her some instructions. She would be responsible for all the work in the room from now on. He also specifically instructed that the fire in the study should not be extinguished unless the prince went back to rest at night, so that he would not be cold when he came.

Zhong Min naturally tried to learn from Mr. Li's careful advice. After Mr. Li finished speaking, he asked a few more questions. Seeing that Zhong Min really understood everything, he didn't say any more.

But finally, he pointed to the memorial placed in the middle of the desk and said, "This is an urgent report that has just been delivered. When the prince arrives, please ask him to deal with this first."

Zhong Min felt a little strange at this seemingly casual instruction, but he didn't ask any further questions and simply nodded in agreement. After Mr. Li left, he took a closer look at the report on the desk. After a moment, he smiled rather mockingly, then stopped paying attention.

This must have been deliberately arranged by Xiao Mingzheng, right? If she guessed correctly, the information on it was not an important urgent report at all, but just an ordinary and boring thing. The purpose was nothing more than to trick her and use it to catch her.

She shook her head slightly. This kind of trick was something they'd never used before. Nine out of ten times, there was something tampered with the memorial. If she even opened it, it would be discovered. Perhaps a tiny hair had been inserted, or some kind of powder had been applied. These tactics weren't new to her. Xiao Mingzheng probably still suspected she was a spy sent by some faction.

After staying alone for a while, she found that it was already completely dark. Zhong Min naturally had no idea what time it was, but she had not eaten dinner yet. For a moment, her stomach began to growl involuntarily, reminding everyone that they seemed to have forgotten the fact that she had not eaten yet.

She thought that Mr. Li must have thought that she came after dinner, and she was careless just now and didn't even explain such an important thing. She touched her poor stomach and was afraid that she would have to starve tonight.

While secretly feeling sorry for herself, her eyes were drawn to the plate of pastries on the table. The pastries were exquisitely made, and the aroma made her feel even more hungry. Zhong Min couldn't help but glance towards the door. Seeing no movement, she figured Xiao Mingzheng wouldn't be here anytime soon, so she secretly took a piece and stuffed it into her mouth.

The pastries were delicious, sweet but not greasy, leaving a lingering fragrance. Zhong Min couldn't help but reach out and steal another piece before she'd even finished the one in her mouth. She stuffed three pieces in a row, finally feeling a bit more filling. Looking at the already small amount of pastries, she hesitated, unsure whether to take more. If she didn't, her stomach would still be far from full, but if she took more, it would be too obvious how little she had.

Just as he was hesitating, footsteps suddenly sounded outside the door. Seeing this, Zhong Min quickly reached out to pick up the remaining pastries on the plate, trying her best to make it look as if no one had touched it. Soon the door was pushed open, and Xiao Mingzheng walked in calmly, followed by two personal attendants.

After the two servants entered the room, they habitually checked the situation in the study quickly. After confirming that there was nothing unusual, they saluted Xiao Mingzheng and then retreated.

"It seems that you still haven't learned what the rules are these days." Xiao Mingzheng had already sat down at the desk. As he spoke, he glanced at Zhong Min who was standing motionless beside him, with no expression on his face.

When Zhong Min heard this, she realized that she had not yet paid her respects to the prince. It is easy to learn the rules, but it takes time for her to keep them in mind and make them a habit.

"Your servant greets His Majesty." Seeing this, she naturally had no other objections and quickly bowed to Xiao Mingzheng: "Your servant may be stupid, but I did not mean to offend you. I beg Your Majesty to forgive me."

"I don't understand why I asked you to work here?" Seeing this, Xiao Mingzheng stopped arguing about the etiquette and directly asked the question that Zhong Min was most concerned about.

"Your Highness has his own reasons for doing things. I just have to obey your orders and don't dare to have too many other thoughts." Zhong Min glanced at Xiao Mingzheng, but still couldn't guess what the man in front of her was thinking.

"That's a good answer, but I don't believe you really think that way." Xiao Mingzheng bluntly said, "It's okay to make small mistakes while serving under me, but I will never tolerate anyone who deceives me!"

Zhong Min couldn't help but be startled. Xiao Mingzheng's expression was extremely serious. She knew that this was his last direct warning to her. She also knew that it was not so easy to lie in front of such a shrewd person.

"Your Highness's teachings, I will remember them." She simply said, "I know Your Highness still has doubts about me, but it is only because of the reward he promised me that he is giving me a chance to prove my innocence. Please rest assured, Your Highness, I will not let you down. I will do my duty conscientiously and do my part."

Xiao Mingzheng nodded slightly at Zhong Min's reply. In his opinion, Zhong Min was a sensible person. That was good. After all, dealing with sensible people could save a lot of effort.

Retracting his gaze, Xiao Mingzheng scanned the report on the table, then picked it up, opened it, and examined it, saying, "Have you touched this thing?"

Seeing Xiao Mingzheng mention the urgent report, Zhong Min replied calmly, "Your Highness, no. Uncle Li has said that no servant can touch anything in the library without permission."

After opening the report and reviewing it, Xiao Mingzheng looked up at Zhong Min. Seeing his calm demeanor, he seemed to understand something and said directly, "With your mindset, you wouldn't do this. He's doing something unnecessary."

Zhong Min immediately understood who the "he" in this sentence was referring to. It turned out that it was Uncle Li who had made this to test her reliability. No wonder she felt that this test was so basic, it could not stand up to scrutiny at all, and it was completely inconsistent with Xiao Mingzheng's style of doing things.

Afterward, Xiao Mingzheng didn't say anything more, simply telling Zhong Min to go out and make tea. Zhong Min obeyed, thinking that this first direct confrontation on duty had been a close call. It seemed that no matter what, as long as he was careful, didn't make any major mistakes, and didn't do anything malicious, he shouldn't be deliberately embarrassed.

After all, how could a big shot like Xiao Mingzheng be like Concubine Zheng, who would have so much free time to bother a little maid like her all day long?

Thinking of this, he felt relieved. Just as he was about to go out to work, Xiao Mingzheng suddenly called out to him as soon as he turned around: "Wait!"