The Mute Wife Who Brings Prosperity-Chapter 675 - 637: You? Worthy?

Upon hearing this, Wan Qiu felt a bit at a loss. She slowly approached the edge of the couch, bit her lip, and said, "Your Highness, you are only sixteen. If you don’t want to, you can wait until later."

In her heart, the Crown Prince was supposed to be a sacred god standing high above the clouds.

Although Wan Qiu had always known that the four of them would one day serve the Crown Prince in his chambers, now that the moment had come, she felt unworthy of the Crown Prince. Not only herself, but anyone the Empress assigned, even if it was the already chosen Crown Princess Consort, would be sullying him by sharing intimate moments.

"Unwilling?" Zhao Xi’s eyes were tinged with drunkenness, his originally clear and gentle voice slightly hoarse, deeply stirring emotions.

Wan Qiu swallowed and lowered her eyelashes, "Your Highness is drunk. This servant will help you rest. There’s a grand court meeting early tomorrow morning, and it’s truly not advisable to tire oneself too much tonight."

After speaking, she went to the water room, fetched a basin of hot water, immersed a towel, wrung it dry, and wiped his face.

During the face washing, Zhao Xi remained quiet and didn’t utter a sound.

After she took the hot water out, poured it away, and placed the golden basin on the stand, she returned to find Zhao Xi still gazing at her.

Wan Qiu suddenly felt a fluster in her heart, stammering, "Your... Your Highness, why are you looking at me like that?"

"Since Mother specially arranged for you to serve me, why are you unwilling?"

He seemed quite curious, but when he asked, he wasn’t annoyed nor did he feel her refusal was disrespectful. He simply wanted to know the answer, "Do you have someone in your heart?"

Wan Qiu hurriedly shook her head, dropped to her knees with a thud, and immediately her eyes reddened, "This servant is a coarse person, afraid of sullying Your Highness."

These words came from her heart.

Among the four maidens selected to serve in chambers, only she could get close to the Crown Prince, serving him the longest.

Yet she was different from those outside who coveted the Crown Prince’s status and beauty, constantly trying to climb into his bed.

The longer she accompanied the Crown Prince, the more she felt her own insignificance.

The Crown Prince was exceptional, even perfect.

Subconsciously, she had begun to regard him as a pure belief, and tonight, regardless of it being herself or another woman, whoever would truly open his eyes would cause Wan Qiu immense distress.

"Why are you crying?" Zhao Xi sighed softly, "Since you are unwilling, I won’t force you. No need to be sad. You may leave."

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Wan Qiu stood up, heard Zhao Xi say again, "Remember to close the door."

"Yes."

Wan Qiu paid her respects, backed away a few steps, then turned and hurried out of the hall.

When Eunuch Sanbao saw her come out, he was so shocked that his eyes widened, grabbing her wrist, "Is it over already?"

Wan Qiu’s face was both flushed with embarrassment and stained with tears, shaking her head with complex emotions.

"What happened then?" Eunuch Sanbao’s eyebrows knitted together.

"I..." Wan Qiu didn’t know how to explain. After pondering, she decided to tell the truth: "I’m not worthy of His Highness. The one to aid him in his conjugal rites shouldn’t be me."

Eunuch Sanbao choked and then poked her forehead fiercely, "You, oh you, what should I say to you? Usually favored by His Highness, but in a critical moment, you claim to be unworthy? If you’re unworthy, then who is? Do you truly want Aunt Gu Yu to enlighten His Highness? If it truly comes to her, it’d be..." Good cabbage has been trampled by a pig!

Though Eunuch Sanbao didn’t say the last sentence, Wan Qiu had already understood, and she chuckled, but then felt melancholy again.

Indeed, Eunuch Sanbao wasn’t wrong; even if it wasn’t herself, it would be someone else.

However, she genuinely couldn’t associate the pure and immaculate Crown Prince with such affairs.

Thinking of this, Wan Qiu lowered her head, "Eunuch, I... I truly can’t do it."

Eunuch Sanbao looked at her as if disheartened, "Now that you’ve come out, even if you could do it, would His Highness give you a second chance? Go, so I may avoid seeing you and feeling annoyed."

Wan Qiu raised her hand to wipe her tears, lifting her skirt to return to the East Courtyard.

Eunuch Sanbao carefully pushed the door open and entered the inner hall, seeing Zhao Xi had already fallen asleep on the Kui Dragon Pattern Couch.

He went forward to tuck in the corners of the quilt, then took a careful look at his master.

There was no denying, his master’s celestial appearance, even as an eunuch, he was still amazed each time he saw it.

Alas, Wan Qiu wasn’t wrong in saying she was unworthy.

A young girl was unworthy, let alone that old woman Gu Yu.

He blew out the light and exited the hall quietly.

As soon as the Crown Prince fell asleep, the entire Eastern Palace quieted down, and nothing happened until dawn.

The next day was the grand assembly, where the officials were to go to the Golden Hall to see the Emperor. Although the family banquet delayed his sleep the previous night, Zhao Xi still got up early as usual.

After dressing neatly, he left the Eastern Palace for the Golden Hall before 5 a.m.

Gu Yu had been drugged and slept until broad daylight. When she woke up, she found herself in the West Courtyard with no discomfort on her body. She thought of how she had been drinking with the Crown Prince before she passed out last night.

Could someone have drugged her drink?

Thinking this, Gu Yu’s face instantly froze. She quickly dressed, washed up briefly, and hurriedly went toward Chengming Hall.

Eunuch Sanbao had followed Zhao Xi to the assembly, leaving behind Mr. Mu, who was lecturing a few little eunuchs.

Seeing Gu Yu approach, Mr. Mu greeted her with a smile.

Gu Yu wore a dark expression and asked him, "Who sent me back to my room last night?"

Mr. Mu replied, "Two old palace maids used for rough work."

"So, I was unconscious at that time?"

Mr. Mu chose his words carefully, "Aunt, you should have been drunk at the time."

"Impossible!" Gu Yu immediately denied, "I have a good tolerance for alcohol; how could one cup make me drunk?"

Mr. Mu thought to himself, if His Highness wanted you to sleep, could you really blame him?

Before he could finish his silent grumbling, Gu Yu asked again, "Then after I was sent back, who served His Highness for his rest?"

"Well..." Mr. Mu hesitated, knowing Wan Qiu was particularly well-liked in the Eastern Palace, very popular among the servants.

Mr. Mu, understanding Gu Yu’s temperament, knew that if she found out Wan Qiu stayed with His Highness in the latter half of the night, she would surely skewer Wan Qiu alive.

Seeing him silent, Gu Yu sneered, "There are hundreds of people up and down the Eastern Palace. Even if you don’t say it, others will. But once I hear the truth from someone else, Mr. Mu, you and the Empress might not get along anymore."

Mr. Mu’s face turned pale at the words, and he was forced to say, "Aunt, please be generous, don’t be as petty as a servant. Last night, it was Miss Wan Qiu who served His Highness."

"Wan Qiu?" Gu Yu’s pupils constricted sharply.

Before coming to the Eastern Palace, she had heard among the four maidservants, only Wan Qiu could attend the Crown Prince during the night watch. So last night, did she deliberately drug her cup and finally share a bed with the Crown Prince?

Within the blink of an eye, Gu Yu’s face darkened as if covered by a cloud. She sternly demanded, "Where is Wan Qiu, have her come see me!"

Knowing that she was someone from the Empress’s side, Mr. Mu feared for his life and hurriedly ran toward the East Courtyard.

Since Wan Qiu had to get up early to help the Crown Prince dress and groom, she hadn’t had much sleep last night. Now that the Crown Prince had gone to the Golden Hall, she was napping on the couch but was unexpectedly informed by Nian Chun that Mr. Mu had arrived.

Wan Qiu immediately got up, tidied her dress, and went out to greet him.

"Mr. Mu."

Mr. Mu’s face was pale, his expression conflicted and helpless, "Miss Wan Qiu, Aunt Gu Yu requests your presence."

Nian Chun, Zhi Xia, and Xiu Dong all cast worried glances at Wan Qiu.

Everyone knew Aunt Gu Yu was here to introduce the Crown Prince to adulthood, and yet last night, she hadn’t entered the inner hall, while Wan Qiu had been by the Crown Prince’s side. Whether or not she was favored remained unknown, but they all expected Aunt Gu Yu to be furious.

She was a fiery character, and knowing Wan Qiu replaced her, she wouldn’t let her off easily.

Wan Qiu herself also felt a pang of anxiety, knowing full well why Gu Yu wanted her to come.

"Mr. Mu..." Zhi Xia said, "Could you possibly inform Aunt Gu Yu that Sister Wanqiu is feeling unwell?"

Mr. Mu found himself in a difficult position.

"It’s alright. Since Aunt is summoning me, I will go and see her."

Wan Qiu feigned a nonchalant demeanor and directly left the East Courtyard.

Mr. Mu quickly followed with his horsetail whisk, leaving the three to look at each other, each paler than the other.

They were all arranged by the Empress, and if Gu Yu couldn’t tolerate any one of them, she would surely find a way to deal with all four together.

Gu Yu was currently standing outside Chengming Hall.

When Wan Qiu arrived, she had no time to salute before being slapped heavily across the face, followed by a torrent of abuse, "Shameless liar, who gave you permission to do this? Look at what you are, do you deserve it?"