Inside the imperial palace, Muyang Palace in the East Palace.
Behind a delicate screen embroidered with elegant orchids, a floral-scented mist slowly lingers.
Chu Jiaoli slowly opened her eyes, and the warm air spread on her fair face. The originally pale complexion looked a little rosy. The white mist slowly formed small droplets on her cheeks, and stopped along the delicate jawline.
After a while, it slowly dripped into the water.
She sat in the bathtub, the water was covered with rose petals of various colors, and the fragrance was fragrant.
I remember the day she married Beigong Tengxiao as a concubine, that was also the scene now.
Wash away everything in the past, appear in front of him with a new look, and live a luxurious and wealthy life from then on.
"Girl, this is the first time His Highness has brought someone back from outside the palace." A familiar voice brought her back to reality. She raised her eyes slightly and saw a young girl smiling like a flower.
She is her former personal maid Zi Lin.
In the past, Chu Jiaoli was ruthless and did many bad things. Only Zilin followed her loyally without any regrets.
She looked at the clothes on Zi Lin's body, and then at the clothes of a maid who was one level above her on the wooden clothes rack next to her, and she soon came to her senses.
Now she is not his beloved concubine, just a little maid.
Sighing softly, she couldn't help but lament in her heart that she used to be Zi Lin's master, but now she has become a servant like her.
She smiled faintly and said: "If there is a first time, there will be a second time."
Zi Lin was stunned for a moment, slightly frowned, and said: "In the past eighteen years, His Highness has not had a single concubine by his side. On weekdays, he would keep a distance from his slaves, like taking a girl on His Highness's carriage and giving orders.
The slaves will take care of you to bathe, change clothes, and make up, but you are the only one, Your Highness... He is not the kind of person the girl imagined..."
Hearing this, Chu Jiaoli breathed out slowly.
As long as she thinks that these first times were all given to Crown Princess Xiang Yini, because she only met Beigong Tengxiao after Xiang Yini and had to settle for second place, she feels extremely painful in her heart.
But now, she no longer wants such preferential treatment.
After bathing and changing clothes, Zi Lin put on delicate light makeup and took her to meet Beigong Tengxiao.
In a green lotus pond, koi carps are playing, blue waves are rippling, and the golden light cast by the sun is reflected on the beams and columns of the corridor, which is completely different from the withered and lifeless lotus pond in Chu Mansion.
At the end of the corridor was an exquisite hexagonal pavilion. Beigong Tengxiao put on a gorgeous black python robe and sat in the pavilion, looking at the green lotus pond with his narrow phoenix eyes. He thought for a while and said:
"Jingyue, do the clothes I just wore look like the Crown Prince of Jin?"
Behind him is a man dressed in black. He is Beigong Tengxiao's protector and confidant.
Jingyue thought for a while and replied: "Prince Jin really only wears purple clothes on weekdays. The one worn by His Highness, although I have never seen it exactly the same, is very similar."
"Yeah." Beigong Tengxiao closed his eyes. When he thought of the complicated look in Chu Jiaoli's eyes after admitting him by mistake, his heart felt a little tight. He frowned slightly, slowly opened his eyes and said,
"Burned."
"yes."
Beigong Tengxiao raised his eyes and saw a graceful girl approaching Pingting step by step.
He raised his hand and waved, signaling Jingyue to step back.
Chu Jiaoli's eyes were indifferent and she nodded slightly. Although she was wearing the clothes of a maid, her movements and gestures gave off a sense of elegance, which was completely different from the maids passing by who looked at her nose, nose and heart.
She was not afraid of Beigong Tengxiao's gaze, and she had no trace of the lowliness and cowardice that her upbringing environment should have fostered.
When she came to a stop in front of Beigong Tengxiao, she glanced at his slightly stunned eyes, frowned slightly, then moved her eyes away indifferently, and said with her lips: "Your Highness, you have been looking at this slave for a long time.
, Is there anything wrong with your slave’s dress?”
Beigong Tengxiao supported his chin with one hand, looked at her with a hint of teasing in his eyes, and said jokingly: "Just looking at your temperament, you don't look like a concubine who has suffered and suffered since childhood, but you look like you are extremely loved by me.
This pampered concubine made me stunned."
Chu Jiaoli's eyes paused for a moment, then she showed a polite smile and said: "His Highness is joking. As a slave, if I become His Highness's favorite concubine, it will be detrimental to His Highness's face."
Beigong Tengxiao chuckled, his delicate phoenix eyes showing a hint of elusiveness, and said: "Such words should not come out of your mouth."
Hearing this, Chu Jiaoli was a little more puzzled by his reaction.
She raised her eyebrows gently and said, "Why does Your Highness say that?"
Beigong Tengxiao stood up and walked towards her slowly.
Chu Jiaoli kept walking and looked up into his eyes, her expression calm and composed.
Beigong Tengxiao gently raised the corners of his lips, raised his hand to lift her chin, and carefully examined the girl in front of him.
Chu Jiaoli still didn't have any extreme reaction, and her breathing was not messy at all.
Looking into her clear eyes, Beigong Tengxiao looked at her with more and more interest, and said, "Aren't you afraid of me?"
Hearing this, Chu Jiaoli's eyes were filled with confusion. She raised her eyebrows and asked, "Why are I afraid of you?"
Beigong Tengxiao said with a smile but not a smile: "I have never seen a maid dare to look directly at the master so boldly."
Beigong Tengxiao's words fell, and Chu Jiaoli immediately looked away and said: "I am a slave for the first time, and there are many rules in the palace that I don't understand. Please forgive me, Your Highness."
Listening to the cold voice, without any humble attitude of asking for forgiveness, Beigong Tengxiao narrowed his eyes slightly, slowly tightened the hand holding her chin, and said: "It's okay, look at me."
Chu Jiaoli calmly raised her eyes and looked into his eyes as deep as obsidian. Her clear eyes reflected her calm attitude.
Beigong Tengxiao looked at the girl in front of him carefully and said: "The pitiful look you had just outside the palace when you begged me to save you is not what you look like now."
Hearing this, Chu Jiaoli showed a faint smile and said: "When you are in a dangerous situation, you naturally have to learn to be flexible."
Beigong Tengxiao still smiled half-heartedly, slowly grinding his teeth and said: "You little liar."
After saying that, he let go of his hand, turned around and sat back on the stone chair.
Chu Jiaoli looked at his back and was slightly startled. Was he angry?
She swallowed and asked: "Since Your Highness feels cheated, why not let the slave out of the palace and keep it out of sight?"
Beigong Tengxiao raised his eyebrows, tilted his head slightly and said, "You want to leave so much?"
Hearing this, Chu Jiaoli said calmly: "If there is a choice, no one would want to be a slave, right?"
Beigong Tengxiao raised the teacup, took a sip of tea, smiled slightly, looked at her sideways, and said, "I won't let you leave."
After finishing her words, Chu Jiaoli was silent for a moment, then continued: "After paying back the silver, Your Highness will naturally let me go. As the Prince of Beiming, Your Highness will definitely not break his promise, right?"