The next morning, stepping outside, she saw the lad sprawled by the table leg, snoring away!
The cool ground and absence of mosquitoes in the room had granted him sound sleep. Seventh Lord approached with measured steps, stopping about three meters away before bending down to inspect him. The boy's face was flushed from sleep, and truth be told, his features bore a distinctly feminine cast. But a glance at his chest and feet quickly dispelled any doubts.
Well, well—ordered to kneel in punishment, yet he'd slept soundly through the night. Did he have no regard for his master? Seventh Lord considered kicking him but thought better of it. Instead, he began vocal exercises—"Eee-eee—ah-ah—"—which promptly roused the sleeper, who sat up with a start.
Seventh Lord approached with hands clasped behind his back, one corner of his mouth quirking upward. "Master Mu, slept well last night, did we?"
Dingyi, still groggy, struggled to gather her thoughts. Remembering she'd spent the night here, she felt a flicker of relief—until recalling Seventh Prince had ordered her to kneel in penance. Unaccustomed to such punishment, she'd apparently dozed off mid-kneeling.
Wincing, she said, "Master, I've erred. You see, I accidentally—"
"Quite the pampered one, aren't you?" Seventh Lord snorted, noting the slight swelling on the boy's face. He remembered disciplining other servants before—eunuchs who'd fake slaps against their cheeks like plastering walls. This lad, however, had taken the punishment seriously.
"Never mind," he sighed. "I'm not an unreasonable master. Seeing how well you tend the birds, I'll let this pass." He jerked his chin toward the birdcage. "Take them out for some sunlight—they've been cooped up too long. Don't forget to change Fenger's sand. Off you go."
Dingyi acknowledged with a quick "Aye!" before kowtowing in gratitude and retreating.
Outside, clearing her head, she counted herself fortunate to serve two relatively kind princes. Perhaps their masculine magnanimity overlooked minor faults—enough to spare her life.
Carrying two birdcages, she found a shaded spot to hang them. After feeding them soft food and water, she stood beneath, chatting with the birds. The Red bird merely chirped, while the clever lark mimicked the kitchen rooster's crow, drawing laughter from Dingyi.
The laughter tugged at her cheeks—not painful, but numb. Rubbing them, she headed to the well to wash her face. Looking up, she saw Sha Tong approaching along the corridor, bearing a tray of congee and side dishes.
"Uncle!" she called. "Has Twelfth Master risen?"
Sha Tong nodded. "Long since—already finished his morning exercises."
Rubbing her hands, she offered, "Have you eaten? Let me deliver this! I promised to pay respects to His Highness yesterday but lacked proper occasion."
Sha Tong eyed her before agreeing. "Very well, I'll give you this chance. Among friends, small favors matter—wouldn't want it said I didn't look out for you." Handing over the tray, he adjusted his collar. "I'll change clothes now. Mind your step—don't cause trouble." With a wave to the guards on duty, he sauntered off.Dingyi took the tray and carried it carefully, tiptoeing all the way to the Twelfth Master’s room. Upon entering, she glanced around—the Twelfth Master wasn’t there. Without bothering about anything else, she first arranged the bowls and chopsticks properly. Just as she was setting things up, she heard the sound of water being scooped from the inner chamber, followed by the Twelfth Master calling out for Sha Tong.
What to do? Sha Tong wasn’t here, and even if she answered, the Twelfth Master wouldn’t hear her. Hesitating, she thought it wouldn’t be right not to go in, but if she entered and the Prince was in the middle of washing up, with his clothes off… She covered her face—how embarrassing would that be!
She lingered uncertainly, but fortunately, there were no further sounds from the inner chamber. So, she let it pass in a daze. She arranged the small dishes on the table as neatly as possible, but in a moment of distraction, the metallic voice called again, saying, “Tongzi, come in.” Perhaps there was some inconvenience and he needed a hand.
Dingyi’s heart was in turmoil. She couldn’t go—men were bathing, and she might get an eyeful. Then again, she shouldn’t go—she could find a guard outside… That’s what she thought, but unfortunately, her legs didn’t obey her. By the time she came to her senses, she was already at the door of the inner chamber. Resigned to her fate, she figured since things had come to this, there was no point in being coy—it would only make her seem suspicious.
She swallowed hard and plunged into the inner chamber.
The station’s windows were lattice-framed and covered with bamboo paper, which let in plenty of light. With the bright daylight outside, everything inside was clearly visible. Dingyi leaned in and saw the Twelfth Master, bare-chested, bending over to wring out a towel in the basin.
At least he was wearing pants. She sighed in relief, but seeing him like this was still terribly embarrassing. Quickly lowering her eyes, she stepped forward and curtsied. “Twelfth Master, Sha Tong isn’t here. This servant has come to attend to you.”
He turned to look at her, his expression unchanged, though the corners of his lips lifted slightly. “You?”
Naturally, everyone had their own dedicated attendants—not just anyone could step in. Dingyi’s heart pounded wildly. Even the thickest-skinned could feel shy at times. With the Prince speaking like this, she couldn’t gauge his thoughts, and staying seemed inappropriate. She pointed outside. “I came to deliver food for Sha Tong and happened to hear you call. I thought to await your instructions… Should I go and fetch Sha Tong for you?”
Suddenly, he reached out and tugged her arm. “Since you’re here, just go ahead.” He handed her the towel without another word, then turned his back to her, presenting his bare shoulders—clearly expecting her to scrub his back.
Dingyi held the towel, her hands trembling. The Prince’s physique, his skin… Having wandered the streets, she’d seen plenty of poor laborers toiling bare-chested, their backs bent by hardship and weathered by time. But this man before her, though he’d faced his own trials, was still of noble birth—well cared for, never having done hard labor. His radiance was something ordinary people couldn’t match.
Nervous as she was, gawking wouldn’t help. Steeling herself, she pressed the towel against his back and scrubbed with moderate pressure. She’d never been to a bathhouse or learned proper techniques for serving, so she simply did her best. After one pass, she wrung out the towel and turned back, only to find him now facing her.
Scrubbing his back was one thing, but his chest was another matter entirely. Dingyi was at a loss. Sneaking a glance, she immediately felt dizzy. This was too much—far too stimulating. Shaking, she held out the towel. “Prince… here.”The Twelfth Master didn't reach out, just looked at her with shimmering light in his eyes. "You stayed overnight in Seventh Lord's chambers yesterday. Did he give you trouble?"
Dingyi was slightly surprised—he even knew she hadn't returned to her quarters? But the way he bluntly said she'd spent the night in Seventh Lord's room sounded rather awkward! Too embarrassed to meet his gaze, her eyes darted about as she explained, "I said some unpleasant things and got scolded by Seventh Lord, who made me kneel there. At first, I knelt properly, but then somehow... I ended up lying down, so I just made do there for the night."
He tilted his chin slightly. "Then what's with your face?"
She had skipped over the part about being slapped, but it hadn't escaped the Twelfth Master's notice. Tall as he was, he had to crouch slightly to get a proper look, leaving her no room to dodge. Their eyes met again. The Twelfth Master's eyes were truly beautiful—the closer you got, the more breathtaking they became. So deep, like the waters of a lake, intoxicating if stared at for too long. A man with such hands and such eyes—even if he was flawed, that flaw couldn't overshadow his brilliance.
Hongce, meanwhile, wasn't just observing his face but also trying to decipher the deeper layers in his gaze. He had his suspicions, though he couldn't voice them yet—this feeling lingered constantly in his heart. Just because his household had no women didn't mean he was blind or ignorant. After all, he oversaw the Ministry of Justice and the Censorate, giving him unique insight into people's speech and behavior. This Mu Xiaoshu always eluded his understanding. He wasn't rough or boorish in the slightest—his meticulousness and sensitivity surpassed anyone else's. Nor could he be called affected—he was diligent and hardworking, never complaining even after hundreds of miles of arduous travel.
What kind of person was he? It was impossible to say for now, but Hongce had begun paying attention. Every one of his actions seemed unusual, so he couldn't help testing him—like now.
Dingyi couldn't possibly guess his calculations. To her, the Twelfth Master treated her as one of his own, caring for her everywhere and standing up for her when she was wronged. She smiled—perhaps unaware of it herself—her expression as delicate and charming as a flower in the morning light. Rubbing her cheek, not wanting him to worry, she adopted a lighter tone. "My face? It's nothing. Sleeping on the floor without a pillow caused some swelling from poor circulation. It's fine."
Only then did she realize—after all this talking, he was still shirtless! Blushing, she lowered her eyes. Earlier, he hadn't taken the towel—was this his way of having her serve him? Princes were accustomed to being waited on, so her own hesitation would seem odd to others. Steadying herself, she flipped the towel in her hands and— smack —pressed it against his chest like a plaster.
The Prince's physique was truly impressive. She swallowed hard, her throat making an audible gulp, and quickly glanced up. Thankfully, he couldn't hear—otherwise, she'd die of embarrassment.
Hongce hadn't expected him to act so directly. His calves tensed slightly, an inexplicable fluster rising. "You—"
She blinked. "Me what? Did this servant do poorly?"
Not poorly, just entirely different from what he'd imagined. The question of gender remained to be verified—if his suspicions were correct, this wouldn't be so effortless. He frowned. Maybe he was overthinking it. As for why he was overthinking, even he couldn't say.Dingyi tensed up Xian'er and indeed gave his chest several firm tugs. The Prince was the type who practiced martial arts yet didn’t appear overly muscular. In this world, people and matters all emphasize moderation—moderation begets joy. Her mind was in turmoil. In the past, she had sat across from the bare-chested Xiazhi eating meals without feeling the slightest discomfort, yet now, this person who seemed close yet distant made her feel unusually awkward and flustered.
The prolonged silence only made things worse. She forced a smile and changed the subject, “I need to change the river sand for the songbird today. Later, I’ll ride to the Huanxiang River to fetch some. Twelfth Master, do you like river clams? I’ll gather some for you. Once steamed, the meat can be peeled out and stir-fried with eggs by the cook—it tastes wonderful.”
He had never tried any of the things she mentioned, nor was his focus on food. He simply said, “The stretch of water up ahead is wide. Be careful going alone.”
She replied, “It’s fine. I’ll stay alert—it’s not like I’ll get swept away.” Seeing that the cleaning was nearly done, she briskly fetched a casual robe from the nearby clothes rack, holding it open to help him into it. Finally, she grinned and gave a quick bow. “Then this servant will take her leave. There’s breakfast on the table outside—don’t forget to eat, Your Highness. I’ll go check if Sha Tong is done with his tasks and have him attend to you.”
The Twelfth Master nodded, averting his gaze without looking at her again. Dingyi had spent the morning feeling as if she were walking on needles—surviving and leaving this side room was nothing short of divine mercy! She quickly bowed again, not daring to linger, and swiftly retreated.
Only when she was far from the Twelfth Master’s quarters did she stop, leaning against a pillar to catch her breath. She mused to herself: the first time, she had touched his hand; this time, she had practically groped his chest and back. What next? Would it be washing his feet? But as for the Twelfth Master’s physique… there was nothing to criticize. Earlier, she had been too timid to look properly, but now, recalling it hazily, it was endlessly fascinating…
Her thoughts ran wild, uncontrolled, until she suddenly snapped back to reality, flushing with embarrassment. Had she, a grown girl, finally awakened to such feelings? In her nearly eighteen years of life, she had never felt such nervousness before. This sensation was different from mere fright—it was restless, boundless, yet constantly lingering. Sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy all tangled together, stuffed into her eyes and throat. She vaguely sensed something but couldn’t put it into words, leaving her to struggle with her own chaotic thoughts.
After walking several steps, she glanced back. The lattice window of the main room was propped open, and Sha Tong was busy serving rice porridge and fried dough twists. The figure at the Eight Immortals table had a profile so refined it seemed carved by the most skilled artisan, every movement exuding natural grace.
Dingyi knew her own temperament—she wasn’t one to deceive herself. She saw things clearly for what they were. With a long sigh, she asked herself bitterly: What right do I have? Just because he had saved her a few times? Because he was gentle and treated her with some kindness? None of that mattered. Wasn’t he renowned for his benevolence, known as a generous man who might not be harsh to anyone? As for her—what qualifications did she have to entertain such thoughts? Right now, her mind was a tangled mess. Her father’s case had implicated her three brothers. Regardless of the truth, rescuing them was the priority.
She moved the birdcage to a suitable spot and rolled up her sleeves, preparing to leave. Just as she was searching for a fine-meshed sieve, someone approached from behind and called out, “Hey, stop fussing. Hand me the tools, quick.”She turned her head and saw it was one of the Twelfth Master's guards. Without much thought, she handed it over blankly, "What for?"
The guard slung the bamboo basket's strap around his waist and boomed, "Our master says you can't swim, afraid you might drown if you go. He wants you to stay at the inn—I'll go in your place."
Dingyi stood frozen, a wave of sweetness rising in her heart. The Twelfth Master had thought of everything—what could she possibly say! She stammered, "This is really too embarrassing, troubling you like this."
The guard waved a large hand dismissively. He ate his master's rice and followed his master's orders. Even if it meant dancing a yangge with flowers, he'd do it, let alone sifting sand.
Dingyi watched blankly as the man left, then turned back to look at the latticed window. Inside, all was quiet—the Twelfth Master was long gone.
OpenNovel