“My Princess, perhaps your maid can fetch the water for you,” Bi Xi ventured, hesitating for a long moment before speaking with caution.
There was a hint of confusion in her voice. Her Princess was currently squatting in the courtyard with no regard for her appearance, her dark hair cascading down, revealing a glimpse of the fair skin on her neck.
“No,” Ye Qingcheng replied perfunctorily. With a deft movement of her delicate, jade-like fingers, she uprooted a plant from the ground that looked no different from ordinary weeds, carefully wrapping it in a silk handkerchief.
Originally, she had found the Princess’s residence to be extremely dilapidated compared to Xiao Wang Ye’s chambers. She hadn't expected to find such an excellent ingredient for refining medicine in the courtyard.
Bi Xi parted her lips, “But…”
“No buts. If that Yu Jian dares to make any small moves, I have plenty of ways to deal with her,” Ye Qingcheng carefully put away the handkerchief and walked into the house with satisfaction, her eyes brimming with delight.
Bi Xi hurriedly followed. “Oh, right, bring me a mirror.”
Having transmigrated, she didn't yet know what she looked like.
“This servant will go right away.” Bi Xi felt that her Princess had somehow changed. She couldn't quite understand why, but she preferred the Princess now.
Ye Qingcheng took the bronze mirror and casually glanced into it. With just one look, she was completely stunned. The not-so-smoothly polished bronze mirror only reflected a blurry figure. However, it was not difficult to see that the girl in the mirror looked exactly like her in her previous life, only younger and thinner.
Was it a coincidence? Thinking of Xiao Wang Ye's face, Ye Qingcheng fell into a brief daze. She shook her head with a bitter smile, casting aside the unrealistic flicker of hope in her mind. It wouldn’t be, that person was so kind he wouldn’t even step on an ant, whereas Xiao Wang Ye was a merciless, bloodthirsty madman.
As she was lost in thought, a knock suddenly sounded at the door. “My Princess, the hot water is ready for you.”
Ye Qingcheng waved her hand, signaling Bi Xi to open the door. She leaned lazily on the couch, watching Yu Jian direct two sturdy servants to carry the hot water in and place it behind the screen in the inner room. The dark wooden bucket was half as tall as a person, filled with floating red petals. It was deep autumn, and the rising steam enveloped the room, making it feel warmer.
“I said hot water, not water with petals,” Ye Qingcheng’s eyes shifted slightly as she rested her chin on her hand and spoke slowly.
“My Princess, this is specially for the masters to bathe in,” Yu Jian said with a condescending tone, her head lowered.
Ye Qingcheng feigned surprise, covering her mouth. “Oh? I truly didn’t know.”
Bi Xi, standing nearby, almost began to cry again. Her Princess had never been treated like a master before, so of course, she wouldn’t know. Even Bi Xi only learned about this from the maids’ conversations.
Yu Jian didn't look up. “If My Princess has nothing else, this servant will take her leave.” With that, she led the servants out.
Ye Qingcheng lifted her eyelids, her exaggerated expression vanishing as she remained silent. As Yu Jian stepped through the door, she slowly looked up, the deeply hidden resentment and triumph in her eyes fully revealed.
The next second—
“Wait a moment,” Ye Qingcheng suddenly said. Yu Jian turned around, her smile fake. “Does My Princess have any other instructions?”
“You said this is for masters, so does that mean you’ve never enjoyed it?” Ye Qingcheng curved her lips into a meaningful smile. “My mood is good today, and I’ve decided to reward you with it.”
Yu Jian’s expression changed slightly, a flicker of panic in her eyes. “Thank you, My Princess, but…”
“When a master rewards you with something, you accept it.” Without giving her a chance to refuse, Ye Qingcheng forcefully interrupted, “Come in with me.”
Yu Jian seemed to want to say more, but Ye Qingcheng walked straight over, grabbed her, and dragged her towards the hot water bucket. She tried to break free but found that the wrist holding her, though seemingly slender, was like an iron clamp, unmoving. A mix of shock and fear coursed through her, Yu Jian’s legs went weak, and she knelt directly. “My Princess, this servant knows her crime.”
“Oh? And what crime have you committed?” Ye Qingcheng asked with a half-smile.
Yu Jian’s eyes darted around as she quickly replied, “This servant was negligent and did not test the water temperature beforehand, nearly harming My Princess’s noble body.”
Ye Qingcheng said nothing. Bi Xi and the servants dared not speak. This was because the woman who had previously been so listless suddenly exuded a different aura.
“You know what you did,” Ye Qingcheng’s eyes, as clear and cold as the moon, flickered with icy light. The hot water was fine, and the petals were also fine. However, the wooden bucket was new oak, its lacquer not yet fully dry. When it came into contact with the petals, it would produce a toxin that, while not fatal, would cause extreme itching upon contact. In severe cases, it could even lead to disfigurement due to an allergic reaction. Even if she were disfigured, there would be no way to trace it back. This maid, though young, had a venomous heart.
“This is the second time. Let this be a warning,” Ye Qingcheng’s eyes were tinged with a dark glint as her red lips parted. “The third time, you will die.” Her words, spoken lightly, struck the listeners’ minds like a thunderclap, and they felt a sharp murderous intent. They had never seen such an assertive Princess. Yu Jian shivered, goosebumps erupting all over her body. Impossible, how could this woman know there was a problem?
“Leave this bucket of water here, and fetch another. If you try any more tricks this time, I won’t hesitate to throw you into the previous bucket myself.” This time, Yu Jian’s movements were much quicker, and she brought the hot water back shortly.
Bi Xi asked curiously, “My Princess, how did you know the water had a problem?”
Ye Qingcheng smiled but said nothing. Such a simple trick was indeed difficult for ordinary people to detect. Seeing that her Princess did not intend to explain, Bi Xi very consciously did not ask further questions. Looking at the fair and tender Princess before her, she helped Ye Qingcheng bathe and asked, “My Princess, you stayed with His Highness all night last night, so does that mean…”
“Mm.”
“That’s wonderful!” Bi Xi’s eyes shone. “I didn’t expect His Highness to be such a caring person.”
Caring? What a joke, Ye Qingcheng thought inwardly. She felt like she was falling apart. However, this body hadn't retained any marks? Before she could ponder further, Bi Xi, beaming with joy, said, “Now My Princess can finally return home with peace of mind.”
Ye Qingcheng raised her eyebrows. “Home?”
“Yes, the Master’s birthday is the day after tomorrow. A letter arrived a few days ago, asking us to come home for a short stay.” The letter explicitly stated that His Highness and My Princess should return together. His Highness would never have paid attention to such matters before, but now, if His Highness were willing to go back with My Princess, then My Princess wouldn’t have to suffer so much. Bi Xi became happier and happier as she thought about it, wishing she could start packing immediately.
Ye Qingcheng’s expression was thoughtful. In the original story, the original owner had already died by this time, so this content wasn't there. She really didn't know about it. She only remembered that apart from her birth mother, Yun Meng, no one in the Shang Shu Mansion truly cared about her.
“Understood. Go and get me a small knife,” Ye Qingcheng suddenly instructed.