The day was a propitious one chosen by Ye Qingcheng. She was to move into the Hot Spring Villa with Bixi.
“Your Highness, are we really moving? The Prince had just started treating you better,” Bixi asked while helping Ye Qingcheng pack her jewelry.
“Where did you see him treating me better?” Ye Qingcheng was also packing some daily necessities. As a modern person, she was still accustomed to doing things herself.
“That day… the Prince stayed overnight in your chambers.” Bixi lowered her head, feeling a little embarrassed, but still insisted on speaking. She knew her princess’s feelings for the Prince and was happy that the Prince had finally noticed her.
“What does that represent? Bixi, let me tell you, we will only have a good life if we leave this Prince’s mansion.” Ye Qingcheng leaned closer to Bixi and said in a low voice.
“Your Highness, this servant knows you had a difficult time in the Prince’s mansion before, but things are different now. Moreover, you like the Prince so much, can you really bear to leave?” Bixi knew her mistress’s feelings for Xiao Wangye, so she couldn’t understand why Ye Qingcheng wanted to leave even after the Prince’s attitude had changed.
“Bixi, forget the former me. I am different now. Men only affect my speed of making money.” Ye Qingcheng said sternly to Bixi, hands on her hips.
Bixi looked at Ye Qingcheng as if she understood but not quite.
Ye Qingcheng, accompanied by Bixi, hailed a carriage. Don’t ask why she didn’t use the Prince’s mansion’s carriage; it was because she couldn’t order them around, and she didn’t want to alert Xiao Wangye. What if this capricious man changed his mind?
The carriage soon arrived at the entrance of the Hot Spring Villa. Ye Qingcheng paid the fare, and the mistress and servant walked into the villa with their belongings. The first thing Ye Qingcheng did upon arriving at the villa was to identify the staff.
Ye Qingcheng summoned the villa’s steward. Except for those on duty, he was asked to gather all the villa’s servants in the courtyard. Xiao Wangye rarely came to this Hot Spring Villa, so there weren't many servants left. However, for a modern person like Ye Qingcheng, it was enough. Besides, with more people, it would be harder to manage. Fewer people meant easier management.
“Your Highness, besides the two guards at the main and side gates, all the people in the villa are here,” the steward said respectfully, standing before Ye Qingcheng.
Ye Qingcheng did not reply. She simply walked back and forth, observing the dozen or so people before her. The steward waited for a while, but hearing no response from the princess, he looked up and met Ye Qingcheng’s cold gaze, then quickly lowered his head again.
After observing for a while, Ye Qingcheng finally spoke, “The Prince has given this villa to me. From now on, I am your master. As long as you serve diligently, I will not treat you poorly.”
“Yes.” The dozen or so people said in unison. After speaking, Ye Qingcheng dismissed them. She hadn’t brought much, just some clothes and jewelry. Most things were already in the villa, and she could get what was missing later.
After tidying up, Ye Qingcheng took Bixi for a stroll around the villa. As they were walking near a bamboo grove, they heard a faint crying sound, mixed with voices. “Sister Chunlan, I really didn’t do it on purpose. Please, just hit me once and don’t deduct my monthly wages. My mother at home is ill and is waiting for this month’s wages to save her life.”
“Xiamai, it’s not that I want to nag you, but it’s the princess’s first day here, and you’ve already broken that porcelain vase. It’s really inauspicious! Being hit once and having some money deducted is considered lenient. If the princess finds out, who knows how she will punish you.” Chunlan said, standing with her arms crossed, looking at the person kneeling on the ground.
“Sister Chunlan, please, don’t tell the princess. Just hit me,” Xiamai said, reaching out to tug at Chunlan’s skirt.
“Hmph, you will be hit, of course. But your monthly wages will also be deducted. Who told you to make a mistake?” Chunlan said with a look of disdain, pulling her skirt away and patting it symbolically. She picked up the whip in her hand and was about to strike.
Ye Qingcheng couldn’t bear to watch. Even a maid dared to be so arrogant. Before she could speak, Bixi stepped forward and shouted, “Don’t hit anyone.”
The two had been talking and hadn’t noticed them approaching. Seeing Ye Qingcheng now, their faces turned somewhat pale with fear. Chunlan, who had been so overbearing moments ago, quickly knelt down. “This servant greets the Princess.”
“What are you doing?” Ye Qingcheng asked her to rise, but merely swept them with a cold glance.
“Your Highness, Xiamai accidentally broke a vase while cleaning. This servant was just teaching her a lesson,” Chunlan said, turning to glance at Xiamai.
“Your Highness, spare me, Your Highness, spare me.” Xiamai was beyond words, only knowing to kowtow and beg for mercy.
“Just breaking a vase and you have to resort to hitting someone? One might think you are the master here,” Ye Qingcheng said coldly.
“Your Highness, this servant dares not. This servant merely wished to discipline her and make her remember,” Chunlan said, kowtowing hastily upon hearing Ye Qingcheng’s words.
“You are attempting to practice corporal punishment behind my back. Do you still have me, your master, in your eyes?”
Just then, the steward walked over. “This servant greets the Princess. Your Highness, the Prince has arrived at the villa and is asking for you.”
What is Xiao Wangye doing here? Ye Qingcheng looked at the two kneeling figures. She no longer had time to deal with them. “You both go down. Chunlan, your half-month wages will be deducted. Xiamai, you will go and till the land for me. Bixi, take her to the plot of land I showed you earlier.”
After speaking, Ye Qingcheng followed the steward. As she entered the main hall, she saw Xiao Wangye sitting on a chair with a displeased expression. Lin Xiao stood beside him.
Ye Qingcheng muttered inwardly, who has offended this perverse Prince now?
“Your Highness, why have you come?” Ye Qingcheng walked up to him without bowing. She had been acting this way towards Xiao Wangye for some time; as a modern person, she wasn’t accustomed to formal greetings.
“I heard you moved here? Who permitted you to move here?” Xiao Wangye asked, suppressing his anger.
“Your Highness, didn’t you promise to give this villa to me?”
“I said I would give it to you, but I never said you could move in.”
“Your Highness, since you’ve given it to me, why are you still controlling so much? Are you regretting it and want it back?” Ye Qingcheng had figured out a bit of Xiao Wangye’s temperament during this period. Fearing that he might take it back in anger, she deliberately provoked him.
Hearing her words, Xiao Wangye’s expression seemed to improve slightly. He looked at her leisurely and said, “What I can give you, I can naturally also take back.”
Ye Qingcheng almost spat out a mouthful of blood upon hearing this. Would this perverse Prince really take it back? This wouldn’t do. Anything that fell into Ye Qingcheng’s hands would never be given up. She had to find a way to make him abandon this idea.