Chapter 74

Chapter 74: Sure Enough, One Was Missing

The more Huan Zhu listened, the redder Huan Zhu’s face became.

In the past, many people had praised Huan Zhu as the most striking maid in the manor. Huan Zhu had been just like the maid in the story, Xing Tao, with a full figure and a shy, rosy face.

Yet Huan Zhu’s fate was nothing like Xing Tao’s.

Jiang Manor had a flirtatious and romantic eldest young master. After only bumping into Xing Tao a few times in the garden, he grew interested in her.

But in Duke Qi Manor, the man Huan Zhu longed for never even spared Huan Zhu a glance.

When the story reached the part where Xing Tao took advantage of the Jiang eldest young master’s drunkenness and ended up sharing a bed with him, a thread of envy rose in Huan Zhu’s heart.

If only the Heir Apparent could be like that, like the Jiang eldest young master, and finally see Huan Zhu’s true feelings…

Ting Lan’s face stayed flushed as Ting Lan asked the last question, “Princess, were men really like the story said? After-after they had been intimate, was it easier for them to fall in love?”

Sheng Zhi Wan said idly, “Not necessarily. What men said in bed could only be believed three parts out of ten.”

Sheng Zhi Wan’s eyes were calm. “But even those three parts are still something many women never get.”

Ting Lan looked even more confused. “Princess, this servant didn’t understand…”

“If you don’t understand, then forget it,” Sheng Zhi Wan said, waving a hand.

Sheng Zhi Wan opened her eyes, sat up, and looked straight at Huan Zhu. “Do you truly know your mistake?”

Huan Zhu was still not fully pulled out of the story. Huan Zhu froze for a moment, then hurriedly knocked her forehead to the floor.

“This servant truly knew her mistake,” Huan Zhu said quickly. “Princess, this servant will never act on her own again.”

“Good.” Sheng Zhi Wan rose to her feet. “Then starting tomorrow, you will be transferred back as a second-rank maid.”

Huan Zhu’s heart leapt. “Yes! Thank you for your grace, Princess!”

After Huan Zhu withdrew, Huan Zhu returned to her own sleeping quarters, yet her thoughts still surged and tumbled.

That night, Huan Zhu dreamed. In the dream, Huan Zhu and Qi Shu Xian were just like Xing Tao and the Jiang eldest young master, tangled together in tender passion.

But joy in a dream was always false. When Huan Zhu woke, what remained was only deeper emptiness and regret.

“If only… if only it was all real,” Huan Zhu whispered.

A voice called from outside. “Sister Huan Zhu, if you don’t get up, you’ll miss breakfast. Hurry. Today the Princess had the small kitchen make meat flaky pies. The Princess doesn’t like them, so they must be for us.”

Huan Zhu could not stop herself from rolling her eyes, but Huan Zhu still smiled as she answered, “Alright, I’m coming.”

Sure enough, a maid was still a maid. The master tossed them a single meat pie and they could be happy like this.

In the past, Huan Zhu had even picked at bird’s nest soup.

Thinking that, Huan Zhu felt even more wronged. Why was Huan Zhu born to be nothing but a servant? With Huan Zhu’s looks, she was clearly prettier than Meng Yang.

If the accident with the Heir Apparent had been Huan Zhu…

Huan Zhu’s heart skipped. Huan Zhu rushed out of the room.

Today, Huan Zhu was arranged to serve outside Sheng Zhi Wan’s bedroom. After Sheng Zhi Wan finished breakfast, Sheng Zhi Wan distributed things to the maids in the courtyard.

When the group of maids that included Huan Zhu rotated out to eat, An Zhi entered the bedroom carrying a small box, half-hidden in her hands.

Huan Zhu instinctively leaned closer to the window.

Through the crack, Huan Zhu caught scattered fragments of sound.

An Zhi’s voice came first. “Princess, Han Residence sent over some rare medicines. When they were first stored away, they weren’t recorded carefully. Just now, when this servant re-registered them, I realized one of them was actually that kind of thing…”

An Zhi continued, voice even lower. “Even though you haven’t shared a bed with the Heir Apparent, it’s better to have it on hand. It’s made specifically for men, and it won’t harm the body.”

An Zhi said, “If you ever need it, it might help. The instructions say it dissolves in water with no color and no taste. Next time the Heir Apparent comes, you can drop one in…”

Sheng Zhi Wan’s voice drifted out, cool and flat. “We’ll see. I still haven’t forgiven him.”

After a pause, Sheng Zhi Wan said, “Just put it in the hidden compartment under the jewelry box.”

Under the jewelry box. The hidden compartment.

As someone who once served closely at Sheng Zhi Wan’s side, Huan Zhu knew exactly which one it was, even with her eyes closed.

Huan Zhu’s heart hammered wildly.

Was that medicine what Huan Zhu thought it was?

So Sheng Zhi Wan had always acted lofty and pure in front of Huan Zhu, but now Sheng Zhi Wan had learned to use secret medicine to control a man.

Thinking of the storybook again, Huan Zhu’s thoughts began to itch.

If the one who had an accident with the Heir Apparent was Huan Zhu, then why would Huan Zhu still be serving Sheng Zhi Wan?

That evening, after Sheng Zhi Wan finished dinner, Sheng Zhi Wan went out as usual to tease Lai Fu and stroll a few laps to settle her food.

Huan Zhu saw everyone gathered around the little beast, all laughing and playing. Huan Zhu turned and quickly slipped into Sheng Zhi Wan’s bedroom.

The jewelry box sat in its usual spot. Huan Zhu opened the hidden compartment with ease and saw a porcelain bottle tucked inside.

Using a handkerchief as a barrier, Huan Zhu shook it lightly. There were plenty inside.

Huan Zhu quickly pulled the stopper, poured out one pellet, and tucked it into her sachet. Then Huan Zhu returned outside, looking as if nothing had happened.

That night, Ting Lan poured the medicine out and counted it again and again. No matter how Ting Lan counted, there were only twenty-nine.

But Ting Lan clearly remembered placing thirty inside.

Ting Lan blurted, “Princess! It really is missing one!”

Ting Lan stared at Sheng Zhi Wan, shocked. “Princess, do you have Foreknowledge? Otherwise, how did you know Huan Zhu would definitely come steal it?”

Then Ting Lan’s shock turned into unease. “Does she really want to imitate Xing Tao and go from a maid to a mistress?”