Chapter 95

Chapter 95: A Chance to Climb Higher

Sheng Zhi Wan remained silent and walked past Huan Zhu into the room, with Ting Lan trailing behind. Ting Lan gave a cold, scornful snort as she passed.

Huan Zhu bit her lip and followed them inside.

Sheng Zhi Wan glanced around the room, noting the pitiful furnishings. She had thought the yard itself was shabby enough, but inside was even more bare. She couldn’t even find a proper place to sit.

The bedcovers looked worse than when Huan Zhu had still been a servant in her own courtyard.

Seeing Sheng Zhi Wan standing there, brows knit in displeasure, Huan Zhu’s face flushed with embarrassment. “Seeing Maidservant in such a state, is Princess satisfied now?”

Sheng Zhi Wan turned to her, observing her carefully. “Isn’t this exactly what you begged for?”

“You fell in love with Qi Shu Xian from the first moment you saw him, didn’t you? If not, why would you constantly meddle between him and me, spreading rumors without foundation?”

It was precisely those rumors that had convinced her Qi Shu Xian was a good man.

Huan Zhu trembled slightly, letting out a bitter laugh. “Yes, Maidservant did fall for the Heir Apparent from the start, but Maidservant never planned to do anything—”

“But you did!” Sheng Zhi Wan interrupted sharply.

Huan Zhu’s eyes reddened as she fell silent. At this point, excuses were useless.

Sheng Zhi Wan suddenly spoke softly, “Still, you were my servant for many years, and I can’t bear to see you end up like this.”

Huan Zhu’s body shook, disbelief flooding her eyes.

Ting Lan neatly laid out a handkerchief over a rough wooden bench. Only then did Sheng Zhi Wan gracefully sit down, slowly saying, “You don’t have to stare at me that way. Today, I came to give you a chance to climb higher. It’s up to you whether you can grasp it.”

“What kind of chance?” Huan Zhu immediately asked, unable to hide her desperation.

She was truly fed up with her current life—no affection, no protection, bullied even by an old nanny. She did all the chores herself and washed her own clothes.

When she’d tried to complain, the old nanny had mocked her harshly, saying that a bed-climbing traitor, hated by the Heir Apparent and despised by the Heir Consort, had no one to stand up for her.

Only now did Huan Zhu realize that a concubine without support was worth even less than a maidservant!

“You must have heard about yesterday’s events. I injured Qi Shu Xian’s left arm. He’ll likely seek doctors to treat him these days, but no matter what, his Qi will remain obstructed.”

“But I have a special Pressure Technique method. If used properly, it will fully restore his arm.”

Huan Zhu was stunned. “Princess wishes to teach Maidservant this Pressure Technique?”

Having served Sheng Zhi Wan for years, she knew very well that Sheng Zhi Wan excelled in massage techniques. She had never imagined Sheng Zhi Wan would be willing to teach her.

“Yes, though this alone will merely stop him from despising you,” Sheng Zhi Wan continued, placing two small bottles onto the table.

“This first bottle contains pills called ‘Fragrant Jade Pills.’ Taking one each morning and night for three days will make your skin glow alluringly, from head to toe.”

“More than that, it will produce a scent from your body with an enchanting effect. Once a man has touched your skin, he’ll find this fragrance irresistible.”

“As for the other bottle, it has a different use.”

The moment Sheng Zhi Wan finished speaking, Huan Zhu eagerly grabbed both bottles, clutching them tightly to her chest.

But soon, doubt crept into her heart. If these pills truly worked so magically, why hadn’t Sheng Zhi Wan used them herself?

Seeing her expression, Sheng Zhi Wan guessed her thoughts. She said lightly, “Of course, there’s one more thing you should know—these pills contain poison. Short-term use in small amounts won’t cause immediate harm, but continued long-term use will be devastating.”

Oddly enough, this reassured Huan Zhu.

[I knew it—Sheng Zhi Wan couldn’t be so kind!]

Thinking about recent events in the household, Huan Zhu sneered coldly. “Princess must realize she’s no match for Meng Yang now, which is why she came to Maidservant, right?”

“Maidservant warned you not to push the Heir Apparent away in anger, but you didn’t listen. Your current predicament is your own fault!”

Sheng Zhi Wan’s eyes narrowed dangerously.

She leaned forward, her icy gaze freezing the smug expression on Huan Zhu’s face.

Yet, in the next moment, Sheng Zhi Wan smiled gently again, like a breeze in spring. “You’re mistaken. I just find someone as insignificant as Meng Yang too boring.”

“Watching dogs bite each other is far more entertaining, don’t you agree?”

“Of course, if you’re uninterested in this chance, I can easily find someone else,” Sheng Zhi Wan said casually.

Ting Lan immediately moved to take the bottles away.

Huan Zhu panicked and quickly dropped to her knees. “Maidservant believes you! Maidservant is willing to serve Princess!”

“This isn’t for my sake,” Sheng Zhi Wan corrected lightly, “It’s for yourself.”

“Yes, yes! Maidservant is doing it all for herself!”

“Very well. Eat more in the coming days, gain some weight. Tomorrow, I will come at the same time to teach you the Pressure Technique.”

With that, Sheng Zhi Wan rose gracefully and left.

Only after she was gone did Huan Zhu’s body collapse to the ground, drained of all strength.