My Darling, Coax Me.

CHAPTER 7: Your Highness's Maid Is Truly Loyal.

　　In the following days, the little palace maid continued to serve him meticulously and attentively, but she dared not speak a single extra word, and always kept her head bowed when she saw him.

　　The little palace maid was busy every day. She was responsible for cleaning the desolate courtyard all by herself, striving to keep it clean and tidy even though no one was watching. She washed and dried the clothes, meticulously mending any tears with the finest stitches. She also had to fetch the meals.

　　One person was spinning around all day long, incredibly busy.

　　Xie Jue sat by the window, watching her through the slightly ajar window. She finished drying the quilts. Then, she hurried off to another place without stopping. Even when she brushed past him, she swiftly averted her gaze.

　　The way she moved, a whirlwind of purposeful action, spoke volumes.

　　A slight twitch played at the corner of Xie Jue's lips. Then, he casually closed the window.

　　……

　　Yun Ling, worried about her flower tea drying in the sun, grabbed her dinner and hurried back.

　　She was lost in thought, and as usual, kept her head bowed to hide her face, avoiding unnecessary trouble. But she was careful and never bumped into anyone.

　　Just as she stepped out of the Imperial Kitchen, a palace maid suddenly bumped straight into her. Yun Ling carefully protected the food box in her hand, stumbling back two steps.

　　Looking up, she saw that the little maid, Ru Dong, was winking at her secretly.

　　The two of them silently met under a secluded corner by a sycamore tree.

　　There was no one around, and Ru Dong, full of excitement, said, “Sister, I'm now working under Nanny Jin, who serves the Fifth Princess. I do some tasks like serving her tea. Nanny Jin is very kind to me, and I can come see you often from now on!”

　　Yun Ling also smiled happily, “That's good.” She had previously seen her with red-rimmed eyes and worried about what had happened. It's good that everything is alright.

　　Compared to the masters in the palace, some old mamas (nannies/senior servants) are actually more humane. As long as they don't make mistakes, they won't casually torment these little maidservants.

　　However, she still felt uneasy and gave a final instruction.

　　“The Fifth Princess is still a child at heart,” Yun Ling said tactfully, “Though she's not a gentle soul, she's clear about her likes and dislikes, and she's not unreasonable. You just need to be careful, don't offend her.”

　　There are five princesses in the palace, the first four have already been married off. The Fifth Princess is the daughter of the favored concubine, Yu Fei. She is spoiled and has done many outrageous things. Yun Ling has heard that she made a lot of jokes in pursuit of a certain official.

　　Yun Ling said she was childish because while the Fifth Princess was spoiled, she wasn't bad. She wouldn't randomly beat or kill people. Serving her would be a good place to be.

　　Ru Dong's eyes sparkled with admiration, “Sister, you're amazing, you even know this.”

　　“Don't worry, I'll be good and follow the Nanny, nothing will happen. It's just, sister,” Ru Dong held Yun Ling's hand with concern, “Are you alright in that cold palace?”

　　“I heard that the Sixth Prince has killed several palace maids already. He's also very fierce to you, right?”

　　Yun Ling returned the grip, “I'm fine. See, I'm doing well now, Wang Dade can't bother me anymore. You don't need to worry.”

　　She said seriously, “You follow the mama well from now on, don't come looking for me again, okay?”

　　“Why?” Ru Dong took out a warm bun from her bosom, looking confused, “Now I have a good life, but you're in the cold palace and can't eat enough. Why can't I come see you? Look, this bun is what I secretly saved. Every noon, I keep it in case I can see you, I'll give it to you.”

　　Yun Ling looked down at the intact bun, her eyes welled up.

　　“You silly girl, I'm fine in the cold palace, I won't starve. You're still young, you don't understand the ins and outs of the palace. Anyway, you'll be safe if you stay far away from me, understand?”

　　Ru Dong didn't quite understand, “Sister, didn't you say everything is good now that you're by the Sixth Prince's side?”

　　Yun Ling didn't know how to explain. Beneath the calm surface, there were so many hidden dangers.

　　The Sixth Prince's side was fraught with danger, and she was just barely clinging to life.

　　Ru Dong didn't understand, but she always listened to Yun Ling.

　　She took out a piece of silver, probably saved for a long time, and shoved it into Yun Ling's hand. Afraid she wouldn't take it, she ran away quickly.

　　Yun Ling watched her little bunny-like figure hopping and skipping away, shaking her head with a smile.

　　She put the silver away, tucked the bun into her chest, and turned to hurry back to Jingxiang Palace.

　　As soon as she entered, she sensed something was wrong.

　　The courtyard she meticulously swept and tidied every day was in disarray. Fallen branches and leaves littered the ground, as if someone had violently searched it. There was a patch of ash in the corner, indicating a recent fire.

　　As she walked down the corridor, the door to the Sixth Prince's chamber was shut tight. Inside, she could faintly hear the chilling clang of metal.

　　Yun Ling's heart clenched, and she ran towards the chamber.

　　……

　　It was the dead of winter, and there wasn't even a single brazier in the room. The flickering candlelight danced with the wind, stretching the shadows of the guards searching the room long and thin, making them look like predatory beasts poised to attack.

　　The leading guard, a man of about thirty, was outwardly respectful but with a hint of mockery in his eyes. He gave a perfunctory bow to the frail young man on the bed, “There was an assassin attack outside the palace walls. We chased the assassin here but lost their trail. We're acting on orders to conduct a search. It's our duty. If we've offended you in any way, please, Your Highness, be magnanimous and forgive us.”

　　He didn't even wait for Xie Jue to respond before waving his hand, signaling his men to begin the search. It was clear he didn't hold Xie Jue, the imprisoned and incapacitated prince, in any regard.

　　The guards who came to search began rummaging through the room without a moment's hesitation. They flung open a chest, randomly stabbing inside with their sword hilts, their movements rough and disrespectful. They turned everything upside down, tossing clothes and bedding out onto the floor in a disarray.

　　In no time, the room was in utter chaos.

　　A few of the guards came back to report that they hadn't found anything.

　　The leader of the guards, Gao Chang, gave a wry smile, “Apologies, Your Highness. These men are rough around the edges, they're not exactly gentle. They've made quite a mess. I'll need to trouble you to clean up after them yourself.”

　　The candlewick on the table gave a sharp crackle.

　　The flame flickered.

　　The dim candlelight cast a pale glow on the sick man's sharp profile, his black silk robes, as dark as the night, draped around him. His thin, crimson lips were pressed together, silent. From beginning to end, he hadn't lifted his gaze.

　　Gao Chang, his eyes narrowed, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword, pressed his advantage, “This assassin made it into the Jingxiang Palace but vanished into thin air. Now that's an oddity, don't you think?”

　　Xie Jue coughed twice, his voice raspy and weak. “Now that you're done, leave.”

　　Gao Chang's face twisted with anger. He brazenly scrutinized Xie Jue across the room. He was a confidant of the Empress, someone she had personally promoted, and he wasn't going to let this opportunity slip away. He had to humiliate this Sixth Prince. Besides, his men had seen the assassin enter this cold palace, and if he found something, it would be a major accomplishment for him.

　　A deposed prince, beneath his feet, mud, dust, common earth—he crushed it easily.

　　“Your Highness, when I entered, I saw you burning something. The timing is rather suspicious; I can't help but suspect it might be correspondence. Please rise and allow me to search, so as to clear your name.”

　　Xie Jue's cough worsened, and he pressed his fist against his lips as he slowly stood.

　　“Duty calls,” Gao Chang said, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. He waved his hand, and two guards stepped forward to begin their search.

　　Xie Jue's face was pale, and he leaned against a nearby table, coughing uncontrollably.

　　Gao Chang's eyes swept over the scene, and one of the guards immediately stepped forward. Under the guise of searching, he deliberately kicked Xie Jue's leg from behind.

　　The force was considerable. Xie Jue, already weak, couldn't withstand the impact. His leg buckled, and he fell to his knees with a sickening thud. The crimson blood he'd been holding back surged forth, staining his lips a vivid red. Each drop fell heavily to the ground.

　　The surrounding guards didn't seem fazed in the least. Instead, they all wore expressions of amusement, as if watching a play unfold.

　　Gao Chang immediately let out a “Oh!” and knelt down, feigning concern. “Your Highness, are you hurt?”

　　One of the guards immediately chimed in, “Lord Gao, you just stabbed that assassin, and now His Highness is injured…”

　　The implication was clear: Xie Jue was the assassin.

　　Even the most oblivious person could see that the blood wasn't from a sword wound.

　　Gao Chang, however, said, “To ensure the safety of the palace, I have no choice but to investigate. Your Highness, I apologize for the inconvenience, but I must ask you to remove your clothes for inspection.”

　　He was demanding that a prince be stripped naked and examined by these guards in broad daylight.

　　It was a blatant act of humiliation.

　　Xie Jue propped himself up with one hand, the crimson blood still trickling down his lips.

　　He kept his head bowed, refusing to move.

　　Gao Chang chuckled, “Your Highness, if you don't comply, I'm afraid I'll have to do it myself.”

　　He slowly unsheathed the large sword at his waist, gripping it tightly, and extended it towards…

　　Suddenly, the door was flung open with a bang. A palace maid in a pink robe rushed in, nearly stumbling as she ran. She quickly knelt down in front of Xie Jue, shielding him from Gao Chang, and prostrated herself before him, pleading, “Lord Gao, please spare our Highness! He's weak and cannot withstand the cold!”

　　The guards present all exchanged glances, their faces turning pale at the palace maid's words.

　　To beg a group of guards to spare a prince... if word of this got out, they wouldn't have a life left to live.

　　“How dare you! I am merely carrying out my orders, conducting a lawful search,” Gao Chang roared, “There's no need to speak of sparing the prince.”

　　Yun Ling pressed her forehead against the back of her hand, “The Sixth Prince has been gravely ill for a long time, coughing up blood daily and unable to withstand the wind. By doing this, Lord Gao, are you not seeking to take his life?”

　　Gao Chang exploded in fury, “You dare accuse me of deliberately plotting to harm the prince?!”

　　Yun Ling bowed her head, “Please forgive me, Lord Gao. I spoke without thinking, for fear of something happening to the prince. But if anything were to happen to him, I would be eternally guilty. I beg you to show understanding.”

　　“His Highness is so frail he can barely move, how could he possibly be the assassin you're talking about?”

　　If they didn't know before, Yun Ling's words made it clear. If they continued the search, and something happened to the Sixth Prince, they would be held responsible.

　　Gao Chang tried to explain himself, “We've been tracking the assassin, and everyone saw him enter Jingxiang Palace. The Sixth Prince, instead of staying in his room, is burning something. Such a coincidence, naturally, raises suspicion.”

　　Yun Ling's mind raced, recalling how the Sixth Prince had suddenly mentioned to her yesterday that the anniversary of Empress Zhaohui's death was approaching, and he intended to pay his respects. Suddenly understanding, she exclaimed, “Lord Gao, you don't know this, but in a few days it will be the anniversary of Empress Zhaohui's death. His Highness misses her dearly, but he was punished and cannot pay his respects to her. So he's burning some things here to commemorate her. He may have done wrong, but his crime doesn't warrant this!”

　　As soon as those words were spoken, the faces of all the guards in the hall changed.

　　Gao Chang's complexion turned ashen, and after a moment of reluctance, he bowed to Xie Jue, his tone noticeably more respectful,

　　“I was out of line; Your Highness's maid is truly loyal.”

　　The guards behind him bowed in unison, their movements synchronized and respectful.

　　Xie Jue propped himself up, turning his head slightly, his voice low and hoarse from coughing up blood, “I?” (T/N: Commander Gao is using informal words with the prince.)

　　The shadow of darkness on his face was unmistakable. “You are the slave, I am the master. Don't forget your place, Commander Gao.”

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