Gu Xuanye was still handling official affairs in his study when the steward announced that someone had been brought in. He only glanced briefly before returning his gaze to the documents in his hand, not sparing another look.
Without any instruction from the prince, he simply waved his hand to dismiss the steward.
Once the steward left, Gu Xuanye paid no attention to Wushuang, who stood motionless at the doorway from beginning to end.
Wushuang understood that this was meant to cold-shoulder her, to give her a bit of a warning. She could endure this level of punishment.
But what followed left her unsettled.
There were no close attendants around the prince. Whether it was intentional or not, she had to handle everything.
In the morning, she had to prepare the water for washing before he woke up. As soon as he rose, she had to immediately help him put on the intricate and cumbersome court robes.
After that, she would assist him with washing up, serve the meals, stand by the dining table, and pick dishes for him.
These tasks were nothing. Inside and outside the main hall where the prince resided, she was responsible for cleaning. The antique porcelain, tables, and chairs in the hall had to be wiped daily, and even his clothes were all given to her to wash.
She was busy from morning till night, without a moment’s rest, not even time to eat. In just half a month, the torment had nearly broken her.
Come what may, Wushuang gritted her teeth and rushed into Gu Xuanye’s study. Her movements were so swift that the guards at the door didn’t have time to react before she pushed open the study door.
Her face was filled with anger as she indignantly protested, “Your Highness, it was my fault before, but I didn’t do it on purpose. Bullying a weak woman like this is too petty of you!”
The moment she entered, she unleashed a torrent of words. Only after pouring out everything in her heart did she notice there were others in his study, and she froze on the spot.
“Wushuang!” a man narrowed his dangerous eyes and stared at her.
In the end, Wushuang scurried away in embarrassment.
That evening, Wushuang was summoned to Gu Xuanye’s study by the prince’s personal attendant.
Gu Xuanye was handling correspondence. As soon as she arrived, he instructed her to grind ink beside him.
Wushuang quietly ground ink at his side, her thoughts already wandering far away. It was only after Gu Xuanye called her several times that she snapped back to reality.
It turned out that Gu Xuanye had been suspecting her of being a spy these past few days. Apart from seeking revenge for the previous incident, another reason was to test her.
Today, when he was discussing confidential matters with a friend, she happened to barge in. Her suspicion was too obvious. Having her grind ink beside him in the evening was also to test her. It would be even better if he could catch her passing information to someone else.
After playing with her for so many days, it was time to reel in the net. He sneered inwardly.
At this moment, having regained her senses, she heard Gu Xuanye say to her, “From now on, you no longer need to do those trivial tasks. Focus on serving by my side.”
The naive Wushuang thought he had been moved to conscience by her words earlier that day.
In reality, this was a trap set by Gu Xuanye.
Thus, in the following days, she began serving Gu Xuanye closely. She no longer had to do the dirty or exhausting work; she only needed to grind ink for the prince in the study every day.
Grinding ink was just too boring. Every time she saw the exquisite pastries on the prince’s desk, she couldn’t help but steal glances.
She wanted to eat them, secretly swallowing her saliva several times.
But Gu Xuanye didn’t seem to like these pastries. Each time, they were either left untouched or he would only take a small bite. The attendants serving him didn’t dare touch these pastries.
Wushuang thought it was too wasteful, so every time Gu Xuanye wasn’t paying attention, she would secretly eat a few pieces of pastry. After enjoying the delicious treats, she couldn’t help but curl her eyes into happy crescents.
Perhaps because her gaze was too fervent and obvious, how could Gu Xuanye not notice her sneaking pastries?
But he never said anything, always turning a blind eye and pretending not to see.
Wushuang felt life was quite good this way—the work was easy, the monthly salary was high, and she could even eat precious pastries unavailable elsewhere.
She was so delighted that even grinding ink every day felt motivating.
She was happy, but Gu Xuanye was troubled.
He truly couldn’t figure this woman out. Over the past few days, she had been well-behaved and kept to herself. Aside from her own courtyard and his study, she hardly went anywhere else, had no contact with anyone, and frequently stole his pastries.
This left him deeply puzzled, leading him to conclude that her patience was remarkable.
Another seven days passed like this. Wushuang stifled a silent yawn as she ground ink for Gu Xuanye, who was reading letters by lamplight late into the night.
The upheaval happened in an instant. A servant entered the study to refresh the tea when suddenly a hidden weapon shot toward him. Gu Xuanye, ever vigilant and skilled in martial arts, dodged the projectile.
Seeing that he was exposed, the servant dropped all pretense, drew a short sword from his sleeve, and charged at him.
At that moment, as if responding to some signal, a group of black-clad figures descended from the sky into the courtyard outside the study, clashing with the guards stationed there.
Gu Xuanye barely managed to pull Wushuang aside to evade the assassin’s short sword. He tried to reach for the sword displayed on one side of the study, but the assassin detected his intention, blocking his path while aiming strikes at his vital points.
Dizzy and disoriented, Wushuang was dragged by Gu Xuanye through round after round of attacks.
Suddenly, Gu Xuanye released her hand, instructing her to stay put, and engaged the assassin in combat. Though the assassin wielded a sharp blade, he was no match for Gu Xuanye.
Realizing he was outmatched, the assassin attempted to flee. But from another direction, a shadowy figure silently emerged and hurled a hidden weapon from behind—a move spotted by the hiding Wushuang.
She shouted, “Watch out!”
Then she rushed to his side and pushed him to the ground.
As he fell, Gu Xuanye heard a muffled groan and felt a warm, wet sensation in his hand. His eyes widened in disbelief, and an inexplicable rage surged within him. Holding Wushuang’s body, he swiftly dealt with the assassin before him.
The hidden assailant was also captured by the guards.
The guards awaited the prince’s orders on how to handle the assassins, but Gu Xuanye’s focus was no longer on them.
Half-cradling the unconscious Wushuang, his eyes bloodshot, he shouted hoarsely, “Fetch the imperial physician, now!”
The Overbearing Prince Falls for the Little Maidservant spanned over twenty pages in the publication, its content intricate and novel, captivating readers at first glance.
Having copied up to this point, Guan Yan still felt unsatisfied. Staring at the “to be continued” on the last page, a sense of loss washed over him.
It wasn’t just him—everyone who had copied up to the end was eagerly wondering what would happen next. The small courtyard echoed with sighs of frustration.
Each story was annotated with the author’s name.
Everyone was curious about who this “Wuming” was, whose Huaben was so brilliantly written. They had never encountered such innovative storytelling before.
This installment of the Huaben ended here, leaving everyone scratching their heads in anticipation, desperate to see how the story would unfold.
When Ye Yuwu entered the courtyard, she saw a group of people engaged in a heated discussion.
They had already finished copying the books and, having nothing else to do, were still captivated by the Huaben titled The Overbearing Prince Falls for the Little Maidservant. Thus, everyone gathered to discuss this story.
Occasionally, Ye Yuwu could clearly hear Huaping’s loud voice tinged with dreamy excitement, “This prince is described as so handsome!”