Ever since Kan'er was assigned to the tea room a month ago, her daily task had been to watch over the wind stove and boil water.
The wind stove was a stove used for brewing tea.
It resembled a tripod in shape, with three legs and two handles, containing charcoal fire inside.
Kan'er's job was to add charcoal to the stove, ensuring the fire remained lit throughout the day so that the tea room always had boiling water readily available.
The work was quite easy.
She wasn't required to stand all the time—she could sit whenever she wanted, and if she felt like drinking tea, she could even brew some using the leftover tea leaves discarded by her masters.
It was considered an exceptionally light and comfortable duty.
The medicine given by the Crown Prince was effective. In just one night, the finger marks and red streaks on Kan'er's face had completely faded.
Saving the time she would have spent covering them with powder, Kan'er arrived at the tea room earlier than anyone else that day.
First, she checked the fire in the stove. Seeing that it was burning a bit too vigorously, she used tongs to remove two pieces of charcoal and added more water to the pot.
Just as she finished this task, someone arrived from the main quarters.
Kan'er paused slightly as she placed the copper pot down, immediately guessing why Lady Zheng was summoning her at this time.
She found it inwardly amusing but set the pot down properly and followed the person to the main quarters.
Upon entering the inner chamber.
Zheng Mingzhi was sitting on the kang bed, which was spread with a brownish-yellow embroidered quilt patterned with tortoiseshell and ball motifs, being attended to by her dowry maid Shuangyue as she changed her shoes.
Another dowry maid, Shuangyun, was using this year's spring tribute duck-egg-scented powder from Yangzhou to touch up her makeup, filling the air with a faint, elegant fragrance of jasmine.
"This servant pays her respects to the Crown Princess."
Kan'er quickly glanced around the room, stopping about ten feet away from the kang bed, and respectfully curtsied.
"Kneel."
Zheng Mingzhi examined her newly done manicure and spoke indifferently.
Given the disparity in their statuses.
Kan'er wasn't foolish enough to pit an egg against a rock. Without any pretense, she immediately performed a proper kneeling bow.
Only then did Zheng Mingzhi's gaze fall upon Kan'er. "Lift that thing on your neck up for me."
Knowing the other party was deliberately speaking this way to humiliate her, Kan'er pretended to be embarrassed and timidly raised her head.
However, she didn't really need to act much, because her current body instinctively feared the other person.
Kan'er didn't have to pretend at all.
By simply letting things take their course, she could easily pass off the real as the fake.
Seeing that this little wretch still appeared spineless, trembling timidly at the sight of her, Zheng Mingzhi felt a certain satisfaction.
So what if she was pretty?
She could only serve as her slave.
Zheng Mingzhi sneered coldly, her scrutinizing gaze sweeping over Kan'er's face.
Others might not know, but although Zheng Mingzhi had yet to consummate her marriage with the Crown Prince, she was not ignorant of such matters.
When it came to women.
Those who had been intimate with a man and those who hadn't, and to what extent, she could tell at a glance.
Not seeing any signs of intimacy on Kan'er's face, Zheng Mingzhi shifted her gaze to Kan'er's chest, her tone leaving no room for argument:
"Take it off."
Kan'er widened her eyes.
Zheng Mingzhi hadn't forgotten what lay beneath this little wretch's clothes—that dazzlingly white and provocatively alluring body.
The thought that the Crown Prince might have already touched that body last night, or that this lowly servant might have revealed her true nature in places Zheng Mingzhi couldn't see, using that shameless body to seduce the Crown Prince.
Made Zheng Mingzhi burn with rage!
This had nothing to do with love or affection.
It was simply because she was the Crown Prince's lawfully wedded wife, brought home in a grand sixteen-palankeen procession, the mistress of this Donggong!
She wanted to see for herself whether the Crown Prince had touched this lowly servant last night!
"Do not make me repeat myself."
Zheng Mingzhi gazed down at the person kneeling on the floor, her dignified and gentle face seemingly carrying a compassion that pitied all of humanity.
Kan'er found it laughable.
In her previous life, she had been entangled with Lady Zheng for nearly twenty years, their enmity finally coming to an end when the other drank that cup of poisoned wine.
In the many years that followed, time had smoothed away all traces of the past.
Kan'er felt that since fate had returned her to its original starting point, it was not so she could carry the vengeance she had already exacted and the grudges she had already settled in her past life into this one.
To live another lifetime consumed by hatred.
But since Lady Zheng insisted on making things difficult for her, she didn't mind confronting her once more!
"Your Highness, Crown Princess."
Kan'er met Zheng Mingzhi's gaze, as if mustering great courage with considerable effort. "I beg your forgiveness, but this servant cannot obey."
"Impudence!"
Shuangyun shouted sharply.
"Have you forgotten where you are? How dare you defy the Crown Princess's command?! Bow your head and beg for mercy!"
Zheng Mingzhi had not expected Kan'er to be so bold as to openly defy her orders!
She was momentarily stunned, then laughed.
It was a laugh that did not reach her eyes.
"I never imagined you would prove unworthy of such favor. You haven't even received His Highness's favor yet, and already you dare to disobey. What would you do if you were favored?"
"This servant does not dare."
Kan'er did not deliberately suppress her body's instinctive fear of Lady Zheng, but her eyes, veiled with a shimmer of tears, remained clear.
"It is only natural for a servant to obey her master. Though I have received Your Highness's favor, I dare not commit such an act of ingratitude.
But now I am His Highness's person. If the Crown Princess orders me to undress, I can do so, but I cannot bear the accusation of revealing His Highness's private affairs and defiling the dignity of the royal family.
If Your Highness insists on peering into His Highness's private matters, I beg you to send someone to seek His Highness's permission or simply punish me now. I only ask to be granted a whole corpse."
With that, a teardrop fell from her lashes.
Kan'er bowed her head respectfully, her trembling upper body prostrate on the ground, presenting an image of complete submission.
In this situation.
Anyone who saw it would likely think the mistress was being excessively cruel, and the servant, wronged and helpless, could only resign herself to fate.
Nanny Pang was stunned.
The maids Shuangyun and Shuangyue were also stunned.
How could this servant, who had not dared to utter a word in front of their mistress before, now speak with such eloquence?!
Zheng Mingzhi was also taken aback.
After the initial shock came uncontrollable fury.
"Very well, very well…"
She laughed in extreme anger.
"What a sharp-tongued servant! I never knew you had such a mouth on you, daring to threaten me now.
After merely serving His Highness for one night, you dare to put on such airs. Do you truly believe I cannot do anything to you?!"
"This servant does not dare."
"I think you dare quite a lot!"
Zheng Mingzhi slammed her palm onto the small table on the kang, then picked up a teacup and was about to hurl it at Kan'er's head.
Though Kan'er knelt with her head bowed.
In truth, she had been watching Lady Zheng's movements out of the corner of her eye through the gilded, pearl-inlaid bronze mirror behind her.
In the blink of an eye.
Just as the other was about to throw the teacup and Kan'er prepared to dodge, Nanny Pang rushed forward in a swift step to stop her.
"You mustn't, mistress, you mustn't!"
Zheng Mingzhi was so furious her chest heaved violently.
"Mustn't? Why mustn't I? This wretched servant has clearly shown she holds me in no regard. How can I tolerate her any longer?!"
Kan'er was left somewhat speechless.
Lady Zheng had been married into Donggong for less than two years now, and in terms of cunning and depth of scheming, she was far from comparable to what she would become several years later.
It was true that she had used the Crown Prince's authority to cause trouble for the other party, but the problem was that what she said was also fact.
Once the intimate affairs of the heir apparent or the emperor were leaked, it would be considered a desecration of imperial authority, a grave offense of disrespect.
Lady Zheng had ordered her to remove her clothes, hoping to see what the Crown Prince had done the previous night—this act was a major taboo.
Yet Lady Zheng remained unaware.
But there was no rush.
If Lady Zheng hadn't realized it, someone would help her realize it.
"Master, calm your anger, please calm your anger."
Nanny Pang continuously soothed Zheng Mingzhi, while Shuangyue came over to take the teacup from her master's hands.
"Master, you still have to go to Kunhe Palace to pay respects to Her Majesty the Empress. You mustn't delay because of this little wretch."
Nanny Pang kept giving Zheng Mingzhi meaningful glances.
After speaking, she turned to Kan'er and scolded angrily:
"Her Highness the Crown Princess is merciful. Today's matter will not be held against you, but if you dare to disobey your master's orders like this again in the future, I'll have your skin flayed! What are you still standing there for? Get out!"
Her words sounded better than a song.
Kan'er sneered inwardly but swiftly made her exit on the surface.
Zheng Mingzhi stared at the swaying bead curtain, unable to suppress her anger. She grabbed a rose cake from the kang table and threw it toward the door.
"Look at her arrogant attitude! On the surface, she acts like a mouse seeing a cat when she meets me, but in reality, she doesn't take me seriously at all!
She's got her name noted by His Highness, thinking I wouldn't dare to do anything to her! How dare she, a lowly slave destined for death!"
Nanny Pang patted her chest to help her calm down.
"These lowly creatures are always like this. Once they catch a Guiren's eye, they can't wait to announce it to the whole world. Master, you shouldn't waste your anger on such people, lest you harm your health."
"But that wretched creature did say one thing right."
Zheng Mingzhi glared at her.
Nanny Pang: "This servant isn't speaking up for that little wretch. It's just that since His Highness didn't send her out last night, she is indeed considered His Highness's person now.
Stripping her of that status isn't difficult, but the key is that His Highness has touched that seductive body of hers. Matters concerning His Highness's intimate affairs truly aren't something we can just look into as we please.
If I may say so, her not undressing was actually a good thing. Otherwise, if this matter reached His Highness's ears, it might not reflect well on you."
Zheng Mingzhi sneered.
"So, I should thank her?"
"This servant certainly doesn't mean that."
Nanny Pang reassured with a smile.
"What this servant means is that no matter how His Highness treated her yesterday, you really don't need to take it to heart. After all, she's just a plaything we sent to serve His Highness.
With His Highness's status and temperament, aside from Her Majesty the Empress, when have you ever seen him care about any woman?
Having someone send that little wretch back might have just been a casual remark from His Highness. You truly shouldn't be upset over this."
Zheng Mingzhi calmed down.
She also belatedly realized that what she had done earlier was somewhat inappropriate.
But she had been proud and arrogant since childhood—how could she admit her mistake? Especially when the one who had caused her to lose composure was a lowly servant.
"So, according to you, her defiance just now should just be forgotten?"
What else did you want to do?
Nanny Pang thought to herself but put on a thoughtful expression.
"Your meaning is…"
Zheng Mingzhi gritted her teeth.
"I want her to know—once a slave, always a slave!"