High-class maid

“Sheng’er, according to reliable sources, that tiger has escaped to the Jinling area. Father Emperor is going to send people to Jinling to capture that tiger, and I am prepared to volunteer to go.”

"What? Capture bandits? We have so many famous generals in our court, why do you want to go? Swords have no eyes, what if you get hurt?"

When the young lady heard that the second prince was going to catch bandits, she stopped crying and asked worriedly.

When the second prince heard the eldest young lady's concern for him, he smiled warmly and continued...

"At the end of the year, Father will bestow a marriage upon my elder brother. You have always been renowned in the capital. I am afraid that Father will bestow you upon my elder brother as the Crown Princess. Only by catching that tiger can I gain merit and express my feelings to Father. Then I will not be afraid that Father will bestow you upon my elder brother."

After listening to what the Second Prince said, the young lady asked with heartache, "But didn't you want to hide your talents? If you catch that tiger, His Highness the Crown Prince will inevitably see you as a thorn in his side."

The second prince snorted and said, "Hmph, if I perform a meritorious service, the crown prince will be wary of me. With his narrow mind, how can he be a suitable heir? I can let go of anything, but I will not let go of you."

Xiao Luosheng looked at the boy in front of her, wanting to touch his hand but not daring to. He was only a teenager, and his older brothers did nothing but study and play, while this boy had to take such good care of her. She felt a pang of heartache.

"Don't worry about me, just focus on your work. I'm doing fine at home," Xiao Luosheng reassured her.

"Sheng'er, these are all for you." The Second Prince took out a stack of silver notes from his pocket and handed them to Xiao Luosheng.

"What is this for? We're not engaged yet, why are you giving me all this?" The second young lady looked at the thick stack of silver notes and hurriedly waved her hand in refusal.

“Keep this. After we parted at Lingshan Temple last time, I was so afraid that your mother and grandmother would be angry with you, all because I took the initiative to get to know you… I won’t say anymore, keep this and buy some things you like.”

"But this is too much! Who gives silver notes to a girl?" The young lady looked at the thick stack of silver notes, at a loss for what to do.

"Take it. When I can't be with you, use it to buy things. When the money runs out, I'll come and marry you," the Second Prince said gently.

The young lady was both amused and exasperated, and she put all the silver notes away.

"You should go back now. I'm heading back to the banquet. I'll be waiting for your good news."

"Okay, you can go now." The Second Prince looked at Xiao Luosheng with reluctance, as if he wanted to etch her image into his mind.

Meanwhile, Shen Xing'er, who was guarding outside the door, breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the young lady. She looked around to make sure no one was watching, then stepped forward to support her and said...

"Miss, let's go back."

"Well, let's go back. The scenery in Yongchang Prefecture is so beautiful that it's dazzling. Don't let it delay the banquet."

"Xing'er, will you tell Grandmother and Mother?" the young lady suddenly asked.

"This servant only knows that Miss went to the restroom and waited outside for a while. I know nothing else," Shen Xing'er replied, bowing her head.

"Hehe, you're quite the clever one. Fine, I won't make things difficult for you. You'll have to lie to your grandmother, so just say that," the young lady said.

Shen Xing'er didn't reply. She had already thought about it while she was standing outside. If she told the old lady the truth, she would offend the young lady. If she lied to the old lady, she wouldn't be able to live with herself. So she decided to choose an ambiguous answer.

She was just a lowly maid; the old lady would surely understand.

"Alright, I was just teasing you. If Grandmother asks you, just tell her the truth," the young lady said.

"But what if the old lady and the first wife punish you?" Shen Xing'er asked worriedly.

To everyone's surprise, the young lady only replied with five words: "A son grows up and is no longer under his mother's control."

Shen Xing'er was speechless and exasperated. It turned out that even children from wealthy families could be rebellious.

"I hereby announce that the poem has received the most votes."

The old man was holding a poem. Upon closer inspection, one could see an eagle symbol on it.

"Yes, it's really well written. No wonder it got the most votes."

"Yes, this poem is magnificent and grand, and upon careful reflection, it leaves a lasting impression. It truly deserves first place."

"Yes, didn't you notice that this character is written very well? I think it would take at least ten or eight years of practice to achieve this."

Everyone praised the poem repeatedly, and no one objected to the eagle winning first place. Meanwhile, Hou Xinyu was also filled with anticipation, eager to see who the eagle's owner was.

"Thank you all for your kind words. I still have many shortcomings and am not worthy of such praise," Xiao Yi'an said, standing up at the opportune moment.

Hou Xinyu looked in the direction of the voice and saw that the person had delicate features, flowing robes, and was holding a book in his hand. From a distance, he appeared humble and gentle, clearly a refined and noble young master from a prominent family.

Her heart skipped a beat, then she lowered her head, pretending not to care, and listened to what others were saying about him.

"Isn't this the eldest son of the Minister's family? His sister is famous far and wide, I never imagined he would be so talented as well," someone whispered nearby.

So this is the eldest son of the Minister's family. If nothing unexpected happens, after this banquet, as long as she nods in agreement, the two of them will be close to getting engaged.

Hou Xinyu couldn't help but want to sneak a glance at the boy again, but she found that he was also looking at her. The two of them made eye contact unexpectedly, and her face turned red instantly. She turned her head away awkwardly.

As luck would have it, Shen Xing'er witnessed this scene again. It turns out that the deep affection between the two in the book was not just a rumor. How envious she was! When would someone be so devoted to her?

Because they had lunch in between, the banquet didn't end until 5:15 PM. The group hurried along and finally arrived at the Minister's residence as night fell.

Before Shen Xing'er could even rest, the old lady called her into the room for questioning.

"This servant greets the old lady and the first madam." Shen Xing'er bowed and waited for their questions with her head down.

"Did the young lady do anything unusual today? Who did she come into contact with?" The madam asked impatiently before the young lady could even stand properly.

"Reporting to Madam, the eldest and second young ladies went to pay their respects to the old lady and madam of Yongchang Mansion. Our eldest young lady had a very pleasant conversation with that young lady from Yongchang Mansion, and then went to her study."

Shen Xing'er reported with her head down.

The old lady turned to look at Danxue, who nodded, confirming that Shen Xing'er was right. Only then did the old lady feel relieved and asked...

"Did the young lady leave her seat?"

"Reporting to the old lady, during the banquet, the eldest young lady needed to use the restroom and specifically requested that I accompany her. So I followed the eldest young lady to a small study..." Shen Xing'er hesitated for a moment, but still told the eldest young lady the truth.

"This, this girl, she's infuriating me! How long has she been inside?" the First Madam asked angrily.