Fortunately, when Shu Nuan was about to eat she finally relaxed a little and focused on the meal.
Sheng Qianmo sat there watching her eat. The little girl looked quiet and clever when she ate. She was probably starving for most of the day. Now she even forgot how she had been afraid to admit her faults, and she just concentrated on eating.
Sheng Qianmo had not expected that he would be watching the little girl eat. Seeing how she gobbled down the food, he felt that it should be very delicious. He asked her to fill a bowl of soup for him as well.
Shu Nuan heard him, swallowed the food down her throat, and replied in a low voice. She put down her bowl and chopsticks, lowered her head, and placed a bowl of soup on his table. Seeing that he had no other orders, she sat down again.
Normally after eating, she would help Sheng Qianmo change. But that day, he only removed his outer shirt, which was taken away by a servant. Shu Nuan looked up at him uneasily.
Sheng Qianmo’s face was very dull, but he said in a calm voice filled with authority, “We will give you a chance to explain yourself, but only this time. We will choose to believe you, but if We find out in the future that you lied, well, you know the consequences.” [1]
Shu Nuan wanted to lower her head, but Sheng Qianmo forced her to look into his deep, indifferent black eyes. Shu Nuan’s curled eyelashes trembled slightly for a while. Then she opened her mouth, and uttered in low voice, “Your humble slave doesn’t know anything about that letter. It wasn’t there when I was reading.”
Sheng Qianmo let go of her as he quietly looked at the the little girl’s lovely face filled with uneasiness. He did not speak immediately.
Shu Nuan worriedly thought that he didn’t believe her. She was anxious and her breathing was a mess. The little girl reached out with her hand to pull at his sleeve, eyes begging. But in a moment the slave realized that she had overstepped her boundaries. She flusteredly withdrew her hand, and quickly knelt down at his feet, “My life was given to me by the Prince. Your humble slave dares not lie.”
Sheng Qianmo felt uncomfortable. Seeing the little girl’s appear so uneasy and fearful he frowned slightly, and spoke in a displeased voice,
“Get up. Just go put on the medicine. Do you want to keep your legs or not?
Hearing this, Shu Nuan looked up at him uncertainty.
Sheng Qianmo looked back at her, and assured her in a cold voice, “Your Prince believes in you.”
Then he held out his hand to her. Only then did Shu Nuan put her small hand in his large palm. When his palm closed, he pulled her up from the ground gently.
“Rest early. Tomorrow morning, I will take you to Yulin Academy.”
Shu Nuan hadn’t expected that Sheng Qianmo would still take her to the academy. Her expression was chaotic and she seemed to be hesitating. Finally, she asked in a nervous voice, ” I… Do I need to prepare anything?”
Sheng Qianmo pinched her little nose, and said, “Just take only you.”
Shu Nuan blushed with embarrassment. She waited for Sheng Qianmo to let go of her nose and raised her hand to rub it, very embarrassed.
***
The next day, Sheng Qianmo questioned the people in the palace and learned about Sheng Gu’s visit.
His face sank.
Later, Shu Nuan was serving Sheng Qianmo breakfast. She saw his cold look and did not dare eat a lot, for fear that she would annoy him if she ate too much.
Meanwhile in the Jade Courtyard.
Sheng Gu heard the news of Shu Nuan having to kneel outside Sheng Courtyard. Ah’Bi happily said, “That slave girl was too unruly. But now it is fine. The Prince has finally seen her true face!”
Sheng Gu drank her morning dose of medicine, and whispered, “After all, she is still a member of the Qing Kingdom.”
After finishing with the medicine, Sheng Gu got up, and said, “Let’s go and greet Fourth Uncle.”
Then, Sheng Qianmo ordered the servants to serve the dinner.