Chapter 3 Calling her an ungrateful person

With a large bed and soft quilts, the sleeping environment in the mansion was much more comfortable than during the march. However, Lu Ji did not stay in bed and got up just after the morning, just like he did in the army.

In early spring, the sky was still gray and not yet bright.

Lu Ji stepped out of the inner room and looked up to see the little girl. In the grey and empty outer room, she was thin and dressed in plain clothes, concentrating on her work.

Lu Ji cleared his throat, and Qin Xiaoning, who was busy, immediately turned around and said, "My Lord, you are awake."

She has always been lazy and will never get up until noon.

"I haven't seen you for a few years. You get up earlier than before." He said casually.

Seeing him asking, the little girl frowned and replied: "Look, it's such a big house, and there are so many small jobs to do. I have to do it all by myself, so I have to get up early and work late." Then, she looked up at him eagerly: "I know that the prince likes cleanliness. As long as you can live comfortably, it doesn't matter if Ning works harder."

Ho! He's playing tricks on him again.

Lu Ji glanced at her sideways, ignored her, and snorted coldly, ordering her: "Go get me some water to wash."

The little girl's bright eyes suddenly dimmed, she said "hmm" in disappointment, and walked out of the house.

After a while, she came in with toiletries. Lu Ji washed his face while she stood beside him, handing him soap nuts and towels from time to time.

"Breakfast is ready. I'll tell the kitchen to serve. Please wait a moment, my lord."

Just after helping him wash up, the little girl lifted her skirt and trotted outside. After a while, she came back with a food tray and placed it on the table. Then she went back to the door, took the food tray from the little maid again, and moved it back and forth to place it on the table.

Lu Ji sat in front of the dining table, looking at her busy figure, his brows furrowed more and more. After enduring for a while, he finally couldn't hold it back anymore, pointed at the maids at the door, and scolded: "Are your legs broken? Can't you just bring the food in?"

Hearing this roar, the maids at the door were so frightened that they immediately knelt down and apologized.

Seeing this, Qin Xiaoning explained to him, "They are all maids working outside. They cannot come into the house without your order. I am the only one in the house now, so I cannot take good care of it. Don't worry, my lord. I will be more efficient. It will be fine after breakfast."

As she said that, she hurried out again. By the time she had placed the last breakfast on the table, the little girl's forehead was already covered with sweat. Without even taking a breath, she stood aside, rolled up her sleeves slightly, and raised her hand to serve Lu Ji the food: "My Lord, the food is ready, please enjoy."

Lu Ji didn't move his chopsticks. After a while, he stood up and walked to the door, pointing at a few maids and saying, "You, you, and you, come to the room and do your duty. Go back and ask Amber about the rules.

Seeing this, Qin Xiaoning, who was standing by, blinked quietly, covered her mouth, and smiled slyly.

Being able to work in the house means being a first-class maid, and the monthly salary is more than twice what they earn outside. The maids did not expect such a good thing to happen, and after being stunned for a long time, they hurriedly thanked the emperor happily.

It was just a trivial matter not worth mentioning. Faced with the tears of gratitude from the maids, Lu Ji didn't even bat an eyelid.

Thinking back to two years ago, when the Duke's wife asked Lu Ji to take a concubine, he just pointed at himself and said casually, "Then let's go with her."

Tsk! It seems like you don't care at all.

Seeing Lu Ji sitting down at the dining table again, the girl quickly collected her thoughts, threw away all the nonsense in her mind, and served the food to the prince in an orderly manner. She glanced at his face and tentatively spoke for her good sister Songzhi.

"There is a woman named Songzhi in our courtyard. She is an old lady from the past. She works diligently and knows the rules. My Lord, can you let her come to the house and work as a clerk?"

He said nothing, but nodded.

It was a trivial matter not worth mentioning, she brought it up and he just responded casually.

Qin Xiaoning was extremely happy. The prince just nodded his noble head slightly, and her friend's long-cherished wish was easily fulfilled.

"My Lord, please try this sweet-scented osmanthus milk pancake, a new dessert invented by the kitchen cook, and this crispy white chicken, which was your favorite in the past."

Because she was happy, she served diligently and even the tone of her voice was filled with joy.

The man raised his eyes, glanced at the little girl lightly, and pointed at the chair opposite.

He wanted her to eat with him. It was boring to eat alone. In the past, he always asked her to eat with him.

Qin Xiaoning did not say no. He always kept his word. If she was being pretentious, he would definitely scold her.

She sat down opposite him and scooped herself a small bowl of light soup.

Her lips were broken by him last night, so she couldn't eat anything with a strong taste now.

Seeing her sipping the soup, Lu Ji glanced at her slightly swollen lips and said in a deep voice, "I drank too much last night." Was he apologizing to her for his drunken behavior? Or was he warning her that he had touched her because he was drunk and not sober?
Qin Xiaoning didn't understand what he was thinking, and was too lazy to guess. She just smiled at him good-naturedly, said nothing else, put down the soup bowl, and raised her hand to continue serving him food.

Lu Ji didn't eat. He looked at her, frowned, and asked, "Don't you have anything to say to me?"

There was displeasure in his tone again.

She had been by his side for so many years, how could she not know his temper? This noble prince was more proud than anyone else. Ever since he came back yesterday, he had been finding fault with her everywhere, all because she did not accompany him to Hexi.

Just like Songzhi said, he was blaming her for not being able to share the good and bad times with him.

In his heart, since he raised his finger and pointed at her, she should be as grateful as those little maids who had been favored by him just now, and even be willing to throw herself into a flame and die for him.

Faced with his questioning, she hesitated, not knowing how to start.

Seeing this, Lu Ji stopped eating, stood up with a cold face and walked out. After walking a few steps, he turned around again, looked at her with his deep eyes, and cursed: "White-eyed wolf."

Qin Xiaoning shrank her neck and acted like a quail, not saying a word.

After seeing the prince go out, Songzhi, who got the news, couldn't wait to come to her. Knowing that she had become the head maid in the house, Songzhi was so happy that she cried and laughed.

"From now on, my monthly salary will be 230 coins."

In less than an hour, she had repeated this sentence over and over again no less than a hundred times.

The other three maids who were randomly selected by Lu Ji were also overjoyed, and they inexplicably attributed the credit to her: "Sister Qin, we have such good fortune just after arriving, all because of your favor, thank you very much."

Her reason?

Qin Xiaoning looked at the young maids and couldn't help but doubt their IQ. This opportunity was given by Lu Ji, so what did she have to do with it?

Thanking the wrong person.

"We can see clearly that the prince saw Sister Qin working hard this morning and felt sorry for her, so he allowed us to come in." The little maid smiled innocently.

The others also bowed to her, looking like they were following her lead: "From now on, we will be grateful for your protection and guidance, sister."

Even Songzhi joined in the fun, rolled up his sleeves and asked, "A Ning, what kind of work is there in the house? When will the prince return today? What should we do before he returns?"

Qin Xiaoning smiled bitterly: "Your errands will be arranged by Sister Amber. I don't know when the prince will be back."

As soon as Qin Xiaoning said this, several people looked at her in surprise.

It seems to be saying, how could you not know the Crown Prince's movements since you are so favored?

"Actually, the relationship between the prince and I is not what you think." Qin Xiaoning wanted to explain, but when she saw the confused looks of the maids, she gave up the idea: "Forget it, you will understand it as time goes by."

Song Zhi knew the most about her and Lu Ji's affairs. Upon hearing this, she pulled Qin Xiaoning to a secluded place and asked quietly, "What happened? Didn't you and the prince consummate your marriage last night?"

Qin Xiaoning waved her hands. Seeing Song Zhi's disbelief, she explained, "When the Duke's wife chose a concubine for the prince, it was also a special situation. Now that the person is back, maybe she won't be needed anymore."

When Songzhi heard this, he immediately frowned and raised his voice involuntarily: "How could this be? Did the prince tell you this?" He couldn't believe it and said: "No way!"

Seeing Qin Xiaoning remained silent, she hurriedly pulled her sleeve and said, "I tell you, Ning, you don't have many opportunities to control your destiny. The Duke's family has a good tradition, and the Duke's wife is a straightforward and generous person. The future wife of the prince will definitely be virtuous. More importantly, you and the prince have been childhood sweethearts."

Qin Xiaoning interrupted immediately: "Where did the childhood sweetheart come from?"

"You have been with the prince since you were a child. Doesn't this count as childhood sweethearts? Oh! Maybe my wording is not appropriate. What I mean is that you and the prince have an emotional foundation. Anyone with eyes will know that the prince protects you."

"A Ning, this is such a wonderful destination. You must seize it. Otherwise, you will regret it."

Qin Xiaoning knew that Songzhi was thinking about her, but she still ignored her words.

Although the mansion is nice, she definitely doesn't want to be someone's concubine for the rest of her life.

Songzhi knew that she didn't listen, so he continued, "I heard from Aunt Amber yesterday that the Concubine Shu in the palace wanted to arrange a marriage for the prince. The Concubine Shu is the prince's eldest sister, and they have a deep relationship. The prince is now twenty-five, so the queen is naturally anxious about the marriage."

"If you don't hurry up and capture the prince, it will not be easy after the mistress comes in." Songzhi said.

(End of this chapter)