When Hua Zhu Yu returned to the palace it was already pa.s.s the fourth night watch (1-3am). The skies were still dark so she took off her outer robe and rested on the bed for a bit. But sleep would not come.

  She just could not understand. Who? Who killed Lui Mo, and they acted so swiftly too!

  She took out the white silk cloth that Lui Mo gave her and carefully examined it. Written on the cloth, besides the names of father’s subordinates that were stationed in the Hu army, there were also names of people that he had planted in the palace. After she carefully looked through it and carved those names in her memories, she took the cloth and burnt it under the flames of the candle.

  She didn’t imagine that father had also planted people in the palace. She always thought that father was a loyal subject with no hidden agenda but she was wrong.

  While mulling over this, the fifth night watch (3-5am) soon arrived. Hua Zhu Yu got up to brush her hair and wash her face. Afterwards, she made her way towards Huangfu Wu Shuang’s chambers.

  A moment later she saw Jixiang exiting the room while carrying his horsetail whisk. When he saw Hua Zhu Yu, he smiled and said, “Yuan Bao, His Highness wants you to go in and serve him!”


  Hua Zhu Yu sounded in acknowledgment and pulled the curtains aside to enter the room.

  It was still very early in the morning so the sunlight was very soft while inside the room felt very cooling. She made her way around the luxurious dividing screen and slowly entered Huangfu Wu Shuang’s bed chambers but behind those bed draperies there was no sight of Huangfu Wu Shuang anywhere.

  “Is that Little Bao Er? This prince is in here!” a young raspy voice sounded from the door on the right.

  Hua Zhu Yu halted her steps, she knew the room on the right was where Huangfu Wu Shuang bathed and she had never entered there. Before, perhaps because Huangfu Wu Shuang was wary of her, he never let her perform such personal tasks. Now he wants her to enter there. Is it that he completely trusts her now? If so then that’s definitely great news.

  Hua Zhu Yu hesitated for a moment before slowly making her way over. Centered in the room was a clean pool of water. On the wall facing south was a small window where the early morning sunlight entered through, causing the water to shimmer beneath its reflection like the scales of fish.

  There was someone leaning against the edge of the pool. Hua Zhu Yu lowered her head, no looking forward as she walked up to the pool and asked, “Your Highness, don’t know what Your Highness has called this servant for?”


  Her eyes swept around the room but she didn’t spot a single maidservant or eunuch serving him. Suddenly, she felt uneasy.

  Sure enough, Huangfu Wu Shuang’s lazy, contented voice drifted across the pool of water as he said, “Little Bao Er, why are you so foolish today, this prince called you over here, naturally wants you to serve me while I bath, what else?”


  Hua Zhu Yu furrowed her brows and lifted her head to calmly look at Huangfu Wu Shuang. “Yes!”


  The person in the pool with his back facing her was Huangfu Wu Shuang without a single piece of clothing covering his body.

  Hua Zhu Yu thought that Huangfu Wu Shuang was just a mere child, but at this moment, she no longer considered him as such. The originally slightly thin figure in front of her was actually quite fine once one looked closely.

  Sometimes the sunlight was also a marvelous thing, shining on his slender figure, causing his pale tender skin to glisten like gems, exuding a charming radiance.

  The sunlight caressed his shouldered, highlighting its suppleness and smoothness. When the sun grazed his back, it revealed its flawlessness that was devoid of even a single scar and was as smooth as silk. One had to admit that this bathing scenery was quite pleasing to the eye. Hua Zhu Yu lowered her gaze and walked towards Huangfu Wu Shuang and dipped her hands into the water.

  From the clothing stand, she took a piece of brocade cloth and began to wash Huangfu Wu Shuang.

  Huangfu Wu Shuang turned his head around. His black mane, which was tied in the back, had loosened as a few strands of hair fell down and stuck to his cheeks, highlighting his boyish handsome face. On his lips were a few glistening water droplets and his deep black eyes that were looking at her were slightly obscure behind the vapor rising from the water.

  This little devil, when he was sober he was truly wicked, but when he’s just woken up or in a bout of excitement, even when he’s bathing like this, he appeared as pure as an angel.

  Could it be that two spirits resided within the body, one was the devil while the other was an angel?

  Suddenly, Huangfu Wu Shuang’s eyes widened and he strangely asked her, “Little Bao Er, why is your face so red?”


  Hua Zhu Yu also felt that her cheeks were slightly flushed as her face showed slight embarra.s.sment. She squinted her eyes and laughingly said, “It must be because the weather is very hot today!” She continued to slowly wash Huangfu Wu Shuang’s back with the brocade cloth as she thought, he’s the naked one and he’s not embarra.s.sed so why should I be?

  Huangfu Wu Shuang was used to people serving him since young. Don’t know how many people have seen this naked body of his, therefore he didn’t feel anything out of sorts. Though he didn’t know why Hua Zhu Yu was blushing, when he saw her pale cheeks flushed with a hint of red, he was pleased, this charming face really makes him want to give it a kiss and see in the end just what it would feel like.