Love in Red Dust - Chapter 29

Chapter 29

When she woke up the next morning and went outside to look, that kid was sound asleep right by the table legs!

The ground was cool, and there were no mosquitoes in the room, so he slept quite soundly. The Seventh Prince approached with a steady, measured gait. He stopped about ten feet away and bent down to watch him. The boy was sleeping, his face flushed a light rosy red, and truth be told, his features were truly feminine. But then, he took another look at his chest and those feet, and the lingering doubts instantly vanished.

Very well, he thought. I punished him to kneel, and he slept the whole night through. Does he still have any respect for his master? He wanted to step forward and kick him, but upon second thought, he couldn't quite bring himself to do it. So, he decided to try a different method! The Seventh Prince began to warm up his voice, "Yi—yi—yi—ah—ah—ah—," and at this, the boy heard him, flipped over, and sat up.

The Seventh Prince came over with his hands behind his back and asked, his lip curled to one side, "Master Mu, did you sleep well last night?"

Dingyi had just woken up, her mind a blur. She remembered spending the night here, and was actually quite relieved. But then she pondered it further—something didn't feel right. The Seventh Prince had ordered her to kneel, and she had never done that job before; she must have actually fallen fast asleep while kneeling.

With a bitter face, she said, "Master, I was wrong. You see, I accidentally..."

"You certainly know how to look after yourself." The Seventh Prince huffed. He looked at the boy’s face, which was vaguely swollen. He remembered punishing the servants in his mansion before; the eunuchs were slippery, slapping their own faces like they were painting a wall, just going through the motions. They were nothing like this kid, who truly had the heart to strike himself.

"Forget it." He sighed. "I’m not an unreasonable master. Seeing that you take good care of the birds, I won’t blame you." He curled his lip toward the birdcages. "Take them outside to see some light; they’ve been stifled for too many days. Don’t forget to change Feng’er’s sand. Go on."

Dingyi gave a quick acknowledgment, hurried to kowtow in thanks, and retreated.

Standing outside to clear her head, she felt she was quite lucky. The two princes she had encountered were not bad people. Perhaps it was just the generous, unpretentious nature of men that kept them from making a big deal out of her mistakes; this alone was enough for her to breathe a sigh of relief.

Carrying the two cages, she found a shaded spot to hang them, fed them some soft food, added water, and stood beneath them talking to the birds. The red-throated bird could only chirp, but the lark was sharp; hearing a rooster crowing in the kitchen, it tried to imitate it with loud cries, making Dingyi laugh out loud.

The laughter tugged at her cheeks. It didn't exactly hurt, but it felt a bit numb. She touched them and walked over to the well to wash her face. After washing, she looked up and saw Sha Tong coming from under the eaves, carrying a tray with porridge and side dishes. She stretched her neck and called out, "Anda, is the Twelfth Prince up?"

Sha Tong nodded. "He’s been up for a while. He’s already finished his martial arts practice."

She rubbed her hands together and said, "Then have you eaten? Let me take that to him! I promised yesterday to pay my respects to the Prince, and I’ve been worrying about not having a reason to go."

Sha Tong looked her over and said, "Fine, I’ll give you a chance. We’re all acquaintances, no need to say I didn't look out for you, brother." He handed the tray to her, adjusted his collar, and said, "I’m going to change my clothes. Be careful, and don't cause any trouble for me." With that, he waved his arm at the Goshaha standing guard at the gate, and walked away with a casual, measured step.

Dingyi took the tray, held it carefully, and walked with the grace of a crane toward the Twelfth Prince’s room. Entering the door, she looked around and saw the Twelfth Prince was absent. Not bothering with anything else, she set out the bowls and chopsticks. Just as she was arranging them, she heard the sound of water being scooped in the side room, followed by the Twelfth Prince’s voice calling out for Sha Tong.

What should I do? Sha Tong wasn't there, and even if she answered, the Twelfth Prince wouldn't hear her. She hesitated; it wouldn't be proper not to go in, but if she went in and the Prince was washing up—perhaps with his clothes off... She covered her face with her hands. How embarrassing that would be!

She hovered, unable to move forward. Fortunately, there was no more movement in the side room, so she let it slide. She arranged the little plates on the table as neatly as possible. Then, in a moment of distraction, the clinking sound came again: "Tong-zi, come in." He must have been in an inconvenient spot and needed someone to give him a hand.

A fierce battle raged in Dingyi’s heart. I can’t go in! The man is bathing; if I go in, I’ll be cursed with eye sores. Then I won't go; I can go find a Goshaha... That was what she thought, but her legs didn't listen to her. By the time she realized it, she was already at the doorway of the side room. She resigned herself to fate; since she was already here, why act coy? It would only make people suspicious.

She swallowed, and plunged into the side room.

The post station windows were the propped-open variety, covered with bamboo-paper. It was quite translucent, and with the bright daylight outside, the interior was perfectly clear. Dingyi leaned forward and saw the Twelfth Prince stripped to the waist, bent over as he wrung out a towel in a basin.

Thankfully, he has his trousers on, she thought with relief, but seeing him like this was still quite awkward. She quickly lowered her eyes, stepped forward, and performed a bow. "Twelfth Prince, Sha Tong is not here. This servant is here to serve you."

He turned his face to look at her, his expression unchanged, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly. "It’s you?"

Usually, everyone had their own dedicated servants, and not just anyone could step in to serve. Dingyi’s heart thudded. Even with her thick skin, she felt shy. She didn't know what the Prince was thinking, and leaving now didn't seem right. She pointed outside. "I came to deliver the meal for Sha Tong, and I heard you call out. I wondered if you needed instruction... Should you wait a moment while I go fetch Sha Tong?"

He suddenly reached out and pulled her closer. "Since you’re here, just do it." He handed the towel over without a word and turned his back, exposing his bare spine to her—signaling for her to scrub his back.

Dingyi held the towel, her hands trembling. The Prince’s build, this skin... She had walked among the common folk and seen too many poor laborers stripped to the waist—backs forged by time and hardship, hunched and weathered. The man before her, though he had also faced adversity, held his status; he was well-cared for, had never done hard labor, and possessed a radiance no commoner could match.

Panic was panic, but standing there stunned was no solution. She steeled herself, pressed the towel against his back, and scrubbed back and forth with moderate force. She had never been to a bathhouse, nor did she have professional training; she simply did her best. After scrubbing once, she changed the towel, wrung it out, and as she turned back, she found he was already facing her.

Scrubbing a back was different from the chest. Dingyi didn't know where to start. She stole a quiet glance and felt instantly dizzy. This is unbearable; it’s too stimulating. She tremblingly presented the towel. "Prince... here."

The Twelfth Prince didn't take it, but watched her, his eyes shimmering with a flowing, rosy light. "You spent the night in the Seventh Prince’s main room yesterday; did the Seventh Prince make things difficult for you?"

Dingyi was a bit surprised. He even knows I didn't return to my quarters? But hearing him say she spent the night in the Seventh Prince’s room sounded so awkward! She couldn't bear to meet his eyes, her gaze drifting left and right as she argued, "I said a few things that were unpleasing, and the Seventh Prince lectured me and made me kneel there. I started out kneeling properly, but later, I don't know how... I must have laid down, so I suppose I just made do there for the night."

He lifted his chin. "And what about this face?"

She had skipped over the part about being forced to slap herself, but she hadn't escaped the Twelfth Prince’s discerning eyes. He was tall, and to see her clearly, he had to squat down. As a result, she couldn't dodge, and their gazes collided. The Twelfth Prince’s eyes were truly beautiful; the closer they were, the more stunning they became. They were so deep, like water in a lake, enough to make a person drunk just by looking. For a man to possess such hands and such eyes—even if he were flawed, those flaws could not cover his brilliance.

As for Hongce, he was not only watching her face but trying to read the deeper layers within her eyes. He had his suspicions. Although he couldn't voice them yet, this feeling lingered in his heart. He didn't keep women in his room, but that didn't mean he was blind or deaf. After all, he managed the Ministry of Justice and the Censorate; he had his own unique insights into people’s words and actions. This Mu Xiaoshu always kept him guessing. To call him crude was wrong; his refinement and sensitivity surpassed anyone’s. To call him affected was also off the mark; he was steady, hardworking, and traveled hundreds of miles without a single word of complaint.

What kind of person was he, exactly? It was impossible to say for sure right now, but in any case, he had begun to pay attention to him. All his actions seemed different from ordinary people, so he couldn't help but probe—like right now.

Dingyi couldn't possibly guess his calculations. As far as she was concerned, the Twelfth Prince didn't treat her as an outsider; he cared for her in every way and wanted to see justice served whenever she was wronged. She smiled—perhaps without realizing it—her smile charming as a flower in the morning light. She wiped her cheek, unwilling to let him worry, and adopted a relatively relaxed tone. "My face? It’s nothing. Sleeping on the floor without a pillow caused the blood to rush to my head, leading to some swelling. It’s no bother."

Only after speaking did she realize that after chatting for so long, he was still shirtless! She lowered her eyes in embarrassment. Since he wouldn't take the towel earlier, he must want her to finish the job. Princes were used to being served, and their own incompetence in these matters seemed unreasonable to others. She steadied herself, turned the towel in her hands, and with a snap, pressed it against his chest like a poultice.

The Prince has a great build, she thought, swallowing with difficulty. A glug sound escaped her throat. She looked up and saw, thankfully, that he hadn't heard it, or she would have died of shame.

Hongce hadn't expected the boy to just go for it. His calves trembled, and he felt an inexplicable panic. "You..."

She said "Ah," and asked, "What? Did this servant not serve you well?"

It wasn't that it wasn't well; it was just vastly different from what he had imagined. If his gender remained to be verified, and if he were to truly match his suspicions, it shouldn't have been this natural. He furrowed his brows. Perhaps he was overthinking things. As for why he was overthinking, even he couldn't say.

Dingyi held her breath and scrubbed his chest several times. The Prince had the physique of someone who trained in martial arts but didn't look overly muscular. Everything in the world was about balance, and balance brought joy. Her heart was in complete disarray. She had sat across from the shirtless Xiazhi before and felt nothing wrong, but now, with a person who felt almost close, she was exceptionally restless and uncomfortable.

The silence dragged on, making everything awkward. She smiled and changed the subject. "I need to change the river sand for the myna bird today. I’ll go ride to the riverbank later to pan for sand. Does the Twelfth Prince like river clams? I’ll pick some for you. After steaming them, we can peel out the meat and have the chef stir-fry it with a couple of eggs—it tastes wonderful."

He hadn't tried any of the things she mentioned, and his focus wasn't on food. He simply said, "The water is wide further ahead; be careful when you go alone."

She said, "It’s all right. As long as I’m careful, I won’t be washed away." Seeing that the scrubbing was done, she nimbly took a robe from the clothes rack, opened it wide to help him put it on, and finished with a cheerful bow. "Then this servant will take his leave. There is breakfast on the table outside; please don’t forget to eat, Prince. I’ll go see if Sha Tong is finished and send him to serve you."

The Twelfth Prince nodded and averted his gaze. Dingyi felt as though she had been walking on needles for the last half-hour; it was only by the grace of heaven that she had made it out of that room alive! She bowed again, not daring to linger, and retreated quickly.

Only after she was far from the Twelfth Prince’s room did she stop, leaning against a pillar to catch her breath. She thought to herself: First I touched his hand, and this time I scrubbed his front and back—what about next time? Will it be time to wash his feet? But that Twelfth Prince’s build... it was beyond words. Earlier, she had been too cowardly to do more than glance, but now, as she remembered it, it was all blurry and endless, leaving her to savor it...

Her mind was wandering wildly, beyond her control. Suddenly, she came to her senses and felt incredibly embarrassed. Has the girl grown up and opened her eyes? She had lived for nearly eighteen years and had never felt so rattled. This feeling was different from being frightened; it was uneasy, boundless, and yet, she was constantly thinking about it. Sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy all kneaded together and stuffed into her eyes and throat. She vaguely sensed something, but she couldn't express it, only struggle and ponder it to herself.

After walking for several steps, she turned back to look. The window of the main room was propped open, and Sha Tong was busy serving rice soup and fried dough rings. The person at the table—his silhouette was as exquisite as the finest carving by a master craftsman, his every gesture embodying natural grace.

Dingyi knew her own temperament; she wasn't one to deceive herself. She could see exactly how things were. With a long sigh, she smiled bitterly and asked herself, On what grounds? Because he had saved her a few times? Because he was gentle and easygoing with her? None of that mattered. Wasn't he known for his reputation as a benevolent philanthropist? He might not be harsh to others either. As for herself, what right did she have to dream of such things! She had a head full of problems to untangle right now; her father’s case had implicated her three brothers, and regardless of the truth, the only logical step was to get them out first.

She moved the birdcage to a suitable spot and rolled up her sleeves, intending to head out. Just as she was looking for a fine-mesh sieve, someone came up behind her and said, "Don't bother, just give me the gear."

She looked back and saw one of the Twelfth Prince’s Goshaha. Without thinking, she handed it over, dumbfounded. "What are you doing?"

The Goshaha hooked the strap of the bamboo sieve onto his waist, his voice booming like a bell. "Our Prince said you don't know how to swim, and he’s afraid you’ll drown, so he told you to stay at the inn. I’ll go in your place."

Dingyi stood there, stunned, a wave of sweetness rising in her heart. The Twelfth Prince was so thoughtful! What was there even left to say? She stammered, "I’m so embarrassed—it’s too much trouble for you."

The Goshaha waved his large hand. He ate the master’s food and followed the master’s orders. Forget panning for sand; even if he were told to wear flowers and dance the yangge, he would do it.

Dingyi watched, dazed, as he walked away. She turned back to look at the window; all was quiet inside, and the Twelfth Prince was no longer there.