Rebirth of the Excellent Daughter of the Marquis Household (REDMH) - Chapter 172

Yun Ke watched longingly as Gu Yu Qi led her younger brother and Ran Mo into the room in Dan Xia Courtyard. He really wanted to call out to Gu Yu Qi and ask, have you forgotten someone? Yet after thinking it over, he decided against it. Gu Yu Qi had finally revealed a genuine smile, he did not want to spoil it by intruding.

Yun Ke touched the bridge of his nose and was about to step inside.

“Your Highness.” A crisp voice called out. Yun Ke turned his head. It was one of Gu Yu Qi’s maids who had stayed behind with him.

“Your name was…” He could not recall her name.

“Bai Fu, this servant is Bai Fu,” she quickly curtseyed, her heart bursting with joy that Yun Ke had spoken to her.

“Oh, right. Bai Fu,” Yun Ke nodded. “A good name.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.” Bai Fu was overjoyed. His Highness had praised her name. Her heart brimmed with happiness and her smile grew brighter, her eyes sparkling with light and her cheeks faintly flushed.

In truth, what Yun Ke meant was that Gu Yu Qi had good taste and even the names she chose for her maids were pleasant. He simply could not be bothered to say that much.

“Miss and Young Master have gone in to talk. Should Your Highness perhaps wait here a while?” Bai Fu asked cautiously.

“Why?” Yun Ke frowned, and his gaze instantly grew cold.

Bai Fu’s heart skipped violently. The prince’s gaze was truly intimidating.

“They are siblings after all,” Bai Fu suppressed her fear, trying hard to keep her tone calm and steady.

So what if they were siblings? What could they possibly have to say that he could not hear?

Seeing Yun Ke still frowning, Bai Fu quickly added, “Miss probably wishes to speak privately with Young Master.”

“Is this your mistress’ wish or your own?” Yun Ke suddenly asked, his gaze sharp as a blade, as if it could strip away every pretence. Bai Fu felt her legs nearly give way, but she forced herself to stand firm.

“This servant grew up by Miss’ side, so naturally this servant understands Miss’ thoughts,” Bai Fu explained hastily.

That was true. Yun Ke’s expression slowly softened, but his heart still felt strangely empty. Gu Yu Qi was still wary of him, it seemed. That was why she wanted to speak privately with Gu Si Yang.

Very well. He could wait here a little while, until the siblings had finished speaking in private.

Yun Ke hummed faintly, then clasped his hands behind his back and stood quietly outside the courtyard.

Only then did Bai Fu finally breathe out in relief. Seeing Yun Ke really stop and wait there, her heart swelled with both resentment and envy.

“Your Highness, why not let this servant accompany Your Highness for a walk?” Bai Fu cautiously suggested. “After all, Your Highness has rarely visited the Marquis’ residence, and this is where Miss grew up.”

Yun Ke had originally planned to wait outside until Gu Yu Qi and Gu Si Yang finished speaking, but hearing Bai Fu’s suggestion, his mind shifted slightly. Since there was nothing else to do, it might indeed be good to walk around and see the places where Gu Yu Qi had spent her childhood, to understand her a little more.

“Lead the way,” Yun Ke said lightly.

“Yes!” Bai Fu was overjoyed. She quickly stepped a little ahead and to the side. “Your Highness, please follow this servant!”

To be able to stroll through the Marquis’ residence alongside Yun Ke… Bai Fu felt as if her heart might burst with happiness and even her steps became light and brisk.

They passed through the garden, walked along the zigzag bridge inside the estate. Bai Fu could not help glancing at the reflection of herself and Yun Ke in the water. One tall and noble, the other petite and delicate, indeed, a rather pleasing sight.

“What are you looking at?” Yun Ke sensed something off as Bai Fu kept glancing at the water and asked in a cold tone.

“Replying to Your Highness,” Bai Fu jumped slightly, quickly pulling back her gaze. “This servant merely recalled something from Miss’ childhood upon seeing the water.”

“Oh?” Yun Ke frowned slightly. “Speak.”

“This servant heard that when Miss first arrived here from Jiangnan with the Madam, she once fell into this pond in the middle of winter,” Bai Fu said.

Such a thing had happened? Falling into freezing water in the middle of winter… Yun Ke’s heart clenched painfully. “And then?” he could not help but press.

“Later, when Miss was pulled out, it was almost too late to save her,” Bai Fu continued. “This servant only heard of it. At the time, I had not yet come to serve in the Marquis’ residence.”

“Oh.” So she had suffered such an experience… Yun Ke stared at the water beneath the zigzag bridge, a sudden impulse rising to have the entire pond filled in.

“After Miss was saved, she fell ill for a long while,” Bai Fu added.

Yun Ke did not reply, but the desire to fill up this place only grew stronger.

Then Bai Fu beckoned Yun Ke closer, “This servant has a secret to tell Your Highness. Miss warned us not to speak of it to anyone.” She looked at Yun Ke with big flashing eyes, speaking in a tempting tone.

Yun Ke laughed coldly in his heart.

This little maid truly harboured ulterior motives.

If, by this point, he had not noticed even a hint of it, then the years he had spent as an emperor in his previous life would truly have been for nothing.

He had seen all types of women in the inner palace. After being reborn, he had reflected deeply on past mistakes. If he still could not see that Bai Fu was deliberately approaching him with intent, he might as well jump off this zigzag bridge now and drown himself.

“Just say it,” Yun Ke looked around casually. “There’s no one else here.”

“Walls have ears,” Bai Fu said mysteriously.

Yun Ke suddenly offered her a faint, seemingly gentle smile. “Oh? Is that so?”

Yun Ke’s smile was like spring breaking over a frozen land, reviving all things and bringing flowers into bloom. Bai Fu’s vision swam and for a moment, she was utterly dazed, her eyes fixed on him without blinking.

“People in the Marquis’ residence have never liked Miss,” Bai Fu quickly nodded and said. “So usually someone would immediately report every word and action of Miss’ to Concubine Liu. We maids have always been very cautious with what we say.”

“Very well.” Yun Ke bent down slightly, leaning closer with a faint smile. “Go on, then.”

What a cunning little maid. She kept claiming it was for Gu Yu Qi’s own good, but if she truly meant that, how could she be so ready to reveal secrets that Gu Yu Qi had forbidden them to share? Even if he was the prince and was Gu Yu Qi’s husband, this should never be allowed.

Yun Ke could see clearly how much Gu Yu Qi valued these maids of hers. Precisely because of that, he would not tolerate the slightest hint of disloyalty among them.

Seeing Yun Ke bend closer, Bai Fu’s heart nearly leapt with delight. She hurried to lean in as well.

Today she had used jasmine-scented powder. Subtle yet lingering, it was just enough to set her apart in the autumn air.

Little did she know, in his past life as emperor, Yun Ke had been surrounded by imperial consorts who spent immense effort to capture his attention. What was a trace of jasmine compared to the countless strange and rare fragrances he had encountered? If Bai Fu truly thought a mere scent could ensnare his gaze, she could not have been more mistaken.

Bai Fu brought her lips close to Yun Ke’s ear, deliberately letting her soft breath brush across his earlobe. After all, were men not supposed to like this sort of teasing?

Feeling that faint breath graze his cheek and ear, Yun Ke’s heart only grew colder.

Where had this little maid learned such tricks?

Yet all these were once Gu Yu Qi’s own, far more skilful, methods.

After experiencing Gu Yu Qi’s own tricks, how could Yun Ke still be fooled by such clumsy attempts?

“Miss once said that her fall into the pond was no accident,” Bai Fu whispered softly, trying to control her breath to remain light and gentle.

“Oh.” Yun Ke raised a brow, slowly straightening up.

Bai Fu felt a faint disappointment when she saw only clear coldness in Yun Ke’s gaze. Had her trick failed?

Still, never mind. Step by step, she thought. The very fact that His Highness had stayed to speak so long with her today already made her feel overjoyed.

As this scene played out, Gu Si Yu happened to pass by outside with a few servants. Through a flower-patterned window in the wall, she caught a glimpse of what had just happened.

She froze at first, then the corners of her lips slowly curled into a cold, mocking smile. The tender affection and yearning in Bai Fu’s eyes just then, how could she possibly not see through it?

She had not expected Bai Fu to harbour such thoughts about His Highness Imperial Prince An. Interesting. If her eldest sister were to discover that the maid she had so painstakingly raised had become entangled with her own husband, what sort of scene would that be?

It would certainly be very exciting.

She had always thought, how could there possibly be such flawless perfection in this world? As if all the good fortune under heaven could be gathered into the hands of Gu Yu Qi alone.

There must always be trouble and difficulties lurking somewhere, waiting for her.

Seeing Yun Ke straighten up, his face frosted over with cold disdain, Gu Si Yu’s lips curled faintly. Stupid Bai Fu! To go so far as to sell your charms and still fail to capture a man’s heart, so utterly stupid.

She decided she would go and have a word with her mother. It turned out her eldest sister’s days were not so blissful after all.

Thinking this, Gu Si Yu continued on her way at a leisurely pace.

“Your Highness does not care about Miss?” Bai Fu pressed further, unwilling to give up.

Yun Ke cast a cold gaze at her. “How is this prince not caring about your mistress?”

“Then why does Your Highness not ask who it was that pushed her?” Bai Fu said. In her heart, she still harboured a secret hope. She wanted to draw closer to Yun Ke again, and this time she would pretend that her lips accidentally brushed across his cheek.

How wonderful it would be if His Highness could understand her feelings and draw her into his arms.

At the thought of this, Bai Fu felt her body weaken slightly. Looking at Yun Ke’s tall and strong figure, her heart seemed to melt into a pool of softness. To spend a lifetime with such a man would be something beyond envy.

Seeing the trace of coy affection in Bai Fu’s eyes, Yun Ke felt even more repulsed.

“Who did it, this prince shall naturally ask your mistress herself,” Yun Ke said coldly. He wanted to kick Bai Fu into the water to sober her up, but remembering she was Gu Yu Qi’s maid, he restrained himself. He understood how important these maids were to Gu Yu Qi, so as long as nothing went too far, he would tolerate it.

But only for Gu Yu Qi’s sake.

He hoped this little maid would know her place from now on.

Having spoken, Yun Ke flung his sleeve and strode off, leaving Bai Fu standing alone on the zigzag bridge, dazed and alone.

What happened? Just moments ago, everything had seemed well, yet in the blink of an eye, he had turned so cold.