The Emperor’s Beloved Ugly Girl

13. At Your Service Ever After

Translator: Iris Guo

“Master, my… My name is Duan Rulan.” A’Chou prepared to put the basin to his bedside, but as soon as she lowered her head, she couldn’t find any room among piles of dirt and garbage for the basin. She could barely stand there. A’Chou looked up at the silent man and felt depressed. She paused, put the basin on his bed, rinsed the handkerchief in the water, and leaned slightly towards him: “Master, from now on, I’ll serve you.”

There was no response from him. A’Chou wouldn’t be sure that he was still alive if she didn’t see his heaving chest. She stroked the hair back from his face gently and reluctantly, and then she got shocked again.

A’Chou had been a maid in the Imperial Palace for 12 years. She was only a low-ranking maid doing heavy chores, but she had seen various members of the imperial family, including him, Zhong Mingwei, the deposed Crown Prince. Although A’Chou only saw him once from a distance, she hadn’t forgotten his face ever since. In the Imperial Washhouse, young maids would gossip about which prince was the most good-looking in their free time. Some said that it was Zhong Ming’e, the second son of the Emperor and Imperial Consort Shu, while others agreed that it was Zhong Mingzheng, the third son of the Emperor and Imperial Concubine Zhao. A’Chou had never joined them, but she always firmly believed that him, the eldest son of the Emperor, was the most handsome among his brothers, because she was captivated by his eyes.

At present, A’Chou was so close to the man in her dreams. She stared at his face without blinking, which was paler and more haggard than his hands. Dirt, water stain, and filth covered his face. The enchanting eyes in her memory were now closed. His eyebrows were a little dull, which seemed like the lifeless weeds in the yard. A’Chou couldn’t bear seeing him like this anymore. She hastened to look away, and then her eyes fell on his compressed lips.

He must be in pain! Great pain!

Somehow, a lump suddenly came into her throat. He used to be the respected Crown Prince, but now he lived a wretched life. Although it had only been less than 6 months since he was deposed, it must be an overlong time of torture for him.

At the moment, A’Chou dared not think more. She threw the handkerchief in the water again and put it on his dirty face. “Let me wipe your face first, then you could eat.” said her softly.

The warm handkerchief moved gently on his face. His eyes were still closed, but A’Chou noticed clearly that his face moved towards her hand. Although it was only a slight move, she hurried to rinse the handkerchief again and wipe his face up and down carefully. A’Chou knew that he hadn’t washed his face for a long time, and that although he said nothing, he must have enjoyed the warm touch on his face.

When his face got clean eventually, the water was already muddy and cold. A’Chou threw the handkerchief in the basin and hurried out.

Eyelashes of the paralyzed man in the bed fluttered slightly. He opened his eyes, and watched A’Chou’s thin figure disappear into the dazzling morning light. Perhaps because he hadn’t opened his eyes for so long, or the light was so bright, he hastened to close his eyes again, and his lips were compressed even more tightly.