Future Beast World: Becoming A Pampered Beauty-Chapter 466 - 405: The Princess Had a Change of Heart?
Sang Luo carefully studied the young man before her. The last time she saw him, he had been in such a wretched state she could barely tell he was human. Now, having been cleaned up and dressed properly, his originally handsome and refined features were revealed.
Half of his face was disfigured, though she didn’t know how he’d been injured. The other half was exquisitely beautiful. Unfortunately, his face was too gaunt, and he carried an air of lowliness and depression, like a flower bud that had failed to blossom.
Sang Luo stared blankly at the unmarred side of his face. ’He really is Yan’s relative. Their faces are so similar, though this young man’s is more youthful. Their temperaments, however, are completely different...’
"Thank you for saving me, Princess." Perhaps because the atmosphere was too silent, Yun Qi was the first to speak.
"Oh? A sincere thank you? Or just empty flattery?" She sat in the main seat, her voice tinged with sarcasm.
The young man’s ears twitched. He turned slightly to face her. "I am blind and cannot tell my direction. In a moment of carelessness, I sprained my ankle, lost my footing, and fell into the water."
"You should be more careful in the future, servant. Going for a walk on a snowy day and then accidentally falling into the water... If outsiders were to hear of it, they might think I was deliberately making things difficult for you and that you made up these lies."
"...It was my fault."
Sang Luo nodded and said no more. She had the servants bring over the tonics she had selected and hand them to the two Servants in his room.
"You are all to serve the servant well. Follow the physician’s instructions and give him his medicine on time every day. Make sure he consumes these tonics as well. The courtyard’s stipend will be distributed as usual. If I discover anyone hoarding or selling things on the side, they will be punished without mercy!"
Sang Luo’s icy gaze swept over the servants, who lowered their heads uneasily. ’Don’t think I don’t know. These people have embezzled a good deal of his monthly allowance over the past six months. They’ve become even more brazen since the servant Yun Qi went blind, even selling off most of the dowry he brought with him and his fine daily clothes. They’re no better than bloodsucking parasites!’
A few days later, Sang Luo found an excuse to replace all the servants in servant Yun Qi’s courtyard and bestowed the Princess Mansion’s Plum Blossom Garden upon him.
Now, not only did the low-ranking servants not dare to neglect him, but the other servants in the mansion who used to openly and secretly ostracize Yun Qi also stopped their petty tricks, terrified of incurring the Princess’s wrath.
Everyone in the mansion, from top to bottom, began whispering amongst themselves.
’Why has the Princess suddenly started favoring this disfigured, ugly servant?’
’She used to beat, curse, and humiliate him, torturing him until he barely looked human. But ever since the servant fell into the water, she’s sent people to care for him meticulously and even frequently sends precious tonics.’
Kong even had someone inspect the tonics; they were all rare treasures, with no poison hidden inside.
Even the Red Fox Clan Leader, Ji Tai, heard about this and made a point to summon his precious daughter for questioning.
"Don’t you dislike this Black Fox? You raised such a fuss back then, threatening life and death. I told you to annul the marriage, but you refused and insisted on keeping him. I heard you even took pleasure in beating and cursing him every day. What’s wrong? Have you grown fond of him now?"
Ji Tai knew exactly what kind of person his daughter was. She had an extreme weakness for handsome faces. Weren’t all the servants in her mansion handsome and talented young men? Back then, she had become infatuated at first sight with that noble Young Master from the Nine-tailed Fox Clan, and after years of relentless pestering, she still hadn’t given up.
He had seen Yun Qi and was a bit surprised. The man was disfigured; his daughter would certainly look down on him.
Sang Luo took a sip of tea to hide her expression and said slowly, "I just feel a little guilty, that’s all. And I’m also thinking of you, Father."
"Oh?"
"I’ve had some time to think these past few days. Torturing Yun Qi in every way possible won’t change the fact that I married him. He is my man. If I really drive him to his death in my mansion, not only will it be bad for my reputation, but you will lose face as well, Father! It would also be difficult to answer to the Nine-tailed Fox Clan."
Ji Tai was gratified that his daughter had finally grown up, so he didn’t press the matter further.
But the mansion was full of prying eyes, and if Sang Luo wanted to avoid exposing herself, she had to shut people’s mouths.
’I can’t be like the real Princess Ji Wan, taking pleasure in whipping servants all day. I’m getting tired of constantly pretending to be someone I’m not. I need to find a reason for the "Princess’s" transformation, and this incident with Yun Qi is the perfect opening.’
One day, Sang Luo personally brought some tonics to the Plum Blossom Garden. Upon entering the room, she saw that the tonics sent days earlier were all piled on the table, largely untouched.
She roared in anger, "I told you to take good care of the servant! What are you people good for?!"
"Ahem, Princess, don’t blame them. I was the one who told them not to touch anything." Kong came out from behind a curtain, supporting servant Yun Qi.
The young man’s figure was still gaunt, and his voice was soft and gentle, but if one listened closely, it held a distant coldness.
Kong said in surprise, "The Princess brought more tonics! There’s Snow Deer Bone, a Nine-star Lotus Seedpod, Algae Date Pills... These are treasures you couldn’t buy in the outside world even if you fought for them!"
Yun Qi said, "Thank you for your trouble recently, Princess. My body has mostly recovered. You need not go to such expense to send these tonics in the future."
"I’ll send them if I want to. Who asked for your opinion?" Sang Luo’s brows shot up as she put her hands on her hips and snapped, "Look at you, so sickly you look half-dead! If you go out, others will think I’ve been mistreating you! You there," she gestured to an attendant, "from now on, you will stay in the Plum Blossom Garden to help care for the servant. Make him eat all of these nourishing supplements. If he doesn’t finish them, I will..."
Her gaze fell on Kong and she sneered, "I will kill this servant!"
Yun Qi’s breath hitched. He clenched his fists inside his sleeves so tightly that his knuckles turned white and his veins stood out.
Sang Luo raised an eyebrow, catching a glimpse of his reaction.
’Oh? So he’s angry.’
’I thought all the bullying had broken his spirit. At least he still has some life left in him.’
"I will nurse myself back to health. You need not trouble yourself, Princess!" Yun Qi said, each word deliberate. He bit his lip, making it even paler.
"That would be for the best. Then I can rest assured." Sang Luo nodded, set down the tonics, and left.
Yun Qi listened to her light footsteps fade into the distance. Once they had vanished completely, he lowered his head, lost in thought.
"Master, the Princess is gone." Kong scratched the back of his head and grinned foolishly. "The Princess seems to be in a good mood today."
In the past, Princess Ji Wan would never seek out servant Yun Qi unless she had run into some trouble and wanted to vent her frustrations on him. It was a blessing from the heavens if she didn’t get violent, let alone show them a pleasant expression. But today, although the Princess’s tone was harsh, she was actually in a very good mood. Even Kong could tell.
’Could it be that good days are finally coming for his master?’
Yun Qi felt his way forward, slowly shuffling toward the table. "What things did the Princess send?"
Kong hurried over to support him. "There’s a lot!"
Yun Qi casually picked up a brocade box and sniffed it. It had the delicate fragrance of Snow Lotus. "...Help me make a broth."
"Right away! Please sit down, Master, and wait a moment." Hearing this, Kong was overjoyed. He quickly gathered the ingredients and rushed to the kitchen, afraid Yun Qi might change his mind.
’The servant had never been willing to accept anything from the Princess before. Today, he had finally come around.’
’That’s right, why refuse such good things when they’re free!’
’After how the Princess hurt and humiliated the servant in the past, he felt that even this wasn’t enough!’
From that day on, Yun Qi no longer resisted treatment or went on hunger strikes as he had before. He slowly began to recuperate, and day by day, his complexion gradually improved. For over a month, the Princess continued to send people with tonics, but she never again stepped through the gates of the Plum Blossom Garden herself.
Yun Qi would occasionally overhear the servants talking. He heard that the Princess had been very busy recently, sending people out to search for something.
He asked Kong, "What has the Princess been busy with recently?"
