Chapter 468: Chapter 407: A Promise to Get Your Eyes Back

Yun Qi bowed in salute.

Sang Luo quickly reached out to support him. “From this day forward, you are my great benefactor. There is no need for such formalities.”

The young man’s body stiffened for a moment at the warm touch before relaxing again. “Thank you for your grace, Princess.”

Sang Luo turned to the crowd and announced, “Servant Yun Qi is unwell. From now on, he need not bow to anyone. If anyone dares to give him trouble, they will be caned fifty times and thrown out of the Princess Mansion!”

She had been swamped lately, but it wasn’t as if she hadn’t heard about the sordid affairs in the princess’s rear court. The other servants were resentful that Yun Qi had received so many of the Princess’s rewards. This, combined with the fact that the Princess hadn’t visited their chambers in a long time, deepened their complaints. Losing to an “ugly male” brought them shame. No one dared to do anything to Yun Qi openly, but they certainly made things difficult for him in secret.

Sang Luo couldn’t very well expel the Princess’s servants from the mansion, so she took this opportunity to give them a harsh warning.

How could the shrewd individuals in the mansion fail to see the current situation? Servant Yun Qi’s luck had truly turned, and his bitter days were over. He had won a measure of the Princess’s favor.

No one in the mansion dared to neglect the Plum Blossom Garden anymore.

The Fire Separation Jade that Yun Qi had given to Princess Ji Wan was no secret. Now, everyone else in the mansion was scheming to present Sang Luo with gifts. This was especially true for the other servants, who all came from prominent families. Thanks to them, Sang Luo actually managed to gather several dozen more types of Refining Materials.

Sang Luo also started visiting the Plum Blossom Garden frequently.

By the time she finished her other duties, it would already be dark. Sang Luo would sit in his room for a while before leaving.

This time, she arrived late in the evening again.

After Sang Luo and Yun Qi finished their dinner, the young man called out to her as she was about to leave.

“Princess, it is getting late. Why don’t you… stay and rest in my room for the night?”

Kong’s monkey-like eyes went wide as he stared at his master in astonishment, his jaw nearly hitting the floor.

“Alright.”

’The Princess actually agreed?!’

’This world truly is fantastical!’

Like a puppet on strings, Kong exited the room and closed the door.

Suddenly, only the two of them were left in the room, the silence so profound they could clearly hear each other breathing.

Sang Luo watched the tips of the young man’s ears slowly turn red and chuckled softly. “What happens next? I don’t need to teach you, do I?”

His face flushed crimson as well, and he hummed softly in agreement.

Yun Qi walked toward her and stammered, “I… I will help the Princess disrobe.”

Sang Luo stopped him, a mischievous glint in her eyes that the young man unfortunately couldn’t see. She added lazily, “No need. I’m not so helpless as to need a blind person to wait on me. I’m a bit tired today and just want to borrow your bed for a night’s sleep. You don’t need to do anything else.”

The young man stood where he was, a little lost and confused, the blush on his face fading slightly.

Seeing his inexperienced and shy reaction, Sang Luo couldn’t resist the wicked urge to tease him a little. “Have you never been alone with a female before?”

He shook his head. “My face is hideous. If not for the Princess, no one would want me.”

“But I wasn’t the one who originally sought your hand in marriage. It was the Young Master of the Nine-tailed Fox Clan—he should be your own brother, right? A pity the Nine-tailed Fox Clan wouldn’t let him go, so they sent you, an illegitimate son, for the political marriage instead. I only found out after I met you…” Sang Luo looked at the young man, a hint of pity in her gaze. “I never expected an outsider like you to be dragged into this.”

Yun Qi lowered his head and said softly, “It is I who have benefited from my brother’s good fortune to be able to meet the Princess. My brother is as pure and noble as an immortal. The young ladies of every clan are infatuated with him. It is only natural that the Princess would like him too.”

Sang Luo reached out, pinched his chin, and turned his face slightly to the side. “But in my opinion, this face of yours is no worse than your brother’s. It’s truly a pity…”

The young man froze.

Sang Luo turned and went into the bedroom.

Yun Qi came back to his senses. He raised a hand to touch his face, then let it fall to brace himself against the wall as he slowly followed her.

Sang Luo was aware of the “rumors” in the mansion—that the Princess greatly favored the “ugly servant” Yun Qi. She had no idea how many eyes were secretly watching from outside the room.

If the Princess’s favor came quickly only to vanish just as fast, Yun Qi’s future days would only be more difficult than before. Countless people would want to trample on him. Today, she would solidify this “rumor.” Even if she were to leave in the future, Yun Qi would at least have had “intimate contact” with the Princess, so he wouldn’t be considered an abandoned servant.

Sang Luo took off her outer robe and lay down on the bed in her white inner clothes. Hearing footsteps, she looked over.

The young man stood at the doorway, his hand on the frame, looking somewhat hesitant. Nevertheless, he slowly walked in.

Besides the bed and table, the room was free of clutter. Yun Qi had been living in the Plum Blossom Garden for some time now and was familiar with the layout. Aside from his slightly slow pace, he seemed no different from a normal person.

Yun Qi sat on the edge of the bed, felt for his position, took off his outer robe as well, and lay down quietly beside Sang Luo, still in his inner clothes.

Sang Luo subconsciously asked, “Should we turn off the lights?”

“Princess, I’m a little afraid of the dark. There’s no need…” His voice trailed off.

Neither of them spoke again.

Only the sound of the wind rustling the paper window could be heard.

Sang Luo looked at the young man beside her, his eyes shut tight. He was gently biting his pale pink lips, his long, thick eyelashes trembling with a hint of unease. “Princess, I… I didn’t mean to…”

“So you’re afraid of the dark,” Sang Luo interrupted.

Yun Qi’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he nodded lightly.

Pity flooded Sang Luo’s heart. She raised her hand, wanting to touch the young man’s face, but then pulled it back. ’As the “culprit,” I have no right to offer any words of comfort.’

“I will help you heal your eyes.”

The young man held his breath. “Princess?”

“I know who you sold your eyes to. It was some fellow with a strange collection hobby. Tomorrow, I will personally lead some men to pay him a visit, buy your eyes back, and then hire the best physician to heal them for you,” Sang Luo said earnestly.

The young man quietly “looked” at her.

Though he had lost his eyes, Sang Luo had a strange intuition that he could see her, his own eyes shimmering with tears.

“Princess, wh… why?” His voice was tinged with the sound of crying.

He didn’t know if he was asking why she had gouged out his eyes that day, only to now want to help him heal them.

’Is this just another way to torment me?’

’Hasn’t she finished venting her anger yet?’

He knew the Nine-tailed Fox Clan had deceived her and that she would be angry. That was why he was willing to endure all of this. He thought that as long as the Princess could vent her anger, she would be happy and would come back to him…

Sang Luo was momentarily speechless. ’Gouging out someone’s eyes and then putting on a hypocritical show of helping to heal them… it sounds so disingenuous. It’s contradictory and completely willful.’

She thought for a moment, searching for a reasonable explanation. “Since you married into the Princess Mansion, you are my person. After you fell into the Water last time, I’ve had some time to think. If you are not treated well in this mansion, it is my own face that I lose.”

“Besides, you gave me such a precious piece of Spirit Jade. It’s only natural that I would want to compensate you properly.”

As she spoke, Sang Luo sighed softly. “I was spoiled and coddled growing up, and my temperament can indeed be too impulsive and reckless at times. In the past… I did many wrong things. Not long ago, I was in a teahouse and heard an old gentleman speak of karma. You are an innocent party in all this, after all, and I don’t wish to be burdened by sin.”

“Now, I’ve had an epiphany and wish to treat you well. Is that alright?”

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