On our wedding night, my wife acted strangely.

Lin Yi looked at Xiuzhu's slightly reddened eyes and slowly said, "Xiuzhu, I know that you must feel uncomfortable about betraying your former master."

Xiuzhu quickly shook her head: "No! Your Highness, I don't! I'm afraid I have no feelings left for the Princess!"

That's not entirely untrue.

While waiting to die in the dungeon, she harbored great resentment towards Luo Qingyu.

If she hadn't been so reckless as to provoke the prince, how could she have ended up in this predicament?

Moreover, Luo Qingyu had stayed there all afternoon, but she hadn't pleaded with the prince, hadn't even come to visit, and hadn't even bribed the nanny to bring her a meal.

Having served her for so many years, how could she be so heartless? What is there for me to feel uncomfortable about?

Lin Yi smiled and waved his hand: "You don't need to explain to me, I understand. However, I still want to talk to you about your affairs."

"My business?"

"I know you're not a native of the capital. Your parents fled here from Hebei more than ten years ago. There was a famine back then, and the family couldn't survive, so they sold you for half a sack of grain, right?"

This was mentioned casually in the original book. Lin Yi didn't pay much attention to it when he read it, but he did remember it.

Sure enough, Xiuzhu's body jolted, and her eyes widened even more.

These things are her deepest pain, her past that she least wants to be mentioned. She has never told anyone about them, not even her mistress!

But to her surprise, she was like a transparent person in front of Lin Yi, with no secrets whatsoever.

Xiuzhu became more and more frightened as she thought about it.

What kind of man is standing in front of me?

"Your Highness, you..."

Lin Yi's tone remained gentle: "You don't need to be nervous. I don't mean anything by it. I just want to tell you that I understand your experience. Your parents sold you because they had no choice. You were a maid in the Luo family, having to be subservient to them. You were also forced to be subservient to them."

"Girl, you've had a really tough life these past ten years," Lin Yi actually called her "girl."

This is a very intimate word, so intimate that Xiuzhu immediately forgot everything, her mind constantly replaying past experiences.

From the time she could remember, she had never had a full meal. When she finally grew up, she was sold to the Luo family to be a maid.

Over the years, she has gotten up earlier than the chickens and gone to bed later than the dogs every day, doing the most tiring work and receiving the least monthly pay.

She served the Luo family members with utmost care, afraid that if she said something wrong or did something poorly, she would be beaten or scolded. Just when she thought that as long as she was obedient and loyal enough, she could stay in the Luo family peacefully for the rest of her life, Luo Qingyu got married.

Moreover, the man she was marrying was the regent, and Xiuzhu thought that her own status would rise accordingly, so she could enjoy a life of leisure after marriage.

Ke Luoqingyu was determined to love Nangong Jin, and even told herself that he was the only man who could be her master.

Xiuzhu had no opinions of her own and could only let things be. Who would have thought that today, she almost lost her life in order to help Nangong Jin and Luo Qingyu?

If it weren't for the prince's mercy, I would have died long ago from the torture in the dungeon!

Thinking about these experiences, a crystal tear slid down her cheek.

Seeing that the time was right, Lin Yi reached out and helped her up, saying, "Get up, the ground is cold."

"Hmm..." Xiuzhu stood up, about to speak, when she saw Lin Yi looking at her with concern. Then he reached out and wiped away the tears on her face.

Good heavens!

His hands are so hot.

It's so hot it makes your heart tremble.

"Look at you, you've ruined your makeup with tears."

"Your Highness... Waaah..." Xiuzhu disregarded the taboo of men and women touching each other and threw herself into his arms, bursting into tears.

It was as if she wanted to cry out all the grievances, resentment, and bitterness she had suffered over the years.

Lin Yi didn't try to persuade her; he simply patted her back gently until she had cried enough. Only by letting her release all her emotions could he truly control her.

After a long while, Xiuzhu's crying gradually subsided.

She raised her head, rested her chin on Lin Yi's chest, and said with a blush, "Your Highness, please forgive my rudeness."

After saying that, she realized that she was still in the prince's arms, so she quickly stepped back and wiped her tears with her sleeve.

"Your Highness, please forgive me, I have overstepped my bounds..."

"It's nothing." Lin Yi turned and handed her a cup of warm tea. "Are you feeling better now?"

"Mm." Xiuzhu took the teacup and nodded gratefully.

Although the prince was ruthless, he was a good master who could understand the hardships of his servants.

At least, he considered himself a human being, not a servant who could be beaten and scolded at will.

very nice.

"Xiuzhu." Lin Yi looked at her, his gaze turning serious. "You're a smart girl, it's time to think about your future. Nangong Jin has been deposed, and the Luo family has fallen. Even if you're loyal to Luo Qingyu, what good will come of it? She can barely protect herself now, how can she protect you?"

"If you stay with her, you'll die sooner or later."

Lin Yi was not joking.

Luo Qingyu was destined to die, but Lin Yi didn't like to waste her life, so he kept her alive to make her death more meaningful.

"Your Highness, I know what to do." Xiuzhu looked up at Lin Yi. "From now on, I belong to Your Highness. Whatever Your Highness commands, I will do! I will have no disloyalty!"

"Alright." Lin Yi finally smiled. "Don't worry, as long as you sincerely follow me, I will never treat you unfairly, and I will even give you a bright future."

This promise was more beautiful to Xiuzhu than any vow of eternal love, making her feel as if her whole world had been illuminated.

"Your Highness's kindness is beyond my ability to repay! So please, Your Highness... accept my body." Xiuzhu's eyes sparkled, clearly she had made up her mind. "Your Highness, I don't want any title or status, I only ask for Your Highness's favor once, and then I will have no regrets in this life."

broken!

They overacted.

Lin Yi immediately felt like he had two big heads.

What should we do?

He only wanted to take Xiuzhu in, but he didn't intend to take her body!

Moreover, judging from the girl's posture, if I refuse, she'll definitely hang herself!

"Ahem, Xiuzhu, listen to me, we..."

"Does Your Highness find this servant unworthy?"

"Um... you don't mind..."

"Then why won't you grant my request? My body is perfectly clean!"

"I know, that's not what I meant..." Lin Yi touched his nose with a hint of melancholy.

This is not a good situation.

Xiuzhu bit her lower lip, on the verge of tears again: "Your Highness still doesn't trust me..."

Sigh... never mind.

You brought this on yourself, so you'll have to suffer the consequences.

Oh God, please have mercy on me!

I really don't want to have a harem!

She insisted!

Lin Yi walked to her side and gently flicked her nose with his fingertip: "Naughty girl, aren't you going to hurry up and help me undress?"

"Ah?" Xiuzhu cried tears of joy, nodding repeatedly, "Yes! This servant will certainly serve Your Highness well!"

After saying that, Xiuzhu was about to start undressing Lin Yi.

The latter grabbed her hand, picked her up in his arms, and carried her into the inner room.