Quick Transmigration: Playing the Role of a Devoted Tool

Fu Zi was very envious of Qi Ran. He was tired all day, but he was in good spirits and not sleepy at all.

"Brother Lin, do you think Brother Qi is His Highness's...?"

He peeked out and looked at Lin Shou, who was sleeping soundly with his eyes closed.

"I don't know, and I don't want to know." Lin Shou was too lazy to open his eyes, and also advised Fu Zi to talk less, "Words can cause trouble."

"Okay." Fu Zi wasn't unaware of this principle; he was just curious.

Qi Ran was so handsome that even Fu Zi, who was a eunuch, would sometimes be mesmerized when he was next to Qi Ran.

Sometimes he felt that the reason why Qi Ran was so highly regarded by His Highness was probably because His Highness was attracted to his looks.

The next morning, Lin was sweeping fallen leaves in the yard when a group of people entered through the door.

Leading the group was Shu Jing, followed by His Highness the Crown Prince and a group of attendants.

Lin Shou hurriedly bowed and led his men inside.

The servants brought the things in, and Qi Ran instructed Fu Zi to inform His Highness while he went to the kitchen to heat water.

When he brought the tea into the study, Gu Qing, Gu Wensi, and Shu Jing were already chatting.

Qi Ran went inside, bowed to each person, and prepared the tea.

"This Qinghui Courtyard is quite different from mine; it's much quieter." Gu Wensi noticed the desolation of the place on his way here.

He breathed a sigh of relief; at least his father wasn't paying much attention to Gu Qing, otherwise he would have been a little wary.

After all, they were both princes, and it was possible that Gu Qing might develop selfish motives one day and threaten his position as crown prince.

"You're too kind, Your Majesty."

Gu Qing understood Gu Wensi's worries. When his father asked him which courtyard he liked, he deliberately mentioned this place, "It is also thanks to my brother that I have such good fortune."

"That's because you're clever." Gu Wensi took a sip of tea, his gaze falling on the servant standing to one side.

The boy stood in the shadows at the corner of the room, next to the half-open window.

The sunlight streamed in through the window, landing just an inch in front of his shoes; beyond that, only deep shadows remained.

He suddenly felt thirsty and took another sip.

Qi Ran lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes as thick as butterfly wings covered with morning dew, concealing all the light in her eyes.

Her dark blue hair was loosely tied up, with a few stray strands falling beside her cheeks, making her skin appear almost translucent.

Her nose was straight and delicate, and her lips were a pale pink, pressed into a soft curve, without a trace of superfluous expression.

The plain brocade robe she wore was slightly wrinkled, perhaps because she had been standing in the corner for a long time, and the hem of the robe had been rubbed with a wooden mark from the table.

He placed his hands folded in front of his abdomen, his wrists slender and his knuckles bluish, much like the newly cut bamboo pen holder on his desk.

The sunlight shifted, tracing the delicate lines of his jawline. That youthful naiveté and stunning beauty was even more captivating than the white jade ornaments on the table.

Gu Wensi looked away and suddenly felt a chill.

Gu Qing looked at him.

Gu Wensi saw murderous intent in those eyes that were usually filled with respect.

It was fleeting, just like his illusion.

In an instant, Gu Qing smiled and began to flatter him, as if he had never harbored any hostility towards his elder brother.

Humph.

Gu Wensi chuckled inwardly; his ninth brother was becoming increasingly unruly.

He put down his cup and called Qi Ran over to refill the tea.

Qi Ran stepped forward, bent down, and poured tea for His Highness the Crown Prince.

"Your Highness, please." Qi Ran held up his teacup, his tone respectful.

Gu Wensi took the teacup, smiling, and asked, "These hands are certainly suited for pouring tea. Let me test you; how should you pour this tea?"

Qi Ran thought for a moment and replied, "The proper way to pour tea is to 'pouring it shallowly,' generally only filling it to seven-tenths full. This is a matter of etiquette in the palace. A full cup of tea is easy to scald and also shows a lack of composure in entertaining guests. The saying 'tea seven-tenths full, rice eight-tenths full, wine ten-tenths full' illustrates this principle."

"Ninth Brother, you've learned your role as a servant quite well," Gu Wensi praised, lifting Qi Ran's chin with his fingertips to admire her stunningly beautiful and youthful face.

"It's a wise move for Ninth Brother not to let you go out."

He released his grip, and Shu Jing also breathed a sigh of relief.

Only he noticed that Gu Qing had subconsciously clenched his fists when Gu Wensi asked Qi Ran to pour tea.

The topic returned to politics, and time passed slowly.

After the prince and his attendants left, it was time for their meal.

Lin Shou brought out the food for Qi Ran to prepare, and then went to the kitchen to prepare hot water for His Highness to wash up.

Fu Zi, who had a sweet tooth, stood guard at the door, waiting for His Highness to finish eating so she could get a share.

Lin Shou pulled him to the kitchen.

"Brother Lin, why are you pulling me?" Fu Zi said angrily.

"Here, have this." Lin Shou handed him a steamed bun, which was still hard.

"I don't want to eat it. I want to eat what His Highness left behind. I saw it, it's so lavish, there's a whole roast chicken. His Highness definitely can't finish it all, and Brother Qi will surely save some for us!"

He stuffed the steamed bun into his clothes, sat on the threshold, and waited for Qi Ran's summons to come from the main hall.

Fortunately, not long after, Qi Ran told Fu Zi to take it down, and Fu Zi quickly ran over to help Qi Ran clean up.

In the kitchen, Qi Ran pulled off a chicken leg and gave it to Fu Zi.

"Thank you, Brother Qi!" Fu Zi was overjoyed and immediately stuffed it into her mouth.

Lin Shou and Qi Ran ate politely, but Fu Zi didn't have that patience. She ate heartily until her stomach was full.

He slumped in his chair, rubbing his bulging belly and grinning foolishly, "Why is dinner so lavish tonight? Half of it is meat!"

"Perhaps it's because His Highness the Crown Prince came and brought those gifts that others saw them and knew that His Highness still cared about our Prince, so they didn't dare to withhold anything," Qi Ran explained.

"That's great, I hope it will always be this delicious." Fu Zi straightened up again, wanting to eat some more.

So, Fuzi ate too much that night and couldn't fall asleep, tossing and turning.

Seeing that he was in pain, Lin Shou got up, dressed, opened the door and went out. After a while, Qi Ran came in wearing clothes and touched Fu Zi's face.

"It doesn't seem like you overate; it's more likely an upset stomach. I have some medicine here."

Qi Ran helped Fu Zi up, and Lin Shou brought water.

The medicine was given to Fuzi, but it didn't take effect quickly, and Fuzi lay on the bed groaning.

"Brother Qi, am I going to die...?"

"It's nothing. Your stomach just isn't used to such greasy food. You might have diarrhea tomorrow. Get some rest. You don't need to get up early tomorrow. Take a day off. I'll tell His Highness to give you a day off."

"Thank you, Brother Qi." Fu Zi was so touched that she almost cried but then hiccuped.

The atmosphere instantly vanished.

After seeing Qi Ran off, Lin Shou returned and closed the door. He had just lain down when he heard Fu Zi's suppressed sobs from under the covers.

Lin Shou pretended not to hear, but Fu Zi started talking about her childhood in fits and starts.

"Brother Lin, Brother Qi is so good to me. Even my own brother wouldn't treat me this well..."

"When I was a child, my family was poor. My mother sold my older sister and got two pounds of coarse rice. My parents only gave it to my eldest and second eldest brothers, not to me."

"I was so hungry that I left home. I saw that the palace was recruiting eunuchs, so I came. I thought I could eat my fill in the palace, but after becoming a eunuch, when I worked late, no one would leave me any food."

"I was still hungry. Life got a little better after I learned to be sweet-talking. Later, when I came to the Crown Prince's Palace, they also rejected me. If it weren't for my master taking a liking to me, I would still be sleeping in that big dormitory where fifteen servants were crammed together, and we had to fight for food."