08 Severe Punishment for the Servants

“Where is Xiang’er?” Shang Wuxin asked, looking at the people kneeling on the ground.

Unfortunately, no one answered. Xiang’er was the crown prince’s maid, who always acted obediently in front but disobediently behind his back. Many servants feared Xiang’er even more than the crown prince himself. After all, the crown prince was sickly all day long and not someone to be feared. They had never seen the crown prince punish any servant.

Good, very good! Shang Wuxin looked at the servants below and laughed instead of getting angry. It seemed that in everyone’s eyes, this crown prince was just a good-for-nothing. Otherwise, how could even the little maids and servants dare to ignore his words?

“Bastards!” Chief Steward Hai kicked at a nearby servant, glaring angrily. “Didn’t you hear the crown prince? Or are you all just tired of living?” Although his voice was sharp, as the chief steward of the crown prince’s residence, Hai’s presence was formidable, and everyone in the residence feared him.

Don’t be fooled by how Chief Steward Hai acted like a dog in front of the crown prince; behind the scenes, if anyone in the residence displeased the crown prince, Hai would not let it go. But Xianger was the crown prince’s favored maid, so the prince definitely wouldn’t scold her. The servant who was kicked ran off to find Xianger.

Chief Steward Hai looked at the crown prince with some confusion, not knowing what the prince intended. Usually, Xianger took advantage of the prince’s kindness to bully others in the residence. Hai had once tried to deal with Xianger privately but ended up upsetting the prince. Since then, he had turned a blind eye to her behavior. But today, the crown prince sought out Xianger—hopefully not to comfort her. The prince’s heart was too kind to see how unruly Xianger really was.

After waiting for a long time, the young servant and the maid named Xianger slowly arrived at the courtyard outside the bedchamber. Xianger looked at the Crown Prince standing there and was shocked in her heart. Is this the Crown Prince? Although the appearance was the same, the feeling was different. The former Crown Prince, despite his noble status, looked down on her, a mere maid, which was why she repeatedly deceived him. But now, even though the Crown Prince just stood there without even looking at her, Xianger felt her heart trembling.

Shang Wuxin casually glanced at this Xianger, who was also the culprit behind the original owner’s untimely death. Xianger’s appearance was not particularly beautiful but was clear and elegant. More importantly, while the Crown Prince had gone missing, this maid of the Crown Prince’s residence was dressed flamboyantly, wearing a valuable pearl hairpin and a pink dress that looked very unique. Normally, maids in the Crown Prince’s residence should wear maid uniforms, but hers was truly distinctive. Her eyes held the clarity of autumn waters. Shang Wuxin immediately knew this maid had just been doted on. Very good, indeed very good!

“Xianger, do you know your mistake?” Shang Wuxin asked, looking at the clouds in the sky. His voice carried an air of authority yet was as calm and fleeting as the wind.

Xianger straightened her back and pretended to be calm as she said, “I don’t know what the Crown Prince means. I have done nothing wrong. Upon learning of the Crown Prince’s misfortune, I was worried and anxious, hoping every day that the Crown Prince would return safely. Surely, Heaven has pity on my sincerity, and the Crown Prince has returned safely!” Xianger cried out, but there were not even fake tears in her eyes. It was surprising that the former Crown Prince couldn’t even see through this.

“Slap her!” Shang Wuxin said coldly.

Everyone thought they had misheard. The Crown Prince would actually be so ruthless as to slap the mouth of his most beloved maid. No one moved. But the first to come to his senses was Steward Hai. Now he knew the Crown Prince had truly changed, and this change was a good thing. The Crown Prince could finally see the true faces of these petty people.

“Slap!” The Chief Eunuch Hai directly stepped forward and slapped Xianger. Although Chief Eunuch Hai was a eunuch, he possessed martial arts skills. Part of the former crown prince’s martial arts had been personally taught by Chief Eunuch Hai. Unfortunately, the original body had strong martial arts skills but didn’t even know how to use them.

“You!” Xianger angrily pointed at Manager Hai. She had always been a bit afraid of Manager Hai, but because the Crown Prince protected her, Manager Hai had always been accommodating. Since she started following the Crown Prince, had she ever been hit by anyone?

“Next, slap her!” Shang Wuxin was still looking at the clouds in the sky, but his voice grew colder!

Manager Hai laughed even more happily, then directly went up and gave Xianger several fierce slaps, smashing her carefully made-up little face beyond recognition. She could barely speak clearly, and even more terrifyingly, Manager Hai knocked out several of her teeth. One could imagine how much force Manager Hai had used.

At this moment, Xianger looked fearfully at the Crown Prince standing there as if he had heard nothing, her eyes filled with fear and confusion.

Shang Wuxin spoke calmly, “Do you not understand why I must slap you?”

Xiang’er nodded; she truly didn’t understand why the Crown Prince would act this way. The maids and servants kneeling there were also puzzled, but this kind of Crown Prince made them afraid. At this moment, they all somewhat realized that the Crown Prince was truly different.

“How dare a lowly slave call me ‘I’ in front of this palace? You don’t even know how to bow properly when you see me, and you speak without permission before I even ask a question. Do you think you deserve a slap?” Shang Wuxin stood there, her voice betraying no emotion, or rather, in her eyes, this Xianger was not even worth her anger.

Xiang’er never expected that the Crown Prince’s punishment was for these reasons. She had been by the Crown Prince’s side for several years, from the initial secret joy to later arrogance, gradually forgetting her status as a servant. But the Crown Prince had always indulged her. Now, why was he treating her like this? Could it be that he discovered she was secretly siding with the Eldest Prince?

“Xiang’er, do you understand what you did wrong?” Shang Wuxin lowered his head to look at Xiang’er kneeling there, his expression neither sad nor happy.

Xiang’er couldn’t speak, but she nodded desperately. Now she knew the Crown Prince was not to be provoked, and she dared not provoke him anymore!

“Good girl!” Shang Wuxin chuckled softly. That unparalleled face became even more stunning with that smile, making the maids secretly watching blush. The Crown Prince was too beautiful!

“Since you already know your mistake, you must accept the punishment. Come here!” Shang Wuxin pointed at a maid kneeling there. The maid wore a very plain servant’s outfit and had a long scar on her cheek, but her expression was calm. More importantly, this maid resembled her former subordinate, Wuwei, even in demeanor. Although now she was just an ordinary maid, Shang Wuxin knew that given time, she would become someone like a princess.

The woman walked up to Shang Wuxin and knelt before him. Her voice was somewhat cold but not disrespectful—it was simply her nature. “Your servant greets the Crown Prince!”

Shang Wuxin looked at the woman with satisfaction, then said, “From now on, you shall be called Fearless, serving me closely! Do you agree?”

The woman looked up at the Crown Prince with a hint of disbelief, only to find that his eyes were truly bright—brighter than the sunlight. The aura surrounding the Crown Prince was like that of a phoenix, inspiring reverence. In his eyes, there was no disdain for her appearance; instead, there was respect—a kind of respect from a man she would follow for the rest of her life.

“I am willing, servant! Thank you, Crown Prince, for giving me a name!” Fearlessly and respectfully kowtowing, this Crown Prince is a hidden dragon who will one day soar in the sky. Since the Crown Prince gave her a name and asked for her opinion, she will be loyal now that she has agreed. She is no longer the ugly monster everyone talks about; she is the Crown Prince’s personal maid, Wuwei.

Shang Wuxin nodded with satisfaction, then looked at the people kneeling on the ground and said, “Each of you, slap Xianger’s mouth continuously without stopping, until Xianger breathes her last. If I find out that anyone shows mercy, then there is no need to live!”

After saying this, Shang Wuxin walked into the bedchamber, while Chief Hai smiled as he looked at the crowd. The Crown Prince had finally seen the true faces of these traitors, and the Empress could rest assured in the afterlife!

Xianger tried to escape but was stopped by Chief Hai. With Chief Hai present, no one dared to disobey secretly. The crowd had no choice but to harden their hearts and continuously slap Xianger’s mouth one by one. Each of them was an executioner until Xianger stopped breathing, but they were left with a terrifying shadow.