Chapter 547: Chapter 547 : (Extra) Jiang Muchen’s Love Story (31)
Liu Chengjiu, who had yet to experience Maid He’s foul mood, dared to ask, "Which important guests?"
Instead of an answer, he got a crisp slap across the cheek.
Maid He was just a beta, but her slap was hard enough to make Liu Chengjiu tumble backward and bumped against several chamber pots, sending their content spilling all over the floor.
Su Liyan gagged from the stench.
"Impudent!" Maid He cried out. "Look at what you have done! Quickly clean everything, take a bath, change into your best uniform, and then report to the inner courtyard!"
"..."
Maid He left soon after, presumably to take a bath and change into her best uniform.
Su Liyan rushed toward Liu Chengjiu, her face crumpled and her eyes brimming with tears.
"Chengjiu! Are you alright? Gosh... She was so mean!"
Liu Chengjiu looked down and saw that the lower hem of his uniform was soiled with the spillage.
He sighed softly.
"What is going on, anyway? What’s with the summon? We haven’t even had our dinner yet."
"I don’t know, but..." Su Liyan lowered her voice to a whisper. "If Senior He talks about important guests, then it must be at least a palace master. Imagine if it’s the Heavenly Emperor!"
The Heavenly Emperor.
Liu Chengjiu had only meet the Heavenly Emperor on two occasions -- during the hunt and after the hunt.
Instinctively, he knew that the Heavenly Emperor disliked him.
No, that was inaccurate.
To be precise, he disliked all wolves.
"So what’s the point of asking all maids to be present in the inner courtyard...?" Liu Chengjiu asked again. "Would it matter much if I do not show my face?"
"But... You must! Senior He already said that we must all come!"
Liu Chengjiu shook his head.
"I only have two sets of uniforms. I just washed my other one yesterday. Today, I need to wash this set. I don’t have anything to show up in."
New employees received only two uniforms upon their entrance into the palace. New uniforms would be given every six months.
"I... You can borrow my uniform!" Su Liyan quickly volunteered. She happened to have four sets of uniforms.
"Thanks, but we wear different sizes."
Liu Chengjiu shot Su Liyan a bitter smile.
"Sorry, Liyan. Go ahead. I will finish this job alone so you have more time to prepare yourself. If you can, grab some bite at the kitchen."
"But Chengjiu..."
Liu Chengjiu gently pushed her away.
"Not showing up at all is better than showing up with these dirty clothes. I will be fine. What’s the worst that might happen? I am also used to getting beaten by a cane."
"..."
Su Liyan was rendered speechless by Liu Chengjiu’s words. Not the first time, and probably not the last time either.
After saying thank you many, many times, Su Liyan eventually took her leave.
Liu Chengjiu calmly finished the job before he returned to the servant’s quarter and changed out of his soiled clothes.
At night, the water stung with frigid coldness.
He shivered uncontrollably while taking a bath.
But when he squatted down to wash his clothes afterward, the icy water numbed his flesh so much that it left a burning sensation behind.
"Hufff, hufff..."
Liu Chengjiu blew some air against his frostbitten fingers.
Thank heavens, he thought to himself as he looked at his red, swollen fingers.
Thank heavens he already finished the bridal wedding robe.
Although he wouldn’t be able to see Jiang Muchen and his bride during their wedding, he could picture them vividly in his mind.
Jiang Muchen would look splendidly dashing in the groom’s wedding robe.
And his bride... His beautiful bride... She was going to look like the most beautiful goddess across the realm, that’s for sure.
She was probably going to shine brighter than the sun.
Whichever omega fox is lucky enough to be his bride...
Liu Chengjiu blew more air against his cold fingers and closed his eyes, silently praying in his heart.
Hopefully, hopefully they are going to be very happy together.
After scrubbing the dirt out of his uniform, Liu Chengjiu hung his clothes out to dry during the night.
For a moment, he stood there in a daze, pondering about the events of the day.
Once he finished the work he needed to do for the day, his body began to ache everywhere.
At the same time, his stomach began to rumble in protest.
That’s right, he thought to himself.
He had not yet taken his dinner.
Liu Chengjiu slowly moved toward his sleeping quarter to grab an outer robe.
As he prepared to go to the servant’s kitchen for some dinner, the sound of many approaching footsteps made him stop in his tracks.
Liu Chengjiu furrowed his brows in bewilderment.
These were not the footsteps of maids and servants alike. Maids and servants wore shoes made out of cheap, layered fabrics. Those shoes did not make such heavy sounds when hitting the ground, allowing them to move around the palace without disturbing their masters.
These heavy footsteps, accompanied by the sound of clinking chainboots...
Liu Chengjiu’s heart dropped to the bottommost pit of his stomach.
They were none other than the palace guards!
And they were here to arrest him for not showing up at the inner courtyard!
Liu Chengjiu’s first thought was to run away, but what was the point?
He still needed an employment in this palace.
Whoever it was, no one would dare executing him in Jiang Rufeng’s territory.
Like he said before, he might just receive several beatings with a cane.
Liu Chengjiu gathered all courage in his body and stood up straight, ready to receive his punishment.
Before long, the palace guards showed up.
They formed a menacing circle around him, but they quickly parted when a cold voice spoke up, "Move aside and let me take a look at him."
Liu Chengjiu, until then standing ramrod straight, felt his knees buckle under tremendous fear. He collapsed, not onto the ground, but into the familiar warmth of Jiang Muchen’s waiting arms.
"I found you at last," the alpha said through gritted teeth.
