Quick Transmigration: Why did you provoke him? He's love-struck!

Chapter 460 Relying on Favor (5)

Fifteen minutes later, Yan Zhen was led to the backyard by the steward of the Prince Zhao's residence.

The manager, a middle-aged man over forty, gave her some instructions and then turned to leave.

Yan Zhen called out to him, "Steward, my maid is waiting outside the mansion. She has twisted her ankle. Could you please help me settle her in?"

As he spoke, Yan Zhen handed over a prepared gold hairpin.

The steward raised an eyebrow slightly and readily accepted the gold hairpin: "Of course, of course. However, the master does not like too many people in the backyard. I will find her another job and settle her in the mansion."

"Thank you."

After seeing the steward off, Yan Zhen looked around his residence.

This is a side room located next to the master bedroom. It was probably set up so that the master could easily summon the room. It is separated from the master bedroom by only a thin wall with a small window in the wall.

The room was simply furnished, and the bed was only big enough for one person to lie down on.

Yan Zhen wandered around for a while, when there was a knock on the door.

She opened the door, and two sets of light pink maid outfits were brought in by the servants of the manor.

Yan Zhen changed out of her wedding dress and into a maid's uniform. The original owner had long, black hair that reached her ankles, and it was smooth and silky. It took her a lot of effort to tie her hair up.

After tidying himself up, Yan Zhen took advantage of the fact that Zhao Yuan had not yet returned to the backyard to wander around and figure out the basic layout and personnel composition of the backyard.

Before long, it got dark.

Yan Zhen had dinner with the servants in the small kitchen.

The servants ate very simple food: a bowl of millet porridge, a piece of coarse grain steamed bun, and a dish of vegetables with little oil, but everyone ate with relish.

While eating, Yan Zhen chatted with his servants and learned that Tingzhou was a poor place where most people didn't have enough to eat. The food at the Prince's mansion was already considered very good for them.

After finishing dinner, Yan Zhen returned to Zhao Yuan's bedroom and waited outside.

After waiting for almost an hour, Zhao Yuan returned.

He was lost in thought, his brows furrowed, and he didn't even glance at Yan Zhen, who was waiting by the door, when he entered.

It wasn't until Yan Zhen spoke up and bowed: "Your Majesty."

He paused, turned his head to look at Yan Zhen, and seemed to only then remember that there was such a person in the backyard. His eyes then became interested.

"I must say, this outfit suits you quite well." Zhao Yuan's tone carried a hint of malice. "Go, fetch me some water to wash my feet."

"Yes." Yan Zhen had no objections and walked towards the kitchen.

Soon, Yan Zhen swayed as he carried a bucket of hot water into the dormitory.

After putting down the hot water, she went to fetch a wooden basin.

After moving the wooden tub, she remembered that she had forgotten to take the towel, so she ran out to get it for the third time.

Zhao Yuan sat by the daybed, watching Yan Zhen move back and forth like an ant carrying food several times. He finally lost his patience: "Stop dawdling, how long are you going to take this time?"

"Coming, coming!" Yan Zhen came in carrying a towel, rolled up his sleeves to reveal his dazzlingly white arms, and struggled to lift the wooden bucket to pour water into the wooden basin.

But then she paused, her slender fingers probed the water in the bucket, and gave Zhao Yuan an apologetic smile: "The water's cold, I'll go get another bucket of hot water."

Zhao Yuan, waiting to have his feet washed: "..."

Yan Zhen took the cooled water out and spent a quarter of an hour bringing back a bucket of hot water. She poured the water into a wooden basin and knelt down in front of Zhao Yuan without any qualms, reaching out to help him take off his shoes.

Zhao Yuan raised an eyebrow as he watched her movements.

Is this still the *** of the Great Liang?

Why was she able to serve this rebel king so smoothly, without feeling the slightest bit uncomfortable?

He was wondering what was going on when, the next moment, Yan Zhen's foot, which had been placed in the wooden tub, felt like it was being pressed against a red-hot iron, burning him so badly that he cried out "Ah!" and jumped up abruptly.

This scream completely ruined his image. Zhao Yuan jumped onto the couch, furious, and shouted, "You dog slave! Do you want to scald me to death?!"

Startled by his overreaction, Yan Zhen fell to the ground, blinked her large, bright eyes, her long eyelashes trembling, and looked at him innocently: "Ah... Master, is this water very hot?"

As she spoke, she reached out to test the water temperature, hissed as she pulled her hand back, and then looked at Zhao Yuan with guilt and apology: "I'm sorry, my lord, I've never served anyone before... I'll cool the water down right away."

After saying that, she lifted her skirt and ran into the study next door, took out a book to use as a fan, and began to fan the water vigorously to cool it down.

Zhao Yuan: "..."

He was initially very angry, convinced that this woman was deliberately playing a trick on him, but seeing Yan Zhen's apologies and attempts to make amends, he began to doubt his own judgment.

Could it be that she really didn't do it on purpose?

That's true. A dignified man like Liang Shi has been waited on since childhood. How could he know how to serve others?

Thinking of this, Zhao Yuan's expression softened slightly. He sat back down on the couch and urged, "Hurry up!"

"Yes." Yan Zhen fanned the fan even more vigorously.

After a short while, the water cooled to the right temperature, and Yan Zhen put down his book: "My lord, it's ready."

Zhao Yuan didn't trust her professional skills: "You give it a try first."

Yan Zhen put his hand into the water and stirred it, then pressed his palm against the back of Yan Zhen's hand.

Zhao Yuan was startled when her soft palm touched his rough hand. He quickly pulled his arm back and glared at her angrily: "What are you doing!"

Yan Zhen said innocently, "I'm just testing the water temperature for you. Please try it and see if the temperature is suitable."

Zhao Yuan wanted to get angry, but seeing her serious expression, he felt that getting angry over such a small thing would make him seem overly sensitive, so he said in a muffled voice, "Alright, hurry up and wash my feet."

"Yes." Yan Zhen knelt down in front of Zhao Yuan, rolled up his trouser legs, and put his feet in the wooden basin.

The water temperature was just right, and Zhao Yuan comfortably squinted his eyes.

He stared at Yan Zhen, who was kneeling before him washing his feet, for a while, then suddenly said maliciously, "Regretting it now? You could have gone to the Northern Jurchens to be a concubine, but you insisted on coming to Tingzhou and now you've been reduced to a foot-washing maid..."

“I don’t regret it.” Yan Zhen interrupted him, her tone calm and even. “Ji Tu is an old man over fifty years old. His elder brother died at the hands of Daliang in his early years, and he harbors deep malice towards Daliang.”

If I marry him, my situation might be worse than it is now. I'd rather wash your feet than some old geezer; at least you're good-looking.

Zhao Yuan: "..."

A lamp stood beside the daybed, casting an orange-yellow light on Yan Zhen.

She lowered her head, a section of her fair neck peeking out from the collar of her maid's dress.

From Zhao Yuan's perspective, one could also see the delicate collarbone faintly visible beneath the collar, along with a small red mole on it.

Under the lamplight, people look even more beautiful, and Zhao Yuan clearly heard himself swallow.

He then realized his mistake and angrily withdrew his foot, saying impatiently, "I'm not washing it anymore, just dry it off."