Unyielding Bone of Dust

"Ah?" Lin Suqing was momentarily stunned on the spot. This scene… this treatment… it felt too much like the protagonist's treatment in a TV drama!

Could it be… could it be that the second Crown Prince… truly has a preference for dragons and the company of men?

…Is it still possible to run away now? But if I were to run away, going outside would mean death…

Do I really have no choice but to submit and request for mercy…

In the midst of Lin Suqing's wild and fanciful imaginings, the young and beautiful nobleman saw through everything at a glance.

He was extremely disappointed. He had originally thought that the servant exceptionally taken in by His Highness, even bestowed with the Crescent Moon Robe, was some kind of shocking, unconventional genius. Little did he expect such a vile and despicable person.

To actually dare fabricate nonsensical thoughts about His Highness in his mind, how absurd and presumptuous.

The young nobleman, containing his disgust and suppressing his disdain, furrowed his brows tightly, and with a pleasant face yet a pointed tone, said, "My lord need not overthink it. The only reason you were given the Crescent Moon Robe is that, as a trusted aide to His Highness, it's really improper to always wear peculiar and different clothes, affecting the appearance."

"Oh…" that's a relief. Lin Suqing took a deep breath. It would be terrible to guard my purity for over twenty years, only to be bent upon crossing over. Back in his university dorm, there was a guy who had left quite an impression on him.

They called each other brothers and went to the bathhouse together. In a dormitory room for six, only the two of them shared a really good relationship. But he never expected that his iron buddy would climb into his bed one night, crawl under his quilt, and confess his feelings for him.

Fortunately, Lin Suqing managed to kick him off with a flying kick, or else his lifetime of innocence would be unimaginable. His buddy, relentless in his feelings, forced him to swear on the spot, "Even if mountains crumble and the earth fuses with the sky, I will never bend!"

The young nobleman, skilled in discerning the hearts of others, hadn't expected that such ludicrous thoughts were going through Lin Suqing's mind. Seeing this made his temples throb in pain. Immediately, he began to unfold the Crescent Moon Robe and methodically hang it over the wooden frame, preparing to assist in changing his clothes. He only hoped to finish sooner and leave earlier; he didn't want to spend another half a moment with Lin Suqing.

After Lin Suqing finished his washing up and came over for a look, no wonder it was called the Crescent Moon Robe.

Ignoring the base undergarment, the mid-clothing was a long robe that gradually changed from white at the collar and sleeves to ink-black toward the bottom, much like a drop of thick ink spilling into a cup of clear water, freely diffusing.

Above the robe, the same color was mixed with silver threads to embroider auspicious cloud patterns. Without light, the patterns would hide within the robe's color, but when illuminated, wherever the light touched, a soft silver-white glow would appear—just like the serene moonlight.

The outer garment was a white gauze robe paired with white-soled, black-soap boots.

The entire set of Crescent Moon Robe, with its middle garment dyed in plain ink reminiscent of the brilliant moon in the heavy night, and the outer layer of thin gauze was like a breeze on the edge of a cliff on a moonlit night.

Majestic yet also imbued with much tranquility, it truly was a treasure of a garment.

Unexpectedly, even though he was essentially a servant, called a trusted aide in more euphonious terms, he would be granted such treatment.

Coming back to his senses, Lin Suqing saw the young nobleman unfolding the undergarment to help him change, and he hurriedly took it from the young man's hands, saying bashfully, "Er… I can do it myself…" It felt somewhat odd for a young man to help him change his clothes.

The young nobleman understood his meaning. Since no assistance was needed, he folded his sleeves, bowed, stepped back a few paces, turned to face the screen, and indicated to him, "The wrist guards used to fasten the sleeves of the mid-clothing are placed on the table."

Lin Suqing bustled about, studying for quite some time, but he just couldn't manage to dress properly. He sighed heavily, helplessly saying, "That… I… I can't manage it. You do it, please."

"…"

"…"

Without another word, the young nobleman turned back to assist him. Lin Suqing noticed that the young man's ear tips were flushed red.

What was initially a perfectly normal occasion for a servant of a lower rank to assist a superior in dressing became incredibly awkward due to Lin Suqing's own nervousness and insecurity.

The dressing was quickly completed, the young nobleman swept his wide sleeves and in front of Lin Suqing, a lake-like, mirror-like reflection appeared. He gestured for Lin Suqing to inspect his appearance, "My lord's hair is too short to be tied into a bun. I could only simply tie this silver crown and jade hairpin for you. Are you satisfied with it?"

As the saying goes, "Fine feathers make fine birds." Who would have dared to imagine that he, Lin Suqing, would one day become a dashing young noble, full of vigor and extraordinary demeanor.

Although he was lacking a bit of the ethereal and otherworldly air of the young nobleman, he privately believed that for a mere mortal like himself to exhibit such a demeanor was indeed rare in this world.

"Satisfied, very satisfied!"

Folding his sleeves, the young nobleman said, "His Highness commanded that once my lord is dressed, you should promptly go to the tea room and restore the disrupted furnishings and utensils to their original state. I take my leave."

Before Lin Suqing could ask further, the young nobleman transformed back into the Mystic Phoenix Bird, seemingly quite fed up with him, and immediately flew far away with the little skylarks.

As he flew away, the lake-like, mirror-like reflection also dissipated.

Lin Suqing was quite disappointed, having hoped to appreciate it more, she suddenly felt a sense of loss.

When she came back to her senses and thought about it, the tea room... Ah... those blackened boilers, shattered porcelain, toppled tea leaves...

Was she to clean up while wearing these exquisite clothes? That would be a reckless waste!

But, as the master's command was difficult to defy, she had no choice but to go.

...

In the tea room, Lin Suqing bustled about cleaning up the debris of pots and pans while complaining.

"It's all the same for you immortals, but I, as a mere mortal, have been without food and drink for a whole day and night." Her stomach grumbled with hunger.

The dog kept pestering her, "Lin Suqing, let's go! Follow me on a patrol of the mountain!"

Lin Suqing, listless, put the cleaned teapot back in the cupboard, wiped the water off her hands, and reached for a broom, grumbling, "A patrol? I haven't eaten or drunk for a whole day and night, where would I find the strength to join you in this ordeal."

The dog hopped forward, perched on the broom's bristles, and said, "Come on! Let's go pick wild fruit and hunt wild rabbits in the mountains!"

Lin Suqing picked up the broom and swept the dog out of the house, "Go on, if the master finds out that I ran off before finishing cleaning the tea room, won't I lose my position as a servant?"

She hadn't even formally become an apprentice, nor had she acquired any skills. If she couldn't remain a servant and was kicked out, wouldn't that lead her to a dead end?

"Hmph, how boring." The dog huffed, wagging its tail as it turned to leave, "It's in vain that the master thought you were eager to learn, even specifically instructing me to teach you when possible. It seems you don't want to learn from me."

Upon hearing this, Lin Suqing's eyes lit up with excitement, and she immediately dropped the broom to chase after and stop it, "The master asked you to teach me?"

Out of spite, the dog turned its head away and with a bang, it exploded into a small puff of mushroom cloud, Lin Suqing quickly pinched her nose and waved the cloud away, "Let's talk it out nicely, don't just... hey? Where did the dog go?"

There was no sign of the dog; turning around, she saw that it had already darted into the lush greenery, blending into the competing flowers.

Lin Suqing was so frustrated that a lump of stifled anger got stuck in her chest, and she roared at the dog, busy chasing butterflies and bees, "Be careful I don't catch you and stew you in a soup out of sheer hunger!"

Hearing this, the dog looked back to taunt her, shaking its rear end, and continued hopping and skipping down the mountain.

Gurgle~

Lin Suqing's stomach continued to lament, she pressed on her belly, sighed deeply, and picked up the broom to keep sweeping.

Just as she was about to turn around, she heard a hoarse voice calling her from behind, "Young master."

Lin Suqing was startled, she quickly turned around holding the broom defensively in front of her as she instinctively stepped back.

"Hehe, young master, do not panic, within the Crown Prince's estate, no one would dare to harm you."

She saw an old man with a benevolent countenance and a youthful appearance despite his white hair. His long, drooping beard and eyebrows almost touched the ground, making him appear much older than the Elders she had seen the day before.

Yet his dress was very simple, wearing brown coarse cotton clothes, not at all fastidious.

Lin Suqing considered that the tea room, although located outside the main residence, was still within the Crown Prince's entire estate, so she guessed that no demons or ghosts would dare harm her there.

So, mustering some courage, she asked, "Who are you?"

During these past few days at the Crown Prince's estate, she had come to understand that at first glance it appeared desolate, but in reality, each plant was a minor immortal that had achieved some success, not to mention the insects and ants.

Therefore, she found it hard to determine whether this old man was one of them, or perhaps even one of the Elders.

However, she didn't have a very good impression of those Elders, since they were all intent on persuading the Crown Prince to get rid of her.

The old man said with a kindly smile, "Do not be afraid, young master. Do you still remember climbing that old Mi Gu tree last night?"

The tree she climbed? Lin Suqing was taken aback; of course she remembered, it was that one in the courtyard. She looked and to her amazement, the courtyard was now completely empty, the very tree she had leaned on for shade had vanished without a trace!

The old man bowed slightly with his sleeves, "It is this old one."