Jiang Liang

Jiang Erya had guessed that whoever bought her was probably a member of the imperial family.

But actually learning who the two of them were still felt a little unbelievable.

The emperor and crown prince of an entire era.

Figures at the very pinnacle of power, who could decide a person's life or death with a single word.

Once she was settled in the rule-bound Imperial Palace, in a low, cramped room shared by four, the strange looks from her fellow maids made her feel all the more insignificant and alone.

She had watched too many palace intrigue dramas and feared that one day she might die without ever knowing why. Right now, the person who had brought her here was the only straw she could cling to.

Fortunately, this woman who seemed to be a palace maid supervisor was kindly.

"This servant is Simiao, His Highness the Crown Prince's head attendant. Miss, please rest here for today. Tomorrow, after I report to His Highness, further arrangements will be made."

Jiang Erya could only agree.

She lay with her eyes open for who knew how long before drifting off, only to be startled awake by the bed shaking.

The maids sharing her room were already dressed, and Jiang Erya did not dare go back to sleep.

Each of these palace maids had her own duties. Only she stood there at a loss, praying with all her heart that the child from last night still remembered her.

Qi Yuanzuo naturally remembered her. The female lead was seven years old. If he ignored her, the palace servants would surely bully her, and his kindness would only end up turning into resentment.

Although the Eldest Prince had been reborn, he had never seen the female lead as a child. With a change of name, he would never recognize her.

By the time the Eldest Prince recognized her, the female lead would already be grown.

Whatever happened in the future was a matter for the future.

Having thought it through, Qi Yuanzuo felt considerably more at ease.

"Where are my strawberries?"

He could not just throw away the pot of strawberries he had bought yesterday.

Simiao was more attentive in this regard than Fat Eunuch and Bolao. She had already had an imperial physician test them for poison, then carefully put them away only after receiving assurance that the strawberries were edible fruit.

The moment Qi Yuanzuo asked, someone brought the strawberries over. The red fruit had been washed and still glistened with droplets. Qi Yuanzuo set aside half.

"These are for Father."

Then he set aside another four. "These are for my eldest brother."

Four remained. "These are mine!"

Fat Eunuch immediately offered his praise:

"Your Highness is truly filial. His Majesty will surely be delighted when he hears."

Qi Yuanzuo then divided up his own four as well, giving one to Simiao, one to Fat Eunuch, and one to Bolao.

These strawberries were huge, each as big as his hand.

He took the first bite, then looked at the three stunned attendants. "I only want one. The others are your reward."

All three hurriedly knelt to give thanks. "This servant thanks Your Highness for your grace!"

Was this fruit merely fruit? No! It was His Highness's heart!

His Majesty had only received eight!

The Eldest Prince had only received four!

Even the Empress Dowager did not get any!

The Crown Prince ate only one!

Round it off, and His Highness the Crown Prince treated them just as he treated himself!

Not even an elixir of immortality could smell sweeter than this fruit!

Fat Eunuch could not bear to eat his. He hid it in his sleeve, determined to show it off properly to his companions after his shift!

Bolao did not eat his either. He decided to take it back and enshrine it.

Simiao did not eat hers either. She would let her girlfriends have a look first; there was no hurry to eat it.

"Where is the person I brought into the palace yesterday? I want to ask her where she found this fruit."

Simiao swiftly went to fetch her.

To avoid disappointing His Highness, Simiao asked on the way,

"Were you the one who presented the strawberries to His Highness?"

Jiang Erya hurriedly said yes.

"Are there any more? Where?"

Jiang Erya's heart sank. She had drawn them from the system. Where could she possibly get more? Even if she sailed out and searched inch by inch, she might not find a single strawberry seedling.

Looking at the two-digit affection points in the System Shop, she could not even afford another draw.

"There aren't any more..."

Simiao frowned slightly. "Where did you pick this fruit? Even if there are no ripe ones, finding some seedlings would let us grow them next year."

Jiang Erya smiled bitterly. Where was she supposed to get a seedling?

But if she could not produce one, and the little crown prince decided she was useless and kicked her aside, could she survive in this man-eating palace?

Jiang Erya took a deep breath. "I don't have a seedling, but I do have a seed."

"As long as you give me a patch of ground, I can grow it."

Only by winning over her superior could she get anywhere, and now the little crown prince was her superior.

If she wanted to live well and eat well, she had to win him over.

Simiao was reasonably satisfied with that answer and asked no further questions.

After hearing her answer, Qi Yuanzuo asked, "May I see it?"

Jiang Erya pretended to rummage through the cloth pouch she wore close to her body, but was actually taking it out of the System Shop.

A flat white seed the size of a melon seed lay in Jiang Erya's palm.

The others merely thought the seed looked strange, but Qi Yuanzuo recognized it at a glance.

It was a pumpkin seed.

It was not a strawberry seed at all.

Because Great Qi had no pumpkins, no one recognized it.

88 warned him, "Host! She's lying to you!"

"I know. I want her to lie."

Looking at the female lead's apprehensive expression, he could guess what she was thinking.

Since that was the case, it saved Qi Yuanzuo the trouble of finding a plausible reason to keep her.

"I'll give you a name. What is your surname?"

Jiang Erya hurriedly said, "Jiang Yao! Your Highness, I want to be called Jiang Yao!"

Simiao snapped, "How dare you! It is your good fortune for His Highness to grant you a name! Who are you to pick and choose?!"

Jiang Erya immediately realized she had said the wrong thing.

Seeing the little crown prince turn away, his interest gone, as though he meant to wash his hands of her, Jiang Erya dropped to her knees.

The moment she knelt, something peeled away from her being. Everything she had learned over fifteen years shattered in that single act, and the pain brought great drops of tears to her eyes.

Once again, she realized that this was a society that devoured people.

"This servant knows she was wrong! Please, Your Highness, grant me a name!"

So a person really could sink this low, Jiang Erya thought.

Qi Yuanzuo walked over and crouched before her, his childish words concealing a beguiling influence.

"Why are you crying? Yesterday, when I bought you, you made a promise to me. I would provide for you, and you were willing to serve me like an ox or a horse."

Qi Yuanzuo whispered in her ear:

"It's only a name."

At his reminder, Jiang Erya recalled what had happened yesterday. Yes, she had said that.

She had been prepared to serve like an ox or a horse, forcing the sale on the Crown Prince so that he would buy her. It was only a name. What did she have to feel wronged about?

Jiang Erya's tears stopped.

Satisfaction flashed through Qi Yuanzuo's eyes.

"As long as you don't break our agreement, my promise will always stand."

"Your surname is Jiang. How about Jiang Liang?"

Jiang Liang.

"This servant, Jiang Liang, thanks Your Highness the Crown Prince for your grace."

Qi Yuanzuo nodded. "Get up. I'll give you two servants. Find a place in the Hall of Inherited Blessing yourself and plant the seed."

"Besides growing strawberries, your daily duty will be to play with me. You'll receive the same allowance as a second-rank palace maid."

"Let Aunt Simiao teach you the rules. Until you've learned them, don't leave the Hall of Inherited Blessing without a reason. If you cause trouble, I won't protect you."

If Jiang Erya used the name "Jiang Yao," he feared the Eldest Prince would rather kill the wrong person than let her slip through.

If he became enemies with the Eldest Prince in the future, the Transmigrated Woman would be his hidden card. He could throw her into play and let them fight each other, making his protection of her worthwhile.

Qi Yuanzuo plotted his dark plans for the future.

The matter of Jiang Liang was settled.

Only belatedly did Jiang Liang realize that she was already receiving excellent treatment.

She had caught the Crown Prince's eye as soon as she arrived. She did not have to do any work and had even been given two servants to order around. As long as she served the little crown prince well, she would be a favorite at her master's side!

She even heard people discussing her, saying she was fortunate. If she grew into a beauty, she might well become His Highness the Crown Prince's bedchamber attendant and concubine.

With the affection of growing up together, her life would hardly be bad!

Jiang Liang listened with a heart full of conflicting emotions.