Chapter 45: I Knew She Would Come
Yifu had many thoughts in her mind, so her steps were hurried.
This time Yifu reached the entrance of the Imperial Palace without being stopped; even the knight on guard nodded at Yifu in acknowledgment.
Originally, Yifu hesitated about whether to let them inform someone inside, but seeing that they had no intention of stopping her at all when they saw her, Yifu walked in with a bit of confusion.
The Imperial Palace was vast, yet it did not hinder Yifu from smoothly finding Her Highness Princess Alice’s chamber.
However, just a few steps in, Yifu’s gaze was drawn to a graceful Beautiful Woman who was sitting in the garden’s pavilion, slightly squinting her eyes as she sipped tea.
The beauty of this woman was truly captivating, her exquisite and cool demeanor mixed with a surprising softness. Her well-proportioned figure was like a ripe fruit, making Yifu unable to help but steal a few more glances.
Seeing beautiful women was not a novel experience within the Imperial Palace.
Not to mention, Her Highness Princess Alice, who was one of the most beautiful in the Empire, even the maids had striking appearances that stood out in a crowd.
After all, it was royal-level aesthetics; one could doubt the imperial family’s ability to govern, but one could not deny their judgment and taste.
The Beautiful Woman obviously noticed Yifu as well. Her delicate features showed no visible fluctuation, but when she looked at Yifu, her eyes reflected a different kind of emotion.
As their gazes briefly met, Yifu was the first to look away, as it was not appropriate to stare at a member of the royal family.
That lady might be the wife of some noble, after all.
But one couldn’t deny how beautiful she was; her gentle and elegant demeanor made it difficult for Yifu to forget even after just one look.
On the other side, Her Highness Princess Alice was informed of the news from Church Academy and had been waiting on the balcony early, certain that Yifu would come looking for her.
She held a delicate and petite binoculars, patiently awaiting Yifu’s appearance for several hours.
Suddenly, Yifu’s graceful figure appeared in her sight, and Alice was overjoyed. She quickly put away the binoculars and hurriedly woke her maid, who was nearly falling asleep beside her.
“She’s here! She actually came! I told you she would come. How’s my hairstyle? Is my makeup okay?”
Her Highness Princess Alice was so excited she looked ready to jump up, repeatedly asking her maid if her appearance was suitable and beautiful.
As for her clothing, she didn’t mind too much; after all, she would be taking it all off shortly, so it didn’t matter how it looked.
The key was whether her choice of underwear was good; that was the decisive factor.
“Your Highness, have you forgotten? Today, Her Majesty the Empress invited important guests from the Loren Family for tea in the back garden. You’d better not be too reckless.”
The maid stood beside the delighted Alice, her expression showing a bit of concern.
“It’s fine, Mother has important guests, and so do I. By the way, how did the matter I asked you to handle go?”
“It’s all been resolved. Some who are sensible have willingly apologized after recognizing reality.”
“Hmm.” Alice nodded, “And those who are not sensible?”
“According to what you said, after using a few small tricks, they became much more obedient, realizing their mistakes and correcting them.”
The maid lowered her gaze, not daring to look directly at her princess. The “small tricks” she referred to concealed topics that were taboo.
“Good, very good. As the saying goes, ‘A wayward son returning is worth more than gold.’ As long as they recognize their mistakes and are willing to mend their ways, they can still be molded.”
Alice watched Yifu approaching her chamber, unable to help but pinch her thigh wrapped in white lace-trimmed thigh-high socks.
Along with that grip came her soft and crisp voice.
Seeing Yifu looking around in confusion, clearly unable to find her exact location, Alice disregarded the fact that they were in the Imperial Palace and even forgot about her mother inviting important guests for discussion.
“Miss Yifu, brainless! Over here! I’ve left the door open; just come up!”
Her Highness Princess Alice leaned over the balcony, her gaze on Yifu filled with a dreamy quality, as if she could pull her closer with a thread.
While waving at Yifu, she used all her strength to shout loudly.
This startled the maid beside her, turning pale as she hurried to cover the mouth of her princess.
If Her Highness spoke out, she might bring disaster upon the whole family.
One had to admit, their princess truly knew how to play. She had known that Yifu would come but did not let herself go down to greet her. The maid had been curious about the reason, but now it was clear.
If Her Majesty the Empress heard this, it would not be good; no, if His Majesty heard, the heavens would probably come crashing down.
After all, the image of the princess in front of her father and mother was that of a well-behaved little rabbit.
“Your Highness, pardon my rudeness, but what are you doing? If Her Majesty hears…”
The maid’s face was filled with anxiety.
“Oh, Mother can’t hear. Besides, don’t you think this is thrilling? It’s a pity Miss Yifu isn’t willing to cooperate; otherwise, I would use some invisible magic to bring her to the dinner hall with Father and Mother tonight.”
“The tablecloth will just hide Miss Yifu perfectly, and then I can have her help me, hehe…”
“My father and mother would talk to me casually while I pretended to answer seriously, but actually, I would be trembling all over, cold sweat pouring down; just thinking about this thrilling feeling…”
Listening to her princess’s words, the maid felt no surprise.
After all, having been with Her Highness for so many years, she had long gotten used to it.
“Just think about it; don’t actually do it.”
The maid wiped the cold sweat off her forehead. Though she hadn’t done any physical work, her back was already soaked with sweat.
“I’m not a child anymore.”
Alice pouted her lips, sulking.
“My feelings for her are sincere; why should I hide them? I’ve lost her once, and I won’t lose her again this time…”
“Unless it’s in bed, hehe.”
The maid initially thought that her princess had regained her seriousness when her feelings were deep, but she didn’t expect that within just three sentences, the conversation would completely veer off course.
After the wheels rolled over the maid’s face, she only realized it later.
Was it that the rules of the Imperial Palace had suppressed her princess too much, needing an outlet for expression?
And coincidentally, Yifu was that outlet?
After all, the imperial family’s rules demanded that Alice remain virtuous and chaste before marriage, and self-gratification was considered devilish behavior.
Children grow up, and having desires is normal, but have you ever seen a respectable young lady with toys packed in her cabinet?
