Chapter 440 - Teamwork Is Always Best
In the dye house, Chief Dexter Cui Chang was informed about punishments for Lei Wanxi and Zhu Lin. Cui Chang sent the workers away as per the Crown Prince's order.
Lei Wanxi looked at the huge wooden containers with bundles of silk fabrics. "Give us the easy work," Lei Wanxi told Cui Chang, who nodded his head.
"The Prince is lucky today because we have already prepared the bundles of silk fabric. The Sixth Prince and Princess Zhu Lin need to dye the fabric. Later you need to dry it outside in the shelter," Cui Chang explained the work to them.
Lei Wanxi looked at his hands and said, "My soft hands will turn pale and rough just because of someone." Zhu Lin narrowly gazed at him but kept mum.
"Please follow me this way." Cui Chang took them to a hall size room, where large ground mortars could be seen.. Beside the mortar, dry red-colored flowers were put in a container. "You have to crush these dry flowers into a fine powder and then that will be mixed with the hot water later. The Royal Prince and the Princess of Huan first shall complete this work." Cui Chang made them understand.
"How long is it going to take us? Can you not help us? I am a Prince and you know that this is my first time," Lei Wanxi innocently requested Cui Chang.
"Forgive me, your royal highness. I wish I could help you but the Crown Prince has strictly ordered not to help you," asserted Cui Chang and lowered his head.
"Thank you, Chief Cui. We will do the work. If we get into any trouble, we will ask for your help." Zhu Lin intervened this time. Cui Chang bowed and left the hall.
As soon as he left, Lei Wanxi came near Zhu Lin. "Because of you, I fell into this trouble. Now, you will do my work too," Lei Wanxi threatened Zhu Lin, who snickered and pushed him away from her shoulder. She grabbed the heavy wooden pestle.
"Help me. It's heavy," Zhu Lin asked the help of Lei Wanxi, who ignored her and went to the other mortar. He smirked at her and with one hand gripped the pestle. To his surprise, he could not lift the pestle. He looked down and then at Zhu Lin who suppressed her laughs. He used both of his hands and with much difficulty lifted the pestle.
"It's so heavy," he murmured. "How am I supposed to crush these dry flowers?" Lei Wanxi mumbled.
"Why do we not work as a team? This way we will complete our work fast." Zhu Lin offered a deal to Lei Wanxi, who snorted. He scowled at her.
"You have forgotten that we can never be a team. You are acting as if nothing has happened! If you had not thrown your shoe at me, this would not have happened," Lei Wanxi furiously said and tried to put the pestle inside the mortar.
Zhu Lin chuckled and started to do her work. She put a fistful of dry flowers thrice in the mortar and then started crushing it with the pestle. Lei Wanxi glanced at her and found she started the work before him. "How come she is more powerful than me?" Lei Wanxi wondered and after fifteen minutes struggling, put the pestle inside the mortar.
He looked at the wooden container placed beside the ground mortar. Taking a fistful of dry flowers, he put them in the mortar, and he started to grind them using the pestle. However, he could not lift it. Contrarily, Zhu Lin was easily able to lift it.
He kept trying but then gave up after half an hour of struggle. He sat on the floor and looked at his hands. "I am so weak," he murmured. "Brother Sheng will make me work tomorrow if I do not complete this today," he murmured and narrowly gazed at Zhu Lin, who was busy grinding the dry flowers.
Lei Wanxi stood up from the floor and went near Zhu Lin. He cleared his throat and said, "Zhu Lin, let's work together." She stopped and tilted her head to look at him.
"Pardon me!"
"Let's work together," Lei Wanxi asserted. "If we work in unison then we will complete the work fast," he enthusiastically said.
Zhu Lin looked at the pestle on the ground. "Don't tell me you could not lift that," she smiled.
"I did lift that," Lei Wanxi lied to her. He did not want her to make fun of him for his nil strength. At that moment, he recalled Sheng Li's words who used to tell him to practice and increase his strength.
"You lifted that!" Zhu Lin gave a scornful laugh and then said, "Then go there and show me." She challenged him. Zhu Lin knew that Lei Wanxi would make more excuses to prove that he was indeed powerful.
'This woman is smart! She knows that I am not strong enough to lift but still is provoking me. I am Lei Wanxi. I know how to handle such situations. I will keep my cool.' Lei Wanxi contemplated as he gazed into the eyes of Zhu Lin.
"Zhu Lin, I accept my mistake. Forgive me for earlier." Lei Wanxi put stones on his heart and apologized to her. This was the last time though. "Zhu Lin, you will leave after certain days. I do not want any enmity between us. Look at my forehead." He pointed his finger at his forehead and continued, "You threw a shoe at me still I am apologizing to you. I am an empathetic person. Let's end the bitterness between us and work together." Lei Wanxi manipulated Zhu Lin with his words.
"Fine. I also apologize to you," Zhu Lin lowered her eyes and then lifted them.
'I will never forgive you,' Lei Wanxi told himself but to show her he said, "I forgive you." He immediately grabbed the pestle and told her to start. The two started to lift it and pushed it against the mortar thus, ground the dry flowers into a fine powder. Lei Wanxi found that Zhu Lin was quite strong. It astonished him. 'She might have trained hard,' he thought and continued the work.
An hour later, both of them stopped. They bent on their knees and were glad to see that they had succeeded in making a fine powder. "Teamwork is always best," Lei Wanxi muttered and left his grip on the pestle. Zhu Lin had held it lightly and it fell over her, who screamed but at the right time, Lei Wanxi caught it with his entire strength.
"Are you okay?" He asked and told her to help him. Zhu Lin hummed and supported the pestle from one end. They both put it on the ground and then shifted the fine red powder in a large wooden tray.
"I am calling Chief Cui. He will guide us on what to do next," Lei Wanxi stated and went to the room where Cui Chang was resting. Both of them came there when Cui Chang told them to shift to the next room and fill the large water containers with hot water.
"Can servants not do that?" Lei Wanxi asked.
"The Crown Prince has ordered us to do everything," Zhu Lin stated. Lei Wanxi sighed. "Let's take this tray to the other room. We will heat the water first and then will mix it," Zhu Lin affirmed. Lei Wanxi nodded his head and the two started to work.
Cui Chang scrutinized them, not wanting them to get harmed while doing all this work.