The Crown Prince kissed her forehead, then her eyes, and asked softly, "What nightmare did you have?"
Yun Kui's eyes darted around, realizing he truly didn’t know she was lying. His voice was gentle and tender, with no hint of probing.
Had his mind-reading ability vanished?
Had it somehow transferred to her?
Still unsure, she pondered for a long moment before finally deciding how to trick him: "I dreamed I married King Moshan, and Your Highness didn’t come to save me..."
The Crown Prince frowned. "Impossible."
Sniffling in his arms, Yun Kui continued weaving her fabricated dream to test him: "Your Highness has had mind-reading abilities since childhood, so you must have known long ago that I’m shallow, unlearned, and obsessed with beauty. Why did you agree to marry me?"
The Crown Prince replied indifferently, "If you were to marry into Xiliang as a peace bride, you would represent the entire Great Zhao. If King Moshan later discovered you were unfit for the role, it could damage relations between our nations."
Yun Kui: "..."
Had he forgotten how he’d snatched King Moshan’s chosen bride right in front of him? Wasn’t that already damaging to diplomatic relations?
The Crown Prince continued, "As the heir to the throne, I cannot let you ruin our alliance, nor can I disregard your father’s loyalty as a subject. Though you lack refinement, you’re not beyond redemption. I believe I can teach you properly, so it’s most fitting that I marry you."
Yun Kui was so furious she saw stars—but then she heard his inner thoughts.
"I don’t want to talk anymore. Can we just do it?"
"Using my mouth is fine too."
Yun Kui: "..."
She curled up slightly, trying to escape his embrace, but he only held her tighter.
His warm breath brushed against her neck. Knowing his intentions, she couldn’t remain composed. They had already gone at it until the third watch last night, and now he wanted more? Even an iron-willed person couldn’t endure this!
But she feared that once he left, he might realize his mind-reading ability was gone. If he started concealing not just his emotions but even his inner thoughts, it would be even harder to decipher his true feelings later.
After a brief internal struggle, Yun Kui slowly wrapped her arms around him, her small hand slipping familiarly beneath his sleeping robe to trace the firm ridges of his abdomen.
The Crown Prince tensed, his voice turning hoarse. "Do you want it?"
Yun Kui whimpered in his embrace, "Doesn’t Your Highness want it too?"
A vein pulsed at his temple. After a moment of silence, he said, "I have official duties to attend to. Don’t be willful."
Yun Kui: "..."
Keep pretending!
She didn’t call him out. Instead, her slender, snow-white legs coiled around him, her voice soft as water. "But Your Highness isn’t attending court today, right? Stay with me a little longer, please?"
Rarely so clingy, her fingertips trailed up his chest, her warm breath teasing his ear—enough to make even a saint lose control.
The Crown Prince closed his eyes briefly. When they reopened, his gaze had darkened completely—ferocious and terrifying, his voice dripping with intensity. "Just this once."
Without further hesitation, he flipped her beneath him.
Yun Kui: ...
Couldn’t you have held out for one more breath?!
Through him, she fully understood the meaning of hypocrisy. All those high-minded principles, that upright and solemn demeanor—yet in bed, he was a completely different person. With the empire at peace and no battles at the borders, all his martial prowess was now unleashed on her.
Pressed beneath him, Yun Kui trembled violently, enduring the scratch of his stubble, her body slick with sweat. She nearly forgot her mission—until his lips trailed down her neck, giving her a moment’s respite.
Clutching him, she asked in a shaky voice, "Your Highness once said you liked me... Was that true?"
The Crown Prince paused slightly. "Why ask this suddenly?"
Feeling his scorching breath against her skin, Yun Kui pressed on, "I’m still scared of that dream... Does Your Highness really like me, or just my body?"
He frowned. "Of course I like you."
Yun Kui persisted, "Then... how much?"
Unwilling to entertain such sentimental questions, the Crown Prince simply looked at her and said, "You are my Crown Princess. You will be for life."
A rigid answer—yet as soon as he finished, he resumed kissing her collarbone, then pushed aside her hair to lavish attention on her snow-soft skin.
Just as Yun Kui was about to sigh in defeat, his inner voice betrayed his stoic facade.
"I like you so much. So much that I want to keep kissing you, never getting enough... I want to stay inside forever..."
Yun Kui pressed her lips together, her cheeks flushing.
This man is really...
"Actually... you’ve always been adorable. Even as a child."
Yun Kui’s eyes widened in shock. Back then, the Crown Prince had never spared her a second glance—yet he’d thought she was cute?
She longed to ask, but doing so would expose her ability. So she kept quiet, letting him kiss and nip at her while listening to his thoughts—and keeping her hands busy, too, exploring the taut planes of his waist to gauge his reaction.
Her fingertips traced slow circles, and sure enough, his breathing grew uneven.
If he says he likes me, then there’s no need to hold back! Charge ahead, little sunflower!
Boldly, she curled her fingers and inched upward, thief-like, toward the firm, slightly rounded curve of his—
His gaze darkened, his voice laced with a dangerous edge. "What are you doing?"
Yun Kui gulped nervously. "I... I touched it by accident..."
But the feel of it is incredible.
Totally different from anywhere else.
Ugh, I want to squeeze it—but I don’t dare. Maybe later, when he’s lost in the moment...
The Crown Prince’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he exhaled deeply, then bent to kiss her again.
"Fine, let her touch it."
"As long as she doesn’t touch anyone else."
"Her hands are so soft."
"I love it..."
Yun Kui’s face burned crimson. She bit her lip hard, afraid she’d burst out laughing.
Her smugness didn’t escape his sharp perception. The Crown Prince lifted his head, studying her strange expression—not the usual shyness or discomfort during intimacy, but something closer to... self-satisfaction?
"What’s wrong?" he asked. "Not scared anymore?"
Yun Kui quickly schooled her features. "With Your Highness here, I’m not afraid at all."
Suspicion lingered in his eyes. Since waking, he hadn’t heard a single thought from her—nor could he guess why she’d looked so pleased earlier.
Terrified he’d uncover the truth, Yun Kui acted on impulse—reaching down to give that firm curve a bold squeeze.
His breath hitched, all other thoughts obliterated as he crushed his lips to hers in a searing kiss.
Their morning exertions left them more spent than an hour of sword practice.
When the Crown Prince gripped her thigh, demanding another round, Yun Kui panicked—especially after hearing the wild fantasies swirling in his mind. He might dare to think them, but she didn’t dare listen.
"No..." She pushed weakly at his shoulders. "I still have to pay respects to Her Majesty the Empress today. Don’t make me unable to walk, or I’ll be laughed at..."
Reluctantly, he relented.
Truthfully, they’d already gone far beyond an hour. Officials were likely waiting at Chongming Hall, and though he knew this indulgence was irresponsible, he couldn’t bring himself to cut it short.
Even if he wanted to rush, a certain part of him refused to comply.
As the Crown Prince rose to straighten his robes, his composed demeanor belied his inner turmoil.
"I don’t want to go to Chongming Hall. What’s the harm in neglecting duties for one day? If only I could just hold her like this forever..."
Yun Kui secretly clicked her tongue in amazement—was this what the poem meant by "The spring night is too short to rise at dawn, from then on the sovereign no longer holds morning court"?
"If only a day could have twenty-four hours, then I could spend twelve of them with her."
Yun Kui’s expression changed instantly. Twelve hours? At that rate, she’d be pounded into sunflower paste!
"I really want to keep her by my side at all times… I wonder if there’s a shrinking spell in this world. If I could shrink her to the size of a thumb, I could place her on my desk while handling official business, always able to see her. She could stay wherever she liked—even sliding down my abs like a slide..."
Yun Kui blinked. Not bad, you’ve got quite the imagination!
If she could shrink to thumb-size, she’d pour water into the Crown Prince’s collarbone for a bath, roll around on his tall, firm chest, nap on his little "plum blossoms," and become sworn siblings with his "little majesty," asking it how it managed to grow so mighty and impressive…
Seeing her smirking to herself, the Crown Prince couldn’t help but doubt—had his mind-reading ability failed?
As he stepped out of the grand hall, everyone held their breath and bowed in reverence.
Arriving at Chongming Hall, his ministers discussed state affairs as usual, debating back and forth before he made the final decision.
But unlike before, their minds were eerily silent. Normally, whenever he entered a crowded place, the noise in his head rivaled a bustling marketplace—thoughts of wives, concubines, hairpins too tight or too loose, indecision about visiting the privy—it was all there. He had long grown accustomed to it. Though it annoyed him, he couldn’t punish anyone for such trivial matters.
The Crown Prince swept his gaze over the assembled officials, growing more certain—his mind-reading ability was gone.
He did feel a flicker of uncertainty, but not enough to unsettle him.
After all, it had been a gift from the heavens. Over the years, it had helped him root out traitors for his father and cleanse the court. But he had never relied on it entirely, growing complacent. His skills were honed through twenty years of diligent study and real battles on the battlefield. Even without mind-reading, he could still discern the truth and handle governance with ease.
In contrast, Yun Kui’s side was far livelier.
Before leaving, the maid Qiuchan bowed to her in the corridor, but her thoughts were loud and clear:
"Her Highness was… ahem… by His Highness again this morning… tsk tsk."
Yun Kui flushed, too embarrassed to face anyone.
After dressing, she went to Kunning Palace to see the Empress, who inwardly marveled:
"My daughter-in-law looks radiant today."
"It seems my son served her well last night."
Yun Kui’s face burned, but she pretended not to hear, forcing herself to sit calmly.
By chance, Princess Xuanhe and Princess Wanning came to pay their respects. After serving them tea and snacks, the Empress excused herself to the prayer hall, leaving the younger women to chat.
The princesses had assumed their sister-in-law would be miserable under their elder brother’s strict tutelage. Yet every time they met, she glowed, her eyes brimming with happiness.
Hearing that she even received rewards for memorizing texts, Princess Xuanhe couldn’t contain her curiosity. "Sister-in-law, what does His Highness give you as rewards?"
Yun Kui answered truthfully, "Gold bracelets, necklaces, hairpins, gold bars… and even trips outside the palace to shop…"
With each item listed, the princesses’ eyes grew wider.
Princess Xuanhe gaped. "When he checked our studies, we were lucky if he didn’t nitpick. Even if we recited flawlessly, the best we got was a ‘passable.’ Make a mistake, and he’d smack our palms. Yet you not only escape punishment but get all these rewards?"
Yun Kui, ever modest, hadn’t meant to boast. She quickly added, "If I don’t study well, I’m punished too."
Princess Xuanhe gasped. "Does he strike your palms too?"
Yun Kui’s cheeks pinkened. That wasn’t something she could explain to unmarried princesses. It wasn’t her palms he punished—but being forced to count aloud during intimate moments was even more mortifying.
Anyway, His Highness was just plain wicked!
Princess Wanning, long oppressed by the Crown Prince’s sternness, sighed enviously. "He never goes shopping, yet he accompanies you. How wonderful."
Yun Kui smiled faintly.
This marriage had turned out quite differently from what she’d imagined.
At first, she had been drawn solely to the Crown Prince’s peerlessly handsome face. Even if he was rigid and cold, it was better than being married off to Xiliang—and becoming his Crown Princess was no small honor.
Then came their wedding night, where she discovered his… unexpectedly formidable prowess. Though it left her exhausted, he later forced her to rise at dawn to study. She had thought her world was ending, but the tantalizing rewards dangled before her actually sparked a desire to learn. After a few rounds, her private coffers had swelled considerably!
As for the Crown Prince, she had assumed he didn’t care for her, that their intimacy was merely duty to produce an heir. Yet behind his aloof exterior, he would call her "darling" in the throes of passion, holding her close and covering her with kisses.
Now, with her mind-reading ability, she heard all his shameless inner musings. It seemed… he really did like her.
Yun Kui’s heart swelled with joy, and she spent the entire day smiling.
Only by evening, after finishing her studies, did she realize—the Crown Prince must have noticed his mind-reading was gone!
Or was it just temporarily dormant? Could it have returned already?
Uncertain, she pretended nothing was amiss, dining with him as usual. Occasionally, a thought would slip through, and she’d sneak a glance at his expression. Seeing no reaction, she relaxed slightly.
Freed from the fear of her thoughts being exposed, Yun Kui slept soundly.
The Crown Prince, however, did not.
He dreamed of a scene he had never imagined.
Under crimson wedding drapes, candlelight flickered as a man kissed a woman’s cheek with tender passion.
The man’s back was turned, obscuring his face, while the woman’s eyes were veiled in red silk.
The Crown Prince had no desire to intrude on such private moments, but then the man spoke:
"Qingci, with your eyes covered, there’s nothing to fear."
The voice was unmistakable. Frowning, the Crown Prince stepped closer—and confirmed it was indeed Shen Yanyu, the Minister of Personnel.
When he awoke, his mood was complicated. Glancing at Yun Kui beside him, his chest tightened.
If he had known covering her eyes would work, why had he bothered shaving? In the end, it only made her more wary of him.
But the dream left him unsettled. It didn’t feel like his own—more like he had slipped into someone else’s world. Whether it was reality or another dream, he couldn’t say.
Then it struck him—didn’t Yun Kui have the ability to enter others’ dreams? Especially those kinds of dreams. He’d overheard her thoughts about such scandalous fantasies many times.
Had he gained this skill too?
Coincidentally, he had lost his mind-reading ability today.
Recalling her strange behavior this morning—how she had clung to him despite her exhaustion, her smug little smiles—the Crown Prince began to piece together a theory.
Yun Kui slept deeply beside him, oblivious to his suspicions.
The next day brought another test.
Yun Kui recited the passage with some difficulty, but she managed to get through it completely and waited nervously for his judgment.
However, she saw the Crown Prince frown deeply, and a thought drifted into her ears.
"Her memorization isn’t fluent enough, and her understanding of the passage’s meaning isn’t deep enough. I should send her back to try again..."
Yun Kui immediately panicked. "Don’t—"
Before she could finish, the man’s lips curved into a smile as he handed the book back to her, giving her a fleeting glance. "Passed."
Yun Kui was stunned, then quickly realized—damn it, she’d been tricked!!!
She buried her face in her arms and whined, "Your Highness, must you bully me like this? I only got this ability yesterday, and you’ve already exposed me!"
The Crown Prince glanced at her. "What, were you planning to test me?"
Remembering how all his private thoughts from last night in the tent had been overheard by her, shattering his dignified image as the heir apparent, the Crown Prince’s expression turned slightly awkward.
But what was done was done. Overthinking wouldn’t help. She was his wife—was he supposed to hide his affection for her? If she heard it, so be it.
He changed the subject. "What reward do you want this time?"
Yun Kui had already decided on her reward yesterday, and it was for his sake.
"On the fifteenth of September, I’d like to leave the palace for two days to accompany my mother. I hope Your Highness will permit it."
The fifteenth of September?
The Crown Prince frowned, forcing himself not to dwell on it, and replied as calmly as possible, "Go ahead."
Yun Kui nodded. "Thank you, Your Highness!"
With her newfound ability to read minds, she no longer had to worry that his stern expression meant he disliked her, nor did she fear her own thoughts being exposed. Even the slightest hint of mischief would be detected by him.
But after the Crown Princess happily left the palace, the Crown Prince’s frown only deepened.
Of all times, she had to choose now to return home—did she not know that the sixteenth of September was his birthday?
Since their marriage, he had outwardly encouraged her to study and improve herself, while secretly going out of his way to find rare treasures to make her happy. He had never liked anyone before and didn’t know how to love someone, but he was slowly learning to express his feelings.
Yet on such an important day as his birthday, she chose to leave the palace...
The Crown Prince closed his eyes and slowly clenched his fist.
He could use a few words to expose her mind-reading ability, but he could no longer hear her thoughts.
After leaving the palace, Yun Kui took Yue Xiu straight to the imperial street and spent two full days crafting something with her own hands.
By evening, a dark sandalwood carriage slowly stopped outside the residence of the Marquis of Wuning.
The Marquis and his wife, Lady Qi, hurried out to greet the Crown Prince upon learning of his arrival.
Today, the Crown Prince seemed in a foul mood. His face was stern, his deep, dark eyes as cold as a frozen pond, his entire presence sharp and imposing.
The Marquis forced a smile. "The Crown Princess hasn’t returned yet. I’ve already sent people to look for her. Would Your Highness like to come inside for tea and wait?"
The Crown Prince replied coldly, "No need. I’ll wait here for her."
The Marquis sighed inwardly, worried for his daughter.
The girl had truly been spoiled to the point of carelessness, thinking the Crown Prince would indulge her unconditionally like her parents, tolerating her whims without a word of reproach. Today was his birthday—he had even reminded her, but she had simply said, "I know," before slipping out of the residence and staying away the entire day. Now the Crown Prince had come to fetch her himself, yet she kept him waiting.
If this were a court official, they would have already scrambled to apologize in terror.
Lady Qi kept glancing toward the end of the alley. When she finally saw their family carriage approaching, she quietly exhaled in relief. After paying her respects to the Crown Prince, she pulled her husband inside, and the two hid behind a corridor to eavesdrop.
Yun Kui had already been informed by a servant that the Crown Prince had come to fetch her in person. She hadn’t dared to delay after finishing her project and hurried back.
The man indeed looked displeased—his tall, imposing figure stood rigidly, the coldness in his eyes almost tangible.
Yun Kui jumped down from the carriage and, before he could unleash his temper, immediately hugged him, rubbing her face against his chest as she sweetly smiled. "Happy birthday, Your Highness!"
Hidden in the shadows, the Marquis of Wuning nearly dropped his jaw—his daughter actually dared to hug the Crown Prince like this!
Lady Qi, who had once witnessed the Crown Prince forcefully kissing their daughter, was far less surprised and simply watched with her husband through the lattice window.
The anger that had been building in the Crown Prince’s chest was effortlessly dispelled by the softness of the young girl. He looked down at her, though his voice remained cold. "So you do remember today is my birthday."
Yun Kui quickly replied, "Of course I remember! I’ve already prepared your birthday gift! It took me two whole days to make it. I kept it a secret to surprise you."
The Crown Prince’s face remained stern, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly as he pulled her away. "I don’t need a birthday gift."
(If it doesn’t satisfy me...)
Yun Kui clung to his arm. "Whether it satisfies you or not, you won’t know until you see it!"
Then she secretly waved goodbye to her parents, who were still hiding behind the lattice window—with her mind-reading ability, she knew exactly where they were!
The young couple boarded the carriage, and Yun Kui excitedly handed him a brocade box. "Your Highness, won’t you open it?"
The Crown Prince smirked. "Playing mysterious."
What kind of gift required her to leave the palace for two days to make?
His fingers flicked open the copper latch, and what lay inside slowly came into view, stirring something in his expression.
It was... a tiny clay figurine of the Crown Princess.
The little clay doll was no bigger than half a palm, its painted face smiling brightly, dressed in a water-red ruqun that looked just like his Crown Princess—adorable.
The Crown Prince immediately remembered that morning when he had, for a fleeting moment, entertained the absurd thought of shrinking her to thumb-size so he could carry her with him at all times. She must have overheard him, so she secretly left the palace to make this little clay doll resembling her, intending for it to keep him company?
Yun Kui peeked at his expression. "Do you like it, Your Highness?"
The Crown Prince held his little Crown Princess in his hand, rubbing it lightly before replying indifferently, "The craftsmanship is good, and it resembles you. But this is far too childish for me..."
"If you don’t like it, give it back!"
Yun Kui huffed and tried to snatch it back, but the Crown Prince easily raised it out of her reach. In the ensuing struggle, the little Crown Princess tumbled from midair, plunging straight into the Crown Prince’s robes, sliding down his chest before coming to rest securely at his waist.
Crown Prince: "..."
Yun Kui: "As you wished!"
Three days later, the Crown Prince prepared his gift in return.
"The second drawer in the hidden compartment—open it."
Curious, Yun Kui opened it and found two brocade boxes inside.
He hadn’t specified which one, so she opened the left one first. When she saw its contents, she froze.
It was the lock of hair from their wedding night.
Only now, the red silk cord had been replaced with strands of his own hair, entwined with her dark tresses—a true symbol of their union as husband and wife.
Her eyes grew warm, but she said nothing, staring at it for a long time before closing the box.
Then she opened the second box, and her eyes lit up—it was a clay figurine that looked exactly like the Crown Prince!
The Crown Prince’s gaze was profound. "My duties keep me busy, and I feared you might miss me too much. So I made this clay figure to keep you company."
Yun Kui bit her lip. She had noticed—ever since their thoughts were laid bare, this man had stopped pretending, often saying the most shameless things without hesitation!
Who's missing him!
On the kang table, two little clay figures faced each other, lips pressed to lips.
Inside the crimson-lit canopy, their bodies entwined tightly as the night breeze danced. The sheer curtains rippled like waves, the golden hooks swaying, scattering candlelight shadows—a scene of spring's allure that stirred the heart.
