Yun Kui had already retired for the night when she was unexpectedly summoned again.
Had it been any other master, she wouldn’t have been so apprehensive. But this was the Crown Prince—unpredictable, prone to sudden fits of illness, and someone who kept her constantly fearing for her life.
With a silent sigh, she hastily dressed and made her way to Chengguang Palace.
Cao Yuanlu, seeing her arrival, handed her a tray bearing medicinal wine and gauze. "His Highness has suffered a knife wound on his arm. Please go in and tend to his injury."
Yun Kui was taken aback but dared not ask questions. Having witnessed Cao Yuanlu’s ruthlessness earlier that day, she was still shaken. She obediently complied.
Cao Yuanlu spoke kindly, "Don’t be afraid, miss. Our Crown Prince isn’t some man-eating tiger. As long as you harbor no ill intent, His Highness would never harm the innocent."
Yun Kui muttered inwardly, Do you even believe your own words?
If the Crown Prince were truly a good man, why would he inspire such terror? Why would so many risk their lives to assassinate him in the name of justice? And wasn’t it said that he had slaughtered seven cities in Northern Wei? Were those innocent lives not enough?
Cao Yuanlu coughed awkwardly, rubbing his nose. "When his headaches flare up, he might indeed lash out. If you notice His Highness growing agitated, just call for me immediately."
Yun Kui pressed her lips together. Honestly, the Crown Prince seems perpetually irritable.
"This servant understands. Thank you for the warning, Eunuch Cao."
Cao Yuanlu lowered his voice. "The fresh wound on His Highness’s arm wasn’t inflicted by anyone else. Last night, fearing he might lose control and hurt someone, he cut himself with a dagger."
Yun Kui: "..."
That somehow makes it even more terrifying.
Cao Yuanlu cleared his throat. "His Highness has never taken a woman to bed before. Given his current injuries, he shouldn’t engage in such activities. But if he insists… please do your best to accommodate him. Try not to let him exert himself too much, lest his wounds reopen."
So he’s telling me to take the initiative?
But… wasn’t it widely rumored that the Crown Prince was lustful and indiscriminate in his tastes? How could he have never bedded anyone?
After a moment’s hesitation, Yun Kui decided to be honest. "To be frank, Eunuch Cao, His Highness didn’t touch me last night..."
Cao Yuanlu wasn’t surprised. That morning, while dressing the Crown Prince’s wounds, he had noticed no signs of intimacy on the bedding. He understood—His Highness would rather harm himself than let his mind be clouded by aphrodisiacs, falling into someone else’s trap.
But summoning her again tonight… surely it wasn’t just for conversation.
He gave her an encouraging look. "Go on in, miss. Don’t keep His Highness waiting."
Yun Kui nodded and entered with the medicine tray, earning a glare from Lian Rui, the attendant stationed in the corridor.
Yun Kui: "..."
Lian Rui had overheard her exchange with Cao Yuanlu and now knew she hadn’t served the Crown Prince the night before.
With such beauty before him, the Crown Prince remained unmoved. She must not be anything special—probably even got kicked out of Chengguang Palace…
But why summon her again tonight?
"Miss Lian Rui, your presence won’t be needed in the palace tonight. You may retire early."
Lost in thought, Lian Rui snapped back to attention at Cao Yuanlu’s dismissal and bowed in acknowledgment.
Entering the chamber, Yun Kui saw the Crown Prince seated on a divan, dressed in black inner robes, sipping tea.
Taking a deep breath, she approached and curtsied respectfully. "Eunuch Cao sent this servant to tend to Your Highness’s wounds."
The Crown Prince studied her briefly before giving a faint nod.
As the young woman drew closer, a faint scent of fresh grass and flowers drifted around her—like the air after days of rain, when the sun finally breaks through and sunflowers lift their dew-kissed faces toward the light.
The tension in the Crown Prince’s brow eased slightly as he watched her carefully unwind the bandages. When she saw the numerous scars lining his forearm, her lips parted slightly, her fair face paling with shock.
His fingers tapped idly against the table. After a long silence, he spoke casually, "There are still unanswered questions regarding Cai Ju’s case. I need you to recount everything you know—truthfully and in detail."
Yun Kui hadn’t expected this matter to resurface. The Crown Prince hadn’t summoned her to change his bandages but to interrogate her.
But… what else was there to say? This man is absurdly suspicious.
She tightened her grip on the gauze. "This servant truly saw it with my own eyes. I was concerned for Your Highness’s safety and cried out in the heat of the moment."
The Crown Prince arched a brow. "You were concerned for me?"
Yun Kui’s mind raced. Her gaze flickered over his lean waist, and for some reason, she recalled the sight of his bare torso—the defined ridges of his abdomen.
The Crown Prince’s expression darkened. Returning to the topic, his obsidian eyes gleamed with scrutiny. "About Cai Ju—I want the truth."
Yun Kui hurriedly replied, "This servant wouldn’t dare deceive Your Highness, not even with ten extra lives!"
"Help! What truth does he want to hear? The truth is I noticed Cai Ju’s suspicious actions and instinctively warned him. What is he suspecting?"
"If I’d known it would come to this, I should’ve kept my mouth shut!"
"Yes, I saw Cai Ju poisoning someone in a dream, but how can I explain that? If the Crown Prince won’t even believe the simple truth, how could he possibly believe I saw her dream?"
The Crown Prince’s phoenix eyes narrowed slightly as he listened to her inner monologue.
So it was a dream.
He hadn’t misheard earlier—this girl truly had the ability to peer into others’ dreams.
Given that he himself could hear people’s thoughts, even the most bizarre abilities didn’t faze him. The challenge now was coaxing the truth out of her.
After a moment’s deliberation, he deliberately asked, "I’ve heard you can dream of future events?"
Yun Kui’s fingers jerked in shock, and the scissors in her hand clattered onto the carpet.
Cold sweat beaded on her forehead as she dropped to her knees. "Your Highness, spare me! This servant has no such ability!"
The Crown Prince toyed with the black jade ring on his finger, his tone indifferent. "Perhaps you’re unaware—the Eastern Palace’s interrogation chamber has eighteen methods of torture. Flaying, bone-breaking, sky lanterns… Each one will make you deeply regret not confessing the truth sooner."
As he spoke of torture, the corners of his lips curled slightly. His leisurely pace and conversational tone made it all the more chilling.
"Has the Crown Prince discovered something? But I’ve never told anyone about my ability to enter dreams. How could he know?"
"Did I accidentally let it slip to Dan Gui?"
Trembling uncontrollably, her face deathly pale, she stammered, "If… if this servant speaks, will Your Highness grant mercy and pardon my concealment?"
The Crown Prince replied coolly, "Speak first."
Yun Kui swallowed hard and confessed honestly, "Last night, I did dream of Cai Ju poisoning someone. But I don’t have the power to foresee the future. I only occasionally glimpse others’ dreams. It just so happened that I crossed paths with Cai Ju in the corridor, and that night, I saw her secretly adding poison in her dream. During the day, I recalled this and paid extra attention to her movements… Every word I’ve said is true. This servant wouldn’t dare deceive Your Highness. I beg Your Highness to investigate!"
Seeing her swear so earnestly and matching her words to her thoughts, the Crown Prince knew she wasn’t lying.
He asked, "You can enter dreams?"
Indeed, compared to his mind-reading ability, dream-walking was just as extraordinary.
Yun Kui nodded, then quickly added, fearing the Crown Prince might want to exploit her meager ability for his own use: "This servant only stumbled upon Cai Ju's secret by accident. Normally, I can only glimpse trivial matters from those around me—nothing truly useful."
The Crown Prince's gaze sharpened. "You met Cai Ju just once and could enter her dreams. Now that you serve daily in the Chengguang Palace, does that mean you can enter mine as well?"
Yun Kui nervously clenched her fingers.
Should I say it? I even dreamed of you trying to strangle me.
But she absolutely couldn’t give him that reminder—otherwise, he might truly silence her for good.
The Crown Prince: "..."
Dreams were fleeting and chaotic, often forgotten with a mere toss in sleep.
Had he ever dreamed of strangling her?
Though on the night she fed him medicine with that sheep intestine contraption, he had indeed been seized with murderous intent, wishing he could tear her limb from limb.
After a moment’s hesitation, Yun Kui still didn’t dare speak the truth. "This servant’s petty tricks are hardly worth mentioning. Your Highness is the most exalted person under heaven—how could I dare trespass upon your dreams..."
The Crown Prince, of course, didn’t believe her. "Tonight, you will remain in the palace. I wish to see whether you can enter my dreams. If this proves to be mere nonsense and sorcery, you will not be spared."
Yun Kui protested, "This servant has never spoken of this to anyone else. There’s no sorcery here."
The Crown Prince: "Sorcery directed at me."
Yun Kui: "..."
Is he even listening? I already said I can’t control it! It’s not like I can enter just anyone’s dreams—it’s incredibly difficult!
Ignoring her silent frustration, the Crown Prince lowered his eyes and ordered, "Continue bandaging."
Yun Kui fought back tears, gritting her teeth as she cleaned his wounds. Her resentment made her hands rougher than intended, and when the cloth pressed too hard against his injury, she heard the man exhale sharply.
She glanced up and met his cold, ruthless gaze. Flustered, she braced for his anger, but he only stared at her in silence. Swallowing her grievances, she muttered, "This servant begs Your Highness’s forgiveness," and resumed her task.
The wounds on his arm were crisscrossed, each one gruesome and raw. Yun Kui’s hair stood on end, her fingers trembling uncontrollably.
Any one of those injuries would have left her writhing in agony.
She had been beaten before—by her cousin before entering the palace, and by the head matron after.
But her aunt had always prized her face, so while her cousin could vent his frustrations on her, he was never allowed to mar her beauty and ruin her marriage prospects.
As for the palace, punishments were measured. Unless one committed a grave offense, no one struck the face or left unsightly scars—lest they offend the nobles’ eyes.
Never in her life had she seen someone so brutally wounded, least of all the Crown Prince, who should have been the most pampered man in the realm.
She had, on rare occasions, glimpsed the other princes from afar.
The Second Prince, Prince Chen, was dignified and refined. The Fourth Prince, born of the Noble Consort, was dashing and charming. The Ninth Prince, just five years old, was plump and lively, fond of riding palace servants like horses.
Though dragons bred nine different sons, all were splendid and untouchably noble—except the Crown Prince. His Eastern Palace was a den of bloodshed, less a residence for the heir apparent and more a hall of the underworld...
Little sunflowers like her needed sunlight to thrive. How could they grow in such a gloomy, deathly place?
Lost in her thoughts, Yun Kui bandaged his wounds without noticing the Crown Prince’s increasingly stormy expression.
By the time she finished and looked up again, his face had smoothed back into its usual indifference.
After studying her for a moment, he suddenly asked, "What does it take to enter someone’s dreams?"
Seeing a chance to steer him away, Yun Kui eagerly explained, "This servant must have encountered the person in daily life, but I see countless faces each day—whose dreams I enter depends on fate. Beyond that, the person must occupy my thoughts day and night, keeping me restless..."
She embellished freely, hoping to make the whole ordeal sound so impossible that he’d abandon the idea entirely.
Yet the Crown Prince remained unmoved. After a brief silence, he declared, "Tonight, you will share my bed. Tomorrow, you will report what you see."
