The Crown Prince exchanged a glance with her before turning a cold gaze toward Cao Yuanlu.
What kind of questions were these?
Earlier, most of the inquiries had been along the lines of "Where were you previously assigned?" or "Whom did you meet before entering the Eastern Palace?" But since these women were all bedchamber attendants—distinct from ordinary palace maids—Cao Yuanlu naturally adjusted his interrogation methods accordingly.
Out of personal concern, Cao Yuanlu didn’t wish for His Highness to remain excessively solitary and aloof.
The late Emperor and Empress Huigong had shared such a loving bond—if they knew the Crown Prince was still alone, they would surely fret even in the afterlife.
Among these beauties, if there were any who were gentle, dutiful, and unafraid of authority, willing to stay by His Highness’s side, Cao Yuanlu would be more than happy to see it.
After all, the late Emperor’s sparse progeny was an undeniable fact. Cao Yuanlu hoped His Highness would remain in good health and father many heirs. Not to the extent of Emperor Chunming’s three palaces, six courtyards, and seventy-two consorts, but a few tender and devoted companions would surely bring comfort to the heart.
Moreover, after days of questioning, Cao Yuanlu could see that His Highness had a discerning eye. The slightest trace of ill intent in these women would not escape his notice. So it hardly mattered what was asked—a few probing words would reveal their true nature.
The Crown Prince lowered his eyes to sip his tea, no longer intervening.
The four women took turns answering in order.
The Master of Ceremonies racked her brain: "The Crown Prince’s status is exalted, far beyond what this humble servant could ever aspire to. Serving His Highness is my greatest fortune."
The Gatekeeper scraped together her words: "His Highness is valiant in battle, awe-inspiring, expanding the borders of Dazhao. This servant reveres him as one would a deity."
The Bedchamber Attendant blushed shyly: "His Highness possesses the grace of a dragon, the bearing of a celestial. This servant is willing, heart and soul, to serve by his side."
With each answer from the first three, Yun Kui’s heart sank further. They had taken all the good lines—what was left for her to say?
Was she supposed to admit she was utterly infatuated with the Crown Prince’s body?
The Crown Prince frowned, casting a displeased glance her way.
The little maid had been stealing looks at him too. When she noticed his gaze, she hastily averted her eyes.
"Next question," the Crown Prince said sternly.
At his command, Cao Yuanlu dared not delay and promptly moved on: "What skills do you possess that may be of use to His Highness?"
Once again, the Master of Ceremonies led the charge, inwardly lamenting as she carefully phrased her reply: "This servant has some knowledge of poetry and literature, and could engage His Highness in verse."
The Gatekeeper took her cue and added: "This servant is skilled in playing the pipa and could perform for His Highness."
The Bedchamber Attendant followed suit: "This servant excels in song and dance, and could provide His Highness with diversion."
Yun Kui: "..."
"I seriously suspect everyone here is ganging up on me."
"I may not have any grand talents, but I’m soft, fragrant, and pretty. His Highness likes sleeping with me—is that something I can say out loud?"
The Crown Prince’s hand, holding the teacup, stiffened. His expression darkened.
"Next question."
At his repeated command, all eyes involuntarily turned toward Yun Kui, kneeling at the far right.
"Why is she the only one exempt from answering? The Crown Prince’s favoritism is too obvious!"
Only when they caught sight of the Crown Prince’s stormy expression from the corner of their eyes did they hastily lower their heads again.
Cao Yuanlu gave Yun Kui an encouraging smile, cleared his throat, and proceeded to the third question.
As the saying went, courtesy before force. The first two questions had been lenient, considering their special status. The pretty words these women had spoken revealed nothing amiss to Cao Yuanlu, and the Crown Prince had not passed judgment as swiftly as he had with others during previous interrogations—where a few words could decide life or death.
Now, with the third question, Cao Yuanlu finally cut to the chase: "Do any of you harbor ulterior motives for remaining in the Eastern Palace?"
After days of relentless questioning, Cao Yuanlu had found this line of inquiry most effective in exposing deceit under the Crown Prince’s scrutiny.
Under the Crown Prince’s piercing gaze, the Master of Ceremonies replied tremulously: "This servant wishes only to serve His Highness. I have no other motives."
"If possible, I’d seek His Highness’s favor—to beg his mercy in recalling my exiled father and younger brother from the bitter frontier, so my brother might have a chance at the imperial examinations and restore our family’s honor."
Her family had been ruined when her uncle embezzled vast sums of public funds. The men were exiled to the borderlands, the women consigned to the Music Bureau. Once a respectable household, they had fallen into disgrace.
She had entered the Eastern Palace hoping to salvage something for her family, but the Crown Prince’s volatile temper had kept her at a distance.
Hearing her inner thoughts, the Crown Prince remained impassive, tapping his little finger lightly.
He was no saint, moved by every plea for sympathy. Collective punishment existed for a reason—who could say whether her father had been ignorant or complicit in hiding the crime for personal gain? The law applied equally to all; even if it were his own in-laws, he would never bend the rules for pillow talk.
Cao Yuanlu turned to the Gatekeeper.
The atmosphere seemed to grow heavier. Clenching her fingers, the Gatekeeper nervously said, "This servant is the same."
"The Imperial Uncle wanted me to seduce His Highness, but I’ve had no chance to get close to him."
The Crown Prince tapped his middle finger, and Qin Ge understood.
When it was the Bedchamber Attendant’s turn, she made no secret of her ambition: "This servant only wishes to remain by His Highness’s side and earn his affection."
"Even if the Crown Prince is gravely injured, he’s still the Crown Prince. If I can win his favor, I’ll at least become an imperial consort someday!"
The Crown Prince paused, giving her an extra glance—not out of interest, but because he suddenly recalled another thought of hers:
"What’s so special about her? Just because she’s prettier, with bigger breasts and a slimmer waist?"
The Bedchamber Attendant, already stealing glances at him, nearly failed to contain her delight when she noticed his attention.
But his gaze lingered only a moment before shifting to the woman beside her.
This time, his stare lasted longer, stirring a pang of resentment in the Bedchamber Attendant’s heart.
"Why is he looking at that little harlot again?"
Feeling the Crown Prince’s cool scrutiny, Yun Kui trembled slightly.
Too many had died in the Eastern Palace these past days, and she had spent them in constant dread. If anyone here had a guilty conscience, it was her.
The poison, lip rouge, and silver notes were still hidden in her chamber. She wanted to bury them but feared discovery. She wanted to return them to the two who had secretly approached her, but they had vanished—likely casualties of the purge.
As for the Empress’s secret drug, she lacked the courage to return it.
But if she confessed, would the Crown Prince believe her innocence? Or would it only hasten her death?
If "ulterior motives" were the crime, hers extended no further than greed and lust.
But did that warrant death?
Yun Kui was overcome with sorrow.
Sipping his tea, the Crown Prince listened calmly to her sniveling inner monologue. If she repented honestly, he might spare her life.
"Is it a crime to be greedy and lustful?"
"If I hadn’t been greedy for those ten taels of gold, the Crown Prince wouldn’t have taken the medicine and woken up so quickly."
"As for lust—who isn’t lustful? But I’ve only ever fantasized, never acted on it. Well, except for that time I pressed my chest against him..."
After a long silence, Cao Yuanlu—seeing His Highness’s thunderous expression—gently prompted, "Miss Yun Kui?"
Snapping back to reality, Yun Kui hastily parroted the Gatekeeper’s answer: "This servant is the same."
The accountant gritted her teeth silently: "Who allowed you to be the same as me!"
Though the four had answered aloud, their inner thoughts continued.
The master of ceremonies wondered, "Why is the Crown Prince asking this? Could there be a traitor among us?"
The gatekeeper fretted, "Was the Crown Prince looking at me just now? Does he know something…?"
Yun Kui mused, "Honestly, I’d rather live quietly until I’m twenty-five, leave the palace, save up enough silver, and marry a strong, sturdy guard—then spend the rest of my days shamelessly in bliss. Hmm, preferably someone with a figure like the Crown Prince’s—tall, broad-shouldered, with a narrow waist…"
The Crown Prince let out a cold, gritted laugh, rose from his grand chair, and fixed a dark glare on the audacious little maid before storming off without a backward glance.
Seeing no further orders from the Crown Prince, Qin Ge turned to Cao Yuanlu and said, "Send the master of ceremonies back to the Music Bureau. The gatekeeper remains under interrogation. The other two beauties… may stay for now."
The gatekeeper’s face drained of color, and she immediately dropped to her knees, wailing for mercy. The other three were equally terrified.
After all, until today, the gatekeeper had been their cheerful companion, showing no signs of wrongdoing. None had imagined she would be detained by the Crown Prince, uncertain of what fate awaited her.
The master of ceremonies, though disheartened at being sent back to the Music Bureau, also felt a wave of relief. Going back wasn’t so bad—given the Crown Prince’s temperament, securing his favor was unlikely, and one might even lose their life someday.
The accountant, though frightened, was mostly smug. She had assumed the refined elegance of the master of ceremonies or the alluring charm of the gatekeeper would win the Crown Prince’s favor. Who knew she’d be the one to stay?
Yun Kui broke out in a cold sweat, astonished to have narrowly escaped disaster once again.
Yet every time the Crown Prince looked at her, his gaze seemed ready to devour her whole.
Heaven as her witness—she had done nothing wrong!
Cao Yuanlu had been sweating bullets for her. After all, her room was filled with irrefutable evidence of colluding with outsiders to harm the Crown Prince. Was His Highness biding his time, waiting for her to make a move so he could crush the plot in one fell swoop?
In the Cheng Guang Palace, Liang Jin had worked through the night selecting fragrant materials. After days of labor, he finally crafted a blend that closely matched the scent of the palace maid who had attended the Crown Prince. He hurried to present it.
The incense cake burned in the gilded beast-shaped censer on the table, releasing delicate tendrils of smoke. A soft, warm fragrance drifted through the air.
Liang Jin explained, "I experimented repeatedly with sunflower, pear blossom, frankincense, bamboo leaves, osmanthus, and pennywort, finally achieving this blend. Does it resemble the young lady’s scent, Your Highness?"
The Crown Prince inhaled deeply, then critiqued, "The fragrance is too heavy, overly bitter, and lacks sweetness."
Liang Jin inwardly groaned. Replicating a person’s natural scent with incense was already difficult, and he had only briefly encountered the girl. Matching it seventy or eighty percent was no small feat.
"Your Highness, forgive me. Allow this humble servant to refine it further."
The Crown Prince replied indifferently, "Hmm."
That evening, he did not summon Yun Kui to his chambers, opting instead for Liang Jin’s incense.
Truthfully, Liang Jin was right—it was seventy or eighty percent similar. But having held Yun Kui night after night, the Crown Prince was intimately familiar with her scent and could detect even the slightest deviation.
Especially since he relied on this fragrance to soothe his headaches in her absence, his standards were uncompromising.
Yet by morning, the verdict was clear—a tiny difference led to a vast divergence.
When Cao Yuanlu entered with attendants for the morning ablutions, he was startled to find His Highness pale and hollow-eyed, his phoenix gaze bloodshot from a sleepless night.
Worried, he stepped forward. "Your Highness, has your headache returned?"
The Crown Prince neither confirmed nor denied, merely pressing his fingertips to his temple. His hoarse voice was thick with exhaustion.
"Bring Yun Kui in."
