The ornate stained-glass windows shielded the room from the howling winter winds outside, while the brocade bedding beneath her was softer than an infant’s delicate skin.
From the cold stone floor of the secret chamber to the warm, luxurious canopy bed, Yun Kui still felt as though she were dreaming as the man pinned her beneath him, claiming her lips with a dominating kiss.
His mouth moved with an unyielding possessiveness, pressing down hard before exploring the tender, vulnerable territory with alternating bites and sucks. She was utterly defenseless, her fingers clutching desperately at his waist for support.
The Crown Prince, resplendent in his embroidered robes and jade belt, cut a striking figure. She could even feel the faint ridges of the serpentine patterns woven into his garments, coiled silently over his powerful frame like a dragon lurking in the abyss.
Earlier in the secret chamber, she had cursed him countless times, swearing never to let him kiss her again. Yet the moment their bodies pressed together and their lips tangled, all those vows were forgotten.
"Damn this seductive man, always tempting me."
Hearing her silent curse, the Crown Prince’s breath grew heavier. His teeth sank into her lower lip with a sharp nip.
Tears instantly welled in Yun Kui’s eyes. "Your Highness, it hurts…"
His lips withdrew slowly, his dark gaze fixed on her now-swollen mouth, red and glistening like a ripe cherry split open, its sweet juice seeping out. His thumb brushed over it, smearing the dampness in slow, deliberate strokes.
Yun Kui didn’t know what he intended, but his obsidian eyes burned with a smoldering intensity. Swallowing nervously, she instinctively flicked her tongue out, trembling as it grazed the rough pad of his finger.
Their eyes locked—both frozen in surprise.
Unlike the heated clash of their earlier kiss, this felt like being licked by a soft little rabbit, the wet, velvety touch sending an unexpected shiver down his spine.
The Crown Prince’s breath grew ragged as his damp fingers trailed down her neck. Her skin was as smooth as polished jade wrapped in silk, the swell of her breasts hidden beneath soft fabric, still marked by the faint red traces he’d left the day before.
He traced one of the marks, his voice deceptively calm. "Why did you make those peach buns for me today?"
The scrape of his calloused thumb sent waves of heat and a maddening itch seeping into her veins. She shuddered involuntarily.
Hearing his lingering suspicion, she pouted. "Your Highness doesn’t think I did it on purpose, does he? My pastries have always tasted better than they look. I never meant for it to backfire like this—truly, I didn’t!"
"I only realized how suggestive they looked after checking those erotic illustrations later!"
The Crown Prince stiffened, then let out a cold scoff.
Between dinner and washing up, time had already been tight—yet she’d somehow found a spare moment to peruse spring palace paintings.
Of course, while baffling, it was entirely in character for her.
Satisfied that it wasn’t a deliberate provocation, his gaze softened slightly. "If you know your skills are lacking, why bother making them for me at all?"
Yun Kui pressed her lips together. "This servant just wanted to please Your Highness, to earn a little kindness."
"You needn’t curry favor," he said flatly. "Since I’ve allowed you to stay, I won’t kill you without cause. Do your duties properly—that’s enough."
Her lashes lowered, her voice sullen. "This servant overstepped. It won’t happen again."
In his twenty years of life, no one had ever dared sulk in front of the Crown Prince—not even Emperor Chunming treated him with anything less than courtesy.
Annoyance flickered across his face—until her contradictory thoughts reached him.
"If it weren’t for getting to touch those abs again, I wouldn’t have bothered making desserts to please you!"
The Crown Prince: "…"
He shut his eyes, exhaling sharply to rein in his temper.
He’d overestimated her. After repeated lessons, he’d assumed she harbored some intricate scheme—but no, it was just her insatiable lust.
Irritated, his grip tightened, drawing a breathy whimper from her as her cheeks flushed a deep, intoxicating pink.
His scorching breath descended, lips blazing a trail down her throat, forcing her to arch into his touch.
"His tongue is so hot…"
"Stop biting there—it’s too much… Just lick instead… Oh heavens…"
Her soft, fragmented thoughts spilled into his ears with every kiss, each one a spark feeding the wildfire raging in his blood.
So she wasn’t just a natural seductress—she was also his self-appointed strategist, luring him in while subtly directing his every move.
His Adam’s apple bobbed before his mouth found the hollow of her collarbone.
Yun Kui’s face burned, her body pliant beneath him. Her hands fluttered aimlessly, fingers twisting until her knuckles whitened—yet each time she teetered on the edge of collapse, he adjusted his pace, granting her fleeting reprieves.
"Well, he is the Crown Prince—naturally gifted."
"But why must he dress so formally? That belt won’t budge—where am I supposed to put my hands?"
Dazed, she barely registered the soft click of a metal clasp unfastening.
Blinking, her fingers tentatively explored his waist—only to find his belt had miraculously come undone!
Her eyes widened. She slipped her hand beneath the fabric, fingertips dancing over the hard ridges of his abdomen.
"Ah! I’m touching them!"
"One, two, three, four… I think there really are eight? Let me count again…"
By the third recount, her wrist was abruptly seized and pinned to the bed.
The Crown Prince loomed over her, his eyes dark with restraint, his breathing uneven. "Had your fill?"
Her face was crimson, her gaze hazy with desire. "This servant lost control—I didn’t mean to disrespect Your Highness. Please forgive me."
"I’ll do it again next time, hehe."
Releasing her, he growled, "Enough. Sleep."
He’d indulged her enough for one day.
Yun Kui adjusted her robes and rose to help him undress. Staring at the unfastened jade belt, she puzzled over it.
"That shouldn’t have come loose so easily…"
"Unless he…?"
She shot him a suspicious glance—only to yelp as his knuckle rapped her forehead. "Your Highness!"
His icy stare silenced her instantly. Still, as she removed his outer robe, she studied the closures meticulously—for future reference.
When it was her turn, she hesitated over whether to undo her hair. Before she could decide, the Crown Prince commanded, "To bed."
Obediently, she removed her hairpins and outer garments, slipping quietly beneath the covers on the far side.
Noting her distance, he hauled her into his arms without ceremony.
Yun Kui stared up at him, stunned by his proximity. Her gaze drifted downward, her fingers twitching toward his parted robe—until his warning growl stopped her. "No touching."
"…As if this servant would dare!"
"I absolutely would. Heh."
"Fine, if I can't touch it, then I won't!"
She buried her face directly against him instead.
The soft, warm skin of the young girl pressed entirely against him, and the Crown Prince tilted his head back with a gasp, his fingers tightening subtly.
Yun Kui suddenly felt something push her away. When she glanced up, she saw the rigid swell of his flexed arm muscles.
Yun Kui: "..."
"How am I supposed to sleep like this? It's so hard!"
The Crown Prince shot her an annoyed look before slowly relaxing his grip, letting the engorged muscles ease back into their naturally firm yet supple state.
Satisfied, Yun Kui nuzzled against his neck and closed her eyes contentedly.
She slept soundly but soon found herself in a peculiar dream.
The Crown Prince was handling official affairs in his study, while the "her" in the dream attended to him—well, more like playing the role of a charming distraction. Except this "her" had a pair of fluffy rabbit-ear hair accessories, which looked entirely out of place in the solemn, dignified hall.
"She" wasn’t even grinding ink, just nibbling on pastries—specifically, a plate of peach-shaped buns—before dozing off right on the Crown Prince’s desk.
Then, Yun Kui watched as His Highness held a scroll in one hand while the other absentmindedly rested on "her" rabbit ears, stroking them over and over...
Yun Kui instinctively shrank her head and woke up to find an actual hand on top of it!
And her hair was completely disheveled!
"Did he actually mess it up by petting me?!"
"So Nanny Yan was right—he really does like rabbit ears!"
"And here he was, pretending otherwise, saying 'this hairstyle is common, nothing special'! Yet he secretly played with them while I was asleep! Even in his dreams, he was touching them!"
Hearing the words "pretending otherwise," a vein twitched faintly on the Crown Prince’s forehead as he calmly withdrew his hand.
"Oh no, oh no, I’m awake now! I can’t expose him this time, or I’ll end up in the dark room again!"
Yun Kui shut her eyes tightly, feigning sleep.
The Crown Prince’s expression darkened, but seeing her tightly closed almond-shaped eyes and pursed lips—her terrible acting was almost laughable—he couldn’t help but feel amused. He brushed aside the stray strands on her cheek, revealing her soft, delicate face.
Yun Kui’s cheek tingled unbearably, but she didn’t dare move, forcing herself to endure it.
The Crown Prince’s thumb traced the faint pink at the corner of her eye as he murmured in a low voice, "The Crown Prince has risen, yet his bedchamber attendant is still asleep. What punishment does this warrant?"
"What is he doing?! Should I wake up or not?!"
Gritting her teeth, she was about to open her eyes and pretend to stir when the bed curtains suddenly fell, dimming most of the light inside.
She heard the sound of slippers shuffling away and cautiously peeked with one eye. Through the sheer fabric of the canopy, she caught the faint silhouette of the Crown Prince’s tall, elegant figure.
"Such a delicious physique!"
He called for Deshun to assist with his morning routine—was he letting her sleep in?
Seeing that he had no further instructions, Yun Kui happily played dead, dozing a little longer to recharge. Once he left the bedchamber, she seized the chance to get up.
After breakfast, the Crown Prince headed to Chongming Hall to review the secret reports submitted by his spies.
Cao Yuanlu served tea and remarked, "On New Year’s Eve, His Majesty will host a banquet in Chaoyang Hall for the courtiers, officially declared as a welcoming feast for Your Highness. All officials of the fifth rank and above will attend with their families. It’s time for Your Highness to consider selecting a Crown Princess."
Over the years, Emperor Chunming’s own sons—Prince Jing, Prince Chen, and Prince Sheng—had already married and fathered heirs, while the fourth prince’s consort had also been chosen.
Previously, the Crown Prince’s absence on the battlefield had been a convenient excuse to delay his marriage, with the explanation that he would choose upon his return. But now that he was back, past the age of twenty and fully recovered from his injuries, any further postponement would invite criticism against Emperor Chunming.
Distracted, the Crown Prince held the report in his hand, his mind instead wandering to the image of the girl’s soft, delicate palm pressed against his abdomen beneath the embroidered canopy...
The Crown Prince was at work, but his thoughts were entirely on his wife.
