Yun Kui hid under the quilt, her face flushed crimson, too embarrassed to show herself. Only when the Crown Prince ordered the attendants to leave did she quietly let out a sigh of relief.
She had just thought of getting up to fetch a silk handkerchief when the covers were lifted, and a warm cloth was pressed against her skin—the Crown Prince himself had taken it upon his hands to wipe her clean.
Her cheeks burned with shame, partly because the cloth tickled unbearably as it brushed over her skin, yet she couldn’t scratch the itch. Biting her lip, she endured it and murmured, "Your Highness, this servant can do it herself."
Even if she were merely a bedchamber maid, let alone the Crown Princess herself, it was unheard of for the Crown Prince to personally attend to someone like this.
If Aunt Wei were to witness this, she would surely lecture her endlessly on propriety.
The exalted Crown Prince had never served anyone before—this was his first time.
Before, when he couldn’t read minds, it hadn’t mattered. But now, the whispers of the palace staff flooded his ears—even if they dared not show it outwardly, their inner thoughts were a ceaseless murmur.
The Crown Prince had no desire for the affairs of his bedchamber to be discussed, even silently, by outsiders.
And if anyone were to see Yun Kui in such a disheveled state, it would inevitably invite gossip about him as well.
Pursing his lips, his expression cold and unreadable, the Crown Prince continued wiping her down. Yun Kui had no choice but to submit, though she flinched the moment the cloth touched a certain spot.
The Crown Prince pressed his hand against her thigh to keep her still, but the girl only trembled more violently.
"Why isn’t he done yet? What is he even looking at…?"
"It’s so itchy, so unbearable… π_π"
The Crown Prince reprimanded her in a low voice, "You’ve dirtied my bedding, and now you dare squirm?"
Yun Kui could only clutch her fingers tightly, turning her face away to avoid his gaze. In her hand, she held the damp jade thumb ring, its cold touch lingering on her skin like a phantom caress.
Yet she couldn’t fathom why she had been so…
Even in her dreams, Concubine Yu and Aunt Bizan had never been like this—no matter how fervently their men exerted themselves, they had never lost control the way she had.
And just moments ago, she had watched as the Crown Prince meticulously wiped his hands clean and replaced the entire bedding.
What was worse, she had been the one to provoke him, confidently applying all the new knowledge she had learned—only for him to remain as composed and immaculate as ever, while she had fallen apart the moment the heat touched her!
How could she describe it? Like a man who eagerly dropped his pants, only to finish in two breaths—utterly pathetic!
The Crown Prince listened silently, his hands continuing their task.
Unlike her, he hadn’t spent his days studying erotic manuals or observing others in dreams. He needed to familiarize himself now, so that in the future… he wouldn’t be completely ignorant and end up finishing in two breaths.
Remembering the thumb ring still in her grasp, Yun Kui turned slightly, intending to hand it over for cleaning.
The Crown Prince glanced at the glistening black jade and raised a brow. "Your own mess—clean it yourself."
With no handkerchief nearby, she certainly couldn’t use the Crown Prince’s bedding.
His gaze darkened. "Weren’t you quite skilled with your tongue earlier?"
Yun Kui’s face burned to the tips of her ears. "I—I was just…"
Though she protested, curiosity got the better of her. She brought the ring to her lips and tentatively licked the moisture from its surface. It seemed tasteless at first, then faintly sweet.
Pursing her lips, she met the Crown Prince’s inscrutable gaze and, with a coy flutter of her lashes, extended the ring toward him. "Would Your Highness like a taste as well?"
In a fit of anger, the Crown Prince yanked the quilt over her head, burying her completely.
Only then did Yun Kui realize what she had just said. She stifled a giggle under the covers.
But her laughter soon died as a sudden thought struck her.
"If just a thumb ring reduced me to this, how will I survive in the future?! Waaah!"
...
The next morning.
Tang Fugui, the chief eunuch of Qianqing Palace, arrived with a message: Emperor Chunming requested the Crown Prince’s presence at the New Year’s Eve banquet in five days.
The Crown Prince had never intended to refuse.
Emperor Chunming had punished Empress and Prince Chen severely, then arranged this banquet to honor the Crown Prince—clearly signaling his stance to the court.
With so many eyes watching, it was the perfect opportunity to give them a spectacle.
Turning to Yun Kui, the Crown Prince said, "You will accompany me to the palace banquet."
Yun Kui blinked in surprise before murmuring her assent.
His Highness probably wanted her to mingle and gather new material for her dreams, lest she keep dreaming of either Concubine Yu’s affairs or intimate moments with the Crown Prince…
A cold glance from him made her heart skip.
She couldn’t shake the feeling that he had some supernatural insight—how else could he always catch her thoughts so accurately?!
Cao Yuanlu, ever perceptive, guessed the reasons.
First, the Crown Prince feared his headaches might flare up during the banquet, causing him to lose composure in front of the court. Years ago, during a ritual ceremony, he had barely suppressed an episode—yet his bloodshot eyes and savage expression had terrified the officials present.
With Yun Kui by his side this time, at least the pain could be mitigated.
Second, the Crown Prince clearly valued Yun Kui deeply. Bringing her to the banquet would serve as a warning to families eyeing the position of Crown Princess—this was his favored concubine, and no one was to touch her.
...
As New Year’s Eve approached, with Empress and Prince Chen confined to their quarters, Emperor Chunming entrusted the banquet arrangements to Concubine Yin.
Eager to seize the opportunity, Concubine Yin summoned the Fourth Prince to Changchun Palace for a private discussion.
Once the attendants were dismissed, she said, "At this banquet, you must impress His Majesty. If you can secure a couple of supportive concubines, all the better."
The Fourth Prince chuckled helplessly. "Mother, you’re too impatient. I’m not even wed yet."
To strengthen ties with the nobility, Emperor Chunming had selected daughters of high-ranking officials as consorts for his sons. The Fourth Prince’s betrothed was the second daughter of the Marquis of Pingchang.
The Fourth Prince added, "Besides, this is the Crown Prince’s victory banquet. His marriage is the pressing matter now."
Concubine Yin lowered her voice. "Choosing a Crown Princess is a delicate matter for both His Majesty and Empress—her lineage must be neither too high nor too low. Now that the Crown Prince has recovered, the Empress is even more desperate. When they exhaust each other in their schemes, our chance will come. Prince Jing’s maternal family is insignificant, and Prince Sheng is frail. The throne will be yours."
The Fourth Prince’s expression gradually turned serious. He nodded in agreement.
The banquet arrived in the blink of an eye.
That day, Yun Kui wore the plainest maid’s attire, hoping to go unnoticed.
Attending the banquet wasn’t the issue—her status was the problem. A bedchamber maid was beneath notice, and officials had already looked down on her at the Eastern Gate. Now, she would face the highest nobles and ladies of the court, perhaps even the future Crown Princess. What would they think of her?
She could only pray for an uneventful evening.
The evening lights of Chaoyang Hall blazed brilliantly, its grandeur illuminated by thousands of glazed lanterns. At the center of the hall, an intricately carved screen depicting court ladies separated the seating—on one side sat high-ranking officials adorned in brocade robes and jade belts, while the other side was occupied by noblewomen with their elegant coiffures and fragrant silks, all gradually taking their assigned places.
Yun Kui followed closely behind the Crown Prince, her gaze lifting to his towering figure clad in a dark-blue robe embroidered with golden dragon patterns—a sight both majestic and awe-inspiring.
The moment the Crown Prince stepped into the hall, a hush fell over Chaoyang Hall. After a brief silence, the assembled guests swiftly rose to their feet, bowing in respectful greeting.
Almost immediately afterward, Emperor Chunming arrived in solemn procession, prompting another round of bows and the resounding cry of "Long live the Emperor!"
The Crown Prince’s table was placed in the most prominent position to the left of the imperial throne, so close that it nearly aligned with the Emperor’s own seat—a deliberate statement by Emperor Chunming to the court and the imperial clan.
Yet how could his heart remain untroubled?
Having ruled for twenty years, his ascension had been legitimate and unquestioned. For two decades, he had governed with authority, earning the reverence of his subjects and the adoration of the people. And yet, some within the imperial clan still regarded the late Emperor Jingyou as the true sovereign and the Crown Prince as their rightful leader—as if he himself were a usurper!
Especially when he caught sight of the dragon robes worn by the Crown Prince, Emperor Chunming’s expression remained composed, but fury churned violently within.
The Crown Prince, aware of his resentment, merely smiled faintly in response.
Exquisite delicacies were served in succession, and Emperor Chunming raised his cup in a toast to the nobility, celebrating the Crown Prince’s triumph. "The recent victory in the northern frontier, where the Crown Prince seized seven cities of Northern Wei, secured our borders, and drove the enemy back a thousand miles, is a monumental achievement—a blessing to our Great Zhao."
The assembled lords and ministers raised their cups in congratulation, though Emperor Chunming made no mention of the rumors that had unsettled many unaware members of the imperial clan and noblewomen—the infamous "massacre" that remained unaddressed and unexplained.
Music swelled, and cups clinked in merriment.
The Crown Prince listened quietly to the murmurs around him, while Yun Kui, kneeling behind him, focused entirely on the sumptuous dishes before her and the performances unfolding in the hall.
Beyond the screen, in the section reserved for noblewomen, countless gazes—whether intentional or not—drifted toward the Crown Prince.
Though obscured by distance, his innate nobility, his poised and unshakable bearing, and his formidable aura left no doubt—the Crown Prince had indeed recovered, just as the rumors claimed.
Moreover, with Concubine Yin presiding over the women’s seating tonight, while the Empress and Prince Chen were confined to their quarters and barred from the New Year’s banquet, the message was clear to all.
Barring unforeseen circumstances, the throne would belong to the Crown Prince. Emperor Chunming would pass the empire to him alone.
What did it matter if he was ruthless or plagued by illness? He was still the Crown Prince—the future Emperor. The position of Crown Princess remained the highest honor.
Yet one question puzzled everyone: why had the Crown Prince brought a lowly bedchamber maid to such a grand occasion?
Was he so infatuated that he couldn’t bear to be apart from her for even a moment?
The noblewomen weren’t the only ones perplexed—even the officials near the Crown Prince whispered among themselves.
The Crown Prince’s gaze swept across the hall, locking briefly with the cold, solemn eyes of the Heir of Ningde Marquis. The latter stiffened momentarily before raising his cup in a distant toast. The Crown Prince swirled his golden goblet, his lips curling in an enigmatic smile.
The Heir of Ningde Marquis clenched his fist subtly, a flash of ruthlessness flickering in his eyes.
Tonight was the perfect opportunity to strike against the Crown Prince—he couldn’t afford to miss it.
With a discreet gesture, he summoned a trusted aide and murmured a few instructions.
The Crown Prince appeared indifferent, yet he observed everything.
Among the officials, hushed discussions swirled—about the absence of the Empress, Prince Chen, and the imperial uncle, the shifting tides of court politics, bureaucratic rivalries, and the scandals brewing in their own households.
Just then, a soft, startled gasp pierced the air.
The strings and flutes softened as drums suddenly thundered. At the center of the hall, a masked man adorned with beastly motifs, his muscular frame bared, led a troupe of fierce warriors onto the floor. They moved with powerful, rhythmic steps, performing the grand and stirring "Lanling King’s Battle Array."
The Crown Prince turned his head slightly—only to find his bedchamber maid, Yun Kui, staring wide-eyed at the performers, her gaze sparkling with fascination.
