In recent days, the Empress had the Imperial Household Department select numerous candidates to send to the Eastern Palace, yet without exception, the Crown Prince turned them all away. Even two of her carefully placed spies, intended to keep watch over the Crown Prince, were reportedly dragged out and punished for being overly familiar in his presence.
The Empress was furious, her anger mingled with a growing unease.
Had the Crown Prince discovered something?
It seemed unlikely.
She prided herself on having fulfilled her duties impeccably over the years, at least maintaining appearances so flawlessly that no one dared speak ill of her. The two maids she had sent were also planted with the utmost secrecy.
No matter. For now, the most pressing matter was to placate the senior ministers at court, ensuring they understood she, as the motherly Empress, had done all she could. The outcome, however, was beyond her control.
It was a pity that the previous spies she had sent couldn’t even get close to the Crown Prince and had met such a grim fate.
The thought made her head ache.
It was Nanny Qin who offered a solution: "In this servant’s humble opinion, that maid who served medicine last time was quite bold and clever—and exceptionally beautiful. Despite all the commotion, the Crown Prince spared her life. That alone suggests she has some fortune. Perhaps… she could be of use to Your Majesty."
The reminder brought to mind the girl’s delicate, alluring features, and the Empress felt a flicker of interest.
"Go. Bring her to me at once."
…
Yun Kui was a girl with a strong sense of self-awareness. Her instincts told her that being summoned by the Empress—a figure so far above her station—could not bode well.
Even if she had been rewarded for her service in administering medicine before, this time, it was surely about the Crown Prince.
And she was right.
Seated on a soft divan embroidered with golden peonies, the Empress set down her teacup and smiled benignly as Yun Kui entered. "Last time in Chengguang Palace, if not for your skill in serving medicine, the Crown Prince might not have woken so swiftly."
At the mention of the "Crown Prince," Yun Kui felt a vein throb at her temple. She forced herself to reply, "This servant’s meager skills are hardly worth mentioning."
The Empress studied her with a faint smirk. She had seen many girls like this—ambitious climbers, greedy for wealth, and thus easily controlled.
"Rise first."
Yun Kui obeyed. "This servant thanks Your Majesty."
The Empress looked her over approvingly. "Truly a rare beauty. I see you are both bold and meticulous. Toiling in the kitchens is beneath you. The Crown Prince remains unwell, and the servants below are useless—they can’t even get him to take his medicine. That’s why I thought of you."
Yun Kui’s heart sank. Was the Empress planning to assign her to Chengguang Palace, solely to serve the Crown Prince his medicine?
The Empress made her intentions clear. "I intend to promote you to the rank of bedchamber maid. From now on, you shall attend the Crown Prince personally. What do you say?"
"B-bedchamber maid?" Yun Kui’s face paled, certain she had misheard.
The Empress chuckled. "What? Are you unwilling?"
Cold sweat drenched Yun Kui’s back, and her words stumbled. "This servant is unworthy! I only know how to scrub pots in the kitchens… I—I don’t know how to… attend a bedchamber."
She longed for a secure future, but she understood the dangers of serving royalty—especially a Crown Prince rumored to be merciless. This was practically a death sentence.
The Empress waved a hand. "With your looks, serving medicine is a waste. As for the duties of the bedchamber, I will have someone instruct you. Becoming the Crown Prince’s intimate companion would bring you limitless prospects."
Though the Empress spoke kindly, Yun Kui sensed the steel beneath her words.
She tried one last plea. "I fear His Highness would find this servant clumsy and unworthy…"
Her reluctance darkened the Empress’s expression. Noticing the shift, Nanny Qin stepped forward sternly. "The Eastern Palace is an honor many dream of but never attain. Her Majesty is granting you an opportunity most could never earn in eight lifetimes! How dare you hesitate? Kneel and give thanks at once!"
Nanny Qin privately scoffed. When serving medicine, this girl had been eager enough—now she pretended modesty?
With no escape, Yun Kui knelt and kowtowed in gratitude.
This was the Empress—the mother of the nation, not some accommodating stewardess. Once the Empress set her mind on something, there was no room for refusal.
Her worst nightmare had come true.
The mere thought of the ruthless, bloodthirsty Crown Prince, of the corpses dragged out of Chengguang Palace, sent chills down her spine.
The Crown Prince had tried to strangle her in his dreams. If she entered Chengguang Palace, she’d be lucky to last half a day before being carried out feet-first.
But how could she explain her knowledge of his dreams? Such supernatural claims would only brand her a madwoman—or worse, a monster.
Dazed, she returned to the kitchens, where the head maid informed her she no longer needed to sleep in the shared servants’ quarters. She had been assigned new lodgings.
Yun Kui thought bitterly: No need to rush the move. Her head might relocate before she did.
Dan Gui clasped her hands, tears in her eyes. "Don’t worry. I’ll burn plenty of paper money for you. You won’t suffer in the afterlife."
Yun Kui nearly wept.
She hadn’t even warmed the ten taels of gold she’d earned!
For the first time, she truly understood the saying: Money is useless to the dead.
Though a bedchamber maid was the lowest rank among palace attendants, it was still an official position. Yun Kui would share quarters with three others—the Mistress of Ceremonies, the Mistress of the Gate, and the Mistress of the Bedchamber—all residing in the side chambers behind Chengguang Palace.
On paper, their duties involved mundane tasks like making the bed, preparing baths, and dressing the Crown Prince. But everyone knew the truth: they were concubines-in-waiting, expected to serve the Crown Prince’s pleasure at any moment.
Under normal circumstances, this would be a chance for lowly maids to rise like phoenixes. A favored concubine who bore a child could secure a lifetime of luxury.
But with this particular Crown Prince, the Eastern Palace might as well be the underworld.
Yun Kui wanted to cry.
Her three companions were all talents from the Lanyue Pavilion—one skilled in music and poetry, another in the pipa, the third in dance. Only Yun Kui had nothing but her looks.
And before the Crown Prince, even beauty was worthless.
Hadn’t the girls dragged out of Chengguang Palace all been stunning? The Crown Prince showed no mercy when it came to killing.
That afternoon, Nanny Qin arrived to instruct them in palace etiquette.
The so-called "etiquette" covered every detail of serving in Chengguang Palace.
With the Crown Prince still recovering from grave injuries, their primary duty was nursing him back to health.
Aunt Wei summoned a physician’s assistant to teach them how to dress wounds, administer medicine, and even how to serve meals and tea. They were drilled relentlessly on every task—from folding quilts to arranging flowers, lighting incense to trimming candles—until their movements met exacting standards.
"Your mind must be calm, your hands steady, your posture flawless. His Highness values silence. When serving in his chambers, you must not make a sound—no chatter, no noise. Not a speck of dust may linger on his bed, his desk, or the curtains…"
Yun Kui had to refold the bedding over twenty times, inwardly groaning.
Was there even a chance she’d live long enough to make the Crown Prince’s bed?
More likely, she’d be dragged out and beaten to death for stepping into Chengguang Palace with her left foot first.
What’s the point of learning all these rules!
But Yun Kui was a dutiful slacker. Even if she was unwilling, she wouldn’t rebel openly. She was the type who neither strived to excel nor sank to the bottom—a middling drifter. So in front of Aunt Wei, she behaved obediently, like a lifeless puppet, mechanically repeating the motions.
After all, these were likely her final days. Even if they were exhausting, they were still worth cherishing.
After several days, all four of them were utterly drained.
The accounting maid finally couldn’t hold back and asked, "Aunt Wei, when will we get to serve the Crown Prince?"
Aunt Wei, who was teaching them the rules, shot her a glance. "What’s the rush? The most important part hasn’t even been taught yet."
With that, each of them received an illustrated manual.
Aunt Wei said, "The rules you’ve learned so far are only to ensure you can keep your lives in front of His Highness. What you’re about to learn next are the intimate arts that will win you his favor."
Curious, the four of them opened the manual—only to realize Aunt Wei had given them an erotic picture book.
The door and etiquette maids, being shy, immediately snapped the book shut the moment they saw the illustrations of entwined figures. Even the usually bold accounting maid flushed crimson.
Seeing everyone else react with embarrassment, Yun Kui didn’t dare show her genuine interest and pretended to close the book as well.
Aunt Wei continued, "His Highness is past the age of twenty, yet his bed remains empty. You’ve all been meticulously selected by the palace. It’s your duty to serve him well and strive for his affection. Given that His Highness is currently recovering from severe injuries and has limited mobility, you must study these arts diligently and take the initiative to ease his burdens. Understood?"
The four of them bowed in unison.
That night, when no one was around, Yun Kui hid under her blankets and pulled out the manual, flipping through it with great relish.
Truth be told, she wasn’t unfamiliar with intimate matters. Though her dream-walking ability offered no practical help in daily life, it had opened a door to a world of novelty—occasionally, she’d witness vivid, passionate scenes in her dreams.
Most of the dream protagonists were people she knew. For instance, Aunt Bi Zan and the honor guard commander were frequent stars of her dreams. Sometimes, due to the positions, she could only see the backs of the men and women, accompanied by muffled moans and gasps.
It wasn’t until later that she realized these were so-called erotic dreams.
Out of politeness, even in her dreams, she never dared to get too close, merely observing from a respectful distance. Over time, she gained some understanding of the pleasures between men and women.
But since she worked in the inner palace, her usual company consisted of eunuchs and maids. The officials from the Court of Imperial Entertainments who dealt with the kitchens and the guards from the outer palace weren’t exactly frequent subjects of such dreams. So, opportunities to witness these scenes up close were rare.
The dreams of eunuchs held little appeal, and she found the portly, gluttonous men distasteful.
Because she’d seen so little, a restless curiosity stirred within her.
As she flipped through the erotic manual that night, the illustrated positions overlapped with the scenes she’d glimpsed in her mind. She finally understood what "Dragon Coiling," "Mandarin Ducks Joined," and "Butterfly in Flight" truly meant—such infinite wonders, the pinnacle of earthly pleasure.
But as she kept turning the pages, a pang of sorrow struck her.
No matter how much she yearned, she’d soon be deprived of such joys.
Aunt Wei was truly kind to give her this book before her death, allowing her one brief but delightful night. Sadly, the skills she’d learned would likely go to waste on the Crown Prince. Perhaps she’d flirt with a few handsome male ghosts in the underworld instead.
Who knew if the pleasures of spirits differed from those of the living?
Ah, she wanted to cry…
The next morning, Aunt Wei personally oversaw their grooming and led them into the Hall of Radiant Light.
The moment they stepped inside, the heavy stench of blood assaulted their senses, making them all hold their breaths reflexively.
Yun Kui kept her head low the entire way, eyes fixed on the tips of her shoes, her palms slick with cold sweat.
When Aunt Wei came to a halt in the hall, Yun Kui’s entire body tensed like a drawn bowstring, not daring to exhale.
Aunt Wei bowed respectfully to the man on the bed and said, "These are the four beauties specially selected by the Imperial Household Department to serve Your Highness from now on."
The four of them immediately dropped to their knees, greeting the Crown Prince in unison.
But the man on the bed remained silent. The hall was so quiet that only the crackling of candle flames could be heard.
The Crown Prince sipped his tea leisurely, his dark lashes half-lowered, his inky eyes shadowed and unreadable.
Aunt Wei, seeing that he hadn’t even glanced their way, grew awkward. Remembering Nanny Qin’s instructions, she forced a smile and said, "Your Highness, these girls are all quite clever. Especially this one, Yun Kui—when you were unconscious and couldn’t take medicine, it was her idea that—"
Yun Kui: "…"
Seriously? Are you trying to shorten my lifespan?
It felt like tossing a fresh piece of meat into a beast’s cage, fawningly presenting her as the most delectable offering—Here, try this one! It’s the tastiest!
The Crown Prince toyed with the black jade ring on his thumb before lazily lifting his gaze. "Oh? Is that so?"
"Yes, yes!" Aunt Wei hurriedly ordered, "Yun Kui, raise your head and let His Highness see you."
There was no pretending to be dead now.
Her neck stiff, Yun Kui reluctantly lifted her head—and met those pitch-black, sinister eyes.
That single glance sent a chill down her spine.
Perhaps it was sheer terror, but her mind went completely blank in that moment.
The Crown Prince sat on the edge of the bed, his gaze gleaming with a predatory light, like a beast eyeing its prey. He lifted a finger toward her.
"You. Come here."
His voice was devoid of emotion, yet the low, raspy tone carried an eerie, unsettling edge.
Trembling, Yun Kui crawled forward on numb legs. Hundreds of pleas for mercy raced through her mind, but fear choked them all—
Wait, no one told me the Crown Prince was this good-looking!
Hearing her thoughts, His Highness narrowed his eyes darkly.
