The carriage was dimly lit. Yun Kui knelt before the Crown Prince, noticing his slight hesitation, she decided to assist him by setting aside the black jade belt he had removed and unfastening his robe.
The cotton bandage wrapped around his wound was faintly stained with blood, covering half of his toned abdomen. Yun Kui’s fingers lightly brushed the skin beneath the bandage—there wasn’t an ounce of excess flesh, and wherever her fingertips grazed, the warmth and tension beneath seemed to intensify.
"At least the little prince wasn’t hurt."
"But with an injury here, it’ll take some time to recover. I’m afraid we’ll have to wait."
The Crown Prince: "…"
So, she wasn’t particularly concerned about his injury—only that it might interfere with their intimacy.
Which meant she wasn’t opposed to the idea.
In fact, she might even be looking forward to their next encounter.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have mentally prepared herself to serve him at any moment when she saw him today, even purchasing the shop’s finest treasure, clearly eager to explore with him.
Though she hadn’t been entirely satisfied on New Year’s Eve, he couldn’t have been completely inept—she’d touched every inch of him, even scratching his back with her nails, yet he hadn’t reprimanded her.
There had been a moment when her eyes, glistening with desire, had trembled with pleasure, her voice sweet and breathy, dampening his palm…
Unaware of the deepening heat in the man’s gaze, Yun Kui traced the defined lines of his abdomen and softly asked, "Does it hurt, Your Highness?"
The Crown Prince stared at her kneeling form, his voice low and rough. "This minor injury is nothing."
Yun Kui swallowed. "Then I won’t worry."
So slender at the waist, yet so strong.
I want to taste it.
The books say that doing it well can help…
Lost in thought, something suddenly nudged against her forearm. Yun Kui stared blankly at the abrupt protrusion before flushing crimson in realization. "Your Highness, you—"
She looked up to find his eyes dark as an abyss, smoldering with untamed fire.
Just meeting his gaze made her legs weak.
And really, it wasn’t entirely her fault—given the sheer magnitude of what had left her breathless before, hidden beneath those luxurious robes, it rivaled the thickness of her forearm.
Her voice trembled, a mix of fear and barely restrained excitement. "I’ll never complain about you again."
The Crown Prince’s gaze deepened. "You dared complain about me?"
Yun Kui pressed her lips together. "I was ignorant before. From now on, I’ll serve the little prince properly!"
It was a fine specimen—why else would books claim men took pride in such things, using them to conquer women’s hearts and bodies? With dimensions like his, he could be a model for all men, even if his technique needed refinement.
With the shop’s treasure, I’ll master it and lead His Highness to greatness!
The Crown Prince gripped her wrist, his voice husky. "So today, you plan to leave me like this?"
Yun Kui blinked, her face warming. "But Your Highness… isn’t this unwise? I don’t mind, but your injury is in a precarious spot. If we go as wild as we did on New Year’s Eve, your wound might reopen. Eunuch Cao and the physician would blame me…"
The Crown Prince fixed her with a heavy stare. "You’ve read enough pillow books. Don’t you know how to serve me?"
The moment he spoke, countless images of entangled figures flashed through Yun Kui’s mind.
Before she could answer, another realization struck her. "How do you know I read pillow books?"
Does he know I’ve hidden them under the sheets, beneath the pillow, and even stashed a few at the bottom of my chest?
She recalled the Seven-Day Powder incident—the Crown Prince had served her pear soup laced with the antidote the very next morning. Clearly, nothing escaped his notice. He’d probably known about her collection all along.
With the evidence in her room, denial was futile. Yun Kui scrambled for an excuse. "Aunt Wei gave me those books. As a palace maid, I couldn’t be ignorant about such matters—how else would I serve you? But I barely looked at them…"
The Crown Prince: "Pfft."
Yun Kui: "…"
Your laugh is mortifying!
She bit her lip. "I do have a few, but I’ve put them away. I mostly read novels—those pillow books… I’m too embarrassed to look at them normally."
The Crown Prince smirked. "Mm."
He didn’t expose her further, only remarked, "You seem quite knowledgeable. A natural talent."
Yun Kui’s cheeks burned as she mumbled, "Thank you, Your Highness. It’s not that I don’t want to serve you, but we’re in a carriage—rocking back and forth, and my mouth is small. What if my teeth accidentally graze the little prince…"
After a stunned pause, the Crown Prince’s face cycled through shades of red and green. "…"
He’d underestimated her.
That thought hadn’t even crossed his mind!
Already struggling to restrain himself, he lost all composure. His hand clenched, veins bulging, before he seized her wrist and pressed it firmly against him.
Instantly, the warm, distinct sensation sent tiny electric currents radiating from the point of contact, a tingling heat spreading through their blood. Both their breaths hitched.
"On New Year’s Eve, when I bathed, you knew what to do then."
Yun Kui’s face burned, her fingers trembling nervously before slowly curling tighter.
The Crown Prince inhaled deeply, his voice a rough, commanding whisper. "If you don’t finish before we disembark at Donghua Gate, I will punish you."
"You have half an hour."
Remembering how he’d kept her awake until dawn on New Year’s Eve, Yun Kui suddenly felt the urgency.
She wasn’t afraid of his punishment—she dreaded being left in an impossible situation, with everyone outside waiting for her!
Knowing him, he’d probably stand back and watch her become the laughingstock of the palace.
The carriage rolled steadily through the streets, its gentle sway masking all illicit sounds.
Yun Kui had done manual labor in the Imperial Kitchen—her hands were strong. But even so, she soon had to pause.
The little prince swelled even thicker in her grasp, its tip glistening dangerously in the faint candlelight, like a beast lurking in the dark, its gaze predatory and relentless.
Yun Kui couldn’t bear to meet its stare, terrified of being devoured by its sticky tears—yet she had no choice but to coax it, silently bargaining in her mind.
Little prince, we’ve met before. You recognize me, right?
You’re so big and… intimidating. I’m a little scared.
The moment the thought crossed her mind, the little prince pulsed powerfully in her hand, as if responding.
Her grip faltered from the shock.
You heard me?!
Such a clever little prince!
Fine, I won’t call you big and scary—you’re just magnificently virile!
From now on, we’re partners! After all this effort, you’d better treat me well!
Now hurry up and finish!
Yun Kui flexed her wrist back and forth, utterly exhausted, but the little lord was still taking his time, making her want to give up.
"Your Highness, maybe we should stop? We’re almost at the Eastern Palace..."
The Crown Prince’s expression darkened, his pupils burning with deep, suppressed desire, his voice hoarse: "There’s still one incense stick’s worth of time."
Yun Kui was on the verge of tears, her hands completely drained of strength. She slumped down beside the Crown Prince’s feet, panting, "I’m so tired..."
The Crown Prince said sternly, "Figure it out yourself."
The carriage soon changed direction, turning from the slightly bumpy streets onto the smooth, wide palace road.
They had taken this same path when leaving the palace, and Yun Kui knew that after passing two more palace gates, they would reach Donghua Gate. Beads of sweat formed at her temples from anxiety, yet their progress remained frustratingly stalled.
Faint voices could be heard outside—the guards at the palace gate announcing their passage.
Yun Kui’s eyes welled up with unshed tears as she looked up at him, pleading and desperate.
The Crown Prince’s gaze was thick with lust, yet restrained with extreme self-control. As her movements grew more frantic, his pupils darkened further, like a caged beast straining against its bonds.
Time slipped through her fingers. Yun Kui even imagined the scene: the carriage stopping outside Donghua Gate, the Crown Prince disheveled, while she knelt inside in utter disarray. Outside, his trusted guards would surely gossip about her—the seductress who had bewitched the Crown Prince. He had been injured protecting her, yet she couldn’t even wait a moment longer...
Biting her lip, she steeled herself and leaned down, pressing her lips against the little lord standing at attention.
The Crown Prince had vaguely expected this, but when her soft, warm lips met him, his veins still bulged with barely contained restraint.
Tilting his head back, his breathing ragged, he shut his eyes heavily.
Just as the carriage came to a slow stop, Yun Kui finally completed her task.
A mess, truly. She knelt there dazed, her face and robes stained, until the Crown Prince leaned down to wipe her cheeks clean.
Her eyes stung, her expression blank with lingering shock and a hint of grievance.
The Crown Prince brushed his thumb over the faint redness at the corners of her eyes, his Adam’s apple bobbing slowly. "It’s done. I’ll take you back to the palace."
Swiftly straightening his robes, he scooped the bewildered girl into his arms, wrapping them both in a thick cloak before stepping out of the carriage.
The cool night breeze finally cleared Yun Kui’s muddled thoughts. Coming to her senses, she pushed at his chest in alarm. "Your Highness, won’t this aggravate your injury? Put me down!"
Ignoring the stunned, worried, yet hesitant gazes of the attendants, the Crown Prince murmured to the girl in his arms, "Don’t worry. With me here, no one will dare say a word against you."
Yun Kui pressed her lips together. "...Do I care what they say?"
(Of course she did.)
"I’m just worried your wound might reopen."
The Crown Prince glanced down coolly. "If you keep squirming, it definitely will."
Yun Kui immediately stilled, clutching his robes tightly as she buried her face against him and mumbled, "I’m kind of heavy, aren’t I..."
After all, those two mounds alone weren’t light.
But the moment she said it, she regretted it. On New Year’s Eve, he had held her in the bathing pool for nearly an hour.
His arms were more than strong enough.
Remembering something, the Crown Prince paused and turned to Deshun. "Move all the books she bought to Chengguang Hall."
Yun Kui: !!!
(My prized collection!)
"Maybe that’s not necessary..." She squirmed awkwardly. "Your Highness reads treatises on statecraft. My vulgar market novels would only tarnish your refined tastes..."
The Crown Prince remained unmoved. "The common people are also my subjects. I must humble myself to understand their preferences and share in their hardships."
Yun Kui: "..."
Wishing everyone a Happy New Year, may all your wishes come true!!
Thank you, dear readers, for your support. In the new year, I’ll keep working hard on my writing!
