Yun Kui turned her head to avoid him, but the man cupped the back of her skull with one hand, firmly restraining her body, forcing her to accept this domineering kiss.
After a night filled with overwhelming shocks, the drunken haze in Yun Kui’s mind had long dissipated. Yet now, as he kissed her with alternating deep and shallow pressure, her cheeks flushed with a tipsy rosiness, her damp eyes glistening with unshed tears.
Only when she was nearly breathless did the man slowly release her.
The Crown Prince frowned. "Your mouth reeks of alcohol."
Yun Kui, regaining her senses, murmured softly, "Your Highness didn’t have to kiss me."
The Crown Prince gripped her chin. "You’ve grown bolder."
Yun Kui bit her lip. "Your Highness still hasn’t answered my question."
The Crown Prince fixed his gaze on her. "It has always been my place to interrogate others—no one dares to question me repeatedly."
Whether it was the lingering effects of alcohol or something else, Yun Kui felt a surge of defiance. "Yes, Your Highness has always been lofty and untouchable. Deigning to spare me a word or two is already an immense mercy. A lowly servant like me should be grateful."
The Crown Prince’s brows tightened. He hadn’t expected her to shed her docile facade and speak with such pointed barbs.
"You’re drunk. I won’t hold it against you."
Yun Kui clenched her fingers. Since things had already escalated this far, she might as well burn her bridges and dare one last time. "Even if Your Highness silences me today, I will speak my mind."
The man’s gaze grew colder, and Yun Kui even noticed the veins bulging on the back of his hand.
Gritting her teeth, she continued, "I know the gap between our statuses is as vast as heaven and earth. I’ve never dared covet a place in Your Highness’s harem. Rather than fleeting riches, I’d prefer a lifetime of peace and comfort. That’s why I’ve always wanted to leave the palace. Even if Your Highness has feelings for me, I—"
The man’s lips thinned, his eyes flashing with a storm of fury. "What exactly are you trying to say?"
She lowered her head, avoiding his gaze, and forced a smile. "Since Your Highness refuses to be direct, I’ll assume you have no real affection for me. If this is just a passing fancy, I’m grateful and willing to serve you for this time. But… as you heard in that house earlier, once Your Highness grows tired of me, I’d like to request an imperial favor—to leave the palace and settle here."
With every word she spoke, the gaze above her grew colder and more ruthless. Yet she didn’t dare pause, afraid her true feelings might slip out. Steeling herself, she pressed on, "What I mean is—"
A sudden, inexplicable ache filled her chest. Forcing herself to meet his eyes, she whispered, "Your Highness is truly exceptional… but not the kind of man one spends a lifetime with. I—"
"What do you take me for?"
His voice cut through hers, low and rough, laced with a chilling sharpness. His breath, heavy with suppressed rage, brushed her face. "Am I just some man who happens to meet your tastes? Someone you can toy with at will, use to satisfy your desires, then discard after coaxing rewards from me? In your heart, I’m worth less than a guard—at least they can offer you stability. They’re the ones fit to stay by your side forever, is that it?"
How did this turn into a discussion about guards?
A cold sneer curled at the Crown Prince’s lips. "Perhaps this is how you treat everyone. I should have realized sooner—you don’t just fantasize about me. Any tall, handsome, well-built man catches your eye, doesn’t he?"
His fury reached its peak, his eyes bloodshot, the crimson veins like a sinister web threatening to ensnare her.
"Let me make this clear—don’t even dream of it. As long as I live, you will never leave."
Yun Kui’s mind buzzed, still reeling from his words, when his lips twisted into a cruel smile. "You know I can read minds, don’t you?"
His jaw clenched audibly, his fingers tightening until his knuckles cracked. "Whoever occupies your thoughts, I’ll have them torn limb from limb. Test me if you dare."
He vaguely realized his emotions had spiraled beyond control. His chronic headaches flared, fire searing through his skull, pain radiating through every nerve.
If this continued, he’d only end up hurting someone undeserving.
Shutting his eyes, he steadied himself and moved to leave—only for two slender, snow-white arms to suddenly wrap around his neck.
The next instant, the soft warmth of the girl’s lips pressed against his.
The Crown Prince’s enraged body froze instantly.
Though they had kissed many times before, she had never been this nervous. Trembling, she embraced him—a fragile flower daring to cling to a blade’s icy edge.
Her lips quivered slightly, and the tears she’d held back finally spilled over, dampening his cheeks.
Her fingers, warm yet shaking, brushed his face as she whispered tentatively, "Your Highness… are you angry because you care for me? Because you want me to stay?"
The Crown Prince gritted his teeth, his large hand clamping around her wrist and pinning it beside her. A sinister smirk curled his lips. "Why the sudden change? Did my threat to butcher your lovers frighten you?"
Yun Kui: "..."
The Crown Prince glared at this heartless girl, his eyes dark with unmistakable madness.
"Get out," he suddenly commanded.
Yun Kui shrank under his oppressive gaze. His bloodshot eyes, the veins throbbing at his temples, the erratic rise and fall of his chest—it all resembled the onset of one of his headaches.
"Your Highness… are you—are you having an episode?"
It had been so long since she’d seen him this furious that panic seized her. Her hands trembled, unsure how to soothe him. "I—I was spouting nonsense earlier. I only said those things to provoke you. I’m sorry—"
The Crown Prince shut his eyes tightly. "Get out. Don’t let anyone in, or… I’ll kill you."
Tears welled in Yun Kui’s eyes as she wiped the cold sweat from his brow. "Wait for me, Your Highness. I’ll fetch a physician—"
She scrambled up, slipping into her shoes before rushing out. Fortunately, Cao Yuanlu was waiting in the corridor. She hurried to him, her voice shaking. "Eunuch Cao, His Highness—it seems his headaches have returned..."
Cao Yuanlu had overheard some commotion earlier, though the specifics were unclear. He hadn’t expected the Crown Prince’s condition to flare up now.
Ever since Yun Kui had stayed by his side, the Crown Prince’s episodes had become rare—even after the lantern tower collapse on the Shangyuan Festival and the assassination attempt, his headaches hadn’t resurfaced.
This time, during their covert investigation, they hadn’t even brought Imperial Physician He along, relying solely on Yun Kui’s care as a precaution.
Cao Yuanlu glanced toward the room and immediately sent Qin Ge to summon the most skilled physician in Pingzhou.
Qin Ge departed at once.
Turning back to Yun Kui, Cao Yuanlu asked, "What sparked such a quarrel? His Highness seemed perfectly fine when he carried you back earlier."
Yun Kui’s eyes were red-rimmed. "It’s my fault..."
Cao Yuanlu ventured a guess. "Was His Highness upset about your plans to buy a house?"
Yun Kui pressed her lips together tightly, two silent tears rolling down.
Cao Yuanlu sighed. "His Highness treats you exceptionally well. In all my years serving him, I’ve never seen him show such regard for any other lady. Why must you always think of leaving the palace?"
Yun Kui’s heart ached, but the words lodged in her throat, impossible to voice.
What kind of person was she? A bedchamber attendant—sounding lofty, she held the title of a palace maid, but to put it bluntly, she was nothing more than a plaything meant to initiate her master into the ways of intimacy. If luck favored her, she might rise to the lowest rank of concubines. If not, she’d become a thorn in the eyes of the imperial consorts. For someone like her, without family backing, a mere snap of fingers could snuff her out.
She had read stories about such women.
One serving maid was falsely accused of stealing the Crown Princess’s jewelry and dragged to the Punishment Bureau.
Another chamber maid was blamed for bumping into the pregnant belly of the mistress and was whipped mercilessly before being sold off.
Then there was the maid who merely exchanged a few playful words with a prince—only to be secretly drowned in the lake by the prince’s consort…
Having seen too many such tales, she was torn. A faint hope lingered in her heart, wishing to hear him say those two words—“I care”—yet she feared them just as much. She dreaded the unchecked ambition swelling within her, soaring too high only to shatter upon the fall.
But she never expected the Crown Prince’s reaction to be so intense.
A cacophony of shattering porcelain erupted from inside the chamber, as if someone had swept all the teacups off the table in fury.
Yun Kui’s heart pounded wildly, her insides twisting with anxiety. “Eunuch Cao, is there any way to ease it… Should we summon the military physician? Or perhaps some medicine—”
Cao Yuanlu sighed deeply. “His Highness’s headaches—no common physician can treat them, not even Military Physician He or the imperial doctors from the Imperial Medical Bureau. There’s only one remedy…”
Yun Kui pressed urgently, “What remedy?”
The Crown Prince had forbidden him from speaking of it, but with no other options, Cao Yuanlu relented. “Truthfully, there’s a unique fragrance about you, young mistress, that can soothe His Highness’s pain.”
Yun Kui stared blankly. “A… fragrance on me?”
She was aware of a faint floral scent clinging to her, but it was subtle—far from alluring. Only those close to her could detect it. Dan Gui loved curling up beside her to sleep, murmuring how pleasant she smelled…
She had never paid it much mind, assuming it was just the lingering scent of sun-dried clothes and herbs.
Yet it could ease the Crown Prince’s suffering?
Cao Yuanlu continued, “His Highness once asked Imperial Physician Liang to recreate a similar incense, but it had no effect on him.”
Yun Kui murmured, “So that’s why His Highness wanted me to serve him…”
No wonder. Among the countless beauties sent to the Eastern Palace, why had she alone risen above the rest?
And despite being “entrusted” by the Empress—had she been any other spy, she’d have long been interrogated in the torture chambers.
Even her own shameful thoughts—given the Crown Prince’s ruthless nature, she should have been executed a thousand times over. The only reason she remained was her ability to ease his pain…
A storm of emotions churned within her, bitter and indescribable.
Cao Yuanlu noticed the desolation in her eyes and panicked. “What are you thinking, young mistress? It’s true His Highness kept you at first for this reason, but haven’t you felt how he treats you now?”
He sighed. “When you were punished to guard the palace gates, the moment His Highness heard the Ninth Prince had bullied you, he stormed out, fearing you’d suffer even a moment longer. At the New Year’s banquet, seeing you laugh with Li Meng, he flew into a rage—only to later regret neglecting you and taking you out for the Lantern Festival. Even during the assassination attempt, he shielded you at his own peril. If His Highness saw you as nothing but a remedy, would he feast you on delicacies? Buy you storybooks to cheer you? Defend you without hesitation?”
Yun Kui’s eyes stung, tears slipping silently down her cheeks.
He was so good to her.
Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined residing in the Crown Prince’s chambers, sharing his table and bed, basking in the indulgence of someone so exalted. It felt unreal, and so she kept doubting, fearing this favor would vanish as suddenly as it came.
How could she not? The man she served was destined for three palaces and six courts.
She was just a coward—afraid of pain, afraid of death. After enduring so much hardship, even happiness felt precarious.
Cao Yuanlu added, “Only this servant and Military Physician He know of your ability. His Highness forbade its disclosure to protect you—and to prevent you from misunderstanding his affections.”
“This trip beyond the capital was my suggestion, yet His Highness spared no expense to indulge you in food and leisure. And what do you do? Buy a house to settle down here—”
Before he could finish, the girl turned and hurried inside.
Cao Yuanlu watched her retreating figure and exhaled in relief.
The moment Yun Kui stepped in, the metallic tang of blood assaulted her senses. Her steps quickened until she saw the Crown Prince’s silhouette in the dim candlelight—his forehead glistening with sweat, his pale fingers bloodied from gripping shattered porcelain, crimson dripping steadily as if pain could only be purged through bleeding.
Hearing footsteps, he didn’t look up, his voice icy. “Didn’t I tell you to get out? Why are you back?”
Unshaken, Yun Kui fetched medicine from the chest, knelt before him, and gently wiped the blood from his hands with a clean handkerchief.
The Crown Prince’s dark, stormy eyes lifted, piercing hers. “What are you thinking? Or did Cao Yuanlu say something?”
Yun Kui pressed her lips together, her thoughts in turmoil.
After a long silence, she whispered, “Eunuch Cao told me… I can ease Your Highness’s headaches.”
Rage flared in the Crown Prince’s gaze, his tone colder than before. “Leave. I don’t need you.”
Instead of obeying, Yun Kui sat beside him, inching closer. “If I lean against Your Highness… does it help?”
His jaw clenched. “Do you truly believe I won’t kill you?”
She lifted his arm—when he didn’t resist—and nestled into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his waist.
“And now? Does it feel better?”
Her soft body pressed tightly against his, as if merging into one. The warm, sunlit fragrance of sunflowers enveloped him, soothing the inferno in his skull like dawn dispersing fog.
The Crown Prince stiffened, his wounded hand clenching until fresh blood soaked the white cloth.
He spoke through gritted teeth, each word sharp as ice. “You’ve grown reckless. Do you think I can’t live without you? In all my twenty-some years, I’ve never relied on anyone—”
Before the words could fade, the young woman's soft lips pressed against the man's cool mouth.
Their breaths tangled, her tears rolling down to the edge of his lips. With a mix of inexperience and boldness, she caught the salty droplets with her tongue, slowly tracing his lower lip.
Between kisses, her voice trembled as she whispered, "How about this? Still want to kill me, Your Highness the Crown Prince?"
The Crown Prince shut his eyes heavily, appearing unmoved—until her sharp little teeth nipped at his tongue. Only then did he snap back to his senses and push her away.
Beneath his fingertips lay her carotid artery, fragile and slender, yet pulsing with vibrant life.
He brushed his thumb over the throbbing vein at her neck, as if ready to tighten his grip at any moment. "What exactly are you trying to do?"
Yun Kui’s thoughts were just as chaotic, unable to convey a clear answer.
After a pause, she spoke slowly, "I... I want to treat Your Highness's headaches."
The Crown Prince replied coldly, "I said I don’t need it."
Yun Kui insisted, "Don’t refuse me so quickly. I’ve... suddenly realized something. I want to redefine my relationship with Your Highness."
The Crown Prince: "What relationship?"
Yun Kui swallowed hard. "Your Highness needs me to ease your pain, and I... I covet your beauty. So from now on, I’ll be your remedy, and you’ll let me kiss and hold you. Let’s just be simple... bed partners. How does that sound?"
The Crown Prince: "..."
