As it turned out, this armor required far more thought than she had imagined.
The goldsmith had said this design was highly favored by nobles and officials, and even the craftsmen had mastered its creation. The piece she received was exquisitely refined, every detail a stroke of ingenuity—wherever her gaze landed, it stirred her heart, making it impossible to look away.
Three gemstones were positioned to perfectly shield vital points, while a delicate chain adorned with pearls trailed down the valley between his chest muscles. For each row of abdominal muscles, two thin chains extended from either side to his lower back, where finely scattered tassels accentuated his taut waistline—neither too sparse nor too dense, just enough to outline his sculpted form.
She had never even considered that the young lord would have a collar chain of his own. That chain shifted downward bit by bit with each relentless thrust until it could go no further, teasing unseen and untouchable places like a cat’s claws, leaving marks both deep and shallow.
Yun Kui was utterly dazed, her body trembling like someone suffering a severe fever, drenched in sweat at the slightest touch.
She even sensed his anger—anger that she had reluctantly worn it, yet couldn’t swallow her pride, feeling humiliated. And so, he taught her a harsh lesson this way.
The commotion was so intense that Yun Kui worried whether the bed frame could withstand it. Later, she realized she should worry about herself first—if the bed broke, it could be repaired, but she might truly be torn apart and left to die beneath him.
Now she finally understood why, after returning from the bathhouse, there wasn’t a single guard stationed along the corridors or in the courtyard. The Crown Prince had spared her dignity—otherwise, those uncontrollable cries would have shamed her for life.
Yun Kui wasn’t one to sweat easily, yet tonight, the bedding beneath her was soaked through, and the embroidered silk cover was nearly shredded by her nails.
With nowhere else to place her hands, and him wearing only this armor, she had scratched two bloody trails down his back—a crime worthy of death ten thousand times over.
As for the gold chains—well, they had cost three hundred taels. The gold itself wasn’t heavy; the true value lay in the design and craftsmanship. Tearing them apart in one go would be a waste, so she had no choice but to sacrifice the Shu brocade beneath her.
Tear stains streaked her face. Long after it ended, she lay there, too drained to clean herself, waiting for her scattered soul to slowly return.
She lifted a hand to inspect her nails—they had grown so long. Come to think of it, these past two months, there hadn’t been any tasks requiring her to keep them short and neat.
The Crown Prince took her hand, his jade thumb ring gliding over each finger, the lingering sensation making her soft fingers feel as if they still held him.
"Keep these nails from now on," he said.
She thought to herself, I’m not a consort—what’s the point of long nails?
The Crown Prince’s brow furrowed instantly.
Yun Kui froze, remembering his ability to read minds. Sensing his displeasure, she quickly changed her thoughts.
I’m afraid I’ll scratch His Highness’s back. Better trim them short, lest he settles old and new grudges at once, charging me with grave disrespect.
This habit of anticipating danger was likely ingrained since childhood. The Crown Prince couldn’t correct her mindset immediately—only guide her slowly, making her believe that what she had wouldn’t be easily lost. The wealth and status, and him as well.
His grip made her fingers itch, her fingertips brushing against the smooth, cool jade ring.
Curious, she asked, "Why does Your Highness always wear the ring I bought?"
The Crown Prince replied, "Are you saying I should only wear it when serving you in bed?"
Yun Kui flushed, murmuring, "I was just asking."
Thumb rings symbolized status and authority—weren’t they supposed to command armies in operas? That black jade ring held extraordinary significance, far beyond what a common trinket could match.
Yun Kui ventured, "Or has Your Highness grown tired of it and wanted a change?"
The Crown Prince said, "Something like that."
Her almond eyes brightened slightly. "Does Your Highness like this jade ring?"
He glanced at her indifferently. "It’s acceptable."
Yun Kui pressed her lips together, smiling. She hadn’t held much hope, assuming he was too lofty to appreciate mundane things. Yet, hearing him say "acceptable" with his own mouth was a surprise.
The Crown Prince gazed at her silently for a moment, then retrieved something from a hidden compartment by the bed. The next instant, a dark object slid onto Yun Kui’s thumb.
She stared in disbelief at the black jade ring now adorning her finger. "Your Highness?"
He arched a brow, utterly composed. "A mutual exchange."
Her tongue nearly tripped. "Your Highness couldn’t possibly mean to… give this to me?"
Though lowborn and ignorant of court affairs, she knew this ring held immense importance—a symbol of supreme authority. How could it be gifted so casually?
Yet the Crown Prince seemed indifferent. "It’s just a ring. It won’t mobilize armies, nor is my power reliant on it. But it’s enough to let you swagger around in my name."
Yun Kui swallowed, unease creeping in. "Please don’t. If someone finds it and accuses me of stealing royal treasures—"
The Crown Prince cut her off, his tone firm. "It’s merely an object. What I give you is yours. Who in this world would dare object?"
When she still hesitated, he scoffed coldly. "You fear neither killing nor false accusations of theft, yet you dare defy my orders repeatedly. Do you truly think I’m so lenient?"
Yun Kui whispered, "But didn’t Your Highness say this ring is engraved with Buddhist scriptures to ward off evil spirits—specifically to suppress me?"
A vein throbbed at his temple.
Seeing his dark expression, Yun Kui feared another episode like last time, when her words had triggered his headache. Quickly, she clung to his arm, coaxing, "Don’t be angry, Your Highness. I’ll accept it."
Only then did his frown ease. Pressing her down, he said hoarsely, "Just that?"
Yun Kui: "…"
What else? She had no energy left!
She tried to retreat deeper into the bed, but he seized her thigh. "Say it again. Do you love me?"
Big shot, you’ve asked ten times already…
She truly didn’t understand why men always asked this during such moments—the Heir of Ningde Marquis was like this, Lord Shen the Grand Coordinator too, and now even the Crown Prince had picked it up.
Just as the thought crossed her mind, a sharp pinch at her waist made her wince, tears welling as she met his heavy gaze.
"Daring to think of other men in my presence?"
Yun Kui: "…"
Was I thinking of them? I merely mentioned them!
Too exhausted to speak, she responded with her thoughts.
The Crown Prince said, "Mentioning them is also forbidden."
You’re so domineering!
"This is the price for making me wear this chain."
But you’re the one enjoying it—I’m the one suffering.
The Crown Prince was unconvinced: "Weren’t you just as excited at first? I saw stars in your eyes, even drooling."
"Big shot, must you bring up such embarrassing things... Besides, who can handle two hours every single time?"
The Crown Prince retorted, "You’re spending my silver, and you were the one begging me to wear it. I’m the one footing the bill and doing all the work, while you just lie there enjoying yourself. And now you dare blame me?"
Yun Kui pulled the blanket over her face, sighing dramatically.
"Fine, I can’t win against you! Out of the three thousand taels, half was spent on you. Sure, you paid, but you were also the one wearing that gold chain..."
The Crown Prince said coolly, "You could wear it too."
Yun Kui: !!!
Suddenly, it felt like the top of her skull had been pried open, a cold gust of wind rushing straight into her brain. She shivered and sneezed, immediately wrapping herself tighter in the blanket.
"If you work me to death, you’ll never have your little sunflower again, boohoo..."
"Fine, I’ll spare you for today."
The Crown Prince chuckled, giving her backside a light slap. "Now, repeat what you said earlier. One more time."
Yun Kui buried her face in the bedding, replying wearily in her mind:
"I like Your Highness the most, only Your Highness, and will never leave Your Highness again... Are you satisfied now?"
The Crown Prince wasn’t entirely pleased with her half-hearted tone, but there was little he could do. He could only force her to repeat these vows over and over, engraving them into her bones, so that if she ever thought of leaving the palace again, she’d remember these lessons and never dare entertain the idea.
As he got up to clean himself, Yun Kui finally peeked out from the covers, tugging lightly at the tassel on his waist. "Your Highness, wait... don’t take it off yet, let me look a little longer..."
Earlier, she hadn’t gotten a proper look before he’d eagerly gotten started. Even now, the image of that gold chain swaying violently was burned into her vision, making her eyes ache—she’d barely seen anything at all.
The Crown Prince’s gaze darkened. "Do you really want to keep looking? Or do you want to wear it yourself?"
Yun Kui shuddered at his words.
"No... you just said you’d spare me! A prince’s word is his bond! Are you going back on it now?"
She’d only dared to indulge her curiosity because she was sure he wouldn’t push further tonight. After all, opportunities like this were rare—who knew if she’d ever see him wear it again?
The Crown Prince exhaled deeply, wiping her down with a cloth before pulling over a fresh blanket and lying beside her.
That audacious little minx inched closer, silently chanting "a prince’s word is his bond," then boldly gave his chest a firm squeeze.
