The Crown Prince gripped her hand and coldly spat out two words: "How dare you."
From the moment the wound dressing began, the Crown Prince had regained some awareness. As the sting of saline washed over his injuries, his consciousness gradually sharpened. At first, he hadn’t opened his eyes because her movements were meticulous—far better than the clumsy eunuchs. From the thoughts he could hear, she posed no immediate threat, so he allowed her to proceed.
But who could have imagined this girl would be filled with such indecent thoughts, even daring to…
He took a deep breath, finally recalling what she had thought the day he first regained consciousness—pecs.
—Want to see his chest muscles… Would he let me?
The Crown Prince’s mood was uncharacteristically complicated.
In his over twenty years of life, only the elderly servants who had attended to him since childhood had remarked that his features resembled Empress Huigong’s. No one had ever commented on anything else.
Since gaining the ability to hear thoughts, he had seen through the duplicity and treacherous ambitions of many. Yet even so, no palace maid had ever dared to mentally remark on his appearance.
It wasn’t that he lacked striking looks—rather, his infamous brutality preceded him. At first glance, his ruthless aura intimidated others so thoroughly that they never dared a second look.
Even Emperor Chunming and the Empress needed to steel themselves before meeting his gaze.
This little girl was the first to brazenly scrutinize him.
Not only that, she had even entertained improper, flirtatious thoughts about him—utterly shameless!
Yun Kui met his gaze, and her blood instantly ran cold.
Her trapped hand trembled violently, and the porcelain bottle she held slipped from her grasp, landing with a soft thud on the Crown Prince’s defined abdomen. It then rolled down the ridges of his muscles before coming to a stop… lodged between his thighs.
Their eyes, for once in unison, followed the bottle’s trajectory and froze at an extremely awkward position.
Panic bred clumsiness. Yun Kui’s mind blanked, and in her fluster, she impulsively reached to retrieve the bottle—inevitably brushing against something she shouldn’t have.
A warm sensation grazed the back of her hand. Blood rushed to her head, burning all the way to her scalp.
Help! What did I just touch?!
Her eyes darted downward on instinct. Realizing her mistake, she snapped her gaze back up—only to meet the Crown Prince’s icy glare, his brow dark with fury.
Heart pounding, she tried to kneel and beg for mercy, but her hand remained locked in his grip, immobile.
Last time, she had managed to break free only because she had mustered all her strength and caught him off-guard while his vision was obscured.
Today, no such luck.
Yun Kui’s pulse hammered like war drums, her face ghostly pale as she stammered, "This servant… was only changing Your Highness’s bandages. If I’ve offended you, please… have mercy…"
Aunt Wei, standing farther away, hadn’t seen the bottle fall. She only knew the Crown Prince had woken during the dressing and seemed furious again.
Though she had been the one to push Yun Kui forward, the girl had been carefully trained for days and was, after all, the Empress’s pick. It would be a pity if the Crown Prince executed her. Aunt Wei cautiously stepped in, "Your Highness, you’re awake? This girl truly was here to tend to your wounds. If she served poorly, this servant will discipline her."
The Crown Prince twisted the ring on his finger, his tone flat. "It seems I’ve been away too long. Has Aunt Wei taken charge of the Eastern Palace in my absence?"
Aunt Wei’s face drained of color. She dropped to her knees. "This servant deserves death! I would never presume—!"
The other palace maids swiftly followed, prostrating in terror.
The Crown Prince closed his eyes, his patience spent. "All of you—get out."
Not a soul dared delay. They scrambled back on their knees, fleeing the scene. Even the imperial physicians, valuing their lives, joined the exodus.
Yun Kui was left in the most awkward position—trapped by the Crown Prince’s grip, unable to advance or retreat, waiting for the blade to fall on her neck.
The Crown Prince’s lips thinned. After a long, heavy stare, he finally released her.
Freed, Yun Kui immediately dropped to the floor, pressing her forehead against the ground.
Yet the Crown Prince didn’t move to punish her. Instead, he turned to his personal guard, Qin Ge. "Fetch Yuan Lu."
Qin Ge bowed and hurried out.
Cao Yuanlu had once been the chief steward of Chengguang Palace, serving first Empress Huigong and later the Crown Prince. But after a mishap during the Qianyu Terrace rites last February, he had been demoted to the Imperial Stables, reduced to holding stirrups for others.
Yet when the Crown Prince demanded his return, who in the stables would dare refuse?
Cao Yuanlu was soon brought back, tears of joy streaming as he knelt before his master. "This old servant greets Your Highness! You’ve finally returned!"
The Crown Prince eyed him coldly. "What did you do in my absence to end up as a footstool in the stables?"
Wiping his tears, Cao Yuanlu knew his lord despised rambling. He cut straight to the point. "This year’s rites were overseen by Prince Chen. He said this servant had assisted Your Highness many times and had ample experience, so he requested my help. But the livestock prepared for sacrifice—oxen, sheep, dogs—all fell ill overnight. His Majesty was furious, and Prince Chen punished this servant by sending me to the stables…"
Prince Chen, the Empress’s eldest son and second among the imperial princes, had been given the task in the Crown Prince’s absence—a chance to prove himself.
The Crown Prince asked, "Was the cause ever uncovered?"
Cao Yuanlu sighed. "The transportation and care of the animals were this servant’s responsibility. I cannot evade blame…"
Qin Ge interjected angrily, "It must have been Prince Chen’s scheme!"
The Crown Prince shot him a look. Qin Ge clasped his fists. "This subordinate will investigate at once."
The Crown Prince then glanced at Yuan Lu. "Why are you still standing there? Change my dressings."
Just then, a sniffling voice reached his ears.
Help… someone save Little Sunflower…
Cao Yuanlu followed the Crown Prince’s gaze and noticed the girl kneeling on the floor—cheeks damp, eyes red, on the verge of tears.
Having served the Crown Prince for years, he understood his temper better than anyone. If His Highness disliked someone, they were either executed on the spot or banished from Chengguang Palace.
Yet though the Crown Prince’s disgust was plain, he hadn’t ordered her removal. For her to still be here—unharmed—was nothing short of bizarre.
Cao Yuanlu ventured carefully, "And this girl is…?"
Yun Kui seized the opportunity, lifting her tearful almond eyes. "This servant was here to tend to His Highness’s wounds…"
Cao Yuanlu looked between her and the Crown Prince. He had just returned and didn’t know her background, but if she were a spy planted by outsiders, the Crown Prince would have snapped her neck by now. Why tolerate her sniveling presence?
Could it be… he fancied her beauty?
Impossible. The Crown Prince was not one to be swayed by looks.
The Crown Prince’s voice cut like ice. "Caked in makeup, reeking of perfume."
Yun Kui instinctively touched her face. Her makeup was only slightly more elaborate than usual—nowhere near the level of the beauties in Lanyue Pavilion.
She sniffed her own scent again. She had used fragrance, but Aunt Wei had long warned her that the Crown Prince disliked strong scents, so they had been provided with only light, fresh perfumes. Could even that be unacceptable?
Cao Yuanlu understood the Crown Prince’s meaning and instructed Yun Kui, "Hurry back and bathe, then change into clean clothes before returning to serve."
Yun Kui froze. Had—had she just been spared?
Seeing the Crown Prince remain silent, Cao Yuanlu took charge. "Get moving!"
Yun Kui hastily kowtowed and scurried away, relieved.
Cao Yuanlu turned back, meeting the Crown Prince’s icy phoenix eyes, and shuddered. "Y-Your Highness?"
The Crown Prince glared coldly. "Who gave you the right to decide for me?"
The familiar Crown Prince had returned. Cao Yuanlu forced a smile. "This servant saw no intention from you to punish her."
The Crown Prince sneered. "Years apart, and you’ve grown bold. Seems I wasted effort pulling you out of the Imperial Stables."
Cao Yuanlu begged for mercy with a flattering smile, then added, "Your Highness still needs a personal maid. Why not keep her?"
The Crown Prince said nothing, so Cao Yuanlu cautiously stepped forward, taking the towel and medicine bottle from the tray to continue dressing the wounds.
Seeing the crisscrossing scars on the Crown Prince’s body, Cao Yuanlu’s eyes reddened. "Your Highness fought battles south and north, yet these people only seek to destroy you, forgetting who gave them their positions..."
The Crown Prince cut him off. "Keep babbling, and I’ll send you back to tend horses."
Cao Yuanlu fell silent, inspecting the bandages Yun Kui had applied earlier. He couldn’t help but praise, "That girl was quite diligent. She tended the wounds well..."
The Crown Prince thought of her filthy, scheming mind, clenched his jaw, and shut his eyes.
By the time the wounds were fully treated, it was nearly dusk.
Cao Yuanlu wiped the sweat from his brow and sighed. "The imperial physicians are useless, and who knows who’s pulling their strings to harm Your Highness. We can only wait for Military Doctor He to arrive from the northern border. Your condition can’t be delayed any longer..."
Most who took a poisoned arrow would die instantly. The Crown Prince had carved out the flesh in time to drain the venom, preventing it from reaching his heart—but that was all.
Traces of poison still lingered in his veins, unpredictable and uncontrollable. The consequences were unthinkable.
He Bailing, the Crown Prince’s personal physician, had not returned to the capital with him, staying behind in the north to treat civilians.
No one expected the Crown Prince to be ambushed on the journey. Guards had been sent to fetch He Bailing at full speed, but the northern border was thousands of miles away. It would take time to reach the capital, leaving them no choice but to endure until then.
...
Yun Kui returned to the side chamber and scrubbed herself head to toe once more, ensuring no trace of scent remained before collapsing onto the bed in relief.
Earlier, she had inquired and learned that the eunuch in the hall was named Cao Yuanlu—the Crown Prince’s personal attendant since birth.
He seemed to think well of her?
Yun Kui pondered. If he could plead for her before the Crown Prince, his words must carry weight.
In contrast, Aunt Wei had been scolded like a child by the Crown Prince. Their statuses were clearly worlds apart.
If so, she would stick close to Eunuch Cao from now on. As long as she didn’t make mistakes, he could surely protect her life before the Crown Prince. And in the future, moving around the Eastern Palace would be easier.
The thought eased her mind. Heaven had spared her life repeatedly in the Eastern Palace—surely, she was blessed by the gods!
Of course, all this hinged on one condition—
She hadn’t taken Cao Yuanlu’s words, "change into clean clothes and return to serve," as an invitation to eagerly visit the Crown Prince’s chambers that evening. Nor had she witnessed the bloody scene before her.
A maid in a pale-yellow dress lay convulsing in a pool of blood, clutching a dagger in her trembling hand.
The Crown Prince leaned down, effortlessly prying the blade from her grip before leisurely drawing it across her throat.
Ignoring the screams, the tremors, the warm blood spurting from her neck—every movement was unnervingly calm, even elegant.
This was Yun Kui’s first time seeing the Crown Prince kill someone firsthand. Her legs gave way, and she collapsed to her knees.
The thud echoed sharply through the silent, frigid hall.
The Crown Prince’s eyes were still blood-red, his aura thick with killing intent as he stepped toward the terrified girl at the door. His voice was low, hoarse, like a demon from the underworld.
"She tried to assassinate me. Pity she died by my hand instead."
Yun Kui: "...You really didn’t need to explain."
The Crown Prince stared down at her, his dark gaze devoid of warmth. "Look up. Tell me what you’re thinking."
Trembling, Yun Kui raised her head, meeting the Crown Prince’s breathtakingly beautiful, almost sinister face.
She knew she was about to die.
And yet, despite the dire circumstances, her mind wandered where it shouldn’t.
His lips look so soft.
I wonder if I could steal a kiss before I die.
