The moment the words left her lips, both of them froze.
The air around them seemed to solidify in an instant. It took Yun Kui a moment to realize she had just committed another unforgivable crime.
Not only had she addressed the Crown Prince by his full name, but she’d also dared to demand he show the dignity befitting a proper consort… Did she really think herself so important just because His Highness had a fondness for her?
"Save… save me…"
The little maid immediately deflated, pressing her forehead against his thigh as she fought back tears. "Your Highness, I… I didn’t mean to disrespect your name…"
The Crown Prince gritted his teeth. "Didn’t mean to? I think you’re just audacious!"
It had been a long time since anyone had spoken his name aloud.
As the heir to the throne, no one dared to be so insolent.
Emperor Chunming had called him by name in his early years, but after being met with an icy glare, the Emperor—perhaps out of guilt—had since referred to him only as "the Crown Prince," never daring to assert his authority as either ruler or uncle in his presence.
Over the years, only a handful of assassins had dared to utter his name, and never had anyone addressed him so casually by his full name.
Yun Kui lifted her tearful eyes, obediently baring her neck as if awaiting execution. "Your Highness, punish me however you see fit… If nothing else, you can choose any position from the shop’s prized collection!"
The Crown Prince: "…"
Yun Kui soon paid a steep price for her momentary recklessness.
"The dashing young marquis, the elegant scholar, the cold-faced yet passionate general…" The Crown Prince nipped at her delicate earlobe, his voice low and rough. "If you had to choose one, who would it be?"
Yun Kui trembled under his scorching breath, barely given a second to think before he yanked her forward.
The impact forced tears from her eyes, and she whimpered, "I-I’d choose… the general…"
The Crown Prince clenched his jaw, his movements unrelenting. "Wrong. Think again."
Her head knocked against the headboard repeatedly, only to be dragged back each time. Clutching the sheets, her body quivering, she reluctantly amended, "Then… the young marquis?"
The Crown Prince glared down at her. She was genuinely considering it—just like the heroine in those romance novels, she’d hesitate endlessly if given the choice. Left unchecked, she’d probably take ten or eight more without much resistance.
He withdrew slowly, watching the flush on her face, her damp lashes, and her parted lips. His blood burned, his chest aching with the urge to devour her whole.
Yun Kui noticed he had stopped but hadn’t fully pulled away, lingering in that unbearable limbo. Instinctively, she pressed her foot against his back, urging him deeper, only for him to bite down sharply on her lower lip.
She yelped in pain, her mind clearing slightly. Only then did she realize she’d missed the point entirely.
Of course, he wanted to hear her say she only had eyes for the Crown Prince—that no one else could compare!
How had she been foolish enough to actually start picking?
Meeting his dark, scrutinizing gaze, she mumbled guiltily, "I… I was wrong. But you shouldn’t keep setting traps for me, making me answer wrong on purpose…"
The Crown Prince smirked bitterly.
Sometimes, he found himself ridiculous.
He knew better than anyone how the late Emperor’s lack of heirs had destabilized the empire. Yet he’d never considered taking a consort—all these years, he’d been fixated on this one stubborn stone.
He’d tried to give her status, but she refused. He’d spent fortunes on her, yet she planned to leave the palace. He’d offered her the title of "Madame," even gifting her the jade ring symbolizing power and authority. He’d indulged her every whim in bed, even donning the golden chains from pleasure houses just to please her.
He’d schemed and struggled to give her everything—only for her to still waver between a general and a marquis, never once prioritizing him.
A sense of futility washed over him. No matter what he did, it was like talking to a wall.
At the end of the day, she didn’t love him that much.
She’d said it herself—she never let anyone into her heart. Was he any different? No. She could sweet-talk him with a thousand pretty words, but they were just empty flattery.
If Li Meng had showered her with gold and silver today, she’d have happily thrown herself into his arms, cooing about how much she adored him.
Even if he forced her to swear in bed that she’d never love anyone else, it was nothing but self-deception.
And now, she even had a father—the Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guards.
The Imperial Guards had two Deputy Commanders: one handled administrative duties like archives and intelligence, while Sheng Yu oversaw military affairs—training, arrests, and deployments, commanding countless officers.
Compared to lowly guards like Li Meng, even the honor guard captain she often mentioned in her thoughts was just one among hundreds in the Imperial Guards.
He could easily picture a hundred broad-shouldered, towering men lining up before her. She’d be grinning from ear to ear.
She’d probably forget all about him in an instant.
What she wanted was never power or status. With a father like that, marrying a handsome guard and settling into a cozy little life would be effortless.
After a long silence, the Crown Prince suddenly asked, "If you had family outside the palace who cared for you, and I let you leave to reunite with them, would you pack up and go without hesitation?"
"Family?"
Yun Kui didn’t understand.
Is he testing whether I want to leave the palace? Or… has he found clues about Father? Is he still alive?
The Crown Prince’s lips thinned.
The moment he mentioned leaving, her eyes lit up. At the mention of family, she grew curious—yet not once in her thoughts did she spare him a single word. What more could he expect?
With a cold expression, he pulled away, summoning attendants to tend to her before striding out of the chamber without a backward glance.
Leaving mid-act was a first. Yun Kui stared blankly at his retreating figure, replaying her earlier thoughts. She hadn’t said anything disrespectful, had she? He was the one who brought up family—she’d just followed the thread. What had set him off this time?
After some reflection, she blamed it all on that damned romance novel!
Did he really think she wanted a harem of men too? He’d asked her to choose, didn’t get the answer he wanted, and then stewed in his own jealousy!
She wanted to chase after him and demand an explanation, but her legs were too weak, her body sore and unsteady. She had no choice but to let him go.
The next morning, Yun Kui tossed and turned before finally rising to pluck fresh peach blossoms from the garden, intending to make peach blossom pastries as an apology.
As she ground the petals into paste with a mortar, the crushed remnants reminded her too much of last night—how she’d been pounded relentlessly, nearly squeezed dry.
And yet, he’d still left in a huff.
Truly, serving a prince was like living with a tiger.
Her culinary skills were lacking, and after hours of effort, she managed only one presentable batch to deliver to Chongming Hall.
Cao Yuanlu stood under the eaves, his pupils contracting slightly at the sight of her. He hadn’t expected her to visit now—Deputy Commander Sheng was still inside!
"Miss, His Highness is in a meeting. Perhaps you could…"
Yun Kui immediately said, "I'll wait here for him."
Cao Yuanlu was also in a difficult position. His Highness hadn't specified when the father and daughter should reunite—perhaps he had his own considerations, or perhaps there were still clues to verify. As a servant, he didn’t dare reveal the truth to the young lady recklessly.
Yun Kui whispered, "Eunuch Cao, I upset His Highness yesterday, and he’s still holding a grudge against me."
Cao Yuanlu recalled how the two had been inseparable just the night before. He had even heard quite a commotion from the corridor, yet in the latter half of the night, His Highness had stormed off to the study with a darkened expression.
Even after court adjourned today, His Highness remained icy-faced, his brows shadowed with gloom, leaving the officials of the Zhan Shi Mansion too terrified to even breathe loudly.
Just thinking about it made Cao Yuanlu shudder. "Might this servant dare ask what exactly you did?"
How could Yun Kui admit that she had read a romance novel featuring one woman and three men, which had angered him?
Seeing her troubled expression, Cao Yuanlu sighed softly. "Our His Highness does have a temper..."
Yun Kui quickly replied, "I wouldn’t dare complain, I wouldn’t dare."
She was quite philosophical about it—no one was perfect. Since she enjoyed his unparalleled beauty, his unwavering support, and his protection, she could only accept his mood swings and petty grudges.
Cao Yuanlu said, "But His Highness cherishes you, Miss. He wouldn’t truly stay angry with you. You’re the only one by his side now—just put in a little more effort to coax him."
He took the peach blossom pastries from her hands. "This servant will deliver these pastries for you. His Highness will understand your intentions and gradually calm down. If that doesn’t work, you can think of another way?"
Yun Kui had no choice but to nod. "Thank you, Eunuch Cao."
Inside the Chongming Hall, officials from the Zhan Shi Mansion, along with newly appointed ministers from the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works, were discussing matters. Sheng Yu had come directly after court.
Unlike some officials who served the Crown Prince but had to maintain a distance on the surface to avoid Emperor Chunming’s suspicion, Sheng Yu had been a trusted general under the late emperor. Now, having been recommended by the Crown Prince to serve in the capital, he was already seen as part of the Crown Prince’s faction—no need to hide his stance.
Cao Yuanlu carried the pastries into the hall and quietly placed them on the table before the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince cast a cold glance at the crumpled pastry crust, then immediately averted his gaze.
Cao Yuanlu began, "This is—"
Before he could finish, the Crown Prince interrupted, "Take it away. I won’t eat it."
Cao Yuanlu hesitated, but then the Crown Prince relented, "Never mind. Leave it for now."
At least she was making an effort to appease him—that was progress.
As for the peach blossom pastries, they were far from refined, but at least they were better than those bizarrely shaped milk buns.
After a moment of contemplation, the Crown Prince glanced at Sheng Yu below and gestured lightly with his fingertips. "General Sheng, would you care to try the pastries from my palace?"
Sheng Yu wasn’t fond of sweets, but since Cao Yuanlu had already brought them over, he had no choice but to bow in gratitude and take a small bite.
Unexpectedly, the Crown Prince pressed further, "How does it taste?"
Sheng Yu found it overly sweet and unremarkable in appearance. He had seen delicacies at imperial banquets before, and this pastry didn’t stand out—it wasn’t even as refined as the peach blossom pastries sold by street vendors in Pengcheng. Was this really the standard of the Eastern Palace’s kitchen now?
Still, he kept his thoughts to himself. After slowly finishing the bite, he smiled faintly. "Not bad."
The Crown Prince looked at him with a faintly mocking smile. "I’m glad General Sheng likes it."
Cao Yuanlu beamed.
This was made by your own daughter! If you ever find out she made these pastries herself, you’ll regret not eating every last crumb today.
The officials below noticed the Crown Prince’s expression softening slightly and secretly sighed in relief.
His Highness truly values Deputy Sheng.
In the past, when pastries were served in Chongming Hall, none of us ever got a taste. Yet as soon as Lord Sheng arrives, he gets to enjoy His Highness’s treats.
The kitchen is so stingy—always just a small plate. Couldn’t they make more so the rest of us could try some too?
The Crown Prince swept a cold gaze over them, and the officials, unsure of what they had done wrong, stiffened again.
Meanwhile, Yun Kui returned to Chengguang Hall and had servants retrieve the snow silk fabric she had bought in Pingzhou from the storeroom. She planned to make two sets of sleepwear for the Crown Prince as an apology.
As the weather grew warmer, the lightweight snow silk would soon come in handy.
She rummaged through the wardrobe for one of the Crown Prince’s old garments to use as a reference but accidentally stumbled upon the brocade box containing the golden chains.
Memories of that night in Pingzhou resurfaced—the crisscrossing chains accentuating his powerful, well-defined muscles, a sight that had set her pulse racing.
He had even suggested she try them on too...
Yun Kui swallowed hard. She hadn’t worn them before, but she wasn’t... entirely opposed to the idea.
After all, they were meant for both men and women. And considering they cost three hundred taels of silver, wearing them just once would be such a waste!
She might as well put in the effort once more to indulge him.
Crown Prince: Your father didn’t like the pastries you made. Don’t bother making them anymore.
Handsome Dad: That’s not true! I didn’t say that! Don’t put words in my mouth!
