After Shen Yanshui returned to Lotus Heart Court, she had Dongyi distribute the little egg tarts she had specially brought back among Chunping, Quanfu, and the others. She had already eaten in the kitchen, so she kept a cup of milk tea with tapioca pearls and taro paste to drink later.
Looking at the golden pastries and breathing in their sweet, tempting fragrance, everyone smiled and bowed in unison.
“Thank you for the reward, Mistress.”
They were still on duty, however, and none of them were ignorant of proper etiquette. Naturally, they would wait until they took turns going off duty before eating in their own rooms, or warm the tarts in the tea room first.
At any rate, they could not disregard the rules and eat them right in front of their mistress.
Shen Yanshui then had some water brought in and took a bath. Although she had not needed to do everything herself in the kitchen, she had nevertheless picked up some of its mingled odors.
As she sat before the dressing mirror, her gaze fell upon the hibiscus-pink crystal jewelry set beside her, which glittered even more brilliantly beneath the sunlight. Suddenly inspired, she said, “Xia'an, redo my hair and put this set on me.”
Xia'an smiled and stepped forward to acknowledge the order.
After a while, once the styling was complete, Xia'an could not help exclaiming at the sight of her mistress in the mirror, “Mistress, you truly look like a celestial beauty…”
Even though she saw her every day, she was still occasionally stunned by her mistress’s beauty.
Chunping and Qiuru, standing nearby, blushed faintly and hurried to echo her praise. Shen Yanshui was so delighted that her heart bloomed with joy, and she could not help admiring herself thoroughly in the mirror.
What a pity—if cameras had existed, she would absolutely have taken several pictures to keep as mementos.
Only after she had finally admired herself to her heart’s content did Shen Yanshui turn her attention to the things in their hands. Chunping smiled and reported, “Mistress, tomorrow is the Duanyang Festival. We were just preparing to decorate the courtyard, so we can ward off evil and avert calamity for you.”
Shen Yanshui smiled. “You’ve all been very thoughtful.”
Then she looked toward the pile of small items in Qiuru’s arms and casually picked up a brightly colored cloth toy.
“Who made this little tiger?”
Xia'an replied with a smile, “Mistress, Qiuru made it. We never realized before that she was so skilled at making cloth tigers.”
Shen Yanshui praised her without reservation. “It really is beautifully made.” In any case, it was far better than anything Shen Yanshui herself could have made.
During the Duanyang Festival, families often placed tigers around the house to drive away evil and ward off misfortune. Many even dressed their children in tiger robes and tiger hats, making them look like little tigers in the hope of protecting them from evil and keeping them healthy and strong.
Qiuru pressed her lips together shyly. “It’s only a crude little craft. I hardly deserve your praise, Mistress.”
Shen Yanshui smiled. “If it’s well made, then it’s well made. Why shouldn’t you be praised for it?”
As she spoke, she looked down at the little tiger in her hand. It had an impressively fierce expression, though it was also rather adorable. She played with it lovingly for a while before setting it down.
Seeing the things they were holding, and finding herself with nothing else to do, Shen Yanshui decided to find herself a task. She smiled and said, “Bring the ladder over…”
When Cui Yu arrived, he happened to see her holding calamus leaves and mugwort, standing atop a tall ladder and hanging them above the doorway.
“This servant greets Your Highness.”
Qiuru, who had been about to scatter realgar powder at the courtyard gate, was startled when she saw the Crown Prince. She hurriedly dropped to her knees and paid her respects.
The others, hearing this, hastily set down their work and followed suit.
Shen Yanshui naturally turned around as well. A flicker of surprise crossed her face. “Your Highness?” she said, immediately preparing to climb down.
Cui Yu’s heart clenched at the sight. His Adam’s apple bobbed faintly as he said in a low voice, “There’s no need to hurry. Come down slowly.”
Shen Yanshui failed to notice anything amiss and nimbly descended the ladder.
Quanshou, who was still prostrated on the ground, had been hesitating over whether he could get up to receive his mistress before the Crown Prince dismissed them. Then a corner of a dark robe, embroidered with subdued silver patterns of four-clawed pythons, suddenly appeared before his eyes. He immediately lay still, obediently keeping his face pressed to the ground.
Cui Yu reached out and gripped Shen Yanshui’s forearm. Only then did she realize that he seemed to be holding her rather tightly…
Once he saw that she was safely on the ground, Cui Yu’s expression darkened. Turning toward the servants kneeling throughout the courtyard, he said coldly, “What are you all good for? You allowed your mistress to put herself in danger. What use is there in keeping any of you?”
Everyone instantly grew terrified and knocked their heads against the ground, begging forgiveness.
Shen Yanshui had not expected him to lose his temper so violently. She was startled before she came to her senses. Seeing his grim expression, as though his next order would be to punish them all, her heart gave a frightened leap.
But she soon realized that he was angry because he had been worried she might fall, and her composure returned.
If Chunping, Quanfu, and the others were punished merely because she had climbed a ladder, that would be far too unjust.
She tentatively caught hold of a corner of his sleeve, cautiously peeking at his darkened expression as she said in a hesitant, pleading tone, “Please don’t be angry, Your Highness. I was the one who insisted on climbing up there. How could they, as servants, have stopped me?”
Cui Yu cast her a sidelong glance. Only then did he notice that she had changed into a hibiscus-colored, high-waisted silk skirt.
The light fabric, as soft as smoke in the fifth month, carried a delicate hue like a lotus just beginning to bloom, setting off her skin to appear even more luminous and pale.
The high-waisted bodice wrapped snugly around her full breasts, outlining her lush, undulating curves and soft, supple skin.
The hibiscus-pink crystal ornaments in her hair, at her ears, and around her neck radiated a gentle, crystalline glow. The stones were clear as water, shimmering with a faint sheen of sunlight as they sparkled among her cloudlike locks. Their radiance mingled with the hibiscus hue of her dress until it was impossible to tell whether her beauty illuminated the fabric or the jewels lent their glow to her features.
She resembled a water lotus fresh from the stream, its morning dew not yet dry—a sight that made it impossible to look away.
Cui Yu’s eyes shifted faintly, but he continued to keep his face cold and said nothing.
Shen Yanshui secretly hooked her finger around his little finger and gave it a gentle tug. When he still did not react, she grew even bolder and wrapped both arms tightly around one of his.
Then she tipped her chin up and gazed at him imploringly. “Your Highness, I know I was wrong. I shouldn’t have relied on my agility and climbed up and down without regard for the danger.”
However, she changed her tone, a hint of grievance showing on her face. “You know I used to play cuju and polo all the time. I’m very nimble, and I hardly ever fall. Please don’t let it upset you so much that you make yourself ill~”
Her voice was soft and sweet, as though she were acting spoiled. Yet there was an unmistakable note of grievance in it, and the lingering lilt at the end of her words curled like a little hook, burrowing straight into Cui Yu’s ears.
The softness pressed firmly against his arm made his muscles tense unconsciously. He lowered his eyes to look at her, his gaze dark and fathomless. His usually cool voice carried an unfamiliar, low rasp. “You’re quite skilled? Nimble, are you?”
Shen Yanshui met his deep, turbulent gaze and suddenly had the inexplicable feeling that something was not quite right…
Cui Yu stared at her darkly for a long while before turning his eyes toward the servants of Lianxin Court kneeling in the courtyard. His voice was cold as he said, “This time, your mistress pleaded for mercy on your behalf, so I will let it go. But if there is a next time, you needn’t remain at Lianxin Court.”
Chunping, Quanfu, and the others immediately trembled as they kowtowed and thanked him for his mercy.
Shen Yanshui breathed a sigh of relief, but at the same time, she became even more wary.
Just then, she noticed him glance in her direction. His crow-black lashes lowered, concealing his dark eyes. She heard him say coldly, “Come inside with me.”
His voice sounded icy and distant. With that, he turned and walked into the room.
Shen Yanshui: “…”
Something seemed vaguely amiss, but for the moment, she couldn’t put her finger on what.
In the end, she followed him inside.
“Close the door.”
Shen Yanshui paused, then obediently turned around and shut the door.
“Your Highness?” She felt a little uneasy. He sat upright on the couch, his expression blank as he watched her, and she had no idea what he meant to do.
Cui Yu looked at her and said in an even tone, “Come here.”
