In the Tengluo Pavilion, Lady Song listened to the report from her people, and the needle in her embroidery frame went crooked again.
She tossed the embroidery frame aside, her jealous eyes reddening. “Lady Shen certainly thinks highly of herself.”
The palace maids beside her did not dare answer.
Lady Song fumed for a while, then remembered the cuju outfit she had ordered yesterday and immediately sent someone to urge them along.
The Crown Prince had treated everyone the same before; who would have thought he actually liked women of Lady Shen’s type? Wasn’t it merely kicking cuju? She had legs too—did they think she didn’t know how to kick a ball?
Thinking this, she gritted her teeth again and hardened her heart. “Take some more silver and have the flower house send over some flowers, plants, fruit trees, and the like.”
That Lady Shen truly did not play by the usual rules. She had merely planted some fruit trees herself, yet had somehow caught the eye of both the Crown Prince and Her Majesty the Empress. If Lady Shen could do it, then so could she!
Shen Yanshui knew nothing of her plans. Had she known, she would have said nothing about cuju—but when it came to the fruit trees she had planted, the others truly could not compare.
*
In the Xiefang Hall, Matron Zhou’s brows drew together slightly after hearing the report from below.
After hesitating for a moment, she still entered the inner room. Fan Chuan from the kitchens had actually come to report it once yesterday, but Her Highness had just taken her medicine and was suffering rather badly from morning sickness, so Matron Zhou had not brought it up.
The Crown Princess had just finished breakfast and was leaning against the bed, amusing herself with Zhang’er, who had only just woken. Seeing Matron Zhou enter, she raised her eyes and asked, “What is it?”
Matron Zhou carefully said, “In answer to Your Highness, over at the Lianxin Court… they are adding a small kitchen this morning.”
The Crown Princess’s hand paused over the book.
“A small kitchen?” She frowned slightly. “Who permitted it?”
Matron Zhou replied cautiously, “I hear it was the Crown Prince who personally permitted it yesterday.”
The Crown Princess was silent for a moment. “Since it is His Highness’s intention, let her be.”
Matron Zhou answered, “Yes,” but felt somewhat worried inside.
Her Highness did not show it on her face, but she must be suffering inwardly.
Just as she was about to withdraw, the Crown Princess spoke again. “How has Lady Chu been lately?”
Matron Zhou furrowed her brows and said, “In answer to Your Highness, Lady Chu has been resting in her courtyard and tending to her pregnancy these days. She has not gone out at all.”
The Crown Princess’s gaze deepened. “Have people attend to her carefully. Handle whatever needs to be handled.”
Matron Zhou understood and withdrew with a bow.
*
In the Zhuxiang Residence, Lady Zhang’s needlework paused as she listened to Huixin’s report.
“A small kitchen?” She was slightly taken aback, then smiled. “Sister Shen is certainly blessed.”
Huixin said with a smile, “Yesterday, Lady Shen even sent you several peaches. I hear those peaches won praise from Her Majesty the Empress as well. Would you like to try one?”
Lady Zhang smiled. “I’ll eat one later, so I don’t dirty my hands.” With that, she lowered her head and continued her needlework. The garment would be finished after a few more days. Its material was cloud silk, light and soft, embroidered with sparse sprigs of orchids—plain, elegant, and generous.
Her stitches were fine and close, and she embroidered with great care.
*
The small kitchen had been bustling inside and out for most of the day, and was finally more or less in order.
As the sun gradually slanted westward and the summer heat abated somewhat, Shen Yanshui lay resting on a chaise beneath the grape arbor.
At noon, she had been too lazy to fuss and had merely had someone fetch some food from the kitchens to fill her stomach. Now she was all the more eager for dinner.
After a while, she summoned Eunuch Lin, Shouzhong, and Shouyi as well.
Lin Mancang hurriedly set down the work in his hands and bowed. “What orders does my mistress have?”
Shen Yanshui said with a beaming smile, “Eunuch Lin, bring out all your best skills for dinner tonight. Make whatever you are best at; I have no particular food restrictions. If you are short of any ingredients, go to Chunping and draw some silver, then get them from the main kitchens.”
A smile spread across Lin Mancang’s honest face. “Rest assured, my mistress. This servant will do his utmost and will not disappoint you.”
Shouzhong hurriedly said from the side, “If my mistress wants anything, just give us your orders. This servant knows all about the good things in the kitchens. If anything is missing, this servant can simply make a trip—how could we let you spend your silver?”
Shouyi repeatedly chimed in as well.
Shen Yanshui said with a smile, “That won’t do. Your mistress here has quite an appetite.”
She now had some standing in the Eastern Palace, so the people below were naturally very attentive. Her daily provisions were also drawn from the Crown Prince’s allotment, so she actually did not spend much silver herself.
Although even if she did not take out any silver, there were still people eager to curry favor by coming before her.
But she had suffered the hardship of being treated like an ox or a horse. When one put in labor, one ought to receive the compensation one deserved, so she never skimped on what should ordinarily be given.
Hearing their mistress say she had a large appetite, Shouzhong immediately flattered her with a smile. “That means our mistress is blessed. Isn’t there an old saying that being able to eat is a blessing? In this servant’s eyes, our mistress is the most blessed of all.”
Shouyi chimed in from the side as well, and Qiuru, Dongyi, and the others nearby all listened with smiles on their faces.
Shen Yanshui was amused into laughter by their back-and-forth. “You certainly have sweet tongues. Rest assured, although my place is small, as long as everyone works conscientiously, I will certainly not treat you unfairly.”
The three hurriedly said they would not dare, then each expressed his loyalty once more.
Looking at them, Shen Yanshui felt that with more people in the courtyard, it had become livelier too.
After laughing, she thought for a moment and still ordered two elaborate dishes, leaving the rest for Eunuch Lin to decide himself.
She had often eaten dishes made by Eunuch Lin before, but that had mostly been thanks to the Crown Prince.
When the Crown Prince dined with her, the dishes were naturally sumptuous.
But on ordinary days, when she was alone, although the kitchens did not dare slight her and sent portions much more generous than other people’s, there were many eyes everywhere. She could not order such grand dishes and rare delicacies every day, lest she draw too much attention.
After all, her own allotted provisions… were actually pitifully meager.
Each meal consisted of only two meat dishes and two vegetable dishes, and the meat dishes were merely the most ordinary chicken, duck, fish, and the like. As for mutton, donkey meat, shrimp, crab, and so on—sorry, her status was too low; they simply were not included in her allotment.
But now that she had her own small kitchen, things were much more convenient.
Lin Mancang noted down the dishes she had ordered, then asked, “Does my mistress have anything else in particular she would like to eat?”
Shen Yanshui thought for a moment, then her eyes suddenly lit up. “That’s right—make me another pastry.”
The Crown Prince loved sweets, and strawberries and peaches happened to be ripe now. Why not make a mille-crêpe with milk-skin layers, filled with whipped cream and fruit, and send him a portion?
“Can Eunuch Lin make milk skin?”
Lin Mancang paused. “Milk skin… do you mean the layer that forms on the surface of boiled cow’s milk?”
Shen Yanshui nodded. “Exactly. I want to make a pastry by stacking the milk skin layer upon layer, spreading whipped cream and diced fruit between them, and making it look like a mille-crêpe.”
Lin Mancang listened attentively, his eyes brightening slightly. “This servant can certainly skim off milk skin, but this ‘whipped cream’… this is the first time I’ve heard of it.”
Shouzhong and Shouyi were also standing nearby, ears pricked as they listened.
Milk skin was not difficult to make. Many soft cheese-like pastries used it nowadays; there were merely a few subtle differences in preparation.
She explained every detail. “The milk skin must be thick enough. Whip egg whites with sugar into cream, and dice the strawberries and peaches…”
“If the milk skin is too thin, it will tear easily. The heat must be controlled well. The cream must be whipped until fluffy—not too runny and not too stiff…”
After listening, Lin Mancang knew that this should not be difficult. Shouzhong, standing to one side, nodded repeatedly. “This servant has memorized it. I’ll try making it in a moment.”
Their skill with the main dishes was still far inferior to that of Chef Lin, and they could not compare with him. Fortunately, they had some talent for making sweets, so they could only put their effort into that.
Hearing this, Lin Mancang continued smiling good-naturedly, not at all annoyed.
Seeing this, Shen Yanshui smiled and nodded, saying nothing more.
They had only just arrived in a new environment, so wanting to show off their abilities was perfectly understandable. As long as they did not engage in vicious competition or frame others in her residence, it was fine.
After giving these instructions, they each went about their business.
Shen Yanshui reclined beneath the grape arbor. A breeze brushed past, making the grape leaves rustle as they filtered down speckled patches of light and shadow. Xia'an fanned her from the side, while Chunping brought over a cup of chilled tea. She took a sip and narrowed her eyes in comfort.
The clatter of pots, bowls, and pans drifted from the small kitchen, and now and then a wisp of fragrance floated out, making her swallow repeatedly.
After resting for half an hour, she could no longer sit still. She rose and went to take a look at the small kitchen.
Shouzhong was tending a small pot over the stove. The milk inside was gently simmering. Holding a spoon, he carefully skimmed away the foam and waited for the milk skin to form.
Shen Yanshui leaned over to take a look. “Lower the heat a little more. The milk skin needs to form slowly so it will be thick.”
Shouyi hurriedly lowered the heat.
After a quarter of an hour, the milk skin gradually solidified. Shouzhong carefully ran a bamboo spatula along the edge of the pot and gently lifted it—but it was too thin and tore.
Shouzhong’s heart seized in panic.
“It’s fine. Try again.” Shen Yanshui looked at him with a smile.
The second time, Shouzhong held his breath and focused intently. When the milk skin had formed to just the right degree, he gently ran the bamboo spatula beneath it, pinched the edges with both hands, and slowly lifted it—a complete sheet of milk skin, evenly thick, trembling precariously as it hung from the spatula.
“It worked!” Shouzhong and Shouyi cheered in unison.
Shen Yanshui smiled as well.
Next came skimming the milk skin, whipping the cream, and cutting the fruit.
The cream was made by whipping the freshest milk, which had been left to settle, with honey, brought from the Eastern Palace kitchens. Shouyi took charge of this task, stirring so rapidly with bamboo chopsticks that his arms grew painfully numb. In the end, he finally whipped the egg whites into a fluffy foam.
A layer of milk skin, a layer of cream, a sprinkling of fruit, then another layer of milk skin, more cream, more fruit…
When she saw the finished result, Shen Yanshui cut off a small piece and tasted it first. Her eyes immediately brightened, and she nodded in satisfaction. “Not bad. This is exactly the flavor and texture.”
Seeing that she was satisfied, Shouzhong and Shouyi also revealed relieved smiles.
After finishing her small piece, Shen Yanshui turned and instructed Quanfu, “Quanfu, take this milk-skin mille-crêpe to His Highness.”
Quanfu replied with a broad smile and hurried off. However, before he had even left Lianxin Court, he turned around and brought it back exactly as it was.
“This servant greets the Crown Prince. May Your Highness enjoy peace and good health.”
Hearing the commotion outside, Shen Yanshui hurried out of the small kitchen. When she saw the Crown Prince, she had just bent her knees to salute when he pulled her upright with one hand.
Cui Yu held her hand, his tone gentle. “I heard from Quanfu that you made another new delicacy?”
He had known that with her temperament, the moment she obtained a small kitchen, she would certainly come up with some new delicacies.
Quanfu, being exceptionally perceptive, immediately stepped forward and presented the dish.
Cui Yu looked at the food before him and slightly raised his brows. Shen Yanshui said enthusiastically, “Your Highness, this milk-skin mille-crêpe contains cream as well. I don’t know whether Your Highness will like it…”
Cui Yu washed his hands and wiped his face before pulling her down to sit with him on the couch. Then he tasted it.
Its surface was milky white and faintly translucent, like a layer of creamy jade. It was soft and slightly chewy on the tongue, as though she were tasting a delicate cloud melted to just the right consistency.
That dense, silky smoothness must have been the “cream” A-Yan had mentioned. It had a rich milky fragrance, touched with the faint sweetness of milk fat, without the slightest hint of a rank dairy smell. It melted in the mouth, sweet without being cloying.
The fresh fruit inside was tender yet pleasantly chewy, soft, glutinous, and juicy, with a slight springiness. Sweet and sour flavors intertwined.
Cui Yu finished one piece in two bites, then ate several more small pieces in succession.
Only then did he give a slight nod. “Not bad.”
Shen Yanshui: “…It’s enough that Your Highness likes it.” She could not help laughing inwardly; she could tell even without him saying so.
The evening meal was about to begin, so Cui Yu did not eat too much.
Upon learning that the Crown Prince would also be dining with their mistress in Lianxin Court that day, Lin Mancang and the others immediately worked with even greater diligence and caution.
Naturally, only the finest ingredients were used. Before long, the small flower hall’s table was filled to the brim.
Lotus-pod fish packets, crystal-sliced meat, fish brewed in milk, scallion-braised sea cucumber, red-braised tendon, Longjing shrimp, snow-mist soup, and ham-stewed old duck soup, all in generous portions, along with several seasonal side dishes—it was an exceedingly sumptuous spread.
Among them, the lotus-pod fish parcels were especially delicious. Tender lotus pods were stuffed with minced fish, steamed, and then drizzled with a thickened sauce. The lotus pods were emerald green and the fish as white as snow, pretty enough to be a work of art. One bite, and the fish was fresh, tender, and springy, while the lotus seed's fragrance melted across her tongue. Shen Yanshui nearly bit her tongue from eating it.
The crystal aspic was made from pigskin, sliced into thin pieces that gleamed like crystal. Dipped in ginger-vinegar sauce, it was smooth and springy, and especially whetted the appetite.
The milk-braised fish was made with crucian carp. The soup had been stewed until it was thick and milky white, and the fish was tender and fresh. One sip of the soup, and it was so delicious it nearly made one's eyebrows fall off.
Shen Yanshui ate until her brows danced with delight, her chopsticks hardly stopping at all.
Chunping served the dishes at her side, watching until her eyelids twitched.
Her mistress's appetite was truly more astonishing every time.
Shen Yanshui, however, was completely unaware. She only felt that she was having the most wonderful meal, and not only did she eat herself, she did not forget to urge the Crown Prince to eat as well.
“Your Highness, try this…”
“Your Highness, try that…”
By the end of the meal, Cui Yu had been fed by her and had unwittingly eaten until he was somewhat overfull.
After setting down his chopsticks, he still did not sit idle.
Seeing how happily she ate, a trace of amusement unconsciously touched his brows and eyes as well.
When he saw her stretching her arm to reach for the Longjing shrimp that lay somewhat far from her, he raised a hand and placed some in her bowl. Thinking the soup today was good, he then ladled out a bowl and set it beside her hand.
The eunuchs and palace maids around them watched this scene, their hearts pounding!
Zheng Yuande's eyes bulged so wide they nearly popped out. He felt as though the sky itself had collapsed!
How could the Crown Prince personally perform this sort of serving work?!
But just as he was about to step forward, a sidelong glance from the Crown Prince nailed him to the spot.
Zheng Yuande: “…”
Shen Yanshui naturally noticed the Crown Prince's actions as well, and her beautiful, peach-blossom eyes widened involuntarily.
It had truly startled her. This was the dignified Crown Prince, after all!
He was actually personally serving her food?
Shen Yanshui: What should I do? Suddenly, the food in my mouth… seems to taste even better!
She blinked, and in an instant her eyes brimmed with tears. Looking at him with a deeply moved expression, she drew out the slightly rising final note of her soft voice: “Your Highness~”
Cui Yu cast a sidelong glance at her limpid eyes and placed a shrimp in her bowl. “Are you full?”
Shen Yanshui inexplicably felt as though his gaze had seen straight through her. Her lashes trembled lightly, and she unconsciously and quietly shifted her bottom a little before saying in a small voice, “...Not yet.”
Cui Yu's tone was indifferent. “If you don't eat now, I'll have them clear it away.”
Shen Yanshui immediately nodded obediently. “Eat, eat, eat. This concubine will eat right away…”
She no longer gazed at him with deep affection, but bent her head and concentrated on eating.
Even so, as she ate, she still could not help secretly raising her lashes and shooting him a quick glance.
Refined and handsome, noble and elegant, with features like a painting.
He truly made the food go down better.
The palace maids and eunuchs serving nearby kept their heads lowered, but their eyeballs nearly fell out of their sockets. They wished they could pinch one another to see whether they were dreaming.
The Crown Prince had personally ladled soup and served dishes to Lady Shen?
Chunping stood at the side, maintaining a composed expression, but she had already been stunned into place and nearly forgot to breathe.
Only now did she quietly let out a breath of relief. Seeing her mistress looking completely satisfied as she ate, admiration naturally welled up in her heart.
Not everyone had the nerve to accept the Crown Prince's service so calmly.
And even fewer could make the Crown Prince willingly serve them in such a manner.
After a while, Shen Yanshui finally set down her chopsticks in complete satisfaction. She did not forget to turn her smiling eyes toward the Crown Prince and ask, “Your Highness, did today's dishes suit your taste?”
Cui Yu accepted the handkerchief Zheng Yuande handed him and wiped his hands. He gave a faint “Mm,” paused, and added, “The milk-skin mille-crêpe was also quite good.” The soft, smooth cream inside did indeed have something novel about it.
Shen Yanshui immediately beamed. She summoned the three of them at once and rewarded each with some loose silver and a new summer outfit.
Cui Yu watched from the side. “Their service was reasonably conscientious. Zheng Yuande, give them a reward.”
Shouzhong and Shouyi happily kowtowed and expressed their thanks. “Thank you for the reward, Your Highness! Thank you for the reward, Mistress!”
Seeing that both the Crown Prince and his mistress were satisfied, Lin Mancang finally relaxed. He kowtowed to offer his thanks and, when he withdrew, felt his heart settle at last.
After the evening meal was cleared away, Shen Yanshui and Cui Yu also left the room to walk off their food.
It was dusk. Layer upon layer of rosy clouds in the western sky looked as though someone had overturned a vat of dye, splashing brocade across the heavens.
The sun had only just set, and yet the summer heat had not dispersed. A layer of warmth floated in the air, carrying the fragrant scent of the flowers and grasses in the courtyard.
After Cui Yu took her hand, he felt that the little hand in his palm was soft and boneless, warm and delicate, like a piece of pleasantly cool jade. In the muggy dusk, it was especially pleasant to hold.
A-Yan was right. There were no outsiders in this courtyard, so they did not need to follow the rules in every little thing.
Shen Yanshui had no idea what was going through his mind. The moment she stepped into the rear courtyard, however, she saw a small emerald-green figure sneaking about on a peach tree branch, using its beak to peck through the skin and thoroughly enjoying a stolen snack.
She stopped in her tracks, planted her hands on her hips, and spoke in one smooth motion: “Little Jade! So this is what you're doing—eating behind my back!”
Cui Yu glanced at his empty hand, then at her lively, expressive features, and pressed his lips together to hide a brief laugh.
“Caw-caw! Big Pretty! Big Pretty! Tigress! Tigress!” Little Jade's feathers exploded in fright. It flapped its wings and took flight, spun once in the air, and landed on another branch. Cocking its head, it looked down at the two people below with an innocent expression.
Shen Yanshui's eyes widened in anger. “Tigress?! Who did you learn that from?”
Seeing her puffed-up, angry expression, Cui Yu could not help pressing his lips together in a laugh.
Shen Yanshui immediately turned her head and glared at him.
Cui Yu: “...It wasn't me.” For some reason, he instinctively explained himself.
Shen Yanshui slipped into full melodrama and pretended to lean against him, whimpering, “This concubine is so delicate and weak. How could she be a tigress?”
Amusement filled Cui Yu's eyes. He raised a hand and lightly tapped her between the brows. “...You truly are a little imp.”
Before Shen Yanshui could say anything, she heard a burst of cawing.
“May the Crown Prince enjoy ten thousand blessings and perfect peace! May the Crown Prince enjoy ten thousand blessings and perfect peace!” it cried at the top of its voice, its tone so shrill and bright that it seemed afraid someone might fail to hear it.
Shen Yanshui immediately dropped the act, staring at it with exasperation and amusement. “Stop using His Highness as a shield. Come here.”
Little Jade blinked its tiny eyes, then turned its head toward Cui Yu and changed its tone. “His Highness is so handsome! His Highness is so handsome!”
Cui Yu’s brows twitched faintly as he glanced at Shen Yanshui.
Shen Yanshui: “…” This bird really had become a spirit. She had only repeated it once or twice, and it had already learned it—then blurted it out right in front of the person himself.
She pretended not to notice the Crown Prince’s look, stepped forward, and held out her hand to Little Jade. “Come here.”
Little Jade tilted its head to look at her, then at the Crown Prince, as though weighing its options. In the end, it still flew over obediently and landed on the finger she extended.
Shen Yanshui lifted it before her eyes and carefully examined its body. Only after a moment did she let out a breath of relief.
She then lightly poked its head. “How many times have I told you? No stealing food. You can only eat what I give you each day. Eat too much and you’ll stuff yourself to death, you foolish bird.”
Little Jade’s head bobbed with each poke, but it did not dodge. Once she had finished speaking, it rubbed against her finger. “Tasty, tasty.”
Shen Yanshui: “…” Tasty my foot.
When she called it foolish, it was sometimes exceedingly clever; when she called it clever, it was foolish all over again.
Watching this scene, a trace of amusement flashed through Cui Yu’s eyes. He walked over unhurriedly, his gaze settling on Little Jade.
Sensing his gaze, Little Jade immediately perked up again, puffed out its chest, and cried at the top of its voice, “May His Highness enjoy ten thousand blessings and perfect peace! May His Highness enjoy ten thousand blessings and perfect peace!”
Afterward, it tilted its head to look at him, a hint of ingratiation shining in its black-bean eyes.
Cui Yu looked at it for a moment, then suddenly said, “Has Little Jade grown smarter and smarter?”
Shen Yanshui paused, then smiled. “I think it’s become devilishly clever too. Before, it could only mimic speech, but now it knows how to read people’s expressions. It even knows to invoke Your Highness to shield it from trouble.”
Little Jade seemed to understand that they were talking about it and rubbed against Shen Yanshui’s finger again.
Shen Yanshui pinched its beak. “All right, I’ll spare you this once. If you steal food again, I’ll lock you in a cage.”
At that, Little Jade immediately flapped into the air and landed on a higher branch, looking smugly as if to say, “You can’t catch me.”
Shen Yanshui: “…” This bird really had become a spirit.
Cui Yu pressed his lips together and gave a soft laugh.
The sky gradually darkened. The last smear of sunset sank into the horizon, night closed in from all sides, and the stars lit up one by one.
When Shen Yanshui emerged after bathing and changing clothes, the ends of her hair were still slightly damp, carrying a faint fruity fragrance.
Inside, the candle flames flickered. Cui Yu sat on the cushioned couch by the window, flipping through some sort of booklet.
Shen Yanshui glanced over and recognized it as the storeroom management ledger she had devised herself.
Cui Yu raised his eyes to her. “Who made this booklet?”
“I came up with it myself when I had nothing else to do,” she said with a smile.
Cui Yu’s gaze returned to the booklet, and he turned several more pages.
It was entirely different from the ledgers he usually saw.
Ordinary storeroom records merely listed the items, names, and quantities. As time passed, not only were things difficult to find, but the records also became disorderly, making reconciliation a headache.
This one before him, however, was clear and orderly. Every page was ruled into neat horizontal and vertical boxes, with everything divided into categories.
The top section was for the date, the column on the left for the item’s name, the middle for its quantity, and the right for its source or destination. At the end was even a column for signatures and seals.
At the beginning of each row, beside the item’s name, she had also drawn a little picture. Though simple, each image made the item instantly recognizable.
Cui Yu pointed to one of the little pictures. “This squirrel is rather lively.”
Shen Yanshui looked over and saw that it was the squirrel-and-grapes pendant of pink tourmaline that the Crown Prince had bestowed a few days earlier. When drawing it, she had casually added a few strokes: the squirrel dragged its large tail, hugged the grapes, and looked adorably clumsy.
She beamed. “I was just doodling because I had nothing to do. With records like these, even people who can’t read can tell what the items are, so they won’t take the wrong things. Chunping and the others are learning to recognize characters, but it will still take them some time to remember everything at once.”
Cui Yu nodded slightly. “There is indeed some ingenuity to it. Recorded this way, everything is clear at a glance.”
He paused, then added, “The style of the drawings is rather amusing as well.”
Hearing him praise her, Shen Yanshui’s fingers grew restless with eagerness. Her eyes shone as she looked at him. “Your Highness, shall I draw a picture for you as well?”
Cui Yu raised a brow but did not refuse.
Shen Yanshui immediately turned her head and instructed, “Chunping, bring me my drawing book and charcoal pencil.”
Chunping answered and hurried off. Before long, she returned carrying a notebook and a slender charcoal pencil.
The notebook was roughly twice the size of an ordinary book. The paper inside was thicker as well, made by the Eastern Palace Workshops at Shen Yanshui’s special instruction by joining several sheets of xuan paper together. The cover was made directly from stiff cardboard.
There were already quite a few drawings inside…
Cui Yu accepted it casually and flipped through several pages. Suddenly, his gaze stopped.
Every one of them was that noisy, foolish bird.
There it was standing on a branch with its wings akimbo, tilting its head, sleeping, flapping its wings, getting one wing smeared with ink, secretly pecking at fruit, ingratiating itself and acting cute… Each image was vividly lifelike.
More than a dozen pages in all.
And him… not a single one.
Cui Yu pressed his lips together. His page-turning slowed, and he raised his eyes to give her a long, inscrutable look.
Shen Yanshui was looking down as she fiddled with the charcoal pencil and did not notice his gaze.
Cui Yu’s voice was calm. “I had no idea you possessed such a skill.”
Shen Yanshui completely failed to detect the meaning behind his words, thinking he was praising her. She smiled broadly and said shamelessly, “Today I’ll let Your Highness see what I can do.”
Although the light was not as good as it had been during the day, an opportunity like this would not come twice. Who knew whether the Crown Prince would have the leisure for this again?
Cui Yu said nothing. With an impassive expression, he handed the notebook back to her.
Shen Yanshui took it and looked at him eagerly. “Your Highness, sit however you like. Make yourself comfortable; I’ll find my own angle.”
Cui Yu glanced at her. Seeing the eager anticipation dancing between her brows, he gave a slight nod and casually picked up the book resting nearby, opening it.
Shen Yanshui immediately turned to a fresh page, picked up a charcoal pencil, and began sketching.
She drew quickly, her expression focused as the charcoal pencil whispered across the paper.
Candlelight reflected across her face, laying a soft halo over her features. Those beautiful peach-blossom eyes lifted to look at him from time to time, then dropped again as she sketched swiftly, her expression earnest.
Cui Yu's gaze fell on her. When he saw that she was about to look up, he lowered his eyes once more.
But the moment he turned the page and saw the illustration inside... the hand turning the page abruptly froze, his fingertip unconsciously pressing harder.
Shen Yanshui was wholly absorbed in her drawing and noticed nothing.
Her strokes were light and swift. With only a few lines, she outlined the Crown Prince's features: handsome brows and eyes, a straight nose, and the posture of his slightly lowered gaze. Even that air of detached reserve seemed to leap from the page.
When she noticed that the Crown Prince's posture was rather stiff, she even found it quite amusing.
It was like being photographed while traveling in modern times—always feeling a little nervous, shy, and uncomfortable?
Cui Yu's stiff movement soon returned to normal. He lowered his eyes and turned the pages one by one at an unhurried pace, occasionally lingering over one for a moment longer.
After a while, Shen Yanshui set down her final stroke, let out a long breath, and lifted her head with a radiant smile. “Done!”
She put down the charcoal pencil and brought the sketchbook before Cui Yu. “Your Highness, take a look. How did I draw? Doesn't it capture all of Your Highness's grace? Look at these brows and eyes, this nose, these hands, this chest—cough... I drew every detail with great care!”
She glanced at the Crown Prince's thin inner robe, through which the contours of the muscles beneath could be faintly seen...
Her mouth seemed honeyed as she said with a beaming smile, “Even Your Highness's every strand of hair is so beautiful...”
But before she could finish speaking, something suddenly tightened around her waist.
Before she could react, a large hand had already hooked around her waist and drawn her into his embrace, settling her securely on the Crown Prince's lap.
Startled, she instinctively wrapped both arms around his neck. When she looked up, she met those deep, shadowed eyes.
The palace servants attending nearby had long since lowered their heads with great tact and retreated in silence. Chunping was the last to leave, and thoughtfully reached back to close the door softly.
The room fell silent at once, leaving only the two of them breathing softly.
Shen Yanshui suddenly sensed something beneath her... She blinked. Hadn't the Crown Prince been reading just now?
What was this...
From the corner of her eye, she suddenly caught sight of the book the Crown Prince had casually set aside. It now lay half-open beside the couch, the two little figures illustrated on its pages posed intimately in an... erotic illustration.
And it was an erotic illustration depicting a rather unusual position.
Shen Yanshui's cheeks flared hot.
Wasn't this the very book she had been appreciating lately? How had it ended up in the Crown Prince's hands?
She abruptly raised her head and met Cui Yu's gaze.
He was looking at her, his eyes deep and unreadable.
Shen Yanshui spoke awkwardly. “Y-Your Highness, that...”
Cui Yu raised a brow slightly. “Hm?”
Under his gaze, Shen Yanshui felt somewhat guilty. Her mind raced, and with her cheeks faintly flushed, she murmured, “Your Highness hadn't come for so long. I missed you, so...”
Her voice grew softer and softer as she spoke, and beneath his gaze, her cheeks grew hotter and hotter.
Cui Yu listened to her words without speaking, merely tightening his hold on her.
He had just bathed and wore only a thin moon-white inner robe. The lapels hung slightly open, revealing a stretch of fair, firm chest, its smooth lines and defined muscles appearing and disappearing beneath the candlelight. The opening extended downward, and the outline of his abdominal muscles could be vaguely seen...
Shen Yanshui blinked, then extended one finger and lightly poked the exposed expanse of his chest.
It was soft, yet she could feel the firmness beneath.
Cui Yu lowered his eyes to her restless hand, then looked at her innocent little face, and his gaze grew several shades darker.
Shen Yanshui was suddenly lifted into the air. She hurriedly wrapped her legs around his waist and abdomen.
When she saw him heading toward the writing desk, she could not help feeling puzzled. “Your Highness?”
The next moment, he lifted a hand and swept his sleeve across the objects on the desk. The four treasures of the study clattered to the floor, and he set Shen Yanshui down on the desk.
Shen Yanshui looked into his pitch-black eyes. “...” She seemed to understand what he wanted to do.
She had been wearing a rouge-colored bandeau, covered by a layer of jade-colored gauze and silk robes.
After some time, the rouge-colored and jade-colored robes were piled high, layer upon layer gathered above her collarbones.
Shen Yanshui's body tilted backward uncontrollably.
One hand braced against the edge of the writing desk behind her, while the other rested unconsciously in the Crown Prince's hair. Her breathing had long since lost its rhythm.
Besides the soft and heavy breaths of the two of them, the only sound audible by her ear was the faint splashing of water.
“Your Highness~” Shen Yanshui had just released a breath when the Crown Prince lifted his head and glanced at her. A smile curved at his lips, and his voice was deep, rich, and husky. “A-Yan's body truly is made of water... I was nearly drowned.”
“...” Shen Yanshui's face was as red as rouge. She gave him a lightly reproachful glare, irritation mingling with coyness.
Seeing her coy expression and rippling eyes, Cui Yu's gaze suddenly deepened. He raised a hand and turned her over, and Shen Yanshui's feet finally touched the floor.
Only now her upper body was bent over the cold, hard writing desk, while behind her lay the strong, heated body of a man.
After who knew how long, the lone brush remaining at the edge of the writing desk swayed ever more precariously with the desk's rocking.
“Clatter.”
The last brush finally rolled to the floor and spun a long way away.
Shen Yanshui lay sprawled across the desk, her face buried in the crook of her arm. Her voice was muffled, with a soft, alluring lilt. “Your Highness, you're so heavy...”
As she spoke, she gave a little kick, but like a small fish pinned beneath a great bear, she struggled uselessly and could not move.
Cui Yu did not answer. He merely pushed himself up slightly, taking away most of his weight while still keeping her enclosed in his arms.
She twisted her body, wanting to urge him to get up.
The moment she moved, a hand pressed down on the small of her back, neither lightly nor heavily.
“...Still want more?” Cui Yu’s voice was low and husky.
Shen Yanshui’s body trembled, and she let out a soft hum. Before she could say anything, she felt a foreign sensation entirely different from before.
Hearing the low laughter behind her, Shen Yanshui: “...”
Suddenly emboldened, she turned her head and bit his shoulder.
Cui Yu’s arm tensed instinctively. Shen Yanshui felt it scraping her teeth slightly, so she ground her pointed teeth against it harder. Who still wanted more? He made it sound as though she was dissatisfied with something or other. Hmph—she merely wanted to bathe and go to sleep early, all right?
Cui Yu fed her another one. “A-Yan, don’t be impatient...”
Shen Yanshui: “...”
Watching the rouge-colored moisture at the corners of her eyes and observing her expression, it took only a short while before his palm was wet through.
By the time Shen Yanshui was like a fish turned over and over, dried and dehydrated in the sun, she saw the Crown Prince lower his eyes to look at the glistening wetness wrapped around his palm and fingers...
The next moment, she saw him raise them to his lips...
Her face grew burning hot as she watched. Ahhhhhhh—this expression and demeanor of the Crown Prince’s was completely unfair! It was far too seductive!
She braced herself up, her legs weak, and was just about to head to the bathing room. With a head that felt ready to emit smoke, she mumbled, “Y-Your Highness, I’ll go bathe first...” Saying this, she tried to run.
However, she had barely taken one step when someone suddenly swept her up from behind. When Shen Yanshui found herself sitting on the Crown Prince’s arm, her expression was still blank with bewilderment, and she instinctively wrapped both arms tightly around the Crown Prince’s head.
Her full, soft flesh pressed against his face, and Cui Yu’s breathing abruptly stopped.
Shen Yanshui: “...”
The following day, daylight streamed through the window lattice. It was already the hour of the Dragon.
Shen Yanshui turned over hazily and reached toward the space beside her. It was empty.
She opened her eyes. She was alone in bed.
When had the Crown Prince risen? She did not remember it at all.
Shen Yanshui rubbed her eyes, somewhat dazed.
In the past, whenever the Crown Prince stayed the night, she would wake a little when he rose. Even if she did not open her eyes, she could feel the movement beside her. But these past two days... had she not been sleeping far too deeply?
Could it be that she had been worn out by the “overtime” these past two nights?
“The mistress is awake?” Hearing the movement, Chunping lifted the bed curtains and hung them up. With a smile, she gave a curtsy. “This servant will attend to the mistress while she washes and dresses.”
Shen Yanshui answered, “Mm,” and let Chunping help her up.
The sun was already high outside. Light shone through the window paper, making it clear that today would once again be a bright, sunny day.
Xia'an came in with two young palace maids to tidy the bedding, their movements light and efficient.
Shen Yanshui sat before the dressing table while Qiuru arranged her hair. Suddenly, a very soft “Huh?” came from behind her.
Shen Yanshui glanced over through the bronze mirror. It was Xia'an.
She was sorting the clothes and bedding changed out the previous night, holding a moon-white pair of drawers in her hand. In a puzzled undertone, she said, “The mistress’s drawers are newly made. How did they get torn?”
Her voice was very soft, as though she were merely talking to herself.
The movement of Shen Yanshui’s hands as she selected ribbons and hairpins paused for an instant.
Immediately afterward, her face grew hot.
They could clearly have been taken off directly, but the Crown Prince had insisted on tearing an opening right down the middle.
