Inside the tent, the imperial physician was bent over, packing away his medicine chest. The Seventh Prince lay on a padded couch, his face as pale as paper, the cold sweat on his brow not yet dry. His left leg was wrapped in layer upon layer of white bandages, with faint stains of blood seeping through.
When Cui Yu lifted the tent flap and entered, the Seventh Prince was bracing himself on one arm, attempting to rise and pay his respects. Cui Yu crossed the distance in two strides and placed a hand on his shoulder, pressing him gently back down.
“Seventh Brother, there is no need for formalities. Your leg is injured; just lie still and rest.”
The Seventh Prince’s body stiffened slightly. He looked up at him. “Thank you, Your Highness the Crown Prince...”
Cui Yu turned to the imperial physician, his voice calm. “How grave are Seventh Brother’s injuries?”
The physician hurriedly bowed and replied respectfully, “Your Highness, the Seventh Prince’s left leg was pierced through by a tree branch. Fortunately, the main bone was not damaged. I have cleaned the wound, applied medicine, and used silver needles to seal the pressure points and stop the bleeding. However... this is no minor injury. He will need two or three months of quiet recuperation before he can walk again.”
Cui Yu’s brows drew together slightly, his gaze falling upon the Seventh Prince’s leg. “Will there be any lasting effects?”
The physician hesitated, choosing his words carefully. “This humble servant has done all he can, and Your Highness brought him back in time. Had it been any later... leaving aside the loss of blood, if the wound had become infected and festered, this leg might not have been saved. And even if it had been, walking afterward would likely have been...”
He trailed off without finishing, but everyone present understood what remained unsaid.
Cui Yu’s expression darkened slightly. He gave a nod. “You have worked hard, Imperial Physician.”
“Your Highness honors me. It is merely my duty.” The physician bowed, then turned to the Seventh Prince. “Your Highness, I will prescribe several doses. I shall have them decocted and brought over shortly. Please take the first dose, ease the pain, and get some proper rest.”
The Seventh Prince did not answer, only giving a faint nod.
The imperial physician withdrew, and the tent fell quiet.
Cui Yu’s gaze rested on the Seventh Prince’s face. The young man had turned his head aside; his lips were dry and cracked, utterly drained of color.
Seeing him like this, Cui Yu sighed softly to himself.
He turned and instructed Xiao Zhengshan and Zheng Yuande, who had followed him inside, “Guard the entrance. Without my order, no one is to enter.”
“Yes!” the two answered in unison. They turned and went out, and the tent flap fell shut, cutting off the clamor outside.
Only the two brothers remained within the tent.
Cui Yu sat down beside the couch and looked at the Seventh Prince. His brow furrowed, his voice low and grave. “Seventh Brother, how exactly did you fall? The imperial physician has already examined the horse. It showed no sign of having inhaled anything that might have driven it mad, nor was it poisoned. Why did it suddenly bolt out of control and charge over the cliff?”
As Cui Yu remembered it... his seventh brother’s skill in riding and archery was far from poor. Barring some unforeseen circumstance, he should not have been unable to rein in his horse.
The Seventh Prince’s fingers tightened in the bedding beneath him. His lips moved, yet for a long while, no words came.
His eyes lowered to his left leg, wrapped in white bandages, his gaze dark and heavy.
Cui Yu did not press him. He merely watched in silence.
The tent was so quiet that even the faint crackle of the candle flame could be heard.
After quite some time, the Seventh Prince finally spoke in a hoarse voice, so low it was almost inaudible.
“Your Highness the Crown Prince... I do not know either...”
Cui Yu frowned, just about to speak, when Xiao Zhengshan’s voice sounded from outside the tent. “This subordinate pays his respects to the Second Prince, the Sixth Prince, the Eighth Prince…”
“Let them in,” Cui Yu said gravely.
No sooner had he spoken than the tent flap was lifted from outside.
The Sixth Prince ducked in first. Seeing the Crown Prince present, he lowered his gaze and bowed respectfully. Cui Yu looked at the three of them and said in a deep voice, “No need for formalities.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
After paying their respects, the Sixth Prince, his face full of concern, strode quickly to the bedside. His voice was gentle. “Seventh Brother, how are you? Is the injury to your leg serious?”
The Second Prince followed close behind. The usually mischievous expression on his face had sobered somewhat as he frowned. “What did the imperial physician say? Is it serious? I have two excellent ginseng roots—I'll have someone send them over later.”
“Seventh Brother, you really ought to be more careful,” the Eighth Prince said, his tone reproachful. “You couldn’t even control your horse and actually rode straight toward a cliff. Your horsemanship is far too poor. When we return, you’ll need to practice properly.”
The Seventh Prince lowered his eyes, concealing the emotions within them. His voice was hoarse. “...Thank you for your concern, Brothers. I am not seriously hurt.”
Seated to one side, Cui Yu swept his gaze over the three princes before it settled on the Eighth Prince. His expression darkened slightly.
Feeling that gaze upon him, the Eighth Prince’s heart gave a small shudder, but he forced himself to say a few more words.
When he had finished, he looked toward the Seventh Prince’s face, hoping to discern something from his expression.
The Seventh Prince looked up at him.
His eyes were pitch-black, bottomless, devoid of any trace of emotion.
A chill suddenly crept over the Eighth Prince. He instinctively looked away.
Cui Yu took in all of this, his brow furrowing as he spoke in a grave voice. “Eighth Brother.”
The Eighth Prince stiffened and turned around. “Y-Your Highness, the Crown Prince…”
“Seventh Brother is highly skilled in both riding and archery. How could he possibly fail to control a horse… There must be something suspicious about this. What do you think?”
As he spoke, his gaze fell directly upon the Eighth Prince’s face.
Visible panic crept across the Eighth Prince’s features. His eyes darted away, and he did not dare meet Cui Yu’s gaze. “Y-Your Highness is right…”
Cold sweat seeped down his back in layer after layer. His fingers clenched unconsciously around his sleeve. Just as he was at a loss over what to do—almost fearing that the Crown Prince might know something—the sound of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the tent.
Then came the shrill voice of a eunuch. “This servant pays his respects to Your Highness the Crown Prince. His Majesty awaits the princes at the Deer-Shooting Terrace.”
At the sound of this, the Eighth Prince felt as though he had been granted a reprieve. “Father has summoned us. We mustn’t delay. Let’s go at once!”
The Sixth Prince’s gaze flickered. He glanced at Cui Yu, then at the Seventh Prince on the bed, and said gently, “Seventh Brother, rest well and recover. I shall go ahead.”
The Second Prince nodded as well. Before leaving, he looked back once more at the Seventh Prince. He seemed to want to say something, but in the end merely sighed and turned to leave.
The tent fell quiet once more.
Cui Yu withdrew his gaze and looked at the Seventh Prince, his voice softening somewhat. “Seventh Brother, rest well. This matter… I will get to the bottom of it.”
After saying this, he walked to the tent flap, paused, and turned his head to instruct Zheng Yuande, who stood guard outside. “Zheng Yuande, remain here and look after...”
Zheng Yuande promptly bowed. “This servant obeys.”
Only then did Cui Yu turn and leave, his footsteps gradually fading into the distance.
Hearing the Crown Prince’s voice, the Seventh Prince’s eyes slowly reddened...
The tent fell quiet. The candle flame flickered softly, casting shifting light and shadow across his pale face.
*
On the viewing platform, the ladies had all learned by now that the person injured earlier was the Seventh Prince. They had also learned that the Crown Prince and the other three princes had emerged unharmed.
From time to time, Shen Yanshui glanced toward the Deer-Shooting Terrace, where Emperor Pingkang was seated.
The Emperor was still engaged in lively conversation. Every so often, hearty laughter drifted over, as though he were sharing some amusing tale with his close ministers. The hunting horns and thunder of hooves had not ceased, and the Imperial Guards continued to ride through the woods.
It was as if the Seventh Prince’s injury were no more than a breeze rippling the surface of a lake—once the ripples had faded, no one mentioned it again.
She withdrew her gaze, unable to put a name to the feeling in her heart.
Among the ladies, however, the mood for laughter and conversation had noticeably waned. Several noblewomen spoke in low voices, occasionally looking toward the direction in which the Seventh Prince had been carried away.
The Empress’s expression remained unchanged. Upon receiving the news, she had sent someone to visit the Seventh Prince, then resumed her conversation with Consort Shu and Consort Liang. Yet her tone was somewhat cooler than before, and from time to time her eyes drifted toward the hunting grounds.
The hunt did not end until the afternoon.
Three long blasts of the horn announced the end of the hunt. The Imperial Guards began tallying the game and recording each household’s catch.
Seated on the high platform, Shen Yanshui listened to the bustle below and found herself rather bored.
Before long, word was brought up: the winner of this autumn hunt was Li Shaoheng, heir to the Duke of Zhenbei’s residence. He had taken a tiger, two deer, a white fox, as well as a number of roe deer and pheasants...
Shen Yanshui merely cast a rough glance at the piles of game before the hunters below and understood that this sort of hunt was likely an opportunity for the younger generation to distinguish themselves before Emperor Pingkang. The generals who were capable of going to war were probably hunting only for amusement.
Emperor Pingkang was greatly pleased and bestowed numerous rewards on the spot...
Shen Yanshui frowned faintly and paid no further attention. Instead, she thought of the Seventh Prince, wondering how serious his injuries were... Earlier, he had seemed to lose quite a lot of blood.
Almost unconsciously, she glanced at Lady Shen again. But by now, her elder sister appeared much more composed, no longer showing her feelings as openly as she had when the injured Seventh Prince was first brought back.
Turning her eyes away, Shen Yanshui quietly instructed Chunping, “Go and find out how the Seventh Prince is doing.”
Chunping understood at once and slipped away without a sound. Before long, she returned and whispered in Shen Yanshui’s ear, “The Seventh Prince has already been escorted back to the imperial residence by the Crown Prince’s people to rest. The imperial physician went with him, and Eunuch Zheng is attending him as well. They say His Highness’s injuries are not too serious. The physician said he only needs to recuperate properly for a few months.”
Shen Yanshui nodded and did not ask any further questions.
Soon afterward, the hunting grounds began to disperse.
Shen Yanshui followed the crowd down from the raised platform, climbed into her carriage, and made her way back toward the imperial residence.
By the time she returned to Chengxin Hall, it was already the Hour of the Monkey. Ordinarily, dinner would be served in another half hour or so. But she had risen early that day and spent most of it seated on the platform. Though she had not done anything particularly strenuous, ever since becoming pregnant, she had found herself sleepier than usual, with no other notable symptoms.
She changed into more casual clothes, removed her hairpins and ornaments, and lay down on the daybed, intending to rest her eyes for a moment.
Before long, she was fast asleep.
When Cui Yu entered, this was the sight that greeted him.
A-Yan was curled up on the daybed like a languid little cat. Perhaps the light had been too bright for her, for she had pulled a handkerchief over her face. It rose and fell with her breathing, one corner lifting slightly to reveal a small, pale chin.
He stood in the doorway for a moment, and the taut string in his heart, drawn tight all day, suddenly eased.
Without allowing anyone to disturb her, he quietly walked over and sat beside the daybed. Lowering his eyes to the handkerchief that puffed ever so slightly with each breath, the corners of his lips curved unconsciously.
He had only meant to take advantage of this brief moment of leisure to come check on her. There would be a banquet that evening, and he still had many matters to arrange...
Yet, seeing how sweetly she slept, he did not know why, but he suddenly felt sleepy as well.
He hesitated only for an instant before removing his boots and lying down beside her.
The daybed was not particularly wide to begin with. Afraid of waking her, he gently drew her into his arms.
Shen Yanshui was sleeping too deeply to react. She merely mumbled something indistinct, then fell still again. Her head nestled into his chest as she sought a more comfortable position, and she continued sleeping.
Cui Yu did not move.
The faint fruity fragrance clinging to her, mingled with the sweetness of candied fruit, drifted into his nose in delicate threads. He took a deep breath, rested his chin atop her hair, and closed his eyes, intending to rest for a while.
Seeing their two masters asleep together on the daybed, Chunping and the others softened their movements and quietly withdrew, not daring to disturb them.
...
Shen Yanshui was roused by the sensation of being squeezed.
She had dreamed that a great bear was holding her. The bear was fluffy, very large, and rather handsome—but it was holding her a little too tightly, and she felt somewhat cramped... Still half asleep, she struggled weakly. Instead of letting go, the bear pulled her even closer into its embrace.
Something was wrong...
She abruptly came awake and opened her eyes. Before her was a robe of deep crimson, its collar embroidered with an all-too-familiar subtle pattern...
She raised her head.
Sure enough, it was the Crown Prince.
His eyes were closed, his breathing steady—he was clearly asleep. One arm was wrapped around her entire body, while one of his long legs hung rather pitifully off the side of the daybed.
The daybed had never been large enough for two people. Cramped together as they were, they were practically pressed against one another. No wonder she had felt so squeezed.
Shen Yanshui did not move. She simply lay there, gazing up at him.
When Cui Yu slept, his usually cool, aristocratic features softened somewhat. Yet a faint blue-black shadow of stubble had appeared along his chin.
She stared at it for quite a while, then could not resist lifting a finger to touch it lightly.
It prickled.
She touched him again, her fingertips slowly tracing the line of his jaw. The sensation felt novel and amusing.
There was no smell of sweat on him, and his clothes were clean too. He must have washed and changed simply already. She leaned closer and sniffed; it was the familiar scent she knew so well, only fainter now, with a hint of the fresh, clean fragrance of soapnut hidden beneath it.
Shen Yanshui curled her lips in satisfaction, buried her face in the hollow of his neck, and nuzzled him like a little bear. Finding a comfortable position, she intended to go back to sleep for a while longer.
Only...
The large hand resting over her breastband suddenly kneaded again...
Shen Yanshui: “???”
She lifted her head and saw that the Crown Prince’s eyes were still closed. Clearly, he had not fully awakened yet.
Shen Yanshui: “...”
Just as she thought. When she had first woken up, she had distinctly felt someone kneading her... This hand was far too good at finding its way there on its own, wasn’t it?
She glanced at him, then looked through the window at the sky outside. There should still be some time, so she said nothing.
But after the hand moved twice and went still, it suddenly began moving again...
One of the two fair, soft, plump little rabbits trembling in Shen Yanshui’s breastband was drawn out of the pale-blue garment by a long-fingered hand, then held in its palm and kneaded at leisure.
The plump little rabbit was wonderfully springy to the touch, impossible to put down...
Shen Yanshui’s breathing grew uneven, yet she still bit her lip and made no sound. Only now and then did a faint, tiny breath escape her nose, so soft it was nearly inaudible...
It felt so good...
The corners of Shen Yanshui’s eyes turned faintly red. Sneaking a glance at the Crown Prince’s still-closed eyes, she could not help gently draping one leg over his thigh, rubbing herself lightly against his raised knee...
Before long, she was wet beneath her skirts...
Wuu... she was so pitiful. These past few days, whenever she returned from playing outside and wanted to be intimate with the Crown Prince at night, he—she had no idea why—would remain as unmoved as a meditating monk no matter how she tried to seduce him. With a perfectly serious expression, he would simply hold her and sleep.
Ever since becoming pregnant, she seemed to want this more than before... It had never been quite this bad in the past. Now, the moment night came and she saw the Crown Prince, she wanted to devour him.
Yet these past few days, the Crown Prince had suddenly become so restrained and ascetic... Seeing his lashes suddenly flutter, Shen Yanshui hurriedly closed her eyes.
When Cui Yu woke and opened his eyes, his gaze was still slightly unfocused. His hand moved twice on instinct, and then he abruptly sensed that something was wrong...
The next instant, he saw the plump little rabbit in his palm, squeezed pinkish-white beneath his fingers...
His hand immediately stiffened.
And his leg... how had it ended up beneath A-Yan’s skirts?
Feeling the soaked fabric pressed tightly against the skin of his knee, along with the soft sensation resting there...
His entire body went rigid, and he did not dare move.
How could he have...?
He hurriedly looked at A-Yan. Seeing that her eyes were closed and that she had not yet woken, he quietly let out a breath of relief...
Still, those plump, soft, rosy little rabbits really were adorable...
Shen Yanshui suddenly opened her eyes. At first, she looked at him blearily. Seeing that his phoenix eyes had widened slightly in surprise, she barely managed to hold back a laugh. Lowering her gaze to their current position, she immediately put on an innocent expression and looked at him in disbelief. Then her cheeks flushed as she said, “Your Highness~ If you wanted it, why sneak around? I’ve missed Your Highness too...”
Cui Yu: “...”
The tips of his ears reddened faintly. He then withdrew his hand and leg as if nothing had happened, propped himself against the couch, and rose. After glancing at her, he gave a light cough and turned his eyes elsewhere. “No more sleeping. It’s nearly time for the evening banquet.”
His voice was still husky with sleep.
Shen Yanshui cast him a sidelong glance and answered softly. Of course she knew there was a banquet today. She had only meant to tease him because he had ignored her at night these past few days.
Once she had finished getting ready, Cui Yu finally summoned the attendants. The two of them changed separately.
When Shen Yanshui put on the ceremonial robes of a Liangyuan, she studied herself in the bronze mirror and could not help looking twice. The gown was pale blue, embroidered with entwining lotus patterns. The collar and cuffs were edged with silver brocade, while the sash cinched her waist just right. The layered skirt fell in graceful folds. It was quite lovely.
Cui Yu had changed as well. As he looked at the Liangyuan robes she wore... his brows drew together almost unconsciously. They simply did not seem fitting for A-Yan. A-Yan ought to be wearing something finer.
The evening banquet was held in Hanyuan Hall of the imperial summer palace.
The hall blazed with lamplight, gold and jade gleaming together. Low tables were arranged along either side, leaving a broad central aisle carpeted in crimson.
The civil and military officials who had accompanied the emperor to escape the summer heat, together with their families, took their seats in order.
After sitting down, Shen Yanshui looked across toward the men’s side and spotted the Crown Prince seated at the very front, close to the imperial throne.
The hall hummed with voices amid the clinking of wine cups. Emperor Pingkang entered to the congratulations of the gathered guests, ascended the throne, and raised a hand for silence. He was in particularly high spirits today; before coming, he had taken an elixir, and his complexion was notably ruddy.
Shen Yanshui listened as he delivered several stock remarks about the successful hunt and the valor of the generals, with the civil officials lending their support. He then made a special mention of Li Shaoheng, who had taken first place that day, summoning him before the throne and rewarding him once more.
Li Shaoheng strode forward and dropped to one knee, his voice ringing like a great bell. “This subject thanks Your Majesty for your boundless grace!”
Emperor Pingkang smiled and waved a hand, praising him further with words such as “A tiger’s son is no dog,” before allowing him to return to his seat.
Her gaze swept once around the hall before she withdrew it and focused on the dishes before her.
She and the Crown Prince had taken a nap on the couch and had not had time for dinner at all. By now, she was already starving.
Several delicately prepared dishes sat on her table: glutinous rice-stuffed lotus root, sliced chicken in hibiscus sauce, lotus-seed soup, as well as fruit, pastries, and wine. She first drank a bowl of lotus-seed soup to settle her stomach, then began eating the chicken.
Lady Zhang, seated beside her, saw how intently she was eating and noticed that Shen Yanshui had already nearly finished her plate of chicken. She pushed over her own untouched dish.
Shen Yanshui looked up and met Lady Zhang’s smiling gaze.
“Thank you, Sister Zhang,” she said softly, her eyes curving into crescents.
Lady Zhang smiled and shook her head. Lowering her voice, she said, “You haven’t had dinner, have you, Sister Shen? Hurry and eat. I haven’t touched my portion yet.”
She had eaten before coming. At banquets like this, she never dared eat too much—afraid of making a spectacle of herself, and afraid that she might need to change clothes midway through and draw unnecessary attention.
Still...
Watching Sister Shen bend over her food once more, Lady Zhang could not help feeling a little worried. She hesitated, her lips parting, but in the end, she said nothing.
Someone as clever as Sister Shen surely knew what she was doing.
“Worthy Lady Shen?” someone beside her called.
Lady Zhang turned to see the Secondary Consort of the Sixth Prince smiling at her. She quickly gathered her thoughts and began chatting with the woman.
Shen Yanshui finished another piece of glutinous rice-stuffed lotus root and drank a few mouthfuls of soup. Feeling five or six tenths full, she set down her chopsticks.
At an occasion like this, it would not do to eat too much. It would be troublesome if she needed to change clothes later.
She dabbed the corner of her mouth with a handkerchief and casually swept her gaze across the hall.
The moment she did, her eyes froze.
He Wan’s seat... was empty.
Her heart skipped a beat. Her gaze darted toward the Eighth Prince’s side...
That seat was empty too.
Her heart immediately sank.
Those two... surely they had not gone off to do something sneaky again?!
Without thinking, she recalled the Seventh Prince. He was still recuperating at the imperial retreat, his leg so badly injured that the imperial physicians had said he would need two or three months before he could walk again.
If the Eighth Prince and He Wan were discovered at a time like this...
Shen Yanshui: “...”
She simply could not imagine the scene.
Right—what exactly did the Crown Prince intend to do about the Eighth Prince and He Wan?
Her gaze drifted involuntarily toward the Crown Prince...
His seat was empty too?
She paused in surprise, then for some reason looked over at her elder half-sister, Lady Shen.
Whew—she was still there.
She did not know why, but ever since the Seventh Prince had been injured and carried back, Lady Shen’s expression and reaction had made Shen Yanshui unable to stop paying closer attention to her.
Following the thread of Lady Shen’s words—“How could that be...” —the most likely possibility was that she had known about the Seventh Prince’s injury beforehand. But if it had merely been an accident... how could anyone have known in advance?
That could only mean it had been deliberate.
And Lady Shen had known.
Yet Shen Yanshui could not make sense of it. Lady Shen was one of Emperor Pingkang’s consorts. Shouldn’t her mind be occupied with the matter of bearing a child, as it had been before? No matter how Shen Yanshui looked at it, she could find no conflict of interest between Lady Shen and the Seventh Prince, that pitiful child who had been neglected since birth.
Then there was...
She thought of how, during the Dragon Boat Festival, Lady Shen had privately warned her to keep her distance from the Crown Princess.
And then the Crown Princess had nearly miscarried after someone harmed her.
If it had been only one incident... she could still have dismissed it as a coincidence. But once the two incidents were connected, then either Lady Shen had been behind both of them—
—or Lady Shen had somehow learned of both in advance.
And Shen Yanshui believed... it was the latter.
But when had her elder half-sister acquired such formidable abilities? How could her sources of information be so astonishingly swift?
There was one other possibility...
Thinking of how she herself had come to this world, Shen Yanshui’s fingers tightened abruptly around her teacup.
The cup shattered with a sharp crack.
After that thought crossed her mind, Shen Yanshui could not help looking at Lady Shen once more.
She saw Lady Shen chatting and laughing with the Seventh Princess beside her, while the Seventh Princess wore a shy expression...
Shen Yanshui: She remembered that, before entering the Eastern Palace, Lady Shen had always seemed to be with Noble Consort Lan. Since when had she begun growing close to Consort Shu’s faction?
Her mind, which had been dormant for so long, suddenly began to turn, and the unfamiliar effort left her feeling somewhat unaccustomed to it. Just as she was about to withdraw her gaze, she saw the Pingkang Emperor rise from his seat. He seemed to have had too much to drink and had gone to change his clothes...
She replaced her tea cup and took a sip. Her gaze settled on the figures in the hall, where cups were being raised and wine passed freely, but her heart remained unsettled, unable to calm no matter what she did.
The cloud of suspicion in her heart only grew heavier.
*
Outside Hanyuan Hall, the night deepened.
Cui Yu’s expression was cold and grim as he strode through the covered corridor. Xiao Zhengshan and Zheng Yuande followed behind him, along with a young eunuch bent nearly double, his features obscured, though his body shook uncontrollably.
Earlier, Zheng Yuande had brought him word during the banquet. Using the excuse of changing clothes, he had left the feast and made his way straight to the side hall where the Seventh Prince was recuperating.
At the door, he halted and said in a low voice, “Open it.”
The eunuch standing guard outside hurriedly pushed open the hall doors.
Cui Yu stepped inside. Zheng Yuande immediately shoved the young eunuch at his side forward. The gray-clad eunuch’s legs gave way at once, and he collapsed to the floor with a thud. The chattering of his teeth could be heard distinctly. He trembled like a leaf, forehead pressed to the ground, not daring to lift his head.
The Seventh Prince lay on the couch, the white bandages around his left leg glaringly stark beneath the candlelight.
The instant he saw the young eunuch, the color drained from his face. His fists clenched tightly in the bedding beneath him, his knuckles turning white.
His lips moved slightly, but in the end, not a single word emerged. His eyes flicked away from Cui Yu’s face, and he lowered his gaze.
Seeing him like this, how could Cui Yu fail to understand?
He took a packet of medicine from his sleeve.
“Seventh Brother,” Cui Yu said heavily, “what exactly were you planning? To have Eighth Brother and He Wan caught in an illicit tryst before everyone?”
The Seventh Prince’s body stiffened. His lips pressed even more tightly together, and his bloodless face turned from pale to ashen.
Seeing him in such a state, the anger in Cui Yu’s heart surged upward, only to be forcibly suppressed.
His tone softened slightly, though it remained cold. “Injuring the enemy at the cost of eight hundred of your own—yes, those two would lose their reputations. But what about yours? Have you thought of that?”
The Seventh Prince abruptly raised his head. His eyes were rimmed red, and two dark flames seemed to burn in their depths. He looked at Cui Yu, his lips trembling. When he spoke, his voice was kept low, yet it carried the hysteria of a man driven to the brink.
“I want him dead!”
The words seemed to be forced out through clenched teeth, each one steeped in hatred suppressed to its limit.
“I want them all dead.” His fingers tightened around the bedding as though he might tear the fabric apart, his knuckles frighteningly white. “I’m sickened... sickened to the point of vomiting!”
His voice began to shake. The redness spread through his eyes, and he seemed like a trapped beast, driven into a corner with nowhere left to flee, every inch of him taut to the breaking point.
His leg... The imperial physician had said it had nearly been beyond saving!
His mother consort was growing sicker by the day, yet he could not even summon a few more imperial physicians for her...
At last, his eyes could no longer hold back the tears. Something rolled down his cheeks, though he seemed utterly unaware of it. He merely stared fixedly at the Crown Prince, his gaze filled with a near-mad determination.
“Crown Prince... I don’t care about my reputation. I only want him dead!”
Cui Yu looked into those bloodshot eyes and fell silent for a moment.
The hall was so quiet that only the crackling of candle flames and the Seventh Prince’s ragged breathing could be heard.
After a long while, Cui Yu spoke slowly. “That time by the rockery—you did it on purpose.”
“You deliberately let A-Yan and the others see it. You deliberately wanted me to know.” Cui Yu’s gaze rested on his face. There was no reproach in it, only calm.
The Seventh Prince said nothing, lowering his eyes. His breathing gradually steadied, but the fingers clutching the bedding did not loosen.
The scene from that day flashed through his mind.
In truth, he could not remember why he had stepped forward then.
Had he wanted the Crown Prince to learn of it?
Even he himself... could not quite say.
Seeing him like this, then glancing at his left leg wrapped in white bandages, Cui Yu sighed inwardly.
After a brief silence, he softened his voice. “Since you made sure I learned of this matter, leave it to me to handle.”
The Seventh Prince’s lashes trembled as he looked up at him.
“That bastard Eighth Brother,” Cui Yu said, his voice turning grave, “has committed an act so utterly against all human decency that he deserves punishment. But...”
He paused, looking steadily at the Seventh Prince. “He is not worth sacrificing the rest of your life for.”
The Seventh Prince’s eyes reddened, but he clenched his teeth and said nothing.
Only after a long moment did he rasp out three words:
“It’s too late.”
Cui Yu’s brows drew together, his expression changing. “You had more than one person make a move?”
The Seventh Prince said nothing and lowered his gaze.
His silence was answer enough.
Cui Yu abruptly rose to his feet, his face darkening. As though something had just occurred to him, his voice shifted sharply. “You planted someone at He Wan’s place too?”
The Seventh Prince still did not speak.
Silence was assent.
Cui Yu’s expression sank completely. “Zheng Yuande!”
“This servant is here!”
Keeping his voice low but speaking rapidly, Cui Yu issued several orders.
Zheng Yuande’s expression turned grave. He spun around and hurried out at once.
*
Meanwhile, on the other side outside Hanyuan Hall.
Emperor Pingkang had drunk a few cups too many at the banquet and had stepped out to change his clothes.
Chief Eunuch Cheng, waiting in the outer chamber, had just taken a brief rest when a young eunuch hurried over and whispered several words into his ear. Chief Eunuch Cheng’s expression changed slightly, but he quickly returned to normal.
When Emperor Pingkang emerged after changing, Chief Eunuch Cheng approached him with a broad smile.
“Your Majesty, a young eunuch below has just reported that several pots of newly acquired black chrysanthemums have been moved to the western side hall. They are in magnificent bloom—an exceptionally rare variety. Would Your Majesty care to take a look?”
“Black chrysanthemums?” Emperor Pingkang’s interest was immediately piqued. He nodded. “That is indeed uncommon. Let us go and see.”
He strode westward, Chief Eunuch Cheng hurrying after him. Without drawing attention, Cheng flicked a meaningful glance at the young eunuch behind them.
The group rounded a covered corridor and passed through a moon gate, arriving near Qingle Hall. This place was already some distance from Hanyuan Hall, and the lights were much dimmer. Only a few palace lanterns swayed gently in the night breeze, casting hazy pools of yellow light.
Just as Emperor Pingkang reached the corridor outside a side hall, he suddenly stopped.
His hearing was exceptionally sharp, and he could vaguely make out some sounds.
They came from behind the tightly shut doors of the side hall—intermittent sounds, accompanied by one or two voices that were all too familiar.
Emperor Pingkang’s expression instantly turned livid.
Chief Eunuch Cheng heard them as well. His face changed abruptly, and he immediately stepped forward, shouting, “Who dares cause a disturbance here and alarm His Majesty!”
With that, he lunged forward in a single stride, placing himself in front of Emperor Pingkang, and kicked the hall doors open.
With a loud bang, the doors slammed against the wall. The gust of wind sent the candles inside flickering wildly.
The sight before them extinguished the last shred of hope Emperor Pingkang had harbored, and his fury erupted at once.
“You shameless wretches!”
