“...She’s—she’s promiscuous, too! She even secretly seduced Lord Xu!”
Shen Yanshui: “...???” She seduced who?
The instant the words left the Seventh Princess’s mouth, she regretted them.
She instinctively looked up at her Crown Prince brother... Her body began to tremble uncontrollably, and her face went several shades paler.
“Seduced?” Cui Yu’s voice was icy. “Lord Xu? Xu... Chengwen, the Hanlin Academy lecturer?”
The Seventh Princess gritted her teeth and forced herself to say, “C-Crown Prince brother... Lord Xu is gentle and upright, a true gentleman. He... he and Worthy Lady Shen were once nearly betrothed, but aside from that, nothing improper has ever happened between them. Crown Prince brother, please... please do not take your anger out on Lord Xu.”
By the end, her voice had dwindled to almost nothing, yet she still stammered through the entire explanation.
It was all Worthy Lady Shen’s fault!
If she had not secretly seduced Lord Xu, if she had not sent him pomegranates, how could there be such a mess today?!
Seeing how anxious and frightened the Seventh Princess looked—yet still determined to defend Xu Chengwen—Shen Yanshui was at a loss for words.
“Lord Xu and I were indeed once considered for marriage, but that was merely by arrangement of our parents and matchmakers. Later, through a series of circumstances, it was not meant to be, and the matter was dropped. Since then, we have had no contact.”
She looked at the Seventh Princess, her expression full of bewilderment. “May I ask exactly how Your Highness believes I ‘seduced Lord Xu’? Why not explain it clearly before His Highness the Crown Prince, so that I may clear my name? Otherwise, if I walk out of here today, I fear I’ll be drowned in gossip before long.”
Cui Yu’s brow twitched slightly. Through a series of circumstances?
The Seventh Princess pursed her lips. “If you were not still thinking of him, then why did you give him fruit you picked yourself?”
Shen Yanshui: “...?”
She raised an eyebrow and looked at the Seventh Princess as though indulging a foolish girl blinded by love. “Your Highness must have misunderstood something. I did pick those pomegranates myself, but I gave them only to His Majesty, Her Majesty the Empress, Great General Qi, the Princess Consort of the Second Prince, the secondary consort, Miss Xu, Lady Zhang, and the Secondary Consort of the Sixth Prince. I gave none to anyone else. As for the pomegranates in Lord Xu’s possession, I know nothing about them.”
Seeing how composed Shen Yanshui remained even before her Crown Prince brother, the Seventh Princess began to hesitate. Could she truly have been mistaken...?
Just then, Zheng Yuande—who had been standing to one side with his head bowed, wishing he could shrink himself into a ball—gave a soft cough after hearing this.
Feeling the Crown Prince’s gaze sweep over him, he straightened his back and respectfully said, “Your Highness, this servant has just learned from the eunuchs at Chonghua Hall that yesterday, His Majesty bestowed those pomegranates upon Chief Eunuch Cheng. When Lord Xu was leaving, Chief Eunuch Cheng casually gave him some...”
As he spoke, his voice gradually steadied, and the heart that had been hanging in midair finally settled a little.
“Perhaps the pomegranates Lord Xu had, as mentioned by Her Highness the Princess, came to him in this manner.”
Heaven knew that when he had heard the Seventh Princess’s words just now, his heart had nearly leapt out of his throat.
Thank goodness, thank goodness—it turned out that Her Highness had misunderstood things herself. They had nearly made a complete farce of it.
He had almost been frightened to death!
After speaking, he cautiously stole a glance at the Crown Prince from the corner of his eye.
Cui Yu’s expression remained calm. Looking at the Seventh Princess, he said in an icy voice, “Did you hear that?”
The Seventh Princess’s lips trembled slightly. She opened her mouth, as though she wanted to say something...
Cui Yu lowered his brows faintly. “Spreading baseless rumors, making reckless accusations, speaking without restraint—on the strength of a completely unfounded suspicion, you dared to publicly slander someone’s innocence?”
The Seventh Princess had gone so pale that there was scarcely any color left in her face. The righteous indignation she had displayed moments ago had vanished without a trace.
Instinctively, she wanted to argue back. The expression on Lord Xu’s face when he had looked at that pomegranate... If it had merely been an ordinary pomegranate, why would he have...
But after glancing at her Crown Prince brother, she clenched her teeth and forcibly swallowed the words that had reached her lips.
She could not drag Lord Xu into this any further...
Cui Yu watched her, his gaze turning even colder. “Apologize to Worthy Lady Shen.”
The Seventh Princess’s body jolted. Her eyes immediately reddened, but her Crown Prince brother showed no intention of letting the matter pass...
She looked at Worthy Lady Shen, who was smiling at her, and her expression became even more mortified. The tears in her eyes were on the verge of spilling over, yet the Crown Prince was watching her. His oppressive presence bore down on her like a mountain, and she did not dare disobey.
She bit down hard on her lower lip and spoke so softly that she was nearly inaudible. “Worthy Lady Shen... This princess misspoke.”
Her words were muffled and indistinct; if the surroundings had not been so quiet, they would scarcely have been heard.
Watching the unwilling, aggrieved girl before her, her eyes red as though she were about to cry, Shen Yanshui felt not the slightest sympathy. Instead, she found herself in rather good spirits.
Still, she did not press the matter further. She merely smiled faintly. “Her Highness is still young and does not yet understand many things. Rumors such as these, passed from one person to another, can ruin someone’s good name. Today, with the Crown Prince present, justice has been done for me.”
“However...” Her tone was neither harsh nor severe; it even carried a hint of gentleness. Yet this only made the Seventh Princess feel as though she were the one making an unreasonable scene. “Rumors are like blades. I hope Your Highness will be more cautious with your words in the future.”
She gripped the handkerchief in her hands so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Then, rather angrily, she said, “This princess understands. I do not need you lecturing me.” She was merely a Worthy Lady—what right did she have to lecture a princess?
Shen Yanshui: “...”
It had truly been a long time since she had hit anyone. Her hands were starting to itch.
Cui Yu spoke coldly, “Guards, escort the Seventh Princess back to Suyu Hall. Tell Consort Shu to discipline her properly. Without my permission, she is not to step outside the hall for the next several days.” As he spoke, he cast a glance at Zheng Yuande.
Zheng Yuande immediately adopted a solemn expression. Stepping forward, he bowed and said, “Your Highness, this way, please.”
The Seventh Princess’s face turned completely white.
She opened her mouth, but upon meeting the Crown Prince’s eyes—cold and utterly devoid of warmth—all her words lodged in her throat.
She immediately turned and shot Worthy Lady Shen—who was still smiling at her—a glare. Then, stamping her foot hard, she spun around and left.
Zheng Yuande followed after her with two eunuchs in tow. He was not merely escorting the Seventh Princess back; more importantly, he had to ensure that everyone who had heard her remarks today kept their mouths firmly shut. Otherwise... heh.
Zhou Huiyuan remained where she was and bowed to the Crown Prince. Seeing that he did not remember her—indeed, that he had not even spared her a glance—she pressed her lips together, lowered her head, and hurried after the Seventh Princess.
Once the group had gone, the lakeside finally fell quiet.
Shen Yanshui stood where she was, still holding several lotus buds in her arms.
She turned her eyes to the Crown Prince. Though his expression revealed little, a faint chill seemed to gather between his brows... and, for some reason, her heart began to pound uneasily.
But she immediately came to her senses. No, wait—why should she feel guilty? So what if she had once been betrothed to Xu Chengwen? That had all happened before she entered the Eastern Palace.
With that thought, she took two steps forward and looked up at him with a bright smile. In a light tone, she asked, “What brings Your Highness here?”
Had he merely happened to be passing by on business?
Cui Yu lowered his gaze to her. After a moment of grave silence, he had just opened his mouth to speak when—
“Your Highness, the Crown Prince!”
A young eunuch hurried over, panting, a fine sheen of sweat on his brow. Upon reaching them, he quickly bowed. “Your Highness, His Majesty requests that you proceed to Chonghua Hall at once to discuss state affairs.”
Cui Yu paused briefly, his brows drawing together.
He looked down at Shen Yanshui, his gaze passing over the smile on her face. Then he glanced at Chunping, Quanfu, and the others standing behind her, his voice low and cold. “Escort your mistress back to Chengxin Hall.”
Without lingering any longer, he turned and strode away.
Chunping and the others promptly bowed. “We respectfully see the Crown Prince off.”
They remained standing there until the figure in black gradually vanished from sight. Only then did Chunping let out a heavy breath, though a weight still settled in her heart.
What the Seventh Princess had said earlier had been far too outrageous. Seducing men? Promiscuity? How could she dare say such things in front of so many people?
Had the Crown Prince not been there today to clear things up, if those words had spread, how could her mistress ever have faced anyone again?
Although it had ultimately been proven to be a misunderstanding, still...
Her mistress had personally admitted that she had once been betrothed to Lord Xu.
Remembering the Crown Prince’s expression as he departed—the coldness in his eyes and brows—Chunping could not help but feel concerned.
She glanced at her mistress and softly called, “My lady?”
Shen Yanshui lowered her eyes to the lotus flowers in her arms. At the sound of Chunping’s voice, she lifted her head and smiled. “Let’s go. We’ll return first.”
...
When they arrived back at Chengxin Hall, Nanny Wang saw that only Shen Yanshui, Chunping, and the others had returned, and could not help feeling puzzled.
She stepped forward with a smile. “My lady, you’re back? Where is the Crown Prince? Why have only you returned?”
Shen Yanshui’s steps faltered slightly. She turned to look at her. “The Crown Prince?”
Nanny Wang nodded with a smile. “Yes. His Highness returned a short while ago and heard that you had gone boating on Mirror Moon Lake to pick lotus pods. He seemed quite worried and immediately went out to look for you. Why—didn’t you run into His Highness?”
Shen Yanshui froze for a moment. She had thought the Crown Prince had merely happened to pass by...
So he had deliberately gone looking for her because he was worried?
Shen Yanshui withdrew her gaze and handed the lotus flowers in her arms to Chunping, her tone noticeably lighter. “Go find a pretty white porcelain vase and arrange these lotus flowers in it.”
Chunping hurriedly took them, answered, “Yes,” and turned to look for a vase.
Shen Yanshui then looked at Quanfu, who was carrying the bamboo basket. After a moment’s thought, she instructed, “Give the lotus pods to Eunuch Lin. Have him shell some of the seeds. Make part of them into lotus-seed soup, and cook the rest, then soak them in sugar. We can add them to milk tea later.” They would be soft, starchy, and delightfully chewy that way.
Quanfu and Quanshou promptly answered, “Yes,” then carried the bamboo basket toward the small kitchen.
*
Ice basins stood in the four corners of Chonghua Hall. Behind the imperial couch, palace maids waved peacock-feather fans. Emperor Pingkang, dressed in a black casual robe embroidered with cloud patterns, reclined against a bolster. When Cui Yu arrived, he saw that the Minister of Revenue, the Minister of Works... and the other officials had already gathered.
And... Xu Chengwen, a lecturer at the Hanlin Academy, was seated beside a rosewood screen on the western side, brush in hand.
Cui Yu gave him only a brief glance before looking away. “Your son greets Father Emperor.”
The others, seeing that the Crown Prince had arrived, also stepped forward to pay their respects.
After the greetings had been exchanged, Emperor Pingkang handed an urgent memorial delivered by eight-hundred-li express to Chief Eunuch Cheng. “Let the Crown Prince read this.”
Chief Eunuch Cheng hurriedly accepted it with a bow and presented it to the Crown Prince.
Cui Yu scanned it swiftly.
Emperor Pingkang said, “Wan An, the Governor-General of Canal Transport, reports that seepage in the critical embankment at Qingjiangpu has worsened, and there is a risk of partial collapse. He has proposed two options: either close the sluice gates for twenty-five days and repair it thoroughly, though this would reduce canal transport efficiency by forty percent; or continue operations while carrying out repairs, dragging the work out for two months. Transport efficiency would fall by twenty percent, but if the embankment gives way during the flood season, the consequences would be impossible to predict.”
Minister Li, the Minister of Revenue, quickly stepped forward. “Your Majesty, the autumn grain shipments bound for the capital are already en route. If canal transport efficiency falls by forty percent, grain prices in the capital will surely rise...”
Minister Liu, the Minister of Works, also looked gravely concerned. “Your Majesty, if the site of the leakage identified by Governor-General Wan is indeed a critical point, then forcing continued use of the canal would be extremely dangerous. Should floodwaters breach the embankment during the flood season, the canal would be cut off for far longer than two months. It may not be restored for half a year. This minister earnestly requests that operations be suspended for major repairs, to resolve the matter once and for all.”
At these words, the hall immediately erupted into discussion. Some nodded in agreement, while others frowned and shook their heads.
The Second Prince had been standing to one side, content to serve as little more than a decorative presence. He had just stifled a yawn when he saw his sixth brother step forward.
The Sixth Prince took half a step forward and cupped his hands in salute. “Father Emperor, this son believes that Minister Liu’s proposal is certainly prudent. However, closing the sluice gates for twenty-five days and reducing canal transport by forty percent would also deal a serious blow to the court... In recent days, this son has reviewed old canal-transport records from the previous dynasty and found that, during Emperor Renzong’s reign, there was a precedent for ‘building cofferdams in sections and repairing them section by section.’ Could we not follow that example?”
As his words fell, Minister Li, the Minister of Revenue, glanced at him and stroked his beard. “What His Highness the Sixth Prince proposes—constructing the embankments in sections—does have a certain ingenuity. But... even temporary cofferdams take time to build. And with the flood season upon us and the current running so fiercely, whether they could hold is still an open question.”
Lord Xu, Vice Minister of Works, added, “Should the cofferdam collapse, not only would the dangerous stretch remain unrepaired, but it would create an even greater calamity.”
The Sixth Prince pressed his lips together, seemingly wishing to argue further. But seeing Emperor Pingkang’s impassive expression, he swallowed the words that had reached his lips.
The others, too, each had their own opinions. As the discussion continued, it gradually turned into an argument.
After some time, Emperor Pingkang frowned in irritation and barked, “Enough!”
The hall fell silent at once. The assembled ministers straightened their slightly disordered robes, returned to their places, and stood with lowered heads.
Emperor Pingkang turned his gaze to one side. “Minister Xu.”
Xu Chengwen set down his brush, raised his head, and rose to bow. “Your Majesty.”
Emperor Pingkang said, “The other day, while lecturing on the *Comprehensive Mirror*, you spoke of Liu Yan’s methods for reforming grain transport during the Tang dynasty. In your view, what should be done?”
With his eyes lowered, Xu Chengwen replied respectfully, “In answer to Your Majesty, Liu Yan’s brilliance lay in transporting goods in stages and accelerating the process at every level. The embankment has not yet failed; it is like a body that has fallen ill but has not yet collapsed. This humble servant proposes that the grain ships be divided into three classes according to their draft, and handled according to their capacity. The deepest-drafting vessels should unload thirty percent of their cargo at upstream docks and pass through the locks lightly laden. Medium-draft vessels should proceed slowly by day, while repairs to the leak are carried out at full speed by night. The lightest vessels may pass as usual. In this way, the efficiency of grain transport may be reduced by only ten or twenty percent.”
“We may also divert the flow with submerged weirs to lessen the pressure upon the main embankment. Two temporary timber-and-stone submerged weirs could be swiftly erected thirty *zhang* upstream and downstream of the leaking section. By raising the water level slightly, they could divert part of the current and relieve the burden on the main embankment.”
“Officials skilled in hydrology should be appointed solely to direct operations. Among the former men of the sea traders who were brought to submission last year are those adept at reading currents and handling boats as though born to it. Several dozen of them could be requisitioned to guide vessels through the critical stretches and avoid danger.”
Minister Li could not help stepping forward. “Lecturer Xu, every *shi* of tribute grain is recorded in fixed quantities. How can it be unloaded and reloaded at will? And if we call upon those former pirate seamen who surrendered—should they cause trouble...”
Another official frowned. “Diverting the water with submerged weirs is no small undertaking. If they are washed away a second time and damage the main embankment, who will bear the responsibility?”
Minister Liu, the Minister of Works, shook his head. “Though this plan is ingenious, every link must fit perfectly with the next. Should the weather, manpower, or materials fail to cooperate in even one respect, the entire scheme will collapse.”
Cui Yu cast Xu Chengwen a dark, unreadable look.
Emperor Pingkang frowned and turned his gaze toward the Crown Prince. “What does the Crown Prince think?”
Cui Yu lowered his eyes. “Lecturer Xu’s plan is ingenious indeed. Yet Liu Yan’s measures succeeded in his day because the realm had only recently been pacified and the grain-transport administration was in disarray.” He paused slightly, and when he spoke again, his voice had deepened. “As for the present danger at Qingjiangpu, in this son’s humble opinion, we should adopt the policy of ‘halting transport for major repairs, while doing everything possible to shorten the construction period and compensating through alternate routes.’”
“Gather the craftsmen of the three prefectures of Huai, Yang, and Xu; have them work in three rotating shifts, double their pay, and use glutinous-rice mortar to reinforce the structure swiftly...”
“Order the governors-general of Fujian and Guangdong to immediately release rice from the ever-normal granaries, hire seagoing vessels, and transport it north by sea to Tianjin to make up for the shortfall in the grain tribute. At the same time, instruct Shandong and Henan to provide mule teams for the grain ships forced to detour overland, hiring them at the official rate.”
“Your Majesty, I request that you issue an explicit edict to announce this throughout the realm: repairs at Qingjiangpu will last eighteen days. Should grain prices in the capital fluctuate during that period, funds from the imperial treasury should be used to sell grain from the government granaries at a fixed low price, thereby stabilizing the market. Once merchants and commoners know the timetable, their panic will naturally subside.”
When he finished speaking, the hall grew even quieter. Only the faint chirping of cicadas outside the windows could be heard.
Emperor Pingkang studied the Crown Prince, his aged eyes filled with complicated emotions. After a long while, he turned to the assembled ministers.
The Minister of Works bowed and said, “Lord Xu’s proposal is like a skilled physician applying acupuncture: precise in locating the vital points, capable of easing pain and slowing the illness. Yet it requires the patient to be strong enough to withstand the risks of the needles.”
“The Crown Prince’s proposal, however, proceeds step by step—first strengthening the foundations, then pursuing recovery. It may be slower, but it allows the patient to lie at ease.”
Emperor Pingkang nodded. “The grain tribute is the lifeblood of the state. We seek not spectacular and perilous achievements, but absolute security. We shall proceed according to the Crown Prince’s plan. However...” His gaze shifted. “Lord Xu’s ideas of tiered dispatch and diversion through submerged embankments show considerable ingenuity. Let Lord Xu assist the Crown Prince, with sole responsibility for coordinating the grain ships... Ensure that the disruption caused by the shutdown is reduced to the very minimum.”
Xu Chengwen said, “This servant accepts the decree. I will devote all my strength and thought to the task, and will not fail Your Majesty’s expectations.”
Cui Yu’s expression remained unchanged. “This son obeys Your Majesty’s command.”
At these words, the Sixth Prince’s face darkened slightly.
Within Chonghua Hall, they continued deliberating for another half hour, settling every detail one by one before Emperor Pingkang finally waved a hand.
“That will do. You may all withdraw.”
The Ministers of Revenue and Works, along with the other officials, bowed in unison and took their leave, filing out one after another.
Emperor Pingkang leaned back against his cushion and rubbed his brow. After discussing affairs for half the day, he felt his spirits flagging and his eyelids growing heavy. He summoned Chief Eunuch Cheng.
Chief Eunuch Cheng, standing nearby, immediately drew a small porcelain box from his sleeve and presented it with both hands.
Emperor Pingkang took it, tipped out a vermilion-red pill, and swallowed it with tea. He rested with his eyes closed for some time before the color gradually returned to his face.
Chief Eunuch Cheng stood quietly at one side, his hands lowered. Catching sight of His Majesty’s expression from the corner of his eye, his heart gave two uneasy jolts.
A few months ago, His Majesty had taken only one of those pills every fortnight. Later, it became one every ten days, then every five days, then every three days... Now, he needed two or three pills a day.
Chief Eunuch Cheng’s lips moved slightly, but in the end he did not dare say a word. He merely put the porcelain box away discreetly and stepped back to one side.
Outside the hall, the two princes and the ministers had already gone their separate ways.
Xu Chengwen was the last to leave. Having just stepped beyond the palace doors, he caught sight of the Crown Prince’s retreating figure. Lowering his eyes, he bowed, about to take his leave, when a cool, indifferent voice called out—
“Lord Xu.”
He bowed in salute. “Your Highness, the Crown Prince.”
Cui Yu stood on the steps before the hall. Sunlight fell upon him, yet his features could not be clearly seen; only those eyes were visible—calm and deep. His voice betrayed no emotion.
“Lord Xu... do you enjoy eating pomegranates?”
Xu Chengwen paused slightly.
But only for an instant. He lifted his head, his expression perfectly natural as he replied, “In answer to Your Highness, fresh fruit is rare. Naturally, this servant enjoys it.”
“However, this humble servant does not only enjoy pomegranates. I am fond of other fresh fruits as well.”
With that, he lowered his hands and stood respectfully. “If Your Highness has no further instructions, this humble servant shall take his leave.”
Cui Yu glanced at him. After a moment, he said, “Regarding the graded dispatch of the grain transport ships, bring me the maps of the several dangerous river sections Minister Liu mentioned just now... I want to see them tomorrow.”
Xu Chengwen bowed in acknowledgment. “This humble servant accepts the order.”
Cui Yu did not look at him again and turned to leave.
Xu Chengwen remained where he was, watching the Crown Prince’s retreating figure. After a silent moment, he too turned and departed.
After walking some distance, Cui Yu’s steps suddenly slowed.
Zheng Yuande followed behind him, scarcely daring to breathe. He only felt that the pressure surrounding His Highness was even heavier than it had been in the hall.
After a few more steps, Cui Yu suddenly spoke, his voice cool. “Look into Xu Chengwen and... the Count of Loyalty and Righteousness’s residence.”
Zheng Yuande’s heart jolted. He hurriedly replied, “Yes. This servant will send someone to investigate at once.”
Cui Yu’s brows drew together slightly. What exactly had A-Yan meant by “a twist of fate”...?
For some reason, he suddenly recalled the family banquet at the imperial retreat that day. A-Yan had frozen for a moment... precisely when Xu Chengwen had entered the hall...
He had paid it no mind at the time. But thinking back on it now... He pressed his lips together. An utterly unfamiliar emotion suddenly welled up within him—something he could neither name nor understand. All he knew was that his chest felt stifled, as though something were lodged inside it, leaving him deeply uncomfortable.
Following behind him, Zheng Yuande had already begun silently praying to every god and Buddha in heaven.
Please, let nothing turn up between Worthy Lady Shen and Lord Xu...
In all his years at the Crown Prince’s side, he had never seen His Highness favor any woman in the inner residence so deeply. If Worthy Lady Shen truly harbored feelings for someone else...
He shuddered, not daring to think any further.
He secretly lifted his eyes to glance at the Crown Prince’s back, then quickly lowered his head again, making his footsteps even lighter.
*
It was time for dinner in the rear hall of Chengxin Hall.
Chunping and Dongyi had laid out the dishes and withdrawn to one side, but neither dared urge their mistress to eat.
Quanfu peeked in from the doorway. He exchanged a look with Chunping and shook his head; both wore uneasy expressions.
Such a thing had happened by the lake today. Although the Seventh Princess had been punished and the misunderstanding seemed to have been cleared up, the Crown Prince’s expression when he left had been far from pleasant...
Shen Yanshui sat at the table, her expression calm as usual. “Quanfu.”
Quanfu bowed. “Mistress.”
“Go to the front hall and ask whether the Crown Prince will be coming here for dinner tonight.”
Quanfu immediately acknowledged the order and hurried toward the front hall.
Shen Yanshui remained seated at the table, waiting. Before long, Quanfu returned, his steps much lighter than when he had left. Coming before her, he said cautiously, “In reply to Mistress, Eunuch Wang Chun said that His Highness has not returned at all today. I expect... he is still occupied with state affairs.”
Shen Yanshui nodded at this, her expression unchanged. “I understand.”
She picked up her chopsticks, glanced over the dishes on the table, and placed a piece of fish into her bowl. Then, unhurriedly, she began to eat.
Chunping and Dongyi exchanged a glance, both of them somewhat surprised.
Their mistress, on the other hand, did not seem worried in the slightest...
Shen Yanshui: No matter how vast heaven and earth may be, nothing is more important than eating.
After she had eaten her fill and set down her chopsticks, Chunping hurriedly handed her a handkerchief. Shen Yanshui took it and dabbed at her lips. After a moment’s thought, she instructed, “Send for Eunuch Lin.”
Before long, Eunuch Lin came striding in and bowed. “What are your orders, Mistress?”
Shen Yanshui said, “The Crown Prince is still occupied with state affairs at this hour. I do not know whether he has had time for dinner. Have some food prepared, so that he may eat as soon as he returns.”
She paused, considering the Crown Prince’s preferences, then added, “Prepare a bowl of shrimp soup noodles—the noodles should be thin, with extra scallions. And have the wild rice stems ready... but stir-fry them only after the Crown Prince returns.”
Eunuch Lin carefully noted every instruction before withdrawing.
Shen Yanshui rose and made her way along the covered corridor toward Lady Zhang’s residence. Upon reaching the door, she had someone announce her arrival. Lady Zhang soon came out to greet her with a smile.
“You’ve come, Sister,” Lady Zhang said warmly.
“Have you had dinner, Sister?” Shen Yanshui asked with a smile.
“I have,” Lady Zhang replied. “I was just thinking of taking a walk. Your timing is perfect.”
The two walked side by side through the courtyard at an unhurried pace, chatting idly about this and that.
Shen Yanshui was thinking about what had happened that day, but did not take it too seriously.
The matter between her and Xu Chengwen could be explained in only a few sentences. To her, it was hardly a big deal.
The Crown Prince was not the sort to be volatile and cruel, nor petty and narrow-minded. She was not particularly worried.
Once the Crown Prince returned, she would simply explain everything to him face-to-face.
Besides, the Crown Prince did not know that she had secretly written to Xu Chengwen back then, or that the two of them had met privately twice... He probably would not find out, would he?
After all, so much time had passed.
She had taken the initiative to write to Xu Chengwen and arrange those two meetings only because she wanted to see him in advance. If he had been truly unsuitable, she would not have forced herself to marry him. And beyond that... nothing had happened. They had merely exchanged a few words when they met.
After seeing him, she had thought herself rather fortunate. Her cheap father and legal mother had not deceived her, after all, and she had finally set her mind at ease. Who could have imagined that, the very next moment, her eldest half-sister would send her into the palace to take part in the imperial selection...
Ah. Though the Crown Prince treated her quite well... if she had been given a choice, she truly would not have wanted to enter the palace.
*
The two had walked for nearly half an hour. Lady Zhang looked at her several times, seeming as though she wanted to say something, yet in the end she could not bring herself to speak.
The sky gradually darkened, and the lanterns beneath the eaves were lit. Shen Yanshui, preoccupied with her own thoughts, did not notice Lady Zhang’s expression. She bade her farewell and left.
Once Worthy Lady Shen was gone, Huixin could not help looking at her mistress. In a low voice, she said, “Why did Your Ladyship not mention it to Worthy Lady Shen? Worthy Lady Shen is with child now—and carrying twins, at that. She certainly cannot attend to the Crown Prince. These past few days, Worthy Lady Shen has shown no intention of elevating one of her own palace maids. If only Worthy Lady Shen were willing to lend Your Ladyship a hand...”
Most importantly, now that the imperial residence housed only Worthy Lady Shen and her mistress, such an opportunity was truly rare. If they did not seize it now, then once they returned to the palace in a few days, it would only become more difficult for her mistress to win the Crown Prince’s favor.
Lady Zhang’s brows drew together slightly, and for a moment, she said nothing.
She knew Huixin was right. Yet... the thought of taking the initiative to invite another woman to share the Crown Prince’s affections—though she had rehearsed the words countless times in her heart—somehow still felt difficult to voice.
“Your Ladyship?” Huixin urged anxiously.
Lady Zhang frowned faintly and said in a soft voice, “Sister Shen’s heart and eyes are full of His Highness. Perhaps she would not be willing to share his favor with another...”
What if Sister Shen was unwilling? Would that not damage the bond between them?
Huixin was somewhat surprised, then frowned. “But a woman carries a child for ten months. It has only been a short while yet, and the Crown Prince is not the sort of man who is ruled by desire, so he can still remain by Worthy Lady Shen’s side. But over the course of ten months, given the Crown Prince’s position, how could it be possible for no other women to attend him?”
Besides, from what she had seen, Worthy Lady Shen did not seem to be the sort to grow arrogant from favor or become jealous and petty.
Hearing this, Lady Zhang began to waver again...
*
Unaware of what the mistress and maid were thinking, Shen Yanshui bathed and freshened up, changed into a clean sleeping robe, and sat on the bed waiting for a while. She turned a few more pages of her storybook, but her eyelids grew heavier and heavier.
At last, she simply lay down, intending to doze for a little while and get up again when the Crown Prince returned so they could talk.
Dongyi lowered the gauze curtains, dimmed the candlelight, and quietly withdrew.
No one knew how much time had passed when Shen Yanshui turned over and, half-asleep, reached toward the space beside her. It was still empty.
She mumbled something indistinctly. Her eyelids were too heavy to lift, and she soon fell into a deep sleep again.
Beyond the gauze curtains, the candle burned quietly, casting the room in a dim golden glow.
It was late at night.
The corridor lanterns of Chengxin Hall swayed gently in the night wind. Zheng Yuande followed behind the Crown Prince, softening even his footsteps.
Cui Yu suddenly stopped.
Zheng Yuande hurriedly steadied his plump body and asked with some confusion, “Your Highness?”
“Has it been investigated thoroughly?”
At once, Zheng Yuande lowered his voice. “In reply to Your Highness, it has been more than half a year since Worthy Lady Shen’s marriage discussions with Lord Xu. To uncover all the details, I fear we will need some more time.”
Cui Yu gave a quiet acknowledgment. After a moment of silence, his eyes turned cold. “Find out as well how Zhaoning learned of this matter.”
A flicker of alarm passed through Zheng Yuande’s heart, and he immediately assented.
*
Dongyi, who was keeping watch through the night, had been dozing against a pillar. Hearing footsteps, she jolted awake. The moment she looked up and saw the Crown Prince, delight filled her face, and she opened her mouth to announce his arrival inside—
Cui Yu cast her a glance, his brow furrowing.
The words at Dongyi’s lips caught in her throat. She could only silently offer a bow.
Not until the Crown Prince had passed by her did she begin to wonder: Had His Highness bathed in the outer hall before coming here?
Cui Yu entered the inner chamber with quiet steps. The gauze curtains were half drawn, and a small lamp burned softly in the corner, filling the room with a warm, gentle glow.
He stood beside the bed, unfastened the ties of his cloak, and casually draped it over the clothes rack nearby.
Inside the gauze curtains, Shen Yanshui was sleeping soundly.
She lay on her side, one hand resting beside her pillow and the other carelessly placed at her side. She had kicked half the quilt away, exposing a slender stretch of fair calf.
Her pale, luminous cheek was slightly squashed against the pillow.
Cui Yu stood by the bed, looking down at her. He thought of how she had once been promised to another man—how she might so nearly have become someone else’s wife...
He imagined her smiling sweetly as she called another man “husband”... and that strange, intensely unpleasant feeling surged up in him again.
He frowned, removed his shoes and socks, lifted the gauze curtain, and climbed quietly onto the bed.
He had barely lain down, without even having time to pull the quilt over himself, when a soft, warm body nestled into his arms.
Shen Yanshui caught the familiar faint fragrance of crisp pine. Out of habit, she turned over, her arms naturally winding around his waist. Her soft cheek burrowed into the hollow of his neck, and she curled up against him like a kitten.
Cui Yu instinctively wrapped an arm gently around her soft body. The discomfort lodged in his chest seemed to be lightly scratched by a kitten’s paw, and more than half of it suddenly faded away.
Lowering his eyes, he looked at her utterly defenseless sleeping face. Her rosy lips were faintly pursed, and she was still mumbling something indistinctly about noodles...
He bit lightly at her lips, rubbing against them, and murmured, “A-Yan... call me husband... A-Yan...”
In her sleep, Shen Yanshui frowned. It felt as though some bird, appearing from nowhere, had pecked her on the mouth. And now, in her drowsiness, it was telling her to see some “Fu Jun”... So noisy...
She lifted her hand and swatted at it.
Cui Yu was momentarily stunned when she suddenly touched his face. Then he raised his hand and caught hers, feeling inexplicably better.
Only then did he finally let her go. He kissed her lips, drew her closer into his embrace, and closed his eyes.
The body in his arms was warm and soft, her breathing even and deep. A faint fragrance clung to her, slowly seeping into his every breath. No matter what, A-Yan was his now.
With that thought, the furrow between his brows gradually smoothed away, and drowsiness slowly overtook him.
