When Shen Yanshui was carried sideways and placed on the couch, she sat there with her bare bottom against the cool surface, tilting her head up to look at the Crown Prince standing beside her. She blinked.
Cui Yu’s expression remained indifferent. Looking down at her, his thin lips moved slightly, as though he wanted to say something. In the end, however, he merely pressed his lips together and said nothing.
Before Shen Yanshui could speak, he suddenly turned around and left...
Left?
Shen Yanshui froze.
She sat on the couch with her bare feet dangling over the edge. The tiny golden bells around her ankles gave off a faint, delicate chime, while the tassels of her gold ornaments tinkled softly.
She could only stare as that dark-robed figure walked out of the inner chamber without so much as looking back...
Shen Yanshui: “...?”
She lowered her head to look at the outfit she had so carefully prepared, then raised it again to stare at the empty doorway. Her lips unconsciously pursed into a slight pout.
All at once, she felt a little... wronged.
Then she thought that perhaps it was only because of the hormones from her pregnancy that she was feeling this way...
Fine. If he wanted to ignore her, then he could ignore her. He need never pay attention to her again.
In any case, she already had a child in her belly. Somehow, she would manage to live out her days.
Thinking this, she grabbed a soft pillow from beside her, lowered her head, and jabbed it hard with one finger after another.
After several pokes failed to ease her frustration, she clenched her fist and punched it twice.
How infuriating!
Just as she was doing so, a familiar set of footsteps sounded beside her.
Shen Yanshui’s movements halted. She looked up and saw that the Crown Prince had returned at some point, carrying a copper basin with a clean cloth draped over its rim.
???
She stared blankly as the Crown Prince carried the basin over to her. For a moment, her mind went entirely blank, and she could not understand what he intended to do.
Cui Yu lowered his eyes. At the sight of her slightly reddened eye rims and faintly pouting lips, his steps paused for an instant.
His heart abruptly softened, as if something had plucked lightly at its strings.
Yet his expression remained as cool as ever. He bent down and set the copper basin by her feet.
Shen Yanshui looked down at the basin, then back up at the Crown Prince, slowly going still with astonishment.
Before she could react, Cui Yu had already lowered himself, one knee bent as he crouched before her. Reaching out, he took hold of her small feet, which dangled over the side of the couch.
Her feet were fair. Perhaps because she had stepped barefoot on the ground earlier, they were slightly cool. Her toes were rosy, soft, and round, their tips tinted with a delicate pink, like tiny pearls.
Holding her by the ankles, Cui Yu placed both her feet into the copper basin.
Warm water rose over the tops of her feet, and warmth slowly spread upward from her soles.
Shen Yanshui’s body stiffened ever so slightly.
She looked down at the Crown Prince crouching before her. His broad hands supported her ankles, keeping her feet steadily immersed in the warm water. For a moment, her mind was filled with nothing but questions.
As for the small grievance she had been nursing... it had long since vanished.
In its place was a strange feeling... a little flattered, a little surprised, and just a trace of quiet delight.
In a soft voice, she asked, “Your Highness... what are you doing?”
Cui Yu merely lifted his eyes and gave her a calm, unreadable glance without saying a word.
Shen Yanshui shot him another glance, her voice growing even softer. “How could I possibly let the Crown Prince carry a footbath for me? That simply wouldn’t do...” Her delicate voice carried a touch of coy reluctance.
Th-This... feels way too good! Hahahahaha—
Though she said that, her feet remained planted firmly in the bronze basin, and she sat as steadily as ever, showing not the slightest intention of getting up.
The water was so pleasantly warm that her toes even curled unconsciously.
Cui Yu lifted his eyelids and glanced at her without a word. Reaching out, he took hold of one of her feet and rubbed the sole with his rough fingertips, turning her originally fair little foot red at once.
Shen Yanshui: “...”
What a heavy hand!
“Your Highness, that hurts~” she said softly, secretly watching the Crown Prince as he crouched before her with lowered eyes.
Cui Yu paused, his voice turning colder still. “...So delicate.”
Without looking at her, he took a clean towel from the side, lifted her feet out of the water, and dried them off with a casual motion.
Yet the force of his hands had noticeably lightened.
Shen Yanshui immediately smiled at the sight, her voice so sweet it could melt one’s heart. “Your Highness is so good to me~”
Cui Yu’s expression remained cool and indifferent, utterly unmoved.
He had only ordered someone to bring in a basin of hot water because she was with child and the floor was cold. But... when he entered and saw her sitting on the couch, looking up at him with reddened eyes and a pitiful little expression, his heart had inexplicably softened.
For some reason, a memory from his childhood suddenly surfaced in his mind.
Back then, he had been raised in his maternal grandfather’s home. One night, he saw his grandfather carry over a basin of hot water and squat beside the bed to wash his grandmother’s feet.
His grandmother had laughed and scolded him, asking whether he wasn’t embarrassed at his age. His grandfather had merely chuckled and said, “What’s there to be embarrassed about? Your feet get cold. How can you sleep without soaking them first?”
By the time he came back to himself, he had already crouched down before her...
Cui Yu casually tossed the towel aside, then looked up at her. His expression was still composed, his voice calm and even. “Weren’t you going to dance?”
Shen Yanshui froze.
“Dance.” He stepped back half a pace and leaned against the bedpost, lifting his chin slightly to indicate that she should dance right there on the couch.
Shen Yanshui promptly sat up on her knees. Her peach-blossom eyes sparkled as she looked at the Crown Prince, asking tentatively, “Then... I’ll begin?”
Cui Yu glanced at her and gave a faint “Mm.”
Shen Yanshui instantly perked up.
She had practiced this dance for several days. Although she had only practiced for a short while each day, she had still put time into it. She absolutely had to perform it tonight—otherwise, wouldn’t all that learning have been for nothing?
She took a deep breath and recalled the movements the dancer had taught her that day.
First, she flicked the pale-gold silk scarf draped over her arms, making it flutter in the air. Then she slowly swayed her waist. The gold ornaments and tassels on her body chimed with every movement, their fine, tinkling notes especially crisp in the quiet inner chamber.
As she swayed, she secretly glanced at the Crown Prince. Seeing him leaning against the bedpost and watching her expressionlessly, she suddenly felt a little uncertain.
??? She danced so beautifully—why did the Crown Prince look like that?
But she had not finished yet, so she continued.
She stretched out her arms as though she were about to climb onto his shoulders, then let her hand glide lightly down his chest, her fingertips traveling over his robes all the way to his waist and abdomen...
Cui Yu’s expression remained cool and detached. He lowered his eyes to watch her, his gaze darkening as his throat bobbed sharply once.
Shen Yanshui lifted one leg, wrapped in golden tassels, and rested it on the Crown Prince’s shoulder. Then she slowly ran her hand upward from her ankle.
The golden chain around her leg swayed softly, its tiny gold pieces glittering in the candlelight. Against the gauzy fabric, her long, pale legs were half-concealed and half-revealed.
Leaning against the bedpost, Cui Yu’s gaze followed her movements, growing a shade darker.
Uh... what was the next move again?
Flick the hand, turn the head, touch the arm, throw a coquettish glance...
Cui Yu: “...”
The corner of his mouth twitched despite himself as he watched her flail through the routine—stretching an arm here, lifting a leg there, and occasionally tossing him a seductive look.
Though those seductive looks made her seem more like she had a twitch in her eye...
Watching her, he could barely keep his expression straight.
At last, Shen Yanshui completed the final movement. Breathing hard, she knelt on the couch, her eyes sparkling as she looked at him expectantly.
“Your Highness, how was my dance?” Apart from forgetting one or two moves in the middle, she thought it had been practically perfect!
After all, she had only studied for a few days, yet she had already memorized all the movements to an entire dance.
Cui Yu pressed his lips together, his voice mild and flat. “...Passable.”
Shen Yanshui: “???” Only passable?!
Her cheeks puffed up as she gave a soft huff. “Does Your Highness think my dancing was ugly?”
Cui Yu lowered his eyes to her puffed cheeks but said nothing.
When he remained silent, Shen Yanshui immediately crossed her arms over her chest, huffed again, and glared at him. “I learned this especially for Your Highness, and yet Your Highness thinks it wasn’t pretty?!”
Her eyes darted as she spoke, and she pursed her lips. “Does Your Highness prefer watching those dancing girls? Do you dislike watching me dance because you think I’m not as good as they are?”
Listening to the jealousy in her voice and looking at her round, glaring eyes, Cui Yu suddenly found it rather amusing.
What dancing girls?
He had never even bothered to notice what any of them looked like.
Yet, seeing her act so outrageously, he instead felt a faint surge of delight welling up inside him, as though something had lightly bubbled up in his chest.
He reached out and pinched her stubbornly pursed lips, his thumb gently pressing against their softness. His expression remained indifferent, but his voice was softer than before.
“What dancing girls?”
With her mouth pinched shut, Shen Yanshui made an indistinct “Mm.”
Cui Yu looked down at her, his deep voice even and unhurried. “A-Yan’s dancing is very... entertaining.”
Shen Yanshui blinked. What dancer? Everything she had said just now had been deliberately made up. She had merely thought that the Crown Prince seemed to have been... a little jealous a few days ago.
So she had intentionally used those words to test him. Unexpectedly, it seemed to have worked?
She glanced at the Crown Prince and saw that his expression had indeed softened considerably. The faint chill between his brows had faded as well.
She raised her hand and took his away from her lips. After hesitating for a moment, she asked softly, “Your Highness... were you angry with me before?”
Cui Yu’s fingers paused slightly. Lowering his gaze to her, he said, “No.” It had not been anger.
Shen Yanshui looked into his eyes. This time, rather than deliberately acting coquettish as she usually did, she regarded him with complete seriousness.
“The day Your Highness asked me, my hesitation was not because of anything else.”
“It was only because I like life outside the palace. When I was outside, if I wanted candied hawthorn, I could simply go out and buy a skewer. If I wanted to watch street performers, I could sit in a pleasure quarter and see magicians, monkey acts, storytellers... it was so lively.”
Never mind whether a proper young lady of this era was supposed to go out often—she could always find a way to slip out.
“I could also go to teahouses to listen to music, or wander the market stalls. Those little trinkets were not worth much, but they made me happy... During festivals, the streets were crowded everywhere. Firecrackers crackled one after another, and lanterns filled the entire road. That sort of liveliness... was something one could never find in the palace.”
Cui Yu’s expression froze for an instant.
He seemed not to have expected her to speak to him so frankly.
Looking into her sincere, open eyes, he suddenly remembered his own childhood.
Back then, he had been raised in his maternal grandfather’s household and rarely returned to the palace. In a year, he would only go back a few times during holidays and festivals, staying for only a few days before leaving again.
But after he turned ten, his stays in the palace gradually became longer and longer.
The palace servants and eunuchs never made a sound when they walked, and they always kept their voices low when they spoke.
People in the palace did not dare laugh loudly, nor did they dare cry openly. It seemed as though even breathing had to be done with care, for fear of disturbing some noble person.
Everywhere was quiet—so quiet that it left one feeling stifled.
At the time, he had always wanted to run outside, to stroll through the streets. Even if he did nothing at all, merely hearing the noisy voices of ordinary people made him feel freer than he ever did in the palace.
Later... it seemed he had gradually grown accustomed to it.
But being accustomed to something... did not mean he liked it.
A-Yan had lived outside the palace for more than ten years. It was only natural that she preferred such a life.
If she had not entered the Eastern Palace... with her contented, lovable nature, she would probably have been able to make her days lively and happy no matter where she was.
As Cui Yu looked into her eyes, an indescribable emotion suddenly surged within him.
He suddenly thought that it would have been wonderful if he had met A-Yan sooner.
Before she had discussed marriage with another man. Before his own wedding. Then...
A-Yan would have been his lawful wife...
A rush of warmth stirred in his chest.
Wife...
He lowered his eyes, concealing every trace of emotion within them. His voice was low and steady as he said, “I understand.”
A-Yan delighted in the lively days beyond the palace walls, not in any particular person outside them.
Shen Yanshui studied his expression and nodded lightly.
Yet when she looked at the Crown Prince’s lowered eyes... guilt? Happiness?
She paused, somewhat bewildered.
What did the Crown Prince feel guilty about? And what was he happy about?
Tilting her head, she thought about it for a while, but failed to reach any conclusion. In the end, she simply stopped dwelling on it.
Her lips curved into a bright smile as she spoke. “With someone as handsome and ethereal as Your Highness by my side, and with no shortage of food or drink—being able to eat whatever I wish—I am already more than content.”
She was only an ordinary person, after all. She loved wealth and luxury, and she loved beautiful faces too.
As she spoke, her gaze settled on Cui Yu’s face. Candlelight shimmered in her peach-blossom eyes, making them gleam.
Besides, how could life ever be perfect in every way? If she took every good thing for herself, even Heaven would find it unfair.
It was not as though she had never wondered what her life might have been like if she had married someone other than the Crown Prince—Xu Chengwen, perhaps, or another man.
But no matter how much she thought about it, she could not arrive at an answer.
Would marrying Xu Chengwen necessarily have meant a better life than the one she had in the Eastern Palace?
Not necessarily.
All uncertainty sprang from one’s imaginings of the unknown. In one’s imagination, everything was always wonderful—but if one truly lived through it, perhaps it would prove to be nothing much after all.
The Crown Prince’s inner court would not contain only her, but if she married someone else, would that man truly keep only her by his side?
She could not think of a single man capable of such a thing. Nor did she ask for something so extravagant. That made life much simpler.
And besides, everything she had just said to the Crown Prince had been the truth.
In all the world, she had yet to meet a man more handsome—or more perfectly suited to her tastes—than the Crown Prince.
As for everything else...
Though she was now a Liangyuan of the Crown Prince, as the saying went, even the gatekeeper at a prime minister’s residence held the rank of a seventh-grade official. Others had to climb their way up from the bottom, suffering who knew how much hardship and exhaustion along the way. Outsiders saw only the splendor on the surface.
When she thought of it that way, entering the Eastern Palace was rather like arriving directly at a destination others might spend their entire lives struggling to reach.
She thought it was quite nice.
And as for remaining in the palace all the time... did they not still come to the imperial residence each year?
At the very least, they could spend two or three months away. Add in all the festivals and celebrations throughout the year, and it was not so bad.
Cui Yu looked at her, his eyes dark and unfathomable. For a long while, he said nothing.
Shen Yanshui tilted her head. “Why is Your Highness looking at me like that?” Then, as if suddenly recalling something, she quickly tugged at his hand. “Your Highness, do not think about all that. The surprise I prepared for you today is not limited to this one thing.”
Lowering her voice, she looked at him with a radiant smile. “There is another surprise. Why not see if Your Highness can find it?”
Cui Yu froze slightly. Seeing the smile on her face, the tangled emotions in his heart seemed to be gently brushed aside by something, and before he knew it, they had quieted.
Then he remembered the “surprise” she had mentioned—was it the dance she had performed earlier?
The corners of his lips lifted of their own accord. He immediately gave a light cough and pressed that hint of a smile back down, asking in an even tone, “What other surprise has A-Yan prepared?”
Shen Yanshui gave a soft hum and shot him a coquettish glance, her voice sweet and gentle. “I said it was a surprise. Naturally, Your Highness has to discover it for yourself for it to count as a surprise. If I told you outright, what would be surprising about that?”
As she spoke, a faint blush rose to her cheeks. “Why doesn’t Your Highness… search me carefully?”
Cui Yu’s gaze sharpened slightly.
His eyes traveled slowly downward, examining her closely from head to toe.
There was scarcely much fabric on Shen Yanshui to begin with.
A pomegranate-red bodice wrapped around her snowy, generous curves, fine gold tassels cascading over it. Her slender waist seemed small enough to encircle with one hand. The short red skirt below barely covered her thighs, while layers of gold fringe draped over it; her long, straight legs appeared and disappeared amid the scattered gleam of gold.
Cui Yu’s broad palm settled over her bodice. Looking down at her, he asked in a deep voice, “Did A-Yan hide the surprise here?”
Shen Yanshui simply gazed at him with her moist, peach-blossom eyes, saying nothing.
Cui Yu took that as confirmation. His hand began to search slowly, from left to right, then from right to left…
Shen Yanshui’s breathing gradually became uneven. Her chest rose and fell faintly, and the golden tassels chimed softly with her movements.
In a plaintive tone, she said, “Your Highness, you’ve searched back and forth several times already…”
Cui Yu’s hand paused. He cleared his throat, then finally withdrew it slowly.
The next instant, he parted the long, dangling gold tassels around her waist, then pushed her red gauze skirt upward, gathering it over her still-flat lower belly.
His gaze froze.
A lifelike lotus blossom was quietly blooming there.
Its petals layered one atop another, pink and white intertwined. Every stroke was exquisitely delicate, as though it had just emerged from the water, its petals only beginning to unfurl…
Cui Yu’s breath suddenly deepened.
His eyes darkened at once, and his Adam’s apple bobbed.
After a long moment, he slowly lifted his eyes to look at her. His voice seemed forced from his throat, cold and low—so low it was nearly inaudible.
“Who… painted this flower?”
At the thought of it, a surge of bitter jealousy welled up in his chest—
Then, suddenly, a pale, delicate foot lightly pressed against his chest.
Cui Yu paused in surprise and lowered his gaze. The little foot resting against him had rosy, rounded toes, their tips tinted a faint pink, gently pressing over his heart.
Shen Yanshui looked at him reproachfully. “What is Your Highness thinking? Other than me, who else could it have been?”
In truth… she had long imagined such a design, but had never had the chance to use it. She had extracted the pigments herself from plants; it would have been harmless even if swallowed…
She enjoyed experimenting with unusual little ideas, and had thought up quite a few. Originally, she had planned to find an opportunity to get His Highness drunk someday, then paint it for the Crown Prince…
Yet unexpectedly, she was the one who ended up using it first.
Painting this flower had taken no small amount of effort. Fortunately, she was not showing much yet; her lower belly was only slightly firmer to the touch than usual. In another month, she would not have been able to paint it even if she wanted to.
The tightly furrowed lines between Cui Yu’s brows eased completely the instant he heard the words “I did it myself.” The dark, brooding haze in his eyes also dispersed.
And yet… his gaze darkened all the same.
He suddenly rose to his feet.
Startled by his abrupt movement, Shen Yanshui had not yet recovered when she saw him walk to the lampstand beside the bed and light every lamp, one after another.
The candlelight flared brightly, illuminating the entire bedchamber as though it were daylight.
Holding a lamp, he returned and set it beside the bed. Lowering his head, he held her knees apart as they tried to close and examined the lotus blossom with painstaking care.
The candlelight fell across Shen Yanshui’s body, making the flower in full bloom perfectly clear, every fine detail visible…
With him staring at her like that, Shen Yanshui’s face burned. Rarely, she found herself feeling embarrassed as well…
She muttered softly, “Have you finished looking, Your Highness?”
Cui Yu merely kept his head lowered, saying nothing.
“...Your Highness, it’s getting late. Shall we rest?” No matter how much he looked, he could not do anything more. Better to sleep early.
As she spoke, she furtively glanced downward at Cui Yu. The moment her leg moved even slightly, a warm palm firmly pressed against her knee.
Cui Yu looked down at her, his voice hoarse beyond recognition.
“A-Yan, there is still something missing here.”
Shen Yanshui blinked, answering instinctively, “What is missing?”
Cui Yu lifted his eyes. His gaze was deep and shadowed as he looked at her, his voice low, as though it had been ground out from the depths of his throat.
“A-Yan will find out in a moment.”
After saying this, he asked her several questions, then rose and went to the writing desk. Only after a long while did he return with something in hand.
Shen Yanshui stared at the brush and the porcelain dish containing the special pigments she had made herself. For a moment, her mind failed to catch up, and she asked blankly, “What is Your Highness going to do?”
Cui Yu did not answer. He placed the porcelain dish on the edge of the bed, then glanced at her.
Reaching out, he gently parted her knees.
The candlelight shone brilliantly, revealing the lotus blossom in full bloom with absolute clarity.
Upon the petals, perhaps from the heat of the candles or perhaps for some other reason, a glistening droplet had formed…
Cui Yu picked up the clean brush and lightly touched its tip to the droplet, gathering it up…
Shen Yanshui’s body suddenly trembled. “Your Highness…” A mist of tears instantly veiled her peach-blossom eyes.
It felt so—so good…
Cui Yu raised his eyes to glance at her flushed cheeks. Unable to help himself, he curved his lips in a faint smile, though he quickly suppressed it. “Don’t move, A-Yan. There isn’t enough moisture yet to blend the pigment…” As he spoke, he continued using the brush to gather more of it.
Ever since A-Yan had been diagnosed with twins, he had ordered the imperial physician to take her pulse every day to ensure he understood the state of her health. He had also consulted the physician about matters of intimacy; only then had he dared to offer A-Yan a little relief…
Shen Yanshui watched the Crown Prince lower his head, painting with such solemn concentration that she could not help covering her face with both hands...
Ahhh...
No matter how many times she had imagined it, reality was not even a tenth as shocking!
She could not help shifting slightly. “Your Highness...”
Cui Yu dipped his brush into the pigment on the porcelain dish, mixing it lightly at the tip.
Then the brush descended onto the petal.
With one gentle stroke, it swept across.
Shen Yanshui’s leg gave a sudden tremble.
Yet Cui Yu’s hand was perfectly steady, every stroke meticulous and earnest.
“Your Highness... what are you painting?” Her voice trembled, coming out in broken fragments.
Cui Yu did not answer. His voice only grew huskier. “A-Yan, there is too much water on the tip of the brush.”
Shen Yanshui: “...”
Who knew how much time passed before that brush finally came to a stop.
After calming herself for a while, Shen Yanshui propped herself up, intending to sit up and have a look. But in that position... she was too embarrassed to lower her head and look. She could only remain frozen there, caught between advancing and retreating.
Cui Yu seemed to understand what she was thinking.
He set the brush down, rose, and sat behind her. Pulling her into his arms, he let her lean back against him.
He clasped her hands in his, guiding her fingers to gently press against the lotus flower.
His chin rested in the hollow of her shoulder. Warm breath brushed against her ear as he spoke in a low voice. “Wasn’t A-Yan curious about what I painted?”
After a pause, he applied a little pressure through his hand around hers.
“Lower your head and see for yourself.”
Shen Yanshui bit her lip. Unable to overcome her curiosity, she slowly lowered her head despite her embarrassment and shame, her face flushed red.
Under the candlelight, the pink-and-white lotus remained in full bloom.
Only now, there was a pink butterfly in the center of its petals.
Its pink wings were spread wide, perched amid the petals. Its delicate antennae looked so lifelike that it seemed ready to flutter away at any moment, as though it were... gathering nectar.
Cui Yu asked, “Does A-Yan like it?”
Shen Yanshui said nothing, but her body’s response could not deceive him.
Cui Yu lowered his gaze. Then, suddenly, he gave a quiet laugh.
He tightened the arm around her waist, his low voice laced with amusement.
“A-Yan is about to drown my butterfly.”
Shen Yanshui: “... ... ... ...”
Her face instantly turned scarlet.
Next time—next time, she absolutely had to let the Crown Prince have a taste of this too!
...
The next morning.
Shen Yanshui turned over in bed and touched... Hm? This texture... a big mushroom?
Her hand paused. Blinking sleepily, she opened her eyes and saw that the... ahem, mushroom in her hand had already awakened.
It was not as if she were that impatient, was it?
Cui Yu had awakened at some point. He was reclining against the headboard, a document in hand, reading with his eyes lowered.
Noticing the movement of her hand, he glanced down at her. His voice was low, and remarkably steady. “Awake?”
Shen Yanshui: “...Mm.”
As if nothing had happened, she withdrew her hand. Her voice was still drowsy and muffled from sleep as she buried her face against his stomach again.
Cui Yu: “...”
He reached out, took hold of her soft, boneless hand, and placed it back over him.
“A-Yan...” His voice was low and rich with huskiness.
Shen Yanshui’s hand had ended up red and raw, nearly rubbed hard enough to spark a fire. In the end, she had to resort to other means to save her poor hand.
Something seemed off... What was wrong with the Crown Prince? Why was it taking longer and longer?
...
Once the two of them had finally tidied themselves up, Cui Yu raised his voice and summoned the attendants. Chunping and Dongyi filed in carrying copper basins, towels, tooth powder, and other toiletries. Zheng Yuande, meanwhile, led several young eunuchs in arranging the meal in the outer chamber.
After washing up, Shen Yanshui was seated before the dressing table by Chunping, who began combing her hair. Cui Yu had already changed into a moon-white casual robe and was sitting at the table outside, waiting for her.
They took turns placing food in each other’s bowls, back and forth, and the atmosphere between them appeared remarkably harmonious...
Chunping and Dongyi exchanged a glance. Each saw the same relief reflected in the other’s eyes.
Zheng Yuande stood by with his hands folded, his gaze lowered, his expression giving nothing away. Yet inwardly, he could not help wiping away a bitter tear.
What kind of days had he been living through lately?
The Crown Prince had worn a cold expression for days on end. The young eunuchs serving in the duty room had been so frightened they scarcely dared breathe too loudly. As for him, he had been on tenterhooks every day—and had even lost two jin from the stress!
At last, the Crown Prince had returned to normal.
Just as he was thinking this, he suddenly heard the sound of the Crown Prince setting down his chopsticks, followed by that low, steady voice.
“Zheng Yuande.”
Zheng Yuande stiffened at once. He hurried forward with light steps and bowed. “This servant is here. What are your orders, Your Highness?”
Cui Yu picked up a handkerchief and wiped his hands. “The matter I asked you to investigate before—have you gotten to the bottom of it? How did Zhaoning learn of it?”
Shen Yanshui had been lowering her head to drink her porridge. At his words, she immediately looked up.
Zhaoning? The Seventh Princess?
Had the Crown Prince asked Eunuch Zheng to investigate how the Seventh Princess had learned about her and Xu Chengwen?
She had actually harbored a vague suspicion for some time. After all, aside from herself, no one else should have known about this... The Seventh Princess had lived deep within the inner palace; it was even less likely that she could have heard it from the beauties.
Zheng Yuande promptly replied in a low voice, “In reply to Your Highness, this servant has looked into it.”
As he spoke, he cautiously glanced in Worthy Lady Shen’s direction and lowered his voice further. “The Seventh Princess most likely learned of it from the Eldest Miss Shen, Lady Shen. And it is not only the Seventh Princess who knows—so do the Fifth Princess and Miss Zhou.”
He had discovered this some days ago. But during that period, His Highness had been so busy his feet barely touched the ground. The matter at Qingjiangpu was the highest priority; besides... His Highness had been in an exceptionally foul mood. This was hardly an urgent matter, and since His Highness had not asked about it directly, Zheng Yuande had not dared step forward and court disaster.
Now that His Highness had raised the question himself, Zheng Yuande naturally told him everything, not daring to conceal a single word.
After hearing this, Cui Yu’s brows drew together slightly. He turned his gaze toward Shen Yanshui. “Were A-Yan and Lady Shen on poor terms when you were still at home?”
Shen Yanshui set down her bowl of porridge, thought for a moment, and answered truthfully, “I would not say we were on poor terms.”
“My eldest sister... looked down equally on all of us born of concubines. She never singled me out in particular.”
She was telling the truth.
Before she married, Lady Shen had been busy learning all manner of things—music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and composition, leaving nothing out. She had been run off her feet, and still had to make appearances at every sort of gathering in the capital, cultivating her reputation. How could she possibly have had the leisure to go out of her way to make trouble for a mere concubine-born daughter like her?
Still, Shen Yanshui did know that Lady Shen had never thought much of her. She had criticized her more than once, complaining that she was too lazy and incapable, that she would only embarrass the family whenever she went out...
As she thought about it, another suspicion that had long lingered in her mind surfaced once more.
Could Lady Shen really have... been reborn?
Judging from what had happened with the Crown Princess and the Seventh Prince, it certainly seemed very likely. But afterward... Shen Yanshui thought it over carefully. If Lady Shen truly had been reborn, it did not seem as though she had done anything particularly extraordinary. That made Shen Yanshui doubt herself again. Perhaps she had simply been overthinking things...
Otherwise, could it be that Lady Shen had been reborn only to target her, and for nothing else?
She had been determined to stop Shen Yanshui from marrying Xu Chengwen, insisting that she enter the palace instead.
And this time, she had deliberately brought it up before the Fifth Princess and Seventh Princess. What had been her purpose?
Did she think Shen Yanshui’s life had become too comfortable, and wanted to stir up trouble for her?
If that were truly the case... could it be that, in Lady Shen’s previous life, Shen Yanshui had lived far too well? Had Lady Shen grown jealous out of envy?
Otherwise, with no deep-seated grudge between them, Shen Yanshui truly could not understand why Lady Shen kept making her life difficult.
If Lady Shen really had been reborn, then... she did not seem to be doing terribly well with her second chance at life.
Still, Shen Yanshui had indeed decided to probe her elder legitimate sister and find out what she was really thinking.
Her curiosity about the future was one thing. More importantly, she could not simply swallow this loss without doing anything.
Lady Shen had nearly succeeded in driving a wedge between her and the Crown Prince. If he had not been the sort to avoid excessive suspicion, if it had been someone else in his place, her good days might truly have come to an end.
Cui Yu’s brow furrowed more deeply as he listened to what she had just said, and his expression darkened as well.
After a moment of silence, he suddenly lifted his eyes to look at her. “A-Yan.”
Shen Yanshui turned to him. “Yes?”
Cui Yu asked, “Among your family, whom are you closest to?”
Shen Yanshui paused, not expecting him to ask that. After thinking for a moment, she answered honestly, “I am closest to my Sixth Sister. She has a lively nature and loves to eat, so we get along especially well.
“And my Second Brother has always taken very good care of me.” He was concubine-born as well, and not particularly gifted at his studies, so he was not highly valued. After he married, he had been sent off to handle some of the household’s miscellaneous affairs. Yet, from what she could see, her second brother rather enjoyed it.
Most importantly, he had protected his younger sisters since they were little—especially her. One reason she had often been able to go out and have fun was because of him.
Cui Yu said nothing as he listened. His fingertips tapped lightly against the tabletop twice. “What is your second brother good at?”
At those words, Shen Yanshui finally began to understand. Was the Crown Prince intending to... promote her second brother?
She considered it seriously, then said with a solemn expression, “Your Highness, although my second brother is only mediocre at his studies, he is actually very clever. Every shop placed under his management has turned a fine profit.” And that was while others above him were constantly directing him and tying his hands. If no one interfered or caused trouble, she believed her second brother could make the business flourish even more.
It was just that... although Great Yong allowed the children of merchants to sit for the civil service examinations, and merchants held a somewhat higher status than they had under the previous dynasty, in the eyes of most people, they still did not amount to much.
She lifted her eyes and stole a glance at the Crown Prince.
Cui Yu looked at her from the side, his voice even and composed.
“A-Yan, there is no need to worry. Everyone has their own strengths; place them where they belong, and all may become fine timber. There are no useless people in this world—only those who have not found their proper place.”
If someone was clever but not suited to study, that was no great matter. So long as they could get things done, that was enough.
A-Yan needed someone behind her to support her.
If her second brother truly had ability, he would find an opportunity to arrange a position for him first, so that he could gain experience. In time, he might yet become an aid to A-Yan. As for the rest...
No matter what, the road had to be paved first.
