“Young Master Shi is exceptionally talented. I admire his gifts, so it is only natural that I pay him a little more attention.”
The Crown Prince’s tone was not questioning.
It was a statement—and a warning delivered from a position of superiority.
The Third Prince’s body stiffened ever so slightly before he quickly returned to normal.
The Crown Prince let out a soft laugh, his expression carrying an indescribable undertone. Without slowing his pace, he walked straight toward the edge of the field.
The Third Prince remained where he was, watching the Crown Prince’s back disappear into the crowd. His fingers clenched inside his sleeves until his knuckles cracked.
“Imperial Brother, you care about him more than I do.”
The Third Prince’s voice was so soft that only he could hear it, like a breeze that scattered as soon as it passed.
On the way back to the palace, the Crown Prince leaned against the carriage wall with his eyes closed, his fingers tapping absently against his knees.
His mind was a complete mess.
Jinse’s feelings, his third brother, Shi Huai…
Everything was tangled together, like a pot of boiling multigrain porridge.
Every flavor was mixed in, and nothing could be sorted out.
He had not failed to notice Jinse’s feelings for Shi Huai. He simply had never been willing to think in that direction before.
In his eyes, Jinse would always be a child—a little girl, an immature little princess.
But his third brother’s words today had dragged him out of the dream of self-deception.
Jinse was fourteen.
In the Great Yan Dynasty, a girl of fourteen could already begin considering marriage proposals, and once she turned fifteen and completed her coming-of-age ceremony, she could be married.
If Jinse had truly taken a liking to Shi Huai and asked the Emperor to grant them a marriage, then with how dearly the Emperor doted on her, there was a very good chance he would agree.
At that thought, the Crown Prince’s fingers suddenly tightened around the robe over his knees, as if he meant to tear the fabric apart.
No. He absolutely could not let that happen. He could never give up Shi Huai—not in this lifetime.
But neither did he want to hurt Jinse.
She was his full sister, the little girl who had followed behind him since childhood, calling him “Crown Prince Brother.”
He could not bear to see her suffer.
“Your Highness, we’ve arrived at the palace gates.”
The coachman’s voice came from outside.
The Crown Prince took a deep breath and jumped down from the carriage.
He did not return to the Eastern Palace. Instead, he went straight to the Empress’s chambers.
The Empress was sitting by the window, drinking tea.
She wore a dark purple palace gown, with a red-gold phoenix crown adorned with pearls upon her head. Her well-preserved face showed few traces of the passing years.
When she saw the Crown Prince enter, she set down her teacup, a gentle smile rising to her lips.
“Chengqian, you’re here? Have you had dinner?”
“This son greets Mother.”
The Crown Prince performed a proper salute before sitting down in the chair opposite her.
Seeing her son’s distracted expression, the Empress frowned slightly.
“What’s wrong? Did something happen today?”
The Crown Prince hesitated before speaking.
“Mother, Jinse is fourteen this year. Shouldn’t we start looking at suitable matches for her?”
At those words, the round fan in the Empress’s hand paused. She lifted her eyes to her son, surprise flickering in her gaze.
“Why have you suddenly taken an interest in your sister’s marriage? Did you hear something?”
The Crown Prince shook his head, the corners of his mouth pulling into a smile that was neither quite bitter nor quite helpless.
“No. I simply feel that my sister has grown up, and it is time to make plans for her future. Does Mother have anyone suitable in mind?”
The Empress set down her fan and took a sip of tea. After thinking for a moment, she shook her head.
“There are certainly plenty of suitable candidates. There’s no shortage of eligible young men from prominent families in the capital. But you know what Jinse is like—she’s very particular. She wouldn’t take an interest in just anyone.”
The Crown Prince’s heart gave a jolt.
“What does Mother think of Young Master Shi from the Marquis of Yongning’s residence?”
The teacup in the Empress’s hand suddenly paused. A few drops of tea splashed out and landed on her dark purple sleeve, spreading into a small, dark stain.
She set down the cup and dabbed at her sleeve with a handkerchief. Then she raised her head and looked at the Crown Prince, scrutiny and wariness in her eyes.
“Chengqian, why are you asking about this? This is your sister’s marriage we’re discussing. Why have you suddenly brought up Shi Huai?”
The Crown Prince’s heart tightened under his mother’s gaze.
“I was only asking casually. Shi Huai is exceptionally talented, handsome, and highly regarded throughout the capital. He wouldn’t be an unsuitable match for Jinse.”
The Empress stared at her son for quite some time. The scrutiny in her eyes gradually turned into understanding.
She lifted the teacup and took another sip, her voice faint and carrying an indefinable undertone.
“Shi Huai is indeed an excellent boy, but he is only twelve. Jinse is two years older than him. A wife older than her husband—it would not be very suitable.”
The Crown Prince felt a wave of relief, though disappointment appeared on his face.
“Mother is right. I failed to consider the matter carefully. Then who does Mother think would be suitable?”
The Empress thought for a moment and counted off several names on her fingers.
They were all eldest sons of prominent families in the capital, with excellent family backgrounds, looks, and scholarly accomplishments.
As the Crown Prince listened to the names, he remained expressionless, silently rejecting them one by one.
This one was too fat. That one was too short. One was too frail and scholarly, another too rough and uncouth. This one’s family was not distinguished enough, while that one’s character was not upright enough…
He went through them all, but not a single one could compare with Shi Huai.
After listing the names, the Empress looked at her son’s thoughtful expression, the corners of her mouth curving slightly upward.
“What is it? You don’t like any of them? You seem to care more about your sister’s marriage than even your father does.”
The Crown Prince came back to himself. He smiled and lifted his teacup, using the motion to hide his lapse.
“Jinse is my sister, of course I should care. But Mother is right—she is still young. There is no need to rush. We can take our time.”
The Empress nodded and said nothing more, simply raising her teacup to continue drinking her tea.
Outside, the sky had grown completely dark. A palace maid entered and lit the lamps.
The orange-yellow light danced across the room, bathing everything in a warm glow.
The Crown Prince remained for a while longer, exchanging a few idle remarks with the Empress before rising to take his leave.
By the time he stepped out of the Empress’s chambers, night had fallen deep.
He walked along the palace path, his steps much heavier than when he had arrived. His mind was still in turmoil.
He had come to his mother for two reasons.
First, he wanted to sound her out and see what she thought of Shi Huai.
Second, he wanted to find a few suitable candidates for Jinse.
If Jinse ever asked the Emperor to grant her a marriage to Shi Huai, he would at least have a way to respond.
But he had discovered that he could not find a single suitable candidate.
It was not because there were no fine young men in the capital.
It was because his heart already held a standard.
A standard no one else could meet.
When the Crown Prince reached the entrance to the Eastern Palace, he stopped and lifted his head to look at the crescent moon in the sky.
The moonlight was cold and clear, spilling across his face and coating his youthful features in a layer of silver-white radiance.
“Shi Huai, do you know how many people you keep awake at night?”
The Crown Prince’s voice was very soft, as light as a breeze that scattered as soon as it passed.
