A sensation of weightlessness washed over him, and Yu Jiu instinctively closed his eyes. Falling to the floor would certainly hurt and would also dirty his clothes.
A pair of powerful arms wrapped around his waist.
Immediately afterward, he was pulled into a broad embrace, his forehead pressed against a firm chest, and a familiar, scorching aura enveloped his entire body.
The two of them clung together in an intensely intimate posture, looking from afar like a pair of inseparable mandarin ducks.
The red-haired man holding him lowered his head, his hot breath brushing against Yu Jiu’s sensitive earlobe.
A thin layer of crimson bloomed over the tiny, delicate earlobe.
It felt somewhat itchy. Yu Jiu reached out, placing his hands against the man’s chest in an attempt to push open some distance between them.
The man held him tightly, as though unwilling to let go, his arm still locked firmly around Yu Jiu’s waist so that he could not move an inch.
Thump, thump. A steady and powerful heartbeat echoed in his ear. Heat diffused into the air, and Yu Jiu’s snow-white face flushed with a faint red.
Clinging together so closely, every strand of his dense, long eyelashes was distinct. Panic still lingered in his eyes, rippling with moisture as he timidly lowered his gaze.
His pale pink lips parted slightly, and his shallow breathing was barely audible. A heavy, sweet fragrance drifted out with his breath, diffusing around the man’s nose.
Soft black hair brushed against the man’s palm, floating with a fragrant aroma. The person in his arms possessed soft, delicate skin, feeling much like holding a mass of fluffy, gentle cloud.
That familiar sweet fragrance confirmed beyond doubt that this was the same person who had broken into the council hall.
The bite mark on Lu Shiyue’s thumb web had already vanished, but a lingering, inescapable trace of fragrance remained on the spot where it had been sucked.
He did not feel curious as to why the princess was eavesdropping on their conversation.
His thin lips curved upward, faintly revealing a sense of excitement.
He had found him after all.
Yu Jiu had a petite figure that barely reached the man’s shoulder. Held tightly in his arms and leaning against his shoulder, he could not see the man’s face, only the red loose locks scattered across his shoulders and his smooth, well-defined jawline.
“Lord… Lord Lu.”
The maid behind him was clearly stunned, blurting out Lord Lu’s name. She had expected Lord Lu to catch the princess, but once caught, he should have let go immediately—why was he holding him so affectionately and refusing to let go?
For the princess and an unrelated court official to maintain such an intimate posture, if the prince consort were to find out…
Thinking of the prince consort’s lingering, possessive gaze toward the princess, the maid anxiously reminded Lu Shiyue.
The large hand clasping Yu Jiu’s shoulder suddenly loosened, but the palm resting on his slender waist continued to linger, fingertips tracing back and forth over his clothing as though touching the soft flesh beneath through the thin fabric.
This behavior could already be considered offensive.
Taking advantage of Lu Shiyue loosening his grip, Yu Jiu exerted strength through his wrists braced against the man’s chest, breaking free from the airtight, hard embrace.
“Please forgive my offense, Princess.”
Lu Shiyue raised a hand to salute Yu Jiu, his voice deep, lacking true deference and full of unruly defiance.
The man apologized with his words while his gaze remained arrogant, uninhibitedly looking up and down at the flushed princess.
Yu Jiu felt extremely uncomfortable under his gaze, as though he had been stripped bare. He signaled the maid beside him and turned to leave.
“Princess.”
Lu Shiyue’s voice sounded from behind, accompanied by the crisp chiming of a silver bell.
Yu Jiu missed a heartbeat. Like a cat whose fur had spiked up, he turned around in alarm.
Lu Shiyue was toying with the exquisitely crafted silver bell in his hand, a wicked smile playing on his lips. As if anticipating the reaction of the person before him, he shook the bell playfully.
The silver bell swayed gently with the movement of his fingers, emitting a pleasant chime.
Could he have figured out that the intruder was me? Many women in the palace decorated themselves with bells, so how could Lu Shiyue be certain that the one in his hand belonged to him?
Yu Jiu was disinclined to face such a terrible reality. Upon second thought, with evidence like the bell in Lu Shiyue’s hands, there was a possibility that Lu Shiyue had not mentioned finding it to Ning Jue.
He felt a sudden surge of relief. Without proof, no matter how certain Lu Shiyue might feel, there was nothing he could do to him.
“Hah.”
The naive little princess, raised and pampered in a greenhouse, had no idea how to mask his emotions. The panic in his eyes was fully exposed, and he unconsciously bit down on his lower lip, leaving a shallow tooth mark on the pink, plump flesh.
An absurd thought arose in Lu Shiyue’s mind. The princess was in such a state of panic that taking another bite of his palm might not be entirely out of the question.
He looked at Yu Jiu, whose fur was thoroughly ruffled, letting out a wicked desire to bully him just a little—he wanted to see those misty, watery eyes gaze at him with a pure, clear innocence.
The silver bell traced a perfect arc through the air, chiming merrily.
Yu Jiu reached out and steadily caught the bell tossed over by Lu Shiyue.
“The princess should keep a better eye on his belongings in the future.”
Dropping this seemingly unrelated remark, the red-haired man cast one deep look at Yu Jiu before striding away.
Holding the bell, Yu Jiu stood frozen for a moment. Pinching the slender, pale tips of his fingers around the bell, he dangled it before his eyes and shook it slightly. He comforted himself: since Lu Shiyue had returned the bell, he would treat as though nothing had happened at all.
Along with the fact that he had bitten the man in the council hall—that should probably be considered settled and done with as well.
The maid looked with deep suspicion at the confrontation between the two, wondering why the princess’s personal accessory had ended up in the hands of an unrelated court official.
She dared not dwell too deeply on the reasons behind such an event. After all, Lord Lu’s behavior today had already crossed the line.
If the prince consort were to find out, he would likely go mad.
However, what did clandestine disputes between men have to do with their princess?
Fleeing back from the back garden as though escaping for his life, Yu Jiu felt his mind in complete turmoil. He collapsed onto the bed and fell into a deep sleep.
Waking up after a brief nap, he lay dazed upon the couch to shake off the remnants of sleep.
A red indentation was pressed against one side of his cheek. In his sleepy haze, his jade-clear green eyes were watery, his eyelashes stuck together in clumps, and his entire appearance was flushed pink.
This leisurely and comfortable life carried an indescribable sense of dissonance.
He always felt he had forgotten something important. The moment he began to recall it, those memories felt separated by a layer of fog, entirely impossible to pull back.
He simply stopped thinking about it.
Yu Jiu swayed and slumped into the pile of soft silk bedding, burying his head inside so that he pushed out a round indentation like a spoiled kitten.
That was precisely the scene the maid witnessed upon entering.
Beneath layers of draped bed curtains, sandalwood burned within the hall, sending up curls of fragrant mist that enshrouded the bed.
The little beauty, whose skin was as smooth and white as jade, was buried among silk and satin. His long black hair spread out behind him like clouds, several strands tangled around his slender fingertips. Still half-asleep, his eyes were partially closed, his long eyelashes fluttering, and his cheeks burned with a soft, tender flush.
She unconsciously softened her tone: “Princess, time to get up. You still need to attend the palace banquet tonight.”
Yu Jiu snapped his eyes wide open. A palace banquet?
He had almost forgotten about the banquet. Before his afternoon nap, the maid had specifically reminded him of the evening banquet at the palace.
It was said to be related to the Dragon God Festival, and the scale of this palace banquet rivaled a state banquet.
Layers upon layers of gorgeous court attire were slipped onto his body, and the red dress embroidered with golden dragon patterns made Yu Jiu’s skin look as white as snow, adding a touch of stunning, dazzling brilliance to his pure little face.
The maid insisted on applying another layer of lip tint to his mouth. Red lip tint scented with floral notes was smoothed across his lips.
His full lips looked as though they were coated in a layer of translucent liquid, and the plump cupid’s bow protruded with tender redness, striking enough to draw the eye.
Yu Jiu expressed intense resistance toward the heavy, solid gold hair crown in the maid’s hands, feeling that wearing it would snap his neck. Seeing the princess’s fierce rebellion, the maid reluctantly put the crown away with a disappointed look.
Inside the palace banquet hall, lights blazed brilliantly.
Ning Jue had spent the afternoon handling official business within the palace and arrived at the banquet a step ahead of Yu Jiu, waiting for the princess among the seated guests.
He had changed into a new set of garments. The vibrant red robes failed to dispel the icy aloofness that kept people a thousand miles away; instead, they made his features appear as flawless as jade. The tailored clothing further accentuated his upright and slender posture.
When Yu Jiu arrived, Ning Jue was casually taking a sip of wine from his cup. His long, slender fingers holding the cup showed a cold white skin tone with distinct knuckles, and pale green veins traced the back of his hand.
No officials came to flatter the prince consort. Yu Jiu suspected that Ning Jue was simply too cold, constantly rebuffing anyone who stepped forward seeking favors.
Ning Jue set down his cup and lifted his gaze, their eyes meeting.
The cold, ruthless eyes melted away instantly, to the point where one could almost hear the sound of trickling water beneath thin ice as spring snow thaws. When he looked at Yu Jiu, the tenderness in his eyes nearly overflowed.
The princess rarely wore brightly colored clothing. Because he possessed an immature, youthful appearance with soft flesh still lingering on his cheeks, his innocent and pretty features combined with an eye-catching red dress added an inexplicable, brilliant allure.
He resembled a fully ripened peach, carrying rich juices beneath a thin skin, waiting for someone to harvest him.
His large, rounded green eyes still held a pure, innocent expression, entirely unaware of the wanton, scrutinizing gazes falling upon him from all directions.
Ning Jue took another sip of wine, his Adam’s apple bobbing as though to quench a sudden dryness in his throat. He adjusted his posture, crossing his long legs as he sat.
Yu Jiu sat down beside Ning Jue. The table space was limited, and sitting down inevitably brought about physical contact with him.
The black hair falling past his ear brushed against Ning Jue’s cold, white face, carrying wisps of sweet fragrance that drifted into Ning Jue’s nose with his movements.
How can he smell so sweet?
Ning Jue twirled the wine cup with his slender fingertips, casting a sidelong glance at the hollow of the person beside him.
The graceful curve where the princess’s ear met his neck was visible through his collar, revealing a glimpse of snow-white skin.
The black hair scattered at his temples hid his delicate ears. Feeling an unprovoked itch in his heart, Ning Jue reached out and tucked those few strands of dark hair behind Yu Jiu’s ear.
Such a sudden touch, coupled with Ning Jue’s icy fingertips, startled Yu Jiu into almost dodging away.
Raising his eyes to see that the prince consort had only meant to help him tidy up, he stopped his evasive movement, lowering his gaze to sit obediently while letting Ning Jue’s fingertips graze his sensitive earlobe.
By the time Ning Jue withdrew his hand, the palace banquet was about to begin.
The sovereign of the Dragon Breath Kingdom sat high upon the throne. Even though Yu Jiu sat not far away, from any angle, he could not clearly make out the sovereign’s face.
Because the Dragon God Festival was approaching, the sovereign was in high spirits, and the banquet proceeded amidst a lively, harmonious atmosphere between host and guests.
Yu Jiu leaned forward to get a better look, though he continuously failed to recall what the sovereign before him actually looked like.
“Western envoys approach—”
A maid’s prolonged announcement rang out from outside the hall.
The sharp voice captured the attention of everyone at the banquet, and Yu Jiu turned around as well to look toward the hall entrance.
A strangely dressed figure slowly approached.
The envoy was tall, his presence rivaling Ning Jue’s. He wore a checkerboard-patterned robe spliced with black and white blocks, and sported a pair of black gloves.
His features were handsome and deep, more chiseled than those of Easterners. His eye color was exceptionally dark, flashing with an alluring purple undertone deep within his pupils, and a square pattern was painted beneath the corner of his eye.
This Western envoy looked entirely out of place, with clothing, appearance, and behavior marked by an indescribable strangeness.
He bent his arm against his chest, took a step back, and bowed deeply to the sovereign in a graceful, melodious tone.
Across the distance, Yu Jiu could not hear clearly, though he vaguely caught him introducing himself by the name Gu Xun, followed by matters concerning the Dragon God Festival.
Hearing this, the sovereign was overjoyed, bestowing fine wine and arranging a seat of honor.
Gu Xun circled among the guests in the seats of honor, offering toasts in turn.
The liquid in Yu Jiu’s cup had been replaced with fruit wine. His alcohol tolerance was poor, and after a few sips, his little face flushed a brilliant red.
Gu Xun drew closer and closer to the seats occupied by him and Ning Jue. This strangely dressed envoy seemed entirely immune to alcohol, his expression remaining completely unchanged.
The cold aura radiating from Ning Jue beside him grew increasingly frigid as he resumed his extremely distant expression, appearing intensely averse to outsiders approaching.
The Western envoy in black and white robes walked up to Yu Jiu, his eyes narrowing into slits as a smile lingered on his lips.
His deep purple-tinged pupils stared unblinkingly at Yu Jiu, the false smile in his eyes deepening into genuine warmth.
Ignoring Ning Jue entirely, he stopped directly before Yu Jiu.
“Princess, there is a very magical sort of sorcery in our country, and today I wish to perform it specifically for you.”
Yu Jiu’s interest was piqued by Gu Xun, and his previously lackluster eyes regained a curious sparkle as he looked up.
Only then did he realize that the envoy before him was remarkably tall, the muscles bulging slightly beneath his robes containing an implicit, explosive sense of power.
A slender wrist was lifted. Through a layer of gloves, Yu Jiu could not perceive the temperature of Gu Xun’s hand.
Yet the force was very light, as though lifting a precious piece of porcelain for fear of shattering it, maintaining both careful gentleness and utmost propriety.
Ning Jue frowned. No matter how one looked at it, the physical contact between this eccentric envoy and Yu Jiu’s wrist felt entirely unpleasant.
Yet seeing the curious light in Yu Jiu’s eyes, he forcefully suppressed the surge of hostility in his heart that urged him to strike out at Gu Xun.
“Lord Gu, magic tricks do not require holding hands to perform.”
As though entirely deaf to Ning Jue’s hint, Gu Xun maintained his light grip around that frost-white wrist: “The prince consort need not worry. It will not harm the princess.”
The hand holding Yu Jiu’s wrist tightened. Within a single breath and a blink of an eyelash,
a red flower in full, vibrant bloom was presented before them.
Crystal-clear dew still clung to the petals.
A rich floral fragrance washed over them. Seeing such a wondrous trick for the very first time, Yu Jiu could not help reaching out to touch the flower before him.
His pink-tinted fingertips had only just brushed against the foliage when the bright red flower instantly transformed into tiny, scattering specks of light that dissolved into the air.
Was it fake?
Now it was Yu Jiu’s turn to be puzzled, yet the flower looked nothing like a fake—it carried a floral scent and dew, and no matter how precise or miraculous a magic trick might be, it could not achieve such a level.
Gu Xun’s luxurious, deep voice sounded beside his ear, his slender fingers brushing across Yu Jiu’s wrist like a slippery snake while the smile in his eyes deepened:
“Princess, do you think this flower is real, or fake?”