With urgent matters weighing on her mind, Liu Yun felt the carriage moved far too slowly, wishing she could sprout wings and fly there.
After hurrying along the way, the Liu family carriage finally stopped before Tianqin Tower.
Not daring to delay, Liu Yun, supported by Jin He, hastily alighted from the carriage and entered Tianqin Tower with a solemn expression.
“Where is your proprietor? I have urgent business.”
The moment the shopkeeper looked up, he heard these words. He hesitated for a few breaths before Liu Yun urged him impatiently, “What are you standing there for? Go and call your proprietor quickly!”
Unaware of what kind of days her father was enduring in the Dali Temple prison, Liu Yun could be said to be burning with anxiety.
“Might this be Lady Liu?”
Just as the shopkeeper was hesitating, a voice of urgent inquiry sounded beside her.
It was a plump, middle-aged man dressed in luxurious attire, smiling amiably with a face full of friendliness.
Liu Yun did not know who this person was and only watched him warily.
Noticing this, the middle-aged man immediately patted his head and explained, “Lady Liu, please do not misunderstand. I, Zhu, am the proprietor of this Tianqin Tower. Hearing that Lady Liu seeks me for urgent matters, here I am.”
Upon learning this was precisely the person she sought, Liu Yun relaxed her guard and did not dwell on why the proprietor of Tianqin Tower knew she was from the Liu family at first sight.
“Excellent, Proprietor, please come with me to discuss in detail.”
The White Jade Dragon Jue concerned the Crown Prince, and Liu Yun did not want to attract attention.
Once they reached the private room, Liu Yun took out the Jade Jue representing the Crown Prince’s identity, intending to hand it to Zhu Fu for verification.
Who would have thought that as soon as the man caught sight of the Jade Jue, he immediately knelt straight down and respectfully received it.
Liu Yun was stunned by this sudden action and only regained her senses when Zhu Fu spoke to her.
“Lady Liu wishes to see His Highness, correct?”
Liu Yun nodded immediately and pressed, “Exactly, when can His Highness come?”
Zhu Fu’s face showed some difficulty as he replied, “That, I cannot say for certain. However, I will deliver the message to Lady Liu as quickly as possible. If Lady Liu has no other matters, she may wait briefly in the Spring Room.”
The third floor of Tianqin Tower had only four rooms, named Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter, also known as the Four Seasons Rooms.
These were positions long reserved by nobles and were never permitted for outsiders to use.
Liu Yun only knew that the owner of the Autumn Room was Princess Changyang; the rest she knew nothing about.
Now she had learned of another.
With no time to concern herself with such trivialities, Liu Yun immediately followed along, only urging Zhu Fu repeatedly before he left to act swiftly.
The Dali Temple prison was no place for anyone to stay.
With a creak, the door closed. Liu Yun sat anxiously on the couch, carefully surveying the room that appeared low-key yet was luxurious in every detail.
Though called a room, it more resembled a cluster of chambers, complete with everything and occupying a vast area.
All furnishings within were crafted from golden nanmu wood. Antiques and calligraphy scrolls, genuine works by various masters, were everywhere. The inkstone was a Chengni Inkstone, the brush a Zihao Brush, the ink Li-style Gui Ink, and the paper Chengxintang Paper.
Any one of these items, if taken outside, would be treasured and cherished by scholars everywhere.
Looking at them, Liu Yun also felt fondness.
She often wrote Huaben; if she could obtain fine brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, her writing would surely flow as if divinely inspired.
Her younger brother studied and practiced calligraphy; he would certainly like these as well.
It was just a pity that each item was exceedingly valuable. Their Liu family was neither wealthy nor noble, and the entire household was not extravagant by nature, nor would they deliberately pursue such things.
Liu Yun stroked them a few times to satisfy her craving, her heart filled with various reflections.
The Crown Prince is indeed the Crown Prince, so particular about everything!
Shortly after, the young attendant brought up an assortment of tea and pastries.
Exquisitely crafted and beautifully presented, with a sweet and fragrant aroma—these were pastries from Baoyuezhai.
The only pastry shop in Yanjing that supplied the imperial palace, a single box cost five gold coins. Not only could ordinary commoners not afford them, but even families like the Lius dared not indulge casually.
It was only in the year of her Ji-ji that her parents generously bought her a box to celebrate, letting her enjoy it herself.
She shared a few pieces with her younger brother, and the siblings ate until their bellies were round, skipping dinner that very evening.
But now, simply by sitting in this Spring Room belonging to the Crown Prince, she was presented with a spread of Baoyuezhai pastries.
There was also a pot of tea, its fragrance refreshing and delightful.
Unfortunately, Liu Yun had little knowledge of tea ceremonies. If her father were here instead, he would have praised it profusely before savoring it slowly.
The tea leaves were purple in color, shaped like bamboo shoots, costing ten gold coins per liang—a tribute tea for the imperial family, renowned far and wide.
Yet, Liu Yun had no mind to enjoy these delicacies now, nor did she dare to.
These things did not belong to her in the first place.
In the distant corridor, Zhu Fu instructed the manager, “Take great care of the lady in the Spring Room. Do not neglect or overlook anything.”
The manager nodded hurriedly, “Rest assured, Master. Everything is prepared according to His Highness’s usual standards. There will be no neglect.”
“Good. If Miss Liu has any needs, do your best to fulfill them. I will go report to His Highness now.”
After the manager bowed in farewell, Zhu Fu went to the backyard, quickly wrote a note, retrieved a pigeon from the cage under the corridor, tied the note to it, and released it.
Not long after, a snow-white pigeon soared over the Eastern Palace.
Xiao Heng sat by the window, occasionally gazing at the sky to rest his eyes, and immediately spotted the white pigeon.
He beckoned toward the window, and the pigeon swooped down nimbly, landing obediently on Xiao Heng’s slender fingers, cooing softly.
However, once he retrieved the note, Xiao Heng no longer paid it any attention. After scanning the note, he stood up.
“Finally…”
Muttering something under his breath, Xiao Heng’s expression brightened noticeably.
As he stepped out of the study, Su Lin immediately approached and asked, “Where is Your Highness going?”
“Prepare the carriage, to Tianqin Tower.”
Su Lin understood perfectly but showed no hint of it on his face, merely responding respectfully, “Yes.”
…
Tianqin Tower, Spring Room.
Perhaps due to a restless night, Liu Yun began to feel drowsy after waiting for a while in the comfortable room.
Her mind grew foggy, and her body felt weak and weary.
“Is the young lady feeling sleepy?”
Jin He was the first to notice her mistress’s drowsiness.
Whenever the young lady grew tired, her double eyelids became more pronounced, and her gaze would turn vacant and dazed—it was impossible not to notice.
“Mmm… so sleepy.”
Yawning, Liu Yun replied groggily, already seeking a comfortable spot to lean against.
Jin He sighed, “It must be because the young lady slept too little last night and can’t hold on any longer.”
“How about this: the young lady can take a short nap on the couch. This servant will step outside to keep watch. If I see the Crown Prince arriving, I’ll knock on the door immediately to alert you.”
Liu Yun thought this was a good idea and, truly exhausted, nodded in agreement.
“Then, sister, please keep a close watch.”
Coming to seek a favor, she couldn’t afford to fall asleep the moment they met.
After Jin He left the room, Liu Yun dared not lie on the bed and instead curled up on the couch to sleep.
How comfortable it felt to close her eyes!
Just before sinking into a hazy slumber, Liu Yun murmured to herself.
Morning light filtered through the window lattice, spilling over the peonies on the flower stand and the slumbering young maiden beside them.
The spring-sleeping maiden’s cheeks were flushed pink, a sight more captivating than any scenery in the world.
All was quiet, carrying the scent of an impending storm.
Having galloped his horse at full speed, Xiao Heng arrived at Tianqin Tower slightly breathless, yet his eyes were bright and alert.
Zhu Fu had been waiting for some time. Spotting the Crown Prince’s sleek, jet-black steed from afar, he hurried forward to greet him.
“Your High—”
He had barely uttered a single word when he was cut off by the Crown Prince’s cold, stern voice.
“No need for formalities. Where is she?”
Not daring to delay, Zhu Fu immediately clasped his hands and replied, “The lady is currently in Your Highness’s Spring Room.”
“Good.”
With that, without waiting for Zhu Fu to lead the way, Xiao Heng strode across the threshold with his long legs, entered Tianqin Tower, and headed straight upstairs, his destination clear.
Zhu Fu followed closely behind, his mind racing with thoughts.
From the time the message was sent until now, it had only been a quarter of an hour. At such speed…
His guess was indeed correct—this Lady Liu was destined for great fortune. It seemed her days of prosperity were about to begin.
Yet he never would have imagined that the Crown Prince, who was usually so discerning and selective, would ultimately take a liking to someone like Lady Liu.
It wasn’t that Lady Liu was particularly lacking, but among the noble maidens of Yanjing, she was still rather ordinary.
Zhu Fu couldn’t make sense of it, simply concluding that everyone has their own preferences.
Xiao Heng reached the third floor, followed closely by Su Lin and the East Palace guard commander, Jiang Shuo, with Zhu Fu struggling to keep up at the rear.
From a distance, Xiao Heng spotted Liu Yun’s maid, Yunniang, standing guard at the door. Upon seeing him, she cautiously tapped twice on the door behind her.
The taps were soft and somewhat concealed, as if there was something inside she didn’t want him to see.
Lost in thought, Xiao Heng continued walking. As Jin He was about to greet him, he waved his hand, silencing her.
“No need for words. I’ll go in and see for myself.”
The door was gently pushed open. Jin He intended to follow him inside, but the quick-witted Su Lin stopped her.
“Sister, wait. His Highness and Lady Liu have important matters to discuss inside. It’s best for us servants to wait outside together.”
Though Su Lin spoke with a smile, his demeanor was firm and his reasoning sound. Jin He complied for the moment.
Her eyes, however, remained fixed on the door with concern, as if trying to peer through it to see how her lady was faring.
Whether she was being mistreated by the Crown Prince.
A man and a woman alone in a room—such a situation always warranted caution, even if the man was the future emperor of Great Yan.
The door creaked shut, leaving only the two of them in the spacious room.
Realizing who else was in the room, a fiery warmth surged through Xiao Heng’s chest, spreading rapidly throughout his body, leaving him flushed and his mouth dry.
His eyes quickly locked onto the delicate and graceful figure. A flicker of amused surprise passed through Xiao Heng’s gaze as he approached with lightened steps.
Pale golden sunlight draped like gauze over the young maiden’s slender yet well-proportioned form, akin to mermaid silk veiling fine jade, compelling the eyes to linger a moment longer.
Xiao Heng’s expression grew intent as he drew closer, scrutinizing her from head to toe.
Too plain.
Her hair was plain, her attire was plain—none of it suited her.
Gazing at Liu Yun’s understated appearance, Xiao Heng couldn’t help but recall the gold, jade, and fine silks gathering dust in his treasury.
And the set of jadeite hair ornaments his mother had left him.
His thoughts drifted, and his movements slowed to a leisurely pace.
Bony, distinct fingers brushed over the small twin buns, then followed the hair at the temples, gently caressing the girl’s porcelain-white, smooth cheek.
As if a faint electric current surged through, Xiao Heng’s fingertips tingled and began to tremble uncontrollably.
Xiao Heng took a deep breath, struggling to rein in his impatience.
“Mmm…”
In the empty room, only the girl’s restless, soft moan could be heard. Xiao Heng’s gaze trembled, and he swiftly withdrew his hand.
It was a completely instinctive reaction, and even he couldn’t understand why he had done it.
What was he afraid of?
Frowning, Xiao Heng simply took a few steps back and sat down on the crescent-shaped stool a short distance away.
He picked up a cup of already cold Purple Bamboo Shoot Tea, showed a look of disdain, and set it down again.
In her sleep, Liu Yun felt an itch on her face, disturbing her rest.
She had slept so deeply that she hadn’t even heard the knocking she had agreed upon with Jin He, drifting off into a hazy slumber.
But the itch on her face woke her.
First, she scratched her face absentmindedly, then slowly opened her eyes.
And then, Liu Yun saw the noble and aloof Crown Prince sitting opposite her.
Clad in a purple robe with a jade belt, a golden crown adorned his head, and a red tassel tied beneath his chin accentuated his sharp jawline.
At first glance, his beauty was like a blade—sharp and striking.
At that moment, the Crown Prince leaned casually against the low table, one leg crossed leisurely over the other. His phoenix eyes fixed intently on her, his expression inscrutable.
In an instant, all drowsiness vanished from Liu Yun, and she nearly tumbled off the couch.
“Y-Your Highness, when did you arrive? I—I have been disrespectful!”
Author’s Note:
Update.
Next chapter on Friday.