Returning to the hot spring pool, De Shun was helping the Crown Prince remove his robes.
Yun Kui couldn't help but glance over just as His Royal Highness was taking off his final undergarment.
Shrouded in the hazy steam, the man's tall and robust figure gradually came into view. Bandages tightly wrapped his lean form—while his waist was narrow, every muscle on his body was well-defined and powerful. Bulging veins coiled like taut strings, making one's fingers itch with the desire to pluck them.
The Crown Prince seemed to hear something and quickly entered the water, submerging most of his body in the steaming pool.
Yun Kui bitterly regretted having been called away by Imperial Physician Liang earlier—otherwise, she should have been the one undressing His Royal Highness.
Although she had changed his bandages and even slept beside him, she hadn't caught a glimpse of the parts she was most curious about. Yet fearing the Crown Prince might overexert himself, she always removed her outer dress when serving his bed—letting him take all the advantages. The only time she tasted sweetness was in His Royal Highness's dream! She hadn't gotten to touch anything and nearly lost her life because of that dream—who could she complain to about this injustice!
Yun Kui tightened her grip on the medicated oil in her hand. At least she still had this.
"Later, after His Highness finishes bathing, I'll properly apply the medicated oil for him—the kind that leaves no corner untouched! Hehe."
Hearing her thoughts, the Crown Prince's temple twitched visibly.
Yun Kui stood idly by and, not hearing any summons, took the initiative to offer help. Unexpectedly, the usually polite Eunuch Cao was unwilling to let her intervene, giving a lofty excuse: "His Highness prefers quiet. No need for many attendants during his medicated bath. De Shun and I are sufficient here. You may rest for now, miss."
After all, His Highness was completely unclothed. If an assassin secretly poisoned the water or used a venom-coated weapon to scratch His Highness's skin, it would be impossible to guard against completely.
Yun Kui felt uneasy, sensing that Eunuch Cao wasn't as warm toward her as before.
Previously, whenever there was an opportunity for close attendance, Eunuch Cao had been happy to push her toward the Crown Prince. Today, however, he seemed to be avoiding her at every turn. Had he discovered something?
But the Empress's secret medicine had been given discreetly by Mama Qin, and the two palace maids and eunuchs who tried to bribe her had come very secretly—it shouldn't have been noticed.
Moreover, if they had truly discovered she was hiding poison with intent to harm the Crown Prince, given how His Highness and Eunuch Cao dealt with assassins, she wouldn't still be standing here unharmed.
Fine if they didn't need her! She had followed from Cheng Guang Hall, walking quite a distance in the cold wind, and now her lower abdomen felt somewhat uncomfortable.
She strained to peer into the pool, only to see His Royal Highness the Crown Prince sitting quietly with his eyes closed, arms stretched out and resting at his sides. The amber-colored water reached his chest, and with the swirling steam covering the surface, everything that could be hidden was hidden.
"How stingy."
"Never mind, I'll look at something else… Hmm, his Adam's apple is quite masculine, his fingers are so long—no wonder he could grip me entirely… His arms are very firm too, as expected of someone who wields weapons…"
The Crown Prince's expression shifted repeatedly as he silently sank deeper into the water, withdrawing both arms. Finally unable to endure it any longer, he snapped sharply: "All idlers withdraw!"
Cao Yuanlu, who was about to wash the Crown Prince, jumped at this sudden command.
The three people in the hall exchanged glances. Since Cao Yuanlu and De Shun were needed to attend to the Crown Prince's medicated bath, the "idlers" His Highness referred to could only be…
Cao Yuanlu and his apprentice simultaneously looked toward Yun Kui.
Yun Kui: "…Fine, she'll leave then."
But if she left, who would apply the medicated oil for the Crown Prince?
Cao Yuanlu realized this and stepped forward with a smiling yet cunning expression, taking the medicated oil from her hands. "Miss, please entrust this task to this servant."
Yun Kui felt somewhat disappointed, but even if she were to apply the medicated oil for the Crown Prince, that petty man probably wouldn't let her take the opportunity to admire him. She'd have to toil away in service and likely endure a scolding as well.
Retreating to the corridor, Si Zhang looked over with schadenfreude and whispered to her, "Isn't His Royal Highness the Crown Prince quite fond of you? Why won't he let you attend his bath?"
Yun Kui didn't really want to engage with her. "His Highness prefers quiet."
Si Zhang laughed inwardly. It seemed everyone was treated similarly—the Crown Prince didn't favor her much more than others, still finding her presence bothersome.
Yun Kui couldn't be bothered to dwell on her petty thoughts. Not having to serve anyone, she was quite content to enjoy some leisure.
However, the corridor was chilly, unlike the steamy warmth inside the hall. The cold wind seeped into her body, and after standing for just a while, the discomfort in her lower abdomen became noticeable again.
But she couldn't leave the Crown Prince's side without permission. Eunuch Cao was busy inside, and there was no one to report to, so she couldn't act on her own. She had no choice but to endure it for now.
After the Crown Prince had soaked in the medicated bath for a full two hours, he rose. Cao Yuanlu came forward to apply the medicated oil, but the Crown Prince, recalling something, coldly refused, "No need. Help me change."
The medicated oil was merely Liang Jin's pretext; it wouldn't have much effect on him, serving as little more than a placebo.
Hearing the commotion inside and knowing the Crown Prince had finished his medicated bath, Si Zhang immediately perked up, straightening her posture.
The Crown Prince emerged from the hall in a black robe, not glancing to either side. But as he reached the corridor, someone stumbled directly into his arms.
Though severely injured, the Crown Prince's reflexes were not slow. He swiftly grabbed the person's wrist, tightly restraining them in front of him.
Cao Yuanlu, standing beside him, couldn't see who it was, but an urgent shout escaped his lips first: "An assassin! Protect His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"
Qin Ge, Luo Zhang, and the other guards below the steps immediately drew their swords. Unaware of the situation and only hearing Cao Yuanlu's cry of "assassin," everyone scattered in panic.
Only Si Zhang, who was closest to Yun Kui, saw clearly what had happened. She glared furiously at the little hussy throwing herself into the Crown Prince's arms, her eyes nearly popping out of her head.
That vixen! Always using such cheap tricks to seduce His Royal Highness!
The soft feel of the person in his arms and the faint scent of flowers and herbs were not unfamiliar to the Crown Prince.
He had thought she had chosen this moment to strike against him, but when he looked down, he saw a weak, pale little face, with long, delicate eyelashes covering tightly closed eyes, and lips devoid of any color.
She had actually fainted.
Qin Ge, being a military man, moved with exceptional agility. In the blink of an eye, his sword was pressed against Yun Kui's neck, the snow-white, flawless skin instantly splitting open with a thin red line of blood.
At the same time, a faint moan emerged from the Crown Prince's embrace.
Cao Yuanlu cautiously stepped forward to look and finally recognized the "assassin's" face. "Yun Kui?"
The Crown Prince gazed at the deathly pale little face and commanded in a deep voice, "Stand down."
This was directed at Qin Ge.
Qin Ge obeyed and withdrew his weapon, but his eyes remained fixed intently on the woman, fearing she might be feigning unconsciousness to seize an opportunity to assassinate.
The Crown Prince added, "Summon Imperial Physician Liang."
Cao Yuanlu hesitated for a moment, then waved downward. Two young eunuchs promptly stepped forward to take the fainted woman from the Crown Prince's arms and carry her back into the hall.
After all, this woman was still suspected of assassination—this treatment was to be expected.
But before the two eunuchs could step forward, the Crown Prince had already carried her into the hall.
Night had fallen. Imperial Physician Zheng, being advanced in years, had already left the palace, while Liang Jin and several medical aides remained at the Hot Spring Palace to attend to the Crown Prince in case of any emergencies during his medicated bath.
Now that the Crown Prince had finished bathing, Liang Jin was preparing to leave the palace with his medicine chest when he was unexpectedly summoned by the Crown Prince. His heart tightened, fearing something had happened to the Crown Prince. He rushed over in a panic, only to find that the Crown Prince’s favored maid had fainted.
Under the Crown Prince’s orders, Liang Jin dared not be negligent. He hurried forward to check Yun Kui’s pulse.
After careful consideration, Liang Jin furrowed his brow tightly.
The Crown Prince asked, “Well?”
Hesitant and not daring to meet the Crown Prince’s pitch-black eyes, Liang Jin lowered his gaze and replied, “Your Highness, if I have not misdiagnosed, this young lady has ingested a large amount of cooling medicine. Moreover, she stood for a long time in the corridor, allowing cold to invade her body, causing severe abdominal pain and leading to her fainting.”
The Crown Prince’s expression darkened. “Cooling medicine?”
He was not fully aware of certain uses of cooling medicine, but Cao Yuanlu, who had witnessed much strife in the inner palace, knew a thing or two about the tricks of using medicine to induce abortions. Hearing Liang Jin’s words, Cao Yuanlu cast a complicated glance toward the bed and said, “Your Highness, cooling medicine in the palace is often used as an abortifacient.”
As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the hall plummeted.
The Crown Prince’s face turned icy in an instant, his dark eyes gleaming with a cold, murderous intent.
Today, she had only been to Kunning Palace. The abortifacient could only have been given to her by the Empress.
Yet the Crown Prince had not heard any complaints from her heart about the Empress—she likely did not even know she had taken an abortifacient.
She was the Empress’s person. The Empress intended to use her but would not allow her to bear the Eastern Palace’s heir. Even though she had not yet shared the Crown Prince’s bed, as a precaution, she had been forced to drink the abortifacient.
Suppressing the fury in his eyes, the Crown Prince finally spoke coldly after a long silence, “Take her back to Cheng Guang Hall.”
…
Yun Kui had a dream.
Or rather, she witnessed a dream.
In the dream was a battlefield shrouded in smoke and littered with corpses, with arrows raining down from the sky, aimed directly at a general in black iron armor on horseback.
Pierced by ten thousand arrows, it happened in an instant.
The general on the horse, drenched in blood, collapsed with a thunderous crash. In that moment, blood splattered and dust flew, while cries, cheers, clashing weapons, and the sounds of battle chaos filled her ears.
Amid the turmoil, Yun Kui saw the face of the fallen man.
When she opened her eyes again, she was met with the dim glow of lamplight. Perhaps because she had been away from candlelight for too long, her eyes felt sore. After blinking to adjust, she finally recognized the bat-patterned treasure blue gold silk canopy above her.
It was the Crown Prince’s bedchamber!
Yun Kui struggled to recall everything that had happened before she fainted. She had been driven out of the main hall by the Crown Prince and retreated to the corridor. The abdominal pain that had plagued her all day, aggravated by the cold wind, intensified violently. Drenched in cold sweat from the pain, she could no longer endure it and eventually lost consciousness.
Oh, and before fainting, she seemed to have crashed into someone.
Staring at the canopy, her heart pounded wildly. After steadying her breathing, she slowly turned her head to look beside her.
Sure enough, not only was she sleeping in the Crown Prince’s bed, but she was also lying right beside his pillow.