So, was it His Royal Highness who saved her and brought her back?
The faint candlelight flickered behind the curtains, outlining the man's sharply defined features—a high nose, thin lips, and a stern jawline. He resembled a sword gleaming coldly in the dark night; even lying still like this, his aura exuded an intense pressure that made one instinctively hold their breath.
Yun Kui recalled the Crown Prince in her dream, pierced by countless arrows. Even amid the flashing blades and flying flesh, she remained merely an observer. She knew this was someone else's dream but had no idea whose it was—even in dreams, the Crown Prince met his end on the battlefield.
Could it be the Crown Prince's own dream?
Admittedly, she shared no affection with the Crown Prince; in fact, she feared him deeply, constantly worried that any lapse in her service might lead to execution. Yet, when a living person died in such a brutal and bloody manner before her eyes, surely no one could remain indifferent.
She didn't know how long she had been staring, but when she snapped back to reality, the man had silently opened his eyes.
He sensed that dream from Yun Kui's inner thoughts.
But that dream wasn't his.
It could only be said that too many people in this world wanted him dead—so much so that they dreamed of his demise.
Under the girl's overly frightened gaze, the Crown Prince stared into her eyes and spoke in a deep voice, "This is the third night you've shared my bed. You've had more opportunities than anyone to take my life. Why haven't you acted?"
Another deadly question.
Yun Kui instinctively bit her lip. "This servant wouldn't dare."
Had he already discovered the medicine and silver notes in her room?
Then why did he save her?
Or had he never trusted anyone from the start, believing everyone had ill intentions?
Yun Kui didn't know how to defend herself. After all, she couldn't refuse the Empress's secret medicine, and those remedies and silver notes were indeed hidden in her private chamber.
If she had been resolute, she should have immediately reported the traitor instead of allowing those benefits to fall into her hands.
She didn't know whether to kneel and beg for forgiveness, but her body seemed frozen by his icy gaze, trembling uncontrollably, unable to rise.
"Wouldn't dare?" The Crown Prince let out a cold laugh. "Weren't you quite bold when feeding me medicine?"
「If only the Empress hadn't offered such generous rewards, I wouldn't have taken such a risk!」
Besides…
"Though this servant was bold, administering medicine to Your Highness was solely to save you. I never intended any harm!" she vowed.
The Crown Prince watched her, his dark phoenix eyes scrutinizing. "If assassinating me were effortless for you, and the rewards others offered were tempting enough, would you choose to live in constant fear here in the Eastern Palace, or kill me and live worry-free with lifelong wealth?"
Captivated by his low, cold tone, Yun Kui timidly raised her head. Her gaze inadvertently swept over the tightly bandaged chest beneath his collar, then moved up to his sharp, full Adam's apple, his clean-cut jawline, and his thin, moist lips… She couldn't help but swallow.
Inappropriate images flashed through her mind—scenes from the Crown Prince's dream, illustrations from that book, the bathhouse at the Hot Spring Palace, and her imagination of slowly applying medicated oil for him…
Two blushes spread across Yun Kui's cheeks.
The Crown Prince snapped coldly, "I asked you a question."
Whether from nervousness or something else, Yun Kui's head felt dizzy.
That's right, when the Crown Prince had been speaking at length earlier, she had been so focused on his continuously moving lips that she completely missed what he said!
Ahhhh, I'm done for!
Crown Prince: …
Yun Kui felt utterly desperate. She knocked her forehead against the bedding and prostrated herself in a full kowtow. "Your Highness, this humble maid is merely an obscure little palace maid. I only wish to guard my small corner of the world and live my life peacefully. I have never thought of harming anyone. Please see this clearly, Your Highness!"
The Crown Prince let out a cold, low chuckle. At some point, a dagger had appeared in his hand, its icy blade lifting her chin. "Either you kill me, or I kill you. How about that?"
Yun Kui trembled like a leaf, her words stumbling. "Y-Your Highness, spare me…"
The Crown Prince said, "Since you don't want to die, then come kill me. Kill me, and someone will ensure your wealth and honor."
He even kindly pressed the dagger into her hand.
Yun Kui's hand holding the dagger shook even more violently.
"Wahhh, have I encountered a madman…?"
"Although this humble maid once served in the Imperial Food Bureau, I've never even killed a chicken, let alone dare to kill a person. Your Highness, please spare me…"
But the Crown Prince was relentless: "The knife is in your hand. I am severely injured and as weak as a kitten. You can do whatever you want."
"And as weak as a kitten? Who are you trying to fool! How about showing me those muscles of yours?"
Yun Kui sneered inwardly, but on the surface, she maintained a cowering demeanor. "This humble maid doesn't dare. If Your Highness insists on having someone kill you, please find someone more capable. I don't have the skill…"
The Crown Prince said, "I'm only willing to give you this opportunity."
Yun Kui: "…"
She wondered how thrilled those who wanted to poison the Crown Prince would be to hear this, while she could even drive a hard bargain…
She blinked and boldly ventured, "Can this humble maid truly do whatever she wants? Your Highness truly won't fight back?"
The corners of the Crown Prince's lips lifted faintly. "You can try."
Since there was no way out, Yun Kui tightened her grip on the dagger hilt. "Then… could Your Highness close your eyes?"
The Crown Prince's gaze darkened imperceptibly, a barely noticeable dangerous glint flashing through. Then, with a faint, ambiguous smile, he agreed: "Fine."
The word was uttered lightly, the tone slightly rising at the end, sounding almost pleased, as if he were welcoming her dagger at any moment.
Yun Kui was so nervous her breathing quickened, her mind buzzing. Naturally, she failed to notice that beneath the Crown Prince's wide black silk sleeves, the veins on his arms were bulging, like a beast eyeing its prey. At the slightest movement from the prey, the beast would immediately pounce and tear it to shreds.
Yun Kui's hand trembled, and she dropped the dagger. Quick as lightning, she leaped off the bed and made a dash for the hall's exit.
If not now, then when!
But she had only taken two steps when a deep, hoarse voice sounded from behind—
"Trying to run again?"
That night when she served medicine, she had vanished without a trace after receiving a reward of ten taels of gold.
Yun Kui squeezed her eyes shut, turned around with a sob, "Your Highness…"
Clatter. The dagger was thrown in front of her.
Yun Kui trembled with terror.
A teasing light laugh came from above. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that distinct, bony hand casually pat the bedding. The man's deep, magnetic voice vibrated against her eardrums, "Get on the bed."
Though surprised, Yun Kui didn't dare let her guard down. Keeping her head lowered, she said, "This humble maid doesn't dare…"
The Crown Prince's expression darkened, his tone dropping lower. "I'm telling you to get up here."
Yun Kui jumped with a start, her shoulders trembling. "Your Highness, please spare this humble maid…"
But the Crown Prince gave no response. She only felt a chilling breeze against her neck, the air around her freezing solid.
She had no idea where she found the courage earlier—her feet moving faster than her brain—daring to trick the Crown Prince into closing his eyes and slipping right under his nose!
Thinking back now, she felt she truly deserved death.
But His Royal Highness had told her to get on the bed…
Yun Kui stopped overthinking. She tossed the dagger on the floor far away, scrambled up, and with the swiftest speed she could muster, climbed into the inner side of the red sandalwood bed. Quickly clutching the corner of the quilt, she lay down.
After calming her nervous breaths, she looked pleasingly toward the pillow. "Your Highness, this maid has come up."
The Crown Prince gazed at her for a moment before coldly ordering, "Turn around."
Relieved that she wouldn’t be forced to stab him with the dagger, Yun Kui let out a quiet sigh and obediently turned over.
A long while later, she heard slightly heavy breathing behind her. The man slowly drew closer, his warm body gradually pressing against her back.
Yun Kui’s heart pounded wildly. She secretly felt grateful that she was wearing sleepwear, saving her from utter embarrassment. Wait… sleepwear?
Hadn’t she fainted at the hot spring palace? Did the Crown Prince order someone to change her into these clothes?
She instinctively touched her abdomen—it felt warm, and the pain she had felt while standing under the corridor had completely vanished.
Pursing her lips, she softly spoke, "Thank you, Your Highness, for saving my life. You are a good person."
The Crown Prince sneered inwardly.
In this world, she was the only one who would call him a good person.
Yun Kui asked, "Might I ask what illness this maid actually has?"
Her health had always been robust—she could eat, sleep, run, and jump without issue. Even if she occasionally caught a chill from enjoying the cold, she recovered quickly. She had never experienced pain so severe that she fainted.
The Crown Prince almost laughed at her inability to distinguish good from evil, but then it occurred to him that the Empress had pretended for twenty years, deceiving the entire world with her hypocritical mask of kindness. How could a foolish little maid like her see through such things?
He suppressed the ferocity in his eyes and did not answer.
Yun Kui dared not ask further.
The fact that the Living King of Hell had allowed a physician to treat her was already more than she could ever repay. If she annoyed him further, she might not receive such kindness again.
The breath against her neck grew increasingly hot. Yun Kui couldn’t help but reach up to scratch it, but after just a couple of strokes, the itching vanished, replaced by a sharp pain from the cut left by the blade, making her gasp.
As she was about to touch it again, her fingers were abruptly seized. "Don’t move."
Yun Kui hunched her shoulders slightly. The hot breath brushing against her earlobe sent a tingling sensation straight to her heart.