In a fluster, she scrambled down from the couch, and in her haste, she stepped on the hem of her skirt and nearly stumbled again.
Fortunately, she managed to steady herself by grabbing hold of the couch beside her.
Overwhelmed by the fear of having done something wrong, and mindful that she had come to ask the Crown Prince for a favor today, Liu Yun naturally dropped to her knees with a thud.
With a humble and sincere demeanor, she said, "Your Highness, please forgive me. This subject's daughter has been improper today. I will accept whatever punishment you deem fit afterward, but I beg Your Highness to hear me out first!"
On the other end, Xiao Heng withdrew his hand with a hint of chagrin. To mask his awkwardness, he sat up straight with an air of composure, his gaze falling on Liu Yun, who had knelt in a hurry. He frowned and said, "Rise first."
Occupying the position of Crown Prince—second only to the emperor and above all others—Xiao Heng had been born to receive the prostrations of countless people and had long grown accustomed to it.
But he did not care for Liu Yun's kneeling.
Toward him, she should not carry such a posture.
Such a distinction of rank, so distant and cold.
And so, Xiao Heng spoke, at least to allow her to meet his eyes.
But Liu Yun clearly did not see it that way. She said stubbornly, "I beg Your Highness to hear me out first."
Xiao Heng suppressed the urge to go over and haul her to her feet, and said with an impatient air, "Speak."
To Liu Yun, that impatience seemed like resignation at her having come to beg at his door.
But she had no choice. The Ministry of Works, surrounded by the Minister and Vice Minister, was united in insisting that the task fell to her father. If she did not take this risk, how else could the truth come to light?
Even if she angered the Crown Prince, she had to give it her all today.
With that thought, Liu Yun performed a full kowtow and said with a solemn expression, "Your Highness, please see clearly. The construction of the Wanshou Pavilion was never once entrusted to my father's oversight. It was Vice Minister Chen who ordered his nephew, Yuanwailang Chen, to supervise the project. Now that something has gone wrong, the blame has been forcibly pinned on my father. Our Liu family has been grievously wronged. This subject's daughter has come today with shameless audacity to beg Your Highness to investigate this matter and clear my father's name!"
Her mother often said she spoke too softly. This time, Liu Yun wanted her plea to carry some force, so she made her tone especially impassioned and stirring.
Yet after that thunderous declaration, when Liu Yun raised her head again, all she saw was still a face of cold indifference and noble reserve.
"Your Highness?"
Liu Yun called out softly, her heart nearly leaping from her chest as nervousness began to set in.
What if the Crown Prince was unwilling to help?
Her lowered hands anxiously twisted the fabric of her skirt, her eyelashes fluttering.
"You're finished speaking?"
Just as she was about to swallow, Liu Yun heard that question.
"Uh… y-yes, I'm finished."
Unsure what the Crown Prince meant by asking, Liu Yun stammered in bewilderment.
Then the Crown Prince said lightly, "Then rise."
Liu Yun looked dazed and wanted to say more, but the Crown Prince spoke again, in a tone that brooked no argument.
"I said, rise."
At those words, Liu Yun's body instinctively trembled, and she obediently climbed to her feet.
She had nearly forgotten—the Crown Prince was not a man of good temper.
Standing nervously to the side, Liu Yun kept her head lowered, not daring to look at the Crown Prince's face, like a quail.
Xiao Heng was amused despite himself.
"If your father is innocent, I naturally will not wrong him."
That single sentence was enough for Liu Yun.
Her father was innocent, after all. As long as the Crown Prince would intervene, there was a turning point in this matter.
"Thank you, Your Highness!"
Her eyes lit up with brilliance, and in her joy, she moved to perform another grand bow of gratitude.
But just as she began to bow, before her hands could even touch the ground, an embroidered boot extended before her, hooking her clasped hands and lifting her entire body up.
"I do not care for such empty formalities. If Lady Liu continues like this, I shall no longer concern myself with Physician Liu."
The threatening words reached her ears, and Liu Yun immediately took fright, murmuring in response, "Your Highness, forgive me. This subject's daughter dares not do it again."
Her gaze dropped naturally and landed on the Crown Prince's legs.
In truth, Liu Yun's first reaction was to notice something entirely irrelevant.
For instance, the Crown Prince's legs were very long.
So long that he could sit there and still hook her up with them.
She stole another glance and estimated that those legs probably reached her waist.
Xiao Heng did not miss that fleeting little movement of Liu Yun's and looked down at himself as well.
Puzzled, he asked, "What are you looking at?"
Liu Yun's heart gave a lurch, and she hastily shook her head. "Nothing, nothing."
When Liu Yun grew nervous, her body became increasingly tense, and her hands and feet would stiffen up. From a distance, she looked like a very straight pillar.
Xiao Heng naturally noticed this as well. A flicker of amusement passed through his eyes, and he said in a light tone, "Why are you still standing there like that? Sit down."
"The lamb at Tianqin Tower is quite well done. You might as well try it."
It was that same tone that brooked no argument, which reminded Liu Yun of something.
She would have to be out of her mind to stay here and eat lamb!
And with the Crown Prince, no less.
The Crown Prince must be mad too.
Her thoughts moved with her heart, and Liu Yun immediately declined with tactful grace: "Your Highness, please enjoy it yourself. This subject's daughter must be getting back."
She had come today solely to plead for her father. Now that the matter was settled, why would she linger?
Especially when there was a fearsome deity in this room.
As the timid words of the young woman faded, Xiao Heng's previously light and leisurely expression sank imperceptibly.
"What now? I did help Lady Liu with a favor—surely you won't deny me even this small courtesy?"
This sounded exactly like a plot from one of her storybooks.
A domineering young rake, seeking to get close to a beautiful heroine, would always speak in such overbearing, rude tones.
But this was the Crown Prince, and she was no heroine.
What kind of man was the Crown Prince?
His eyes were like those of an old woman buying leafy greens at dusk—this one he disdained, that one he disdained, impossibly picky.
He must be displeased that a daughter of a minor official like her had brushed aside his goodwill.
She couldn't squander the opportunity she'd just begged for. Liu Yun's mind raced, and she quickly devised a reasonable excuse.
Meeting the Crown Prince's somewhat cold gaze, Liu Yun suppressed the fear she felt toward him, forced a faint smile, and explained earnestly: "Please don't take offense, Your Highness. My father is still in the Court of Judicial Review prison, and my mother is out running about. As a filial child, how could I rest easy in such circumstances? I beg Your Highness to permit me to return home and fulfill my filial duties."
Hearing these sincere words, Xiao Heng's expression faltered for a moment, a subtle look of embarrassment flickering across his face.
"Cough… go then."
He'd nearly forgotten—her father was still in prison. What was he thinking, inviting her to eat lamb?
How careless.
As if granted a pardon, Liu Yun performed a bow of deep courtesy and swiftly exited the Spring Chamber.
Creak—
Turning to close the door behind her, Liu Yun saw Jin He, along with the Crown Prince's attendant.
"Greetings, Lady Liu. We bid you farewell."
Without a single unnecessary word, Su Lin smiled amiably as he saw Liu Yun off.
Liu Yun nodded with reserved grace, then led Jin He out of Tianqin Tower and boarded their family carriage.
Once inside the carriage, Liu Yun recalled the shock of opening her eyes to find the Crown Prince there, and asked Jin He with a mix of reproach and complaint:
"Sister, why didn't you wake me?"
Jin He hastily replied: "This servant did knock, miss—did you not hear it?"
Hearing this, Liu Yun realized something, a sheepish look crossing her face as she said apologetically: "I suppose I was sleeping too soundly, hehe~"
"Enough, enough."
Jin He smiled fondly as she tidied the slightly disheveled strands of hair at her mistress's temple, then asked with a laugh: "So, miss, did the Crown Prince agree to help our family?"
At this, Liu Yun's spirits lifted, and she nodded eagerly like a pecking chick: "It's done, it's done! The Crown Prince said he would investigate thoroughly, and if Father is truly innocent, he'll be released without charge!"
"Thinking about it this way, my twisted ankle that day was a stroke of luck—it saved our Liu family for nothing!"
The more Liu Yun thought about it, the more she felt it was worth it, while Jin He shook her head beside her.
"Who talks about themselves like that? Miss, you're far too easygoing."
With the Crown Prince's promise, the mistress and servant felt reassured and returned home at ease, planning to share the good news with Mother so she could worry less.
Tianqin Tower, Spring Chamber.
With the guests gone, the tea grew colder, and Xiao Heng lost all interest.
"Your Highness, the lamb stew is ready. Would you still care to taste it?"
Zhu Fu asked respectfully from outside, his face wreathed in smiles.
"No appetite."
Xiao Heng idly toyed with the delicate pink-white peonies, refusing lazily.
Zhu Fu's smile never wavered as he ordered the platters of delicacies to be cleared away.
Though the people had gone, their scent lingered. Xiao Heng breathed in the residual fragrance of the room and found himself growing drowsy as well.
"Go. Say it's my command—have the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review investigate the Wanshou Pavilion case. Find that one who's tired of living and have him executed directly."
"And also…"
At this, Xiao Heng's gaze softened somewhat as he continued: "Have Director Liu sent back before dinner."
Su Lin acknowledged the order and immediately spurred his horse toward the Court of Judicial Review.
…
After Liu Yun returned home, Zhang Yuhua arrived not long after, her expression still rather grim.
To ease her mother's mind, Liu Yun told her about how she had sought an audience with the Crown Prince that day.
"That must have been so hard on you, Shanshan, toiling so much for your father."
Her expression shifting several times, Zhang Yuhua praised her daughter first before changing tack: "But Shanshan, you were far too bold—that was the Crown Prince!"
Liu Yun couldn't very well argue. She truly had taken a risky path today.
But there was no other choice. If it could save her father, it was all worth it.
Just a matter of swallowing her pride and taking a gamble—nothing more.
Seeing her daughter's stubborn expression, Zhang Yuhua suppressed the various speculations in her mind, deciding to wait until her husband returned to discuss things further.
But neither mother nor daughter expected him back so soon.
And he was clean and neatly dressed from head to toe, his complexion ruddy with a smile, his spirits high—how could he look like a man who'd spent two days in prison?