"Before we start, I must make something clear with you, sir—you'll need to go easy on me." The two of them chatted as they settled down to play a game of Go.At first, Yinzhen had only meant to provoke her into leaving, deliberately saying, "How about you keep me company in a game?" He could tell that Ye Nanyuan didn't particularly enjoy playing Go. His thoughts were somewhat tangled, and he wanted to shoo her away.Sure enough, the young lady lifted her eyes to glance at him, biting her lip with a troubled look. "You wish to play, sir?""Since you wish to play, sir, then this young lady will oblige you."Yinzhen looked at the Go board carved from autumn mountain jade and the pieces made of emerald on the table. Before the game had even begun, his opponent had already given him advance notice to hold back.He reached out, picked up a white piece, and rubbed it between his fingers twice before helplessly massaging his brow. "Your skills may be lacking, but everything you use is of the finest quality.""Sir, you're looking down on this young lady."Ye Nanyuan set her black piece down on the board with considerable flair. "Nanyuan is accomplished in all four arts—qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting. It's just that compared to the others, my Go is somewhat weaker."Yinzhen shook his head, recalling the calligraphy she had practiced that day. He didn't believe a single word she said."I've seen your calligraphy, and now I'm experiencing your Go." He sent a piece out to block her path, then looked up with a hint of amusement in his expression. "As for the qin and painting—I suspect they're much the same.""So you still don't believe me, sir?"The young lady had quite a temper. She asked him, "What instrument does sir favor?"He placed a piece down, making no effort to hide it. "The konghou.""Then I shall make a wager with you, sir." The young lady clearly didn't enjoy Go, but she was clever by nature, and now that her fighting spirit had risen, she actually spotted a flaw he had carelessly left behind.She captured his piece with a white stone and smiled at him with smug satisfaction. "One day I'll play a tune for you, sir. If you find it unpleasant, then I lose. How about that?""Oh?" The Fourth Prince raised his eyes and saw Ye Nanyuan's confident, triumphant expression. He found it rather amusing. "How shall we wager?"The young lady tilted her body, propping her chin on her hand with a languid air. "If sir agrees, then I'll grant you one request. Likewise, if sir loses, you'll grant me one. How does that sound?""Any request at all." Yinzhen paused, the piece between his fingers, rubbing it thoughtfully for a moment before suddenly asking with a smile, "What if I said I want that painting of Two Eagles in the Snowy Shallows behind your bookshelf? What would you do then?"Ye Nanyuan's body snapped upright in an instant. The piece at her fingertips fell to the ground, but she didn't bother to pick it up."Why does sir insist on that one?""What is it?" Noticing the change in her expression, he pressed his lips together and remained silent for a long while, his dark eyes lowering. "Does this painting have some special origin?"His hand, adorned with a jade thumb ring, tapped twice on the Go board as he raised his head to fix his gaze on Ye Nanyuan's eyes. "Or does this painting serve some purpose?"His stare was unwavering, not missing a single flicker of expression on her face.But the more carefully he looked, the less her eyes avoided his. Ye Nanyuan let him scrutinize her openly and honestly. After a long moment, a hint of shyness rose in her clear, bright eyes.She tilted her veiled chin slightly, flustered as she averted her gaze from his burning stare. "I…" His somewhat cold gaze fixed on her hands, which were twisting together nervously.Then he saw two parts panic and embarrassment rise in her eyes. "The painting was a gift from my elder sister." Meeting his calm, unruffled gaze, she lowered her head again. "This painting is Nanyuan's betrothal gift—something I'll bring to my husband's family and present to my future husband."The entire speech was barely a few words, yet she stumbled through them haltingly.After finishing, she didn't dare look at him. Flustered, she scrambled off the soft couch and ran toward the door. "Sir… sir must already have a wife, so it… it shouldn't meet your requirements."Her voice, barely a whisper, carried a slight tremor.The Fourth Prince's expression stiffened for an instant. At the doorway, Banxia was just entering with tea. Seeing Ye Nanyuan rushing out in a hurry, she froze. "Miss?"But Ye Nanyuan paid her no mind, lifting her skirts and dashing off until she vanished in the blink of an eye."Did you upset our miss again?" Banxia angrily slammed the tray down in front of the Fourth Prince. On it sat several plates of freshly made pastries, originally prepared for Ye Nanyuan.The maidservant was impertinent—he should have dismissed her with nothing more than a disdainful glance. But… his fingers tapped irritably on the table twice. "I suppose I said something offensive just now.""Hmph…" Banxia let out a cold snort through her nose and stamped her foot. "I knew from the start you weren't a good man, but our miss took a liking to that face of yours and treats you better than anyone else.""If you make our miss sad, just see… see how I…" Banxia racked her brains, but staring at that face, she couldn't think of a single harsh thing to say.She stamped her foot hard on the ground in frustration, then chased after her mistress with an angry huff.Both mistress and maid were of the same temperament—impetuous and fiery. The mistress spoiled her maidservant until she carried herself with more airs than a young lady. Utterly improper.Yinzhen shook his head and continued playing chess against the board.Black stones in his left hand, white stones in his right.After only two moves back and forth, he suddenly tossed the pieces back with a look of irritation.His Imperial Father had gone beyond the Great Wall, and Soctu, with his merit overshadowing the throne, had grown increasingly arrogant these past few years.In days past, the Crown Prince had acted with a measure of caution. With the Emperor's favor shielding him, no one in court dared speak ill of him. But ever since His Imperial Father departed, the Crown Prince had begun frequenting the homes of various officials.His days of peace were likely numbered… The stone landed on the board with a crisp click. He raised his hand, drew a helpless deep breath, and pinched the bridge of his nose.In the end, he had to confront the question that had been nagging at his mind. He had originally thought the painting Twin Eagles in the Snowy Shallows would be simple to resolve—whatever she asked, he would not treat her unfairly.But who could have imagined that this painting would turn out to be her betrothal gift!Could it be… that to obtain a painting, he would have to deceive a young girl?
Ye Nanyuan hadn't actually run for long. Putting on enough of a show was sufficient; the rest would be decided by others.The guest quarters of Sanqing Temple were not far from her pear garden. Even if the guards surrounded the entire rear mountain to search, they would have combed through it all within a day.Yet now it was nearly noon, and the Fourth Prince still hadn't left. That could only mean one thing—those sent to find him had arrived long ago; it was he himself who refused to return.At the same time, his willingness to spare the Spirit Fox and test her about Twin Eagles in the Snowy Shallows now made sense. The painting's importance to the Fourth Prince likely far exceeded her expectations.She had already made it quite clear.Now, whether to stay or go was entirely up to the Fourth Prince's own choice.If he insisted on staying for the sake of that painting, then she had no objection to continuing the act with him—playing coy and sweet, turning one actress into two, performing a duet.Affection, fondness, devoted infatuation—when the time came, she would naturally offer up the painting with all her heart. By then, she would already be his woman, and finding a way into his household would hardly be difficult.But if he still had a shred of conscience left…Ye Nanyuan's eyes curved at the corners, her scarlet lips blooming with dazzling allure, her lashes trembling slightly: "If he leaves, then…"Kill the heart first, then grind the bones to dust.Either way, his mind was fixed on the painting—he was a kite on a string. No matter how high he flew, the thread would always remain in her hands!"How much more fun this becomes…"