Truly, thank his eighteen generations of ancestors. Her life had been going along swimmingly until the very first day she followed him, only to be thrown straight into this heart-pounding, life-threatening disaster. God only knew how many more tempests she would have to weather in the days to come.
“Zhizhi, are you hurt anywhere?” Shen Huaixu tightened his grip around her waist, his expression heavy as he furrowed his brows and stared intently at her.
Stains of blood still smeared Nanzhi’s smooth, fair face, and patches of crimson soiled the front and cuffs of her dress. Looking thoroughly wretched and bedraggled, she was a sight guaranteed to tug at anyone’s heartstrings.
Having just endured such a terrifying ordeal, her face remained ghostly pale. Nanzhi shook her head, her clear, delicate voice carrying a faint tremor: “Your Highness, this concubine is fine—just a bit shaken up.”
She struggled to pull herself away from Shen Huaixu’s embrace, but the moment she tried to stand, her legs turned to jelly. Had the Crown Prince not reacted with lightning speed to steady her, she would have collapsed right back onto the ground.
Seeing this, she abandoned the struggle entirely, letting the Crown Prince support her as Shen Huaixu scooped her up horizontally in his arms and strode steadily back toward the carriage.
“Go fetch some water, and bring her a clean set of clothes.”
“This subordinate obeys,” Qingyu hurriedly acknowledged.
The Crown Prince disliked having maidservants attend to him, so this traveling party carried no maids at all—save for Qingyu, the entire escort was made up of men. For the time being, Qingyu had essentially taken on the duties of a handmaid.
A wave of pity washed over Qingyu for the beauty. The poor girl must have been scared out of her wits; sheltered and delicate as she was, where would she ever have witnessed such carnage? Just moments ago, her face had turned completely white with terror.
Yet the Crown Prince had shown a rare touch of thoughtfulness by looking out for her. Snapping back to her senses, Qingyu rushed off to order water brought to them.
Shen Huaixu carried Nanzhi into the carriage, and clean garments and water were promptly delivered inside.
“Gu won’t look. Change your clothes.” With that, he turned his back so he wouldn’t have to watch her.
Nanzhi didn’t stand on ceremony with him. This was hardly the time for coy hesitation; she quickly cleaned the blood from her face and hands, shed her soiled outer robe, and slipped into a fresh, crisp set of clothes.
“Your Highness, this concubine is done.”
Hearing her voice, Shen Huaixu turned back around. Noticing a tiny smudge of blood still lingering near her jawline, he picked up a nearby handkerchief, intending to wipe it away.
The moment his hand reached out, Nanzhi instinctively tilted her face away to dodge him. Shen Huaixu’s brows hitched upward, clearly displeased by her evasion.
“What are you dodging for?” The Crown Prince’s tone cooled instantly.
Without giving her a choice, he gripped her chin and forced her face back around, wiping away the residual blood.
A flash of surprise crossed Nanzhi’s features, though she masked it just as quickly, retreating quietly to the corner of the carriage to sit in heavy silence. Having barely escaped with her life, she had no energy to humor him and couldn’t even summon the desire to speak.
Shortly afterward, the entourage finished regrouping, and the carriages rolled forward once more.
Shen Huaixu had also changed into fresh attire; clad in deep purple brocade robes, his aristocratic, regal presence inside the carriage was impossible to ignore.
Noticing that Nanzhi had seated herself as far from him as possible, a flicker of dissatisfaction crossed his eyes. He reached out, tugging her right back down to sit beside him.
“Is Zhizhi angry?” His warm, mellow voice hummed softly against her ear.
With her wrist trapped in Shen Huaixu’s grip, Nanzhi couldn’t shake the unsettling illusion that he might snap her bones at any second.
Outside, a light drizzle had begun to fall, pattering softly against the earth. A sudden gust of chilly wind swept past, lifting the edge of the carriage curtain and driving a draft of cold air straight across Nanzhi’s face.
Reaching out to push the curtain aside, Nanzhi gazed out through her frosty, moon-lit eyes into the inky blackness beyond the window. Listening to the steady patter of the rain outside, her heart found a rare, fleeting moment of peace.
“Your Highness jokes. This concubine wouldn’t dare be angry,” Nanzhi replied, her voice as clear as jade ringing softly inside the carriage.
Hearing the petulant edge in her tone, Shen Huaixu let out a low chuckle. The corners of his lips quirked upward as his voice softened considerably: “Still holding a grudge because Gu didn’t save you back there?”
Staring out through the carriage window, Nanzhi kept her expression placid. “His Highness’s safety is what matters most. This concubine understands.”
“Your Highness, this concubine was terribly frightened and feels quite exhausted.”
She had forced herself to maintain a brave front earlier, but looking back now, her legs were still shaking. If that assassin hadn’t let her go, she would have been a dead woman by now.
Shen Huaixu took her icy hand in his. Sensing her low spirits and knowing she had been scared out of her wits, he pulled her into his arms, using his warm palms to massage her trembling fingers. “Zhizhi shouldn’t be angry anymore. If you’re tired, just lean against Gu and sleep.”
He had overheard every word of her exchange with the assassin out in the clearing; she possessed far more daring and resourcefulness than he had ever imagined, which only served to heighten his fascination with her.
Three days later, the Crown Prince’s entourage finally returned to the capital.
Originally, Shen Huaixu had been touring the southern provinces on behalf of the Emperor. But while staying at the Nan estate, he had received an urgent dispatch reporting that His Majesty had suffered a sudden, severe illness and fallen unconscious, forcing him to rush back without delay.
The moment the carriage rolled to a halt before the massive gates of the Eastern Palace, a bright, youthful voice rang out from the courtyard: “Crown Prince Big Brother, you’re back!”
The young girl’s voice brimmed with undisguised excitement and delight. Petite in stature, she was dressed in a lavish, tender-pink gown, her hair laden with an array of exquisite and costly ornaments. Sparkling from head to toe with precious jewels, she scampered excitedly toward the approaching carriage.
Stepping out with his tall, slender frame, Shen Huaixu emerged from the carriage. The moment Liang Bingyue laid eyes on him, her face flushed red with uncontainable joy as she cried out: “Crown Prince Big Brother, it really is you!”
Liang Bingyue was the daughter of Shen Huaixu’s maternal uncle. Four years younger than him, she had just celebrated her capping ceremony of coming of age this year.
She had been spending time with Lu Wanyan, the third young miss of Prime Minister Lu’s household. Lu Wanyan’s sharp eyes had casually spotted the Crown Prince’s personal guard, Wei Feng, and mentioned it in passing, prompting Liang Bingyue to drag Lu Wanyan along and follow them all the way here.
“What are you doing here?” Shen Huaixu asked coldly, shooting her a casual glance before sweeping his gaze away.
Accustomed to the Crown Prince’s chilly demeanor, Liang Bingyue took it entirely in stride. “I just happened to see Crown Prince Big Brother’s carriage, so I followed it over.”
With that, she turned back and waved eagerly toward Lu Wanyan. “Sister Lu, hurry up and come over here!”
Lu Wanyan held the reputation of the capital’s supreme beauty. Blessed with a breathtaking, flawless visage, she was the object of adoration for countless aristocratic young lords across the city.
Wearing a gentle, graceful smile, she glided forward with impeccable, dignified poise, offering a slight bow as she greeted him: “This subject’s daughter pays her respects to Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
“Rise.”
Without lingering further, Shen Huaixu turned his attention back toward the carriage, his tone softening noticeably: “Aren’t you coming down, Zhizhi?”
Both Liang Bingyue and Lu Wanyan standing outside were utterly stunned by the Crown Prince’s words. Liang Bingyue’s jaw nearly hit the floor; her eyes blown wide with shock, she blurted out in sheer disbelief: “Crown Prince Big Brother, there’s someone else in there?!”
Her Crown Prince Big Brother had never once spoken to her in such a tender tone. Pouting in deep dissatisfaction, Liang Bingyue puffed out her cheeks.
Lu Wanyan frowned slightly before smoothing her expression back into a mask of composure, staring unblinkingly toward the carriage entrance.
Inside, Nanzhi furrowed her brows at the voices outside. A creeping premonition warned her that trouble was about to land squarely on her doorstep. Yet with the Crown Prince giving a direct command, she couldn’t afford to hesitate any longer and stepped calmly down from the carriage under the intense scrutiny of the crowd.
The moment Shen Huaixu saw her emerge, he reached out a hand to steady her descent. While Nanzhi remained entirely composed, her action sent a fresh jolt of disbelief rippling through Liang Bingyue.
Not only was there a woman hiding inside Crown Prince Big Brother’s carriage, but he was actually holding her hand?!
Liang Bingyue was too astounded to speak. Meanwhile, Lu Wanyan, standing off to the side and taking in the unfamiliar young woman stepping down from the carriage, felt her internal alarm bells ring out in fierce, immediate warning.