Lianxiang thought she had bumped into some servant who had gotten up early. Just as she was regretting her carelessness, she looked up and met a pair of cold, dark eyes, as deep as a frozen lake.
They were like stars in the night sky—bright and clear, yet so deep that no one could see what lay beneath them.
It was as if everything in the world were under his control.
Lianxiang instantly froze. Her body reacted faster than her mind. In the next moment, she dropped to her knees and bowed low.
“M-My lord… this servant greets Prince…”
The prince had returned to the manor!
Yun Suiwu stood there wrapped in a black crane-feather cloak. He looked weary from travel, and a faint layer of frost still lingered on his handsome features. His tall figure seemed to blend into the darkness itself.
Had one not looked carefully, it would have been easy to miss him.
However, the group of armored guards with stern expressions standing behind him could not be ignored.
The milk that had splashed from the bowl stained the black cloak made from waterbird feathers, leaving a white mark across Yun Suiwu’s waist.
Some of it had also landed on his embroidered golden boots.
As the wind blew past, a faint milky scent drifted through the air.
The mighty and noble Prince Zhenguo, who was always distant and untouchable, had actually been splashed with a wet nurse’s milk—and in front of so many guards.
If she had not shouted it out just now, perhaps no one would have realized what it was.
But unfortunately, she had said it aloud.
It was truly damaging to the prince’s dignity.
Lianxiang felt that she probably could not remain in the manor much longer.
Every time she met the Prince, she made a mistake.
Yun Suiwu lowered his eyes and looked at the trembling young widow kneeling on the frozen blue bricks.
Her icy fingers shook uncontrollably.
The pale skirt spread around her like a delicate lotus flower unable to withstand wind and rain.
Beside her sat half a bowl of slightly yellow milk.
What was it?
Goat’s milk?
Or her own…
Why had she squeezed out milk and brought it all the way to the outer courtyard?
“Please forgive me, Your Highness. I… I did not know you were returning today…”
Lianxiang’s face was pale with fear, and clouds of white breath continuously escaped from her lips.
Yun Suiwu frowned slightly as he looked at the white stain on his cloak.
The rich scent of milk filled his nose.
Oddly enough, he did not dislike the smell.
Instead, it instantly brought him back to that summer afternoon.
Even Steward Xiao had not known he would return today.
How had this little widow known?
Had she actually been waiting here for him?
“I… I’ll wipe it off for you…”
Receiving no response, Lianxiang became even more frightened and gathered the courage to speak.
Her face was red and white at the same time—partly from fear and partly from embarrassment.
She pulled out a handkerchief from her robe. Even it carried a faint milky scent.
Just as she was about to stand up, Steward Xiao arrived after hearing the news that the prince had returned.
Seeing the scene before him, he hurried over and used his sleeve to wipe the stain from the prince’s waist.
“Wet Nurse Shen, what happened? Why are you in the outer courtyard so early in the morning? And how did you run into the prince just as he returned?”
“I… I saw a litter of newborn kittens in the outer courtyard. Their mother seemed not to have enough milk. Little Prince can’t drink all of mine, and I didn’t want to waste it, so… I planned to feed it to the kittens…”
Lianxiang spoke with extreme embarrassment, her eyelashes trembling lightly.
Whether from the cold or fear, the corners of her eyes were bright red.
“I never expected… to run into the Prince.”
By the end, her voice was shaking.
Including this time, she had met the Prince four times.
The first time was at Lingyan Temple, when she accidentally entered the room where he was resting.
The second time was during the Mid-Autumn Festival, when she almost dropped the Little Prince.
The third time was when the prince visited Qingzhu Courtyard. She had avoided meeting him, but she had accidentally fed the Little Prince too much, causing him to spit up milk.
And now this was the fourth time.
She had directly splashed milk all over him.
The more she thought about it, the more suffocated she felt.
People always said that trouble should not happen more than three times.
Yet this was already the fourth.
The Prince must be extremely annoyed and disgusted with her by now.
Silently, she prayed in her heart.
If punishment must come, let it fall on her alone.
Please do not let it affect her cousin.
“Your Highness,” Steward Xiao said, “Wet Nurse Shen acted out of kindness. The snow has not even melted yet. There are icicles hanging from the rooftops. At a time like this, who wouldn’t rather stay under a warm blanket? Yet she came out here in the freezing cold.”
“If she can show such compassion to a litter of newborn kittens, then she must care even more deeply for the Little Prince. She is certainly more dedicated and wholehearted than most.”
Steward Xiao crouched down and took out a clean white handkerchief to wipe the milk stains from the Prince’s boots.
“Get up.”
Yun Suiwu’s sharp gaze swept over Lianxiang.
Then he parted his lips and spoke in a calm voice that revealed no emotion.
Afterward, he turned and headed toward Chaoxu Hall.
“Thank you, Your Highness…”
Lianxiang could hardly believe it.
The Prince had forgiven her once again.
But she knew this was all thanks to Steward Xiao speaking on her behalf.
Her cousin had been right.
Building a good relationship with Steward Xiao really was important.
Even after the Prince’s figure disappeared into the distance, her entire body still felt cold, and her heart continued to pound wildly.
After this incident, she felt too embarrassed to ask Steward Xiao for help returning home to visit her child.
But now that the prince had come back to the manor, what if she made another mistake in front of him?
Surely he would not forgive her so easily again.
…
“Your Highness, it snowed heavily yesterday. Why did you rush back through such weather? Is there some urgent matter? Everything has been fine with the Little Prince in the manor…”
Steward Xiao knew the prince was expected to return soon.
He had assumed the heavy snowfall would delay him for a few days.
Instead, the Prince arrived early this very morning.
He had probably traveled all night.
Inside Chaoxu Hall, Aunt Pei was also surprised by the Prince’s sudden return.
She immediately looked toward Steward Xiao.
Steward Xiao shook his head and quietly explained:
“A moment ago, Wet Nurse Shen was carrying a bowl of milk to feed some kittens in the outer courtyard. She accidentally ran into the Prince when he arrived and spilled the milk on him.”
“No wonder I smelled milk on the Prince’s clothes. As for Wet Nurse Shen…”
“The Prince simply told her to get up and leave,” Steward Xiao replied with both hands tucked into his sleeves.
Aunt Pei breathed out a cloud of white mist.
“The Prince hates the smell of milk more than anything. And this was… human milk. Steward Xiao, do you think the Prince…”
“Oh, I’ve spent years serving beside His Majesty,” Steward Xiao interrupted.
“The Prince has always had an unusual temperament. His thoughts are impossible to predict. How would I know what he’s thinking?”
“You should hurry inside and help the Prince wash up and rest.”
“He returned before dawn. He must have stayed awake all night.”
Aunt Pei knew Steward Xiao was hiding something.
He clearly knew more than he was willing to say.
Still, she dared not waste any time.
She quickly followed the Prince inside and ordered hot water to be prepared.
Meanwhile, Steward Xiao remained standing where he was, looking at the gradually brightening sky.
Wet Nurse Shen’s eyes were truly astonishingly similar to that person’s.
Not only did they look alike—
They even carried the same spirit and charm.
That was the real reason the Prince treated her with such tolerance.