The Crown Prince had arrived with great pomp—a massive procession of treasure carriages and fragrant cars, the line stretching beyond sight.
Crown Prince Zhou He rode a white steed at the forefront, radiating high spirits. He held his neck so high it seemed he feared others might miss him.
The Crown Prince resembled the Emperor but wasn't as handsome as Zhou Jin. He had a square face with full cheeks that appeared honest and simple.
Rather than joining the bandit suppression, the Crown Prince seemed to be on a spring outing, having brought numerous beautiful maidservants.
His arrogant and smug demeanor made his honest face look particularly punchable.
Standing in the welcoming party, Song Xingzhi couldn't help rolling his eyes, whispering to Xu Bao'er beside him.
"A-San, I should've worn a mask like you."
"To block out the Crown Prince's stupidity."
Xu Bao'er was amused but hadn't yet replied when Song Xingzhi immediately straightened up, pretending nothing had happened.
The Crown Prince's horse had already reached them.
The Crown Prince dismounted and walked directly toward Zhou Jin, completely ignoring the Crown Princess behind him.
"Fourth Brother, you've worked hard."
"I heard you were injured. Are you alright now?"
The Crown Prince spoke as if addressing a subordinate. Though his words seemed concerned about Zhou Jin, he was actually distracted, not even looking properly at Zhou Jin.
"I'm fine now. Thank you for your concern, Crown Prince."
Zhou Jin calmly responded to the Crown Prince's perfunctory inquiries. From their seemingly harmonious interaction, one would never guess their childhood grudges.
The Crown Prince hadn't been as honest-looking in his youth, displaying cruelty beyond his years. He once tied Zhou Jin up and hung him over a fire pit on a wooden stake, like roasting pork or mutton.
"Hahaha, that madwoman from the cold palace burned the palace, so today I'll roast her son!"
"The sight of split skin and torn flesh is truly beautiful."
"I wonder what your flesh tastes like? Would it be like pork, duck, or mutton?"
"Xiao Dezi, do any of you want to try some?"
The fiercer Zhou Jin's gaze and the more he endured in silence, the more delighted the Crown Prince became—after all, burning him to death would carry less consequence than killing a eunuch.
Though Zhou Jin was saved by Consort De that time, the Crown Prince's torture methods remained varied and inventive. The Emperor's silence only encouraged his behavior.
Despite all the cruelty he inflicted on Zhou Jin in their youth, the Crown Prince could still pretend to be deeply brotherly now.
Reading the Crown Prince's thoughts, Xu Bao'er glimpsed Zhou Jin's past—his childhood had been far more miserable than she imagined.
This despicable Crown Prince—she'd make him pay tonight.
Xu Yu'er, who had been delayed and unseen, finally appeared behind the Crown Prince.
She wore a long, tasseled, bright red hibiscus skirt. The dress was so long that it took her considerable effort to disembark from the carriage.
The Crown Prince glanced sideways at Xu Yu'er, frightening her into pursing her lips and standing meekly, daring only to stare at the ground beneath her feet.
"Crown Prince, please come inside."
Zhou Jin took the lead in clearing the way for the Crown Prince, greatly satisfying the latter's vanity. No matter how outstanding Zhou Jin might be, he was still a subject, while the Crown Prince was the future ruler.
Zhou Jin would always have to grovel at his feet. Once he ascended the throne, the first person he would kill would be Zhou Jin.
The Crown Prince detested Zhou Jin to the core. Every time the Emperor summoned him for a lecture, he would urge him to learn from Zhou Jin, repeating it so often that his ears were nearly calloused.
How could a bastard born from the remnants of the previous dynasty be on equal footing with him? He wasn't even worth as much as a dog at his doorstep.
The Crown Prince deeply regretted not having eliminated Zhou Jin earlier, allowing him to now threaten his imperial position.
Xu Yu'er followed closely behind the Crown Prince, but her eyes occasionally stole glances at Zhou Jin. She had never seen him before—this was her first time.
She had married the Crown Prince, while Zhou Jin had been stationed at the border, engaged in warfare. On the few occasions when they might have met at banquets, Xu Yu'er, fearing to provoke the Crown Prince's anger, had feigned illness to avoid attending.
Xu Yu'er never expected that the rumored "ghost-fearing scourge," described as fierce and hideously ugly, would turn out to be astonishingly handsome.
For a moment, Xu Yu'er was spellbound. The Crown Prince’s looks couldn’t even compare to a single strand of Zhou Jin’s hair.
But of course, how could the son of the stunningly beautiful Consort Jing be an unattractive man?
At this thought, Xu Yu'er was filled with regret.
"That cheap slut Xu Bao'er got all the luck."
"Look at how smug she was that day—I’ll wipe that smirk off her face sooner or later."
"But then again, Duan Wang is just a pretty face, useless where it counts. What kind of man is he?"
Though Xu Yu'er tried to console herself with these thoughts, she still couldn’t suppress her anger. After all, the Crown Prince wasn’t just useless in that regard—he wasn’t even a pretty face.
When they arrived at the County Magistrate’s office, the Crown Prince and Xu Yu'er took the seats of honor. The Crown Prince waved his hand, and a group of attendants carrying boxes filed in uniformly.
"I heard you were poisoned recently, Fourth Brother. Your health was already weak, and now it must be worse than ever."
"No wonder you keep your distance from women—it turns out you suffer from a hidden ailment and can’t speak of it."
"Fourth Brother, look, I’ve carefully selected these just for you."
"Guaranteed to make you fierce and mighty, hahaha!"
The Crown Prince was so absorbed in his own amusement that the expressions of everyone present darkened. Song Xingzhi trembled with rage at the corners of his mouth—if looks could kill, the Crown Prince would have died a thousand times over.
"Thank you, Crown Prince. I hadn’t realized you were so well-versed in this area."
"Quite unexpected."
Zhou Jin calmly thanked the Crown Prince for his "kindness," completely unruffled by the provocation.
Only men who were truly inadequate would fly into a shameful rage—and he was not one of them.
The Crown Prince laughed, but his laughter abruptly froze. Wait, was Zhou Jin mocking him?
Late at night, the Crown Prince was fast asleep, his snoring thunderous. Xu Yu'er couldn’t sleep at all and shot him a disgusted glare.
This fat pig.
Her mind was filled with images of Zhou Jin from the daytime, making her heart flutter.
Zhou Jin, dressed in a white brocade coiled dragon robe, had Rui Feng Eyes that were cold and detached, a tall, straight nose that stirred wild fantasies, and long, slender fingers with distinct knuckles that made Xu Yu'er’s heart itch with desire.
Tossing and turning, Xu Yu'er couldn’t sleep. Zhou Jin hadn’t even glanced at her properly. But then again, how could a man who had known Xu Bao'er ever take an interest in her?
Yet, the more unattainable he was, the more she wanted him.
Zhou Jin’s abstinent and aloof demeanor made Xu Yu'er feel as if merely meeting his gaze could make her pregnant.
The more he seemed like an unattainable flower on a high peak, the more fiercely Xu Yu'er desired him.
Even if he were "useless," Xu Yu'er would savor it like honey—his face alone was sweetness itself.
Crouching beneath the window at this moment, Xu Bao'er heard Xu Yu'er's inner thoughts and felt that at least their sisterly taste in aesthetics aligned.
However, since Xu Yu'er dared to covet her person, she would have to make her witness her formidable power.
A puff of bewitching smoke drifted inside, and the previously restless, lovesick Xu Yu'er gradually closed her eyes.