Returning from the palace, the Crown Prince couldn’t quite describe the feeling in his heart. His father remained as wary of him as ever—after all, this was a suspicious emperor. If he truly opened his heart to you, you’d have to wonder if you had committed some crime and were about to be deposed.
Over the years, the Crown Prince had grown accustomed to this. Yet, the absence of paternal warmth all these years left him feeling as though something was missing. He thought to himself that if he had children in the future, he would surely dote on them as lovingly as he did on Yuan Yuan.
What he lacked, his children must have in full—so they wouldn’t end up like him, always seeking affection and warmth from others.
Lost in thought, he found himself arriving at Huilan Garden. Inside the room, Liu Fuyin was embroidering while chatting happily with her two maidservants.
“Liangdi, this servant truly doesn’t understand,” Yun Tao said as she sorted threads, her face filled with indignation.
Liu Fuyin smiled gently, her expression soft with the tenderness of early pregnancy. “What is it you don’t understand?”
“Why did you take the blame for everything yesterday? It had nothing to do with you, and you’ve already suffered so much injustice! As a Liangdi, you have to hide your affection for His Highness like some concubine kept outside the household!”
Liu Fuyin glared at her in mock annoyance and reached out to pinch her cheek. “How can a young lady like you speak of such things without any shame!”
Yun Tao dodged behind Yun Xing, feigning innocence. “Ah, don’t change the subject, miss! This servant just feels sorry for you!”
Liu Fuyin sighed, the joy on her face fading slightly. “It’s only natural for the Crown Princess to be angry. After all, I was in the wrong. She never fully accepted me, and yet I secretly… It’s normal for her to be upset. How could I blame anyone else? Whenever I think of the Crown Princess’s sorrowful expression last night, I feel like such a villain…”
Yun Xing stood quietly nearby, her heart aching at these words. Her young mistress had always been pure-hearted, always considering others before herself. Even now in the Eastern Palace, she remained the same. Yun Xing knew she must learn more about navigating the world, so she could better assist her mistress.
“In our hearts, Liangdi is the best. How could you be at fault? You mustn’t shoulder the blame for everything!” Yun Xing’s only consolation was that although her mistress was naive, His Highness seemed to favor such a woman. If not for this, how could her dear young mistress survive in this deep palace and grand household?
Just then, the Crown Prince happened to push the door open and chimed in, “Your maidservant speaks wisely. A pure nature is fine, but you mustn’t take on unnecessary burdens. How could the conflicts between this prince and the Crown Princess fall upon you to bear?”
In truth, the Crown Prince never truly regarded Liu Fuyin as significant. He didn’t believe a mere concubine could affect his long-standing relationship with the Crown Princess.
However, since this concubine was now with child, he could offer her some guidance, lest she remain so foolishly trusting of others. She nearly fell victim to harm last night, yet seemed to have learned nothing from it.
Liu Fuyin sat there in a daze, only snapping back to reality when those around her rose to offer their Morning Greetings. She stood up and rushed to throw herself into the Crown Prince’s arms.
The Crown Prince’s brow twitched. This Liu woman’s innocence was one thing, but did she have no sense of restraint? She had just suffered a threatened miscarriage last night, and here she was running about recklessly. Instinctively, he caught her in his arms, shooting her a displeased glance.
Liu Fuyin stood obediently to offer her morning greetings, her eyes and voice brimming with pleasant surprise: “Your Highness, what brings you here?”
Then, with a hint of displeasure, she glanced outside: “Why didn’t the servants below announce your arrival? I’ve failed in my manners!”
Liu Fuyin had possessed exceptionally sharp hearing since childhood. When Yun Tao spoke earlier, she had already noticed movement outside. Though she didn’t know who it was, she instinctively said those words.
One could say that even those around her believed she was utterly naive and without any cunning, thinking her words were sincere! After all, only by deceiving those closest to her could she deceive others. The original host had been pampered and was genuinely simple-minded—she merely seized the opportunity to deliberately craft this persona!
Her demeanor amused the Crown Prince, who deliberately spoke in a cold tone: “It was I who ordered them not to announce my arrival. I thought you were frightened last night and didn’t want you to trouble yourself with coming out to greet me. But Yin Yin, you don’t seem very welcoming?”
Liu Fuyin stamped her foot coquettishly and released her tightly bitten lip. “How could that be? I just thought… I thought Your Highness was angry with me and wouldn’t come.”
The young woman cautiously looked up at him, as if afraid he might be displeased. Even her words seemed like tentative probes, so soft he could barely hear them.
Recalling that he had come last night to issue a warning, the Crown Prince inwardly scolded himself. Lady Liu was not the scheming type—she even showed respect to Wanwan. How could she have deliberately exposed anything to make Wanwan suspicious?
Yet, regarding last night’s incident, he ultimately couldn’t give her any explanation. “Yin Yin, I’ve had people investigate the snake disturbance last night. The place you live is near the lake and close to the garden. It’s cool in the summer, and who knows where it crawled in from. In previous years, this courtyard was unoccupied, so no one paid attention to such things.”
The man’s earnest explanation almost made Liu Fuyin believe him. What a clever fabrication—how could a snake appear in the Eastern Palace garden unless someone had put it there!
But since he said so, Liu Fuyin naturally had to believe him. “Then everything has been thoroughly checked? It wouldn’t be good if it came out again and frightened Sister.”
The Crown Prince nearly laughed in exasperation, his eyes flickering. “One might think Wanwan is your own sister, the way you call her ‘Sister’ so affectionately. Weren’t you angry at all when she scolded you like that last night?”
Liu Fuyin shook her head and, guided by the Crown Prince’s hand, settled onto his lap. “At home, I only have a younger brother and no other sisters. I’ve always wanted an older sister. Crown Princess Sister gives me a very warm feeling, and usually, she is quite kind. If I put myself in her shoes, if someone else were secretly carrying my husband’s child, I’d probably be furious too.”
The Crown Prince stared intently into her eyes, as if trying to discern something. In the end, he merely stroked the dark hair at her temple and remarked casually, “So, it’s my fault then?”
“This… how could it be Your Highness’s fault…” Liu Fuyin stammered for a long while before finally growing so anxious that she buried her face in his shoulder, tears streaming down. As if resolved, she said, “Wahh… in the end, it’s my fault. Your Highness, just kill me!”
“You little thing, really…” The Crown Prince was speechless. How could she not even understand a joke? “I wonder how Minister Liu raised his daughter!”
Speaking of this, Liu Fuyin proudly raised her head, even forgetting her usual humble self-reference. “My father has only me, his one daughter, so he spared no effort in my education. As for instruments like the zither, moon lute, and pipa, I play them all exceptionally well. There’s no way the Crown Princess could surpass me!”
The Crown Prince’s face darkened: …