The Crown Prince: “I have a friend…”
“Your brain isn’t working right!”
Hai Shun smacked Yuan Bao on the forehead and scolded under his breath.
“His Highness is strong and vigorous, full of energy, and in the best of health. Haven’t you noticed that His Highness has been going less frequently lately?”
Yuan Bao rubbed his forehead and chuckled.
“But His Highness has been in there for almost the time it takes to finish a cup of tea and still hasn’t come out. I’ve heard that even infrequent visits can sometimes be problematic. I’m just worried His Highness might be too embarrassed to mention such matters to us, so I thought of finding an excuse to ask.”
“Think you’re clever, do you?”
Hai Shun laughed and scolded him, though inwardly he felt a bit unsettled.
The main issue was that today, aside from spending longer than usual in the washroom, the Crown Prince’s behavior and words had been peculiar.
This peculiarity was most keenly felt by Hai Shun, who had served His Highness for seventeen years.
Specifically:
Normally, the Crown Prince’s expression was cold, but that coldness was more akin to aloofness—an innate nobility and unshakable composure, as steady as Mount Tai even in the face of chaos.
But today, from the moment he woke up, the Crown Prince’s face had been frosty.
The atmosphere around him was so oppressive it was frightening. The ferocity he displayed during his martial arts practice made Hai Shun’s scalp tingle.
Additionally, the Crown Prince’s current duties mainly involved reviewing auspicious reports submitted from the provinces and overseeing the compilation of lecture records from the Hanlin Academy.
These tasks kept him busy from morning till night but held no real authority.
Compared to the other princes who held positions in the Six Ministries, the Crown Prince’s role was truly frustrating.
Because of this,
Princes Xin, Rui, and Shen never missed an opportunity to make veiled remarks in front of the Crown Prince, openly and covertly mocking him.
Yet, even so, the Crown Prince had never been provoked by them.
At least, neither Hai Shun nor the officials working with the Crown Prince had ever seen him bring personal emotions into his duties.
Of course, today the Crown Prince performed his duties well, without showing any displeasure to the officials or even letting them notice anything amiss.
But Hai Shun had still noticed.
The Crown Prince spoke far less than usual while working and often seemed lost in thought during breaks.
Hai Shun had pondered all day but couldn’t figure out what was troubling the Crown Prince, nor did he dare to ask outright.
Everything had been fine when the Crown Prince went to bed last night.
Hai Shun glanced toward the washroom and whispered to Yuan Bao, “Was there any situation late last night?”
He had wanted to ask this question for a long time but hadn’t found the right opportunity until now.
Uh…
Yuan Bao’s expression stiffened.
He didn’t dare tell his adoptive father that the Crown Prince had gone out in the middle of the night. Instead, he braced himself and said, “He only changed his trousers once. Nothing else happened.”
How strange.
Hai Shun frowned.
Could it be that the Crown Prince felt embarrassed in front of his servants after soiling his trousers several nights in a row?
Or perhaps he had grown impatient with the situation, and that was why he was having trouble controlling his temper?
Hai Shun thought this speculation was quite plausible.
After all, the Crown Prince had always detested such matters. On his wedding night with the Crown Princess and the night he decided to summon Song Zhaoxun to Serve in bed, he had taken medicine in advance…
Just as he was thinking this, the Crown Prince emerged from the washroom.
He still didn’t seem to be in a good mood.
Hai Shun quickly composed himself and stepped forward to assist the Crown Prince in washing his hands.
As they left the Qin Dian, the Imperial Kitchen had just delivered the evening meal. A line of young eunuchs had already set the table in the western chamber.
Hai Shun followed the Crown Prince there.
The Crown Prince was not one for extravagance or indulgence. Compared to the other princes and princesses, he could be considered frugal.
However, no matter how frugal the Crown Prince of a nation may be,
He still possesses all that is required by regulation.
For instance, tonight’s dinner included steamed goose with spring bamboo shoots, shrimp balls stewed in chicken broth, ham with whitebait, stir-fried chicken with yellow sprout cabbage, and eight-treasure pork with pine nuts, along with five vegetarian dishes.
In addition, there were three types of side dishes and three types of noodles, as well as two appetizing soups.
Yet the Crown Prince has no particular preferences when it comes to food, usually taking only two or three bites of each dish before stopping.
This, in fact, is one of the sorrows of being the heir apparent—it is to prevent anyone from discerning the Crown Prince’s preferences.
But today, the Crown Prince’s appetite was clearly poor; he only took one bite of each dish and a single sip of the soup.
Hai Shun grew anxious: “Dianxia, please eat a bit more. How can you sustain yourself after working all day with so little?”
Luo Xun set down his silver chopsticks. “Distribute the leftovers.”
With that, he rose and headed toward the study.
Hai Shun, scratching his head in frustration, followed behind and mustered the courage to ask:
“Is Dianxia feeling unwell today? Should this servant summon Mo Yuanpan to take your pulse?”
Luo Xun paused slightly and looked at him.
Hai Shun refrained from mentioning the unusual amount of time the Crown Prince had spent in the washroom and instead carefully suggested with a smile, “After all, summer has arrived, and the weather is growing increasingly hot…”
“Mm.”
Before he could finish, Luo Xun gave a slight nod.
Hai Shun: “…”
A quarter of an hour later, Mo Yuanpan arrived.
Hai Shun was ushered out of the study.
Hai Shun once again: “…”
Wait.
When it comes to the Crown Prince’s health, how could he, the chief steward who attends to him closely, be excluded from listening??
In the side room of the study,
Mo Yuanpan withdrew his pulse-taking hand.
He stood up and said, “Dianxia’s pulse is long, straight, and resilient with strength. Although there are slight signs of excessive energy and internal heat, it is not a serious issue. Drinking some heat-clearing tea regularly will suffice.”
Excessive energy and internal heat.
Luo Xun lowered his gaze.
Then he looked back at Mo Yuanpan, his expression cold and stern: “If my body is healthy, why did I retreat midway during intimacy?”
Mo Yuanpan: “!!!”
Mo Yuanpan felt as if a thunderclap had struck, leaving him dizzy and disoriented, causing him to lose his composure during a consultation for the first time.
Was it what he thought?!
“Mo Yuanpan,” Luo Xun noted Mo Yuanpan’s astonishment, frowned slightly, and his voice grew colder.
Mo Yuanpan jolted awake as if from a dream.
Regaining his senses, he met the Crown Prince’s seemingly calm yet intensely pressurized gaze, and a cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
Fortunately, having served as an Imperial Physician for thirty years and having treated the Crown Prince’s illnesses all these years, Mo Yuanpan quickly composed himself.
“Replying to Dianxia, aside from congenital factors, such a condition is often related to excessive fatigue, lack of restraint in intimate matters, excessive heart fire, or liver qi stagnation. Additionally, such situations commonly occur during one’s first experience.”
Of course, the last point was purely stated from a medical perspective.
Although he is responsible for treating the Crown Prince’s ailments,
Having developed the medication five years ago, Mo Yuanpan is not privy to the details of the Crown Prince’s intimate life.
Luo Xun raised an eyebrow almost imperceptibly.
Mo Yuanpan did not notice any unusual reaction from His Highness.
Nor could he gauge the other’s thoughts.
So he tentatively suggested, “This humble official observes that Your Highness’s pulse shows no abnormalities. Would you be willing to elaborate further?”
“Unnecessary.”
Luo Xun replied expressionlessly.
“I was asking on behalf of someone else. I merely took the opportunity to have you check my peace pulse.”
Mo Yuanpan: “…”
Very well.
Since His Highness put it that way, those of us who serve as officials must know how to read the situation.
Mo Yuanpan left, and Hai Shun entered from outside.
“Physician Mo said your heart fire is flaring up due to weather changes, and has prescribed some heat-clearing and fire-reducing herbs. I’ve ordered them to be decocted, and they’ll be ready in half an hour.”
Luo Xun nodded, his gaze falling upon the book before him.
Perhaps it was Hai Shun’s imagination.
He felt their Crown Prince no longer had a taut expression, the oppressive aura around him had dissipated, and he seemed to have returned to normal.
Luo Xun was unaware of Chief Eunuch Hai’s thoughts.
Though he looked at the book beside him, his mind had already wandered far away.
Luo Xun was thinking about last night.
About Xiao Zhaoxun’s audacious actions, her soft and boneless hands, his own complete defeat, and the evident astonishment in her eyes at that time.
All women in the palace receive specialized instruction before serving in bed, regardless of their background.
It stood to reason that before coming to attend to him, she must have been taught the proper protocols in this regard and understood men’s condition in such matters.
That was why she had looked so surprised then.
Never expecting he would be so…
Luo Xun’s hand suddenly clenched into a fist!
Half an hour later.
After taking his medicine, bathing, and changing into casual robes, Luo Xun strode into the Back Palace under Hai Shun’s astonished gaze, heading directly toward Yongxu Yuan.
.
Yongxu Yuan, East Wing.
It was already two hours past the time when Yuan Chun Palace would normally come to collect the lanterns – clear confirmation that the Crown Prince wouldn’t be visiting the Back Palace tonight.
Xiao Manzi steadied the ladder while Xiao Guizi climbed up to extinguish the two brilliant palace lanterns.
In the bedchamber.
Kan’er had finished her preparations and settled onto the bed.
Leaning against the headboard, she listened to Tiao Zhu reading vernacular stories, occasionally exchanging words with Hansu and Ying Gugu who were doing needlework.
After what happened during the morning greetings, Tiao Zhu had recounted the events to Ying Gugu and the others with Kan’er’s permission.
Through Tiao Zhu’s vivid narration.
Wangqing, Xiao Fuzi and the others gained a clearer understanding of Kan’er’s current situation in the Eastern Palace’s Back Palace.
They also clearly realized that their new mistress wasn’t one to suffer losses when faced with challenges.
For servants, especially those in the palace, life and death, honor and disgrace are entirely dependent on their masters.
A favored master isn’t necessarily clever or capable of standing their ground, but a clever master who can hold their own will never have too difficult a life ahead.
So after hearing Tiao Zhu’s account of the morning’s events, everyone including Ying Gugu secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Even though the Crown Prince hadn’t come to the Back Palace tonight, hadn’t asked Song Zhaoxun to light the lanterns, they no longer felt as restless as they had the previous night.
Wangqing and Xiyu emerged from cleaning the bathing area.
Kan’er rewarded them with two bags of snacks: “There’s nothing more to do, you may retire for the night.”
Xiyu thanked her with a beaming smile.
Wangqing felt mixed emotions.
Just as they were preparing to withdraw, suddenly came the slightly flustered greetings of Xiao Guizi and Xiao Manzi from outside.
“Your humble servants pay respects to Dianxia! May Dianxia live a thousand years!”
Everyone in the room froze.
Kan’er was the first to react, throwing off the covers and getting out of bed.
Hansu swiftly fetched a hair ribbon from the dressing table and tied Kan’er’s hair in a simple style, while Ying Gugu took an outer garment from the rack and draped it over her shoulders.
After quickly confirming Kan’er was properly dressed.
The mistress and her servants hurried out to receive him.
They had just stepped out of the bedchamber.
When they saw the Crown Prince entering through the floor screen.
The man wore an ivory-white plain satin casual robe with wide sleeves, embroidered with golden qilin patterns. His posture was upright, his bearing majestic and impressive.
Every movement exuded elegant grace, and the jewel-inlaid gold and jade pearl crown on his head accentuated his noble magnificence.
Kan’er paused slightly.
She immediately quickened her steps forward and said, “Your humble servant pays respects to Dianxia.”