Shen Yanshui lowered her head slightly, stealing a glance at him through her lashes without speaking.
Cui Yu looked into her clear, transparent eyes, which seemed to lay bare every thought in her mind, and couldn’t help but feel amused.
Finally, sensing that his mood had lightened a little, Shen Yanshui turned to him earnestly and said, “Your Highness, playing Cuju and Polo isn’t just for fun—it also strengthens the body, reduces the likelihood of falling ill, and serves multiple purposes. It’s such a wonderful thing.”
Cui Yu glanced down at her eager expression and, no longer wanting to tease her, smiled and said, “As you say, it is indeed a good thing. There’s an open space in the garden of Changqing Palace. If you find yourself with nothing to do in your spare time, you may go there to play.”
Shen Yanshui’s eyes lit up. “Thank you, Your Highness,” she said, her voice brimming with such delight that it lifted the spirits of anyone who heard it.
Shen Yanshui wasn’t just happy because she could now openly play Cuju and Polo in the future.
Through their recent interaction, she had discovered that this Crown Prince was different from what she had imagined.
Compared to the Crown Prince of rumors—strict with rules, self-disciplined, dignified, and solemn—the Crown Prince before her, though intimidatingly stern when expressionless, had not held her several breaches of etiquette against her.
Some of these breaches had been unintentional and caught her off guard earlier, while others had been deliberate, shallow attempts to test his reactions.
Such a Crown Prince naturally pleased her more than the one from the rumors. At the very least, her days in Donggong wouldn’t be too difficult from now on.
However, his inexplicable attention to Cuju and Polo in his words and demeanor suddenly reminded her of some scattered rumors about him from five years ago, before the emperor had officially named him Crown Prince…
According to ancestral tradition in Dayong, the Crown Prince was to be appointed from among the emperor’s sons, with priority given to the eldest son of the empress.
Emperor Pingyuan had many children, but only one son was born to the empress—the third prince.
Because the third prince had been frail since birth and was often sickly in his childhood, there were concerns that he might not be fit to bear the responsibilities of a crown prince. Thus, no Crown Prince was appointed at that time.
It wasn’t until Empress Dowager sent the young third prince to be raised for several years at her maternal family’s residence, the Duke of Fengguo’s estate, that his health gradually improved year by year.
The Duke of Fengguo’s family had been military nobles for generations. After spending several years there, the third prince, still in his teens, had already become quite skilled in martial arts. By the age of fourteen, during a hunting expedition in the Western Hills, he had outperformed all the young nobles and military heirs, single-handedly hunting a bear and taking first place.
For a time, he was the talk of the town!
However, it was said that because of this, the third prince had been reprimanded and punished by Emperor Pingkang.
As for other activities like Cuju and Polo, those were things he had long since mastered. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have dared to bring up such topics so casually.
After he was appointed Crown Prince at the age of fifteen, the Crown Prince she heard about from others grew more steady and composed with each passing year. Over the years, she had almost forgotten those early rumors about him in the capital.
A cool breeze swept through, and Shen Yanshui shivered instinctively.
Cui Yu reached out and took her hand. “It’s getting late. Let’s return and rest.”
Shen Yanshui was momentarily stunned. Her originally chilly hand was now entirely enveloped in his broad, warm palm. She took the opportunity to move even closer to him, pressing tightly against his arm. In the next moment, she clearly felt his arm tense up briefly, as if on instinct.
She nonchalantly looked up and blinked at him, saying, “Your Highness, this way is warmer.”
Cui Yu: “…”
He glanced around briefly. The sky had already darkened, and they were within his own palace. With the night deepening and dew growing heavy, he decided not to say anything further.
Zheng Yuande, walking behind, couldn’t help but click his tongue inwardly. So His Highness likes this kind of simple-minded one?
Could it be that Shen Zhaoxun is blessed with luck despite her foolishness?
Just look at her background—it’s already highly sensitive. Consort Lan and the Fourth Prince are eager to pull His Highness down and take his place themselves.
Shen Zhaoxun’s elder sister has been living in Consort Lan’s Jingfu Palace since entering the palace. Though a minor figure, she is still Consort Lan’s person.
This move is clearly meant to provoke, openly placing a pawn in the Donggong. And to make matters worse, it was approved by His Majesty himself, so the Donggong can’t do anything about it.
At least for now, the Donggong cannot openly show any dissatisfaction, or else Consort Lan’s faction will surely stir up trouble before His Majesty.
Even so, barring any surprises, Shen Zhaoxun is destined to live out her life without favor, growing old in obscurity.
But unexpectedly, the Crown Princess inadvertently touched a nerve with His Highness. Instead of visiting the courtyards of two higher-ranking noble ladies, His Highness chose to come to the courtyard of Shen Zhaoxun, the daughter of a military noble family.
If this isn’t blessed luck despite foolishness, what is?
Shen Yanshui had no idea that others saw her as a fool.
After bathing and changing, she walked around the carved rosewood screen depicting lakes and mountains and saw the Crown Prince already lying on the bed with his eyes closed. She couldn’t help but feel slightly surprised and muttered subconsciously, “He fell asleep quite quickly.”
According to protocol, she should have washed up early and waited with exquisite makeup for news from the Crown Prince. It was unheard of for a mere concubine to make the Crown Prince wait during a night of service.
But tonight had been unexpected.
Seeing Chunping’s anxious expression beside her, she waved her hand to dismiss her. Zheng Yuande had already tactfully withdrawn when she emerged, gesturing for hot water to be prepared.
Quanfu, who had been standing by with a bowed posture, immediately sent someone to prepare it. He then lowered his voice respectfully and with a smile, saying, “Eunuch Zheng, you’ve worked hard all day. I’ll stay here on duty. Please go to the tea room to rest and have a cup of hot tea. If His Highness needs you, I’ll call for you.”
Zheng Yuande glanced at him sideways. “You seem quite sharp. I’ll go rest then, but you all must be careful and attentive.”
Quanshou, who had been waiting nearby, immediately stepped forward with a bowed posture and a smile to lead the way.
Seeing this, Zheng Yuande finally smiled, nodding in satisfaction.
In his position, many people tried their best to curry favor with him. He wasn’t afraid of those who flattered him, but he worried about those who were foolish and only focused on pleasing him, forgetting their own masters.
In Shen Zhaoxun’s quarters, it seemed the palace maid named Chunping and this round-faced young eunuch were in charge. Chunping appeared steady enough.
This round-faced young eunuch knew how to handle things and had a sweet tongue, but he didn’t seem like the short-sighted, profit-driven type. Otherwise, he would have escorted him to the tea room himself.
Inside the room, Shen Yanshui padded forward softly in her embroidered soft-soled shoes, leaning in to look at him with his eyes closed as if already fast asleep. She couldn’t help but gaze at him a little longer.
His features were deep-set, his eyelashes long. When his eyes were closed, they looked like two small fans, making her fingers itch with the urge to touch them.
She had noticed earlier from the side that his jawline was sharp and smooth, but she hadn’t expected it to look just as handsome even when he was lying down.
Most importantly, the color and shape of his lips were also quite beautiful…
Cui Yu wasn’t actually asleep, merely resting with his eyes closed. Just as he was about to open them, he keenly sensed her sudden, fixed gaze on his face. Considering her identity, he remained still for a moment.
Then… his brow furrowed.
He suddenly opened his eyes, looking at her wide-eyed expression with a momentary confusion and even speechlessness.
“What were you… doing just now?”
Shen Yanshui calmly withdrew the finger that had been touching his eyelashes, then slipped off her shoes, climbed into bed, and pulled up the covers in one smooth motion.
Cui Yu turned to stare at her, his voice slightly low. “Speak.”
Shen Yanshui half-covered her face with the quilt, mumbling awkwardly and muffled, “This concubine thought Your Highness was asleep… I didn’t realize Your Highness was still awake…”
Being stared at so closely by his sharp, dark eyes, Shen Yanshui felt a bit pressured. Indeed, men were better when their eyes were closed.
“Your Highness, has anyone ever told you that you’re very handsome?”
Seeing his frown, she immediately lowered the quilt a little, her tone extremely sincere as she looked at him with bright eyes. “This concubine means it. Just now, I was looking and thinking how good-looking the Crown Prince is, every part of you is handsome, even your eyelashes are so thick and long… I don’t know what came over my finger, it seemed to have a mind of its own…”
“…” Cui Yu stared at her pleading, ingratiating expression, listening to her shameless flattery without a hint of embarrassment, and was momentarily stunned.
As the legitimate son of the empress, he had been surrounded by all kinds of flattery since childhood, but he had never heard such straightforward, utterly unsubtle praise.
As the future Crown Prince of Dayong, the attention of everyone inside and outside the court was fixed on his every word and action. No one would ever focus on his face, and even if they did, no one would dare say it directly to him.
Gazing at her undisguised, frank expression, he turned and lay back down.
Just as Shen Yanshui breathed a sigh of relief, thinking the matter was over, a sturdy, slender, and powerful body suddenly pressed down on her.
Shen Yanshui: “???” So sudden?
The first time, Shen Yanshui had feigned shyness and followed the rules taught by the palace matrons, as according to palace regulations, leaving marks on the Crown Prince was a serious offense that damaged his noble body.
Although the time seemed a bit short when it ended… Huh? She suddenly froze. Was that just now… a Supernatural Ability?!
Her heart tightened slightly, but after carefully sensing it, that faint, peculiar feeling vanished without a trace.
Cui Yu noticed her distraction and frowned, somewhat displeased…
“Ah…” Shen Yanshui was caught off guard by his actions and cried out, completely pulling her thoughts back to the present.
The second time, halfway through, she felt she could try making some changes, also because… someone’s technique really wasn’t up to par.
This was something that should bring pleasure and comfort to both parties, and she didn’t want to be the only one suffering in the future.
She reached out her arms, gently wrapping them around his shoulders, feeling his body suddenly tense up. The palm of her hand could clearly sense the rise and fall of the muscle lines beneath her touch.
By the faint moonlight, she vaguely saw the contours of his body’s movements. Though not entirely clear, the real sensation under her palm assured her that this was more perfect than any body she had ever seen before.
She whispered two sentences softly into his ear.
Cui Yu: “…Mm.”
Hearing his indifferent voice, Shen Yanshui had originally planned to endure it for today and take it step by step next time. After all, although the palace matrons taught about such matters during the selection process, it wasn’t quite appropriate for an unmarried girl like her to know too much.
But unexpectedly, she soon felt that he was no longer just relying on brute force, charging recklessly. Instead, he kept watching her face intently.
She responded tentatively.
In the end, she discovered that he was actually observing her reactions. This small discovery made her quite happy.
Judging by the Crown Prince’s current temperament, overall, he should still be quite tolerant.
Her mind briefly wandered, thoughts scattered by the impact, fully immersed in the moment.
That night, for Cui Yu, it was unprecedented to call for water twice.
For Zheng Yuande, it was even more astonishing!
His Highness had never been one to indulge in women—once was already the limit. This was the first time His Highness had called for water twice in one night!
This Shen Zhaoxun truly was no ordinary person.