The shopkeeper snickered softly. This person truly had no sense of danger. He didn’t even go to inquire—Prince of Yan lived up to his name: a man who killed without a second thought!
From afar, even a single strand of his hair seemed terrifying. Who would be foolish enough to get involved with him?
There was no need to overthink how to scare someone; even when death was near, some people still pretended otherwise.
He glanced at her disdainfully, his tone dripping with mockery as he slowly turned around. “Hah, not only to be his father-in-law, I still want to be his fath…”
The rest of the words stuck in his throat. The few people restraining Yu Jiao exchanged confused looks.
The shopkeeper froze on the spot, as if he had seen a ghost, staring at the doorway.
Chu Yin’s red robe swayed, his smile wickedly charming, his silhouette oddly familiar.
He lazily crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe at an angle, a half-smile playing on his lips, looking at them as if he were watching a performance. The hem of his robe lifted slightly in the wind, giving him an air of complete leisure.
Th-this…
The shopkeeper swallowed hard, his legs rooted to the ground, unable to move.
Coincidence, pure coincidence… this had to be a coincidence.
Once he got rid of the Prince of Yan, he would tear her apart!
When their eyes met, the shopkeeper broke out in cold sweat, lips trembling, unable to speak for a long time.
“Even seeing the prince, you don’t kneel? Don’t want that thing on your neck anymore?” Yu Jiao suddenly spoke.
In an instant, everyone in the shop, except Yu Jiao, lowered their heads to the ground.
“R-r-r-r… Greetings, Your Highness!!”
“Spare us, Your Highness!!”
Yu Jiao laughed gleefully, revealing two small tiger-like fangs, which made Chu Yin’s heart skip slightly. He subtly raised an eyebrow.
Such a mischievous little thing. Well, he thought, if he was idle, he could play along with her for a while.
The air was filled with her laughter. Those kneeling on the ground froze for a moment before realizing it had been her speaking.
“Your Highness.” The shopkeeper crawled forward a few steps, his eyes fixed on Chu Yin’s shoe tips.
Summoning his courage, he said, “Your Highness, this person just tried to use your name to avoid paying in the shop. She even claimed she is the Princess Consort of Yan!”
A glint of malice flashed in the shopkeeper’s eyes. Rumor had it the Princess Consort of Yan never lived past three days; everyone knew that each new consort died on her wedding night.
This person was truly brainless.
Chu Yin raised his eyelids to look at her. The little rabbit was smiling cheerfully, quickly winking at him.
He cursed inwardly: frivolous.
Until the shopkeeper and the others’ backs were soaked, Chu Yin finally spoke with a trace of amusement: “Oh? And what do you suggest be done?”
“Naturally, skin her alive, dislocate her joints, and hang her corpse at the city gate for three days.”
“Hah,” Chu Yin licked his lips. “Is that really necessary to tarnish the city gate?”
“Yes, yes, yes, Your Highness is right. Perhaps… let her cut off her own head. Then she won’t speak nonsense again.”
“Fine.” Chu Yin smiled bloodthirstily, pulling a dagger from his sleeve and tossing it in front of him. The metallic clatter rang sharply.
The shopkeeper lifted his head abruptly, utterly confused.
Chu Yin reached for Yu Jiao, his voice low and commanding: “Come here.”
Yu Jiao obediently leapt into his arms, pouting playfully: “Kiss, Your Highness~”
She pressed intimately against his chest.
Chu Yin arched an eyebrow and whispered near her ear, “This ‘kiss’—is it kissing the prince or… the prince?”
Yu Jiao’s body froze for a moment, maintaining her coquettish smile as she pinched his waist, causing him to let out two low chuckles.
The killing prince… smiled?!
The shopkeeper and the others gaped in shock, as if struck by lightning, dumbfounded.
Yu Jiao, mischievous as ever, pointed at the shopkeeper and said, “Your Highness, he said he wants to be your father-in-law.”
The shopkeeper’s eyes widened like copper bells. He prostrated himself violently on the ground: “Spare me, Your Highness, spare me! I failed to recognize the Princess Consort of Yan, I was wrong, I beg Your Highness to spare me… spare…”
“Quiet.”
Chu Yin’s voice fell, and the shop fell silent.
A large hand covered Yu Jiao’s eyes. Through the small gap, she still saw…
The shopkeeper’s head was gone, the wound smooth, no blood splattering on them. Chu Yin’s crimson robe remained spotless.
He circled his arm around her waist, took the jewelry box from her hand, and leisurely walked out.
Only when the two were far away did the people on the ground collapse.
One of them, staring at the shopkeeper’s body, trembled: “Sh-should we report this to the master?”
In their eyes, the master and madam were no less than Prince of Yan.
Another shivered and added: “No! If the master finds out, he will surely kill us!”
“Yes, the master wouldn’t dare touch Prince of Yan, but he would certainly punish us.”
“Then we should tell the young lady, say that Yu Jiao stole the shop’s goods and killed the shopkeeper.”
They nodded in agreement and fled out the back.
…
Yu Jiao sat in Chu Yin’s arms, her eyes curved like crescent moons. Even as he played with her fingers, she didn’t resist.
Chu Yin bent down and kissed her fingertips again and again.
“Your Highness, if we sell these jewelry to all the officials’ madams, we could make a fortune!” Yu Jiao held up the box, her face full of expectation.
Chu Yin absentmindedly kneaded her fingers, voice indifferent: “What does this have to do with this Prince?”
He understood her intentions. Anyone would buy if he were to sell it, and the price would be entirely up to him. He noted her little cunning.
But… why did he let her succeed?
Who allowed her every request to be fulfilled?
Yu Jiao clung to his arm, pouting and swaying, trying again. Failing that, she wrapped her arms around his neck, locking eyes with him.
Chu Yin said nonchalantly, “Say something sweet first.”
Yu Jiao’s eyes lit up. She cleared her throat and teased: “Your Highness~~”
Chu Yin’s mouth twitched. “If you can’t say it properly, forget it.”
She instantly returned to her normal voice, obediently calling out.
Chu Yin glanced at her, reminding: “In the shop earlier, you didn’t call me that. Think carefully.”
Yu Jiao pressed her lips together, recalling, and the words “kissing the prince” suddenly popped into her mind. Her face flushed.
He watched her leisurely, glancing out the window, and casually remarked, “Seems we’re almost at the Yu residence.”
Yu Jiao froze, suddenly burying her head in his chest and murmuring: “Kissing, Your Highness.”
Chu Yin felt a softness in his chest, utterly pleased, letting out two low chuckles.
Seeing the Yu residence closer, she glanced at his lips and sweetly asked, “You must be thirsty, Your Highness. Shall we have some tea at the Yu residence?”
Chu Yin looked at her casually. “Just tea?”
Yu Jiao instinctively touched her nose, eyes darting around, murmuring shyly: “There are many treasures in the Yu residence’s storeroom.”
Chu Yin chuckled, flicked her nose, and scolded: “Ambitious.”
Yu Jiao stuck out her tongue, eyes sparkling with stars. “So… Your Highness agrees?”
“Say it first.”
“You’re the best, kissing Your Highness~”
Chu Yin felt a tightening in his throat; her voice was truly tantalizing. He thought, next time, he’d have her call it somewhere else.
Yu Jiao avoided the main gate, having the carriage stop beside the outer wall of the Yu residence. She pulled Chu Yin out.
A hint of doubt flashed in Chu Yin’s eyes. “Not the main gate?”
“No.” She held his hand with one hand, pointing to a wall with the other. “We’ll climb in from here.”