The crown prince has arrived, and what a grand procession he has brought: a vast retinue, fine horses and a fragrant carriage, with the line stretching beyond sight.
Crown prince Zhou He rode a white steed at the front, looking radiant. He held his neck high, as though afraid no one would see him.
The crown prince resembles the emperor, though he is not as handsome as Zhou Jin. His features are regular, and his fleshy, square face makes him look rather honest and simpleminded.
Rather than coming to participate in bandit suppression, the crown prince seemed to have come on a spring outing, bringing quite a few beautiful maidservants with him.
The crown prince’s arrogant, smug appearance made his honest-looking face seem especially deserving of a beating.
Song Xingzhi, standing among the welcoming party, could not help rolling his eyes. He whispered to Xu Bao'er, who was standing beside him.
“A-San, if I had known, I would have worn a mask like you.”
“To block out some of the crown prince’s foolishness.”
Xu Bao'er was amused, but before she could respond to Song Xingzhi, he immediately straightened up and pretended nothing had happened.
It turned out that the crown prince’s horse had already arrived before them.
The crown prince dismounted and walked straight toward Zhou Jin, completely ignoring the crown princess behind him.
“Fourth brother, you have worked hard.”
“I heard you were injured. Are you all right now?”
The crown prince spoke as though addressing a minister. Although his words sounded concerned about Zhou Jin, his heart was elsewhere, and he had not even looked Zhou Jin in the eye.
“I am already fine. Thank you for your concern, crown prince.”
Zhou Jin calmly dealt with the crown prince’s inquiries about his well-being. From their seemingly harmonious interaction, no one could tell that they had shared grudges since childhood.
As a child, the crown prince was nothing like his honest-looking appearance suggested. His methods were vicious beyond his years. He had once tied Zhou Jin up, hung him from a wooden stake, and placed him over a fire basin, as though roasting a pig or a lamb.
“Hahaha, that madwoman from the Cold Palace set the imperial palace on fire. Today, This crown prince will roast her son.”
“The way your skin splits and your flesh chars is truly beautiful.”
“Tell me, what will your flesh taste like? Will it taste like pork, duck, or lamb?”
“Xiao Dezi, do you all want to eat some?”
The fiercer Zhou Jin’s gaze became, and the more he endured in silence, the more pleased the crown prince grew. After all, burning him to death was no more serious than burning a eunuch to death.
Although Zhou Jin had been rescued by Consort De that time, the crown prince’s methods of torturing people were endless. The emperor’s silence only encouraged his behavior.
Even after doing so many cruel things to Zhou Jin in their youth, the crown prince could still pretend they were brothers deeply attached to each other.
By reading the crown prince’s thoughts, Xu Bao'er learned about Zhou Jin’s past. It turned out that his childhood had been far more miserable than she had imagined.
That detestable crown prince—just wait until tonight.
Xu Yu'er, whose arrival had been delayed, finally appeared behind the crown prince.
She wore a gorgeous crimson hibiscus gown with a long hem and tassels. Because the dress was so long, it took her considerable effort to get out of the carriage.
The crown prince gave Xu Yu'er a sidelong glance. Frightened, she pressed her lips together and stood obediently, daring to look only at the ground beneath her eyelids.
“Crown prince, please come inside.”
Zhou Jin led the way for the crown prince, greatly satisfying the latter’s vanity. So what if Zhou Jin was more outstanding? He was a minister, while the crown prince was the future ruler.
Zhou Jin would forever have to crawl beneath his feet. Once he ascended the imperial throne, Zhou Jin would be the first person he killed.
The crown prince hated Zhou Jin to the core. Every time the emperor summoned him for a reprimand, he ordered him to learn from Zhou Jin, repeating it so often that the crown prince’s ears were nearly callused.
A bastard born of a remnant of the former dynasty—what right did he have to stand as an equal with him? He was not even as worthy as the dog at his gate.
The crown prince regretted not killing Zhou Jin sooner, allowing him to threaten his claim to the imperial throne.
Xu Yu'er followed closely behind the crown prince, but her eyes kept stealing glances at Zhou Jin. She had never seen him before; this was her first time meeting him.
She had married the crown prince while Zhou Jin had been fighting at the frontier. On the few occasions when they could have attended the same banquets, Xu Yu'er had avoided going under the pretext of illness, fearing she would anger the crown prince.
Xu Yu'er had never expected the Ghost Who Frightens Everyone from the rumors, said to have a fierce and extremely ugly face, to be astonishingly handsome.
Xu Yu'er stared at him in a daze. The crown prince’s appearance could not compare even to a single strand of Zhou Jin’s hair.
Indeed, how could the son of the breathtakingly beautiful Consort Jing possibly be an ugly man?
Thinking this, Xu Yu'er was filled with regret.
“That slut Xu Bao'er got such a bargain.”
“Look at how smug she was that day. Sooner or later, I’ll slap that face of hers raw.”
“But Prince Duan is just an embroidered pillow. He cannot perform in that regard, so what kind of man is he?”
Although Xu Yu'er consoled herself with these thoughts, she was still furious. The crown prince could not perform in that regard either, and he was not even worthy of being called an embroidered pillow.
When they arrived at the county magistrate’s residence, the crown prince and Xu Yu'er took the seats of honor. The crown prince waved his hand, and a group of male attendants carrying boxes entered in perfect formation.
“I heard that you were poisoned some time ago, fourth brother, and that your body was already severely weakened. This must have made matters even worse.”
“No wonder you avoid women, fourth brother. It turns out you suffer from a hidden ailment and cannot speak of it.”
“Fourth brother, look. I carefully selected all of these for you.”
“I guarantee they’ll make you vigorous and potent. Hahaha.”
The crown prince was too absorbed in his own amusement to notice that everyone’s expression had changed. Song Xingzhi was so angry that even the corners of his mouth trembled. If looks could kill, the crown prince would have died millions of times over.
“Thank you, crown prince. I never expected you to be so well versed in this field.”
“I am truly surprised.”
Zhou Jin calmly thanked the crown prince for his good intentions, completely unmoved by the provocation.
Only a man who truly could not perform would lose his temper out of shame. He would not.
The crown prince laughed, but by the end, his smile suddenly froze. Huh? Was Zhou Jin mocking him?
Late at night, the crown prince slept like a log, his snores deafening. Xu Yu'er could not sleep at all and glared at him disdainfully.
That dead pig.
At that moment, her mind was filled with Zhou Jin’s appearance during the day, and the thought made her heart flutter.
Zhou Jin had worn a white brocade python-patterned robe. His auspicious phoenix eyes were cold and aloof, and his high, straight nose stirred the imagination. Those slender, long fingers with their distinct knuckles made Xu Yu'er’s heart itch.
Xu Yu'er tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Zhou Jin had not even looked at her properly. Of course—how could a man who had seen Xu Bao'er take an interest in her?
But the more unattainable something was, the more she wanted it.
Zhou Jin’s asceticism and distant air made Xu Yu'er feel that merely meeting his gaze could get her pregnant.
The more he resembled a flower on a high ridge, lofty and beyond reach, the more Xu Yu'er wanted him.
Even if he could not perform, Xu Yu'er would willingly accepting him. His face alone was sweet as honey.
At that moment, Xu Bao'er was crouching beneath the window. Hearing Xu Yu'er’s thoughts, she felt that at least the sisters shared the same taste in men.
However, since Xu Yu'er dared to covet her man, Xu Bao'er would have to show her exactly what she was capable of.
A wave of soporific smoke drifted inside. Xu Yu'er, who had been restless and consumed by spring fever, slowly closed her eyes.