A night without dreams, straight through until dawn—Shen Yanshui had slept very well.
When Chunping, Xia’an, and the others came to attend her rising, they saw her face without a trace of powder, fair skin flushed with a healthy glow, and couldn’t help but smile themselves.
While she was eating breakfast, Shen Yanshui saw Dongyi trot in, wearing a smile as she greeted her first. “This servant pays respects to her mistress.”
Shen Yanshui could tell from her expression that she’d learned some news from outside again. She asked, “What is it?”
Dongyi’s eyes were bright. “Just now this servant heard the little eunuch guarding the gate at Haoyue Studio say that Chu Liangdi won’t be attending the Jinming Pond gathering for this Duanyang Festival. By the time this servant came back, quite a few of the young mistresses were already heading toward the Crown Princess’s place.”
“Oh?” Shen Yanshui raised an eyebrow, though she wasn’t surprised—Chu Liangdi didn’t seem like someone without sense, and now that she was about seven months along, naturally the child came first.
Qiuyi stood to the side, pressing her lips together with a smile. “With the Crown Prince’s backing, my mistress will certainly be able to go, without needing to rack her brains trying to please the Crown Princess like the others.”
Dongyi lifted her little chin too, laughing. “Of course. Our mistress is just the one the Crown Prince favors.”
Chunping glanced at her at this but only smiled, saying nothing to dampen the mood. She knew that outside, Dongyi was actually quite composed—it was only in front of their own people that she acted like this.
Not counting today, there were only two days left until the Duanyang Festival, but being able to attend the Jinming Pond gathering alongside the Crown Prince and Crown Princess wasn’t just a chance to watch the excitement—it was a good opportunity to be seen.
By then the Crown Princess would surely be seated beside the Empress, and their people from the Eastern Palace would naturally sit together with the Crown Princess.
If they could catch the Empress’s eye and win her favor, the Crown Prince would likely look upon them more favorably too.
Not to mention, if they were seen in such a setting, their own families back home—parents, sisters, brothers—would gain face as well, and would naturally hold them in higher regard.
So during this period before the list of attendants was announced, those who wanted to go were all showing off their own means.
Now that it was confirmed Chu Liangdi wouldn’t be going, their own chances had clearly grown somewhat, and so everyone grew even more eager to please.
Shen Yanshui simply treated it as a bit of gossip to listen to—after all, there had never been a shortage of people trying to curry favor with the Crown Prince and Crown Princess. According to Dongyi, the soups and snacks sent to the Crown Prince from every courtyard never stopped.
Chunping and the others had at first tried to get her to send things too, and she did have someone ask the kitchen about it—but after learning how expensive the food meant for the Crown Prince’s mouth was, she immediately dropped the idea.
Besides, given the Crown Prince’s appetite, he probably couldn’t finish it all anyway. Ah, what a waste…
As noon approached, the sky was clear for miles, sunlight blazing down.
“Godfather, Wu Chenghui from Haitang Court just sent over more soup. Should it be brought in to His Highness?”
Zheng Yuande kicked him in the backside. “I say you’re an idiot and you really are one. If His Highness ate whatever anyone sent up, wouldn’t he end up stuffed sick? Besides, you’ve been here several days now—when have you ever seen His Highness touch any of that stuff?”
Aside from occasionally tasting food sent by the Crown Princess, ever since the time His Highness had unwittingly drunk a bowl of deer-penis soup, he’d never again touched food sent by any other woman.
That day, following his usual routine, as the Crown Prince finished handling official matters and stepped out of the study, he quietly reported, “Your Highness, just now Xiefang Hall, Haitang Court, Zhuxiang Residence, and Lianxin Courtyard all sent soups and fruits. Would Your Highness like to try any?”
If the Crown Princess hadn’t also sent something today, there would have been no need to even mention it—those things would simply have ended up in his own stomach shortly after.
“Give them all to you.” Cui Yu adjusted his robe, tucking the hem into his waist belt, preparing to practice some forms in the courtyard to loosen up his body. Then, tilting his eyes to the side, he suddenly asked, “What did Lianxin Courtyard send?”
Zheng Yuande blanked for a moment before quickly recovering, reporting with a smile, “Reporting to Your Highness, Lianxin Courtyard sent yam and goji berry soup. This servant has it warming on the stove now. Would Your Highness like to try it?”
Cui Yu nodded without objection. “I’ll drink it later.”
After he’d worked up his usual light sweat from practice, bathed, and changed, Zheng Yuande promptly brought the soup up at just the right temperature.
Cui Yu drank a little more than half a bowl, showing no intention of having a second. After meeting with a few more officials from the Eastern Palace to finish some business, he glanced at the sky outside the window and rose, instructing, “To Lianxin Courtyard.”
“Yes, Your Highness.” — black lotus novel Novel Translation · Black Lotus
Even before Cui Yu had stepped onto the corridor leading to the rear building, a little eunuch had already been peeking around near Yuehua Gate. Spotting the Crown Prince approaching from a distance, the eunuch’s face lit up with joy and he hurried back to Lianxin Courtyard.
Entering Lianxin Courtyard, he nearly collided with Quanshou.
Quanshou was startled and quickly hugged the things in his arms tight—these were grapevine cuttings and wild strawberry plants his mistress had just requested from the Department of Eunuchs!
“Why are you running so fast?” he asked, frowning. This was Xiao Xingzi, an attendant who served Consort Liu, and he was usually quite deferential and eager to please toward the people of their East Side Hall. Why was he being so reckless today?
Xiao Xingzi hurriedly begged pardon several times, but without waiting for Quanshou to respond, hurried on into the West Side Hall.
Quanshou wasn’t one to press an advantage, and seeing that the boy was genuinely in a hurry, he didn’t bother arguing with him.
Dongyi, who happened to witness the scene, had just furrowed her brow when, moments later, she saw the gate across the way open. Consort Liu emerged, elegantly and meticulously dressed, leaning on Yinping’s arm, her expression carrying a hint of excitement.
Dongyi found this puzzling—it was nearly time for the evening meal, so what was Consort Liu doing heading out now?
Watching her saunter unhurriedly toward the entrance, Dongyi scratched her forehead, unable to work it out, and gave up trying.
Just then, Quanshou suddenly came running over. “His Highness the Crown Prince is here!”
Just as Dongyi’s spirits lifted, she heard the voice of Eunuch Zheng at the Crown Prince’s side—but in the next instant, she saw Consort Liu nearly collide right into the Crown Prince’s arms.
Dongyi thought to herself immediately: sly! So that was Consort Liu’s plan all along.
“Your Highness?” Consort Liu, dressed in a thin garment made from fabric the Empress had bestowed upon her, angled herself to show off her most flattering side to the Crown Prince, her voice soft and coy as she said, feigning surprise, “This concubine has collided with Your Highness—I beg Your Highness’s forgiveness.”
She could hardly contain her excitement. Earlier that afternoon, from the eunuch she’d spent quite a bit of silver on, she had learned that the Crown Prince had used only the soup tureen she had sent—and ever since, she’d been quietly hopeful.
So she’d sent Xiao Xingzi, who served in her hall, to scout for news up front early on, though at the time she hadn’t been entirely certain the Crown Prince was actually headed to Lianxin Courtyard.
The Crown Prince had finally remembered her, and had truly come to Lianxin Courtyard to see her—this time, she was determined to keep him here!
Cui Yu disliked strangers getting too close to him.
He glanced at the expression of the woman who’d thrown herself into his arms, and his voice turned cold. “Since you’ve lost your composure, tomorrow I’ll have the Crown Princess send a nanny over to reteach you proper conduct.”
Consort Liu’s face instantly went deathly pale, her slight frame swaying as if about to collapse. She raised her eyes to look at him, her gaze filled with shame, indignation, and disbelief.
Then, her body trembling and her face flushed, she wept and begged, “Your Highness, this concubine knows her error. I beg Your Highness’s mercy and forgiveness—I’ll never do it again!”
Cui Yu’s expression remained cold, his voice even colder. “Two months’ confinement.” With that, he turned and walked off without another glance.
“Th-thank you, Your Highness, for your mercy.”
Zheng Yuande furrowed his brow, displeased, and waved his hand. Attendants immediately stepped forward and swiftly escorted the pale, drained Consort Liu into the West Side Hall. Lianxin Courtyard fell into sudden silence.
To try such a petty trick in front of the Crown Prince—it was laughable, really.
If something like that actually worked, His Highness would never be able to walk anywhere in peace—there’d be wild bees and butterflies throwing themselves into his arms every single day!
Shen Yanshui had watched nearly the entire scene unfold from start to finish, but it hadn’t seemed like the right moment to step out, so she’d simply stood at the doorway the whole time, performing the bowing courtesy.
After all, the previous incident was still fresh as a cautionary tale.
Though, based on her observations of the Crown Prince recently, she suspected this had likely been a deliberate setup by Consort Liu—otherwise, if it had truly been an accident, he probably wouldn’t have punished her so severely.
Cui Yu climbed the stone steps and saw her still dutifully half-crouched in a bow to greet him. His somewhat displeased mood couldn’t help but soften into helplessness, and he found himself smiling wryly—she really was such an earnest, straightforward one.
He raised his hand to lightly support her arm, and just as he was about to withdraw it, his palm was gently caught by a soft hand. His movement paused.
Shen Yanshui rose to her feet following the support of his hand, and naturally took hold of his hand as she did.
She thought his hands were very good-looking, and she liked the feeling of holding them.
The Crown Prince’s hands were large, dry and strong, with long, well-defined fingers—beautiful at a glance, like the hands of a scholar. Yet his palms carried a thin layer of calluses, and always seemed to carry a faint scent of ink, which she found pleasant.
“Your Highness’s hands are really good-looking.” Seeing him look down at her, she praised him with a genuine smile.
Cui Yu: “…Smooth talker.” But in the end, he didn’t pull his hand back. — black lotus Novel Translations | BLACK LOTUS NOVEL
Shen Yanshui muttered quietly, “This is clearly sweet talk.” She simply didn’t believe anyone disliked being praised.
Cui Yu glanced at her, his tone flat. “Glib-tongued.”
Shen Yanshui: “…” She studied his expression carefully, confirming that he was in fact in a good mood, and couldn’t help but want to laugh. She hadn’t expected that beneath his proud, aloof exterior, this man had a bit of a tsundere streak to him.
