The morning meal was simple, and the Emperor took only a few bites.
Before long, he set down his chopsticks and glanced at Cui Cheng. “Who prepared the hot water in the hall last night?”
Cui Cheng’s legs went weak at the familiar question, and he dropped to his knees.
“It was this slave…”
The Emperor hummed in acknowledgment, leaving it unclear whether he was commenting on the meal or the hot water from the night before.
“Not bad.”
Cui Cheng sneaked a peek and saw the Emperor’s gaze fixed on a vase of deep red peonies by the window.
Feng Rang had presented those peonies just before dawn.
The freshest buds had been plucked and placed in the vase; now they had bloomed, still glistening with dewdrops.
They looked utterly enchanting and seductive.
Cui Cheng’s mind raced, and he quickly spoke up. “It was this slave who ordered Feng Rang to prepare the hot water.”
The Emperor nodded. “Reward him.”
Cui Cheng’s face lit up with joy.
He knew Feng Rang’s ailing mother lay bedridden at home. Though the Feng brothers tended to her with all the filial devotion they could muster, they simply lacked the silver to buy medicine and could only watch helplessly as her condition worsened.
“Thank you, Your Majesty!”
The sheer delight in his voice drew the Emperor’s attention; he turned his head and looked down at him. “It’s not a reward for you. Why are you so happy?”
Cui Cheng rose and poured more tea. “Your Majesty is pleased, so naturally this slave is happy.”
“Pleased?”
The Emperor lifted the cup to his lips for a sip, then set it down.
It was bitter at first, then sweetly lingering, with faint hints of ginseng and goji berries.
“…”
The Emperor shot Cui Cheng a cold glance.
Cui Cheng offered a bashful smile and refilled the cup.
Yun Jichu woke in a daze late that morning.
No incense burned in Zichen Hall, leaving only a faint lotus scent in the air—like the fragrance that clung to Helian Jin’s body.
At first last night, she hadn’t been able to adjust and had desperately wanted him to leave.
But he refused to relent, pressing on as if he understood her pain. He slowed his movements and kissed her over and over, his manner both tender and commanding, impossible to resist.
In the end, Yun Jichu gave in to him.
She clutched his damp, sticky fingers, refusing to let him seize control of her waist again.
Helian Jin’s hands were large, his fingers long and perfectly proportioned. In her moments of abandon last night, Yun Jichu’s mind had been filled with a single thought: What a shame he doesn’t play the piano.
Those hands would look stunning adorned with any ring.
Her occupational habit kicked in, and she mentally sketched out all sorts of rings, her eyes glued to his fingers.
Until Helian Jin bent down, pinning her hand beneath his against the pillow before deepening the kiss in punishment.
“Spacing out again, Ah Chu.”
“Milady, shall we serve the meal?”
Lady Shuxiu called softly from outside.
“Ah.” Yun Jichu snapped back to reality, her cheeks instantly aflame.
“Yes, yes—serve the meal.” Then she remembered something. “Where is the Crown Prince today?”
Lady Shuxiu replied, “His Highness was just here a moment ago. When he heard Milady was still asleep, he left.”
Yun Jichu had assumed people in ancient times paid their respects at dawn, but she hadn’t expected the Crown Prince to visit mid-morning.
“Has he gone far?”
“Not yet.”
“Quick, go call him back. I have something to say to the Crown Prince.”
Yun Jichu brushed aside her stray thoughts and drew back the bed curtains.
The Crown Prince strode along with perfect poise when he suddenly noticed the peonies blooming vibrantly to one side. He summoned the eunuch trailing behind him. “Pick the reddest, freshest ones. Take the white jade vase I received the other day, arrange them beautifully, and send it all to Zichen Hall.”
The eunuch bowed and hurried off to comply.
Noon approached, and the sun blazed overhead. An elderly eunuch stepped forward to fan him. “Why didn’t Your Highness come at dawn? It’s so hot now—mind the summer heat.”
The Crown Prince replied indifferently, “If Mother knew I paid respects every morning at first light, she wouldn’t sleep soundly.”
“These past days, I know she usually rises toward the end of early morning.”
“But today she slept late. I wonder if she’s unwell.”
Worry creased the Crown Prince’s brow.
The old eunuch sighed in admiration. “Your Highness’s filial heart is truly moving. When the Empress learns of it, she’ll dote on you even more—and His Majesty will hold you in even higher esteem.”
The Crown Prince halted and gave him a sharp glance.
“Why bring it to Mother’s attention? She already dotes on me and the Princess. What are you implying?”
The old eunuch kept the thought to himself: The Crown Prince is still so young; he has no idea how deeply the current Empress is favored. Once she bears an imperial son, what place will there be for him? His own birth mother, the Late Empress, was nothing more than a lowly palace maid.
The Empress’s kindness toward him and the Princess now was just a performance for the Emperor’s benefit—only a naive five-year-old would take it at face value.
He had assumed the Crown Prince’s morning visits were merely to preserve his reputation for filial piety, ensuring he could hold his ground before the Emperor in the future.
He never imagined the boy was so innocent, truly viewing the Empress as his own mother.
How laughable.
The old eunuch lowered his gaze and said nothing.
The Crown Prince spoke coldly. “Have him take over fanning. The peony roots are packed hard—you stay here and loosen the soil.”
The little eunuch who had been pointed at was only fifteen or sixteen years old. He hurried forward to take the fan.
He didn’t dare look up at the blazing sun slowly climbing overhead, nor did he dare glance at the Crown Prince’s face.
“Crown Prince, please wait!”
The Crown Prince turned around and saw Lady Shuxiu—the lady by his mother’s side—hurrying over.
Knowing that Lady Shuxiu was his mother’s trusted confidante, he stepped closer and said, “Lady Shuxiu.”
Lady Shuxiu curtsied. “Crown Prince, Her Majesty is up. When she heard you’d come by, she summoned you over.”
The Crown Prince’s eyes brightened. He shifted his stance but then paused. “This prince still has… matters to attend to today…”
The little eunuch caught sight of the Crown Prince’s joyful expression and quickly chimed in, “Crown Prince, you finished your morning lessons early today. You can go keep the Empress company without worry now!”
The Crown Prince shot him a glance.
Only then did the little eunuch realize he’d overstepped. He dropped to his knees at once. “This slave deserves death.”
Lady Shuxiu pressed her lips together.
The Crown Prince said, “Never mind. Get up and come with this prince to Zichen Hall.”
Today, Yun Jichu pulled Ah Nian into a hug.
But Ah Nian seemed rather shy about it.
Though the moment he’d been drawn into her arms, he’d instinctively wrapped his little hands around her back—the next instant, reason seemed to conquer his emotions, and he pushed gently against her.
Yun Jichu paid it no mind.
She held him until she was satisfied, then finally let go.
She couldn’t help feeling that she was just as domineering as Helian Jin.
The Crown Prince’s gaze darted about, his words stumbling over themselves. “Your son’s lessons today… today’s lessons have already been handed to the Grand Tutor.”
Yun Jichu eyed the pair of little legs dangling beneath his chair—so rigidly straight they didn’t even swing.
It seemed that back when they’d first met, he hadn’t held himself so tightly in check.
“Mother doesn’t care a whit about your lessons. Go tell your Imperial Father about that.”
“Your son understands.”
Yun Jichu let out a soft sigh and asked him, “Ah Nian, why don’t you refer to yourself as Ah Nian? Why don’t you call me Mother?”
The Crown Prince rarely faced a question he couldn’t answer right away. He pondered it for a moment.
“A gentleman—”
“But to Mother, you’re clearly just a child.”
The Crown Prince lowered his gaze and bit his lower lip. “Mother, Ah Nian understands.”
Yun Jichu couldn’t resist pinching his cheek again. “That’s more like it. Here, have some.”
The Crown Prince rarely ate sweets, and with Yun Jichu stuffing a piece of sugar cake into his mouth, he wasn’t sure where to even begin.
Yun Jichu savored hers with relish.
The Crown Prince watched her for a moment, then quietly took a tiny nibble of his own.
It was delicious.
Surprisingly so. He’d always thought sweet cakes would be cloying, but this one was rich and flavorful, with an endless aftertaste.
Just like Mother’s lingering embrace from moments before.
Emboldened, he took several more bites in quick succession.
Even as he nibbled at the sugar cake, the Crown Prince’s movements remained impeccably refined—chewing slowly and deliberately.
Yun Jichu found the sight utterly pleasing.
“Ah Nian, I heard you had no lessons yesterday. Why did you only see Mother for a fleeting moment before dashing off?”
The Crown Prince knew Yun Jichu was always direct, but even so, the question gave him pause.
“Ah Huan was ill. Mother must have been rushing to Penglai Hall.”
“We could have gone together.”
The Crown Prince fell silent.
Yun Jichu knew Ah Nian was a deep thinker. If he’d made up his mind to keep something secret, nothing would make him speak of it.
She respected that and let the matter drop, saying only, “How about Mother takes you all to fly kites another day?”
“Better not,” the Crown Prince replied. “The weather’s too hot. Mother should watch out for heatstroke.”
“You’re worried about my heatstroke, yet you came all the way to Zichen Hall under this blazing sun to find me. What about your own?”
The Crown Prince fell silent once more.
Yun Jichu set down her chopsticks and took a sip of tea.
Lady Shuxiu stepped forward and murmured, “Your Majesty, as you instructed, we’ve removed most of the incense burners from the hall.”
Yun Jichu nodded. “Now His Majesty can recover in peace.”
At the mention of recovery, the Crown Prince spoke up with concern. “Has Imperial Father’s injury flared up?”
“Injury?” Yun Jichu frowned in confusion. “What injury?”
The Crown Prince froze, then mumbled, “N-nothing.”
Yun Jichu wasn’t about to let it go. “If Ah Nian won’t tell me, I’ll just go ask your Imperial Father myself—and I’ll say it was you who told me to.”
“Mother…” For once, the Crown Prince’s tone softened.
“Out with it, quick.”
What injury could it be? She had no idea.
Last night, he’d been full of vigor, practically devouring her whole. He hadn’t seemed injured in the slightest.
The Crown Prince muttered reluctantly, “Imperial Father…”
“Mother… Your son suddenly feels a sharp pain in his stomach that’s unbearable. If you’ll excuse me first…”
Yun Jichu crossed her arms and fixed him with a look. “Fine, go on ahead then. I’ll go find your Imperial Father right now.”
In truth, Yun Jichu wasn’t so sure of herself.
Since Helian Jin was keeping it from her, Yun Jichu had no way of knowing. But the little one before her was different—he was still so young, nothing like that sly fox Helian Jin.
The Crown Prince answered honestly. “Father Emperor has a wound on his body that hasn’t healed after all this time.”
Yun Jichu let out a startled cry. “How did I not know about this?!”
Even last night, in the midst of their intimacy, she hadn’t noticed.
Yun Jichu racked her brains, thinking back carefully.
Last night on the bed, Helian Jin hadn’t removed his clothes. And later, when they went to the bathhouse, his garments had been soaked through as they shared the tub…
She had assumed it was just one of his wily tricks, getting her all hot and bothered with those wet clothes.
“How big is the wound? How long has it been there?”
The Crown Prince couldn’t answer.
“I only learned of it by chance,” he said. “I’ve been so worried that every time I get close to Father Emperor, I sniff carefully. Nine times out of ten, I catch the scent of blood.”
“That proves it hasn’t healed.”
Yun Jichu murmured to herself, “The scent of blood?”
Last night, all she had smelled was his faint, elegant lotus fragrance—no trace of blood at all.
She feared blood more than anything and was extremely sensitive to its smell.
The Crown Prince hopped down from his chair. “Mother… Father Emperor never lets Ah Nian pry into his affairs. Could you… please not tell him that I know?”
Yun Jichu placed her hands on his shoulders. “Ah Nian, your Imperial Father knows how much you care about him. He simply doesn’t say it aloud.”
The Crown Prince replied, “Ah Nian doesn’t need Father Emperor to know. I only wish for Father Emperor and Mother Empress to be happy and healthy.”