Chapter 48 You're still too naive, Crown Prince...
Upon hearing this, the crown prince's eye twitched involuntarily.
Was her thought of "one more time" what he meant?
He hadn't summoned her for several days, so she felt at ease staying in her own room and didn't step into Chengguang Palace for half a month.
Wasn't she quite familiar with Cao Yuanlu? Yet she never even thought to ask why, and continued to eat and sleep as usual every day.
Upon thinking this, the Crown Prince's gaze turned cold, and he asked Cao Yuanlu, "Why did you summon her here?"
Cao Yuanlu quickly made up an excuse: "Deshun has been sent to the Imperial Household Department by this servant. There are not enough people in Chengguang Hall. This servant was afraid that he would not be able to serve well, so I took the liberty of inviting Miss Yun Kui over."
"When I went to fetch someone, you didn't say a word to stop me!"
Yun Kui lowered her head sullenly.
"So His Highness never intended to have me come in to serve him. What a disappointment."
The crown prince's eyes flickered slightly.
Happy?
He gave a slight smirk and said indifferently, "What could she possibly be here for?"
Yun Kui: "This servant..."
"I can serve you in bed!"
The prince's eyes darkened slightly, as if his heart had been gently scratched by that soft little hand. A subtle itch grew and spread in his blood, and he even felt a faint burning sensation in a certain part of his body, which he could hardly suppress.
He lowered his eyes slightly, his tone calm and even: "I am leaving the palace tonight, you may come with me."
Yun Kui's face lit up with surprise: "Leave...leave the palace?"
"Today is the Lantern Festival! It must be so lively outside the palace! I can go shopping and admire the lanterns!"
Since the beginning of the first month, Emperor Chunming has been furious and has punished many officials. Even the family of the emperor's former confidant, the emperor's brother-in-law, has been stripped of their titles and property. There have even been rumors of scandals involving the heir of the Marquis of Ningde and his concubines. The palace servants, observing the situation, knew that it was inappropriate to hold a grand celebration at this time. Therefore, the usually bustling Taihe Gate and Imperial Garden did not host any lantern shows.
Speaking of leaving the palace, the Crown Prince noticed the girl's bright almond-shaped eyes sparkling, her cherry lips curving slightly, her smile radiant. In particular, her begonia-red dress accentuated her snow-white skin and porcelain-like neck.
Such a troublemaker parading through the streets will undoubtedly attract countless eyes, but his original intention was to travel incognito and he did not wish to draw the attention of the people.
The Crown Prince frowned and said, "I have official business to attend to, so I can travel light. Your attire is too ostentatious."
Yun Kui touched the hair bun by her ear, and looked at this most ordinary dress. How could it be so ostentatious?
Crown Prince: "Go and prepare."
"But I don't have any clothes to wear outside the palace."
Yun Kui returned to her bedroom and rummaged through her chests and drawers looking for clothes. However, she had entered the palace at the age of ten and had never left the Forbidden City since. Most of the clothes in her chests and drawers were palace dresses made by the Imperial Household Department since she entered the palace, and there were also a few dresses that the Empress had previously bestowed upon her, but His Highness the Crown Prince thought they were too flashy...
Just as she was about to pick out an old dress to make do, there was a knock on the door. It was Lanxiu, who served in Chengguang Palace.
Lanxiu entered with a palace maid carrying thick clothes. "These are clothes bestowed upon you by His Highness the Crown Prince. Some of them were prepared by the Ministry of Internal Affairs for palace maids who would serve the Crown Prince. As for this one, His Highness instructed that you wear it when you leave the palace tonight."
Yun Kui took the clothes in surprise, and after the person left, she immediately carried them to the bed and spread them out one by one. There were actually six sets of clothes!
It includes four warm and thick winter coats and two thinner ones that can be worn in early spring.
She examined it closely. The dress she was to wear when leaving the palace was a simple lotus root color, but the pattern was a camellia flower embroidered with silver thread. The other dresses were made of superior fabrics, in shades of violet, dark blue, apricot yellow, and light blue, a dazzling array of colors.
She rarely gets a chance to leave the palace, and she thought she would have to go out dressed in rags, but she didn't expect His Highness the Crown Prince to be so sensible.
Yun Kui changed into her lotus-colored ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) and happily walked to the outside of Donghua Gate. From afar, she saw a magnificent and solemn ebony carriage quietly parked in the night.
The two horses were jet black and glossy, and the four corners of the carriage were adorned with exquisite hexagonal glass lanterns. The bronze animal-head bells gleamed in the night like lurking beasts, seemingly imbued with the cold and dignified aura of their master.
Yun Kui hesitated, not daring to step forward.
Cao Yuanlu walked over and said with a smile, "Please get in the carriage, Miss. His Highness is waiting for you inside."
Yun Kui was taken aback: "This servant is also getting into the carriage?"
Who is she? Riding in the same carriage as the Crown Prince?! She thought she was going to walk all the way there in the carriage.
Cao Yuanlu raised his hand and smiled, "Please, young lady."
Yun Kui then carefully boarded the carriage, lifted the dark blue cloud-patterned curtain, and saw the Crown Prince sitting on the soft cushion with his eyes closed, resting. He was dressed in a black brocade robe with a black jade belt around his waist, and his face was cold and stern, exuding an air of nobility.
The clear sound of the imperial bells rang out as the carriage slowly made its way towards the Imperial Street.
Yun Kui quietly sat down next to him, her gaze falling on the gold-embroidered circles on his cuffs.
"What happened to not showing off in public? He's dressed in all those fancy clothes, but I'm dressed so plainly. Are you afraid I'll steal his thunder?"
"But seeing how many beautiful dresses you gave me, I'll reluctantly forgive you."
"To be honest, Your Highness seems to have become even more handsome since I last saw you a few days ago."
"I just wonder if my skills have improved..."
"If you continue to act recklessly and make me uncomfortable, I won't pamper you anymore."
Crown Prince: "..."
As the car slowly drove into the market, a cacophony of noise filled the air. Vendors hawked their wares, children played, and as the curtain was lifted, bright and dazzling lights streamed in.
She hadn't left the palace for six or seven years, and everything before her was a long-awaited surprise.
The prince slowly opened his eyes and saw the little maid resting her chin on her hand, gazing out the window at her back. Her light lotus-colored dress swayed with the carriage, casting a quiet shadow under the dim yellow candlelight. The camellia pattern outlined in silver thread appeared and disappeared, like a tranquil painting spread out under the moonlight.
Yun Kui seemed to sense a gaze on her back and quickly turned around, only to meet the Crown Prince's deep and unfathomable eyes.
For a moment, my heart skipped a beat.
Yun Kui suddenly stammered, and seeing that he seemed to be looking at her clothes, she asked, "Your Highness, did you personally choose those dresses for me?"
The crown prince lowered his gaze. "What are you thinking about?"
Yun Kui: "...Oh."
Hearing the growing noise outside the window, she asked, "What brings Your Highness out of the palace tonight?"
The Crown Prince said calmly, "Official business."
Yun Kui asked, "Then do I have to follow Your Highness the whole time?"
Crown Prince: "What do you think?"
Seeing her lower her head and purse her lips, the Crown Prince spoke up: "What, you're not going to accompany me to serve me, but instead want to go off and enjoy yourself?"
Yun Kui hurriedly replied, "This servant had no such intention."
The prince gently tapped his knee with his fingertips. "You want to go see the lanterns?"
As she left Chaoyang Palace on New Year's Eve, she thought to herself that she wouldn't be able to see the fireworks and sky lanterns at Taihe Gate, which must mean she was someone who enjoyed watching the lanterns and joining in the festivities.
He's going on an incognito trip tonight, and it won't be difficult for him to take her with him.
Yun Kui nodded happily, "I brought some money and would like to buy some things, is that alright?"
Crown Prince: "What do you want to buy?"
Seeing that he didn't directly say no, Yun Kui immediately smiled and said, "Of course, I'll buy some things for girls."
"Of course, I'll buy things that my daughter likes to look at!"
As for cosmetics and hairpins, the Empress had previously bestowed quite a few upon her, and the quality of those in the palace was certainly no worse than that outside. Moreover, the Crown Prince preferred simplicity, and she rarely used those rouges and perfumes. Since she rarely left the palace, she naturally went to buy her favorite storybooks.
"Most importantly, buy plenty of good stuff to discuss the intercourse of Yin and Yang with His Highness the Crown Prince, hehe!"
The prince clenched his fist, looking somewhat uneasy. "You want to buy... storybooks?"
Yun Kui gave an embarrassed smile: "You guessed that?"
"You're still too naive, Crown Prince."
The crown prince's eyes dimmed slightly.
She always gave him strange nicknames in her mind. She used to call him "Big Boss," "Living Yama," and even dared to call herself "I," but the Crown Prince never held it against her.
Only that "Crown Prince Brother" made his heart flutter, as if he were being gently brushed by a soft feather.
He suppressed the dark emotions in his eyes and said, "Storybooks are books that are strictly prohibited in the palace. Where did you get them from?"
Yun Kui confessed truthfully: "The higher-ups turn a blind eye and the control is not strict. Palace maids often ask eunuchs who go out of the palace to buy things. I also borrowed them from people to look at."
Fearing he might object, she quickly added, "It's not just me looking at it. Everyone takes turns looking at it after we buy it. It spreads from one person to ten, and from ten to a hundred. Sometimes it's already a pile of junk by the time it gets to me."
The same principle applies to fire avoidance diagrams.
The Crown Prince, however, maintained a strictly businesslike attitude: "Since it is a forbidden book in the palace, I cannot make an exception for you."
Yun Kui was a little annoyed, but remembering that she needed his help, she put on a smiling face again: "Then why doesn't Your Highness buy it for me? The palace forbids us servants from buying things. If Your Highness wants to buy something, who can stop you?"
The crown prince chuckled, "You're quite clever."
Yun Kui boldly leaned closer to him and winked at him: "Your Highness bought it, just let me look at it for a couple of days. Only when I have learned something can I share Your Highness's burdens."
Even though he knew she was being ambiguous and had a fawning expression, the Crown Prince still couldn't help but look away and give a few instructions to the outside.
The carriage slowly came to a stop in an alley at the end of the Imperial Street. Not far from where you got off the carriage was Qiuzhizhai, the largest study in the capital.
The Crown Prince gave Cao Yuanlu, who was dressed in plain clothes, a wink, and Cao Yuanlu immediately handed Yun Kui a money bag.
Yun Kui took the bulging bag of silver ingots in surprise.
The Crown Prince said calmly, "Since I am the one who is buying it, there is no reason for you to spend any money."
Yun Kui jumped for joy, "Thank you, Your Highness!"
The Crown Prince then instructed De Shun, "Go and help her load it onto the carriage."
Yun Kui: ...Move?
Does Your Highness think she's going to buy so much that she used the word "move"?
However, since His Highness the Crown Prince had spoken and given her money, she wouldn't stand on ceremony!
Upon arriving at Qiuzhizhai, Yun Kui went straight to the storybook section, bought all the popular books, and then quietly called the shopkeeper aside.
The shopkeeper, a man of many experience, immediately guessed her intentions when he saw her blushing and fidgeting. Seeing the young lady's generous spending, he brought out the shop's prized possession.
Yun Kui secretly flipped through two pages and was almost speechless with astonishment. There were over a hundred different poses! And they were much clearer than the tattered comic books she had read before!
The shopkeeper patted his chest and assured her, "Don't worry, young lady. With my prized possession, you and your husband will surely be in perfect harmony, feeling like you're floating on air."
Yun Kui waved her hand and said, "Buy it!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
