Within Jingqing Courtyard, there were few people, yet an even more oppressive atmosphere than usual filled the place. A strange medicinal scent permeated the surroundings, so strong it could be clearly smelled even outside the room.
“Your Highness the Crown Prince.” Cui Yiyu glanced around, and when no one was watching, he skillfully walked to the door and spoke in a low voice.
“Enter.” From within came the Crown Prince’s languid voice.
The two voices were almost identical, as if the same person were both asking and answering.
After entering, Cui Yiyu quickly shut the door. His nose twitched slightly, and at a glance he noticed a bowl of strangely scented medicine placed on the table—completely at odds with the prescriptions previously given by the imperial physicians. Dropping to one knee in salute, he said, “Your Highness, please discern clearly—this physician’s origin is unknown; there must be deceit.”
“Hmm?” The Crown Prince looked at Cui Yiyu lazily, signaling him to continue.
Cui Yiyu spoke, calm and clear: “The Pei family has long schemed to harm you. Since they can bribe the physicians within the residence, they can naturally fabricate a so-called folk physician out of nothing and send him before you.”
“This line of reasoning—was it the Empress who sent you back with it?” The Crown Prince leaned sideways against the table, one knee bent on the bed, his arm resting on it. He lifted his eyelids slightly, asking as if unconcerned.
“Yes.” Cui Yiyu paused. A dead understanding flashed through his eyes as he spoke like a puppet, “Her Majesty is worried for Your Highness’s precious body—”
“Silence!” The Crown Prince suddenly flew into a rage, like a cannon igniting in an instant, shouting sharply.
Cui Yiyu lowered his eyes and fell silent numbly.
“She told you to return, and you returned—did you ever take my orders to heart?!” The Crown Prince stood up, sneering. “What did I say before? Stay in the palace properly and deal with those thieves for me! And now? Where are you?”
“Using the Crown Princess to delay the banquet was also the Empress’s idea, wasn’t it? What does she intend to do? I am still here, yet she is already making decisions on my behalf?”
Cui Yiyu said nothing, only silently listening to the Crown Prince’s furious words.
He had long known he should not speak, but the Empress’s command could not be disobeyed. If the Crown Prince insisted on acting recklessly, he would later blame his subordinates for not offering a warning.
“A blade should look like a blade!” The Crown Prince suddenly reached out and seized the bowl on the table, lifted his head, and drank it in one gulp. Wiping the medicine from the corner of his mouth with his hand, he opened his eyes wide, his pupils small as he stared at Cui Yiyu. “What are you, that you dare to instruct me?!”
“All of you, every single one, think yourselves clever, treating me as ignorant and foolish.” The Crown Prince seemed to lose strength, breathing heavily. “Whether this medicine is effective—I have naturally had someone test it. It is indeed good medicine.”
Cui Yiyu’s pupils moved slightly. Seeing how smoothly the Crown Prince acted, he feared he had already drunk several bowls.
The Crown Prince acted as he pleased; it only made things difficult for him, the substitute who had to face the Empress—but this was also expected.
It was just that now, the Empress could only pray that this medicine was not poisonous.
“If that physician had come earlier, at tomorrow’s banquet, I would have gone myself, and there would be no need for you.” A trace of disgust showed in the Crown Prince’s eyes as he spoke pointedly, “On what grounds did you leave the palace?”
“Accompany the Crown Princess on her return visit,” Cui Yiyu said.
“Return visit? The Lin family, ah.” The Crown Prince thought of the Crown Princess’s father, that Assistant Minister of Rites, and lost interest, clicking his tongue as he waved a hand. “The Crown Princess is pure and lovely. Go with her—don’t spoil her mood.”
“Yes.” Cui Yiyu rose and turned to walk toward the door.
“My patience is limited.” The Crown Prince’s voice drifted faintly from behind. “You understand what I mean, don’t you?”
Know your place—he had no need for disobedient tools.
“This subordinate understands.” Cui Yiyu nodded and left the room.
He knew the arrangements within the Crown Prince’s residence like the back of his hand.
Though it was daytime, the sunlight falling on Cui Yiyu seemed unable to land upon him. His steps made no sound, and like a wandering ghost he avoided all eyes. In no time, he arrived at the Crown Princess’s main residence.
Voices could be heard inside.
Cui Yiyu raised a hand to stop the attendant from announcing him and walked in, just in time to hear Nanny Zhang standing beside Lin Yuanjin, saying with a smile, “His Highness is kind and unwilling to trouble others, but those selected attendants should still come to acknowledge their mistress and understand their place.”
Men in this world all wished for a tolerant and virtuous wife. Lin Yuanjin’s disposition was overly lenient—logically, she could not entirely ignore the other concubines.
The Crown Prince’s inner court was different from that of ordinary officials; there would be many means of balance in the future.
“Another day, perhaps—it is not a major matter.” Lin Yuanjin blinked at Nanny Zhang, speaking intimately. She set down the gift list in her hand, about to pass it to Steward Li, but when she turned back, she happened to see Cui Yiyu walking in slowly. Her eyes lit up, and she stood up happily. “Your Highness.”
“Your Highness the Crown Prince, the carriage is prepared. Shall we depart immediately?” Steward Li bowed and asked.
“Mm.” Cui Yiyu stepped out from the shadows. Watching Lin Yuanjin approach in small steps, he lightly supported her wrist through his sleeve, while his gaze turned to Nanny Zhang, his eyes clear and cold. “There is one more matter to trouble Madam with. On the day of the temple audience, you said in the palace that there were those in the residence who bewitch their master. Today, bring them along and send them back to the Lin family as well.”
“Your Highness is thoughtful; what you say is most appropriate.” Nanny Zhang’s eyes curved with a smile as she bowed in assent.
In her view, once they returned to the residence, those lowly people who did not know their place should be dealt with, lest the Crown Princess’s kind heart only bring her more trouble.
If it were others, she would not meddle so much, but since the Emperor had sent her, and the Crown Princess bore no reservations toward her, she could not help but consider more. At present, she worried that the Crown Princess was young and did not understand the treachery of human hearts—fortunately, she could receive some care from the Crown Prince.
Nanny Zhang looked at Lin Yuanjin, whose smile was bright. In her eyes, as she gazed at the young man before her, was a trust so absolute and without reservation.
It was an emotion that should not exist in the eyes of those in the imperial family—fragile like glass, destined one day to shatter suddenly.
Arranging the attendants took a bit more time.
Once everything was in order, Cui Yiyu led Lin Yuanjin out of the room. The two boarded the carriage side by side, heading toward the Lin residence.
Lin Yuanjin glanced at the curtained window and carefully mouthed, “Is there anyone else?”
Cui Yiyu silently rose and sat beside her, lowering his voice. “The Crown Prince’s hidden agents have tasks at hand; most are not in the residence now.”
They had just left the palace today, and for the moment, no one was watching them.
But walls have ears—and now they were separated only by a carriage, with people outside—so they naturally had to be especially cautious.
Listening to his soft breath by her ear, Lin Yuanjin’s ear tips unconsciously flushed red, yet she still suppressed the joy in her heart. Her eyes shone like morning light as she looked at him and said, “To be able to return home with Your Highness today, my heart is at ease.”
The bridal procession, the wedding rites, the shared nuptial wine, and today’s return visit—
Every step of these, she had done together with the one she loved.
Cui Yiyu’s back stiffened slightly, his gaze shifting as he looked at Lin Yuanjin in confusion, as if unable to understand her optimism at this moment. “Even if there is no one in the Lin residence whom you wish to see?”
Lin Yuanjin, clearly like when she had fallen ill a few days ago, was once again being used by the Empress as a pretext, yet she bore not the slightest resentment. Instead, she found her own enjoyment in it, quietly content.
“To me, the Lin residence is no different from the Crown Prince’s residence.” Lin Yuanjin met his quiet gaze and smiled indifferently.
Both were dragon’s pools and tiger’s dens—there was no essential difference.
Cui Yiyu sensed her meaning, his eyes lowering. Only when the carriage stopped did he step out first, lifting the curtain, then extending his hand toward Lin Yuanjin as she followed behind.
Today’s return visit had been a sudden decision.
The people of the Lin residence knew that the Crown Prince and Crown Princess were in the palace, and even the banquet had been postponed. They had not spared any thought for the return visit, never expecting that early in the morning someone would come to inform them that the Crown Prince would bring the Crown Princess back today.
Thus, everyone hurriedly made preparations, afraid of the slightest negligence.
Now, they had finally arrived.
The old madam stood at the front. Behind her stood Father Lin of the main branch, with those of the second and third branches lined up in order. Mother Lin wore a smile on her face, holding beside her Lin Weiyin, whose smile was forced.
Lin Weiyin both wanted to see how Lin Yuanjin was faring now, and yet did not wish to see her truly in harmony with the Crown Prince, perfectly matched as heaven-made for each other. The mocking words from the flower-viewing banquet—how she had been replaced as Crown Princess by her younger sister—still echoed in her ears.
From the carriage stepped down first a handsome young man, his posture upright, his neck slightly raised. He wore a dark robe with gold-trimmed patterns and narrow sleeves, refusing the servants’ attendance without even turning his head. He turned instead and extended his hand toward Lin Yuanjin, who was leaning out and stepping down slowly.
He did not resemble a Crown Prince lowering himself, but rather a dashing young man leading his newly wedded wife out for an outing, his eyes holding no one but Lin Yuanjin.
Lin Weiyin looked at his figure and suddenly fell into a daze.
