At that moment, outside the Eastern Palace, someone was shouting, demanding to see the Crown Prince.
Xiaoying frowned, quickly dried her hair with a cloth, and went behind the screen to change clothes.
Just as she stood behind the screen and finished changing into casual clothes, someone pushed the door open with a bang without even knocking.
Peering through the gap in the screen, Xiaoying saw it was the bull-like Third Prince who had arrived.
Judging by his flaring nostrils and aggressive demeanor, he wasn’t there to foster brotherly affection.
Xiaoying’s hair wasn’t properly arranged yet, but she wasn’t in a hurry to come out. She just tied her belt and let the wild bull shout and search for Feng Qiyuan, flipping over the bed and checking behind the curtains.
Palace maid Jian Hu followed behind, nearly crying with anxiety. She waved her hands helplessly, trailing the Third Prince and trying to persuade him to leave.
But she couldn’t stop the Third Prince. Despite her best efforts to block him, she was tossed aside like a kite with cut strings.
Xiaoying had no time to arrange her hair properly. She quickly gathered it into a high ponytail, secured it with a hair tie, checked that her chest binding was flat, fastened her belt, and poked her head out lazily: “Third Brother, what brings you to my quarters?”
Hearing her voice, the Third Prince turned around, strode over, and grabbed Xiaoying’s collar. Just as he was about to swing his fist to teach her a lesson, he noticed that his fourth brother seemed to have just bathed.
His already delicate face looked dewy, appearing unusually fresh. His half-dried hair was fluffy, making his eyes seem especially bright. With his black high ponytail and throat that hadn’t yet developed an Adam’s apple, the young man somehow possessed an inappropriate charm.
The Third Prince had never been diligent in his studies, but somehow the phrase “lotus emerging from water” floated through his mind, and he couldn’t bring himself to strike.
“I… you son of a…”
The Third Prince was momentarily confused, wanting to curse but not knowing what to say. Finally, he awkwardly released his grip and said with embarrassment and anger: “You… don’t you look in the mirror? Look at yourself!”
If he hadn’t watched this effeminate boy grow up, and hadn’t bathed in hot springs with his father and Fourth Brother, he would have doubted this sissy’s male identity.
Yan Xiaoying smiled and looked at Jian Hu, who was pressed against the wall in terror. Casually scratching her scalp, she asked: “Besides having me look in a mirror, is there anything else?”
She was so nonchalant that the Third Prince felt his reaction was abnormal. He could only awkwardly compose himself, suddenly remembering why he had come.
“Let me ask you, did you pursue the Mu family’s daughter and ruin her reputation?”
When the Crown Prince was selecting palace maidens, the Third Prince had been ordered to inspect military camps in neighboring counties for several days and didn’t know about this event.
After he returned, he was busy interrogating Tang Mingquan with Mu Hanjiang, investigating the Yicheng prison break case.
So when he finally had free time and excitedly brought some tribute fruits to Mu Yanyan, he only heard about the details of the maiden selection from the Mu family’s servants.
When he heard that Feng Qiyuan had declared he would marry no one but Yanyan, Feng Qiwu crushed the fruit in his hand.
This sissy should look in a mirror! How dare he boast to Father that he would marry none but Yanyan!
The Third Prince, Feng Qiwu, was furious. He stormed out of the Mu residence and headed straight to the Eastern Palace to confront the Crown Prince.
Hearing the Third Prince’s accusation, Xiaoying suddenly understood. As Feng Qiwu grabbed her collar again, she quickly said: “So… Third Brother likes Yanyan from the Mu family!”
Upon hearing this, the bull-like face that was originally dark instantly turned red as if braised. Feng Qiwu widened his eyes and retorted stiffly: “You… nonsense!”
Xiaoying retrieved her collar from his grip and patted his shoulder: “Brother also knows that the maiden selection follows palace procedures. Among the selected noble ladies, the Mu family’s daughter was exceptionally beautiful. Anyone with eyes would choose her! But had I known Brother’s feelings earlier, even if I were to remain alone all my life, I would never disrespect my future Third Sister-in-law! Rest assured, next time I see Father, I’ll retract my previous words and inform him of your relationship. How does that sound?”
These words not only praised the Mu family’s daughter’s beauty but also highlighted the Third Prince’s excellent taste. Furthermore, it showed brotherly respect, like Kong Rong giving away pears.
At this point, if Feng Qiwu continued to make a scene, he would lose his standing.
So the dirty words that had accumulated on Feng Qiwu’s lips didn’t have a chance to come out; they were choked back by his slippery Fourth Brother.
He had been secretly in love with Yanyan but didn’t dare express his feelings to the beauty. Now he was panicking, fearing that his Fourth Brother would actually go to the Emperor and blurt everything out, anxious and not knowing what to do.
Just then, a steady voice came from the doorway: “My younger sister is still young. Our mother wants to keep her at home for a few more days. Her relationship with the Third Prince is merely childhood friendship, nothing more. Thank you for your kind intentions, Your Highness.”
Xiaoying turned to look and saw Mu Hanjiang, who had been reflecting behind closed doors and hadn’t been seen for a while, standing at the door with his hands behind his back. His handsome eyes only briefly met Xiaoying’s before he lowered them, and it was unclear how long he had been listening.
It seemed that Young Master Mu knew the Third Prince had stormed into the Eastern Palace and, fearing the bull would cause trouble, had followed him here.
This was the first time the Young Master had met the Crown Prince since his “recovery.”
Xiaoying looked him up and down with a half-raised corner of her mouth and found that standing, he appeared quite tall, with an otherworldly, refined air, interpreting his white robe with elegance and grace, truly captivating with his immortal-like presence.
Mu Hanjiang appropriately lowered his gaze when he saw Xiaoying looking his way, avoiding direct eye contact with the improperly dressed Crown Prince, appearing impeccably respectful.
Xiaoying hadn’t looked in a mirror, but from the Third Prince’s words, she guessed her appearance was inappropriate.
Having calmed the wild bull, she no longer allowed herself to be scrutinized and calmly turned back behind the screen to continue arranging her hair.
“Third Brother, if there’s nothing else, please return with Young Master Mu. I need to go find Imperial Tutor Ge for my studies soon.”
The Crown Prince had dismissed his guests, and the now-calmed Third Prince naturally had to comply, so he could only leave with Brother Mu.
Hearing the footsteps of the two men gradually recede from behind the screen, Xiaoying finally peeked out to check.
Jian Hu was already covered in sweat, slumped on the ground with a tearful face: “You… you snuck out during your nap! If the Third Prince hadn’t come making a scene today, I wouldn’t have known! And you… You let the Third Prince and the others see you like this! I’m going to tell Empress about your behavior. I’m not doing this job anymore, it’s terrifying!”
So it was Jian Hu who had entered the room and broken the hair earlier!
She must have seen the Third Prince causing a scene and hurriedly entered to inform Xiaoying, only to discover she wasn’t there.
Xiaoying remained calm, using the mirror to press down her unruly hair. She struck a martial arts pose, glared at Jian Hu, and sang in a clear voice: “You minions couldn’t guard my cave, letting that monkey demon intrude, and now you want to abandon your king and flee… wah ya ya, I’ll take your lives, little demons!”
What nonsense was this! Jian Hu was so angry that tears welled up in her eyes. She stood up, intending to run to her aunt Song Ao to report.
But Xiaoying stepped forward first, closed the door, and affectionately put her arm around Jian Hu’s neck: “Dear sister, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have snuck out to play in the Imperial Garden, making you worry! But you should also be more sensible and stop reporting useless things to Song Ao. If you go to tell her, you’d be throwing away both our lives for nothing.”
Seeing Jian Hu’s disdainful expression, unwilling to listen to her nonsense, Xiaoying patiently explained: “You and Song Ao are not blood relatives; you’re just her distant niece, related through eighteen twists and turns. Though she trusts you, it doesn’t mean she cherishes you. Otherwise, why would such a dangerous task as monitoring a fake Crown Prince be assigned to you, sister?”
Jian Hu snorted: “What are you trying to do, drive a wedge between me and my aunt?”
Xiaoying frowned: “Don’t disbelieve me. If my identity is discovered by outsiders, Her Majesty will eliminate all the palace maids and eunuchs who served me to protect herself. If your aunt truly cherished you, how could she bear to send her niece into such a dangerous situation?”
Her words were not false. Due to family poverty, Jian Hu’s father had used pastries to pull strings through connections, using Song Ao’s influence to send his daughter into the palace to earn money.
Jian Hu knew she had to rely on Song Ao and harbored ambitious dreams of completing her tasks well to earn merit and rewards before the Empress.
If not for today’s scare from the Third Prince, she would never have realized how close she was to death.
Thinking of this, she was on the verge of tears, her lips trembling: “Then… must I stay here forever?”
Xiaoying smiled, took a sip of tea, and continued to deceive her: “The best outcome would be for me to save face for the Empress. Once the Crown Prince’s leg heals, he can safely return. By then, when everything is peaceful, you and I will have completed our mission perfectly. Perhaps Song Ao will let you continue to serve the Crown Prince, and you might become a Jieyu concubine in the future. But if something goes wrong now because of a small matter, you report to Song Ao, making Her Highness suspect exposure and sleep uneasily… before our task is complete, if the Empress decides I’m not doing well and wants to eliminate all evidence, would she spare you who knows the inside story?”
Jian Hu understood Xiaoying’s meaning. Having served the Empress for two years, how could she not know her mistress’s suspicious nature and ruthless hand?
Consider this: even Tang Mingquan, the Empress’s nephew, made a mistake, and the Empress didn’t hesitate to sacrifice him to protect herself. What was there to spare for a small palace maid like her?
The young lady was right. Today’s matter wasn’t important; it was just the young lady sneaking out to play.
And she was able to sneak out because Jian Hu herself had been greedy, taking the food and wine sent to the Crown Prince from the imperial kitchen, eating and drinking until slightly tipsy.
It was her dereliction of duty. And the young lady had snuck out before, even arriving late to His Majesty’s birthday banquet!
If she informed Song Ao today, it would certainly involve the Third Prince barging into the inner chamber and seeing the imposter in disarray.
If the Empress became worried about exposure, unable to eat or sleep, and decided to eliminate all potential problems, what good would come of it for her?
Thinking of this, Jian Hu still felt uneasy and asked Xiaoying if the Third Prince and Young Master Mu might have noticed she was a girl.
Yan Xiaoying laughed: “The Crown Prince doesn’t just look like a girl; his figure is even more delicate than a girl’s. If they had suspicions, they would have pounced on me together and torn off my clothes to check! You’re just feeling guilty and anxious.”
Xiaoying’s confident expression while speaking was quite convincing.
Jian Hu gradually calmed down, feeling she was being unnecessarily suspicious: indeed, for the dignified Crown Prince, who would make such an absurd claim that the Crown Prince was a girl without solid evidence?
She shouldn’t panic and create complications!
Jian Hu composed herself, sternly rebuked Xiaoying not to sneak out again, and then left, wiping cold sweat.
This storm had temporarily passed without a trace, but Xiaoying could no longer sneak off to Tianlu Palace as usual.
After all, Jian Hu had become more vigilant and no longer drank the wine Xiaoying deliberately requested from the imperial kitchen. Even during nap time, she would frequently knock on the door to check if Xiaoying was there.
Yan Xiaoying thought about the mess at Shao Fu, which was also a quagmire.
She simply pretended to have caught a cold and stopped going to Shao Fu altogether, staying in bed all day, unable to get up despite Song Ao’s urging.
This made the Empress extremely anxious.
These days, Shao Fu was in chaos. The massive floodwaters that had broken the embankments in Jiangzhe had suddenly surged into Shao Fu.
The Court of Justice moving next door was convenient; they could arrest people without carriages. Officials just crossed the low wall and could put chains on suspects. That low wall had been trampled down by three inches!
Many of the Jiangzhe embankment projects from years ago had been handled by Tang Zhen’s advisors. Now, His Majesty was furious and ordered a thorough investigation.
To protect her illegitimate brother Tang Zhen, the Empress naturally wanted to shift responsibility, avoiding impact on the Tang family and being held accountable by her father.
At this juncture, it would be best if the Crown Prince personally went to Shao Fu to settle things, but the young lady had suddenly fallen ill.
After Yan Xiaoying vomited all over the examining physician, the Empress abandoned the idea of using this chess piece. She merely had Song Ao instruct Xiaoying to rest well, and then did not return.
Fortunately, the dead Tang Mingquan was a ready scapegoat.
So Tang Zhen began bribing officials and using planted personnel to alter the account books.
As for Xiaoying, she was quite comfortable.
Her effort in digging up those few wild herbs that could induce vomiting wasn’t wasted. Even the imperial physician, skilled as he was, could only conclude that she had an upset stomach and needed rest.
After such chaos at Shao Fu for several days, someone finally remembered the Crown Prince and came to the Eastern Palace to visit the sick.
That person was more persistent than the Empress. Seeing the Crown Prince bedridden, he stood outside the bedchamber, refusing to leave, with the air of someone staging a palace coup.
Through the door, Yan Xiaoying ate jujubes while weakly saying: “Young Master Mu, I am truly too ill. Please come back when I’m better!”