Her face was half-hidden behind the gauze curtain. From a distance, he felt her gaze like needles, pricking his entire body with both itch and pain.

He suddenly came to his senses.

He must have gone mad.

He must have been insane moments ago to do such a thing in this place at this time.

In the deep silence of the Crown Prince’s Palace, his mind filled with images of her unclothed, finding release behind his desk less than ten paces from her, forgetting she was still there.

Under her gaze, he watched as she rose, picked up several memorials from the desk before her, and walked toward him, even rubbing her eyes with her sleeve, truly appearing as if she had just awakened.

He couldn’t help but doubt what he had seen earlier. Her gaze now was so gentle—she surely hadn’t seen what he had just done… How could she have seen? The high corners of his desk concealed everything below his abdomen. Sitting where she was, she couldn’t possibly have seen.

She lifted the gauze curtain and walked slowly towards him, approaching his desk and placing the memorials before him, saying softly, “I have something to ask Your Highness.”

He looked up at her face, rosy and glowing, appearing faintly golden in the dim candlelight. Her eyes seemed to contain countless stars, dazzling and bewitching. Her lips, parted as she spoke, looked as if traced with vermilion, instantly causing his recently calmed body to grow restless again.

How could he have imagined that she was once that dirty, disheveled little girl who had curled up in his arms, barely able to speak clearly?

In their previous encounters, he hadn’t noticed how captivating her features were, how alluring her expressions were.

Shen Zhishu, naturally romantic, often laughed at him for not appreciating female beauty, knowing only whether a woman’s appearance was pleasing, but not understanding how to appreciate the innate charm in a woman’s demeanor.

He truly didn’t know female beauty.

His mother the Empress had once been the most renowned beauty in the world, unmatched in appearance, talent, and courage. Since childhood, he had often heard his father say that his mother could captivate one’s soul and spirit with just a single glance. How could he find any other woman’s beauty astonishing?

But she was different.

She wasn’t exceptionally beautiful, yet her every word and action attracted him.

He had always been decisive and efficient in handling matters, but he couldn’t be decisive with her. Especially now, after having fantasized about sharing intimacy with her.

Even now as she stood beside him, merely speaking softly with lowered eyes, his mind could conjure various scenarios he shouldn’t be thinking about.

For years, he had focused on state affairs and military matters; female companionship had never been essential to him. He knew that physical indulgence wasn’t necessarily connected to emotions.

Though he found her somewhat alluring, he understood his own heart clearly.

“Your Highness?”

She spoke to him but received no response, forcing her to call him again.

He regained focus, placing his hand on the memorials she had brought, raising an eyebrow: “What do you want to ask?” He flipped through them, scanning briefly, and seeing they concerned the northern Chao’an route, he understood somewhat and examined them more carefully.

One concerned trade relations between the eight counties of the northern Chao’an route and the Northern Jian region; the other was about his decree dealing with officials from the Chao’an Military Command regarding the Qingzhou garrison.

Seeing he was already reading, she didn’t elaborate further, but asked directly, “Does Your Highness have other plans regarding Northern Jian?”

Hearing this, his hand holding the memorials stiffened. Glimpsing the certainty in her expression, he felt anger rising inexplicably. “Your rank is merely sixth grade; you have no right to question such matters.”

She pressed her lips together and said nothing more.

The fire in his words proved her guess was correct.

Years ago, when the Emperor and Prince Ping unified the realm, they hadn’t attacked Northern Jian. Although Northern Jian acknowledged itself as a vassal, over the years its tributary missions had become increasingly infrequent.

He had memorialized the Emperor to decree trade relations with the northern border, yet personally traveled in disguise to the northern Chao’an route, investigating military defenses at the Qingzhou garrison and dozens of other border outposts. Later, he had erupted in fury at the Chao’an Military Command over the lax conditions at the Qingzhou garrison.

If all this didn’t arouse her suspicions, then Meng Tinghui would truly not deserve her achievement of placing first in all three imperial examinations.

For years, he had participated in government affairs discreetly, but that didn’t mean he would follow the old path laid out by his parents.

He looked at her, his gaze quite complex, guarding against her in his heart, yet with a small crack opening.

Having his innermost thoughts glimpsed by her was infuriating, yet it also stirred other emotions.

She seemed to suddenly remember something, reaching forward to take the brush he had placed on the desk, saying, “I have something to write for Your Highness.”

Her full, soft bosom lightly brushed against his elbow standing at the side.

A tremor ran through his arm, as if flames traveled down his neck, stopping at his waist, igniting him.

She seemed unaware, dipping the brush in ink, then half-turning her body toward him.

His breathing grew slightly heavier, his gaze fixed on her eyes, yet his peripheral vision couldn’t help but glance at her chest.

Though the crimson official robe was loose, the rhinoceros horn belt at her waist accentuated the enticing curves of her chest.

She looked at him, suddenly leaning closer, “Did I just guess Your Highness’s true intentions?”

This time, her full, soft bosom was completely pressed against his body.

With a slight smile in her eyes, she continued, “I’ve long heard that Your Highness doesn’t favor female company, but didn’t know Your Highness typically pleasures himself…”

His body froze momentarily before he suddenly raised his hand, pressing her against the desk behind him, lowering his head to say, “Meng Tinghui, your repeated insolence must come at a price.”

She had seen.

She truly had seen.

But her repeated boldness and impudence throughout the day had truly pushed him beyond endurance.

Under his restraining hand, she softened her body, sprawling on the desk, her eyes still bright and clear, her tone still casually indifferent: “I’ve already earned the notorious reputation of a favored sycophant official. Your Highness need not have any reservations about what you desire.”

He could hear the implication in her words, and his brow raised slightly.

This was subtly mocking the tactics he had used on her, and also probing his intentions in making her appear as such a favored official.