“Coming.”

Li Buyan casually wiped her face and followed Wang Yin into the main hall.

Wang Yin pointed to the chaise lounge in the warm alcove, “Guard there.”

“What about you?”

“I’m going to brew medicine for His Highness. Young Imperial Physician Pei went to the Pei family’s Hundred Herbs Hall for consultations.”

Wang Yin hurried away, though he didn’t go far—just outside the courtyard, mainly to prevent the gurgling sounds of brewing medicine from disturbing His Highness’s rest.

Li Buyan had just sat down on the chaise lounge when she heard the person inside say: “Come guard inside, not out there.”

Not asleep yet?

Li Buyan walked into the inner room.

“Wake me in two hours.”

“Alright.”

The inner room’s furnishings were luxurious. She found a corner to sit in, her gaze openly falling on the bed.

That person was facing her, eyes closed, hair loose, a brocade quilt draped loosely around his waist.

Li Buyan watched for quite a while, thinking of four words in her mind: A feast for the eyes.

The man suddenly opened his eyes, “What are you looking at?”

“Your Highness is good-looking.”

Li Buyan admitted it openly, “I just took a few extra looks, but I’ll stop now.”

Having said this, she actually did turn her body toward the window.

Zhao Yishi smiled silently.

There were many matters and time was pressing, but it hadn’t yet reached the point where Shen Chong needed to be sent out on errands.

This was his idea.

Why he had this idea, Zhao Yishi wasn’t quite sure—just like sending that box of mooncakes, it was simply something his heart wanted to do.

He slowly closed his eyes and soon fell asleep.

…

Zhao Yishi was awakened by a whistling sound. Opening his eyes, he saw that person with her back to him, sitting on the windowsill, swinging her two long legs.

He narrowed his eyes, turned over to lie flat, and covered his eyes with his uninjured hand.

After another clear whistle, he heard her stretch lazily, jump out the window, then close it.

Through the window, he heard her mutter to herself.

“Someone so good-looking actually has no morning grumpiness—there’s no justice in this world.”

Zhao Yishi was both amused and exasperated. That bit of grumpiness from being woken dissipated because of this sentence.

Wang Yin came in to attend to him.

It was nearly noon. The guards brought food boxes in, and Li Buyan, smelling the aroma, followed into the main hall, just as Zhao Yishi emerged from the inner room.

Their eyes met. Zhao Yishi pointed to a seat, and Li Buyan immediately sat down, picking up her rice bowl with an eager-to-eat expression.

“Eat.”

“What about you?”

Zhao Yishi glanced toward the courtyard. Li Buyan followed his gaze and saw Wang Yin entering with a steaming medicine bowl.

“Your Highness, time for your medicine.”

Zhao Yishi had just picked up the medicine bowl when from the corner of his eye he saw Li Buyan watching him leisurely. He pushed the medicine bowl toward her.

“Try a sip for me.”

“Eh?”

Li Buyan’s eyes widened, round as bells, “Personal guards have to do this too?”

Zhao Yishi nodded.

“If I’d known, I shouldn’t have agreed.”

Li Buyan took the medicine bowl and drank a sip. She felt bitterness from her tongue to the back of her skull, nearly spitting it out.

Zhao Yishi appreciated the expression on her face for a moment before taking the medicine bowl and drinking it all in one go.

Li Buyan watched in shock, “How can you not even furrow your brow?”

Zhao Yishi said as if in a dream, in a low voice: “Used to it.”

Li Buyan froze.

…

After the meal, Zhao Yishi went to the flower hall in the front courtyard.

At this moment, the flower hall was already filled with over a dozen officials waiting for the Grand Prince to summon them one by one.

Zhao Yishi sat in the main seat, and Li Buyan waited outside the flower hall.

At first, she still listened to a few sentences, but later, unable to fight off drowsiness, she simply sat on the threshold, her head leaning against the doorframe as she dozed.

After one nap ended, the flower hall was still discussing matters.

And outside the courtyard, more officials were gathered in small groups, waiting for the Grand Prince’s summons.

This is endless!

For three consecutive days, Li Buyan followed Zhao Yishi around, only sleeping two hours at dawn—it was even more exhausting than helping Yan Sanhe dispel obsessions and resolve demons.

One Grand Prince was this tiring—what about the Crown Prince? What about the Emperor?

Li Buyan truly couldn’t understand what was so good about that position. Apart from having some power, it was bitter work to death.

On this dawn, she saw off the last official. Shen Chong, who hadn’t shown his face in ages, hurried into the courtyard and went straight to the study.

“Your Highness, a letter from the capital.”

Zhao Yishi took the secret letter and glanced through it, a rare smile appearing on his face.

“Your Highness, what good news?”

“The He family refused the Du family’s marriage proposal. My uncle’s wishful thinking came to nothing.”

Zhao Yishi handed the letter back to Shen Chong, “This is also thanks to Chengyu and Mingting.”

Having said this, he walked out with hands behind his back and stopped beside Li Buyan.

“Accompany me for a walk in the garden?”

Li Buyan was actually very tired and wanted to collapse into bed, but when their eyes met, she nodded.

Good-looking men could not only be indulged in their favoritism but could also commit crimes with their looks. Li Buyan, oh Li Buyan—you’re just like your mother, a face enthusiast.

Zhao Yishi walked leisurely, occasionally glancing at the person beside him.

She kept her head down, the corners of her mouth slightly upturned, as if thinking of something happy.

The word “happy” was a luxury for Zhao Yishi.

His Majesty had taught him from childhood that as a ruler, one must hide everything in one’s heart and never let anyone guess one’s emotions.

But the person beside him was different.

Seeing her made him want to smile. Not seeing her also made him want to smile. Even just thinking of this person’s name made him feel amused.

Peaches and plums need no words, yet a path forms beneath them.

Who gave her this name?

This person clearly often spoke wildly.

“Li Buyan?”

“Ah?”

“Have you ever thought about changing masters?”

Li Buyan stopped and looked at him in surprise: “I didn’t expect it—Your Highness is actually someone who poaches others’ people?”

Zhao Yishi smiled faintly: “Just say whether I can poach you or not.”

“Can I ask first what Your Highness plans to do after poaching me?”

Li Buyan took a few steps forward and turned around, “A personal guard? Your Highness doesn’t seem to lack those!”

“I lack someone by my side.”

His voice was clear and steady, every word measured. Though somewhat veiled, there wasn’t a trace of jest in his tone.

Li Buyan searched her mind for the implied meaning of “someone by my side” and asked bluntly: “Does Your Highness mean you like me?”

Zhao Yishi was stunned—he hadn’t expected her to ask so directly.

“You sent that box of mooncakes—was that also because you like me?” she asked again.

What Zhao Yishi lacked least was composure. Even if his face couldn’t quite hold up, “Does Miss Li always speak so directly?”

First Li Buyan, now Miss Li?

Li Buyan smiled, “Whether you like me or not, Your Highness definitely can’t poach me at present.”

“Why?” Zhao Yishi was shocked.

“Because…”

Li Buyan smiled while backing away, “I don’t yet know if I like you or not.”

After two steps, she stopped, tilting her head with an utterly carefree tone.

“After I figure it out, we’ll talk!”

One person’s nine twists and eighteen turns couldn’t match a straightforward punch coming head-on.

This punch landed, and even someone as experienced and confident as Zhao Yishi couldn’t help but furrow his brow.

How could she not play by the rules?