Chapter 32: Listening is Good Enough

Xiao Youlan finished changing his clothes first; he did not come over, nor did he urge her, but instead sat down on a chair and waited quietly.

When Nan Xueyin was ready and went out, he was sitting under the lamp and smiled at her.

The shadow she had seen just moments ago surfaced in Nan Xueyin's mind; the corners of her lips tugged as she called out, "Your Highness."

Xiao Youlan stood up and walked over, "Tonight, you will sleep with me."

Nan Xueyin tilted her head, "Is Your Highness prepared to have this servant?"

Xiao Youlan:...

Xiao Youlan: "No."

Nan Xueyin let out an "Oh."

"Having you 'attend to the bed' once a month will be better for you." That was Xiao Youlan's reasoning.

Nan Xueyin was slightly stunned.

"Let's go." Xiao Youlan walked toward the outside.

Nan Xueyin followed his pace.

The two of them lay on the same bed again, though compared to last time, they were closer together tonight.

Nan Xueyin could smell the elegant, faint fragrance on Xiao Youlan.

Before falling asleep, she heard Xiao Youlan call out, "Doukou."

Nan Xueyin had only been feigning sleep, so she subconsciously responded, "This servant is here."

Xiao Youlan's voice was soft and slow, like the murmurs between dreaming and waking, "Don't forget to think of a birthday gift."

Nan Xueyin turned her head and saw Xiao Youlan's handsome profile in the dim night; he had his eyes closed and appeared to be asleep, his brows and eyes gentle, as if dreaming of something he liked.

The twenty-second of the fourth month was Doukou's own birthday.

Her own actual birthday was at the end of the year, when the heavy snow was flying.

She still remembered her father, a gentle and refined scholar who always had a pleasant scent of ink about him.

When she was little, she asked why her name was "Xueyin" (Snow Sound).

Her father said it was because on the day she was born, the sound of snow falling filled the world in all directions.

As for the gift she wanted...

Nan Xueyin really couldn't think of anything for the moment.

Rising the next day, Nan Xueyin helped Xiao Youlan change his clothes and watched him go to attend the morning court.

She was just preparing to go back to find Linglang; after all, a young girl's thoughts still had to be asked of a real young girl.

Before she could set off, Momo Qiutong arrived, still wearing that polite and courteous smiling face, "Miss Doukou, the Empress Dowager says she invites you over to eat pastries."

Nan Xueyin knew that Zong Taihou was doing this because she had heard about what happened last night.

Sure enough, as soon as she entered Baoci Palace, Zong Taihou didn't use any topic as an opener and asked straight away, "I heard that last night the Crown Prince had you once in the bathing pool, and later brought you back to his room and had you again?"

Nan Xueyin:?

It had been spread like this?

She took a deep breath, "Yes."

Zong Taihou nodded quite satisfied, "Good, very good."

Nan Xueyin lowered her head, "Being able to serve Your Highness is this servant's good fortune."

"Even without a title, you don't mind?" Zong Taihou's gaze carried scrutiny.

"Before entering the palace, this servant served her father and brothers at home every day, and from time to time had to endure their insults and beatings. Now that this servant is in the Eastern Palace, the Crown Prince is self-disciplined and follows the rites, upright and honest; being able to serve by His Highness's side is already enough to satisfy this servant. If in the future the Crown Princess is kind-hearted and permits this servant to remain in the Eastern Palace, this servant will naturally be even more devoted. If the Crown Princess has no use for this servant..."

Nan Xueyin paused, burying her head even lower, "If Your Ladyship is willing, this servant will come to Baoci Palace to serve you."

Zong Taihou clapped her hands and laughed, "Good! If that day truly comes, I will certainly take you over!"

She lifted her chin slightly toward her, "Sit."

Nan Xueyin sat down, and she ordered those around her, "Serve tea to Miss Doukou."

Nan Xueyin always felt that she had something she wanted to entrust to her.

"Last night, the Emperor and I sat together and talked about the Crown Prince, and we were both very worried," Zong Taihou said, "At the Crown Prince's current age, the Emperor had already married a Crown Princess, had one secondary consort, and two sons and one daughter under his knees."

Nan Xueyin remained silent.

"The Crown Prince's temperament is too cold; he cannot stir up interest in matters between men and women. Because of this, the Emperor specifically selected and trained you palace maids and sent you to the Eastern Palace. You have done very well; the Emperor and I are both very satisfied with you. Now in the Eastern Palace, besides you, there is only one left, right?"

"Replying to Your Ladyship, there is one left named Linglang."

"The Crown Prince has no interest in her?"

"It seems he does not."

Zong Taihou nodded slightly, "I have some impression of her; she is a bundle of childishness, so I imagine the Crown Prince doesn't like her much either. So, to put it bluntly, there is only you serving the Crown Prince in the Eastern Palace. This is not enough in any way."

Nan Xueyin roughly knew what she wanted to say.

"The Emperor and I are discussing sending another batch of women to the Eastern Palace, but this time we will not select from palace maids, but rather pick from noble families. If the Crown Prince likes any of them, it will be a matter of course to marry her and make her the Crown Princess."

Nan Xueyin complimented, "Your Ladyship and the Emperor have taken great pains."

Zong Taihou gazed at her, "I am telling you the truth now because I hope that when this batch of women is selected, you can come and help, and tell them the Crown Prince's preferences and how to win the Crown Prince's favor. Are you willing?"

Nan Xueyin nodded, "Everything is for the sake of the Crown Prince; this servant has nothing she is unwilling to do."

"Even if you have to hide these matters from the Crown Prince, you are willing?"

Nan Xueyin knew why they wanted to hide it from Xiao Youlan.

With his personality, if he knew that the Emperor and the Empress Dowager were using this method to select a Crown Princess for him, he would certainly be unhappy and would stop it at all costs.

However, once the people were selected and sent over, even if Xiao Youlan resisted, he would find it difficult to refuse again out of consideration for the royal dignity.

Just as he would consider the father-son relationship and keep Nan Xueyin, and would not want to make the Empress Dowager sad, so he drank the Aphrodisiac Wine.

The only thing the Emperor and the Empress Dowager were currently worried about was that those women would not be able to win Xiao Youlan's heart, which was why the Empress Dowager came to find Nan Xueyin.

In fact, Nan Xueyin's current position, caught in the middle, is actually very awkward.

However, as things stand, the best choice is still to keep it from Xiao Youlan and help the Emperor and the Empress Dowager.

Based on Nan Xueyin's observations of Xiao Mingyu, a man might be interested in a woman, but this interest cannot last very long.

In the future, Xiao Youlan will eventually have other women, and he will have a Crown Princess.

Therefore, she complied, saying, "This servant is willing."

Zong Empress Dowager has always liked those who are obedient; at this moment, she was even more satisfied with her and smiled, saying, "You are a sensible one. The Crown Prince likes you, I like you, and the future Crown Princess will also like you. When that time comes, you will certainly be able to stay in the Eastern Palace and become a secondary consort. One day, when the Crown Prince inherits the throne, you will be a master among the Concubines, and your glory and wealth in this life will be limitless."

Zong Taihou was truly happy and generously gave Nan Xueyin many rewards.

Nan Xueyin could not carry them all by herself, so Zong Taihou called for Qiutong to lead a few palace maids to help.

Upon returning to the Eastern Palace, an attendant smiled at her and said, "Miss Doukou, His Highness said that if you returned, you should go to the study to find him."

Qiutong smiled and took an extra look at her; the Crown Prince truly could not do without her for even a moment.

Cui Mama took the opportunity to put on a loyal expression, "Miss, you go ahead; this servant will help you settle these rewards."

Nan Xueyin nodded, "Alright. Then I will trouble you."

She stepped into the study and saw Xiao Youlan sitting upright at the desk; without even raising his head, he coldly ordered, "Feihong, all of you, leave."

"Yes."

The group of attendants all left, and only the two of them remained in the study.

The cold expression on Xiao Youlan's face was swept away; he raised his eyes to look at Nan Xueyin, added a touch of gentleness, and called to her, "Doukou, come here."

Nan Xueyin responded and stepped forward.

Xiao Youlan took her hand and asked, "When you went to Baoci Palace today, what did Grandmother Empress Dowager ask you?"

Nan Xueyin replied, "Her Majesty the Empress Dowager assumed that Your Highness took this servant twice last night, and that is what she asked about."

Xiao Youlan was stunned for a moment.

"Once in the bathing pool, and once again after returning to the room," Nan Xueyin whispered, "It sounds quite impressive."