Chapter 4: The Man Who Is So Rigidly Conventional He Is Boring

Nan Xueyin lay flat on the bed, her hands folded and placed upon her abdomen.

The night was as quiet as deep water, until broken by the low sobbing of a woman, like ripples spreading layer upon layer across a calm surface.

It was the sound of Hantao crying, faint and resentful, sorrowful and miserable, as if she had suffered some great grievance.

Cui Mama listened with impatience and scolded crossly, "Crying, crying, crying! You only know how to cry! What good does crying do?"

Linglang had already gone to sleep but was woken by the noise; she threw on a robe, opened the door, and went out, asking, "Eh, why are you back? Didn't Hantao go to serve the Crown Prince? This... why is she crying?"

Hantao said with hatred, "Seeing me back, you must be secretly happy in your heart!"

Linglang was innocent, "What is this..."

Cui Mama sneered coldly, "You have no ability yourself and cannot win the Crown Prince's favor, so why put on such a face for others! Wasn't it you who swore today that you could make the Crown Prince keep you? And what was the result? You made me lose face along with you! And now you're throwing a tantrum!"

She added, "In my opinion, from now on, this job of serving the Crown Prince should be left to Doukou and Linglang!"

Nan Xueyin looked at the dim ceiling, listening to their conversation.

In this way, even if she could not be completely trusted, she could at least dispel some of the Crown Prince's inner suspicions.

Xiao Mingyu had sent her into the Eastern Palace to become a spy not only to steal necessary intelligence, but more importantly, to figure out the Crown Prince's secret.

Xiao Youlan had a hidden ailment.

Originally, the Eastern Palace was as secure as a fortress, and not a single whisper could leak out, until by chance, a young man who had just entered the Grand Secretariat of the Eastern Palace got dead drunk at a private banquet and accidentally let slip a few words. Someone with an agenda took note and immediately reported it to Xiao Mingyu.

But as to what aspect the hidden ailment was, the man could not say a single word more in detail.

Because of this, Xiao Mingyu tried every possible way to send someone into the Eastern Palace.

For Xiao Mingyu, if he could learn of Xiao Youlan's hidden ailment, he could deal him a heavy blow and ultimately seize the position of Crown Prince.

Nan Xueyin had come under orders, and no matter what, she had to remain in the Eastern Palace until she found that secret.

The next day, before dawn, the people under the Eastern Palace were already up and busy; servants had to get up earlier than their masters, and since the current Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace was diligent and only slept two or three hours a day, the people below slept even less.

Nan Xueyin was an Assassin and Hidden Guard by trade, so her sleep was naturally light; back when she went on missions, there were times she would not close her eyes for several nights in a row, so getting up early was nothing to her.

After a simple wash, and especially after confirming that her Human Skin Mask had no flaws, Nan Xueyin walked out the door.

Cui Mama was just about to knock on her door, and seeing that she was already up, she nodded with satisfaction, "His Highness is about to get up, hurry over and serve him!"

"Alright."

The person next door was also up; Hantao had cried for most of the night, and her eyes were swollen like walnuts; she gritted her teeth and glared over with resentment.

But Nan Xueyin did not even give her a glance.

When she reached outside the door, Xiao Youlan had already woken up.

Those carrying water and holding tea went in and out, all of them male attendants.

Nan Xueyin once again pondered the possibility of the Crown Prince having a penchant for men, and walked inside without changing her expression.

She saw Xiao Youlan's broad back; he wore only a moon-white sleeping robe, and a young attendant was about to put an outer robe on him.

Nan Xueyin stepped forward twice and took the robe from the attendant's hands.

Xiao Youlan saw her, his expression calm, and asked, "Is your body better?"

Nan Xueyin lowered her eyes, focusing on adjusting his collar, "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness, this servant is much better. It is just that I still cannot serve Your Highness well."

Xiao Youlan was noncommittal about this, his gaze shifting to her hands, "You have many calluses."

"..."

Having held blades and swords too much, of course it would be like this.

Nan Xueyin said softly, "Since I was small, this servant helped my family cut grass and feed pigs, doing many rough tasks; these hands are certainly not as delicate and smooth as Sister Hantao's."

After tying the belt, she slightly raised her face, "Will Your Highness dislike this servant because of this?"

Xiao Youlan looked away, "That is not the case. I have no mind for matters between men and women at present."

Shu Yu entered from outside and, for the first time ever, saw a woman in the Crown Prince's room; he was full of curiosity and circled around Nan Xueyin, "You... could you be Doukou?"

Nan Xueyin was puzzled, "Do you recognize this servant?"

Shu Yu said with a smile, "Isn't this what the Crown Prince was muttering about last night."

Nan Xueyin lowered her head and smiled faintly, looking somewhat shy.

"I heard the Emperor first selected over a hundred people in the palace, and only after layers of screening were you few chosen. How were you selected?" Shu Yu asked curiously.

Before Nan Xueyin could speak, he answered himself, "I imagine there must be some extraordinary skill..."

Rubbing his chin, he walked a few steps closer and deliberately lowered his voice, "How many... positions do you know?"

Nan Xueyin was stunned and turned her head to look at Xiao Youlan.

"Shu Yu." Xiao Youlan called his name.

Shu Yu was innocent, "I was just asking for you."

Xiao Youlan glanced at him coldly, and Shu Yu obediently shut his mouth.

Finally, Xiao Youlan sat on a yellow rosewood square stool, and Nan Xueyin walked up to put on his hair crown.

While bowing her head, Nan Xueyin said, "Nine."

Her voice was extremely light, audible only to each other.

Xiao Youlan looked at her, uncomprehending.

Nan Xueyin's earlobes, however, flushed with a perfectly timed redness; she finished putting on the hair crown, lowered her head, and retreated.

On the way from the Eastern Palace to the morning court, it was only halfway there that Xiao Youlan finally came to his senses—

Nine.

She was talking about the positions she knew in bed.

Shu Yu said he was asking on behalf of the Crown Prince, so she had quietly answered the Crown Prince.

Xiao Youlan's lip line tightened, his emotions inexplicable.

By the time the Crown Prince finished the morning court and returned to the Eastern Palace, Nan Xueyin had already laid out the breakfast for the day.

Xiao Youlan entered the room without a word and took a seat at the table.

"This servant does not yet know what Your Highness likes or dislikes to eat, so I asked the kitchen to prepare these. Would Your Highness like to try this Lotus Seed Porridge with Hibiscus first?"

As she spoke, Nan Xueyin used her fair hands to serve him porridge; her sleeve slid down, revealing a segment of delicate, snow-white wrist, which, though slender, was not frail, but instead revealed sinew and bone, possessing a distinct aesthetic of strength.

Xiao Youlan's gaze paused slightly, and he took the porridge bowl.

Being of royal birth and having received excellent etiquette training since childhood, Xiao Youlan did not speak while eating.

Nan Xueyin watched from the side, seeing that he ate very refinedly and methodically; there was no loud clatter from the bowls, chopsticks, or soup spoons, and for things he did not like, he would never touch them again after one bite; for things he liked, he would take a few more bites, but never more than three.

Nan Xueyin frowned inwardly.

Truly a man so bound by rules that he was boring.

Xiao Youlan had eaten enough and set down his chopsticks.

"Is Your Highness full?" Nan Xueyin promptly handed over a silk handkerchief.

Xiao Youlan took it, wiped the corners of his mouth, and gave a hum of acknowledgment.

"Then this servant will withdraw." Nan Xueyin had not eaten a single thing up to this point.

"Wait," Xiao Youlan called out to stop her.

"What other instructions does Your Highness have?"

Xiao Youlan said indifferently, "I am lacking someone to grind ink."