Chapter 9: My Highness Needs to Make a Trip to Fengdu

Before Xiao Youlan could answer, Shu Yu became excited, "His Highness must want to! Anyway, I have nothing to do this morning, so why don't I go on His Highness's behalf and buy some pastries to taste?"

In truth, it was he himself who wanted to go and try them.

Nan Xueyin did not move, patiently waiting for Xiao Youlan's response.

This gesture seemed to please the Crown Prince; the corners of his lips lifted in an imperceptible arc, "Very well."

He then said to Nan Xueyin, "Isn't that what you loved to eat when you were little? You go along with Shu Yu."

Finally, he did not forget to add, "Wear a veil hat."

Although the Ye Dynasty had open social customs, Xiao Youlan, for the first time ever, did not particularly wish for outsiders to see her appearance.

Nan Xueyin obediently agreed.

The pastry shop, said to be comparable to Baoci Palace, was north of Fengdu, by Ziwei Street; it was an old, established brand, and at this hour, there was still a long line of people outside the door.

The two had come by carriage, and Shu Yu took a look around outside, vaguely remembering something, "I seem to have heard people mention this."

Nan Xueyin lifted the curtain halfway, "You have heard of it, but have never eaten it?"

Shu Yu laughed, "Miss Doukou, you don't know, His Highness is more diligent than anyone; I run errands for him, and I don't have much free time from one end of the year to the other."

He muttered in a low voice, "I'm so busy I don't even have time to go on marriage interviews; I fear I am destined to be an old bachelor for life."

Nan Xueyin leaned out; getting off the carriage was not difficult, but her urgent priority was to maintain the disguise of Doukou, so she reached out her hand, "Officer Shu, please."

Shu Yu understood and helped her, continuing to shake his head and sigh, "Really, I haven't even touched a girl's hand before."

Nan Xueyin was lost in thought, glancing at the fingers he had just touched.

She raised an eyebrow, "Officer Shu, go park the carriage first; I will wait in line here."

"Alright." Shu Yu did not think much of it.

After he had walked some distance away, a young shop assistant came out of the pastry shop, his face full of enthusiastic smiles, saying politely, "The shopkeeper says, thank you all for your patronage, and fearing that everyone has been standing for too long, he is gifting each person a bowl of Dokou Cooked Water."

The assistant distributed them bowl by bowl.

When it was Nan Xueyin's turn, he also had a kind smile, "This young lady."

Nan Xueyin raised her hand to receive it, a slip of paper tucked between her fingers, cushioned at the bottom of the bowl.

"There you go, please hold it steady!"

The assistant reminded her, and calmly took the slip of paper away.

By the time Shu Yu returned, the Cooked Water had already been distributed.

Shu Yu looked left and right, annoyed, "I came too late!"

"It is not too late."

Nan Xueyin smiled and handed over the one in her hand, "This bowl is yours."

Shu Yu felt a bit embarrassed, "Are you not drinking?"

Nan Xueyin shook her head, "My health is poor; I dare not drink things indiscriminately."

Shu Yu then felt at ease, took the Dokou Cooked Water, and drank a large mouthful.

He smacked his lips; the taste was strange.

He took another drink.

After more than half the bowl was down his throat, Shu Yu was satisfied, and through the light gauze, he looked at the woman's hazy face outlined by the light and shadow, saying, "I think I understand a little why His... Young Master likes you."

Away from home, there were many eyes and ears, so the two words "His Highness" were replaced with "Young Master."

Nan Xueyin tilted her head slightly, "Does Young Master like me?"

"Even if he doesn't, Young Master is most special to you. In the past, he would never let women serve by his side; before you came, everyone we had there was male."

"Does Young Master prefer men?"

"How could that be! Young Master doesn't have any 'homosexual' tendencies," Shu Yu said, "If Young Master liked men, he would definitely have taken a fancy to me!"

Nan Xueyin was silent for a moment.

Put that way, the current Crown Prince's hidden ailment was not a 'homosexual' tendency, but something else entirely.

It was because of this secret, undisclosed ailment that he did not keep women by his side to serve him.

After waiting for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the two finally bought the pastries: a package of Almond Crisp and a package of Plum Blossom Cake.

On the way, Shu Yu couldn't wait to try a piece, pondering, "This taste isn't bad, but it still can't compare to the ones at Baoci Palace."

Nan Xueyin sighed, "When I was little, my father would occasionally buy them for me to eat; perhaps it was only once every year or two that I could have them, so I always felt they were exceptionally delicious?"

Shu Yu believed her and looked at her with sympathy.

In truth, Nan Xueyin had never eaten pastries from this shop at all.

The reason she had to come here was because this shop was an important stronghold under Prince Duan; on the surface, it was a moderately famous pastry shop, but in fact, their main task was to transmit important intelligence from Fengdu to Lianzhou.

The paper Nan Xueyin had just passed over was the latest report on her mission—

Entered the Eastern Palace, has served in the bedchamber, Crown Prince's hidden ailment awaiting investigation.

This piece of intelligence was regarded as extremely important.

Within two days, it was urgently transmitted to Lianzhou.

Prince Duan, Xiao Mingyu, held a teacup, admiring the copper-gilt Manjushri Bodhisattva Statue placed in the room.

This had been specially sent by the Lianzhou Assistant Magistrate this morning; the deity's statue was plump and vivid, and whether it was the lotus pattern on the base or the jewels and robes covering the body, every detail displayed excellence and refinement; one could not tell where he had obtained it.

However, knowing to bring it to honor him, the Assistant Magistrate could be considered sensible.

Xiao Mingyu had been in a very bad mood these days, but looking at this Bodhisattva statue, his tightly furrowed brows finally relaxed a little.

"Your Highness, there is news from Fengdu!"

Wu Zhui took the intelligence and hurried to report, "News from the Eastern Palace!"

Xiao Mingyu was startled, frowning as he turned his head, "What is it?"

Wu Zhui said, "Miss Nan entered the Eastern Palace a few days ago and succeeded in having the Crown Prince keep her; not only that, just two days ago, she even served in the bedchamber!"

Xiao Mingyu was stunned once again.

"Miss Nan is truly worthy of being our most capable Assassin! All these years, whether assassinating or guarding, she has never once made a mistake. Now, for her first time acting as a spy, and going to the Crown Prince's side at that, she has actually been this successful. Serving in his bed! Prince, just think about it, Miss Nan can be considered the Crown Prince's first woman!"

Wu Zhui was speaking excitedly when he suddenly heard a "crack" sound, as if something had shattered.

Looking closely, he saw that Xiao Mingyu had crushed the teacup in his hand with his bare grip.

Tea dripped and splashed onto the floor, and the white porcelain shards cut into his palm, causing blood to seep out.

"Prince, you are injured!"

Hua Lianying let out a cry of alarm, stepped forward quickly to cradle his palm, looking extremely distressed, "How could this happen?"

Xiao Mingyu's expression was cold and sinister, as if a storm were brewing.

Hua Lianying suddenly turned her head to question Wu Zhui, "What did you say to the Prince?"

Wu Zhui looked innocent, "This subordinate was only reporting the latest progress on Miss Nan's mission; she has handled her duties very well... Over these years, we have sent so many spies into the Eastern Palace, but even if they managed to get in, they were disposed of within a few days; not one remained. This time, not only has Miss Nan stayed, but she has also gained the Crown Prince's favor. Isn't that a good thing?"

Hearing news of Nan Xueyin, Hua Lianying's heart skipped a beat, and her expression shifted subtly, especially seeing Xiao Mingyu's reaction... A sense of worry welled up in her heart for no reason.

Wu Zhui: "If there is nothing else, this subordinate will first..."

"Go make the arrangements."

Xiao Mingyu suddenly spoke to interrupt him, his jawline tensed into a line from suppressed rage, "This Prince is going to Fengdu!"