Watching the young girl leave, the Crown Prince withdrew his gaze and entered the room.
Xue Lan's gaze dimmed slightly. Today, His Highness had made many exceptions for this Miss Feng.
Could it be true, as the rumors suggested?
"Sister Xue Lan, was His Highness a bit unusual today?" Xue Li felt that His Highness was not his usual self.
"How can we discuss His Highness?" Xue Lan shot Xue Li a glare.
Seeing Xue Lan's displeased expression, Xue Li leaned closer and said seriously, "Sister Xue Lan, don't worry, she's not as pretty as you are."
Xue Lan froze, her face instantly flushing red. In annoyance, she said, "Xue Li, are you looking for a beating?"
Xue Li retreated several steps. "Sister Xue Lan, I'm telling the truth. Since when is the truth not allowed to be spoken?"
"Get out quickly," Xue Lan said, her face uninviting.
Xue Li left with a cheeky grin.
Xue Lan turned and looked towards the room. Only when she heard the faint sound of water from within did she withdraw her gaze.
After about half an incense stick's time, the door opened. Xue Lan quickly turned and saw the Crown Prince, who had changed into a moon-white brocade robe.
His black hair was still dripping with water. She stepped forward and said, "Your Highness, this servant will dry it for you."
"No need," the Crown Prince said faintly.
Xue Lan was stunned and bowed. "Yes."
"Has Miss Feng had dinner yet?" the Crown Prince turned and asked her.
Xue Lan's gaze faltered and she said, "This servant does not know. This servant has been waiting here for Your Highness to come out."
"Go and call Miss Feng for dinner," the Crown Prince said, then left.
Xue Lan's eyes, which had been like starlight, dimmed at this moment.
Xue Zining looked at the delicious food before her, but found it tasteless. This was because opposite her was the elegant and noble Crown Prince, whose every dining action was a delight to behold.
"Does Miss Feng need anything else to eat?" Xue Lan's voice pulled her back to reality.
"No... no need..." She refused Xue Lan's offer to serve her.
She disliked having people hovering around her, which affected her appetite.
Therefore, she never needed anyone to serve her while dining.
"Your Highness, please try this." Xue Lan placed a piece of honey-glazed chicken into the Crown Prince's bowl.
"Xue Lan, you may withdraw," the Crown Prince said.
Xue Lan was startled, then looked up to see the Crown Prince's calm gaze.
She lowered her eyes, bowed, and said, "This servant takes her leave!"
Xue Zining watched Xue Lan leave and breathed a sigh of relief, thinking she could finally have a good meal.
In order to present her best self to the Crown Prince of Xue, she had not had a drop of water since morning. No, she had only taken a sip of dew, said to have been collected for eighteen consecutive mornings. In reality, it was just a bowl of water-like liquid, and she had eaten a few pastries.
"This honey-glazed chicken is good." A faint voice sounded, interrupting her thoughts.
When she came to her senses, she saw a pair of silver chopsticks holding a piece of chicken and about to place it in her bowl.
She quickly picked up her bowl and dodged the chicken. The Crown Prince probably never imagined that someone would dodge the dish he was serving.
Plop, the chicken fell onto the table. Xue Zining was stunned. Refusing the Crown Prince's offering of food, she must not want to get along with him.
"I don't eat chicken," she said, bracing herself.
"Mm," the Crown Prince gave a soft hum and said nothing more.
Xue Zining was slightly taken aback. She had expected the Crown Prince to be angry. She glanced subconsciously and saw the Crown Prince lowering his gaze, eating the food in his bowl.
She breathed a sigh of relief.
"Your Highness, I am finished," Xue Zining said, putting down her chopsticks.
"Mm," the Crown Prince hummed again.
Xue Zining quickly got up, bowed, and left.
Only after her figure had disappeared did the Crown Prince raise his head and put down his chopsticks. The food in his bowl remained untouched, just as Xue Zining had seen it.
Beneath the silver mask, his eyes shone as brightly as starlight.
When Xue Zining returned to her room, Xue Yan quickly stepped forward and examined her from head to toe.
"Xue Yan, what are you doing? You're making me uneasy."
"This servant is worried about you?" Xue Yan said without reservation.
"It's just a meal, don't make a fuss." Xue Zining felt Xue Yan was overreacting.
Besides, she had some capabilities herself.
Xue Yan crept closer and whispered, "You may not know this, but this servant inquired, and this Crown Prince has a peculiar habit."
"What habit?" Seeing Xue Yan's mysterious demeanor, Xue Zining couldn't help but ask.
Xue Yan looked at her worriedly and said, "It is heard that this Crown Prince likes young girls."
Xue Zining smiled upon hearing this. "What's wrong with liking young girls? Who doesn't like attractive people?"
It was a pleasure to the eyes.
Xue Yan grew anxious. "Why don't you think deeper? He... he might just like girls of your age."
Xue Zining was taken aback and frowned. "You mean he likes..."
Xue Yan nodded. "Yes, this servant heard it from someone close to the Crown Prince."
She recalled that from the moment she arrived, the Crown Prince had taken great care of her. Although she considered herself attractive, why would he be so attentive from the very first meeting, especially since he was the noble and supreme Crown Prince of Xue?
The more she thought about it, the more disgusted Xue Zining felt.
The meal she had just eaten seemed about to be vomited.
Seeing Xue Zining's unwell expression, Xue Yan cautiously asked, "During the meal just now, did the Crown Prince of Xue do anything inappropriate to you?"
Xue Zining looked up and asked, "Does offering to serve count?"
Xue Yan twitched her lips and said, "Perhaps you shouldn't dine with the Crown Prince of Xue in the future."
If he offered to serve today, perhaps tomorrow...
"Put away your little thoughts. How can I let others dictate my fate?"
Xue Yan grinned and said, "This servant is just worried about you, isn't she?"
Xue Zining walked back to the bed. She wondered how Hua Yunjin was doing.
Hua Residence
Hua Yunxuan was repelled by a surge of power, his entire body slamming against the wall. As he fell, he coughed up a mouthful of blood.
Hua Zhengyi looked at Hua Yunxuan and asked, "How is it? Do you need to rest?"
Hua Yunxuan wiped the blood from his mouth and got up. "I'm fine, I can manage."
He walked to the bedside. Hua Rong, an elder of the Hua family, was continuously channeling internal energy to Hua Yunjin.
His lips were already showing traces of blood.
"Elder..."
"It's alright. We must suppress the power within Yunjin tonight," Hua Rong said, word by word.
At this moment, several of the Hua family's most essential members were present.
Hua Yunxuan suddenly remembered something and said, "The Empress left a bottle of blood when she departed, telling me to keep it for emergencies."
"Why haven't you brought it?" Hua Zhengyi said through gritted teeth. He only remembered now. Did this brat think their lives were too long?
Hua Yunxuan took out a bottle the size of a medicine vial and handed it to Hua Zhengyi. Hua Zhengyi opened the cap and unceremoniously poured its contents into Hua Yunjin's mouth.
A bloody scent permeated every corner of the room. Hua Yunjin's violently red eyes gradually returned to their original color.
His expression also returned to normal.
Hua Zhengyi breathed a sigh of relief. "Fortunately, it was useful."