Liu Ruyan refused to believe it, her disappointment reaching its peak.
She rose slowly, curtsying to Prince Yan with a trembling voice, "If that is the case, Ruyan shall take her leave first and let Sister Zhang attend to Your Highness."
Without waiting for Prince Yan's response, Liu Ruyan left the chamber in utter despair.
Prince Yan rubbed his temples in frustration. Couldn’t she at least pour him a cup of water before leaving?
He was genuinely thirsty and wanted a drink!
Heartbroken, Liu Ruyan departed, while Zhang Miaoyu entered the room, yawning sleepily. At least Zhang Miaoyu was considerate—she poured water for Prince Yan, even tenderly wiping the droplets from his lips before helping him settle back into bed.
"Your Highness, rest well. If you need anything, this humble servant will be resting on the nearby couch," Zhang Miaoyu said sincerely.
Prince Yan’s mood improved slightly.
As drowsiness overtook him, Prince Yan soon drifted into slumber.
Half-asleep, he suddenly heard faint chewing sounds and the rich aroma of braised pork knuckle. The smell was so overpowering that it jolted him awake.
With a sigh, he opened his eyes.
Through the translucent bed curtains, he spotted a plump figure on the nearby couch. Zhang Miaoyu was holding a pork knuckle, nibbling delicately and occasionally murmuring in satisfaction, "The Wangshu Tavern’s pork knuckle is truly authentic—fatty but not greasy. Hehe."
Prince Yan flung the curtains open.
Zhang Miaoyu was startled, the half-eaten pork knuckle slipping from her fingers and landing on the floor with a splat.
Already exhausted, Prince Yan glared at her with icy displeasure. "I told you to diet and lose weight, yet here you are, sneaking food in the middle of the night!"
Zhang Miaoyu, knowing she was in the wrong, lowered her head meekly and wiped the grease from her lips. "This servant admits her fault... It won’t happen again..."
She had assumed Prince Yan was asleep and secretly asked her maid to bring the pork knuckle for a midnight snack. Who knew Prince Yan’s nose was sharper than a dog’s, waking him up from the scent alone?
A maid entered to clean up the mess on the floor. After airing out the room for a while, the heavy aroma of pork knuckle finally dissipated. The latest_epɪ_sodes are on_the novel_fіre.net
Prince Yan lay back down, closing his eyes with the thought that he could finally get some proper rest.
He fell asleep once more.
Zhang Miaoyu dared not sneak another bite. She quietly returned to the couch and closed her eyes to sleep as well.
Moments later, thunderous snores filled the room—rising and falling in a rhythmic, deafening pattern.
Prince Yan, who had just dozed off, was rudely awakened again. He opened his eyes, listening to the roaring snores beside him, and was overcome with regret.
He never should have allowed his concubines to attend to him tonight!
Had he stayed at the Glazed Pavilion, under Shen Wei’s gentle care, he would have slept peacefully until dawn.
Furious, Prince Yan threw the curtains aside and ordered the hidden guards in a low, dark voice, "Remove her. No one else is to attend to me tonight."
The guards obeyed swiftly.
Zhang Miaoyu was roused from sleep, assuming her shift was over. Yawning, she mumbled drowsily, "Your Highness, rest well. This servant shall take her leave. If you get hungry, you can ask Sister Liu to bring you something."
In the front hall, Liu Qiao'er, who had been dozing off, was also dismissed.
Liu Qiao'er was more than happy to stay away from Prince Yan.
She hurried out of the main chamber, only looking back after putting considerable distance between herself and the prince. Had she spent the night alone with Prince Yan, their childhood friendship might have rekindled his affection for her.
If she regained favor, she would once again become the target of jealousy among the other women in the household, living in constant anxiety.
It was better to remain low-key.
Compared to Prince Yan’s fleeting love, Liu Qiao'er valued her life far more.
Back in the main chamber, free from disturbances, Prince Yan finally enjoyed a good night’s sleep.
Prince Yan had slept late, but in Yanjing City, Prince Heng was also awake deep into the night.
He had investigated the day’s assassination attempt and discovered it was all orchestrated by Prince Yan himself!
The purpose? To silence Prince Heng’s faction at court and give General Shen an excuse to launch an attack on three border cities.
"My second brother is truly cunning, dragging even me into his schemes," Prince Heng muttered, reclining on his plush bed, his eyes dark with malice.
To his left was a stunning yet muscular concubine, and to his right, a delicate young man. The concubine applied medicine to Prince Heng’s injured leg, while the youth massaged his feet.
The concubine pressed too hard, causing Prince Heng to hiss in pain as fresh blood seeped from the wound.
Terrified, the concubine paled and dropped to her knees, kowtowing frantically. "Your Highness, spare me! This servant didn’t mean to!"
This beautiful, strong concubine had been chosen based on Shen Wei’s qualities—she was lovely, could act, butcher pigs, and grill meat. But her flaw was her excessive strength, honed from years of slaughtering pigs.
Unlike Shen Wei, whose figure was willow-slender and graceful.
Prince Heng shot her a cold glare.
Had it been Shen Wei, she would have feigned deep affection, her eyes brimming with tears as she tended to him, exuding warmth at every turn. But this concubine’s eyes held only fear and dread, making the whole scene utterly distasteful.
Prince Heng felt a pang of envy toward Prince Yan.
Why was his second brother so fortunate to find someone as perfect as Shen Wei? Why couldn’t Li Yuanli find the same?
Losing interest, Prince Heng ordered the guards outside coldly, "Drag her away. I never want to see her again."
The concubine trembled violently, wailing and begging for mercy, her fingers reaching for Prince Heng’s sleeve—only for a guard to sever her arm and gag her before hauling her out. Her pleas faded into silence.
The young man beside him shuddered uncontrollably.
Prince Heng snapped impatiently, "You too—get out."
The youth scrambled away in terror.
The steward hurried in with maids, gasping at the sight of Prince Heng’s bleeding leg before summoning a physician.
Prince Heng pressed slender fingers to his brow and said coolly, "Find me another concubine. She must be able to act, ride, butcher pigs—and have a slender figure."
The steward swallowed hard, attempting reason. "Your Highness, such a woman is near impossible to find. Perhaps Your Highness might consider a change? Recently, many beauties from Southern Chu have arrived in Yanjing—each skilled in song and dance, all breathtaking."
Prince Heng smiled darkly. "If you fail to find such a woman within ten days, prepare to lose your head."
The steward’s lips quivered, but he nodded in resignation. "This old servant will do his utmost."
The physician treated Prince Heng’s wound and stopped the bleeding.
As sleepiness took hold, Prince Heng lazily added, "Also, prepare gifts. Tomorrow, I shall visit my dear second brother, who is gravely ill—to show the depth of our brotherly affection."
He and Prince Yan shared no familial warmth. Since childhood, they had despised each other, each eager to stab the other given the chance.
But appearances had to be maintained.
If he couldn’t kill Prince Yan, he could at least make his life miserable.