Shen Chuwei bent over to pick up Xuetuan and put him on a chair, then served some fish on a clean plate.
Seeing this, Chun Xi couldn't help but worry, "Young Master, can Xuetuan eat spicy food? Won't it upset his stomach?"
Shen Chuwei didn't know either; in the past, when she ate duck neck, the family dog would eat it, so maybe it wouldn't be a problem for a cat to eat a little grilled fish?
"It's fine, I'm here." Shen Chuwei placed the bowl in front of Xuetuan and watched him closely.
Xuetuan first sniffed at it curiously, then took a bite and kept licking its tongue because of the spiciness.
This was the Crown Prince's beloved pet; if anything happened, they would be sent to Xiaoxiang Pavilion.
Chun Xi hurriedly brought over a bowl of warm water and placed it in front of Xuetuan, "Xuetuan, drink some water quickly."
Xuetuan gulped down a few mouthfuls of water, then continued eating the grilled fish.
Shen Chuwei smiled and said, "Xuetuan also likes grilled fish."
Chun Xi felt helpless. Just like her own young Master, Xuetuan was also a glutton, continuing to eat despite the spice.
After dinner, Shen Chuwei leaned back against a recliner with a satisfied expression, playing with the cat in her arms.
Xuetuan leisurely licked its paws, also looking satisfied.
The Crown Prince's Chamber
After finishing his dinner, Xiao Jinyan looked at the untouched fish on the table and instructed, "Leave this fish for Xuetuan."
"Yes," Eunuch Liu directed the Palace Maids to clear the other dishes, leaving only the fish behind.
Xiao Jinyan searched the chambers but didn't see Xuetuan and furrowed his brows. Without guessing, Xuetuan must have run off to Xiyun Pavilion again.
"Eunuch Liu, summon Shen Fengyi."
"Yes." Eunuch Liu hurried along with a few junior Eunuchs to Xiyun Pavilion.
His Highness had never summoned a young Master at night; this sudden summon of Shen Fengyi led to the assumption that it was for serving in the chamber.
Given His Highness's long-standing celibacy, serving in the chamber was of great significance and could not be taken lightly.
Just as Chun Xi was about to close the door, she saw Eunuch Liu hastening toward her. She greeted him with a smile and bowed, "Eunuch Liu, what brings you here at this hour?"
With a face full of mirth, Eunuch Liu said, "It's good news. Have Shen Fengyi get washed and dressed; she is to serve in the chamber tonight."
Chun Xi almost thought she had heard wrong. Her young Master was to serve in the chamber?
"Eunuch Liu, is it true?"
"Of course, it's true."
Seeing Eunuch Liu's beaming face confirmed that she hadn't heard wrong.
She took some silver from her sleeve and handed it to Eunuch Liu, "Thank you for the message, Eunuch Liu. I will have my young Master get ready immediately."
"That's how things ought to be," Eunuch Liu happily accepted the silver.
Chun Xi came running in and said breathlessly, "Young Master, great joy!"
Shen Chuwei, cuddling Xuetuan, felt drowsy and, upon hearing the words 'great joy,' she said, "Who is getting married and having children? Are we having a feast?"
"No," Chun Xi said with a giggle. "Young Master, the Crown Prince wants you to serve in his chamber tonight."
"Oh! I didn't hear that." Shen Chuwei lay down to continue sleeping.
"Young Master, let's get dressed up and give His Highness a wonderful night." Chun Xi pulled Shen Chuwei towards the screen and began to help her undress for a bath.
Shen Chuwei sat in the bathtub, watching Chun Xi bring rose petals and scatter them in. Her face showed dismay.
This was because once a woman in the palace reached twenty-five without serving in the chamber, she could apply to leave; but if she served, she could no longer leave the palace.
She merely wanted to coast through life with free food and drink until twenty-five, how could it be so difficult?
When getting dressed, Chun Xi, excited, said, "Young Master, aim to bear a son in one try, and your status will be secured afterward!"
Shen Chuwei wore a face full of sorrow, as if the world held nothing for her to love~
Chun Xi picked out a light pink dress and assisted Shen Chuwei in putting it on.
The fabric was light and translucent, revealing a bit here and there, something no man could resist.
Then Chun Xi pulled her to the vanity to start dressing her up.
Chun Xi had skillful hands and rapidly styled a graceful bun, embellishing it with a few pink pearl flowers and golden hairpins on both sides.
Finished, she looked around and exclaimed, "Young Master, you're truly beautiful."
Shen Chuwei, nervous at the thought of serving the bedchamber, was hardly in a mood to appreciate her own beauty, let alone notice whether her clothes were transparent or not.
Before leaving, she saw Xuetuan on the soft couch and bent over to pick it up, then followed Eunuch Liu to the Crown Prince's sleeping quarters.
As she entered the sleeping chamber with Xuetuan in her arms, Eunuch Liu shut the door behind her.
Her heart started thumping fiercely.
Xiao Jinyan sat upright at the desk, his gaze lowered as he flipped through the files.
Shen Chuwei, holding Xuetuan, curtsied, "Your Highness, I wish you peace and prosperity."
Xiao Jinyan lifted his cold gaze and saw Shen Chuwei holding Xuetuan, thinking to himself that she had gone to Xiyun Pavilion to scrounge for food and drink as he had anticipated.
When had he not fed it until it was fully satisfied?
So far, Shen Chuwei was the first woman bold enough to hold Xuetuan.
He wondered what method she had used to make Xuetuan so docile towards her.
"You may rise."
"Thank you, Your Highness." Shen Chuwei got up, her gaze fixed on her toes.
Xiao Jinyan said indifferently, "Come here."
Shen Chuwei moved closer to the Crown Prince with Xuetuan in her arms, her peripheral vision stealing glances at Xiao Jinyan.
No way, was she expected to serve him on a chair?
Despite his reserved appearance, the Crown Prince had such a taste?
Xiao Jinyan was sipping his tea when he heard these two crass sentences; he almost spat out his drink.
Was mind reading effective on her now?
While drinking his tea, he glanced at Shen Chuwei, who had her head slightly lowered, her facial expression concealed; so she was still eager to serve the bedchamber.
Apparently, her past conduct was just a ruse of feigned reluctance.
"What did you have for dinner?"
Shen Chuwei answered respectfully, "Your Highness, it was Grilled Fish."
Grilled fish?
Xiao Jinyan thought it referred to the kind of grilled fish skewered on sticks and didn't give it much thought.
He set down his teacup, looked at Shen Chuwei, and commanded coldly, "Raise your head and let me have a look at you."
Upon hearing this, Shen Chuwei slowly lifted her head, her eyes meeting those icy twin pools, still feeling very cold.
The woman before him had a face as lovely as peach blossoms, her eyes clear, like an innocent girl unaware of the ways of the world.
At a neither close nor distant range, he could smell the faint scent on her, her clothes light and translucent, with a hint of red partially hidden within.
One glance was enough to tell she had bathed and dressed with care before coming, even deliberately wearing such thin garments.
If not for his ability to read minds, he would have almost been fooled by those clear eyes.
She seemed so eager to serve in the bedchamber.
Stared at by those icy eyes, Shen Chuwei felt nervous.
She remembered the days just after the original owner had entered the East Palace, when her instructress had mentioned the expectation of taking the initiative to please.
Was the Crown Prince waiting for her to unbelt and disrobe, to serve him willingly?
Xiao Jinyan thought: "...Still contemplating taking the initiative? Come on, as long as you dare, I can make you regret ever having that thought."
After a long silence and seeing no movement from Shen Chuwei,
even Xuetuan felt bored and yawned, jumping down from Shen Chuwei's embrace and walking lazily into its own nest. It nestled its fluffy head onto its front limbs, curled in its tail, and settled in for a cozy sleep.
With Xuetuan gone from her embrace, Shen Chuwei instantly lost her sense of security.
She lowered her eyelids to stare at her toes, her hands nervously fiddling with the hem of her dress, thinking, 'It's all over!'
In Xiao Jinyan's eyes, this was nothing but a pretense of coy reluctance; otherwise, why would she wear such a dress to seduce him?