Chapter 678 Eavesdropping in the Bushes

Chapter 678 Sneaking Through the Bushes

Xingxing gave Wei Shiyu a surprised look.

Wei Shiyu, thinking she didn’t believe him, grew anxious and waved his hands wildly as he explained, "Really, I’m not lying!"

Xingxing quickly reassured him, "I know, I know. Third Prince, calm down."

Wei Shiyu rubbed his face, still doubtful. "Really? You really understand?"

He thought Xingxing was just a naive kid who hadn't seen much of the world—how could she possibly grasp how shady people can be?

She smiled every day; if someone tried to trick her, she'd probably help the kidnappers count their ransom!

With this thought, Wei Shiyu’s expression doubled down. He grabbed Xingxing’s wrist. "Later, I’ll take you to see something wild."

Xingxing: "?"

Wait, shouldn’t she inform her grandmother first…

But Wei Shiyu seemed in a hurry, and before she could get a word in, he dragged her along without explanation.

The two sneaked out of Zhaoyang Palace like a pair of burglars.

Wei Shiyu was clearly a pro at this—he knew exactly which paths avoided the guards and which alleys provided cover. He moved with such ease and familiarity that they didn’t encounter a single person along the way.

When Xingxing looked at him with admiration, he couldn’t help but feel smug. "Nothing special, just familiar with the routes."

After saying this, Wei Shiyu expertly hit the deck.

Xingxing: "?"

They were near a palace wall, tangled with vines. Even in the depths of winter, the withered branches provided plenty of cover.

Wei Shiyu lay on the ground, turned his head, and pointed to a doggy door ahead, signaling Xingxing to crawl through with him.

Xingxing: "?"

"We’re almost there," Wei Shiyu stage-whispered excitedly.

Xingxing was speechless, but since they’d come this far and the mood was set, she had no choice but to hike up her skirt and follow Wei Shiyu through the doggy door.

Seeing how smoothly Xingxing crawled through, Wei Shiyu grew even more excited. "You're pretty good at this!"

Xingxing sighed. "That was back when I was a kid."

She emphasized, "After I grew up, I always used the main gate!"

Wei Shiyu grinned smug as a cat. "Heh, so I’ve let you relive something you haven’t done since childhood?"

Xingxing: "?"

Third Prince, is this seriously your proud moment?

"However," Wei Shiyu suddenly got serious and coughed, "you mustn’t tell my mother about this. It’s just between us."

Otherwise, he was certain his usually kind and gentle mother would tan his hide if she found out he’d taken Xingxing crawling through a doggy door.

Xingxing just said "Oh."

Is this really something to brag about?

She really didn’t want the Empress to find out that on New Year’s Day, in her full princess attire, she had crawled through a dog’s passage with the Third Prince in his ceremonial python robe.

Xingxing was actually relieved that she hadn't styled her hair too elaborately today or worn any hairpins with dangling ornaments. Otherwise, she might not have even fit through that tight space.

Wei Shiyu and Xingxing scrambled up from the ground, trying to stay quiet.

Ahead of them loomed a run-down palace. Wei Shiyu scanned the area carefully before beckoning Xingxing to follow him.

They crept cautiously toward a thicket of shrubs.

The overgrown evergreen shrubs hadn’t been trimmed in years, growing wildly and densely. Crouching inside would hide them completely.

Xingxing, a princess, and Wei Shiyu, a prince, crouched awkwardly in the bushes. The branches tugged at Xingxing’s hairpin, leaving her hair a little messy.

But outside, everything remained still.

Xingxing shot Wei Shiyu a skeptical look and whispered, "You sure your info’s good? Is there really something worth seeing?"

Wei Shiyu nodded emphatically and replied in a hushed tone, "Just you wait."

Xingxing settled in to wait, as instructed, to observe.

She was patient by nature and didn’t seem bothered as she crouched there.

Wei Shiyu couldn't help but steal a few more glances at her.

He figured his second brother—whose face he barely recalled—had decent taste.

After waiting for a while, Xingxing remained composed, but Wei Shiyu began to doubt himself.

Was his info actually wrong?

...If so, he’d look like an idiot in front of Xingxing.

Wei Shiyu panicked, scrambling to save face.

Fortunately, luck was on his side.

Soon, the rusty hinges of the abandoned gate groaned as it swung open.

Someone had pushed it open from the outside.

Clearly, someone had arrived.

Wei Shiyu muttered smugly, "...We came in through the dog hole, so no one’ll suspect a thing."

Xingxing shushed him.

Even whispers could be heard by someone with exceptional hearing or martial prowess.

Wei Shiyu nodded slightly to show he understood.

The newcomer stepped on the thick layer of dry branches on the ground, crunching them underfoot as they walked to the center of the abandoned palace courtyard.

Hidden in the shrubs at the corner of the yard, Xingxing estimated from the sound that the person was less than two zhang away from them.

She held her breath, barely daring to exhale.

Through the overlapping gaps in the bushes, Xingxing could see that the newcomer was precisely the "off" Fourth Prince, Wei Shibu, whom Wei Shiyu had mentioned earlier.

Wei Shibu stood perfectly still in the middle of the courtyard.

He was clearly waiting for someone.

Not long after, another person entered, again pushing open the weather-beaten palace gate. A timid voice came from the entrance: "...Is anyone there?"

Wei Shibu quickly stepped forward and called out, "Miss Su."

Squinting through the thin gaps in the bushes, Xingxing recognized her as Su Chun'er, the daughter of the Cavalry General, whom she had met a few times before.

The Cavalry General was a first-rank military officer, yet his daughter was not as bold and heroic as other martial families' daughters. Instead, she appeared very much like a proper young lady.

Xingxing suddenly thought of something and glanced at Wei Shiyu.

Could this be the girl from the military family that Empress Nie had once mentioned in passing, hoping to match him with Wei Shiyu?

While Xingxing was still pondering, the Fourth Prince, Wei Shibu, had already begun talking to Su Chun'er.

At first, their conversation stayed perfectly proper, revolving mainly around Su Chun'er's younger brother, discussing matters related to studies, horseback riding, and archery.

Su Chun'er gave a grateful smile at Wei Shibu and said softly, "Thank you, Your Highness. The riding and archery instructor you recommended last time—my younger brother sought his guidance, and within just a few days, he made huge improvement. My father praised him greatly."

Wei Shibu smiled gently. "I’m glad to have been of help to you, Miss Su."

His gaze shifted slightly. "...Guangyang is naturally gifted, but because of his stepmother, he is too afraid to shine in the household. It truly pains me."

Su Chun'er lowered her head, fidgeting with a handkerchief in her hands. "My brother and I... we’ve lived like this for so many years. Outsiders praise my stepmother for her virtue and kindness, but who knows the hardships we’ve endured? She doesn’t mistreat us openly—in fact, she has poured great effort into polishing me up. But I know... she’s merely turning me into some prized ornament."

His face showed clear pity. "You’ve truly had a difficult time, Miss Su."

Su Chun'er, deeply moved, looked up at Wei Shibu with watery eyes. "Fourth Prince... you’re the only one who understands me..."

The two of them stood there, looking at each other without crossing any boundaries—no one could accuse them of impropriety.

They gazed at one another.

Yet, gradually, the mood between them changed.

Wei Shibu suddenly sighed. "A girl as wonderful as you, Miss Su... you’ve been through too much these years."

Su Chun'er’s eyes shimmered. "Your Highness, I... I haven’t suffered."

Wei Shibu’s expression grew even more admiring. "I've never met anyone as strong as you, Miss Su."

At these words, Su Chun'er’s breath quickened slightly, her eyes going soft and liquid.

Xingxing couldn't help a shiver.

Truthfully, she knew a thing or two about the Cavalry General’s household.

The current Lady of the Cavalry General was a stepmother, and over the years, she was highly praised in raising the son and daughter left by the late first wife.

Moreover, this stepmother had no biological children—aside from the first wife’s son and daughter, she also raised two sons and a daughter born to concubines.

But the stepmother appeared to have good judgment.

After all, Miss Su Chun'er wanted for nothing - the best clothes, food, everything.

The concubine-born daughter raised by the stepmother clearly received a lower allowance compared to Su Chun'er.

At previous banquets, Xingxing could tell at a glance the difference between the legitimate and concubine-born daughters just by looking at their attire.

Because of this, the Cavalry General's wife was praised by many matriarchs in the capital for managing the household wisely, never allowing the concubine-born daughter to surpass the status of the legitimate one.

Su Chun'er mentioned this, tears welling in her eyes as she said, "...Fourth Prince, you don’t know—my concubine-born sister doesn’t have to practice the guqin or calligraphy every day, nor does she have to diligently learn etiquette from the palace matrons... If someone truly cared for me, I wouldn’t have to be so strong."

Wei Shibu seemed moved and took a step forward.

Su Chun'er didn’t retreat, only gazing at him tearfully.

Wei Shibu placed a hand on her shoulder. "Miss Su, you’ve suffered all these years..."

Su Chun'er murmured tenderly, "Fourth Prince..."

The atmosphere between them grew increasingly tender.

At that moment, Wei Shibu suddenly withdrew his hand with a pained expression, as if realizing his impulse, and took a step back. "...Miss Su, I cannot deceive you. Perhaps you are unaware, but my mother is currently seeking marriage prospects for my Third Brother among noble families. You are among them... I cannot ruin your future..."

His words made him sound like a devoted lover sacrificing his feelings for the sake of his beloved’s prospects.

Coupled with his retreating step, the mood was complete.

Wei Shiyu, already wary of Wei Shibu, found the whole act increasingly uncomfortable. Worried Xingxing might be swayed, he glanced at her nervously.

But Xingxing showed no sign of being moved—in fact, she frowned slightly.

Unbeknownst to Wei Shiyu, Xingxing was the principal patron of the Meimu Opera Troupe and an avid opera enthusiast. She had spent countless hours watching performances from the troupe’s opera boxes.

To a genteel maiden like Su Chun'er, this scene might have been convincing, but to Xingxing, Fourth Prince Wei Shibu’s acting was clearly inferior to Rui Hong’s—lacking both naturalness and sincerity.

Of course, for someone as naive as Su Chun'er, it was more than enough.

Sure enough, Su Chun'er was moved to tears. She rushed forward without hesitation and flung herself into Wei Shibu’s embrace. "Fourth Prince!"

"Chun'er!"

They clung to each other tightly, like forbidden lovers finally breaking free of societal constraints.

From the bushes, Wei Shiyu almost felt like applauding.

Xingxing gave him a sympathetic look.

Meanwhile, Wei Shibu, still embracing Su Chun'er, suddenly pushed her away with an anguished expression. "No, Chun'er, I can’t be so selfish..."

Su Chun'er, who had been blushing in his arms, now became distraught as tears welled up again. "Fourth Prince, don’t say that! No matter how great Third Prince is, he could never compare to you in my eyes!"

Xingxing cast another sympathetic look at Wei Shiyu.

Wei Shiyu: "..."

"No, Chun'er, you don’t understand," Wei Shibu said with anguish. "I am merely the son of a concubine, while Third Brother is the Empress’s own son. Father and Mother dote on him, valuing him second only to the Crown Prince. How could I ever compare?"

Su Chun'er grew even more vehement. "No! That’s not true! The Third Prince is still immature, indulged by His Majesty and Her Majesty into immaturity! He’s no match for you!... I—I would rather be with you, Fourth Prince!"

Wei Shibu placed a finger against her lips, seemingly deeply moved. "Chun'er, I understand your feelings, but I cannot return them. I can’t be so selfish... You must realize, Third Brother is the legitimate heir. That alone makes him far superior. If anything were to happen to the Crown Prince, the succession would fall to him. Do you know what it would mean for you to marry him?"

Su Chun'er didn't expect Wei Shibu to say such things. Her heart felt like it had been punched.

It meant she had the chance to become the future empress...

Su Chun'er couldn't help but cry, "...But I truly don't like the Third Prince. Your Highness, I... you know my heart..."

The lovestruck pair clung to each other, sobbing.

Wei Shiyu and Xingxing locked eyes in the bushes.

What followed was some mushy lover's talk, making Xingxing and Wei Shiyu extremely awkward.

Fortunately, Su Chun'er and Wei Shibu only got carried away hugging without going further—otherwise, Xingxing and Wei Shiyu might have felt even more uncomfortable.

After a long while, the young lovers finally parted ways, having poured their hearts out to each other.

They were cautious, not leaving together. Su Chun'er left first, and Wei Shibu left a while later.