Chapter 10: Alone in a Room

Chapter 10: Alone in the Room

Hastily scrambling off the couch, she tripped on her skirt hem in her rush and nearly stumbled again.

Fortunately, she managed to grab hold of the couch beside her and steady herself.

Panicked at having done something wrong, and since she'd come to ask the Crown Prince a favor, Liu Yun naturally dropped to her knees with a thud.

Humbly and sincerely, she said, "Your Highness, please forgive me. I was out of line today. I'll accept whatever punishment you see fit later, but I beg you to hear me out first!"

Xiao Hang awkwardly pulled his hand back. To hide his embarrassment, he subtly sat up straight and looked at Liu Yun, who had dropped to her knees in a rush. He frowned and said, "Get up first."

As Crown Prince—second only to the emperor—Xiao Hang had been bowed to by countless people his whole life and was used to it.

But he didn't like Liu Yun kneeling to him.

She shouldn't be like this with him.

So clearly ranked, so distant and cold.

So Xiao Hang spoke, at least to get her to look him in the eye.

But Liu Yun didn't see it that way at all. She said stubbornly, "I beg Your Highness to hear me out first."

Xiao Hang fought the urge to go yank her up, his face impatient as he said, "Talk."

To Liu Yun, that impatience seemed like annoyance at her showing up to ask for a favor.

But she had no choice. The Ministry of Works, from the Minister down to the Vice Minister, had all insisted the job was her father's responsibility. If she didn't take this risk, how would the truth ever come out?

Even if she pissed off the Crown Prince, she had to go all in today.

With that in mind, Liu Yun bowed all the way to the ground and said with a grave expression, "Your Highness, I beg you to see the truth. My father was never put in charge of the Wanshou Pavilion construction, not from start to finish. It was Vice Minister Chen who had his nephew, Director Chen, oversee it. Now that something's gone wrong, they're pinning it on my father. The Liu family has been wronged. I've come here today, shamelessly, to beg you to investigate and clear my father's name!"

Her mother always said she spoke too softly. This time, Liu Yun wanted to sound forceful, so she spoke with extra passion.

But after that rousing speech, when Liu Yun looked up, she still saw that cold, noble face.

"Your Highness?"

Liu Yun whispered, her heart about to pound out of her chest as nerves kicked in.

What if the Crown Prince wouldn't help?

Her hands, hanging at her sides, nervously twisted her skirt, and her eyelashes fluttered.

"Are you done?"

Just as she was about to swallow, Liu Yun heard him ask.

"Uh... yes, I'm done."

Confused about what the Crown Prince meant, Liu Yun stammered.

Then the Crown Prince said lightly, "Then get up."

Liu Yun looked dazed and wanted to say more, but the Crown Prince spoke again, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"I said, get up."

At that, Liu Yun instinctively flinched and scrambled to her feet.

She'd almost forgotten—the Crown Prince didn't have a good temper.

Standing nervously to the side, Liu Yun kept her head down, not daring to look at the Crown Prince, like a scared quail.

Xiao Hang couldn't help but laugh.

"If your father's innocent, I won't wrong him."

That was all Liu Yun needed to hear.

Her father was innocent. As long as the Crown Prince stepped in, there was hope.

"Thank you, Your Highness!"

Her eyes lit up with joy, and in her excitement, she went to bow deeply in thanks.

But just as she started to bow, before her hands hit the ground, a brocade boot came out and hooked her clasped hands, lifting her whole body up.

"I don't like all these formalities. If Lady Liu keeps this up, I won't bother with Physician Liu anymore."

Hearing the threat, Liu Yun immediately got scared. She mumbled, "Forgive me, Your Highness. I won't do it again."

Her eyes naturally dropped to the Crown Prince's legs.

Actually, Liu Yun's first thought was something irrelevant.

Like, the Crown Prince's legs were so long. So long that he could sit there and still hook her with them.

She snuck another glance and figured those legs probably came up to her waist.

Xiao Hang caught that little glance from Liu Yun and looked down too.

Confused, he asked, "What are you looking at?"

Liu Yun's heart jumped. She quickly shook her head and said, "Nothing, nothing."

When Liu Yun got nervous, her whole body tensed up, and her hands and feet went stiff. From a distance, she looked like a straight pole.

Xiao Hang noticed, of course. A hint of amusement flashed in his eyes, and he said calmly, "What are you standing there for? Sit down."

"The lamb at Tianqin Tower is pretty good. You should try it."

Again, that tone that left no room for argument reminded Liu Yun of something.

She'd have to be crazy to stay here and eat lamb!

And with the Crown Prince, of all people.

The Crown Prince must be out of his mind too.

Following her instincts, Liu Yun immediately declined politely, "Your Highness, you enjoy it. I need to get going."

She'd come today just to plead for her father. Now that it was settled, why would she stick around?

Especially with that scary presence in the room.

As the timid voice of the young woman faded, Xiao Hang's originally light and leisurely demeanor subtly darkened.

"What's the matter? I did help Lady Liu with a favor—surely you won't deny me even this small courtesy?"

This sounded like something from the plots in her storybooks.

A domineering rogue, seeking to get close to a beautiful heroine, would always speak in such overbearing and rude terms.

But he was the Crown Prince, and she was no heroine.

What kind of person was the Crown Prince?

His eyes were like those of an old woman buying leafy greens at dusk—picking and choosing, finding fault with everything, exceedingly particular.

He was likely displeased at being slighted by a woman from such a minor official's family.

She couldn't waste the opportunity she'd just secured. Liu Yun's mind raced, and she quickly devised a reasonable excuse.

Meeting the Crown Prince's somewhat cold gaze, Liu Yun suppressed her fear of him, forced a faint smile, and explained earnestly: "Please forgive me, Your Highness. My father is still in the Dali Temple prison, and my mother is out seeking help. As a filial daughter, how could I rest easy under such circumstances? I beg Your Highness to permit me to return and fulfill my filial duties."

Hearing these sincere words, Xiao Hang's expression faltered for a moment, a hint of awkwardness flickering across his face.

"Cough... go then."

He'd nearly forgotten—her father was still in prison, and here he was inviting her to eat lamb.

How careless.

As if given a reprieve, Liu Yun dropped into a curtsey and quickly left the Spring Pavilion.

Creak—

Turning to close the door, Liu Yun saw Jin He, along with the Crown Prince's attendants.

"Greetings, Lady Liu. We see you off."

Without wasting words, Su Lin smiled as he saw Liu Yun off.

Liu Yun nodded with restraint, led Jin He out of Tianqin Tower, and boarded their family carriage.

Inside the carriage, recalling the shock of waking to see the Crown Prince, Liu Yun asked Jin He with a mix of reproach and complaint.

"Jin He, why didn't you wake me?"

Jin He hastily replied, "I knocked, my lady—didn't you hear?"

Hearing this, Liu Yun realized something, a sheepish look crossing her face as she said apologetically, "I must have been sleeping too soundly, hehe."

"Never mind that."

Jin He smiled, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her mistress's ear, and asked with amusement, "So, my lady, has the Crown Prince agreed to help our family?"

At this, Liu Yun's spirits lifted, and she nodded vigorously. "It's done! The Crown Prince said he'll investigate thoroughly, and if Father is truly innocent, he'll be released without charge!"

"Thinking about it, that twisted ankle of mine turned out to be a blessing—it saved our family!"

The more she thought about it, the more worth it seemed, while Jin He shook her head beside her.

"Who talks about themselves like that? You're too carefree, my lady."

With the Crown Prince's promise, the two of them felt reassured and headed home, eager to share the good news with Liu Yun's mother and ease her worries.

At Tianqin Tower, in the Spring Pavilion.

Once the guests left, the tea went cold, and Xiao Hang's interest waned.

"Your Highness, the lamb stew is ready—care for a taste?"

Zhu Fu asked respectfully from outside, a smile fixed on his face.

"I've lost my appetite."

Xiao Hang idly fiddled with the delicate pink peonies, turning it down lazily.

Zhu Fu kept his smile and had the delicacies cleared away.

Though the people had left, their fragrance lingered. Xiao Hang breathed in the remaining scent in the room and began to feel drowsy.

"Go, deliver my order—have the Chief Justice of the Dali Temple investigate the Wanshou Pavilion case. Find that reckless one who's begging for death and execute him on the spot."

"And also..."

At this, his gaze softened a little, and he continued, "Send Lord Liu home before dinner."

Su Lin acknowledged the command and immediately rode off to the Dali Temple.

...

When Liu Yun got home, Zhang Yuhua came back soon after, her face still grim.

To put her mother at ease, Liu Yun told her about meeting the Crown Prince that day.

"That must have been hard on you, Shanshan, working so hard for your father."

Pausing for a moment, Zhang Yuhua praised her daughter first, then changed the subject. "But Shanshan, you were too daring—that's the Crown Prince!"

Liu Yun couldn't deny it; she had indeed taken a risk today.

But there was no other way—if it could save her father, it was worth it.

It was just a bit of boldness and risk—nothing more.

Seeing her daughter's determined look, Zhang Yuhua pushed aside her many thoughts, deciding to wait for her husband to come back to talk it over.

But neither of them expected him back so quickly.

He was clean and tidy, his face flushed with a smile, full of energy—hardly looking like someone who'd been in jail for two days.

Author's note:

New chapter coming Sunday.

Thanks for reading!