Chapter 2: Cheap Sincerity

Xiao Jinyan glanced at the little palace maid; she was indeed very loyal.

Then he looked toward Shen Chuwei, "Deduct one more month's salary."

"..." Really miserly.

Seeing Xiao Jinyan walking away, Shen Chuwei stood up, intending to crack some melon seeds to calm her nerves.

Just as Xiao Jinyan reached the threshold, he stopped, and turning back, he saw Shen Chuwei sitting on the couch, legs crossed in the air...

Shen Chuwei, about to crack open a melon seed in her hand, saw Xiao Jinyan turning back to look at her even after he had crossed the threshold.

Following his cold gaze downward, her eyes fell on the plump melon seeds in her hand, and she silently set down the seeds, then quietly uncrossed her legs.

It seems too late to kneel now~

"Does Your Highness have any other instructions?" she asked with cautious care.

Xiao Jinyan glanced at the few melon seeds on the low table, "Do not send melon seeds to Xiyun Pavilion."

With that, he strode away.

"Understood." Eunuch Liu answered and hurried after him.

Shen Chuwei didn't mind; she had plenty of different flavored melon seeds in her space to eat stealthily.

In the study room

Xuetuan had been examined by the Imperial Doctor and was found to be merely sleepy from having eaten and drunk her fill, nothing serious.

Lu Zhaoyan entered, bowing deeply, "Your Highness called for this humble official; what may I do for you?"

Lu Zhaoyan is the current Director of the Imperial Observatory, adept at observing the stars at night, calculating fortunes, and divining.

Xiao Jinyan said with a stern face, "My mind-reading technique has stopped working."

Lu Zhaoyan asked in confusion, "Why does Your Highness say that?"

"I used to be able to hear Shen Fengyi's inner thoughts clearly, but when I went to Xiyun Pavilion this afternoon, I couldn't hear them anymore."

After thinking for a moment, Lu Zhaoyan asked, "Your Highness, aside from Shen Fengyi, can you hear others?"

"I haven't tried that; seeing a bunch of women, either vying for favor or eyeing the Crown Princess's position, just annoys me."

Every time Xiao Jinyan saw those women, they were either openly competing or covertly sycophantic, and naturally, he didn't like it.

However, as the Crown Prince, he had to soothe people's hearts and thus had to interact with them.

Lu Zhaoyan, having grown up with Xiao Jinyan since they were young, understood his nature all too well; he had no interest in women.

Though surrounded by many women, he had always maintained a clear and moderate desire, and probably hadn't even touched a woman's hand.

All these were his speculations; if they were untrue, it would mean Xiao Jinyan was very good at pretending, and it had nothing to do with him.

Eunuch Liu came in, bowing to report, "Crown Prince, Lady Shen personally made some Hibiscus Cake and would like you to taste it."

Xiao Jinyan and Lu Zhaoyan exchanged a glance, troubled by not having anyone to test it, and now someone had brought it right to them.

"Let her in."

"Understood." After Eunuch Liu went out, it wasn't long before Shen Mingzhu came in carrying an exquisite food container, bowed, and greeted, "Your Highness, I wish you peace and prosperity."

Xiao Jinyan: "Dispense with the formalities."

"Thank you, Your Highness." Shen Mingzhu, with a smile brimming on her face, stepped forward, placed the food container on the desk, and with her slender jade hands that were stained with red koudan, she lifted the lid off the food container and placed a white porcelain dish beside the Crown Prince's right hand.

"Your Highness, this is the Hibiscus Cake I personally made; would you like to try it and see if it suits your taste?"

"You're very diligent, Lady Shen." Xiao Jinyan merely glanced at it then picked up a memorial to review, showing no intention of trying it.

Seeing this, Shen Mingzhu couldn't help but grumble in her heart; I had specially asked Qiuju to make this Hibiscus Cake and eagerly brought it myself, yet the Crown Prince won't even try it, wasting my genuine effort.

Xiao Jinyan looked up at Lady Shen; for a cake made by a palace maid to be claimed as personally made, could this be considered genuine?

Such sincerity seemed far too cheap!

"The Imperial Observatory observed the stars at night and found that I have recently been plagued with misfortunes, due to being affected by something unclean. You shall go bathe, change your clothes, and spend a month in fasting and purification at the Buddha Hall."

Lu Zhaoyan bowed his head and furrowed his brow; he was just being used as a pawn~

Lady Shen was dumbstruck upon hearing this; fasting for a month meant not seeing the Crown Prince for a whole month. How could she compete for favor and become the Crown Princess then?

Xiao Jinyan spoke indifferently, "What's wrong? You're unwilling to go?"

"I am more than willing to relieve Your Highness of your worries and labor," she professed with a smile, yet in her heart she cursed. The Imperial Astrologer sits idle day by day, babbling nonsense. Whoever wants to go can go—this old lady certainly doesn't wish to suffer.

Xiao Jinyan sipped his tea with composed indifference, silently scoffing at her thoughts. It was no longer up to her whether she would go or not.

"I have matters to discuss with Master Lu. You should prepare yourself and proceed to the Buddha Hall," he commanded.

"Your servant bids farewell," Shen Mingzhu said, departing the Study Room with discontent.

Once Lady Shen had left, Xiao Jinyan said, "My mind-reading ability hasn't failed me; I could hear Lady Shen's thoughts. So why can't I now hear Shen Fengyi's inner thoughts?"

Lu Zhaoyan replied, "This humble servant wishes to see Shen Fengyi."

How could Xiao Jinyan, with his keen intelligence, fail to grasp the implication in Lu Zhaoyan's words?

"Tomorrow, you shall accompany me to Xiyun Pavilion," he decided.

*

"Being with this master who offends the Crown Prince at every turn is like having bad luck for eighteen generations."

"At last, I can leave this place, never to return."

To the eyes of Chun Tao and Little Fuzi, Shen Fengyi had no chance of making a comeback, so they naturally did not fear offending her.

Chun Tao looked at Chun Xi with pride. "Chun Xi, I am now going to serve Lady Shen. From now on, we won't have the chance to see each other again. There are ghosts in Xiaoxiang Pavilion; you and Shen Fengyi had better watch out for yourselves."

Chun Xi said indignantly, "The master has always treated you well. Now that you are leaving, is there any need for such cold remarks?"

Chun Tao snorted dismissively, "We're not as foolish as you are. You'll be the one crying when the time comes."

Little Fuzi scoffed, "Let's go. I'm going to serve Lady Xu. It's much better than staying in Xiyun Pavilion."

The two of them laughed as they left Xiyun Pavilion.

Shen Chuwei cracked sunflower seeds, her gaze passing through the window sill, capturing the entire scene. Such opportunistic people wouldn't be missed if they stayed.

When Chun Xi came in, she saw Shen Chuwei cracking seeds again and couldn't help but grow anxious. "Young mistress, how can you be in the mood for sunflower seeds? Shouldn't you think of a way out? Xiaoxiang Pavilion is haunted."

"No rush," Shen Chuwei continued cracking seeds.

"How can you not be anxious? Xiyun Pavilion is remote, but it's much better than Xiaoxiang Pavilion. Aren't you afraid of ghosts?"

"Ghosts aren't frightening, but the human heart is truly terrifying," Shen Chuwei retorted.

Chun Xi wanted to say she was terrified!

Watching Shen Chuwei continue cracking seeds one after another, Chun Xi questioned, "Wait, young mistress, where did these seeds come from? Didn't the Crown Prince stop sending them?"

"Ah!"

"...Never mind the seeds for now. Let's go and check if the strawberries are ripe," Shen Chuwei deflected.

She tidied up the sunflower seed shells and headed to the backyard.

Xiyun Pavilion was originally an abandoned courtyard, its only advantage being the spacious land and fertile soil.

She used it to grow vegetables.

She even planted peach trees, cherries, and more.

These were all seeds scientifically bred over many years, with high survival rates, irrigated with Spiritual Spring Water, next year they would taste the seasonal fruits.

Though she fell out of favor, these were her pleasures.

Shen Chuwei arrived at the rack of several dozen pots, among which were five pots each of strawberries and tomatoes.

Tomato vines bore many fruits, half of which had ripened. In a couple of days, they could be picked to make Tomato Egg Soup or Stir-fried Tomatoes with Eggs.

Her gaze shifted to the strawberries—plump and crimson.

"They're ripe," Shen Chuwei smiled, as she carefully snipped the strawberries with scissors and placed them in a basket.

After picking the strawberries, Chun Xi took them to wash.

Lying on a soft couch in the corridor, Shen Chuwei daintily bit into a strawberry, savoring the fruit she had longed for, delighted.

"Young mistress, what if you embroider a fragrant sachet for the Crown Prince? Perhaps his Highness will be pleased, and we won't have to go to Xiaoxiang Pavilion," Chun Xi suggested hopefully.

"There are so many women wanting to embroider sachets for the Crown Prince; he hardly lacks for mine. Besides, he wouldn't fancy my embroidery. It would be a waste of time," Shen Chuwei dismissed the idea.

The conversation between the mistress and maid reached Xiao Jinyan without missing a word, eliciting a silent scoff. At least she was aware of her limitations.

However, upon hearing her last remark, there was a subtle shift in his eyes.