Chapter 3

Zhao Heche sat three places down on my right.

Lin Feizhi was a little farther away, eight places down on the same side.

I’d meant to steal a few looks at Lin Feizhi.

But every time my gaze wandered in that direction, it lingered on Zhao Heche’s devastatingly handsome face.

He seemed to have had a few cups of wine. His lips were red, his teeth white, and even the corners of his eyes were flushed with a decadent, alluring crimson.

That restless feeling started up again.

I irritably drained my cup.

Get a grip. Did I want another eight hours in jail?

I steadied myself. When I looked up again, Lin Feizhi was leaving his seat.

The best way to get over one man was to get another.

I excused myself for some air and followed him out.

Lin Feizhi was beside the pond in the rear garden.

The wine hadn’t colored his cheeks, but his eyes shone with a sudden tenderness, making him more alluring than the plum blossoms beside him.

Mine. He was going to be mine today.

After a few pleasantries, I went straight to the point.

“Lin Feizhi, how would you like to be with me?”

“I can promise you high office. Wealth.”

I checked his expression. He looked rather shocked, but at least he didn’t look ready to have me jailed.

Relieved, I continued. “I’m the empress’s eldest daughter, the crown prince’s full sister. Chief Grand Secretary Gao is my maternal grandfather.”

Lin Feizhi didn’t answer for a long while. I didn’t hurry him.

It would have been a little dull if he had no backbone or self-respect at all.

Eventually, he said, “Does Your Highness mean that I should marry you?”

What?

“Not exactly…”

A husband would make starting a harem inconvenient.

“You’d just need to do certain… panting-and-moaning things with me now and then.”

Lin Feizhi seemed to understand, and yet not quite.

His face went scarlet. He was about to speak when a cool voice cut in.

“What refined amusements Your Highness enjoys.”

Zhao Heche.

He stood ten paces away. A breeze stirred, sending plum blossoms fluttering down around him.

Normally, a sight like that would absolutely have made me drool a little.

Just then, my scalp only prickled.

Had he heard what I’d said?

I was done for. That had to be ten years, minimum.

My life was over.

At the sight of Zhao Heche, Lin Feizhi looked as if his savior had arrived. He saluted and hurried away.

He moved as though a ghost were chasing him.

That left Zhao Heche and me beside the pond.

He stood a few paces away, his expression unreadable.

“I came to apologize for the misunderstanding the other day. I hadn’t expected to interrupt Your Highness’s amusements.”

A misunderstanding?

He hadn’t misunderstood anything.

But he said he wanted to apologize!

I immediately became solemn. “Exactly. You certainly misunderstood me that day. Go on, then. I’m listening.”

Zhao Heche watched me darkly for a while, then suddenly laughed. “And today was also a misunderstanding, Your Highness?”

“It must have been. Surely you wouldn’t turn to teasing Master Lin after teasing me.”

“You are of royal blood, exalted above the rest of us. Still, I ask that you stop toying with me.”

Perhaps because of the wine, a light flush colored his face. A vivid red plum blossom rested on his shoulder.

Honestly. With looks like those, why would he think I was toying with him instead of simply wanting to kiss him?

But toying with him probably wouldn’t land me in jail.

Better let him think that, then.

So I nodded gravely. “All right.”