Night fell. A few scattered stars were set into the deep indigo sky, while the moon drifted in and out behind thin clouds, making it impossible to tell whether it was full or waning. Mu Xueshi crouched in the exact same spot as the night before, staring fixedly at the ground.
Whenever one posture became too tiring, he changed position and direction and kept staring. Occasionally a bird cried somewhere in the night sky, sending goosebumps over his skin. He would plug his ears with two slender fingers so that nothing could distract him.
His long lashes rested like crescent-shaped fans over his eyes, while those brilliant eyes opened and closed in time with the moon slipping through the clouds. He had already yawned dozens of times, yet there was still no sign of the Yinglan flower blooming. The fifteenth day of the lunar month was almost here. If the Yinglan flower failed to bloom again, the Third Prince’s illness might have to wait another month for treatment.
At the thought, Mu Xueshi forced his eyes open again and made himself stay alert. He looked around for something interesting to distract himself, only to discover that apart from the guards standing rigidly in the courtyard, every person and thing seemed to have gone dormant.
He might as well think about the case from earlier. Why had the Grand Tutor not moved at all while he was burning? The Third Prince had said he was not already dead when the fire began. If he had not struggled, then he must have been unconscious or drugged. Yet the prince had also said there were no signs of poison and no injuries on the body.
Then his pressure points must have been sealed. Yes, that seemed the most likely possibility. If so, they only needed to find out who had entered the room at that time. But according to the servants, only the original owner of this body had gone inside. And the Third Prince had already said that “he” was not the culprit…
The more Mu Xueshi thought, the less awake he became. In the end he toppled face-first into the grass and began snoring softly. Whenever a blade or two of grass landed on his face, he brushed it away irritably, curled up, and went right on sleeping.
The Third Prince crouched down and carefully lifted Mu Xueshi from the ground. The instant his hand touched him, a milky-white flower nearby quietly opened, its petals spreading like a tiny parasol. A faint fragrance drifted through the trailing grass, making even the person in his arms seem sweetly scented.
At that moment, the Third Prince suddenly wished Mu Xueshi were awake. He had always preferred silence and detachment, but now he wanted to see Mu Xueshi’s gentle, carefree smile.
Unable to tolerate the grass and dirt clinging to Mu Xueshi, the Third Prince carried him to the bath chamber in his own quarters. The floor was paved with imperial-purple crystal, and the pool was lined entirely with white jade. Two beautiful attendants stood beside it holding trays, fragrant oils, and clean clothes.
The Third Prince glanced at the attendants and silently signaled for them to leave. They understood at once, set the trays beside the pool, and withdrew together.
Looking at the person in his arms, who showed no sign of waking, the Third Prince’s expression softened as never before. He gently removed Mu Xueshi’s clothes, revealing pale, smooth skin. The prince stared for quite some time, the softness in his eyes gradually deepening into a stronger stir of emotion.
The Third Prince brought both of them into the water. The moment Mu Xueshi touched the warmth, he slowly woke from his haze. The thin disguise over his face had already been removed, and as his peerless features were fully revealed, his crystal-clear eyes opened.
For a moment, the Third Prince’s mind went blank. He had once been able to look at this face without reacting, but now, under these circumstances, he found his emotions difficult to control. He slowly leaned closer and pressed his lips to Mu Xueshi’s.
Mu Xueshi knew perfectly well who was kissing him, yet he felt no revulsion. Unlike the accidental kiss from his former rival, which had felt like a nightmare, this one somehow felt wonderful. He closed his eyes and pretended not to know what was happening, imagining the Third Prince as some peerless beauty. Only then could he avoid feeling embarrassed.
Yet in the end, Mu Xueshi realized that the face filling his mind was still the Third Prince’s.