The Crown Prince stared at the spoon for a few breaths, holding it with his left hand and then lowering his head to eat with some awkwardness.
The high and mighty Crown Prince should have been graceful in everything he did, yet now he ate with a sense of desperation. The remaining flicker of conscience made me feel guilty and uneasy. "Your Highness, perhaps you would allow Ah Xiu to come in and serve you?"
"No need. I dislike being touched by strangers."
He tried to scoop up a piece of green vegetable again, but the leaf was too long and slipped off the other end of the spoon.
I sighed, "Then, this commoner can do it."
The Crown Prince looked down at me from his lofty position. "Agreed."
I felt like I had been tricked.
Peng Cheng had said he would pick us up after finishing his business, but I waited two days and he never showed. Situ Yao had developed a peculiar habit, disliking being served by strangers. Not even Ah Xiu could please him; he only tolerated me. For two full days, from washing and feeding to applying medicine, I handled everything.
It wasn't that the work was a problem, but the thought of the entanglement between him and me made me extremely uncomfortable.
After enduring two days, Peng Cheng didn't arrive. Instead, a young beggar boy delivered a letter.
Peng Cheng wrote that the trouble hadn't been resolved and he could only entrust me with escorting the Crown Prince back to the capital.
I was utterly dumbfounded. This was the Crown Prince!
Besides the Emperor and Empress, he was the most precious person in the entire realm. Now he was injured and possibly being hunted. With my dozen or so subordinates, how could I possibly escort him back to the capital? If anything were to happen on the way, I wouldn't be able to atone for his life even if I died ten thousand times.
I handed the letter to Situ Yao. "Your Highness, perhaps this commoner could borrow some experts from the Huwei Escort Agency?"
Cheng Shifu had originally been in the escort business. Later, his enterprises grew, and he needed more bodyguards. Now, the Huwei Escort Agency had branches all over Da Yin. Meicheng didn't have one, but the nearby Bucheng did.
Situ Yao, however, shook his head. "Making a grand show will only attract more attention. Let's just go back like this. I'll hide in your carriage. Besides, if I recall correctly, Miss Wang's martial arts skills are not inferior to my personal guards."
What he said made sense. Our group was so low-key and ordinary; who would suspect that the Crown Prince was hiding here?
So, I made arrangements. Before dawn the next day, I got Situ Yao into the carriage. After breakfast, we embarked on the road back to the capital. Ah Xiu was timid and disloyal, claiming the Crown Prince's presence was too imposing, and she dared not share a carriage with him.
Enraged, I ordered her to be the carriage driver.
It also served as a form of disguise, preventing the other companions from discovering the secret within the carriage.
The wine had been sold out, and everyone was eager to return home. The carriages moved much faster than on the way here. Situ Yao was incredibly resilient. If I hadn't noticed blood seeping through his clothes, I wouldn't have known his wound had reopened. The fellow hadn't uttered a sound.
I quickly told Ah Xiu to slow down.
The original coachman, Old Jiang, sighed and drove his carriage alongside mine. "Miss Ah Xiu, you're not doing well. At this pace, we won't arrive until dark. Miss usually hates slow carriages the most. Perhaps I should drive?"
I poked my head out of the carriage. Ah Xiu was covering her mouth and giggling.
This little girl probably didn't want her monthly salary anymore. I held my forehead, feigning weakness. "For some reason, I've been feeling quite dizzy today."
Old Jiang immediately stopped complaining. "Perhaps Miss caught a chill last night. I'll have the brothers slow down."
I decided to give Old Jiang a generous bonus when we returned.
With the carriage speed issue resolved, I took out the medicine and bandages. The Crown Prince then proactively removed his outer garments, revealing his bandaged shoulder.
His skin was fair and smooth.
Pah! Stop yourself. Although I had been changing his bandages for the past two days, every time I saw this, I couldn't help but blush. The Crown Prince was pale and frail now, but he was still polite and considerate. "Please."
He maintained a distant and formal demeanor.
Speaking of which, he hadn't given me any pleasant looks these past few days. He was probably still angry about my rejection.
However, I was a magnanimous person and naturally wouldn't quibble with him. Besides, I was serving him out of respect for the Empress.
The carriage was cramped. I knelt in front of him, unwinding the bandages around his shoulder.
The condition of the wound was not optimistic. I sighed, "Your Highness, your injury cannot be delayed. Once we return to the palace, you must summon the imperial physicians immediately."
And his arm was still bleeding occasionally.
Situ Yao said, "I can endure it."
"As the Crown Prince, you cannot be careless even with a minor injury, let alone one this severe."
I carefully re-bandaged him. Ultimately, I was a rough person, and my bandaging wasn't as neat as Peng Cheng's. I moved back half a foot, only to meet his gaze.
His stare was so focused.
I felt as though I had been burned, and my face quickly grew hot. "Y-Your Highness, please rest well. This commoner, this commoner will go outside for some fresh air."
Under his gaze, I fled, scolding myself for being so weak.
Was it that big a deal just to be looked at?
Before the curfew, our party finally entered the city gates. To be safe, I didn't go home. Instead, I had Ah Xiu drive the carriage directly to the Imperial Palace. I often went into the palace, and the guards were familiar with me. "Greetings, Miss Wang. Are you here to see the Empress or accompany the Princess today?"
"Neither." As I replied, Ah Xiu and I helped a man out of the carriage.
The expressions of the two guards changed instantly. Fortunately, they soon realized the man's extraordinary identity. One hurried to the Imperial Hospital to relay the message, while the other fetched a sedan chair. My mission accomplished, I bowed and said, "Your Highness, this commoner will take my leave now."
Situ Yao looked at me deeply before replying, "Good."