Volume One, Chapter Ten: Once Again, He Felt Deep Compassion for Her...

The bamboo-paneled door swayed slightly before steadying. She spoke softly, “Let me first—”

“I’ll help you carry it. Hurry, go on!” Shuang Ling stepped forward to assist her with the wooden basin.

She dodged Shuang Ling’s hand with a calm tone, “It’s not appropriate for me to see the Fourth Prince dressed like this. I’ll change first.”

Shuang Ling cast a long, meaningful glance at her before nodding, “Alright, then be quick. I’ll wait outside.”

Once inside, she finally allowed herself to reveal the unusual change. She quickly put the items away and changed into a long skirt of pale lake green. Over it, she donned a deep green outer robe before opening the door again.

Shuang Ling hesitated to speak further but ultimately said nothing, leading the way ahead.

In the garden pavilion at the center courtyard, Zhao Ye sat sipping tea, his gaze intermittently flickering toward the circular archway at the end of the corridor, entwined with purple-golden wisteria.

Liang Cai was pinned to a chair by two eunuchs, flanked on either side by others gripping wooden sticks.

Taking a slow sip of his hot tea, Zhao Ye asked leisurely, “Once more, I give you a chance. Why did the Imperial Household Department transfer my men to other palaces?”

Liang Cai cried out, “Your Highness, I’m just a lowly servant in the Imperial Household Department. Truly, I know nothing!”

“Still so stubborn? Then beat him.”

Catching sight of the familiar lake-green figure approaching, Zhao Ye’s lips curled faintly as he gave a gentle order.

“Smack!” Two claps landed on Liang Cai’s back.

Liang Cai tensed, involuntarily lifting his upper body. The force caused veins to bulge at his temple, and he gritted his teeth to stifle any cries.

From afar, she watched the scene with a tight grip on her heart. Yet when she reached Zhao Ye, she acted as if she hadn’t seen the beating at all, keeping her gaze steady as she bowed respectfully.

“If Your Highness has questions for me, simply summon me directly. Why trouble a lowly eunuch so?”

“Oh?” Zhao Ye raised an eyebrow, “Do I need to report my actions to a mere maid?”

Though he said this, he did not meet her eyes. With half her hair tied up and the rest cascading to her waist, she seemed even more delicate in the dim light than in daylight.

Dressed in the pure and elegant lake-green skirt, her nature was serene and refined, yet to Zhao Ye, she appeared enchantingly alluring, igniting a fierce flame within him.

What troubled him most was the crisp, clear fragrance she carried, overwhelming even the flowers blooming in the garden.

Had she just bathed?

Zhao Ye fought to clear his mind, unwilling to look or think too deeply.

“Your Highness, please don’t overthink. I meant no disrespect; it’s just that I couldn’t bear to see that young eunuch suffer because of my fault.”

How compassionate!

Zhao Ye’s wandering thoughts snapped back sharply.

He clenched the tea bowl tightly, recalling how he had lost control and thrown it before.

Even a small eunuch could feel compassion! Yet for him, coldness ruled.

Could it be that in her heart, he wasn’t even as important as that little eunuch?

“Your Highness,” the eunuch wielding the stick hesitated, unsure whether to continue the punishment since the Fourth Prince had started speaking with the maid.

“All of you, leave at once!”

The gentle prince’s tone sharpened with anger. Startled, everyone lowered their heads and silently withdrew one by one.

As Shuang Ling left, she cast a worried glance at the maid and kindly helped Liang Cai to his feet.

She was arranging a place for him to go.

Liang Cai, aware he was only causing trouble, clutched his waist and limped after Shuang Ling.

Soon, only Zhao Ye and the maid remained in the small garden pavilion.

A breeze swept over the lotus pond’s mist, carrying a faint, lingering fragrance. Zhao Ye’s strained cold expression melted away easily.

He disliked this feeling intensely.

This loss of control, stirred by a palace maid’s presence.

Refusing to look at her, he forced his voice to sound devoid of warmth.

“Everyone has left. Since you say I should ask you myself, then I shall.”

“Where were you transferred?”

“To the Cold Pool Palace.”

Zhao Ye looked at her, surprised by the answer.

Though he had grown up in the palace, the name still required him to recall its location carefully.

He remembered from years past, when in the Imperial Study, hearing rumors of servants drowning in the Cold Pool Palace’s deep pond, or of someone hanging from a beam in one of its rooms.

At the time, his younger brother had been frightened, clutching their fifth brother tightly and even having nightmares that night.

For this, his second brother had punished those spreading such rumors and forbade any mention of Cold Pool Palace in the study.

Had she not just mentioned it, Zhao Ye would have completely forgotten that palace’s existence.

Thinking of her being sent to such a place, Zhao Ye’s mind refused to entertain other questions.

His thoughts were consumed with worry: how could a girl like her be made to live in a place so cold and ominous?

Setting aside the terrifying rumors, even the cold, misty deep pond at the rear of the hall was unfit for long-term habitation.

If she truly lived there, the chilling influence would harm her body day and night.

Though concerned for her health, Zhao Ye hesitated to voice it outright.

“Why the Cold Pool Palace? Do you know how many have died there?”

He moved to a corner, hoping she might reconsider.

She replied softly, “Your Highness, in this deep palace, someone dies in every period of time.”

Before he could say more, he recalled the moment outside the library when he had spotted her, wondering where she had come from.

Now, recalling her laughter with Liang Cai, wasn’t she just returning from Cold Pool Palace?

She had already been there. Or perhaps,

She had already chosen her new residence.

It must have been his sudden decision to transfer Liang Cai nearby that delayed her departure from the Pavilion of Floral Elegance.

Otherwise, she should have already arrived at her new home in Cold Pool Palace by now.

Zhao Ye’s simmering anger reignited, spreading through his chest like a thousand needle pricks, piercing flesh and bone alike.