As the carriage started, the ride to the Azure Cloud Pavilion was swift, and soon we arrived at the grandest inn in the capital. Its multi-storied facade, adorned with intricate carvings and glowing lanterns, lived up to its reputation. The aroma of fine spirits and savory dishes wafted from within, immediately lifting my spirits further.
As I stepped into the inn, the innkeeper, a plump man with a perpetually jovial smile, greeted me with an obsequious bow. "Welcome, Your Highness!" I looked at him and said, "Okay, lead the way." He quickly led us to a private chamber, the finest they had to offer, complete with plush cushions and a window overlooking a bustling street. Zhong Yi remained aloof at my side, his presence a silent guardian.
"Bring your best wine and a feast, innkeeper!" I declared, already feeling the excitement of being out and about.
The dishes arrived swiftly—delicate dim sum, roasted meats, exotic fruits, and several bottles of amber-colored rice wine. I poured myself a generous cup, savoring the fragrant aroma.
"Zhong Yi, drink with me!" I offered, pushing a cup towards him.
"This subordinate does not drink while on duty, Your Highness," he replied, ever the disciplined guard.
"Oh, come on!" I pouted. "Just one cup! Consider it an order from your Crown Prince!"
He hesitated, then slowly reached for the cup. As he took a small sip, a tiny, almost imperceptible flush rose to his cheeks. He actually looks even more handsome when he's flustered, I mused, feeling a little buzz from my own drink.
I, however, had no such reservations. I drank deeply, one cup quickly leading to another. The sweet, potent wine warmed me from the inside out, making the day's earlier confrontation seem like a distant, amusing memory. The weight of being a Crown Prince, the novel's plot, and the looming marriages all began to fade into a hazy, pleasant buzz.
After perhaps the fourth or fifth cup, my head felt light, and the room began to sway ever so slightly. "I need... to find the privy," I slurred, pushing myself up from the cushions. Zhong Yi instantly moved to support me.
"Allow this subordinate to escort Your Highness," he said, his voice firm despite my tipsiness.
"No, no, I'm fine!" I waved him off, wanting a moment of independence. "Stay here and... protect the wine!" I giggled, stumbling out of the room.
The corridors of the Azure Cloud Pavilion were a labyrinth of dark wood and hushed whispers. My steps were unsteady, and I found myself weaving down a dimly lit hallway I didn't recognize. I thought I heard voices from one of the opulent, heavily carved doors. Curious, and perhaps a little emboldened by the alcohol, I pressed my ear against it.
"...the Crown Prince is truly becoming a headache," a familiar, slightly irritated voice muttered from within. It was Lin Mo.
"Indeed. I hear from my subordinate that he made quite a scene with you today, embarrassing you with his shameless action," another voice chuckled, a deeper, younger voice that sent a shiver down my spine—Yan Chen.
Oh, these two! Talking about me behind my back? How dare they! My anger, fueled by alcohol, flared.
"He even dared to... to touch me!" Lin Mo's voice was tight with barely concealed fury, though a hint of something else, a strange embarrassment, colored his tone.
Yan Chen's laugh grew louder. "Hahaha! So the shameless Crown Prince finally showed his true colors? I knew he couldn't hide his Wickedness for long! And to think, he even tried to use a guard just to escape me yesterday! That little fox, and he even kissed me on the cheek!"
Little fox?! Wickedness?! Shameless?! My blood boiled again. They were trash-talking me! And they actually seemed to enjoy it!
"He's attitude is simply unendurable."," Lin Mo continued, a sigh escaping him. "And now he expects us to marry him! As if I would ever willingly submit to such a crude, disrespectful... villain."
My heart, despite the wine, clenched at that word: villain. It was the very label I was trying to escape. I pushed harder against the door, wanting to burst in and set them straight, but my drunken coordination failed me. The door creaked ominously.
The conversation inside instantly ceased. A tense silence filled the room.
Uh oh, I thought, as the alcohol-induced bravado quickly evaporated, replaced by a cold dread of sweat. I'm in trouble.
The door slowly swung open, revealing Lin Mo and Yan Chen, their faces a mixture of shock and irritation. Their eyes widened even further as they saw me swaying slightly in the hallway.
"Your Highness!" Lin Mo exclaimed, his voice sharp, a vein visibly throbbing on his temple. Yan Chen, on the other hand, let out a nervous laugh, a hand instinctively going to his cheek where I had kissed him yesterday.
"Oh, hello there, husbands-to-be!" I slurred, attempting a charming smile that probably looked more like a grimace. "Fancy meeting you here... talking about me, were we?"
Lin Mo's face darkened further. "You were eavesdropping!"
"Eavesdropping?" I scoffed, trying to stand straighter. "I was merely... appreciating the fine architecture of this establishment! And my ears just happened to catch your lovely conversation."
Yan Chen, always the bolder of the two, stepped forward. "And what if we were, Your Highness? Are you so shameless that you cannot even bear to hear the truth about yourself?"
My drunken anger flared again. "The truth? The truth is, I'm trying to change! I'm trying to be a better Crown Prince than the person I was in the past, okay! And you two are just making it harder!" My voice cracked with unexpected emotion.
Lin Mo looked at me, a flicker of surprise in his eyes, perhaps noticing the genuine pain beneath my drunken bravado. Yan Chen, however, seemed unmoved.
"A better Crown Prince?" Yan Chen sneered. "By sneaking out to brothels and harassing people in the streets?"
"I... I just wanted to see some handsome people, okay, humph! And you were also heading towards the brothel, so we're even!" I retorted, trying to defend myself.
"Huh? Well, okay, deal. It's even for both of us," Yan Chen conceded, then added, "But what about the kiss, huh?"
"It's no loss for you, okay? And it was only on the cheek! Even Zhong Yi didn't bother when I kissed him on the lips, but you... it's like you've never kissed anyone, huh?" I said, taunting him.
Yan Chen blushed as soon as he heard my words. "It's not a sin, okay? I just turned adult!" he muttered, looking away.
Hearing this, I laughed out loud, then looked at Lin Mo. "Could it be you too?"
"Don't compare me to you, okay! Even though I don't have experience in that area, I read sometimes!" Lin Mo accidentally blurted out, his face turning red.
I couldn't stop laughing at their reactions, much to their annoyance.
Just then, I felt a strong hand on my arm. Zhong Yi, with his usual aloof expression, had appeared out of nowhere. "Your Highness, perhaps it is time to return to the palace," he said, his voice quiet but firm, conveying a clear warning. He must have sensed the tension or heard my raised voice.
"But Zhong Yi, I was just having such a lovely chat with my soon-to-be husbands!" I protested, trying to pull away.
Zhong Yi ignored my protests, his grip surprisingly gentle yet unyielding. He bowed respectfully to Lin Mo and Yan Chen. "My apologies for His Highness's conduct. He has had too much to drink."
Lin Mo narrowed his eyes at me. "Your Highness, we will see each other again, and the last laugh will be mine too." There was a clear threat in his tone.
Yan Chen just shook his head, a mixture of exasperation and something akin to reluctant amusement on his face. "A little fox indeed," he muttered under his breath, but loud enough for me to hear.
As Zhong Yi expertly steered me away, I cast one last defiant glare back at them. "You haven't seen the last of me!" I shouted, my voice echoing down the corridor.
Zhong Yi simply sighed, a rare, almost human sound, mixed with a hint of embarrassment from what he had just overheard. He continued to guide me towards our carriage, leaving a very confused and somewhat unsettled Lin Mo and Yan Chen behind in the private chamber of the Azure Cloud Pavilion.
The ride back to the palace was silent, save for my occasional hiccups. I knew I was in for a headache tomorrow, both from the wine and from the awkward encounter. This is going to be a long engagement, I thought as I drifted into a wine-induced slumber in the carriage.