A strip of gauze in his hand, like a white silk ribbon, wrapped around her palm layer by layer. After carefully checking and securely bandaging every part, making sure nothing was missed, he finally let out a long sigh.

“Your Highness—” she called softly.

Yue Guanyi was still immersed in deep remorse. Hearing Qiu Shuzhi, he raised his head in confusion.

“Your Highness did very well.” Qiu Shuzhi leaned slightly, whispering in his ear, her low, gentle tone like lovers’ private words.

His fair and flawless face instantly flushed red, his crow-like eyelashes fluttering as he lowered his head. His shy appearance was exactly like a ripe peach, seeming as if it would drip water if poked.

“Your Highness, the kitchen has prepared everything. Shall we serve the meal?” As soon as Chang’an entered the room, he saw his master sitting obediently beside Qiu Shuzhi, a thin blush of shyness spreading across his face.

Chang’an’s voice seemed to wake him from his coyness. He straightened up: “Serve the meal.”

The imperial breakfast was consistently extravagant, with beef, mutton, donkey meat, and seafood, all available. However, eating these things so early in the morning was rather greasy.

But Yue Guanyi didn’t even glance at these. In front of him was just a bowl of plain porridge and a few small side dishes, while the feast laid out on the full table seemed like mere decoration.

She had previously thought Zhou Hu’s life was already luxurious, but she didn’t know that the imperial family’s extravagance far exceeded her imagination. These things that Yue Guanyi didn’t eat would mostly be thrown away. Today was like this, and in past years, countless breakfasts must have been the same.

Qiu Shuzhi couldn’t help but think of that refugee family who had starved to death, and inevitably felt some emotion.

“Sir?” Yue Guanyi called softly.

His voice pulled Qiu Shuzhi back. In front of her was a small bowl filled with various pre-cut meat pieces and a bowl of thick soup, all personally served by Yue Guanyi.

She hurriedly said: “Your Highness, this is not appropriate. My rank is low, how can I let you personally serve dishes?”

“You were injured because of me, Sir. Your hand is inconvenient to use chopsticks. What’s wrong with me being your hand?” He suppressed his excitement, using serving chopsticks to pick up a piece of red shrimp, personally peeling it and placing it in her bowl: “Sir, please try it and see if it suits your taste?”

Qiu Shuzhi looked at the ‘sumptuous’ breakfast in the white porcelain bowl, only tasting the shrimp he had just peeled: “It’s very delicious.”

A polite compliment made the corners of Yue Guanyi’s lips curl up almost imperceptibly. His phoenix eyes showed no arrogance or haughtiness, only the secret joy of a puppy praised by its owner, the invisible tail behind him wagging frantically.

Qiu Niang ate the shrimp he peeled – the shrimp he personally peeled was put in Qiu Niang’s mouth, licked and chewed, slowly sliding down her throat and finally entering her stomach.

Just thinking about it made him too excited to contain himself. He looked at her adoringly. This was the life he had dreamed of – being the man behind her, serving her meals and daily needs, living for her.

He rolled up his sleeves, wanting to peel more shrimp for her, but was stopped by Qiu Shuzhi.

“One taste is enough. I don’t really like eating meat dishes in the morning.”

Yue Guanyi nodded dazedly, hurriedly removing the white porcelain bowl in front of her and replacing it with a small bone china dish, and picked up some pickled radish and pickled cucumber, his movements as skillful as if he wasn’t a pampered prince.

How could Qiu Shuzhi know that this scene had appeared in Yue Guanyi’s dreams countless times?

He never had grand ambitions; becoming the Commander of the Imperial Guards was also due to circumstances. The only thing he wanted to do was to be the man in her back courtyard, taking care of her meals and daily needs, warming her bed, and… bearing eight or ten children for her.

Thinking of these unrealistic obsessions, his pale face flushed with an unnatural thin blush.

He covered his burning hot face, fortunately not noticed by Qiu Shuzhi.

During the entire breakfast, Yue Guanyi barely sipped two mouthfuls of porridge, spending the rest of the time serving Qiu Shuzhi, especially that soft appearance as if he wanted to lean against Qiu Shuzhi and turn into a puddle of soft mud.

Chang’an: It’s unbearable to watch.

After breakfast, Qiu Shuzhi left on the pretext of needing to lead the Imperial Guards out of the palace.

Yue Guanyi felt somewhat disappointed, but still forced a smile to see her off.

“Sir, since you are often in the palace now, if you have time, why not come to the palace to sit more often… I’ll be waiting for you.” As the palace gate was approaching, Yue Guanyi finally couldn’t hold back.

Chang’an’s body shook. If the words ‘in the palace’ were replaced with other words, it would be exactly like the manner of a young male courtesan.

But Yue Guanyi didn’t care about these things now. He didn’t care if his words and actions were frivolous. Qin Qing’s threat was imminent. Even if Qiu Niang didn’t like him now, that old widower might use his seductive charms to tease her every day, and over time, Qiu Niang might inevitably be moved.

Now he only regretted that back then, full of resentment in the brothel, he stubbornly opposed the madam and refused to learn those tricks to please women, allowing that old widower to steal a march.

If frivolous behavior and wanton eyes could exchange for one more glance from Qiu Niang, he would be willing to go and pay respects to a brothel’s top courtesan as a teacher right now.

Qiu Shuzhi paused, said “Alright,” then turned and left with Ji Mei.

“Sir, it seems the Crown Prince really likes you. Such a great beauty loving you so wholeheartedly, aren’t you moved at all?” Once out of the Fengyang Pavilion area, seeing no one around, Ji Mei whispered in her ear.

Qiu Shuzhi glanced at her without saying a word.

Seeing Qiu Shuzhi’s silence, Ji Mei began to analyze the pros and cons for her.

“Although the Crown Prince has a fierce reputation, to be fair, his appearance is unmatched as the most beautiful in the capital, his status is high, and more importantly, he’s willing to lower himself and carefully please you in front of you.”

“Don’t look at how civilian women are all disparaging his status in brothels as how degrading it is. If such a good thing were to happen to them, they would be scrambling to marry him.”

“After all, marrying the Crown Prince and becoming a consort in one step is a great opportunity to rise to prominence and bring glory to one’s ancestors. From then on, you’ll enjoy a life of luxury and splendor.”

“I know you despise His Highness’s cruel methods, but once you’re married, you’ll be his wife-master. The wife rules over the husband, and the wife-master is heaven.”