The Crown Prince's Attendant

Shen Anxin: Huh? Why has it been so quiet for so long again?

That one remark pulled everyone back from their turbulent thoughts.

The morning court formally began, but before any affairs of state could be discussed, Emperor Hongyao issued a decree.

Eunuch Chen announced the decree: "Shen Anlan, compiler of the Hanlin Academy, step forward and receive the decree!"

Shen Anxin froze. Why was this about her stand-in older brother again?

She hurried forward to hear the decree.

She hadn't listened closely to the beginning and only caught something about copying the Heart Sutra and greatly comforting His Majesty's heart.

Then came a promotion for Shen Anlan.

He was promoted from compiler of the Hanlin Academy to crown prince's attendant, a Subordinate Sixth Rank post, and was granted special permission to enter the hall with the crown prince and attend him.

Shen Anxin was bewildered. I got promoted? Just because I copied a sutra?

Chacha: Yes, congratulations, host.

Completely baffled, Shen Anxin could only thank the emperor for his grace.

A young eunuch then came over to lead her away.

The young eunuch said, "My lord, please come with me. The crown prince's attendant must stand just behind and to the side of His Highness."

That was almost exactly where she had stood yesterday.

Shen Anxin lowered her head and followed the young eunuch forward, muttering inwardly.

What does a crown prince's attendant do? Will it be difficult?

Chacha: Don't worry, host. A crown prince's attendant is basically the crown prince's personal secretary. Most of the time, you stay by his side and help him come up with ideas.

None of the ministers were surprised by the promotion. Given Shen Anxin's true status now, she could have stood beside the emperor as a divine maiden and imperial preceptor.

But her situation couldn't be made public, and they couldn't go too far and draw the enemy's attention. Naturally, a position like crown prince's attendant, which seemed lowly but was actually privy to important affairs, was the most suitable.

In fact, some of the ministers still couldn't hear her thoughts.

As for those nearing retirement, Emperor Hongyao would arrange for them to retire one by one over this period. Afterward, they would be monitored for a while, until he was certain there were no problems.

There were also some minor officials whose words carried little weight. Even when they saw something strange, they didn't dare say much.

As for the spies, the most normal thing they had seen from yesterday until now was probably Shen Anxin's promotion.

Everything else was far too abnormal, completely impossible to understand, as though some sort of barrier separated them from it.

The others needed only a glance to understand one another, but they alone couldn't connect to the line. That feeling of being shut out was truly agonizing.

Even the ministers they had previously been close enough to exchange a few words with suddenly and inexplicably began stopping themselves halfway through speaking to them.

Their eyes seemed to say, You wouldn't understand. I can't explain it to you.

They really wanted to shout, "If you don't tell me, how am I supposed to understand?"

They even suspected their identities had been exposed, but they couldn't see what was wrong.

Everything around them was so bizarre that they completely overlooked the minor matter of Shen Anxin's promotion.

Meanwhile, Shen Anxin was still puzzled. I can't shake the feeling that this promotion came out of nowhere.

Chacha: I'm guessing the emperor recognized your brother's talent and wants to groom him into the future crown prince's right-hand man. You were planning to help them anyway, so having your brother closer will make things easier to arrange.

Everyone's ears instantly pricked up, especially Emperor Hongyao's and the princes'.

It seemed Shen Anxin would help not only with warnings of natural disasters, but with their own crises as well.

Using the information from Shen Anxin's thoughts to save themselves was one thing; Shen Anxin intending to help was another. Now they were even more confident they could change the future.

Shen Anxin nodded. That makes sense.

Everyone: As expected of a girl with a heart devoted to the greater good. A divine maiden, an auspicious omen!

Xiao Yanchen's eyes curved with a smile. He had guessed long ago that it would be so.

Chacha: If the crown prince doesn't die, he's destined to become emperor. Your brother's pavilion will be closest to the water, so he'll catch the moonlight first and surely get ahead. Then, host, you can enjoy the wonderful life of eating your fill while waiting to die, reaping without working, and borrowing the tiger's might as your own.

Everyone: Wait, is that how those expressions are used?

Shen Anxin: Is your education a hybrid or something? You're using expressions all wrong.

Everyone: Exactly! What do you mean, eating her fill while waiting to die, reaping without working, and borrowing the tiger's might? Are you insulting her?

Shen Anxin: What do you mean, his pavilion will catch the moonlight first? My brother isn't going to become a favored consort. He's going to be a favored minister. That's called the merit of following the dragon. Hehe, your analysis was right, though. Crown prince's attendant suits Shen Anlan better. Once he becomes a high official, I can eat my fill while waiting to die, reap without working, and borrow the tiger's might.

Everyone: Wait, what? Isn't there something wrong with your life's ambition?

Emperor Hongyao had a strong urge to put a hand to his forehead.

Xiao Yanchen nearly laughed aloud. Come to think of it, if one didn't bear responsibilities and a mission, a life of eating one's fill while waiting to die, reaping without working, and borrowing the tiger's might really would be easy.

By then, Shen Anxin had taken her place behind and to the side of the crown prince and bowed to him.

Xiao Yanchen raised a hand as if to help her up, gesturing for her to straighten. "Attendant Shen, sorry to trouble you with staying by my side from now on."

Shen Anxin looked up and found herself face-to-face with Xiao Yanchen. She couldn't help feeling refreshed and delighted for a moment, as though she had been purified.

Feeling her gaze fixed unmistakably on his face, Xiao Yanchen smiled faintly and raised an ink-dark sword brow, as if asking what she was looking at.

His expression was so gentle that Shen Anxin's little heart nearly melted.

Shen Anxin: Ah, dazzling! Far too dazzling! The crown prince's once-in-an-age beauty is cheating. He's practically committing violence with that face! If beauty were a crime, he'd be sentenced to life!

The melon-eating crowd: That's the first time we've heard a compliment like that. Even sentencing him... Her train of thought is truly incomprehensible.

Xiao Yanchen nearly laughed again. A smile rippled across his face, and a galaxy seemed to hide in his eyes. Shen Anxin instantly flushed and felt her heart race, hurriedly looking away.

Chacha: Host, you're actually a flower maniac, aren't you?

Shen Anxin: Please call me a connoisseur of flowers... Huh? Wait, something's wrong!

Shen Anxin's tone changed abruptly, and everyone else's hearts tightened as they pricked up their ears. What was it? What had happened? What was wrong?

Shen Anxin: Chacha, are you sure the crown prince and Shen Anlan really aren't having an affair?!

Everyone: ...

Wait, why have you circled back to that again?

Shen Anxin was still analyzing it. I knew this promotion was suspicious. The crown prince took such good care of me yesterday, and today he promoted me and smiled at me. Shen Anlan is handsome, after all. Could it be that he let me snatch him into my residence because I looked like Shen Anlan?

Xiao Yanchen took a deep breath.

The others looked at the crown prince sympathetically, though they also wanted to laugh a little.

Chacha: Host, please don't question the system's ability to look things up. The crown prince likes women. He'll have a crown princess soon, and he's never had a male favorite.

Everyone caught the important part: "He'll have a crown princess soon." Some of the high-ranking ministers' minds began to turn.

Emperor Hongyao: It does seem I was planning to discuss choosing a crown princess with the empress soon.

Xiao Yanchen's expression changed slightly, and his smile gradually faded.

For Chacha to say that meant he would certainly have had a crown princess in his original future, and that crown princess certainly wasn't Shen Anxin.

Of course. She was a miracle who had appeared out of nowhere. How could she have been in his original future?

Xiao Yanchen lowered his eyes, his hand once again toying unconsciously with the jade pendant at his waist.

Shen Anxin: Oh, all right, then. But if the crown prince keeps taking such good care of Shen Anlan, I'm afraid he'll give the court diarist duo some inspiration. Maybe we'll even get to read a southern-wind story about Shen Anlan and the crown prince someday. Hehehe.

The court diarist duo: Wait, why are you coming after us again? Weren't we past our part? Why bring us up again? We won't write it. We definitely wouldn't dare!

The others were speechless too. Are you determined to pair your brother with His Highness the Crown Prince? Does your brother know about this? Shipping everything in sight will only hurt you, girl!

Xiao Yanchen wasn't paying attention.

Far away in Southern Xia, Shen Anlan sneezed heavily.

The Marquis of Shuoping asked, "Is someone cursing you?"

Shen Anlan was speechless. "Father, Little Sister has been a bad influence on you. You should be asking whether I've caught a cold."

The Marquis of Shuoping said, "Have you caught a cold?"

Shen Anlan replied, "No, I feel like someone's cursing me!"