Chapter 7: A Subtle Fragrance
Yuan Jiabai was a little worried.
However, as an official's son whose ultimate dream was to be a pampered dandy, he couldn't resist pulling out that vibrant red round-collar robe he had just admired and putting it on, along with its matching accessories.
The color was a pure, striking crimson, embroidered with intricate patterns in gold thread across the chest. As he moved, the fabric shimmered brilliantly beneath the sunlight, accentuating his fair skin, rosy lips, and radiant charm. He was absolutely eye-catching.
Turning around in front of the mirror, a satisfied grin spread across his face.
"You look truly dashing, Young Master," the young attendant praised him with genuine admiration while gathering up his discarded clothes.
Having served in the palace, the young eunuch had seen his fair share of beauties. After all, his ultimate master, the Crown Prince, was peerlessly handsome. Yet, Yuan Jiabai possessed a completely different allure. he felt remarkably pure, like an untouched mountain spring.
Yuan Jiabai flashed a bright smile and snapped his fingers. "Brother, you've got great taste!"
Flattered by the unexpected familiarity, the young eunuch panicked slightly. "Young Master, you flatter this servant far too much."
Yuan Jiabai didn't think much of it, but realizing this was a feudal society where a single phrase couldn't change deep-seated norms, the best he could do was treat the staff with kindness to make their time around him a bit easier.
Without pressing further, he asked conversationally, "What's your name, little buddy?"
"This servant is called Xiao Xiangzi. Chief Eunuch Qi is my master. If you ever need anything in the future, Young Master, please don't hesitate to command me."
Yuan Jiabai nodded understandingly.
---
Having admired his own good looks to his heart's content, Yuan Jiabai set off for the main hall to find Xuan Qiao. Though the Crown Prince had given him free rein to do whatever he pleased, he wasn't bold enough to take it completely literally and wanted to see if there was anything he could actually help with.
Xuan Qiao was currently in the study. When Qi Guangde saw Jiabai approaching, he greeted him with a warm smile. "Young Master Yuan, are you satisfied with your quarters?"
Yuan Jiabai nodded vigorously like a chick pecking at grain. "Satisfied, completely satisfied! I love it."
"That is wonderful."
Yuan Jiabai peeked toward the inner study. "Chief Eunuch, is His Highness inside? May I go in?"
Qi Guangde replied, "Please wait a moment, Young Master. I will go inform him."
Though he said this, Qi Guangde already expected a refusal. The study was a restricted area filled with sensitive state secrets; only a select few were ever permitted entry. Even the cleaning and organizing were tasks he personally handled.
Yet, the reality caught him entirely off guard. The moment he made the request, Xuan Qiao nodded his approval without a shred of hesitation.
He was letting him into the study just like that! Chief Eunuch Qi Guangde felt a jolt of utter disbelief. How could His Highness trust this young master to such an extraordinary degree?
If His Highness hadn't explicitly stated that he harbored no such thoughts toward Yuan Jiabai, Qi Guangde truly wouldn't have been able to resist remarking that this was a case of "a beautiful man bringing calamity."
Qi Guangde stepped back outside.
Yuan Jiabai had been standing idly by the door, looking up at the trees in the courtyard as the sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows across his pristine face.
"Young Master, His Highness says you may enter."
Yuan Jiabai nodded. Just as he was about to step over the threshold, he paused and turned to Qi Guangde. "By the way, Chief Eunuch, they say 'like master, like disciple,' and it's certainly true. Xiao Xiangzi is incredibly thorough in his work. He really takes after you."
With a single sentence, he managed to compliment both of them. Because Yuan Jiabai's expression was so earnest, Qi Guangde's eyes crinkled into joyful slits.
"As long as he is thorough. It is his good fortune to serve you, Young Master. If you ever need anything, just order that boy around."
Yuan Jiabai chuckled. "Xiao Xiangzi said the exact same thing! You two really are master and disciple." With that, he offered a small gesture indicating he was heading inside.
The smile remained fixed on Qi Guangde's face as he patted Xiao Xiangzi on the shoulder. "You did well, brat. To earn favor with the young master so quickly."
Xiao Xiangzi smiled sheepishly. "It's all thanks to Master's brilliant teachings."
Internally, his heart swelled with immense gratitude toward Yuan Jiabai. With that praise, his standing in his master's eyes had risen significantly.
---
Yuan Jiabai cautiously poked his head into the study, initially wanting to sneak a peek at what the Prince was doing. Instead, he locked eyes with the serene, amused gaze of the Crown Prince behind the desk, who showed no displeasure at his antics. Stiffening for a moment, Jiabai scratched the back of his neck sheepishly and walked in.
"Your Highness."
Xuan Qiao set down his brush and gestured for him to come closer. As Yuan Jiabai approached the desk, the angle allowed him to see an open ledger on the table, but he only glanced at it briefly before looking away.
Xuan Qiao's gaze swept over him, a flash of genuine admiration striking his eyes. "Just as I thought. This outfit suits you wonderfully. Do you like it?"
Yuan Jiabai touched the silk fabric of the robe. It felt incredibly smooth, a grade higher than anything he usually wore. "I love it, thank you, Your Highness."
"There's no need to be so polite with me. Did you need something?"
Yuan Jiabai looked at him expectantly. "Is there anything you need me to do, Your Highness? I can help."
"No..." Xuan Qiao had barely uttered the word when he caught the subtle shift in Jiabai's expression, the sudden disappointment laced with a hint of anxiety.
The youth's rosy lips pressed tight, his long eyelashes cast down, and his shoulders slumped, looking like a delicate sapling bent by the wind and rain.
Xuan Qiao immediately changed his tune. "Actually, there is one thing."
Yuan Jiabai's eyes lit up instantly, looking at him with eager anticipation.
Xuan Qiao's lips curved. "How about you grind some ink for me first?"
"Mhm!"
Yuan Jiabai stepped forward, took up the inkstick, and gently swirled it against the inkstone. As the rich, dark ink began to pool, a task that required very little effort, his gaze subconsciously drifted toward Xuan Qiao.
He noticed the Prince was reviewing an account ledger, occasionally making notes on a sheet of paper. The few characters written by the Prince were powerful, elegant, and full of vigor. a testament to his refined character.
As the saying goes, handwriting reflects a person's character. Yuan Jiabai thought to himself that even if he had never met the Crown Prince in person, just looking at this calligraphy would convince him that the Prince was a stunningly handsome man.
Right then, Xuan Qiao suddenly looked up at him.
Yuan Jiabai blinked in surprise. "Your Highness, what's wrong?"
Xuan Qiao shook his head and lowered his eyes once more, though his mind was no longer as tranquil as before.
Growing up in the imperial family, a world rife with deception, Xuan Qiao naturally possessed a deeply suspicious nature. Aside from Qi Guangde, no one was ever permitted to stand this close to him in his study.
Yet, this sudden shift in his inner peace wasn't driven by vigilance; he trusted Yuan Jiabai completely. Rather... it was simply that Yuan Jiabai's presence was entirely too potent to ignore.
Out of the corner of his eye was a vibrant, striking splash of red. It sent ripples through the quiet depths of his heart, pulling his gaze toward the boy again and again.
It was a sensation he had never experienced before.
"There is a mistake here."
Yuan Jiabai's voice suddenly echoed close to his ear.
The youth leaned down slightly, a pale, slender finger entirely devoid of calluses pointing to a specific entry in the account ledger.
As he moved, the silky black strands of hair cascading down his back slid forward, the tips gently brushing across Xuan Qiao's fingers with a feather-light, ticklish sensation.
At that exact moment, a gentle breeze wafted through the open window, carrying with it a subtle, mesmerizing fragrance.
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