Mu Ci went to have a meal with her Crown Prince brother.
Her own brother had also come, but she was rather absent-minded, finding no taste in her food.
Once the Crown Prince brother left, Mu Ci’s first instinct was to rush back.
She opened a cabinet, and inside lay a fluffy little fox.
She was a little surprised, yet a wave of worry also welled up in her heart. She reached out, her fingertips gently stroking the little fox’s chin, and her fingers also lightly massaged the fox’s bushy tail.
She spoke to the little fox as if in all sincerity.
“Don’t be angry, okay?”
The maiden’s voice was sweet and soft, coupled with her watery eyes, creating a beauty that could captivate at first glance.
“I didn’t mean to. If Crown Prince brother discovers your secret…”
“He… will definitely… definitely take action against you!”
The maiden was very worried, her tone soft and gentle. Hearing the maiden speak thus, the little fox opposite slowly lifted its head, its gaze seeming to hide many emotions.
It nimbly leaped out of her embrace, as if unwilling to be held by her at all.
The little fox snorted.
“Crown Prince brother this, Crown Prince brother that. Why doesn’t she go find her Crown Prince brother, and why did she come back?”
His Highness Prince Yan did not realize that at this moment, he was very much like a jealous husband.
His Highness Prince Yan huddled by the door, growing more and more angry as he thought. With a wave of his little paws, he intended to nimbly jump over the threshold.
But His Highness Prince Yan paused.
Then this little county princess pounced forward, threw her arms around the little fox, and quickly pecked it on the ear.
“Don’t, don’t run away. I’ve told you, I like you the most.”
His Highness Prince Yan’s ears turned completely red.
This young girl, she had no idea, none at all, that a fox’s ears were its most sensitive part. Every time she blew air into its ears, he found it hard to describe the feeling. His entire being, no, his entire fox self, felt tingly and numb.
The maiden then held him in her palm, looked into his eyes, and gazing into his dark pupils, asked him.
“Do you really want to leave?”
“Didn’t you say that after signing a contract with me, I couldn’t be too far from you?”
“You also said I was your little slave.”
The young girl’s cheeks were flushed red, making her look exceptionally cute. She hesitated for a moment, then asked him softly.
“So—”
“When will you be able to transform into a human?”
“Is it inappropriate for me to hold you like this? Is it equivalent to taking advantage of you?”
The little fox remained silent, merely slowly moving its fluffy and bushy tail. The maiden’s fingertips gently tugged at the fur on the little fox’s tail. After a moment, the maiden said.
“I’m sleepy. I want to sleep.”
“You stay here by yourself.”
She placed the little fox on the table, then crawled into bed herself.
The young girl wore a clean white undergarment.
She wasn’t as casual as before.
She closed her eyes after a short while, her breathing becoming even. The little fox silently stood on the table, gazing at the maiden’s face, at her smooth and delicate countenance, truly making one feel that they could never love her enough.
It watched her silently, then lightly leaped to her bedside, but as if afraid of waking her, its movements became much smaller.
After signing the contract with her, it could naturally transform into human form.
Furthermore, it had tried before, and could now retract its fox ears and tail. He had originally intended to return directly to Prince Yan’s mansion, but now that the Crown Prince had come to the Northern Region, the situation had changed.
He knew very well that the Crown Prince was here because of his disappearance.
If he were to return to Prince Yan’s mansion now, he would have to confront the Crown Prince.
He was not yet ready to take that step and provoke fear in the capital.
Instead of the capital sending the Crown Prince to investigate the truth of his disappearance, it would be better to play along with the situation. Continuing to pretend to be a fox and staying by the side of the little county princess Mu Ci was actually a good plan.
Moreover, Mu Ci the little county princess could get closer to the Crown Prince, who would have no defense against her.
Perhaps he would reveal some of his plans.
In this way, His Highness Prince Yan became less anxious.
The little fox’s gaze fell upon Mu Ci’s face. Its bushy tail slowly covered its body, and then it curled up beside her, falling into a deep sleep.
…
The next day, Lin Mu Ci was awakened by that governess.
“County Princess, His Highness the Crown Prince wishes to have breakfast with you. Little master, you should wake up and get dressed early…”
“Oh, this fox has sneaked back again?”
“Just as His Highness the Crown Prince wished to see this fox before. Little County Princess, why don’t you bring it along?”
Lin Mu Ci was still groggy. She hadn’t even clearly heard what the governess was saying. She merely responded with a perfunctory “Mm” twice before being helped up and dressed in a flash. It was only when she and the little fox were bundled together and sent to the front hall that she finally managed to sober up a little.
She looked at the little fox beside her.
Lin Mu Ci almost couldn’t help but chuckle out loud.
The little fox was wearing a little pink outfit, adorned with a pink bow.
It was pink and tender, yet its dark eyes were astonishingly bright.
It was evident that its mood was not very high.
Lin Mu Ci picked up the little fox and walked towards the front hall, where she saw her second brother sitting with the Crown Prince, discussing official matters.
“Reporting to His Highness the Crown Prince, Prince Yan is still missing.”
“He was previously framed by the Rong tribe… and Prince Yan’s whereabouts have been unknown since then. However, we have not found Prince Yan’s body. Moreover, if the Rong tribe had killed Prince Yan, they would certainly have claimed this immense merit. Therefore, to this day, we still do not know where Prince Yan truly is.”
The youth opposite lowered his deep, dark eyes. He appeared as refined as jade, handsome and elegant, yet his eyes held an indescribable, cunning glint.
“Prince Yan is not dead.”
“Continue searching. He might be hiding somewhere to recuperate.”
“Or…”
He paused, then continued.
“Or, he might have lost his memory.”
“That’s why he hasn’t been able to find his way back to Prince Yan’s mansion. Regardless, I hope you can search for Prince Yan’s whereabouts as thoroughly as possible. I want him found alive, and if he’s dead, I want to see his body!”
Mu Ci’s second brother on the opposite side responded with a deep “Yes.”
Mu Ci, holding the little fox, walked to the Crown Prince’s side, naturally drawing His Highness the Crown Prince’s attention. The Crown Prince’s gaze fell upon the bow on the little fox’s ear, a meaningful smile flickering at the corner of his eye.
“Indeed, it’s very cute. No wonder little sister Mu Ci likes it so much.”
“If you like such wild creatures, I have many more. This fox is, after all, a cunning and sly thing. I will prepare some gentler companions for you some other day, kittens, puppies, or rabbits are also acceptable.”
“I guarantee they won’t be less cute than this fox.”
He was merely making small talk with Mu Ci, but he didn’t expect the maiden to look up at him seriously and quickly refuse him.
“No.”
The maiden’s tone was extremely serious.
“I’ve told this little fox that I only have it. I’ve already sent away the Persian cats from before. I am a little county princess! My word is my bond, how can I go back on my promise? Moreover, it’s already pitiful being alone since I adopted it. I can’t abandon it.”
“It is different from me.”
“I have a father and mother, brothers, and you, Crown Prince brother. But it has nothing.”
As the maiden said this, the little fox in her arms shrunk back, seeming to curl up even deeper. The Crown Prince looked at the little fox appearing to rub against the maiden’s chest, and for some reason, even though it was just a wild creature, he found it extremely displeasing.
He snorted coldly, but then worried about misunderstanding the maiden.
He quickly reverted to a pleasant expression.
“Mother says she intends for you to be the Crown Princess. What are your thoughts?”
Mu Ci let out a soft gasp. She hadn’t expected him to utter such astonishing words right away. She was a little stunned. After a moment, she lowered her head, biting her lip. The maiden seemed to show a very troubled expression.
“I… I don’t… know either.”
“I am still young, isn’t it too early to discuss this?”
“Besides, it’s all about parental arrangement and a matchmaker’s decree. It’s not my place to decide.”
But the man opposite leaned closer to her, sitting beside her. His body neared hers, and he even seemed to want to grasp her wrist.
“I naturally understand the principles of parental arrangement and a matchmaker’s decree. However, we grew up together since childhood, and you are my maternal cousin. I naturally hope for a closer bond.”
“And you? In your heart, do you have me as a cousin?”
The maiden became even more flustered.
“I only regard Crown Prince brother as a brother, no different from my own blood brother…”
However, the man clearly had no intention of letting her go. He reached out as if to firmly grasp her wrist. She tugged her wrist, only to find that it wouldn’t budge. The man’s gaze was scorching and pressuring as he stared at her.
“Little Ci, I’m not asking about familial affection, but about romantic feelings. You are no longer young, and you should understand these things.”
“If I marry you, you will be my Crown Princess. Is that acceptable? Do you like me?”
His fingers were almost touching her body.
And in that instant, a small, snow-white paw quickly shot out, instantly drawing several bloody marks on him. The expression of this high and mighty Crown Prince instantly turned grim!
“This damnable beast… dare to harm this Crown Prince.”
“Someone come for me! I want to skin this beast!”
But the maiden opposite suddenly picked up that damn white fox, then curled up behind her second brother, saying.
“I won’t allow anyone to harm him!”
“Crown Prince brother, you were injured by him, I apologize on your behalf. But if you want to kill him, that is absolutely impossible.”
“I will hate you!”
She looked at him with a face full of wariness.
The Crown Prince’s expression was sinister. The maiden looked at him, her voice tinged with a hint of tears.
“You are so scary! I don’t want to talk to Crown Prince brother anymore!”
The maiden’s voice was aggrieved. She secretly glanced up at the Crown Prince, her demeanor pitiful and moving.
“Crown Prince brother is such a magnanimous person. He will be a wise ruler in the future, capable of great tolerance, how could he bother with a pathetic little fox?”
The maiden looked at the man opposite with pitiful eyes, but her words left the Crown Prince on the other side momentarily stunned, unsure whether to be angry or not. He took a deep breath, a deep malice flashing in his eyes, but he forcefully suppressed it.
“Forget it.”
“Take this fox back, but you must at least have its claws removed! It injured me today, and I will have an imperial physician apply some medicine.”
“But if it were to injure you, little Ci, you are delicate and weak. What if you were startled, what would happen then?”
The maiden opposite tightly held the little white fox and shook her head desperately.
“He won’t hurt me.”
The maiden secretly looked up.
“He won’t hurt me!”
His Highness the Crown Prince, angered, strode away. The maiden, holding the little fox, returned. The governess sent people several times, but she sent them away. Her fingers gently stroked its back, as if hesitating about something, unable to make up her mind.
After a moment, the fluffy touch in her hand seemed to change abruptly.
When she turned back to the little fox, she found that the little fox beside her had transformed into that young man.
“Do you want to marry your Crown Prince brother?”
The maiden was first surprised that he had suddenly transformed into a human again. Upon hearing his question, her expression remained extremely troubled. After much hesitation, she finally replied.
“I… I haven’t thought about this problem.”
“I have been raised in the Prince’s mansion by my father and mother since I was young. Sometimes, my parents also took me to the palace, so I’ve naturally met Crown Prince brother many times. But I truly only regard him as a brother.”
“What he said today made me feel very flustered… I didn’t want to hear him continue speaking.”
“And I don’t know how to answer.”
Upon hearing the maiden’s answer, a faint smile appeared on the young man’s lips. He gently stroked her hair with his fingertips. She looked at him with confusion.
Earlier, when Crown Prince brother had touched her, she had been scared and wanted to avoid him.
But she was not afraid of this unfamiliar man before her.
“Is it because you are my little fox? I feel like we should be very close.”
“Whatever you do to me, I feel like it’s all right.”
The maiden looked up and said this with a bewildered gaze and in a bewildered tone. The young man opposite had eyes as deep as ink, like ripples spreading outwards from a deep pool. He leaned closer to her.
“Anything is all right?”
“Are you serious? Do you know what that sentence means?”
The maiden hesitated, then nodded.
“I’m serious.”
“I feel like we should be intimate, we should… trust each other.”
“Although you are a demon, where do you actually come from, and how did you end up in the snow and get picked up by me? According to those storybooks, this is called a heaven-sent fate.”
“Even a childhood sweetheart cannot compare to a fate sent from heaven.”
She spoke articulately, and the young man opposite slowly brushed her earlobe with his fingertips.
She looked up in confusion, her eyes clear, like the purest of glazed pottery. Then she heard the young man speak.
“I am not a demon.”
“I am…”
He paused, then said.
“I am…”
A sneer flashed across his lips.
“I am the Prince Yan whom your Crown Prince brother is searching for.”
“What, are you going to report me to him?”
“The person he is looking for is right here in your boudoir. Hiding.”