Chapter 44-Part 2

Fortunately, the Crown Prince’s mood was as changeable as that of a child who hadn’t yet been weaned. His temper calmed down as quickly as it flared up.

After a few days of enduring at the Crown Prince’s residence, Jiang Xiurun’s obedience and perceptiveness finally paid off.

The Crown Prince finally agreed to let her return to the academy for lessons.

However, upon arriving at the academy, Jiang Xiurun noticed something unusual—her usual classmates were absent, and only she and her brother Jiang Zhi were present.

When she asked the teacher, he explained that it was the Crown Prince’s decision, stating that the foundation of the siblings was too weak and might hold back the other students.

This explanation was somewhat reasonable. After all, Jiang Xiurun and her brother had been on the run for a long time, missing many lessons, so catching up was indeed necessary.

However, Jiang Xiurun still felt something was off.

For instance, on this rare day off, the Crown Prince, who usually spent his time reviewing documents, staring at the lake, or visiting scholars, insisted on lying on the couch with her, pretending to nap.

The idle lord could lie however he pleased, but Jiang Xiurun, with few lessons for the day, had many things to handle. There were private loans to settle, her brother’s leaky roof to inspect, and her sister Jiang Xiuyao’s uncertain status as a concubine in the Crown Prince’s residence.

Jiang Xiurun had a lot on her mind.

From her understanding of the Crown Prince, he, despite cherishing his aides, wouldn’t be the type to willingly take on the role of a cheap father for someone else’s child.

If it were up to Jiang Xiurun, she would have her sister Jiang Xiuyao die of a sudden illness, then send the mother and child to a remote village with ample gold and servants to take care of them.

But all of this required the Crown Prince’s decision.

Yet, Feng Liwu remained silent, leaving Jiang Xiurun anxious and helpless.

Lying on the couch, doing nothing, was truly torturous.

The Crown Prince, however, was a restless sleeper, insisting on holding her waist, gripping her wrist, and even wrapping a long leg around her.

If not for the Crown Prince’s sterling reputation and lack of rumors about him having an interest in men, Jiang Xiurun might have suspected that he favored men given his current clinginess.

But even so, the Crown Prince still wasn’t content. He carefully examined Jiang Xiurun’s hand, saying, “Your hand is so delicate, I almost think it’s a woman’s hand. Should I undress you to see if the rest of you is just as delicate?”

If not for being pinned by the Crown Prince’s leg, Jiang Xiurun would have jumped up. Her face turned pale as she glanced at Feng Liwu, realizing he was only joking. She carefully replied with a smile, “Your Highness, you jest. I don’t do hard labor, so my hands are naturally soft. But I am a man; how could I be like a woman?”

Feng Liwu leaned closer, lowering his voice.

“But I’ve seen some paintings where men are as delicate and playful as women.”

Jiang Xiurun was stunned.

“What paintings?”

The Crown Prince pulled a rolled-up silk painting from a bronze basin by the bed and slowly unfurled it in front of her.

Jiang Xiurun’s face turned bright red.

Who would draw such indecent scenes of men with men?

She quickly knocked the painting from the Crown Prince’s hand and sat up, asking in shame and anger, “Your Highness, what is the meaning of showing me this?”

The Crown Prince calmly replied, “It was presented to me. I hadn’t seen it before and thought I’d want to broaden my horizons with you. Why such a strong reaction?”

Jiang Xiurun was momentarily speechless.

Indeed, in Feng Liwu’s eyes, she was just a young man of similar age. Among close friends, it wasn’t unusual to share such scandalous paintings and discuss romantic escapades.

She had no experience with such interactions, but at the academy, when teachers weren’t watching, wasn’t this how the dandy boys in her class behaved?

Once, a racy book even reached her hands, and when she declined it politely, her classmates were shocked and called her a prude.

So, she couldn’t overreact, or she might reveal her secret.

When the Crown Prince picked up the painting and unfurled it again, Jiang Xiurun took a deep breath and forced herself to calmly comment, “The painting technique for the pavilions and bamboo rocks resembles that of the previous dynasty’s Kunzi. It has some elegance…”

Feng Liwu looked at her blushing face and said lightly, “You have a good eye. Your critique is insightful.”

Jiang Xiurun, now committed, continued, “However, the figures are poorly done, with disproportionate heads and limbs, showing the artist’s lack of skill. It’s not worthy of true art.”

As she spoke, Jiang Xiurun felt a chill in her heart.

Why, in this beautiful weather, with sunlight streaming in, was she discussing such vulgar art with the cold-faced Crown Prince?