Help! The innocent prince always tries to seduce me clumsily

There is an alley in the backyard of East No. 1.

It was a very narrow dirt road, full of potholes and jagged stones. Apart from servants, few people walked on it. Over time, no one managed it, and wild flowers and weeds grew everywhere.

Chu Shitong discovered this alley on a rainy night.

She was only five years old at that time and was thrown into the East Fifth Prison early on.

The servants in the station were all palace maids and eunuchs who were much older than her, and were also arranged by her mother. She was very small, not even as tall as those people's waists. Concubine Yun's dislike for her for many years made her very timid, and she never dared to speak loudly, so that those tall people seemed to be completely unable to hear her words.

She said she was hungry.

Those people only brought her one meal a day, white rice porridge, boiled vegetables, and occasionally a meat dish during festivals, which would make her happy for a long time. However, several times she got diarrhea after eating that meat dish.

She felt that the meat dishes served to her always had a sour taste, but she didn't know where the sour taste came from. She just felt that the meat dishes were not as delicious as she had imagined. As a result, she no longer liked to eat meat.

Most of the palace servants in the East Five Houses ignored her. Later, Chu Shitong found that the porridge and vegetables also had a sour taste. She thought that her mouth was damaged and asked the palace servants to take her to see the imperial physician, but her voice was so weak that even if she spoke in front of those people, they could not hear her.

She didn't dare eat anymore, for fear that she would get a stomachache after eating. After a few times, she might end up vomiting blood and dying after a meal like a certain concubine she had seen.

I was hungry at night and couldn’t sleep.

She tossed and turned, lying on the hard bed, covered with an old, leaky quilt, listening to the sound of rain coming from the corridor.

The night was so quiet that she could distinguish where each sound of raindrops fell.

Her stomach kept rumbling, and she thought that she would not be able to sleep if she didn't eat something tonight.

So she opened the door and went to the kitchen.

The small kitchen was covered with dust. There was no rice or vegetables. There was only half a bowl of moldy porridge in the pot.

Chu Shitong drank two sips and vomited all over. His throat was sore from the acid he vomited, and his whole body was twitching and shaking. He lay on the cold ground for a long time before he regained consciousness.

She didn't dare drink anymore, so she got up, rinsed her mouth, drank a large bowl of cold water, and walked out of East Fifth Institute in the rain.

There wasn't even a eunuch guarding the door.

Under the moonlight, the entire East Fifth Institute looked like a haunted house located in a sparsely populated area, and she was the forgotten ghost living in the haunted house.

She walked to East Fourth House. Standing at the door was a row of tall, mighty, and neatly dressed guards. The lights were on in the yard, as bright and warm as day.

The guards ignored this shabby kid who appeared out of nowhere and were unwilling to even draw their long swords.

Chu Shitong remembered that the person living inside was his sixth brother. She had seen him from afar several times, but she only remembered that he was a young prince who was the center of attention. He wore a jade crown, brocade clothes, a gold-threaded white jade belt around his waist, and a sachet and a priceless jade pendant. He often carried a bamboo cage in his hand, which contained either a beautiful bird or a green cricket.

She didn't dare to go in, nor did she dare to look any further. She lowered her head and hid herself in the dust like a stray dog, passing by the East Fourth Institute in silence.

She had never met the sixth brother Chu Shifeng, but she knew that he had a bad temper. She could often hear him getting angry and punishing servants and throwing things through the wall. The palace servants of the same status and position tried their best to please him, as if in front of Chu Shifeng, not only did they have better hearing, but also better tempers.

When we arrived at East Third House, there were only two guards at the door. There was a candlelight in the yard, and we could vaguely hear the sound of clothes rubbing against each other in the air.

The fifth brother Chu Shihuan was not much older than her, but much stronger than her. He always had a stern face, which was a bit scary. His eyes were so sharp that Chu Shitong never dared to look him in the eye. He often practiced boxing in the yard. Chu Shitong heard it when she passed by several times. She thought that the fifth brother must have eaten a lot every day, so he grew so tall and strong, and had the energy to practice kung fu.

Chu Shitong took another look and saw that the two guards had already drawn their swords and were shouting at her to leave with cold eyes.

She was scared and ran a few steps with her head down, but she tripped over a stone and fell on the road. She was hungry and in pain, and her eyes were full of stars. When she finally got up and left, she could still hear the laughter of the two guards.

Maybe the laughter of the two guards was too harsh, Chu Shitong's eyes turned red as he ran.

She didn't want to stay here anymore. No one here liked her.

But where else could she go? Life in Luhua Palace was not easy. She was either punished by Concubine Yun or bullied by the palace maids. She could feel that her mother also hated her.

Maybe she was destined to be hated by everyone since birth.

Chu Shitong thought so and walked to the East Second Office with tears in his eyes.

East Institute No. 2 looks exactly the same as East Institute No. 5.

It was pitch dark, like a haunted house.

The two doors were open, and she saw a small figure sitting on the steps in the yard. He seemed to have been caught in the rain for a long time, his hair and clothes were wet, and the paper lantern in his arms was also soaked by the rain. The candle had only a faint light, flickering in the wind.

Chu Shitong wiped her tears, hesitated for a long time, and then bravely walked in to ask her third brother Chu Shihan if he had anything to eat for her.

Chu Shihan was the same as usual, motionless, staring blankly at the lantern in his hand, without responding. This was also the reason why Chu Shitong dared to come in and ask, because every time she saw Chu Shihan, he was like this. He was either sitting on the stone under the tree at the end of the palace road, or sitting on the steps, as if no one cared about him like her, always with his head down as if waiting for someone, and she would not get any answer when she spoke to him.

She sat next to Chu Shihan for a long time and her stomach ached from hunger, so she had to get up and leave East Second Office and continue walking forward.

Two warm lights are on in front of the door of East No. 1.

The door was open, and one could see palace maids walking back and forth inside. There were no guards guarding the door, but Chu Shitong still didn't dare to go in.

She had met her eldest brother Chu Shixuan several times, but only saw him from afar at palace banquets. Chu Shixuan was five years older than her. He was already very tall, and his face, which had not yet fully grown, was extremely handsome. He had a gentle temperament and was polite in his words and deeds, like a carefully carved jade.

As the eldest son of the Queen, Chu Shixuan was highly valued. During festivals, besides Chu Shifeng's place being lively, Chu Shixuan's place was also lively, with many people coming to give gifts.

Concubine Yun once told Chu Shitong to stay away from Chu Shixuan. Chu Shitong didn't understand why, and Concubine Yun told her that it was because Chu Shixuan hated her.

So she wandered around the door for a long time, her shoulders were soaked by the rain, and she didn't dare to go into the yard.

She stood there for a while, but finally turned around and left, wandering around in confusion, like a beggar looking for a place to sleep under the shelter of wind and rain.

Walking aimlessly, she found an alley.

There was an open courtyard door at the end of the alley, and lights were shining from inside.

The alley was a little dark. Chu Shitong walked for a long time, holding on to the wall, and finally arrived at the gate of the courtyard. She heard someone talking in the yard, so she hid behind the wall and looked inside secretly.

The rain dropped pure white pear blossoms all over the ground, and the water reflected two figures, one big and one small, under the corridor.

The old elder said, "With your talent, it would be a waste for you to go to a place like the academy. You are the eldest son. Although you have not been named the crown prince, you are still respected as the crown prince. I think you can ask the crown prince's tutor to teach you individually. I think your majesty will not object."

The young man in a white dress that looked like pear blossoms on the ground just looked at the drizzle under the corridor quietly and said, "Sir, I am not interested in this."

"Your Highness," the elder sighed, "I don't understand why you keep refusing to confer the title of Crown Prince. This is such an honor for others..."

The boy no longer answered, but his eyes fell on the corner of clothes behind the wall.

The elder immediately fell silent, walked down the stairs with light skills, and grabbed Chu Shitong who was hiding behind the wall with steady and accurate movements.

Chu Shitong struggled in mid-air, being held in the air like a chicken without any power to resist.

"Let me go! Bad guy!"

The elder sneered and said, "What good can you do by eavesdropping and spying here?"

Chu Shitong was in the wrong and powerless to resist, so he could only glare at him angrily.

The elder said to the young man, "Your Highness, this man is acting suspiciously. Why don't you take him away and question him?"

"No need." The young man said, "Put her down."

The elder paused and said, "Your Highness, please don't let her go just because she is young."

The boy did not explain or argue, but repeated in an unquestionable tone: "Put it down."

The elder reluctantly let go, and Chu Shitong fell to the ground, covered in raindrops, mud and pear blossoms.

The young man glanced at the elder calmly, and the elder said with a little embarrassment: "I didn't expect this kid couldn't even stand steadily."

The young man walked forward without saying a word, bent down and helped her up.

"Does it hurt from the fall?"

At the moment when Chu Shitong was lifted up by a pair of warm hands, a few cool raindrops hit the corners of her eyes. She stared blankly at the young man in front of her, the imperial brother that Concubine Yun said hated her.

"No...it doesn't hurt."

The hunger was greater than the pain.

The elder said, "Your Highness, be careful. This kid is dirty. Don't get too close to her or you'll get your clothes dirty."

He was covered in silk and she was covered in mud.

Chu Shixuan didn't mind at all.

Chu Shitong took her hand back on her own initiative. She knew that she was dirty from the fall, and it would be a pity if Chu Shixuan's white clothes were stained by her.

"Do you want to change your clothes?" asked Chu Shixuan.

Chu Shitong shook her head. Two of her clothes were washed to pieces and could not be worn out. This was the only one she could wear to meet people. She had no other clothes to wear.

The elder stared at Chu Shitong for a long while, and seemed to have discovered something. His expression changed suddenly, "This child's eyes are this color, could it be... the seventh prince?"

Chu Shitong looked up at him with a hint of ferocity between his brows. His round amber eyes shone brighter under the light. His long eyelashes grew haphazardly like rose branches, yet they were beautiful in their messiness.

That's obviously it.

The elder's expression was very complicated, seeming to be suspicious and a little sympathetic.

After a long silence, he said, "I was rude just now. Please forgive me, Your Highness the Seventh Prince."

Chu Shitong ignored him and turned to look at Chu Shixuan eagerly.

"Brother, I'm hungry."

Facing the pair of clear eyes filled with grievance and pleading, Chu Shixuan couldn't help but touch her wet hair and said, "You can eat if you want, but change your clothes first."

Before Chu Shitong had time to feel happy, his stomach started to growl.

"I have no clothes."

"I have it here."

Chu Shixuan ordered someone to bring two plates of cakes and said, "Take some first, and I'll take you to eat after you change your clothes."

Chu Shitong's eyes lit up when he looked at the snow-white and soft pastries.

"Thank you brother!"

When she took a bite, she could smell the rich and sweet aroma of rice mixed with the fragrance of osmanthus jam. She had never eaten such a pastry before.

"Brother, what is this?"

Chu Shixuan said: "Ripe pear cake, if you like it, just come to my place often in the future."

Chu Shitong's eyebrows curved and he smiled innocently.

"Thank you, brother."

After eating a few pieces of cakes, she was taken downstairs to take a shower and change clothes.

As soon as the person left, the elder could not help but remind him: "Your Highness, please forgive me for being blunt, but His Highness the Seventh Prince may have other intentions in his appearance this time. You'd better be careful."

Chu Shixuan glanced at him with a pair of light eyes, "She is only five years old. She is not well fed and clothed in the East Fifth Institute. What do you think she could have planned?"

"Your Highness the Seventh Prince is too young to come here and does not know how to command servants. This is Dongwusuo's own business. Your Highness should not interfere. If something goes wrong in the future, I am afraid you will not be able to deny yourself."

After these words were spoken, Chu Shixuan said nothing more.

The elder heaved a sigh of relief.

Not long after, Chu Shitong, who had been washed and dressed in beautiful new clothes, was brought back.

This was the first time she wore such fine material. Unlike the previous clothes, these clothes were soft and felt very comfortable against her skin.

The two palace maids who were helping her bathe and change clothes came forward and whispered something in Chu Shixuan's ear.

Master Chu's eyes moved slightly and fell on the little person who was as pretty as a porcelain doll.

Chu Shitong ran over, and her new clothes made her completely forget what Yun Xiangrong had reminded her of.

"elder brother."

"Ah."

"When are we going to eat?"

"Just follow them." Chu Shixuan pointed at the two palace maids beside him.

Chu Shitong pulled his sleeve, raised her eyes, bit her lip, and looked at him.

"Brother won't you come with me?"

Chu Shixuan raised his hand and touched the corners of her eyes, which were still a little red. There were complex emotions in his eyes, and his voice was still gentle and low.

"I'll be there in a bit. You have a fever. I've asked someone to boil some medicine for you. Don't forget to drink it after dinner."

"Ok."

Chu Shitong followed the palace maid to the front room, looking back every three steps.

The elder asked, "What did the two maids say? Why did His Highness seem to be so worried after that? Could it be that they discovered some secret about the Seventh Prince?"

Chu Shixuan said: "That's not the case."

The rain gradually stopped, and the whole yard was filled with the fragrance of wet pear blossoms.

The dark clouds dispersed and the moon and stars were sparse.

Chu Shixuan stood in the corridor for a long time, and suddenly said, "What if I must intervene?"

The elder was stunned for a moment, and advised: "This matter is not worth the loss. Your Highness the Seventh Prince and you are not born of the same mother. There are many examples in history of brothers who were very close in childhood, but turned against each other because of the throne when they grew up. Your Highness is so smart, I don't think you can make such a mistake."