Housekeeper of the Hundred Blossom Palace
Chapter 60: The Crown Prince’s Goal

“Yui Mei? She’s my precious attendant, though.”

The crown prince was surprised, but Princess Pan bowed.

“Ahm, please do not be mistaken, I do not wish to get her from you. It will just be for a while, so please do consider my request!”

The crown prince couldn’t ask “Why?” after seeing the princess’s desperate expression.

However, he seemed to have guessed that it had something to do with Princess Pan’s current affairs.

The crown prince turned back to look at Yui Mei.

“Yui Mei, are you fine with that?”

She vigorously nodded.

“Yes, Your Highness the Crown Prince. If that is alright with you, please allow me to stay here for a while.”

“Oh dear.”

The crown prince groaned at Yui Mei’s answer.

“It’s for Yu’s sake, so there’s no helping it, I’ll lend Yui Mei to you for a while.”

“…! Your Highness, thank you very much!”

The princess kowtowed when the crown prince gave his permission.

Yui Mei also hurriedly kowtowed.

“Alright, Yui Mei, you remain here with Li Yong, and relieve Yu’s anxiety.”

‘Eh. Li Yong too??’

Yui Mei abruptly raised her head, and the crown prince smirked, his smile full of hidden meaning.

＊＊＊

A banquet was held that evening at the hall of the mansion.

Princess Pan did not attend, apparently tired from the excitement during the day.

Yui Mei explained the separate menu for the princess’s evening meal in great detail to the cook.

“I didn’t know that the Lady couldn’t taste the dishes. If I learned about this earlier, I could’ve done something to improve her meals.”

The head chef heard it from Li Min who had been there while he and Yui Mei were talking about the meal plan for the princess.

“That Yui Mei girl is really an erudite. To think that she knew so many things about seafood, even though she’s not a fisherman from the port city of Kai…”

Li Min was thoroughly impressed, but it was only natural that he found it puzzling, given that Yui Mei grew up in the borderland.

‘Besides, although Yui Mei was moved by the sea on our way here, she wasn’t surprised to see it.’

People who had never seen the sea before would usually be shocked by the water that seemed to continue on without end.

In fact, Ming Xian was also like that before.

He tried asking about this to Yui Mei.

‘…I heard it from a traveling person long ago.’

That was what Yui Mei said.

She suspiciously averted her eyes, but Ming Xian decided not to pry further.

Just because she was knowledgeable about seafood didn’t mean it was a bad thing.

Since it’s the glutton Yui Mei they’re talking about, there’s also the possibility that she had gone to the sea before to check the food she wanted to eat.

Speaking of, since he told her that he’d be sitting here and she must also enjoy the delicious food, she had already rushed off like a bullet as soon as the dishes were lined up.

Seemed like she was excited about the seafood cuisine.

The crown prince beamed as he watched her, when a voice called out to him from behind.

“Your Highness, are you sure you would like me to remain here?”

When he turned around, Li Yong, who was acting as his escort, was standing there with a brow raised.

Of course, it would be good if he returned with him to the palace.

However, he wanted him to accompany Yui Mei this time around.

“Actually, I also wanted to stay here, but it’ll be dangerous to leave the palace for far too long.”

The crown prince shrugged, then lowered his voice.

“The emperor is also keeping an eye on the influence of the Huang family, who governs the sea. Of course, the empress dowager isn’t turning a blind eye, either.

That’s why, I’d be more relieved if you are here to be Yui Mei’s ally, you know?”

Yang was doing a great job hiding Yui Mei’s existence, however, she could still be discovered since she was in the political center stage.

He didn’t want Yui Mei to be alone when the time came.

At any rate, Yui Mei was also trying to be inconspicuous, but when she discovered someone in trouble, that vigilance would fly out the window right in an instant.

Add to that, she had that abundant medical knowledge.

Yui Mei was very well versed with the medicine of foreign countries that even Doctor Chen was only slightly familiar with.

‘Well, it’s intriguing, what kind of person raised her?’

Doctor Chen was also perplexed when he answered that ‘perhaps the person who was very knowledgeable in that kind of medicinal art was someone living outside the capital.’

Yui Mei was raised by the nuns, and it was highly improbable that they had any kind of medicinal knowledge.

If that person was that erudite, then rather than staying in the borderland’s nunnery, it would be more profitable to establish the reputation in a bigger place.

‘Perhaps, that story about the travelling person Yui Mei talked about might be true.’

Maybe that person drew the ire of the people governing the foreign country, so he was banished. He then found his way to the borderland, where he taught Yui Mei.

It’s like a tale, but it was also plausible.

Yui Mei was mysterious and unfathomable, but for Ming Xian, she was his long lost sister that he didn’t think he would ever meet again.

That’s why he wanted her to live safely and healthily.

“I beg you, Li Yong. Protect that girl.”

Faced with Ming Xian’s heartfelt plea, Li Yong could only make a helpless expression.

“…I understand. I will devote all I have to fulfill your order.”

He bowed his head after saying so.

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