The vivid red stood in stark contrast to his pale complexion, making him seem almost otherworldly.

When he wore no expression, he seemed like a different person—his features stern, radiating the composure and majesty of an emperor. Duan Jin’s heart skipped a beat.

As Xiao Yunqing drew nearer and suddenly smiled, that cold, aloof aura vanished in an instant. “Magistrate Duan, have you emptied the county yamen’s kitchen?”

Duan Jin bowed in respect, his voice slightly hoarse with nervousness, a far cry from his usual composure and calm. “This servant, Duan Jin, humbly wishes Your Highness a thousand autumns of good health and a long, blessed life. These simple fare and humble dishes are no offering of respect; I hope Your Highness will not look down upon them.” 

Xiao Yunqing took his seat at the head of the table, glanced at the dishes on the table, and let the corners of his mouth curve upward. “Sit down. Join me for a meal.”

Duan Jin replied, “This humble subject obeys.”

Duan Jin then sat down across from him. The two sat on opposite sides of the table, the flickering candlelight casting a warm glow on Xiao Yunqing’s face.

Xiao Yunqing took a bite of the cake first.

A large, two-tiered white cake sat in the center of the table, adorned with brightly colored fresh fruit. Its surface was smooth and intricately patterned, looking somewhat different from the yellow pastry he had seen the day before.

Duan Jin cut him a slice. He took a closer look—the inside was just as he and Duan Jin had seen it when they baked it yesterday. However, the outside and the space between the two layers were filled with a milky-white, paste-like substance; he didn’t know what it was.

He scooped up a piece with his silver spoon, popped it into his mouth, and his eyes lit up instantly.

The outer layer melted in his mouth, its silky texture as light as a cloud, with a sweet and rich flavor. He ate it with his eyes half-closed, looking like a contented little fox. “Duan Jin, this is the best pastry I’ve ever had in my life.” 

Duan Jin’s Adam’s apple bobbed, but he said nothing.

Under the pretense of toasting, he raised his wine cup and drained it in one gulp—but he had overestimated ancient winemaking techniques. A faint sour and bitter taste hit his tongue, and his face nearly turned pale.

Next came the sea bass. Xiao Yunqing picked up a piece with his chopsticks; the flesh was snow-white, fresh and sweet on the palate, tender and succulent, without the slightest hint of fishiness. He couldn’t resist taking another bite.

The remaining dishes were equally delightful: the lotus root slices were soft, chewy, and stringy; the sea cucumber had a rich, full-bodied texture; the seasonal vegetables were crisp, tender, and sweet; and the chicken soup was savory and aromatic.

Last was the hot candied yam.

He picked up a piece; the sugar threads stretched out very long. The dish had a crisp, sweet sugar coating on the outside and soft, creamy yam on the inside—sweet without being cloying, and crisp without crumbling.

Xiao Yunqing narrowed his eyes, a look of satisfaction spreading across his face.

“Duan Jin,” Xiao Yunqing said suddenly, setting down his chopsticks. Duan Jin’s heart skipped a beat as he replied, “Your servant is here.”

“From now on, have this made for me every year on my birthday.”

Duan Jin paused for a moment, his heart racing.

That made it sound as if… he would always be by his side on his birthday every year. 

He lowered his head and said softly, “This humble servant obeys.”

After the meal, the attendants cleared away the bowls and plates. Liu Cheng came in to serve tea, then tactfully withdrew. Only the two of them remained in the room.

The night breeze blew in through the half-open window, causing the candlelight to flicker.

Duan Jin suddenly remembered something. Reaching into his sleeve, he pulled out two small porcelain bottles—one with a round body and slender neck, the other rounded with a lid—and placed them side by side on the table, gently pushing them toward the Young Prince.

“Your Highness, I have another gift—I forgot to present it earlier.”

“What is this?”

Xiao Yunqing picked up the round-bellied porcelain bottle with curiosity, pulled out the stopper, and brought it close to his nose. It carried an extremely subtle and faint scent of pearl powder. Upon closer examination, the powder was so fine it was almost completely free of any graininess.

The other bottle contained a milky-white paste, smooth yet not greasy, with a faint medicinal scent.

“Pearl powder and a skin-whitening cream.” Duan Jin kept his head bowed, his voice much softer than before as he chose his words carefully. “Your Highness, these past few days, your humble servant… ahem, your humble servant has been inspecting the farming and sericulture in various areas. The sun has been scorching, and Your Highness’s complexion… is not as it was when you first arrived…”

“This humble subject feels deeply remorseful, so I had someone procure the finest pearls, had them ground into the finest powder, and then commissioned the most renowned physician in the capital to prepare this box of skin-whitening ointment. Apply it once in the morning and once at night, and your complexion will be restored within half a month.” 

Xiao Yunqing paused, still holding the porcelain bottle, and the look of surprise on his face slowly turned into a half-smile.

“Duan Jin,” Xiao Yunqing’s voice seemed to carry a hint of gritted teeth, “Do you think I’m too dark?”

Duan Jin jerked his head up and waved his hands frantically: “No, no, no! How could Your Highness be dark? Your Highness’s cold, pale complexion is… It’s naturally noble and peerless. It’s just that the sun has temporarily robbed it of a bit of its luster. This humble servant was merely thinking of helping Your Highness regain it as soon as possible…”

“Enough, enough,” Xiao Yunqing cut him off, clenching the two porcelain vials in his hand, his fingertips tightening slightly, though he let out a cold snort. “You sure know how to curry favor. Pearl powder, skin-whitening cream—these aren’t cheap, are they? How much silver did you spend?”

Duan Jin, afraid of driving the other man away, confessed honestly, “Seventy taels.” Adding the cost of this meal and the food wasted during his earlier practice sessions, the total came to ninety taels. The one hundred taels of silver he’d initially spent on the jade pendant were now completely gone.

A county magistrate’s monthly salary was only ten taels—how could he possibly afford such things? Had he embezzled the money?

His face suddenly darkened.

He took a deep breath. “Why didn’t you ask me for a packet of gold leaves?”

It wasn’t that Duan Jin hadn’t considered dipping into the Young Prince’s pouch of gold leaves—he’d only taken out two pieces, enough to cover his expenses for these past few days. But he thought of it as a birthday gift for the Prince; it wouldn’t be right to borrow from the Buddha to offer to the Buddha.

Besides, the Young Prince had given it to him when they first met. Just thinking about it made his heart feel warm and sweet, so he picked it up and put it back down.

Xiao Yunqing thought he meant they were too poor to spend the gold leaves, so he sighed helplessly, “We’ll just ask for more when we run out.”

“Why be so formal?” 

After all, for him, that little bit of silver was practically like a drop in the bucket. But for Duan Jin, it was his entire fortune.

“Duan Jin,” Xiao Yunqing said, enunciating each syllable, “are you stupid?”

All the way back, Duan Jin was still confused. The Prince suddenly called him stupid and sent him away—what did that mean?

Could it be that his behavior tonight had annoyed someone?

The magistrate was completely baffled. He spent half the night replaying the events in his mind but couldn’t figure it out, so he simply gave up and fell into a deep sleep.

After Duan Jin left, Xiao Yunqing kept his head down, turning the two porcelain bottles over and over in his hands. Each bottle had a small label attached to it, each bearing its instructions and usage. The handwriting was neat and upright, every stroke exuding meticulous care.

“This guy… really.”

The room had been silent for a long time when those words suddenly rang out.

The voice was low, seeming to carry a hint of resigned exasperation, but in the next instant, a faint, light chuckle followed. The next day.

Duan Jin had, unusually, slept until the beginning of the Si hour; by now, it was broad daylight, and even the Young Prince had already risen and left the house. After finishing his meal, Duan Jin was just about to attend to his official duties when he ran into the Young Prince on his way back.

Xiao Yunqing was walking with a slight pant, a thin sheen of sweat beading on his temples, and he was clutching a small bundle tightly, as if holding some extraordinary treasure.

At that moment—whether from the heat of walking or some other reason—a faint blush spread across his cheeks, reaching all the way to the roots of his ears.

“Duan Jin,” Xiao Yunqing interrupted him, “Come with me.”

He turned and walked toward the eastern courtyard. Duan Jin, not knowing why, had no choice but to follow.

This courtyard was the most spacious in the county government compound. When Duan Jin first arrived, it had been in a state of severe disrepair, but after Eunuch Liu’s repairs and renovations, it had become the most opulent and well-kept area in the entire compound.

Xiao Yunqing ushered Duan Jin into the room, closed the door, then placed the blue cloth bundle on the table and slowly untied it. Inside the bundle was a flat sandalwood box; its edges were polished to a shine, indicating it was quite old.

Xiao Yunqing opened the lid, took out a jade pendant, cradled it in the palm of his hand, and held it out to Duan Jin. Duan Jin was completely taken aback.

It was a white jade pendant intricately carved with auspicious motifs. The jade was smooth and delicate; the front was carved with orchids, the back with bamboo, and the outer rim was engraved with the “auspicious and fulfilling” motifs.

The cord was old and slightly faded, tied with a small agate bead. He knew this jade pendant all too well.

It was a family heirloom passed down through the Duan family.

But when he first arrived in this county, destitute and struggling to make ends meet, he had no choice but to pawn it for a hundred taels. He had originally planned to redeem it once the county’s harvest was bountiful and he had some spare money.

But life in the county had always been tight; there were always other pressing expenses taking priority. At first, he thought he’d wait until the people could return to their fields; later, he thought he’d wait until the workshop opened; and now, he was thinking he’d wait until the sorghum harvest came in and the workshop turned a profit before redeeming it.

Yet now, the jade pendant lay quietly within Xiao Yunqing’s heart, as smooth and lustrous as ever, completely intact.

“Your Highness…” Duan Jin’s voice was slightly strained. “How did you find out?”

Xiao Yunqing gently placed the jade pendant in his hand; his fingertip brushed against the palm of his hand, but withdrew immediately upon the slightest contact. 

He lowered his gaze: “Yesterday, you spent seventy taels on some things and felt something wasn’t right. A seventh-rank county magistrate earns a monthly salary of ten taels. You’ve only been in office for a little over three months, yet you’ve spent twice as much as you’ve earned. Where did the money come from? At first, I thought it was savings, but then I remembered—both your parents are dead. Where would you have gotten savings? This morning, I asked Liu Cheng, and he finally stammered out the truth. It turns out that when you first took office, he sold the jade pendant you gave him to get through the hardest times.”

He paused, raising his eyes to look at Duan Jin. A thin film of tears glistened in his eyes, but he stubbornly refused to let them fall: “Duan Jin, spending so much silver to redeem something isn’t a big deal.” 

Duan Jin clutched the jade pendant; the coolness of the jade made his palm tremble slightly.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say “Thank you, Your Highness” or “How unworthy am I,” but the words were stuck in his throat and wouldn’t come out.

He lowered his head and gazed at the jade pendant in his palm. Suddenly, he recalled the words his father—or rather, his original self’s father—had spoken on his deathbed: “Give this to the person who matters most.”

His parents had long since passed away; he had no brothers or sisters, no relatives or close friends—he was utterly alone in this world.

He had thought this jade pendant would remain buried at the bottom of a chest forever, or that one day, driven by financial hardship, he would be forced to sell it and never get it back. But the young prince had redeemed it for him.

Duan Jin clutched the jade pendant tightly and remained silent for a long time, then suddenly looked up and met Xiao Yunqing’s gaze.

“Your Highness,” he said, “I present this jade pendant to you.”