"苏棠！" concentrated voice cut through the morning quiet of the mansion. It belonged to the third prince, Zhan Yun, a man whose presence alone seemed to lower the temperature of the room.

I blinked, then scrambled out from under the rickety table I was using as a makeshift shield. "Your Highness," I mumbled, trying to look innocent but failing miserably with the disheveled hair and raccoon eyes from spending the night under the eaves.

Zhan Yun, known for his unyielding demeanor, actually paused mid-stride towards me. "You've been hiding again?" His voice was gruff but not unkind, carrying a hint of weariness. The man barely ever smiled, but when he did, it was like seeing the sun break through the clouds.

"I... I was meditating," I stammered, clutching the bundle of herbs I had almost forgotten in my hasty retreat.

A sharp look crossed his face. "Meditating in the stables?" He gestured towards the adjacent building where I'd been contemplating the life of a horse fly.