Chapter 3: The Winter Palace and the Morning’s Preparations

The resplendent royal palace, already magnificent, became even more beautiful and grand after the first silver starlight of the year dusted the earth, painting the towering celestial structures with a crystalline white.

It now resembled a palace sculpted from ice and snow, lending an additional touch of magic to the kingdom.

Today, the weather was exceptionally clear. By noon, a brilliant white sun hung high in the sky, radiating immense warmth, yet the ice and snow below showed no signs of melting.

In the palace courtyard, the maids had long since swept away the snow from the entrance, revealing a clean, refreshing, and slightly damp pebble path.

For common folk, heavy snow was a formidable barrier that disrupted their lives. However, for the royal family and nobility, it was a rare and splendid spectacle.

Winter flowers bloomed beautifully, their petals like snow lightly swept from the hearth.

Beneath the bamboo silk curtains, wisps of warm steam drifted upwards like thin smoke. Tiny bells swayed, their purple silk ribbons and the glowing red gems beneath them shimmering faintly, exuding a profound warmth.

“Haaah~”

The young man rubbed his hazy eyes, slowly rousing himself from sleep.

His bare arms stretched languidly from beneath the covers, indulging in a long, drawn-out yawn.

As if precisely anticipating his awakening, the silk curtain gently parted at that very moment, and a woman dressed in black casual attire stepped in with light footfalls.

A hint of coolness entered the warmly bubbling room, bringing a touch of clarity to the half-asleep, half-awake youth.

Having been enveloped in warmth for so long, the sudden coolness, surprisingly, felt refreshing and pleasant.

As the woman approached, the young man seemed to vaguely catch a delicate scent of plum blossoms.

“Your Highness, are you awake?”

Her gentle voice reached his ears.

Su Mu fully opened his eyes. He did not reply, still savoring the utterly blurred yet emotionally stirring beautiful dream.

He turned his head blankly, looking towards the window.

“Sla~”

Bai Ji had just pulled back the curtain, revealing a landscape of flowers, plants, and pavilions cloaked in silver.

‘How beautiful.’

This single thought filled Su Mu’s mind. The sudden surge of light brought a stinging sensation, and he belatedly closed his eyes.

He then reached out and encircled Bai Ji’s waist, who had already returned to the bedside, burying his face completely against the woman’s firm stomach, rubbing against it to alleviate the discomfort in his eyes.

In such close proximity to Bai Ji, Su Mu could feel even more distinctly the slight chill on her body and the rich fragrance of plum blossoms.

“A-Bai, it’s so cold out. Are you still getting up so early to train?”

His mumbled words were accompanied by a tingling sensation from his navel’s slight vibration.

Bai Ji showed no resistance. Instead, she extended her slender, scallion-white fingers, tenderly tidying the young man’s messy hair in her embrace.

“Your Highness,” she said, “I am not afraid of the cold.”

She was afraid of the cold, yet she was even more afraid that her meager strength would be insufficient to protect the prince she deeply loved.

“Lying…”

Su Mu, still buried, took a deep breath, savoring the delightful fragrance. Only then did he release his hold and let out another contented yawn.

“Starting today, we need to begin preparations. Hmph~ Let’s get up, get up.”

He donned a silk undershirt and a cashmere cotton top, then casually draped a long brocade robe over them.

This simple combination was enough to effectively ward off the biting cold.

****

Aier had already arranged breakfast, with bowls and dishes steaming profusely.

Su Mu could confidently say that no matter when he woke up, the steam would always be perfectly abundant.

“Good morning, Master~”

The charming and graceful head maid curtsied elegantly.

Today, she seemed particularly cheerful.

“Morning.”

Aier’s hair, unlike usual, was unpinned and cascaded down, covering her fair nape. She looked less sharp and more tenderly captivating.

Before taking his seat, Su Mu casually took Aier’s hand, enclosing it within his own palm, and gave it a gentle squeeze.

It was warm and soft.

“Not bad, still warm. It’s cold, so you should add more layers. Don’t let yourself get chilled.”

Aier smiled, her grin so radiant it seemed to outshine even the warm winter sun.

“Thank you for your concern, Master. I will take note.”

Beside them, Bai Ji secretly placed her right hand in her left palm, squeezing it firmly. It felt cold.

Her veiled gaze flickered with envy.

“A-Bai, you too. Don’t always think your physique is good, so you don’t need to care. Let me tell you, the better a person’s physique, if they don’t pay attention to this, once they catch a cold, the consequences are even more severe than for ordinary people…”

While eating breakfast, Su Mu’s topic shifted to Bai Ji, chattering on and on.

After settling down, he seemed to be developing a tendency to nag like a doting mother.

Bai Ji’s lips curved upwards. With His Highness’s words, she suddenly felt that even the fiercest cold was nothing to fear, like a warm spring.

“I need to go out later. Both of you come with me. I have some, well, things I want to procure.”

For a special purpose, Su Mu had roughly formulated a plan in his mind.

“Yes, Master. But before that, please diligently finish the abalone in this fresh congee.”

Aier narrowed her eyes, her tone firm.

Su Mu, who was secretly trying to push away the slightly tart ‘dried meat’, instantly froze. He quickly pretended nothing was amiss, openly picked up the abalone, held the bowl beneath it, and presented it to Aier.

“Little Aier~ Let me feed you~ Come, open wide, ah~”

It was as if he was coaxing a child.

Aier helplessly tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, revealing her slightly flushed, fair earlobe. She leaned forward slightly, parted her cherry lips, and bit into the abalone with her pearly teeth, accepting Su Mu’s feeding.

Su Mu’s trick had succeeded. He freed his hand and stroked Aier’s hair.

“Haha, such a good girl, such a good girl~”

Aier covered her chewing mouth with her hand, glaring at Su Mu with a hint of playful resentment.

His Highness always refused to eat such nourishing delicacies.

Every time she tried to force him, he would trick her with this method, and in the end, most of the delicacies prepared for him ended up in her own stomach.

But what could she do? When her Master treated her with such affection, how could she possibly refuse?

Feeling the deliciousness in her mouth and the warmth from above her head, Aier couldn’t help but feel a little shy.

The young girl lowered her hand, her resentful little eyes flickering. Finally, she bit her lip, turned her head away, and mumbled softly, “Master is too cunning…”

****

The snow on the streets, trampled by countless footsteps, no longer appeared pristine white. All that remained was a thick, dirty layer of icy slush.

It was uneven, with bumps and hollows, making it extremely easy to slip when walking upon it.

In such weather, only pedestrians could be seen on the streets; carriages were merely tools for courting disaster.

The passersby, thinly dressed, swayed precariously, while those bundled in thick clothing walked steadily.

Amidst the sparse and chilly crowd, Su Mu stood out remarkably, his noble aura immediately evident.

He wore long leather boots, the soles of which, perhaps due to their material or engraved patterns, allowed him to walk on the slippery ice without a single slide. Occasionally, a crunching sound could be heard from the friction.

The street was as bustling as ever today.

Indeed, merchants would never miss an opportunity to make money.

The closer one got to the prosperous shops, the cleaner and more accessible the paths in front of them became.

Su Mu arrived at his first destination for the day—the Paper House.

The owner was a lean, monkey-like man with thin-rimmed glasses perched on his nose.

As if aware of the distinguished guest’s arrival, he had already greeted them at the door, chuckling, “Hello, honored sir, what can I do for you?”

Su Mu casually surveyed the paper house’s furnishings. Various types of paper were displayed, emitting a dry, herbal scent throughout the shop.

“Owner, what is the largest size of the best quality paper you have here?”

The man did not hesitate. He immediately pulled a bundle of scrolls wrapped in a cotton cloth bag from the highest shelf of the display cabinet. When opened, it revealed a thick roll of paper as white as gauze, accompanied by a soft, delicate jasmine fragrance.

From this sensory feedback alone, Su Mu could already tell its extraordinary quality.

“Sir, this Flower Cotton Paper is precisely the treasure of my humble shop, and also the finest batch of work from my ancestors since they began papermaking. It holds the status of a family heirloom. I dare say that in the entire royal capital, apart from my family, no one else has the ability to produce such paper.”

The man spoke with his chest puffed out, looking very proud.

The reputation he boasted was certainly grand.

Su Mu smiled. He didn’t dislike such behavior.

Knowing how to build momentum and add value to one’s goods was a fundamental skill for an excellent merchant.

If he boasted well, Su Mu would be more willing to spend.

The prerequisite, of course, was that the item truly was good.

“Owner, I don’t care how rare or expensive it is. I just want to know, is this paper the best quality you have here?”

“Yes, sir,” the man replied decisively.

“Alright, this bundle, no, this entire package. Pack it all up for me.”

Su Mu didn’t dither. He had money anyway, so thoughtless buying was perfectly fine.

Having the royal family behind him was good for this: no worries about money, and no worries about women.

The owner was naturally overjoyed. Rarely did he encounter such a large order. He immediately set about packaging.

“Understood, sir, please wait a moment while I pack it for you.”

Su Mu was in no hurry, casually browsing around the shop.

Various papers were displayed on the walls. In a corner of one display shelf, an exquisite origami flower sat alone in an origami vase, its white folds creating layered colors.

Su Mu’s eyes lit up. Disregarding the dust spots, he carefully picked up the paper flower and its vase, admiring it as he spoke, “Owner, did you fold this yourself?”

“Ah, yes, sir. Just a small hobby of mine, nothing special, hehe.”

“What excellent craftsmanship! Owner, can you fold anything?” Su Mu’s gaze was fervent.

The man realized an opportunity had arrived and puffed out his chest. “I’ve studied it a bit. I can fold most things. What would you like me to fold, sir?”

“Lanterns, can you fold those?”

“Yes, sir! I’ve folded them before. I actually have some ready-made ones on hand. I’ll show them to you right away!”

The man excitedly pulled out a delicate small lantern from a cabinet. Its layers were meticulously arranged, orderly and intricate.

It was clear that the owner’s origami skills were indeed exquisite.

Su Mu took the palm-sized paper lantern from the owner’s hand, played with it for a moment, and nodded in satisfaction.

“Very good. Can you make this ten times larger, and make the finished product red?”

The man considered for a moment, then nodded. “Yes, sir, I can. I will study it, and there should be no problem meeting your requirements.”

“Good. I guarantee you will receive compensation beyond your imagination.”

Su Mu casually grabbed a handful from Aier’s pouch—about three or four gold coins and two or three silver coins—and placed them all on the counter in front of the owner. “This is the deposit.”

The man’s eyes gleamed, and his demeanor grew even more fervent, as if climbing mountains of knives or plunging into seas of fire would become trivial.

He tucked the money, which he might not earn in several months of ordinary business, into his bosom, smiling ingratiatingly. “This is too much, sir. How many large lanterns would you like?”

Su Mu estimated, “Around twenty. Can you do that?”

The owner thought for a moment, then hesitated. “Sir, that might take some time…”

Su Mu replied, “Finish it as quickly as you can. How much more compensation you receive later will depend entirely on you. So, when can I get my lanterns?”

The owner gritted his teeth, as if making a firm decision. “Three days. Quality and quantity assured, working overtime. This is the minimum time needed.”

Su Mu found this acceptable. “Alright, I’ll pick them up in three days. I look forward to your work, owner.”

After a brief word of encouragement, Su Mu left the paper house with Bai Ji and Aier.

The first procurement task was successfully completed, even with an unexpected pleasant surprise.

Su Mu felt even more delighted.

However, the second major procurement suffered a complete failure.

After strolling through the bustling main streets of the royal capital for nearly three or four hours, visiting almost every nook and cranny of the shops, he couldn’t even find a trace of a fireworks industry.

‘This is illogical!’

A vast royal capital, a massive commercial street—how could such a level of technological creation be nowhere to be found?

Aier, who had silently accompanied him the entire way, finally couldn’t help but speak up to remind him.

“Master, although I don’t know what these ‘fireworks’ you are looking for are, alchemical creations such as explosives are not normally circulated or sold. You might find what you’re looking for in an alchemist’s workshop.”

Alchemist workshops were typically established far from urban streets and buildings.

Because they often produced strange noises and byproducts, most people avoided them.

If he were to go to an ordinary alchemist’s workshop, he would probably have to travel to the outer districts of the royal capital, which was quite a distance.

Fortunately, Louis had no qualms about such things. He was quite enlightened, employing the capital’s most skilled alchemists to specifically set up a workshop within the royal capital itself.

With powerful barriers cast by a Grand Magus, there was no fear of affecting outsiders.

Su Mu immediately decided to go to this place.

Along the way, they passed the Enchanted Paradise. A cute purple figure was operating a mechanical cart, clearing snow from the entrance.

It was Bu You, the head succubus, apparently preparing for future business.

‘What a dedicated technical succubus,’ Su Mu thought to himself.

“Busy, are we?”

Su Mu casually greeted her, but didn’t linger, merely waving his hand in farewell.

Bu You looked up at the sound, and seeing Su Mu, she was delighted and wanted to share her new invention with him.

However, before she could speak, a hasty farewell was already upon them.

Bu You stopped her chugging machine, mumbling, “So urgent, what’s he doing? I wanted to show off my latest Heaven-Chosen Snow Sweeper… Well, never mind, I’ll save up for a big reveal next time, show them all at once~”

The succubus secretly hummed a tune, continuing her joyful sweeping endeavor.