Chapter 420: The Most Patient Husband

The next morning, Prince Liang woke with a strange feeling.

He had slept very little.

Not because of fear.

Not entirely.

It was because his mind had finally settled on a plan.

He would not confront Shin Gu.

He would not accuse her.

He would not allow his suspicion to show.

And most importantly—

He would not give her any reason to become cautious.

If there was truly something hidden behind her calm expression, then he needed to see it with his own eyes.

He needed to make her believe that everything was normal.

So normal that she would eventually stop watching him.

And when she stopped watching him—

He would watch her.

Prince Liang sat before the mirror while his attendant arranged his robes.

The attendant carefully adjusted the belt around his waist.

"Your Highness, will you be going to court?"

Prince Liang stared at his reflection.

"No."

The attendant looked surprised.

"No?"

"I have something more important to do."

"What is it?"

Prince Liang’s expression became strangely serious.

"I am going to visit my wife."

The attendant almost dropped the comb.

"Your Highness?"

Prince Liang closed his eyes.

Even saying the words made him uncomfortable.

"My wife."

He repeated them.

The attendant tried very hard not to smile.

"Yes, Your Highness."

Prince Liang opened his eyes and glared at him through the mirror.

"Why are you smiling?"

"I wasn’t."

"You were."

"I would never dare."

Prince Liang sighed.

This was already humiliating.

He had spent years being a prince.

He had faced military discussions, political disputes, difficult negotiations, and dangerous situations without blinking.

Yet somehow—

Pretending to be an affectionate husband felt more frightening than all of them.

He stood.

"Prepare some food."

"For Shin Gu?"

"Yes."

"What would Her Highness like?"

Prince Liang paused.

He had no idea.

He had never paid enough attention to such things.

That realization irritated him.

"How should I know?"

The attendant lowered his head.

"Perhaps Your Highness could ask her?"

Prince Liang looked at him.

Then slowly nodded.

"Good idea."

The attendant smiled.

Prince Liang immediately added,

"But don’t make it obvious that I don’t know."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Prince Liang took a deep breath.

Today—

The performance would begin.

---

Shin Gu’s Courtyard

Shin Gu had already been awake for some time.

She sat beneath the covered veranda with a cup of tea in her hands.

Her expression was calm.

But her thoughts were not.

The events of the previous days had made her increasingly cautious.

Something had changed.

She could feel it.

People were watching her.

The palace servants were more careful around her.

Some guards had begun appearing in places where they had never stood before.

And Prince Liang—

Prince Liang had become particularly troublesome.

He had started asking questions.

Not directly.

Never directly.

But enough to make her uncomfortable.

Shin Gu lowered her eyes toward her tea.

She did not like being watched.

She especially did not like being watched by someone intelligent.

Prince Liang had always been difficult to fool.

He was not the loudest person in the palace.

He was not the most aggressive.

But he observed.

And people who observed too much were dangerous.

Shin Gu’s fingers tightened around the cup.

She needed to be careful.

Very careful.

"Your Highness."

A maid approached.

Shin Gu looked up.

"The prince has arrived."

Her fingers stopped.

"The prince?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

The maid hesitated.

"He brought breakfast."

Shin Gu’s expression changed slightly.

Breakfast?

At this hour?

She looked toward the entrance.

A moment later, Prince Liang appeared.

He was dressed simply, without the heavy robes normally associated with formal court appearances.

His expression was relaxed.

And in his hand—

He carried a small food container.

Shin Gu stared at him.

For a moment, she wondered whether she had misunderstood.

Prince Liang smiled.

"Good morning."

Shin Gu immediately composed herself.

"Good morning, Your Highness."

He walked toward her.

"I heard you hadn’t eaten."

"I was going to eat later."

"Then you can eat now."

He placed the container on the table.

Shin Gu looked at it.

Then at him.

"You brought this yourself?"

Prince Liang nodded.

"Yes."

A pause.

"Why?"

He smiled.

"Because I’m your husband."

Shin Gu almost choked on her tea.

The maid standing nearby immediately lowered her head to hide her expression.

Prince Liang noticed.

He gave the maid a warning glance.

She quickly became serious.

Shin Gu looked back at him.

"You..."

She didn’t know what to say.

Prince Liang pulled out a chair and sat opposite her.

"I thought we should spend more time together."

Shin Gu studied his face.

There was nothing obviously strange.

His expression was warm.

His voice gentle.

His posture relaxed.

Yet—

Something felt wrong.

Not because he was acting badly.

Because he was acting too well.

Prince Liang had never been particularly affectionate toward her.

So why now?

"Did something happen?" she asked.

"No."

"Then why are you suddenly treating me differently?"

Prince Liang smiled.

"Must something happen before I can treat my wife well?"

Shin Gu remained silent.

He was doing it.

He was really doing it.

He was pretending to be the perfect husband.

And he hated every second of it.

Inside, Prince Liang wanted to disappear.

He had never spoken this way before.

He felt ridiculous.

But his face remained perfectly composed.

"Try this."

He opened the food container.

Inside were several carefully prepared dishes.

Shin Gu looked at them.

"You chose these?"

"Yes."

"Do you know what I like?"

Prince Liang paused for half a heartbeat.

Then smiled.

"I am learning."

Shin Gu’s eyes narrowed.

Learning.

That was an interesting choice of words.

She picked up her chopsticks.

"Thank you."

"You’re welcome."

She ate quietly.

Prince Liang watched her.

Not obviously.

He watched the smallest things.

Her hands.

Her expression.

Where her gaze moved.

How she reacted when certain subjects were mentioned.

But Shin Gu was equally observant.

She noticed his attention.

So she deliberately remained calm.

For several moments, neither spoke.

Then Prince Liang said casually,

"The palace has been strange lately."

Shin Gu’s hand stopped.

Only for an instant.

Then she continued eating.

"Has it?"

"Yes."

"Perhaps the rumors have made everyone nervous."

"Perhaps."

Prince Liang smiled.

"Have you heard anything unusual?"

Shin Gu looked at him.

"Nothing beyond what everyone else has heard."

He nodded.

"I see."

Silence.

He took a sip of tea.

Then suddenly smiled.

"Actually, forget about palace matters."

Shin Gu looked suspicious.

"What should we talk about?"

"Anything."

"Anything?"

"Yes."

Prince Liang leaned back.

"You can tell me about your childhood."

Shin Gu stared at him.

"My childhood?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I don’t know enough about you."

His expression was sincere.

Almost painfully sincere.

Shin Gu didn’t know whether to believe him.

Finally she smiled faintly.

"There isn’t much to tell."

"Then tell me something small."

She began speaking.

A harmless story.

A childhood memory.

Prince Liang listened.

He occasionally smiled.

Occasionally asked questions.

He behaved exactly as a caring husband should.

And every time Shin Gu relaxed—

He remembered his real purpose.

He wasn’t there because he had suddenly become affectionate.

He was there because he wanted her to forget that he was investigating her.

---

The Performance Begins

Over the next several days, Prince Liang became a regular visitor.

At breakfast.

At lunch.

Sometimes in the afternoon.

Sometimes even in the evening.

At first, Shin Gu was suspicious.

Then confused.

Then irritated.

Because he simply wouldn’t stop.

"Your Highness, you don’t have to come every day."

"I know."

"Then why do you?"

"I want to."

"I have things to do."

"So do I."

"Then you should do them."

"I am."

She stared.

He smiled.

"Spending time with my wife is one of them."

Shin Gu’s eyelid twitched.

This man—

What had happened to him?

Prince Liang, meanwhile, was suffering internally.

Every time he said something affectionate, he wanted to cover his own face.

He had once considered himself dignified.

Now he was saying things that made even his own attendant uncomfortable.

But he endured.

Because patience was necessary.

He began bringing gifts.

Nothing extravagant.

A box of pastries.

A silk handkerchief.

A small jade ornament.

A book.

Flowers.

Shin Gu accepted them carefully.

She never became openly delighted.

But she stopped questioning every gift.

That was exactly what Prince Liang wanted.

He wanted her to become accustomed to him.

He wanted his presence to become ordinary.

He wanted her to stop thinking:

Why is he here?

And start thinking:

He always comes here.

That was the difference between suspicion and habit.

Habit was easier to manipulate.

And Prince Liang needed her guard lowered.

---

Mei Lan

Meanwhile—

Mei Lan was trapped in an entirely different struggle.

She had been sent into Shin Gu’s courtyard by the Dowager as a spy.

Her mission was simple in theory.

Watch.

Listen.

Report.

But Shin Gu had become increasingly careful.

Mei Lan couldn’t enter private rooms without permission.

She couldn’t touch certain belongings.

She couldn’t stay too long in places where she wasn’t needed.

And whenever something suspicious happened—

There was always someone nearby.

Mei Lan was beginning to wonder whether Shin Gu had already realized that she was not an ordinary maid.