Miss Wu Yan looked up at the prince as she started to stand and her cheeks flushed. She looked quite pretty as she gave him a gentle smile. “My name is Wu Yan, Your Highness. My father oversees the ministry of rites.”

“Oh.” Guangfeng had no interest in the girl who was pretending to be shy. She had approached him first, so where did this shyness come from? “I’ll remind him he needs to be more strict with his daughters, since they don’t seem to remember not to rise without being allowed and that men and women should keep a distance.” He turned to the shopkeeper. “Have someone bring the latest pieces to a private room for me to view. I don’t want to be interrupted while I select a gift for my fiance.”

Wu Yan stiffened and her cheeks blushed even more. She quickly sank back into her salute and waited for the third prince to tell her to rise. Unfortunately, Guangfeng ignored her and headed for a private room and it wasn’t until after he had gone in that one of his servants walked over to her and bowed slightly. “Miss Wu, His Highness says that if you’re still here you may as well finish your shopping and leave.” The servant didn’t wait for her to reply and went back to Guangfeng’s side.

“Yan…” Wu Ying was anxious and she put a gentle hand on Wu Yan’s back. “Don’t take it to heart. His Highness has to be careful right now and there are so many people here. If word got back to Miss Long and she were to be angry His Highness would suffer. The decree for his marriage included that Miss Long can sever it any time she chooses.”

“What does that have to do with it?” Wu Yan stood and shot an angry glare at her sister. “I don’t care if he becomes crown prince or the emperor someday. I just want to be his wife!” She clicked her tongue and nibbled on her nail for a second. “I’ll just have to find a way to get rid of that Miss Long first, I guess.”

“Yan!” Her twin quickly covered her mouth. “You shouldn’t say things like that in public! What if someone were to hear?”

“Nevermind. Let’s go.” Wu Yan didn’t feel like shopping for accessories anymore.

Back in the private room, Guangfeng sat with some of the newest accessories that his shop had created while Shade quietly reported to him what the girls had just said outside. He waved a hand to indicate he’d heard and the hidden guard disappeared.

“Send the silver and amethyst accessory set to Crystal Moon Residence,” Guangfeng instructed the shopkeeper. “I think my fiance would like it.”

“Of course, Your Highness.” The shopkeeper nodded and started wrapping the set to be delivered while one of the attendants took the others to put away. “May I speak frankly, Your Highness?”

Guangfeng nodded. “You may.”

The shopkeeper looked up at Guangfeng, his eyes a bit uncertain. “Miss Wu Yan and Miss Wu Ying are two of our shop's most loyal customers. I am concerned that the way you treated Miss Wu Yan just now could affect the shop.”

The prince raised an eyebrow. “You are worried about losing two small customers? Is this shop doing so poorly that it must rely on those two young misses to survive?”

“Of course not, Your Highness!” The shopkeeper’s face paled as he realized he’d misspoken. “They do purchase more accessories than any one other customer, but the shop will be fine without their purchases.”

“Then what are you worried about? They are only customers. Treat them as you would any other customer.” Guangfeng’s expression hardened. “And keep in mind that the only woman who will ever enter my palace is the priestess, Long Yuelan. I will take no concubines and she is my fiance.”

“Of course, Your Highness.” The shopkeeper bowed his head and quickly finished packaging the accessory set to send to Yuelan and hurried out of the room to send one of the shop attendants to deliver it.

Guangfeng sighed and leaned back in his chair. “Shade, have someone investigate the shopkeeper’s connection to the Wu family. They have two days.”

“Yes, Master.” The reply was barely a whisper.

A frown tugged at the corners of Guangfeng’s lips and he recalled something important. He needed to order a birthday gift for Yuelan. Something she would like that would give her status in the eyes of others as well. The third prince stood and left the accessory shop to return home and carefully consider what to get for her. He had another month before her birthday, but that may not be enough time.