“To be honest, Your Highness, I came here because my mother loved lotus flowers.”
Last year, when Xiao Min visited, he donated incense money to Huguo Temple to please Princess Consort Xie and personally had these lotus flowers transplanted here. Who could have imagined that after seeing these lotus blossoms just once, his mother would never have the chance to see them again?
Perhaps her sorrow was too apparent. Even her fingertips trembled involuntarily.
Gu Changze tilted his umbrella slightly toward her, shielding her from the cold wind. “I’m afraid Miss Xie has already heard countless words of condolence. Recent times have been troubled enough. Though you’re grieving, you must still take care of your health.”
Xie Yao came back to her senses. Speaking of recent troubles, the greatest matter was undoubtedly the imperial marriage decree.
Now that Gu Changze stood before her and no one else was around, Xie Yao gathered her courage. “Your Highness, about the marriage decree issued a few days ago…”
“Let’s talk inside.” Gu Changze interrupted her.
The rain outside was gradually letting up. Xie Yao followed Gu Changze into the pavilion, and the two took their seats. Noticing her nervousness and unease, Gu Changze spoke first.
“As for the marriage decree, I only learned of it the following day. After our chance encounter in the Imperial Garden that day, I went to discuss some matters with Father Emperor. When I returned, I took my medicine and rested. When I woke up the next morning, I received the imperial edict Father Emperor had issued.”
The implication was clear: he had not known about the marriage arrangement beforehand.
Xie Yao was immediately surprised. Although rumors had long circulated both inside and outside the palace that the Crown Prince was little more than a figurehead, scarcely involved in state affairs and possessing almost no real power, she had never imagined that the Emperor would arrange an imperial marriage by decree without informing him beforehand.
The claim sounded somewhat absurd. For a moment, Xie Yao forgot to conceal the doubt in her eyes, and Gu Changze caught every trace of it.
“Miss Xie has probably heard some of the rumors outside the palace, has she not?” Rather than explaining himself immediately, he spoke slowly and calmly.
The other princes were all healthy and strong, backed by powerful maternal families and influential ministers. By contrast, the Crown Prince seemed perpetually ill. For the past three years, rumors had swirled everywhere, claiming that the abolition of the Eastern Palace was only a matter of time.
The Emperor’s continued refusal to depose him was attributed, first, to paternal affection. He could not bear to further burden the Crown Prince while he was already so frail. Second, many remembered the battle three years ago, when the Crown Prince had nearly sacrificed half his life defending the border city and safeguarding the peace of hundreds of thousands of Great Sheng’s people.
Moreover, Xie Yao herself had heard the same thing earlier that day on the main street.
The principal-wife positions of the various princes had all been reserved for the daughters of powerful officials, alliances that would strengthen their claims in the future struggle for succession. Perhaps after much deliberation, the Emperor had concluded that this son alone was easy to control. Only the position of his Crown Princess could be bestowed without concern.
Unconsciously, Xie Yao tightened her fingers. The suspicion in her heart diminished somewhat.
“A father’s command cannot be disobeyed. I have long since come of age, and the Eastern Palace has lacked a suitable Crown Princess for far too long. It is only natural that Father Emperor should select one and decree her entry into the Eastern Palace. However, I have been ill for so long that even I do not know what my future holds. Human nature is to seek advantage and avoid harm. If Miss Xie does not wish to enter the Eastern Palace and desires to break off the engagement, no one could fault you for it.”
Xie Yao hurriedly rose, about to kneel. “I would never dare harbor such thoughts.”
Her reluctance to marry into the palace stemmed only from the fact that she had no desire to marry at present. Whether Gu Changze possessed power or influence, whether he would one day ascend the throne or be deposed, made no difference to her.
“My parents passed away so suddenly. Countless matters in the Xie household still need my attention, and I have no mind to think about them. Besides, I am already someone whose engagement has been broken once. How would I dare aspire to someone as exalted as Your Highness?”
The rain beyond the pavilion had begun to thin. Droplets hanging from the weeping willow branches fell one by one in the breeze. With her head lowered, she revealed a stretch of fair, delicate neck, where a small red beauty mark stood out conspicuously at the side.
A raindrop landed on her neck, and Xie Yao shivered slightly. The man before her remained silent for so long that she couldn’t help but look up.
“I heard that it was Miss Xie herself who returned the letter of annulment regarding your engagement to the young master of the Xiao family.” Gu Changze’s voice remained as gentle and clear as ever, like a spring breeze after rain, giving away no particular emotion.
Xie Yao did not know why he had suddenly brought up Xiao Min, but she answered openly enough. “The Xiao family had already intended to break the engagement. Had I insisted otherwise, I would only have demeaned myself by marrying into their household.
“My father once told me something. He said that among the people and things around me, only what can be kept is meant to last. What cannot be kept is not worth forcing. If one insists to the very end, the only result is harming oneself again.”
She had always remembered those words. So when Chancellor Xiao sent that letter, though she could hardly describe what she felt at the time, Xie Yao neither clung nor protested. She knew Chancellor Xiao was decisive and domineering. Xiao Min could not oppose his father, nor would he pit himself against the entire Xiao family for her sake.
“So, regarding the marriage between Miss Xie and myself, is it because you fear future unwillingness or regret that you do not wish for it?”
Startled, Xie Yao raised her head and looked at Gu Changze, who was speaking with a faint smile. What did he mean by unwillingness?
Meeting her gaze, Gu Changze smiled again. “I was only joking with Miss Xie. Please, get up.”
Supporting herself against the table, Xie Yao rose to her feet and was just about to sit back down when—”Oh? And here I was wondering who it could be. So it’s you. Running into you by Qing Garden is truly bad luck.”
A sharp, overbearing voice rang out from outside the pavilion.
Xie Yao and Gu Changze raised their heads at the same time and saw someone approaching from the far end of the path.
It was Xiao Min’s mother.
Rumor had it that after the two families broke off the engagement a few days earlier, Madam Xiao had hurried to Huguo Temple, eager to pray for a better marriage prospect for her son.
A thick pillar blocked Gu Changze from view, and Madam Xiao clearly hadn’t noticed him sitting in the pavilion. Her words were dripping with malice.
“What’s the matter? Ever since Min’er cast you aside, you’ve become a discarded woman mocked by all of Shangjing. Have you come all the way to Qing Garden alone to wallow in sorrow? You’ve quite ruined my mood.”
Madam Xiao shot her a contemptuous glance. She had already resented Xie Yao for sending back the annulment letter first and causing the Xiao family to lose face. As a result, her tongue was even less restrained than usual.
“Just look at yourself now. Forget being a principal wife. You wouldn’t even qualify to enter the Xiao household as a concubine. And why are you still standing there? Don’t you know to bow when you see me?”
Xie Yao glanced at Gu Changze but remained silent.
What Madam Xiao hated most was her lofty, detached manner. Despite all the insults she had hurled, Xie Yao didn’t even bother to respond. The sight only made her angrier.
“You jinx! Do you still think you’re some exalted young lady of a princely manor? Are you waiting for me to come over there and slap that mouth of yours myself?” Her shrill, piercing voice shattered the tranquility of Qing Garden.
Just as Xie Yao frowned and was about to speak—
“And whose mouth do you intend to slap? Perhaps you should first let me see whether you’re qualified to do so.” A clear, composed voice sounded from within the pavilion.
Madam Xiao was already striding forward, one hand raised high. The next instant, she finally caught sight of the person seated inside the pavilion: noble and elegant, with an air of effortless refinement.
The moment Madam Xiao recognized him, she was so terrified that her soul practically fled her body. With a thud, she dropped to her knees. “This humble subject’s wife did not know that the Crown Prince was here. Please forgive my offense in disturbing you.”
“Was it only me that you disturbed?”
The rain had just passed, and a cool late-February breeze drifted through the air. Gu Changze coughed lightly twice, a trace of displeasure entering his voice. “Who was it that Madam Xiao was insulting just now?”
Xie Yao looked over at him in surprise. She had not expected him to stand up for her at a moment like this.
“The person you were insulting just now is the young lady of Prince Xie’s Manor and the future Crown Princess of the Eastern Palace. Are you aware of that?”
Who? The Crown Princess? Madam Xiao’s head snapped up, her pupils contracting. Only a few days earlier, after the engagement had been dissolved, she had come to Huguo Temple in high spirits to pray for a favorable marriage match for Xiao Min. During those days, she had paid no attention whatsoever to what was happening outside. Nor had she imagined anything could spoil her happiness.
Her husband held a high-ranking and trusted position at court. Her son was talented and promising, now free of what she considered a burden. Her daughter was obedient and dutiful. She had thought herself the most fortunate and triumphant woman in all of Shengjing.
“Your Highness… surely… surely you are joking with me?”
The Xiao family had never thought much of this orphaned girl. How could she possibly become Crown Princess?
“What status does Madam Xiao possess that would make it worth my while to deceive you?”
The two times Xie Yao had met Gu Changze, he had always been gentle, courteous, and approachable. It was rare indeed to see such a sharp and imposing side of him. For a moment, Xie Yao could not hide her surprise.
“This humble subject’s wife would never dare.” Madam Xiao shook her head in panic.
“I am staying at Huguo Temple to recuperate. I came to sit here only because the scenery in Qing Garden was peaceful and pleasant. Yet Madam Xiao arrived for no reason and caused such a disturbance. Not only have you disrupted my rest and recovery, but you also opened your mouth to insult my future Crown Princess. Do you know what crime that amounts to?”
Whatever the circumstances that had made Xie Yao the future Crown Princess, Madam Xiao now regretted her actions so bitterly she could have turned green with remorse. No matter how low-profile the Crown Prince seemed, he was still the Crown Prince. Acting so arrogantly before him, she could hardly complain if he chose to punish her.
Madam Xiao hastily kowtowed. “This humble subject’s wife knows her fault! I know my fault!”
“The scenery in Qing Garden is indeed lovely. It is only a pity that Madam Xiao has disturbed even these lotus leaves. Since you seem to enjoy this place so much, I shall order you to personally clear away every lotus leaf in this pond. Afterward, you will remain at Huguo Temple for half a month of quiet self-reflection and spiritual cultivation.”
How could she possibly clear an entire pond of lotus leaves by herself?
Madam Xiao’s face turned ashen as she pleaded, “Your Highness…”
“You may leave.”
“Your Highness!”
“I said, leave.” Gu Changze lifted his eyes, his voice now carrying unmistakable displeasure.
The effortless dignity and authority born of imperial royalty emanating from him silenced Madam Xiao at once. She dared not say another word and was dragged away by the guards.
“Thank you, Your Highness.” With the garden restored to its quiet tranquility, Xie Yao spoke up.
“Although Madam Xiao was in the wrong, these lotus leaves have done nothing to deserve being implicated. If they’re all cleared away, I’m afraid…”
“Miss Xie can’t bear to part with them?” Gu Changze raised his eyes before she could finish.
The sharpness hehad shown when speaking to Madam Xiao was gone, yet Xie Yao had a faint impression that an indefinable trace of displeasure still lingered in his voice.
“The lotus leaves were beloved by my mother. She personally watched over their transplantation here. Now they have become part of Huguo Temple’s scenery, adding a touch of beauty to the place. That is why I am somewhat reluctant to see them destroyed.”
Gu Changze lightly tapped the table with his fingers. The darkness in his eyes faded, replaced by a gentle smile.
“So that’s the reason. Hearing Miss Xie mention Prince Xie just now reminded me of an encounter I once had with him during the war three years ago.”
He neither agreed nor refused her request. Instead, he began speaking of the past.
Xie Yao hadn’t expected him to bring up her father, and she immediately looked over with curiosity.
“At the time, I had been wounded after being betrayed by someone close to me. Prince Xie came to visit me and said something very similar. He said that when betrayal comes from someone close to you, that is the deepest wound of all. Because it is not only that one person who can hurt you. The people around them, those close to them, and everything connected to them will also be given opportunities to hurt you. If you fail to cut ties when you should, you will inevitably suffer for it. Some betrayals and moments of hesitation only need to happen once. What do you think, Miss Xie?”
Xie Yao’s eyelashes trembled. His words brought to mind Chancellor Xiao’s disdainful letter, Madam Xiao’s humiliation today, and all the gossip and turmoil sweeping through the capital. Her throat tightened. Her mind was in chaos, and instinctively she reached for something, her fingers brushing against the matching bead bracelet hanging at her waist. Xiao Min had given it to her last year, when she came of age.
On the day their engagement was broken off, she had torn the strand apart in anguish. Later, Qingyu had restrung the beads for her. Having worn it at her waist for almost a year, she was already accustomed to it and had simply put it back on once it was repaired.
As her fingertips touched the cool beads, Madam Xiao’s words suddenly echoed in her mind again: Orphan, bad luck, harbinger of misfortune.
Even after the engagement had been dissolved, the people connected to Xiao Min could still shatter the peaceful life she wanted with such ease.
Xie Yao remained silent for a long time.
“Marriage is something that should be entered into willingly by both parties. If Miss Xie truly does not wish for this match, I can do my best to speak on the matter at court. It is still only the end of the second month. There are several days left before the wedding in the third month. If you are not in a hurry, then wait for my news.”
His voice was calm and steady, offering precisely the bargaining chip Xie Yao most desired. Her heart skipped a beat. She had never imagined that the problem weighing so heavily on her mind would be so readily taken on by him.
A note of surprise, almost delight, entered her voice as she spoke. “Your Highness is willing to defy the imperial decree? I…”
“I simply do not wish to force anyone.” Gu Changze smiled lightly. “The skies have cleared. You should return, Miss Xie. Though Shangjing’s scenery is beautiful, it is not the only beauty in the world. Since you’ve come here today, you might also turn your attention to other landscapes.
“They may not be inferior to Shangjing.”
Xie Yao felt a deeper meaning hidden in his words. Full of questions, she saluted and took her leave.
Only Gu Changze remained in the pavilion. The smile on his face gradually disappeared. Shadows fell across him, obscuring the darkness in his eyes. He leaned down and picked up the bead bracelet that Xie Yao had accidentally dropped when she left. He turned the beads one by one through his fingers.
“Madam Xiao’s mouth is filthy. Since she enjoys running around and speaking carelessly, then after today, there will be no need for her to speak ever again.” He said it lightly, as though discussing the weather.
The guard immediately responded.
“As for the lotus leaves, they needn’t be removed. But tomorrow, instruct the abbot to lock up Qing Garden. And when we return, have every lotus pond in the Eastern Palace cleared away. I do not wish to see another lotus flower in the Eastern Palace.”
The bracelet in his hand was made of the finest red jade. Yet Gu Changze found it unbearably irritating to look at.
“There is something in the Eastern District that Ming’er wanted last year. Return to the capital and tell her to leave the city for half a month. And also…”
His voice paused. “Find out who in the capital has been spreading gossip about the imperial marriage decree. Cut out their tongues and throw them out of the city.”
Xie Yao was not the sort of person who would belittle herself by saying she dared not aspire to someone of his status. Since she had said such a thing, then aside from using it as an excuse, someone must have been spreading malicious rumors in her hearing.
The guard acknowledged the order and withdrew.
Once again, Gu Changze was alone in the pavilion. Clutching the bracelet tightly in his hand, he had the overwhelming urge to crush each bead to powder. He had seen an identical piece on someone else before. Of course, he knew who had given her this matching-heart bracelet. The pressure of his grip turned his fingertips white.
In the end, Gu Changze restrained himself. He lowered his head, covered his mouth with a handkerchief, and began to cough. When he pulled the cloth away, vivid streaks of blood stained its surface. He wiped them away with little concern.
Looking out across the pond of lotus leaves, he suddenly laughed softly and said, “Ah Yao… the last person you should trust is me.”