After returning to her room, Qingyu hurried over to greet Xie Yao. As soon as she got close, she let out a surprised sound and asked, “Miss, where is the matching heart-bead bracelet you were wearing?”
The bracelet? Xie Yao lowered her head in a daze. Sure enough, the bracelet was nowhere to be found on her dress.
“I’ll go look for it right away.” Knowing what the bracelet represented, Qingyu immediately turned to run outside.
“Don’t bother.” Before she could reach the door, Xie Yao came to her senses and stopped her. “It’s already lost. Even if you search for it, you might not find it again. When it broke a few days ago, I shouldn’t have had you restring it.”
Qingyu froze in place at those words. “But it was a gift from Young Master Xiao. You…”
“It doesn’t matter who gave it to me.” Xie Yao spoke softly, then turned and headed into the inner chamber to change her clothes. Afterward, as she sat in the inner room, she thought over everything that had happened that day.
Although Gu Changze had agreed and asked her to wait a little longer, March was only a few days away. No matter how she calculated it, she could not shake the feeling of unease.
“Qingyu, when we return to the residence tomorrow, send another invitation to the Fifth Princess for me.”
Only after giving the instruction did Xie Yao feel somewhat reassured. That night, after drinking a bowl of ginger soup, she went to bed early.
Early the next morning, Qingyu rushed in, full of energy and wearing a mysterious expression.
“Miss, something huge has happened!
Can you guess what it is?”
Qingyu leaned in close and whispered into Xie Yao’s ear. “I heard that Madam Xiao also came to Huguo Temple yesterday. In the afternoon, while she was walking through Qing Garden, she somehow offended the Crown Prince, and he punished her by making her pick lotus leaves. Who would’ve thought that when she went to the lotus pond last night, she accidentally slipped and fell into the water? It was already getting dark, and nobody noticed. She struggled in the pond for quite a while before someone finally pulled her out. By the time she got back, she’d caught a chill.”
As Xie Yao listened, she thought that catching a cold was hardly a major matter.
Just last month, Madam Xiao had summoned her to the Chancellor’s Residence under the pretense of viewing flowers, only to leave her sitting outside for an entire hour. It had been the middle of a snowstorm. She had sat alone in the main hall without even a brazier for warmth, and returned home with a raging fever that lasted three full days.
Viewing flowers? It would have been more accurate to say that Madam Xiao had been enjoying watching her suffer.
Still harboring resentment over the incident, Xie Yao was largely indifferent when she heard Madam Xiao had fallen into the water and caught a chill. Before she could finish the thought, however, Qingyu added, “They say the fever burned through the whole night and damaged her throat. She’s afraid she may never be able to speak properly again.”
“What?” Xie Yao turned around in shock, her grip tightening on the mother-of-pearl inlaid comb in her hand. “How could a fever ruin someone’s throat?”
Not to mention that there were physicians right there at Huguo Temple. An ordinary fever should never have been severe enough to damage a person’s voice.
“I don’t know, Miss. As soon as Madam Xiao woke up, she hurried into a carriage and returned home. I imagine she’ll be seeking a doctor in the capital.”
Qingyu felt no sympathy for her. “Maybe she’s committed too many evil deeds. Even Heaven couldn’t stand to watch anymore.”
Qingyu knew nothing about what had really happened yesterday. But Xie Yao knew the truth better than anyone.
The lotus pond was, at most, only waist-deep. How could someone fall in and, after just the time it took to burn a stick of incense, end up with her throat permanently damaged?
As Xie Yao pondered this, a servant suddenly arrived with a message from outside. “Miss Xie, the Crown Prince requests your presence. He says you’ve left something behind with him.”
The rain had stopped yesterday, and today brought unusually fine weather. When Xie Yao stepped into the courtyard, the young Crown Prince was standing there. His long, elegant fingers idly toyed with a string of beads. Sunlight filtered through the covered corridor and fell across his refined, handsome features, illuminating even the faint pallor that lent him an air of fragility. Tall and graceful as polished jade, every movement he made was a pleasure to behold.
“Your Highness.” Xie Yao lowered her head and offered a respectful bow.
“Yesterday, Miss Xie left in rather a hurry and forgot something with me. I’ve been waiting for Miss Xie to come and reclaim it.” Gu Changze extended his hand, revealing the beaded bracelet.
She had assumed it had been lost somewhere along the road. In truth, she had thought it might be better that way. Anything connected to Xiao Min was something she should not keep forever. She had never expected it to have been left behind in the pavilion. She stood there, momentarily stunned.
Gu Changze was in no hurry. His calm gaze rested lightly upon her, taking in every trace of hesitation and every nuance of her expression before he finally smiled and said, “Aren’t you going to take it back, Miss Xie?”
The string of red jade beads rested in his palm, gleaming brilliantly beneath the sunlight.
Xie Yao stepped forward two paces. As her fingertips brushed Gu Changze’s, she took the bracelet from his hand.
Though spring had already brought warmer weather, Gu Changze’s fingers were still as cold as ever. She had heard that he was particularly sensitive to the cold. As a result, the Eastern Palace was never without braziers, regardless of the season.
Lowering her head, Xie Yao thanked him. After a moment’s hesitation, she added with genuine concern, “Your Highness, if you still suffer from chills even during spring and summer, I happen to have a prescription that my father used in the past. Perhaps the Imperial Medical Bureau could examine it and see whether it might be of any use.”
“Miss Xie knows medicine?”
“I wouldn’t dare claim expertise,” Xie Yao replied. “However, some members of my maternal family were knowledgeable in medicine. My father also suffered from an old illness dating back to his childhood and was similarly sensitive to the cold. Later, my mother found a prescription for him, and after treating it gradually, there was some improvement.”
After hearing her explanation, Gu Changze fell silent for a moment, as though something had come to mind. Then he said, “Come inside. We’ll talk there.”
The room had long since been prepared with braziers. After standing outside in the chilly wind for some time, a servant promptly draped Gu Changze in a cloak.
Once they were seated, Gu Changze personally refilled a cup of tea and handed it to her. “Try it. It was brewed with newly collected snow from this year’s New Year.”
“Did Your Highness brew it yourself?” Accepting the teacup, Xie Yao immediately caught the fragrance of fresh tea. One glance was enough to tell her that the brewer possessed exceptional skill.
A look of pleasant surprise appeared on her face. Ever since she grew older, she had loved drinking tea, especially gathering fresh snow in winter to brew it. But after the upheaval that had struck her family this year, she had no heart for such pursuits. She never expected that Gu Changze would share the same interest.
Seeing the delight in her eyes, Gu Changze’s lips curved upward almost imperceptibly. “While recuperating, I had little to occupy my time, so I learned a thing or two about brewing tea. I’m hardly an expert. As long as Miss Xie doesn’t laugh at my efforts.”
“How could I?” Xie Yao shook her head at once. She knew full well that this was merely Gu Changze being modest.
The tea carried a delicate fragrance, and the heat had been controlled to perfection. Even if an ordinary person spent four or five years studying the art of tea brewing, they might not achieve such skill. It was unquestionably excellent.
She raised the cup and took a sip. “The prescription my family used came from a renowned physician from my maternal grandparents’ home in Xihua County. I don’t know whether it would be effective for Your Highness’s condition, but when the time comes, you must first have the Imperial Physicians examine it.”
“Miss Xie is very thoughtful. I am already deeply grateful. However, my illness is hardly new. It has been with me for years. To be honest, I stopped hoping for a cure long ago.”
Gu Changze waved a hand dismissively. “If it proves useless, Miss Xie needn’t take it to heart. I understand my own condition well enough. There’s no knowing how much longer I can hold on…”
“Your Highness is of the imperial bloodline, blessed by Heaven itself. You are certain to live a long and prosperous life. Please don’t speak that way.”
Before he could finish, Xie Yao frowned and interrupted him. In the few times she had interacted with Gu Changze, she had found the young Crown Prince to be a true gentleman, refined in both character and conduct. Moreover, he had helped her in the pavilion only yesterday.
Whatever the future might bring, Xie Yao simply could not bear the thought of someone so good meeting a tragic end. For once, her gentle voice carried a trace of urgency. The moment the words left her mouth, even she was startled, and she hurried to explain herself. “I spoke out of turn…”
Gu Changze was clearly taken aback as well. A moment later, he came back to himself and tightened his grip on the teacup in his hand.
Xie Yao kept her head lowered and failed to notice the look he cast toward her. She only heard him let out a soft laugh.
“Three years ago, someone once said the exact same thing to me.” He paused before continuing. “It was during the last battle I fought on the frontier. It was a difficult campaign. I was trapped inside a mountain cave and had nearly convinced myself that I wouldn’t survive. At that moment, there was someone who told me that I ought to live to be a hundred years old.”
Gu Changze gazed at her for a long moment. His thumb unconsciously traced the rim of his teacup, as though he were waiting for a particular answer.
Wisps of steam drifted upward. The room fell silent for a moment before Xie Yao asked, “And what happened afterward? Did that person survive alongside Your Highness?”
The light in Gu Changze’s eyes dimmed. He lifted the cup and drained it in a single swallow. Xie Yao thought his voice sounded a little strained when he answered. “Of course she survived. She lived quite well for a time. But now… it seems she’s not doing very well at all. I think…”
He broke off and shook his head. “Forget it.”
Xie Yao had only heard half the story before it ended abruptly. When she looked up again, Gu Changze had no intention of continuing. “I’ll send someone tomorrow to collect the prescription. I hear Miss Xie is returning to the capital today, so you should set out early.”
Xie Yao rose and bowed before leaving.
Behind her, Gu Changze watched her retreating figure for a very long time without moving. After finding the bracelet yesterday, he had deliberately kept it, waiting for Xie Yao to come and retrieve it. He had been gambling. Gambling on whether the words he had spoken yesterday had made even the slightest impression on her.
Meanwhile, the moment Xie Yao returned to her room, she saw Qingyu hurrying toward her in alarm. “Miss! Something has happened at the residence! The steward just sent word. Madam Liu, your aunt by marriage, went to our Prince’s Manor today. The Second Branch’s young miss apparently offended her, and Madam Liu ordered her servants to give the girl several strokes of the board. By this afternoon, she had already started coughing up blood!”
“What?” Xie Yao’s expression darkened at once.
“Prepare the horses. We’re returning home immediately.”
The guards quickly brought a carriage, and Xie Yao set off from Huguo Temple, returning to the capital.
By the time they reached the city gates, night had already fallen. Just as the carriage was about to pass through and enter the city, someone suddenly shouted an order. More than a dozen guards rushed forward, their swords clattering as they blocked the entrance.
“The city gates are locked for the night! No one may enter!”
Locked? The guard driving the carriage exchanged bewildered glances with his companions. Inside the carriage, Xie Yao frowned as well. It was not yet curfew.
At Xie Yao’s signal, Qingyu called out, “It’s only the Hour of Xu. What lockout are you talking about?”
“We only follow orders. If we’ve been told the gates are closed, then they’re closed. No one gets in.”
After barking out his reply, the lead guard waved a hand. Several men immediately pushed the gates shut with a loud bang.
Furious, Qingyu snapped, “Whose orders are you following? Do you even know who our young lady is? You’re closing the city gates before curfew and breaking regulations. Believe it or not, we’ll report this to the authorities tomorrow and have you charged with dereliction of duty!”
“Dereliction of duty? We don’t know anything about that. If you’ve got the ability, then go ahead and report us. The point is, curfew has already begun tonight. Whoever shows up won’t be getting in.”
The guard let out a sneering laugh, completely fearless. It was, at most, only a quarter into the Hour of Xu, with well over an hour remaining before curfew. Yet this guard dared to speak with such arrogance.
Unease stirred in Xie Yao’s heart. Frowning, she stopped Qingyu before she could continue arguing and lifted the carriage curtain to look outside.
Sure enough, she spotted a familiar face standing atop the city wall. It was Madam Xiao’s younger nephew. Immediately, she understood what was going on.
No doubt Madam Xiao had returned home and recounted the incident. The entire Xiao family now bore a grudge against her. Knowing that she was returning to the capital today, and with her own nephew serving on gate duty, how could Madam Xiao possibly swallow such an insult? They had clearly been waiting here specifically to block her.
But Xie Yao was worried about her cousin. Although the two rarely interacted, the girl was only ten years old. She had been beaten with ten strokes of the board and was already coughing up blood. If Xie Yao failed to return, the child might truly be in danger. A flash of anger rose within her. For the first time, she felt that Madam Xiao’s high fever yesterday had been far too mild a punishment.
Pressing her lips together, Xie Yao grew increasingly anxious. Yet she also knew full well that arguing with them here would accomplish nothing.
“Take the other route.” Xie Yao made her decision without hesitation.
“But the other city gate is quite a long way from here!” Qingyu exclaimed.
At this rate, they might not make it back into the capital for another hour.
“Even so, we’re going.”
The other gate was guarded by men loyal to the Emperor. They would certainly not make things difficult for them. She could afford to wait one more night. Her young cousin could not.
The carriage quickly turned around and sped off toward the opposite side of the city.
Inside, Xie Yao clenched her hands tightly, anxiety written plainly across her face. She could only pray for the carriage to go faster. Faster still…
“Hyaa!” The driver suddenly pulled hard on the reins.
The carriage came to an abrupt halt.
Caught off guard, Xie Yao was thrown sideways, her arm striking the carriage rail. She let out a muffled gasp of pain. They had nearly collided with an oncoming carriage.
Before Qingyu could start scolding the guards, a clear, gentle voice sounded from outside.
“What happened?”
That voice… Xie Yao abruptly lifted the curtain. Worried sick throughout the journey, her voice had become slightly hoarse. “Your Highness?”
Beneath the moonlight on the official road, a long, elegant hand lifted the opposite carriage curtain.
Bright-eyed, handsome, and refined in bearing, the man inside was none other than Gu Changze, whom she had parted from only that afternoon. The moment he saw the anxiety on Xie Yao’s face and the slightly disheveled strands of her hair, surprise flickered across his features.
“What happened?”
Qingyu hurriedly recounted the entire story. By the time she reached the latter half of it, Gu Changze’s brows had already lifted slightly. He had not expected Madam Xiao to have suffered a setback, yet still fail to learn her lesson. Thinking this to himself, he drew a token from his waist and handed it over.
Under the moonlight, their fingertips brushed.
The instant Xie Yao heard his next words, the panic gripping her heart inexplicably eased.
“This is my personal token.”
“Take it with you.”
“With this in hand, you may travel freely anywhere within the capital. No one will dare stop you.”