“Still no word?” Si Huahuan lay with her eyes closed on a soft couch, resting her head on one hand as she asked listlessly.
She hadn’t slept a wink the whole night. Even now, she felt as though she could still faintly hear the familiar, demonic howling carried on the wind…
“Nothing yet,” Wei Zi shook her head. “No news has come out from the Marquis’ residence at all. And I noticed the Marquis didn’t seem the least bit different in demeanor before or after attending court. If anything… he appeared rather pleased?”
Si Huahuan’s beautiful cat-like eyes snapped wide open, filled with confusion and rising anger.
Pleased? How dared he be pleased? Had he not even realized his beloved dog was missing?
What a cold-hearted, unfeeling man. He didn’t care in the slightest that his own dog was gone.
“Your Highness…” A palace maid rushed hurriedly into the room from outside. “Your Highness! The dog has escaped from the side hall and run into the small kitchen!”
The imperial chefs in the small kitchen all knew this was the beloved pet of the Marquis of Ming’an. They dared not strike it, scold it, or drive it away. The whole group could only huddle together, watching helplessly as it feasted freely among the ingredients and supplies.
Si Huahuan sat up straight. “It got out? Wasn’t anyone watching it?”
“This servant… I heard noises coming from inside the room and hurried over to check. I found shattered glass and broken porcelain all over the floor. Somehow, the dog slipped free of its rope, and while I was briefly opening the door, it ran right past me… and all the way into the kitchen…”
The maid fell to her knees, kowtowing and weeping. “That dog is simply too clever! It was this servant’s fault for failing to watch it properly. I beg Your Highness for forgiveness!”
Was this dog some kind of demon child reborn into the world?!
Si Huahuan’s head throbbed with anger. She scolded, “You people are so numerous, yet you cannot even keep watch over a single dog? Go and catch it for me immediately!”
The maid nodded repeatedly, scrambled to her feet, and ran out.
Quite some time passed before the stubborn white dog was dragged before Si Huahuan by the strongest eunuch in Yong’an Palace.
Si Huahuan raised her hand and gave it a sharp smack right on the forehead. *Pa!* — a clear, crisp sound echoed.
It wasn’t a heavy blow, but enough to leave the dog stunned.
It froze for a moment. Its round, dark eyes suddenly became wide and clear, and it blinked twice. Then, unexpectedly, it grinned, stuck out its pink tongue, and wagged its tail furiously, wiggling its entire backside along with it.
Seeing Si Huahuan’s cold expression, it stepped closer. It made soft, whimpering sounds through its pink nose and rubbed its furry head ingratiatingly against the hem of her robe.
Si Huahuan had already raised her hand for a second slap, but she froze mid-air, unable to bring it down.
It looked up at her, its yellowish ears drooping slightly, tail wagging so fast it seemed ready to take flight. Its eyes were innocent and pure, as if it had not been the one to just wreck the palace, or howl all night long so that no one here could sleep a wink.
Slowly, she lowered her hand. Finally, she just poked it sharply on the forehead. “You are exactly like your master. You know only how to pretend innocence and act shamelessly. Putting on one face to my face and another behind my back.”
The tiny bit of forgiveness that had reluctantly grown in Si Huahuan’s heart vanished completely that afternoon, when she discovered her clothes had been torn to shreds and lay in tatters all over the floor.
She watched as the dog happily flopped down at her feet, thumping its tail rhythmically against the ground, looking determined to stick by her side no matter what.
She took a long, deep breath. “Go… send a message to Xie Yun. Tell him to come into the palace in person and… ransom his dog back!”
When Steward Tao heard the message from the palace servant, he slipped the man some silver coins and asked for every detail of what had happened. He held back his laughter all the way to the study.
He did his best to compose his expression and suppress his amusement. He reported to Xie Yun, “Princess Kangle says she has Jiaojiao in her possession. She demands that you go to the palace yourself… to beg her… and ransom Jiaojiao back.”
He could no longer hold back his laughter as he continued, “It seems Jiaojiao howled the entire night in Yong’an Palace yesterday. The Princess didn’t get a wink of sleep. Early this morning, Jiaojiao caused a ruckus in the kitchen, smashed the Princess’s glass cups, and chewed her robes to pieces. It infuriated the Princess greatly!”
A smile played on Xie Yun’s lips, his eyes crinkling with amusement. He leaned back comfortably in his chair, his gaze full of mirth.
“Ah… send someone back with my reply. Just two words: *I won’t go*.”
“You won’t go?!”
Si Huahuan slammed her hand onto the table and shot to her feet, her eyebrows shooting up in fury. “Is that all he said? Just those two words?”
The palace servant shrank his neck in fear and replied, “To answer Your Highness… the Marquis told me to bring exactly those two words. But then he added something else… He said, if you like the dog, he would like to present it to you as a gift…”
His voice grew softer and softer as he spoke. He knew every word made the Princess angrier, and he prayed not to be punished as collateral damage.
That scoundrel!
Si Huahuan was absolutely beside herself, nearly fainting from anger caused by this man and this dog.
She believed even less now that they were destined to be a good match. Xie Yun was clearly born to bring her misfortune.
She planted her hands firmly on her hips and huffed furiously, “Who wants his big fat dog?! Yao Huang! Send it back to him. Right. This. Instant!”
When Steward Tao saw Jiaojiao, who hadn’t lost a single hair, he was overjoyed. He reached out to embrace it, but the dog slipped right past him.
Jiaojiao darted nimbly around him and pounced straight onto Xie Yun, who stood behind the steward. It opened its mouth in a wide, flattering grin, wagging its tail so fast it blurred.
Xie Yun reached out and ruffled the fluffy fur on its head. He smiled and said, “Good dog.”
Steward Tao sighed. “As always, the Marquis understands the Princess perfectly.”
Xie Yun thought of Si Huahuan, her cheeks flushed bright pink from rage. His eyes curved into a deeper smile, and a soft, light laugh escaped his throat. He rubbed Jiaojiao’s plump cheeks affectionately.
Steward Tao watched Xie Yun happily petting the dog. The smile on his master’s face was unusually distinct. It wasn’t merely the smugness of having a plan succeed; it also held a tenderness the steward could not quite understand.
He lifted his gaze toward the courtyard. The warm spring sunshine bathed the grounds. The old peach tree in the corner had somehow become covered in buds. A few impatient flowers had already bloomed, revealing soft pink petals. A gentle breeze blew, and the branches swayed lightly.
This year’s blossoms seemed to be appearing earlier than usual.
*****
It was just past seven in the morning, and daylight was already bright. Outside the palace hall, Wei Zi and Yao Huang were arguing in hushed voices.
“You go wake the Princess up.”
“You go.”
“I went yesterday. Today it’s your turn.”
They pushed the responsibility back and forth, neither willing to yield.
Everyone in the palace knew how irritable the Princess was when first awakened. Unless it was an absolute emergency, no one dared disturb her rest, lest they be scolded for no reason.
But today was different. Yao Huang bit her lip and exchanged a glance with Wei Zi.
Indeed… there was no choice. They had to wake her.
The Spring View Banquet, held at Qingyan Garden — a vast imperial park in the western suburbs of the capital — was an event eagerly anticipated by every household in the city.
Every year when spring arrived, Emperor Jiaping issued an edict inviting all court officials and nobility, along with their families, to attend.
Today was the day they were to depart for the garden.
Yao Huang summoned her courage and pushed open the palace door. A warm, rich scent of aloeswood drifted toward her. She stepped lightly toward the bed. Through the silk canopy, she could vaguely see a figure curled up under the quilt.
“Your Highness…” Yao Huang called softly. There was no movement from within for a long time. She raised her voice slightly and called again.
A muffled groan came from the curtains. The figure wrapped itself tighter in the quilt and grumbled drowsily, “Go away…”
Yao Huang smiled bitterly. “Your Highness, it is already past seven. We are leaving in half an hour. You haven’t yet chosen from the dozen or so robes sent over by the Wardrobe Bureau.”
Silence reigned inside for a moment. Then came the sound of a deep intake of breath. Si Huahuan pushed aside a corner of the canopy with her hand. She squinted her sleepy eyes and said grumpily, “Have them brought in here.”
Seeing she was awake and not too angry yet, Yao Huang hurried to the side hall to fetch the garments.
Wei Zi led five palace maids, who had been waiting at the entrance, into the room in a line. Some carried basins, some held towels, and others bore jars of scented ointments. They knelt in a row beside the bed.
Si Huahuan sat up unwillingly. Her dark hair cascaded like a waterfall over her shoulders. With Wei Zi’s help, she took the first sip of fragrant tea to rinse her mouth. A maid stepped forward, holding a spittoon high with both hands, catching the water perfectly as she spat it out to the side.
She yawned and let Wei Zi roll up her sleeves to prepare for washing.
The water in the basin wasn’t merely warm; it was mixed with specially scented cleansing grains. Si Huahuan first washed her hands with this water, then leaned over to wash her face in another basin held by a second maid. Wei Zi immediately took a towel from a third maid, who knelt holding it ready, and gently dried her face.
This daily morning ritual proceeded smoothly and efficiently.
Si Huahuan sat before her dressing table, applying perfumed cream to her hands. Her gaze slowly swept over the more than ten magnificent robes displayed in the chamber — all fashionable styles newly made by the Imperial Wardrobe Bureau. Threads of gold and silver shimmered softly under the sunlight.
She pointed casually and chose a goose-yellow dress with embroidered lotus patterns in gold thread along the cuffs.
Wei Zi stood behind her, arranging her hair into an elegant coiffure, her nimble fingers weaving through the dark tresses layer by layer. Si Huahuan idly examined the sets of exquisite, expensive jewelry presented on trays by the maids. She glanced at the hairstyle taking shape in the bronze mirror, and finally selected a gold phoenix hairpin adorned with inlaid gems to place at the center of her updo.
Half an hour later, Si Huahuan looked at herself in the mirror and nodded in satisfaction. “Let’s go.”
She had barely taken two steps when she suddenly remembered something. “Oh right, Yao Huang. Bring along the kite I drew yesterday.”
A grand procession of carriages had long been waiting in the square outside the Hanyuan Hall. Si Huahuan descended from her sedan chair, lifted her skirt, and hurried across the stone-paved ground toward Si Huarong.
“Brother, why aren’t you waiting inside your carriage…”
Before she finished speaking, the carriage door beside them flew open with a loud bang. A white shape shot out like an arrow released from a bow. Before Si Huahuan could clearly see what it was, the creature was right in front of her.
“What on earth!” She cried out instinctively and jumped back, quickly hiding behind Si Huarong.
She peeked out from behind his shoulder. There, squatting three steps away, was the familiar big fat dog, tilting its head and looking right at her.
Human and dog stared wide-eyed at one another. The big white dog grinned even wider when it saw her. It suddenly lowered its body, pressing its fluffy chest flat against the ground, while raising its rear high in the air, wagging its tail furiously.
Si Huahuan gripped her brother’s sleeve in surprise. “What is it doing here?”
At that moment, a figure dressed in dark blue stepped out of the carriage and called softly, “Jiaojiao, come here.”
Si Huahuan turned her head. She saw a robe of deep black silk, embroidered with ruyi motifs in gold thread along the hem, shimmering as he moved. A jade belt cinched his waist, accentuating his broad shoulders, narrow waist, and tall, straight posture.
He had an incomparably handsome face, with amber eyes that were tender yet aloof — eyes that could make anyone lose themselves in them with just one glance.
She quickly looked away, turning her head sharply toward anything else.
Why did he have to be everywhere?
Jiaojiao completely ignored him. It scratched the ground twice with its front paws and maintained its pose, inviting Si Huahuan to come play.
*Tut.* Xie Yun pushed himself easily out of the carriage with one arm. He leaned casually against the side, arms crossed over his chest, as if enjoying the spectacle. “It seems it is quite fond of you. Are you sure you don’t want it?”
Si Huahuan snorted coldly. “You can keep that blessing for yourself.”
With that, she hurried away as if afraid he or the dog might catch up. “I’ll ride with Second Sister instead.”
Jiaojiao tried to chase after her, but Xie Yun grabbed it by the collar and hauled it back. Its round dark eyes looked up at her retreating figure, full of grievance, and let out a soft whimper.
Princess Qingyang was sitting comfortably inside her carriage when the curtain was suddenly lifted. A beautiful, bright face peered inside.
“Second Sister.” Without hesitation, the young girl climbed right in, her golden hair ornaments swaying wildly, her skirt nearly catching on the doorframe.
Qingyang reached out to steady her. “Why aren’t you riding with Ziyun?”
“Don’t even mention it. There’s a nuisance in that carriage.” Si Huahuan pouted. She picked a candied fruit from a box and popped it into her mouth. “Speaking of which… how goes the search you’re helping me with?”
Si Huahuan had grown tired of being criticized by imperial censors, so she had gone to Qingyang, asking her to find a few handsome, discreet male companions for her.
Thinking of the “deal” Xie Yun had specifically come to make with her two days ago, Qingyang leaned forward and asked her innocent younger sister, “Does… does your husband know about this?”