Changning spoke those words instinctively because she had long regarded Xie Yun as something belonging to her. Even if the husband had been someone else today, she would still have slandered and belittled him. Anyone connected to Si Huahuan would have been targeted and attacked indiscriminately.
But in Si Huahuan’s mind, once a person was officially associated with her name and status, they were hers. No one was permitted to insult or humiliate them. That was why she had blurted out the words *my husband* without stopping to think.
Under the bewildered and knowing gazes of the crowd, Changning stamped her foot in shame and anger. She turned toward Xie Yun and said in a tone of feigned grievance, “Marquis, that is not what I meant at all.”
Xie Yun remained silent. Then a soft mutter drifted from the crowd: That is exactly what you meant.
Everyone turned at once to find the source of the voice. The young man in blue from earlier had ducked his head and quietly stepped back several paces, keeping a low profile and content to have done his part.
Never before had Changning lost face so many times in front of such a large audience. Her face alternated between pale and flushed red. She bit her lower lip, gave a sharp flick of her sleeves, and walked away.
Ye Shuyi saw that the onlookers still had not dispersed. She raised her hand and waved them off. “What are you all staring at? Go on, break it up.”
The crowd scattered hurriedly. Si Huahuan glared at Xie Yun, who sat there completely unaffected, sipping his tea slowly and leisurely. She was exasperated by his lack of response.
“Have you lost your voice? Why didn’t you dare refute her even once?”
Xie Yun remained calm and unperturbed. “Why should I? I have Your Highness standing up for your husband here, don’t I?”
Si Huahuan silently regretted having said *my husband* out loud. Then she realized what he had done — he was using her as his weapon to fight his battles.
Xie Yun’s gaze drifted toward the kite in her hand, and his eyes crinkled with amusement. “This kite is truly… quite unique.”
Si Huahuan raised her eyebrows slightly, looking rather pleased with herself, her tone turning light and cheerful. “If you like it, then you may have it.”
Without waiting for a reply, she stuffed the kite firmly into his arms and walked away, feeling thoroughly satisfied.
Si Huarong glanced at the kite twice and said awkwardly, “If you don’t like it, just throw it away when no one is looking.”
He knew his sister too well. She had painted it deliberately just to annoy Xie Yun. Now that her goal was achieved, by the time she woke up tomorrow morning, she would have completely forgotten about the kite and where it had gone.
Xie Yun handed the kite to his attendant and remarked, “I have seen many things in my life, but never something as ugly as this. Naturally, I shall keep it and treasure it well. Whenever I am in a bad mood, I shall take it out and have a good laugh.”
Si Huarong could only sigh and smile helplessly.
What a pair of lively troublemakers they were.
*****
That evening, everyone arrived early at Changchun Courtyard. Lanterns burned bright and clear inside the great hall, illuminating the floor until it shone and glistened. Musicians sat in the center, playing melodies that were melodious yet not loud or disruptive.
At the Spring View Banquet, the strict custom of separating men and women did not apply; everyone sat together at the same tables.
Emperor Jiaping and the Empress sat formally at the head of the hall. Several imperial consorts, as well as princes and princesses, were seated on both sides. Ministers were arranged according to rank: civil officials on the left, military officers on the right.
Xie Yun happened to be seated right next to Si Huahuan. She had grown quite accustomed to this arrangement, as it was how seats were always assigned during palace banquets.
Maidservants entered in a line, carrying silver trays. They placed dish after dish of exquisite delicacies upon each table.
The feast was lively and bustling. A maid stepped forward to pour fresh wine for Si Huahuan, but in the process, she accidentally spilled some of the liquid onto her gown.
Si Huahuan cried out in surprise and sprang to her feet. The maid immediately lost her composure and fell to her knees, prostrating herself on the floor. “I beg Your Highness for forgiveness! Please forgive me…”
Si Huahuan pinched the soaked hem of her skirt between two fingers, looking utterly disgusted. “Useless fool.”
Although she usually wore each outfit only once before discarding it, this particular dress was made from extremely rare tribute silk from the southern regions of the Yangtze River. To ruin it after wearing it for barely half an hour was, after all, somewhat of a pity.
Changchun Courtyard was a fair distance from her own residence. It was already growing dark outside, and going back and forth would take quite some time. By the time she returned, the banquet would likely be over.
Another maid stepped forward and curtsied respectfully. “Your Highness, there are spare garments prepared for the ladies in the adjacent courtyard. If you would not mind, this servant shall guide you there to change.”
It seemed that was the only option. Even though those clothes would not be as fine as what she usually wore, they should still be decent enough.
Si Huahuan glanced at the maid still kneeling on the floor; the sight of her was annoying. “Make her go kneel outside.”
She left Wei Zi behind in the hall. Yao Huang went with her, holding the wet part of the skirt carefully. The two followed two lantern-bearing maidservants toward the neighboring courtyard.
Although called the adjacent courtyard, both residences were quite large. Just walking between them took the time needed to finish a cup of tea.
The changing room contained more than ten sets of clothing, all made of high-quality materials and of exquisite design — far more magnificent than what the wives and relatives of many ministers wore.
Si Huahuan reluctantly picked out a bright-colored outfit, but encountered a small difficulty while trying to put it on.
“Your Highness… I am not quite familiar with how to wear this style…” Yao Huang said awkwardly.
Usually, it was Wei Zi who helped the Princess dress. For designs that were more complicated, Wei Zi was always the one to manage them. Yao Huang regretted deeply now that she hadn’t learned more from her companion beforehand.
Si Huahuan thought to herself: If only I had brought Wei Zi along.
From outside the folding screen, a maid’s voice spoke up. “Your Highness, perhaps this servant could be of assistance.”
Seeing Yao Huang’s face turn bright red and her features scrunch up in distress, Si Huahuan said, “You may go wait outside for now.”
What had seemed so complicated became effortless in this maid’s hands. Si Huahuan silently wondered if Yao Huang’s remarkable martial arts skill had been gained at the expense of her common sense.
In just a few moments, the dress was fastened and in place. Si Huahuan stood before a large bronze mirror to inspect herself.
Her hair was coiled high in an elegant updo. Tassels hanging from a golden hairpin swayed gently with every small movement she made. She wore a scarlet-red robe with wide sleeves, and beneath it a twelve-paneled skirt with multi-colored sections that fell in layers like flower petals. Over her shoulders rested a peacock-green embroidered silk shawl. The high-waisted cut of the dress accentuated the graceful line of her neck and shoulders.
She hummed softly. It was… passable, she supposed.
Stepping out of the room, she found Yao Huang nowhere to be seen.
The maid waiting outside with the lantern explained, “Miss Yao Huang suddenly felt unwell in her stomach and went to the restroom. We servants shall escort Your Highness back to Changchun Courtyard first.”
Si Huahuan clicked her tongue in annoyance. That Yao Huang.
On the way back to Changchun Courtyard after changing her clothes, they stepped onto a small bridge. Si Huahuan suddenly felt something was not quite right.
Although it was late and the path was dimly lit, she remembered clearly that they had not crossed any bridge when coming this way earlier.
She frowned slightly. “This is not the path we came by, is it?”
The maid replied, “To answer Your Highness, this route is shorter.”
Is it? She followed along, half believing and half doubting.
When they reached the middle of the bridge, she caught sight of something on her skirt out of the corner of her eye — a single leaf had caught on the hem.
She stopped walking and bent down to pick it off, falling a step behind the others.
At that very moment, the maid walking on her right seemed to twist her foot. She stumbled backward two steps and fell toward the railing.
In panic, she reached out to grab the railing for support. With a sharp crack, the wood split right down the middle.
Instinctively, she grabbed the sleeve of the other maid who held the lantern. Before anyone could react, the two of them tipped forward and plunged headfirst over the edge, falling into the water with a loud splash.
The whole sequence of actions flowed as smoothly as running water, leaving absolutely no time for anyone to respond.
Si Huahuan stood there, completely stunned. A moment later, she patted her chest lightly, shaken by what could have happened.
If it hadn’t been for that tiny leaf, the one falling into the water would have been her. And she could not swim a stroke.
Wait a minute… This is all far too coincidental.
Why did they not return the same way, but instead take this bridge? How convenient that the maid twisted her foot exactly there. And how strange that the railing just happened to be loose and broken.
Everything about this felt suspicious.
Could it be that maid did it on purpose?
She must have known the railing was loose. She had prepared everything beforehand, waited until reaching this exact spot, pretended to lose her balance, and used the momentum to push her — quite “reasonably” — right into the pond.
Si Huahuan sneered coldly. Thinking back, spilling wine on her clothes must also have been deliberate. And Yao Huang being sent away was certainly not because of a stomachache.
Who else did she know that hated her this much, and was accustomed to using such despicable, underhanded tricks? There was only Changning.
The bridge wasn’t high, and the water wasn’t deep. Even if something serious had happened, Changning would still be able to wash her hands of all blame and claim innocence.
There was not a single person around this area. It was obvious that everyone had been deliberately sent away.
Changning knew how much she valued her dignity and face. This was a rare chance to see her in such a humiliating state. She wouldn’t leave her here alone for long. She must have arranged for someone to watch secretly and report back, so she could then rush over with a group of people in a grand show of concern.
Si Huahuan pushed against the railing beside her; it was perfectly solid. Only that one section had been damaged and disguised to look intact. She stomped lightly on the bridge surface — sturdy enough.
Feeling reassured, she leaned casually against the strong railing, her arms crossed comfortably over her chest. She looked out into the distance, completely ignoring the two maids flailing about in panic down in the water.
Anyway, the water was so shallow they weren’t going to drown.
The servants hiding outside the courtyard were terrified of being discovered and dared not show themselves. But as soon as they heard the screams and the splash, they rushed to report to the Princess.
After hearing the report from the breathless maid, Changning became unusually enthusiastic and concerned. Her eyes widened in exaggerated shock, she covered her mouth with her hand and cried out, then abruptly stood up from her seat.
“What?! Princess Kangle fell into the water?!”
Her reaction was overly dramatic and deliberately loud. The noise and chatter in the hall ceased instantly, turning into total silence.
“Kangle fell into the water?!” Si Huarong stood up, unable to hide the urgency and worry on his face. He asked the messenger, “Where? Lead me there quickly.”
His sister was naturally weak and frail. Falling into cold water like this would surely make her seriously ill and cause her great suffering.
“Please follow this servant.”
Xie Yun did not hesitate for a second; he followed Si Huarong and ran straight out. Emperor Jiaping and the Empress supported each other and hurried down from the raised platform. Everyone else rushed after them.
Those sitting further away saw everyone running outside and followed suit, though they had no idea what was happening, terrified they might miss some exciting spectacle.
And so, a large group of royals, nobles, and distinguished families, all beautifully and formally dressed, ran swiftly across the garden grounds in a long line. It was truly a magnificent and comical sight.
Soon, a ring of people had gathered around the pond. By the light of lanterns and the bright moonlight, they could vaguely make out two figures struggling and splashing in the center.
“Help! Save us!”
“Help! Gurgle, gurgle…”
Xie Yun, who had been about to leap into the water to rescue them, came to an abrupt halt. Neither of those voices belonged to Si Huahuan or Yao Huang.
Thank goodness… It wasn’t her who fell in. The heavy weight in his heart immediately lifted by half.
Emperor Jiaping urged anxiously, “Why is everyone standing around stunned?! Go down and rescue the Princess at once!”
Several palace servants who knew how to swim hurried into the water. They swam toward the figures of the “Princess” and “Yao Huang”, reached them, and helped them stand up.
The situation became incredibly awkward.
The water only reached up to their chests, barely deep enough to cover them.
The servants splashed about, helping the two figures stumble to the bank. They collapsed onto the grass, shivering uncontrollably as the breeze hit their wet clothes.
Ye Shuyi stepped forward with long strides. She reached out and brushed away the hair plastered against the face of the first person.
Who is this?
Ye Shuyi froze for a moment, then turned to look at the face of the second person.
She didn’t recognize her either.
Everyone present was thoroughly confused. Hadn’t they said Princess Kangle fell into the water?
In the urgency and chaos just now, no one had taken a close look at the clothing of those in the water. Nor did anyone dare look directly at young ladies whose clothes were soaked and clinging tightly to their bodies.
Besides, the Princess had gone to change her clothes, so it was natural she would be wearing something different. But looking closely now — those were clearly servants’ garments!
“You…” Changning was the most shocked of all. She could not speak a complete sentence for the longest time. Finally, she stammered out a few words, “Where… where is Kangle?”
“Looking for me?”
A voice drifted over from a distance — clear and bright, yet carrying a natural, haughty pride.