Their lips drew closer and closer, their breaths nearly intertwining.
Xiao Jingchen’s fingers tightened around his sleeve, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly, as if he were nervous.
Unexpectedly, in the next moment, Wen Shuyu leaned back a little. Her eyes curved into crescents, the corners of her lips lifting unconsciously as she gazed at him.
“What are you thinking? I wasn’t going to kiss you.”
“You were definitely going to push me away again. I already predicted your move.”
Xiao Jingchen: “……”
Wen Shuyu took out talisman paper and a brush from her storage pouch, handed him a set, and spread her own on the table.
“I genuinely want to learn how to draw talismans. Here—this is talisman paper and a talisman brush. You draw one stroke, and I’ll follow with one stroke.”
Xiao Jingchen pressed his temples with both hands before lowering his gaze back to the talisman paper.
Considering that Wen Shuyu was born with a useless spiritual bone and no spiritual roots—completely lacking spiritual power—he paused for a moment. Still, he accepted the brush.
“Alright.”
Forget it. Since she wanted to learn, he would just treat it as drawing.
The hall fell silent, filled only with the sound of brush strokes gliding across paper. An incense stick slowly burned away.
Outside the hall, several eunuchs and palace maids whispered among themselves.
“What are His Highness and the Princess Consort doing inside?”
“I just went in to serve tea—I saw His Highness teaching the Princess Consort how to draw talismans.”
“Drawing talismans? Isn’t the Princess Consort born with a useless spiritual bone and no spiritual roots? I heard Prime Minister Wen once spent a fortune seeking alchemists and divine physicians, but none could cure her. Without spiritual power, how can she draw talismans?”
“You don’t get it. This must be another way the Princess Consort came up with to get close to His Highness. Whether she actually draws talismans isn’t important—the important thing is His Highness teaching her hand in hand.”
One of the palace maids added, “When I went in earlier to help her change, the Princess Consort was soaking in the white jade pool where His Highness bathes—her clothes were completely drenched.”
The others gasped. “What? Could it be that His Highness was bathing, and the Princess Consort jumped in to seduce him?”
“Hiss! Don’t you think the Princess Consort is incredibly bold?”
“And even after all that, His Highness didn’t throw her out—he’s even teaching her talismans?”
“Exactly. His Highness is kind. I’ve noticed he never really holds it against her.”
“Yes, yes.” The group nodded in agreement.
Just then, the head eunuch appeared and scolded them. “What are you all doing, gathering here? Do you have nothing better to do?”
They quickly scattered.
…
After a full day of drawing talismans, by the time Wen Shuyu returned to the Prime Minister’s residence, night had already fallen.
The moment she pushed open the gates of Qingzhu Courtyard, the Qilin Beast pounced into her arms.
Little Six’s eyes lit up as it nuzzled against her neck. “My lord! You’re back! I missed you so much today. Did you miss me?”
Wen Shuyu was a bit tired, but she nodded absentmindedly. “Missed you, missed you.”
That delighted Little Six. It covered its mouth with one paw, giggling, while scratching its head with the other.
“Oh right—how did you chase him today?”
Wen Shuyu replied, “I went to the Eastern Palace and had Xiao Jingchen teach me how to draw talismans.”
Little Six was puzzled. “That’s your ‘Strategy One’ from the Forty-Two Strategies? Isn’t that too simple?”
Wen Shuyu shook her head with a smile. “We’re just getting started. In the next couple of days, just wait and watch the show. I’ll take you along to see it in person.”
After Little Six let go of her, Wen Shuyu took out a summoning talisman from her storage pouch.
“Fuling, have someone inform Father that I’ve already had dinner at the Eastern Palace. He doesn’t need to wait for me.”
“And tomorrow morning, send word to the Eastern Palace—say that I’ve caught a cold and am ill, so I won’t be able to go learn talisman drawing with the Crown Prince.”
“Later, come find me. I have other things for you to handle.”
Fuling’s voice came from outside the hall. “Yes.”
The next day, in the imperial palace.
Just after Xiao Jingchen returned from the morning court session, his personal shadow guard, Mo Yu, hurried in with news.
A faint crease appeared between his brows. “She’s ill?”
Mo Yu nodded. “Yes. The Prime Minister’s residence sent word early this morning. They say it’s quite serious—she won’t be able to come learn talismans with you today.”
“Your Highness, after you pay your respects to the Empress, would you like to go visit her?”
“Mm.” Xiao Jingchen’s voice was steady.
Though Mo Yu wasn’t sure if it was just his imagination, he felt that his master’s aura was slightly unsettled, and his steps seemed to quicken unconsciously.
Mo Yu scratched his head.
A quarter of an hour later—
On the path outside Kunning Palace, within a hexagonal bamboo pavilion—the only route from the inner palace to the outer palace—
Xiao Jingchen had just finished paying his respects to the Empress and was about to head to the Prime Minister’s residence.
He lifted his gaze and instructed Mo Yu, “Go prepare some gifts, and invite the most respected Imperial Physician Hu from the Imperial Medical Bureau to the Prime Minister’s residence. I’ll go ahead first.”
Mo Yu responded, “Yes. Then what kind of gifts should I—”
Before he could finish, he saw the Crown Prince—who rarely showed emotion—suddenly darken in expression.
Following his gaze, Mo Yu widened his eyes—
Behind the dappled bamboo shadows, in the hexagonal pavilion, sat two figures.
One was the “sick” Princess Consort.
The other was the Seventh Prince.
The Crown Prince had been sent to the Immortal Alliance since childhood and wasn’t particularly close to the other princes, but the Seventh Prince and the Princess Consort had grown up together and shared a close bond.
Looking more closely at what they were doing—
Well, anyone with eyes could see it clearly: the Seventh Prince was teaching the Princess Consort how to draw talismans.
Finished. That was the only thought that flashed through Mo Yu’s mind.
The Princess Consort had the audacity to deceive the Crown Prince.
Just as Mo Yu braced himself for his master’s anger—
Xiao Jingchen suddenly curled his lips into a smile.
“So this is what you meant… by being ill?”