After the evening banquet concluded, Xie Hengwu followed closely behind Xiao Yanzhou, exceptionally well-behaved.
Upon reaching the Imperial carriage, Xiao Yanzhou suddenly turned around. Xie Hengwu, unable to avoid him in time, stumbled directly into his embrace.
"Why are you following me?"
The arrogant young emperor spoke coldly. Amidst the silvery moonlight and white snow, he resembled a magnificent yet icy sculpture.
Xie Hengwu rubbed her reddened nose and smiled ingratiatingly. "Isn't it only natural for this concubine to follow Your Majesty?"
The thick fur cloak nearly enveloped her like a ball. The snow-white fox fur collar framed her face, making her skin appear even more radiant than frost and snow, while her cheeks flushed with a rosy hue from the cold, adding a touch of color.
When she squinted and smiled, Xiao Yanzhou was reminded of a snow fox he had captured during a winter hunt years ago.
That snow fox was remarkably intelligent. Upon seeing people approach, it would curve its eyes and part its lips, mimicking a human's flattering smile, yet retaining the spirited liveliness of a wild creature, making one reluctant to harm it.
Consequently, that snow fox was later released.
Now, Xie Hengwu's face bore a striking resemblance to that cunning little fox.
A flicker passed through Xiao Yanzhou's eyes. He uttered an indifferent "Oh," turned, and boarded the carriage.
Seeing that he did not explicitly refuse, Xie Hengwu mustered her nerve and boarded the Sedan Chair with him.
Zhao Quan opened his mouth, intending to offer advice, but unable to decipher Xiao Yanzhou's thoughts, he simply closed it again.
Faced with Xie Hengwu's proactive closeness, Xiao Yanzhou merely lifted his eyelids to glance at her, then acted as if she weren't there, his gaze passing over her to land on Zhao Quan.
Zhao Quan jolted and hastily ordered the departure.
To onlookers, this scene appeared as Xiao Yanzhou's complete indulgence of Xie Hengwu.
Behind a corner of the palace wall, a figure lurked furtively. Only after the Imperial carriage had traveled far into the distance did the figure slip away quietly, heading towards Shou'an Palace.
Since the Empress Dowager left the palace several years ago, Shou'an Palace had remained uninhabited. Xiao Yanzhou never ordered it cleaned, and much of the paint on the walls and pillars had peeled away.
Although it was hastily renovated before the Empress Dowager's return, the desolation of an abandoned hall was still evident.
Empress Dowager Cui reclined on a Beauty Couch. A charcoal brazier was placed before her, with several beautiful palace maids positioned around, some massaging her legs and others her shoulders.
A matron stood nearby in attendance, murmuring resentfully, "His Majesty shows far too little regard for Your Ladyship. With so many perfectly good palaces available, he insists on having you reside here."
Empress Dowager Cui kept her eyes closed, offering no comment. Seeing this, the matron fell silent.
Until someone entered from outside the hall.
"Reporting to Your Ladyship the Empress Dowager, this servant just witnessed Meiren Xie boarding His Majesty's Imperial carriage. They departed together for Zichen Palace."
Empress Dowager Cui lazily raised her eyes, intrigued. "How truly unusual."
"Your Ladyship, what do you think…" the matron said, simultaneously signaling with her eyes for the young eunuch to withdraw.
"Let's observe for a few more days. Don't let her be merely decorative and useless," Empress Dowager Cui said, closing her eyes again. "Have him come in."
"Yes," the matron replied with lowered eyes. The attending palace maids, understanding the cue, all excused themselves. Soon, the hall was empty save for Empress Dowager Cui, who reclined in her high seat as if in light slumber.
Not long after, a tall figure entered the hall at a measured pace. In the flickering candlelight, the man's features gradually became clear.
It was Prince Qin.
Empress Dowager Cui slightly lifted her chin and spoke slowly, "The palace gates will soon be locked. Shouldn't Prince Qin be departing?"
Prince Qin performed a bow and said in a deep voice, "Your Ladyship the Empress Dowager, your subject knows what you desire."
"Oh?" Empress Dowager Cui chuckled with ambiguous meaning. "You even know this grieving one's thoughts?"
“I risked the death penalty to come see Your Majesty, all to show my filial devotion,” Prince Qin lifted his gaze, his eyes firm, “and my loyalty.”
Empress Dowager Cui finally sat up straight, yet lowered her eyes with an air of indifference. “In the imperial family, talk of filial piety and loyalty—don’t you find it rather laughable, Prince Qin?”
“Your Majesty…”
“No need to speak yet,” Empress Dowager Cui interrupted him. “Filial devotion and loyalty are not things that can be expressed with mere words.”
Seeing her attitude soften, Prince Qin’s eyes brightened. “Your Majesty need not worry, I will serve you with all my heart and effort, running errands and standing guard!”
Only then did Empress Dowager Cui reveal a smile. “Good child, hurry back now. If there is anything later, I will summon you.”
Prince Qin’s heart swelled with joy, and he hurriedly expressed his gratitude.
Meanwhile, in Zichen Palace.
Xiao Yanzhou sat before the desk, sketching, while Xie Hengwu stood to the side, quietly observing him.
Since Xie Hengwu had stayed overnight in Zichen Palace a few days prior, Zhao Quan did not interfere much and went outside to stand guard with peace of mind.
Thus, only Xie Hengwu and Xiao Yanzhou remained in the hall, the silence so profound that one could almost hear the crackling of the candle flames.
Although Xiao Yanzhou was usually a man of few words, he was not this utterly silent.
Normally, he would at least utter a few words, such as “come here” or “stand closer.”
Xie Hengwu cautiously glanced at Xiao Yanzhou’s expression and, seeing that he did not seem to be looking at her, took small steps toward him.
But as soon as she moved a few inches, Xiao Yanzhou, as if he had eyes on the side of his head, said coldly, “Don’t move. You’re blocking my light.”
Xie Hengwu silently lowered her head and saw that her shadow had not yet reached Xiao Yanzhou’s feet, realizing he was speaking nonsense.
She inwardly grumbled but obediently took a few steps back, circling behind Xiao Yanzhou, and asked softly,
“Your Majesty, this way I won’t block the light, right?”
A faint fragrance drifted from behind, gradually enveloping him. Xiao Yanzhou remained expressionless, but his attitude softened somewhat.
“I didn’t permit you to come over.”
But Xie Hengwu knew that if he truly hadn’t permitted it, she wouldn’t have had the chance to stand there at all. So she took his words as empty air and whispered, “Let me give Your Majesty a massage.”
Seeing that Xiao Yanzhou did not respond, she took it as silent consent and placed her hands on his shoulders.
Before she had massaged for long, Xiao Yanzhou grabbed her hand and pulled. Caught off guard, Xie Hengwu stumbled and ended up wrapping her arms around him from behind.
The two were suddenly pressed close together, their cheeks almost touching. When Xiao Yanzhou turned his face, Xie Hengwu could almost count his eyelashes and feel the tingling sensation as they brushed against her skin.
Soon, she realized she shouldn’t be looking directly at him and hurriedly lowered her eyes.
But Xiao Yanzhou paid no attention to this, his gaze fixed on the golden hairpin atop her head.
It was the very one Empress Dowager Cui had gifted her.
He slightly lifted his chin and asked as if casually, “Do you like it that much?”
Xie Hengwu was confused by this abrupt and seemingly unrelated question. She timidly replied, “I don’t understand what Your Majesty means…”
“For it, you’d rather leave me behind and become an entertainer for others’ amusement?”
Xiao Yanzhou’s tone remained calm, but anyone could tell he was in a foul mood—one might even say… extremely displeased.
He found himself laughable.
Kindness? Why should he be kind to her? Just because her fragrance could cure his head ailment?
Even without her, Zhou Qi could still make the medicine.
It was futile that he had even gone to read those meaningless novels for her. Such wasted effort was truly utterly foolish!
Xie Hengwu finally understood.
She tried to reason with Xiao Yanzhou: "Your Majesty, I did not like doing it, but in that situation, if I did not step forward, Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager, and the princes would all be displeased. Why suffer that?"
But Xiao Yanzhou was completely unwilling to listen.
He scoffed: "I have dealt with them for so long, can I not handle this moment? Do I need you to help me?"
Xie Hengwu was speechless, suddenly feeling a sharp pain in her wrist, as if clamped tightly by a vise.
She instinctively looked up, meeting Xiao Yanzhou's gaze. His dark eyes were sinister and fierce, like hidden flames surging beneath a calm abyss.
"You don't believe me?" His voice was slightly hoarse, as if restraining something.
She opened her mouth to explain, but ultimately found herself lacking words.
She indeed did not believe him.
After several days together, she only felt that Xiao Yanzhou treated her unpredictably, sometimes cold, sometimes warm.
Who knew what he truly thought.
These high-ranking individuals, when dealing with people of her status, either cherished them dearly or cast them into the abyss.
She had to protect herself; this was a natural principle.
Seeing her silent, Xiao Yanzhou's expression grew even more sinister: "What, do you truly think so?"
Xie Hengwu's wrist was squeezed painfully by him, and she couldn't help but gasp: "Your Majesty, you are hurting me."
Xie Hengwu thought inwardly, she knew it!
She knew he was angry about this matter!
Knowing she was at fault, Xie Hengwu smiled sheepishly and said: "Your Majesty, I was worried that you and the Empress Dowager and the princes would become too strained, so I acted on my own."
"This is not something you should worry about," Xiao Yanzhou said softly, rubbing his thumb against her wrist bone. "You are my consort, you only need to listen to me. As for others, what concern is it to you?"
"As Your Majesty's consort, I naturally should prioritize Your Majesty in everything and plan for Your Majesty." Seeing his attitude soften, Xie Hengwu quickly added, "Your Majesty may not care, but I do not wish for Your Majesty to be troubled by this."
"It is not that I do not believe Your Majesty, but I thought that if I could solve the problem, why trouble Your Majesty?"
Xie Hengwu spoke softly and gently, her warm breath spraying onto Xiao Yanzhou's temple as she spoke.
As for what she was actually saying, Xiao Yanzhou no longer cared.
His gaze lowered, stopping on Xie Hengwu's continuously parting lips.
Her lips were like painted crimson, shimmering with a glossy sheen, looking warm and soft, sweet and tempting, making one want to bite them.
Her incessant chatter was noisy and bothersome, making one want to find a way to silence her.
At such times, certain scenes from books became clear.
He was never one to hesitate; as soon as the thought arose, he leaned forward and covered her lips.
Xie Hengwu, halfway through speaking, was suddenly silenced, involuntarily uttering a "mm" sound, her eyes widening abruptly.
After a brief moment of softness, a sharp pain followed.
Xiao Yanzhou separated from her, his gaze indifferent, uttering two words: "Noisy."
Xie Hengwu covered her lips with one hand, her beautiful eyes still wide, as if she hadn't recovered yet.
He actually bit her!
Was he a dog!
She was both angry and embarrassed, pink spreading from her snow-white cheeks upward, reaching her eyes.
He released Xie Hengwu's hand, acting as if nothing had happened: "You talk too much, I'm getting a headache listening."
Xie Hengwu's face was still flushed with embarrassment, her dazed expression resembling that of a silly goose.
Just as Xiao Yanzhou was about to reach out and tap her forehead, Xie Hengwu blinked, and tears suddenly began to fall in streams.
A Meiren's tears were always a pleasing sight, especially when it was a beauty like Xie Hengwu.
Xiao Yanzhou was taken aback, frowning as he asked, "What's wrong with you?"
Xie Hengwu simply lowered her gaze and wept silently.
She didn't know what had come over her either, but in that moment, an inexplicable sorrow had welled up in her heart.
Her panic, her confusion, even her life—in the eyes of these people, they were all things to be toyed with at will.
From the Marquis's Mansion to Beijiang, her fate seemed forever controlled by others.
For a moment, Xie Hengwu threw caution to the wind, burying her face in Xiao Yanzhou's shoulder as she wept mournfully.