“No wonder you arrived so late—getting dressed like this must have taken quite some effort.”
The daughter of the Cui Censor spoke sourly, her fingers unconsciously twisting the embroidered handkerchief in her hand.
She had deliberately worn an expensive purple gown today, and even brought out jeweled hairpins she usually could not bear to use, thinking she would outshine everyone. Yet beside Ling Zhenli, she now looked utterly dull.
“She’s actually that beautiful.”
“I thought she wouldn’t be anything special.”
Ling Zhenli pretended not to notice the stir she caused and walked calmly through the crowd.
“Sorry to have kept everyone waiting,” she said, stopping before the main seat and bowing slightly.
Seeing this, Cui Yueyong nodded at Ling Zhenli with satisfaction, signaling for her to continue.
“Thank you all for honoring today’s flower banquet with your presence.” Ling Zhenli accepted a glass of wine from a maid. “I arrived late, so I will drink a cup in punishment, to express my apology.”
As she drank, Ling Zhenli maintained perfect composure. When she set the glass down, a single drop of wine clung to her lips, making their color appear even more vivid.
In the sudden silence of the garden, someone was the first to come back to their senses and let out a soft exclamation of admiration.
Immediately afterward, praise rose one after another, like a tide surging toward the late-arriving legitimate daughter of the Chancellor.
“Miss, please take your seat.” A maid supported her as she led her toward the foremost seat among the female guests on the western side.
Ling Zhenli felt a trace of confusion. By rights, she should have been seated on the eastern side. Why had she been placed in the west? Had some member of the imperial clan arrived?
After she sat down, Cui Yueyong brought it up herself. “Yingyue, today the daughter of the Grand Princess of Wuyang, County Princess Yongtai, is also here. She just went to change clothes. When she returns later, make sure to speak with her more.”
The daughter of the Grand Princess of Wuyang?
Her enemy’s daughter.
“Yes, Mother. I understand,” Ling Zhenli replied with a gentle smile.
Before long, Xiao Yuzhen returned after failing to find Xue Haoting, only to see a breathtakingly beautiful young woman seated in her place.
That young woman even took the initiative to greet her, offering polite words of respect.
Yet Xiao Yuzhen found herself unable to say anything in response, only replying after quite some time.
Because she had seen this woman before—in a portrait hanging in her second brother Xiao Chongheng’s study.
She was almost carved from the same mold as the woman in the painting. The brows, the eyes, the corners of the lips—even the figure—were identical.
With a probing mindset, Xiao Yuzhen stepped forward, took Ling Zhenli’s hands, and smilingly invited her to go admire the flowers together.
After all, Xiao Yuzhen was a county princess. Given the distinction between ruler and subject, Ling Zhenli disliked her but could only agree to the request.
A spring breeze brushed past. Layers of petals unfolded, butterflies rose and fell among the blossoms, stirring the entire garden into life.
Xiao Yuzhen picked a pink peony and asked Ling Zhenli to pin it into her hair.
As Ling Zhenli carefully fixed the flower in place, Xiao Yuzhen suddenly spoke. “While you were secluded in your chambers, Lady Xue, did you ever hear anything about my brother?”
Ling Zhenli froze, not understanding why the county princess would ask such a question. After finishing the flower arrangement, she shook her head.
“Your Highness is jesting. I have lived long in seclusion—how would I know your honored brother?”
Thinking Ling Zhenli did not know which brother she meant, Xiao Yuzhen added, “I mean my full brother, the Duke of Yan—not my elder brother by a different mother.”
Ling Zhenli smiled apologetically, her expression stiffening. “The only thing I know about the Duke is that he married Princess Roujia. My brother told me about it. I heard the wedding was grand. It’s a pity I couldn’t see it in person.”
A lie. Not only had she seen it, she had been furious—because it reminded her of Xiao Chongheng.
What she did not know was that the “second brother” Yongtai County Princess referred to was precisely Xiao Chongheng.
Xiao Yuzhen realized her second brother was already married, and that what she had just said was inappropriate for an unmarried young lady. She hurried to make amends.
“Lady Xue needn’t feel regret. You’ll soon be marrying my cousin, the Crown Prince. Then we’ll all be family, and we’ll have many chances to meet.”
Ling Zhenli’s expression darkened even further. The Wuyang Grand Princess’s family… she wanted nothing to do with them.
Seeing Ling Zhenli’s displeasure, Xiao Yuzhen wondered which remark had offended her. With Xue Yingyue set to become Crown Princess next month, it would be unwise to anger her now—but Xiao Yuzhen had no idea how to fix it.
Fortunately, Ling Zhenli did not intend to quibble over such trifles. She changed the topic and began speaking with her about Xue Haoting.
She had heard the Chancellor’s wife mention in passing that County Princess Yongtai held Xue Haoting in fairly high regard.
Sure enough, once the topic was raised, Xiao Yuzhen could not stop. She asked one question after another, all about Xue Haoting. Ling Zhenli planned only to touch on the subject lightly, offering a few favorable remarks. She did not have much contact with Xue Haoting anyway—and most of it was on the bed—so she dared not say too much for fear of revealing something.
Before Xiao Yuzhen could ask much more, a maid from the Chancellor’s residence arrived.
“Miss, Madam has an urgent matter to discuss with you. Please go at once,” the personal maid reported in a low voice.
Ling Zhenli’s heart skipped. She unconsciously tightened her grip on the round fan in her hand.
She lifted her gaze toward County Princess Yongtai and softly instructed the maid, “Tell Mother I will return immediately.”
Xiao Yuzhen, seeing this, nodded tactfully and led her personal maids off to stroll through the garden.
When Ling Zhenli returned, she saw the Chancellor’s wife beaming with joy, as though some tremendous good news had occurred. For once, she did not look at Ling Zhenli with her usual cold expression.
“Mother, why did you call for me?” Ling Zhenli asked respectfully.
Cui Yueyong smiled broadly, almost as if showing off, and said, “Run’er, your father just sent word that His Highness the Crown Prince will visit the Chancellor’s residence tonight. He had been declining our invitations, but once he heard that you made an appearance at today’s banquet, he immediately said he would come this evening. Don’t waste too much energy during the day—prepare well for tonight’s banquet instead.”
Hearing this, Ling Zhenli smiled as well. He must have thought she would not appear, which was why he had not come; once he learned she had shown herself, he hurried to visit—clearly he cared about his fiancée.
“Yes, Mother. I will prepare properly.”
The sudden news that the Crown Prince would come filled the surrounding ladies with envy. It was well known that the Crown Prince was exceptionally handsome, yet he rarely attended aristocratic banquets. Seeing him even once was harder than ascending to heaven.
Ling Zhenli quickly summoned a maid to fetch drawing paper. She planned to paint something to present to the Crown Prince at the evening banquet.
“I’ve heard the Crown Prince enjoys the pipa. Why not perform a piece for him?” Cui Yueyong hinted softly.
Ling Zhenli immediately understood. “Mother is right. After finishing the painting, I will prepare a piece.”
“Go on, then.”
In the past, Ling Zhenli had been proficient in all four arts—qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Painting peonies came easily to her. Yet she did not want to paint them too perfectly. She was not the real Xue Yingyue, not a “peony,” but at most a “peony-like peony,” a peony’s cousin.
After sitting before the flowers and hesitating for a while, Ling Zhenli painted an intentionally ambiguous piece. She had a maid put it away, ready to present it to the Crown Prince that night.
Holding the painting, Ling Zhenli walked slowly along the covered corridor, intending to return to the inner courtyard to practice her pipa piece.
As she walked, she heard a gentle call from behind her. “Miss, please wait.”
The voice was clear, carrying a trace of anticipation and urgency.
It was a voice she knew all too well, one she remembered clearly. By calculation, that person was now in the capital. Given his current status and position, attending a banquet at the Chancellor’s residence would be more than easy…
Ling Zhenli had imagined countless scenarios for meeting him again, yet never this one, never here, at the Chancellor’s residence.
She and he were no longer who they once were. People had to move forward. She could not turn back—absolutely not.
Lost in thought, Ling Zhenli paused briefly, then quickened her pace.
“After all these years, can you really not recognize my voice?” The voice drew closer, the urgency in it growing.
Seeing that Ling Zhenli still did not turn around, Xie Daojian finally could not help calling her by name.
“Ling Tang. I know you heard me.”
Ling Zhenli sighed softly at the sound of her name. She finally stopped and turned around.
A young man in an indigo brocade robe stood beside the corridor pillar.
A familiar yet unfamiliar face. Ling Zhenli’s breath caught—it was indeed Xie Daojian.
Yet she lowered her gaze, bowed politely, and said calmly, “Young sir, you have mistaken me for someone else.”
Xie Daojian stepped forward and took from his sleeve the jade pendant Ling Zhenli had given him years ago, saying with certainty, “Do you still recognize this?”
Ling Zhenli’s pupils shrank.
Her family had been confiscated, and she herself had been reduced to a court courtesan. It was impossible that Xie Daojian did not know. Why would he still keep this item?
That had been their token of love. It no longer counted for anything.
Seeing her reaction, Xie Daojian was finally satisfied. He put the pendant away and asked, “You clearly heard me earlier. Why didn’t you respond?”
“…,” Ling Zhenli did not know what to say and remained silent.
Seeing her luxurious attire and having heard of her experiences, Xie Daojian could easily guess her current identity.
“I looked for you. I sought help from my current father, but he refused and even worried that others might help me. He locked me at home, insisting I forget you as soon as possible. If not for arranging another marriage for me, I wouldn’t even have been allowed out today…”
Ling Zhenli did not know how to face him. Hearing this, she interrupted him anxiously and flustered, “That’s good, isn’t it? General Chen did it for your own good. You should marry. What lies between you and me is long past. There are plenty of young ladies at the banquet—you should look at them.”
“Tang’er, there will never be anyone else in my heart but you,” Xie Daojian hurried to explain what had happened back then. “My biological father repeatedly insulted and beat my mother. She couldn’t endure it and remarried, bringing me to the capital to my current father’s home. You knew this. I wrote you many letters at the time, but you never replied…”
“Because I never received them,” Ling Zhenli frowned. “Did you really write to me?”
“I wrote constantly, until the Ling family was confiscated. I wrote at least twenty letters a year. When you never replied, I returned to look for you, but Uncle Ling wouldn’t let me see you. He said you didn’t want to see me and told me to stay away from you.”
…
It did sound like something her father would do.
Her father was upright and principled. He felt that Xie Daojian’s mother had married into the Empress’s natal family, with all its strict rules, and that Xie Daojian had become a young master of a powerful household. At most, he would only be infatuated with his daughter for a time. Even if she were lucky enough to marry into the general’s household, her future life would be difficult. So he chose to cut things off cleanly.
Ling Zhenli still acknowledged their past feelings and relented slightly. “This is not the place to talk. Let’s go somewhere else.”
They avoided the Chancellor’s servants and guards and arrived at a secluded courtyard. No one came there, making it convenient to speak.
Ling Zhenli recounted everything that had happened to her after her family was confiscated, sparing only the matter of Xiao Chongheng. Xie Daojian was someone she kept deep in her heart, someone she had finally regained. She did not want him to know that during their separation, her heart had once belonged to another man—even if only briefly.
“The Chancellor is no good man. You cannot believe everything he says.”
“He indulged Xue Haoting in humiliating me. I don’t believe a single word he says. But I have no choice. If I don’t become Xue Run, I won’t even know how I’ll die.”
Ling Zhenli frowned, weighed down with worry.
Seeing her like this pained Xie Daojian deeply. “Then must you listen to him and marry the Crown Prince?”
“At this point, marrying the Crown Prince is my only option,” Ling Zhenli said, lowering her eyes.
“Yes.” Xie Daojian’s gaze darkened. Though unwilling, he still said, “When the Crown Prince ascends the throne, you will be Empress.”
“So much has happened. I don’t even know whether I’ll live to become Empress. The Xue family holds my leverage. They’ve bound me tightly to their ship. I’m at their mercy. If they want me dead, they can kill me at any time. For now, I still have some use, so they won’t let me die yet.”
After saying this, Ling Zhenli gave a self-mocking smile.
“I can help you, Tang’er. I can help you investigate their weaknesses and let you regain leverage over them,” Xie Daojian said, unable to bear seeing her so constrained.
“If you’re willing to help me, then also help me investigate my father’s case,” Ling Zhenli said solemnly.
“Uncle Ling’s case?”
“Something about what the Chancellor said regarding my father doesn’t sit right with me,” Ling Zhenli said softly, each word clear. “He claimed my father voluntarily took the blame, but I know my father. He was upright and incorruptible. He would never die for a fabricated crime.”
Xie Daojian frowned deeply. “All right. I happen to be working in the Ministry of Justice. It will be convenient to investigate.”
“If General Chen obstructs you, then don’t—”
“Although I’m not General Chen’s biological son, he cherishes my mother and treats me as his own. He wouldn’t bear to strip me of my post. Besides, he and the Chancellor have been political enemies for years. This would actually be helping him—he’ll be pleased.”
Xie Daojian’s promise of help eased Ling Zhenli’s heart considerably. At least from now on, she was no longer alone. She had someone to rely on. Although the lesson from Xiao Chongheng still loomed before her, Xie Daojian was her childhood sweetheart, the one who had grown up with her. She was willing to trust him.