Both of them instinctively averted their gaze, and only after the eunuch had walked away did they emerge from the corner, having moved several li away.
Although Zhu Xingxu didn’t understand why he felt the need to hide as well, the fact that they had both survived such a perilous situation together, and that he hadn’t reported her, left her with a small measure of fondness for him.
They reached the doorway, unsure of where the eunuch had gone.
It was for the best—they could leave directly without needing any diversionary tactics.
Pei Xie paused for a moment, then said to Zhu Xingxu, “You go ahead to the banquet hall first.”
There was still time; the flower-viewing banquet had only recently begun.
Zhu Xingxu glanced back at him, nodded, and began running.
Pei Xie stayed where he was for a while before making his way toward the banquet.
Halfway through her run, Zhu Xingxu realized she was still holding onto that book.
She flipped through it in frustration, only to find exactly what she had been looking for on one of the pages!
Her heart raced, her fingers trembling as she opened it and scanned the contents quickly.
Jinzhu, walking nearby, noticed her and hurried over.
“Miss!”
Zhu Xingxu immediately closed the book and put it away.
Jinzhu didn’t notice her movements, only supporting her toward the banquet.
“Miss, you mustn’t do that again. Madam was just asking for you, asking where you were.”
Zhu Xingxu’s mind was entirely occupied with what she had just seen, so she didn’t respond.
Jinzhu assumed she had heard and continued speaking at length.
“If you don’t come, Madam will be angry!”
Zhu Xingxu waved her hand, “I’m here now, aren’t I?”
Seeing this, Jinzhu fell silent.
By the time they reached the banquet hall, many noblewomen were already seated in small groups, enjoying the flowers.
Zhu Xingxu first went to find Madam Xu.
Madam Xu was frowning, searching for her.
Seeing her arrive, the tension between her brows eased.
“Where were you?”
Zhu Xingxu lowered her head, “I wasn’t feeling well, so I found a place to rest.”
Over the years, Madam Xu had come to understand Zhu Xingxu well.
Not wanting to waste words, Madam Xu reminded her briefly and then returned to speaking with the other noblewomen.
Once past this hurdle, Zhu Xingxu quickly slipped away to a quieter spot.
Though she had spent some time here, surrounded by so many noblewomen and young nobles, Zhu Xingxu still felt uneasy.
It was like seeing so many trendy people in the modern world.
Unlike the fear of trendsetters in the modern era, this should probably be called high-society anxiety.
She smiled at her own thoughts, staring absentmindedly at the distant flowers.
The area with the densest clusters of flowers was the most crowded.
Seeing Zhu Xingxu slip away alone again, Jinzhu felt a twinge of sympathy.
“Miss, this time Madam wants you to meet people, so it will be easier when arranging your engagement later.”
Zhu Xingxu looked at her, puzzled.
She was getting married?
But she was only eighteen!
Then she remembered—this was the past.
Early marriages were normal back then. Her spirits sagged instantly.
After moping for a while, she took out the ancient book to read.
She was determined to leave before being forced into marriage!
According to the ancient texts, to return to the modern era, one needed to gather five items:
The descriptions were so detailed she felt it was as if the original author had given the protagonists a cheat code.
For the already-ascended-to-emperor male lead, collecting these items would be effortless.
But she wasn’t him…
She was just the daughter of a modest official.
For now, she ignored the last four items and focused on the first: the waist token of a royal.
She didn’t know anyone who had one.
Could she even start trying to get one now?
To obtain one, she would have had to enter the palace as a candidate for princess’s attendant when she was a child.
She was already eighteen… could she still participate?
Even if she were selected, would a princess really give her such an important item?
Her mind swirled.
Setting that aside, the brush seemed easiest to find, so she decided to start there.
Once the banquet ended, Zhu Xingxu followed the crowd out of the Imperial Garden.
Apart from the man she had met in the study, she didn’t encounter anyone else.
Madam Xu was somewhat frustrated by her lack of effort.
But she couldn’t force her, and Zhu Xingxu was unwilling.
If this had been her own biological daughter, Madam Xu would have lectured her endlessly.
Back at the Zhu residence, Zhu Xingxu was slightly sweaty.
The banquet hall, dense with intertwining branches, allowed little wind to enter.
Jinzhu, knowing she would want to bathe upon returning, quickly ordered hot water to be brought in.
Passing by Zhu Xingxu, she asked as usual, “Miss, still having tangerines today?”
Zhu Xingxu’s eyes lit up, nodding eagerly.
Eating tangerines while bathing was one of her favorite pastimes.
Soaking in the water, naked, and enjoying fruit was extremely satisfying.
After the hot water arrived, Jinzhu closed the door and waited outside.
Sliding into the tub, Zhu Xingxu let out a contented sigh.
She picked up a tangerine and began peeling it.
The season for tangerines wasn’t over yet, so she wanted to eat as many as possible.
Peeling it, juice dripped into the bathwater from where her nails scraped the skin, and she carried the tangerine scent with her.
After finishing, she soaked in the bath, thinking about the Kuqing tree.
When she was younger, Madam Xu had sent a female teacher to instruct the young ladies of the household, and Zhu Xingxu practiced calligraphy daily out of boredom.
She imagined that if she could return to the modern era, her skill with brushes could make her a calligraphy master, freeing her from the daily grind of nine-to-five work.
Unfortunately, once she reached a certain level, she could no longer improve.
The teacher said her characters carried a trace of selfishness.
To refine further, she would need to abandon her attachment.
…But abandoning it would defeat the purpose of practicing, so she had stopped.
While practicing calligraphy, she had bought various brushes in the study, just like she would as a student in the modern era.
She owned seven or eight brushes already.
Some of the expensive ones were beyond her budget, so she only admired them.
Zhu Xingxu knew many types of brushes, but had never heard of the Kuqing tree.
Could it be an alternative name for a particular brush?
Her hands were slightly wrinkled from the water, so she got up, dried off, and changed into her nightwear.
With nothing urgent to do the next day, she decided to consult a botanical book to investigate.
Early the next morning, she rose quickly and went to study in the residence.
Zhu Mingli wasn’t there, so she could enter freely.
She searched quickly, found a book, and then instructed Jinzhu to summon the coachman, as she intended to take a trip outside the city.
Jinzhu was startled by her early rising.
“Miss, why so early today?”
Zhu Xingxu, who previously slept until late morning, now showed no slack in her quest to return home.
“Quick, find the coachman. I’ll go pay my respects to Madam first.”
Jinzhu nodded and went to summon the driver.
Arriving at Madam Xu’s courtyard, her two younger sisters had not yet arrived.
Seeing Zhu Xingxu, Madam Xu’s mood brightened somewhat.
“Rarely get up so early, come share breakfast with me.”
Zhu Xingxu didn’t refuse and began eating immediately.
Though fast, she maintained proper etiquette and composure.
After finishing, she elegantly wiped her mouth and bid Madam Xu farewell.
“Mother, I’ll take my leave now.”
Madam Xu, eating slowly, smiled, “Go ahead.”
Outside the gate, she dashed quickly to the main entrance.
The carriage had been waiting there for some time.
Once seated, she opened the botanical book.
Flipping through it, she found no mention of the Kuqing tree as another name for any known species.
Scratching her head, she continued searching, only finding a tree called the Kijing.
She resolved to locate that tree first.
The carriage rolled on but soon came to a halt.
Assuming they had arrived, Zhu Xingxu peeked through the curtain and saw they were still inside the city.
Jinzhu’s voice came from outside, “Miss, the city gates have been blocked; no one is allowed out.”
Zhu Xingxu frowned. What bad luck.
She stepped down and saw a crowd of citizens at the gate, loudly complaining about not being able to leave.
Some needed to gather herbs or trade goods, and a blockade like this would ruin their day.
Zhu Xingxu watched the commotion for a moment and prepared to turn back.
Not coincidentally, she noticed a familiar figure at the roadside.
It was the man she had met in the study of the Imperial Garden.
Today, he wore official robes and a hat, looking more solemn than before.
His appearance was remarkably handsome, giving her the impression of… a uniform.
He stood flanked by two armed guards, speaking with the citizens.
After finishing, he smiled and walked toward Zhu Xingxu.
Her sharp ears caught the guards calling him the Fifth Prince.
Hmm? He was the Fifth Prince?
Zhu Xingxu immediately recalled the character from the original story, who had died young.
At this point, he should already be serving the Third Prince.
Pei Xie approached and saw Zhu Xingxu.
“It’s you,” he greeted.
Zhu Xingxu felt slightly awkward, “Yes.”
Were they familiar enough to greet each other?
Still, knowing more people could be useful if she needed help.
Besides, he was so handsome…
Seeing her by the carriage, Pei Xie seemed thoughtful.
“Miss, are you heading out of the city?”
Zhu Xingxu nodded.
Pei Xie, recalling her skill with mimicry, recognized her as someone useful who might owe him a favor.
“Out for what?”
Zhu Xingxu scratched her head, “Nothing in particular, just a walk, some fresh air.”
Her answer was less awkward than last time.
Since it wasn’t urgent, Pei Xie said, “With the city sealed, you’d better choose another time.”
The Fifth Prince hadn’t resided in the capital before.
Perhaps he knew what a Kuqing tree looked like.
Seeing him turn to leave, Zhu Xingxu reached out and tugged his sleeve.
“Excuse me, do you know what a Kuqing tree is?”
Pei Xie turned, meeting her hand with his gaze.
Feeling nervous, she withdrew it.
After a moment of thought, he said, “I only know that the Deputy Minister of the Court of Justice has a favorite brush made from Kuqing tree branches.”
Zhu Xingxu’s eyes widened.
So there really was a Kuqing brush?
Seeing her emotions plainly, Pei Xie kindly advised, “That brush is the Deputy Minister’s treasure. If you want one, you’ll have to visit his hometown.”
Zhu Xingxu asked eagerly, “Where is his hometown?”
He named a small town about 108,000 li from the capital.
Her heart sank.
With ancient transport, only carriages were available; how long would that take?
By then, she might be forced into marriage, with several children already.
She shivered.
The best approach would be to start with the Deputy Minister himself.
Pei Xie, noticing her distressed expression, formulated a plan.
It was related to a recent problem he had been facing.
“You really want it?”
Zhu Xingxu lowered her gaze, nodding pitifully.
“Can you help me?”
Though they had met only twice, she treated it as a last resort.
Asking wasn’t a crime, after all.
Pei Xie smirked and suddenly leaned closer.
“Meet me at Xianlai Tavern in one hour.”