Ruan Jinyu had not intended to specifically see Ruan Lianjie. Given her current position in the harem, any meeting was fraught with inconvenience. He truly hadn’t expected that she would be able to leave the palace.
It seemed his information network wasn’t as broad as he’d thought. Ruan Lianjie hadn’t left today; she must have slipped out a day or two ago. Yet, Ruan Jinyu had heard nothing of this at the Palace of Ultimate Bliss.
This was not a good sign.
He had brought Eunuch Zhao with him for his excursion today, and the eunuch was currently by his side. By rights, since they were cousins and part of the same clan, there was nothing strictly improper about Ruan Shuyi (Lianjie) visiting her family and meeting her elder brother. However, the timing was far from ideal.
While Ruan Jinyu was pondering this, someone approached. It wasn’t Ruan Lianjie herself, but her personal maid.
“Greetings, Imperial Preceptor. Would My Lord be willing to have a brief meeting with Her Highness?”
“Lead the way,” Ruan Jinyu said, nodding to the girl who was dressed in commoner’s clothing. Before following, he turned to Eunuch Zhao. “Could you find Qian Qi for me? He is unaware of this sudden change in plans. I must trouble you, Eunuch.”
“My Lord overwhelms this servant,” Zhao replied, his head bowed low as he immediately returned to his professional, humble persona. “I shall go at once.”
With Zhao gone, Ruan Jinyu followed the girl alone. She didn’t lead him into the crowded Gold and Silver Tower. Instead, she turned and headed in a different direction. Ruan Jinyu didn’t ask questions; he simply followed at a discreet distance. After a short walk, the girl stopped in front of a teahouse.
“My Lord, please,” the maid said politely, leading him to the second floor. “Her Highness is within.”
Ruan Jinyu looked at the closed door of the private room, then glanced out of the gallery window. He suddenly understood. The news of a palace noble visiting the Gold and Silver Tower had drawn a massive crowd, with people stopping to gawk. In reality, Ruan Lianjie wasn’t there at all; she was in this teahouse, a full street away.
Was all that just to lure me here?
The door opened. Ruan Jinyu didn’t enter immediately; he paused to take in his surroundings. Behind the door stood a screen, obscuring the person sitting by the window. He finally stepped inside, his gait steady. As soon as he crossed the threshold, the door was shut behind him.
Behind the screen, Ruan Lianjie sat by the window, leisurely sipping tea. She was rarely this quiet or composed—a sharp contrast to her usual flighty and restless self.
“So, Brother really did come.” Ruan Lianjie turned her head and smiled the moment she saw him. She tilted her head, immediately returning to her usual, somewhat irreverent manner.
Ruan Jinyu didn’t look at her. He took the seat furthest from the window and said softly, “Since you are here, you knew I would come.”
“Ah, no, no.” Ruan Lianjie wagged a finger. “I was just testing my luck.”
“However,” she added, her tone shifting, “Brother truly cares for Wen Zhong. To think you’d return to the Wen residence right under the Emperor’s nose at a time like this.”
It was common knowledge in the court and the palace that Ruan Jinyu had not had significant contact with the Wen family for years.
“Drink your tea,” Ruan Jinyu said. He offered no denial, his voice as calm as still water. Even though she had brought it up, he refused to initiate the topic or ask her a single question.
Ruan Lianjie was annoyed. She wasn’t even sure why. She and Wen Zhong had never gotten along—not before the palace, and certainly not now. She despised Wen Zhong.
“Wen Zhong has moved out of the side hall of my palace,” Ruan Lianjie said, unable to help herself. Since he wouldn’t ask, she would speak. “Why don’t you ask me if I saw her that night?”
“I know your nature,” Ruan Jinyu replied. He took a sip of tea, his eyes fixed on the bright sun outside the window. “There is no need to force yourself.”
Ruan Lianjie stopped tapping her fingers on her teacup. Her round eyes watched him; she hadn’t expected such a response. After a beat, she let out a soft, mocking laugh. “I thought Brother came to see me specifically for that matter.”
Ruan Jinyu didn’t answer. Instead, he asked, “Why did you leave the palace this time?”
It couldn’t be a coincidence.
“That brat Ruan Su has caused another disaster,” Ruan Lianjie said, leaning back in her chair. She looked relaxed, dropping any facade of propriety. “I only have one younger brother; Grandfather told me to keep an eye on him.”
Ruan Jinyu ignored the subtle, cynical edge in her voice. He set down his cup. “It seems the matter is resolved, then.” He rose from his chair, intending to leave.
“I saw her that night,” Ruan Lianjie said suddenly, her voice level and certain. Ruan Jinyu turned back to look at her. “After all, she was in my palace. A eunuch entered that night. As for what she was doing with him, I do not know.”
Though she didn’t use harsh words, the implication was clear. That eunuch wasn’t one of Wen Zhong’s people. To be sought out by an outside eunuch in the middle of the night… put politely, it was a clandestine meeting. Put bluntly, it was infidelity. For a consort of the harem—no matter the rank—to have a secret liaison with another man was a capital offense.
Actually, it was even worse. Ruan Jinyu didn’t believe it was an affair for a second. Wen Zhong was new to the palace and her family had no ties to the inner court officials; whom could she possibly know? If it wasn’t a personal matter, it fell back to the earlier suspicion: she was colluding with an enemy of the state. Neither charge was light.
Ruan Lianjie gave a mocking laugh and didn’t press the issue further. She had shared enough. “Whether someone framed her or not—you go and figure that out yourself, Brother. I don’t know why she was so desperate to follow us into the palace anyway, only to end up in this state. Honestly…”
Ruan Jinyu emerged from the teahouse. The maid had followed his instructions and brought Eunuch Zhao and Qian Qi to the entrance. They did not linger on the streets and headed straight back to the palace.
The three were silent throughout the journey. With Eunuch Zhao present, Qian Qi didn’t say a word. Zhao had returned to his professional, dutiful self, following Ruan Jinyu’s lead without a single question.
Once they were back in the side hall of the Palace of Ultimate Bliss, Zhao went to attend to other duties. Ruan Jinyu returned to his room. Finally, alone with his master, Qian Qi rushed forward.
“My Lord, I found something. It seems Que-niang… out there…” He hesitated, watching Ruan Jinyu’s face before blurting it out. “It seems she is having an affair.”
“A poor scholar. He isn’t from the Capital but is staying here, likely preparing for the Spring Examinations next year.”
Ruan Jinyu wasn’t particularly surprised. Que-niang was in the prime of her life and quite beautiful. Ruan Jinyu’s uncle had died young several years ago. Que-niang was his second wife; though she was the legal primary wife, their marriage was brief before he passed.
The Wen family was not a massive clan, and his uncle hadn’t taken any concubines, so Que-niang was the sole mistress. While not wealthy, the family was comfortable. After the uncle’s death, Que-niang had inherited everything, including two profitable shops.
“My Lord, she is legally a widow of the house! How could she…!” Qian Qi was clearly incensed. He considered himself part of the Wen family’s orbit and found the news offensive. “I remember when the master passed, his will mentioned giving her her freedom. She could have left honorably! Instead, she stays as the head of the Wen household while having a secret affair!”
Qian Qi connected the dots. She stayed because the Wen family assets were hers as long as she was the mistress. Her scholar was poor; if she left the Wen family, she’d have no standing in the Capital. The boy wanted Ruan Jinyu to “solve” this “parasite” of the Wen family.
Ruan Jinyu, however, did not share Qian Qi’s anger. He remained as detached as an outsider. After a long silence, he spoke softly.
“Grandfather… doesn’t really want to speak to me.”
The words were airy, his thoughts seemingly elsewhere. It was a casual observation, yet it carried weight. Qian Qi felt as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped on his head. His anger vanished, replaced by a hollow silence. He didn’t know what to say.
“You may leave,” Ruan Jinyu said.
He sat alone, feeling a weariness that made him not want to move. His gaze was limited to the small room; he couldn’t even see past the window. The palace walls outside truly stole one’s vision.
Those walls are so high.
After the evening meal, Eunuch Zhao entered to report: “My Lord, the Emperor has sent word. He wishes to discuss the arrangements for tomorrow’s hunting trip.”