Jiang Linyue walked very slowly.
She was holding a ledger in her hand, pretending to inspect the records of the daily expenses for various palaces. This was routine business for the Bureau of Records, but right now, it served as the most suitable excuse for her to head toward the Quiet Moon Pavilion. Along the way, she met several rough-sweeping eunuchs. Seeing her wearing the official uniform of the sixth rank, they all lowered their heads and stepped far aside at a distance, with no one daring to step forward to question her.
The closer she got to the Quiet Moon Pavilion, the more the indescribable and obscure emotion surging in her heart welled up. Guilt, apprehension, curiosity, and even a trace of anticipation that she herself was unwilling to admit
She was truly going to see that person.
That young girl whom she had ignored in her previous life and who had ultimately ended up sinking to the bottom of a pond. That Seventh Princess who, right before Jiang Linyue died, had seen through her soul with a pair of hollow eyes.
In this lifetime, how would they meet?
Turning the final corner, the courtyard gate of the Quiet Moon Pavilion appeared in sight.
That was a peeling crimson small door with a rusted door ring. There were no stone lions in front of the door, no guards, and not even a single palace servant to make announcements. The courtyard wall was not high, and the branches of a few withered trees inside could be seen poking their heads out, shivering in the autumn wind.
Jiang Linyue stopped in her tracks and was about to step forward to knock on the door when the sound of an argument drifted out from inside.
Eunuch Li, you cannot put it that way. It was an old woman’s voice, trembling slightly. The Seventh Princess’s rations were determined by the Imperial Household Department: twenty catties of charcoal, three catties of cotton, and one shi of rice per month. These are all recorded in the registry.
The registry? A shrill eunuch’s voice interrupted her, his tone full of mockery. Nurse Zhang, having served in the palace for so many years, do you still not understand the rules? What is written in the registry is for sound masters and mistresses. Given the Seventh Princess’s condition, can she use that much?
Jiang Linyue’s gaze turned cold.
She quietly moved to the side of the door and looked inside through the half-open crack.
Three people were standing in the courtyard.
The most eye-catching was the splash of moonlight in the middle. A young girl wearing a half-worn moon-white palace dress, covered on the outside with a light cyan sleeveless vest washed pale, stood quietly under the withered tree. She was about fifteen or sixteen years old, with a slender figure and a complexion pale to the point of being almost transparent. The most striking feature was her eyes, both eyes tightly closed, her long eyelashes casting shallow shadows under them.
It was Xiao Wangshu.
Jiang Linyue’s heartbeat skipped a beat.
In her previous life, she had only caught a glimpse of this Seventh Princess a few times from a distance and had never looked at her this closely. At this moment, Xiao Wangshu was even thinner than the figure that had sunk to the bottom of the water in her memory, yet she was also calmer.
That kind of calm was not numbness, but a kind of close-to-piercing restraint. She kept her eyes closed, but her spine was held straight, like a slender bamboo that had stood in the wind and snow for a long time. An old nurse with white hair supported her arm, her face full of anxiety.
Opposite them stood a middle-aged eunuch wearing an indigo eunuch uniform. His waist was held straight, holding a ledger in his hands, with his chin raised high.
Besides, Eunuch Li dragged out his tone, his gaze sweeping over Xiao Wangshu with a look mixed with disdain and a certain uncomfortable scrutiny. The Seventh Princess cannot see. What does she need so much charcoal fire for? Lighting it is just a waste; it is better to save it for the masters who have actual use for it.
Nurse Zhang trembled all over with anger: You, you are bullying your master!
Oh my, such words must not be spoken carelessly. Eunuch Li hypocritically waved his hand. This servant is saving expenses for the palace. Even His Majesty would praise this loyalty if he knew. Seventh Princess, don’t you agree?
His gaze turned to Xiao Wangshu, waiting for the blind princess’s reaction.
Xiao Wangshu kept her eyes closed throughout, with no expression on her face. The autumn wind blew a few strands of stray hair at her temples, brushing across her pale cheeks. She just quietly stood there, like an inanimate jade statue.
However, Jiang Linyue saw it.
She saw Xiao Wangshu’s hand by her side, hidden inside her wide sleeve, with her fingertips trembling imperceptibly.
Just like that, so fast that it almost made one think it was an illusion.
But Jiang Linyue saw it. Having immersed herself in the Directorate of Ceremonial for nineteen years in her previous life, what she excelled at most was observing these subtle movements; that was the most instinctive reaction of the human body when enduring extreme forbearance.
Actually, Eunuch Li, seeing that Xiao Wangshu did not answer, became even more smug, his voice rising a few decibels. If this servant has to say it, Seventh Princess, you should also resign yourself to fate. Since these eyes are blind, you should honestly stay in your room, move about less, and bring less trouble to the palace. Don’t you agree with this logic?
The two words resign yourself to fate were spoken by him with particular emphasis.
Xiao Wangshu’s fingertips trembled again.
This time, even Nurse Zhang felt it. The old nurse raised her head abruptly, her eye sockets red, her lips trembling as if she wanted to say something, but her hand was gently pressed by Xiao Wangshu on the back of her hand.
Nurse, the young girl finally spoke, her voice very soft, yet like ice shards striking a jade plate, clear and cold; there is no need to argue.
Her voice was frighteningly calm, devoid of anger, grievances, or anything other than a bottomless exhaustion.
A victorious smile appeared on Eunuch Li’s face.
Right now.
Jiang Linyue took a deep breath and pushed open the courtyard gate.
Creak,
The sound of the door hinges turning startled the people in the courtyard. All three of them looked over; Eunuch Li and Nurse Zhang turned their heads for real, while Xiao Wangshu only tilted her head slightly, her tightly closed eyes gazing in the direction where Jiang Linyue was.
Jiang Linyue stepped into the courtyard. Her official uniform gleamed with a steady indigo color in the sunlight, the leather belt at her waist fastened meticulously, and every step she took was firm and powerful.
Eunuch Li was stunned at first. When he clearly saw the sixth-rank official uniform she wore and the turquoise bird pattern unique to the Bureau of Records, his expression changed slightly. He quickly put on a smile and bowed in salute: Could this be an official from the Bureau of Records? This servant is Li Youfu from the Imperial Household Department. Not knowing that Your Honor has arrived, I failed to welcome you from afar.
Jiang Linyue did not look at him.
Her gaze fell upon Xiao Wangshu. Being closer, she saw it more clearly: the young girl’s complexion was abnormally pale, and her lips lacked color, save for the straight bridge of her nose and tightly pressed lip line, which revealed an unyielding toughness.
Jiang Linyue, sixth-rank recorder of the Bureau of Records. She withdrew her gaze and turned to Eunuch Li, her voice not loud, yet carrying unquestionable majesty. By the order of the Palace Directorate, I am inspecting the records of autumn and winter expenses for various palaces. Just outside the door, it seemed I heard some dispute?
Eunuch Li’s smile froze, and he hurriedly said: I wouldn’t dare, I wouldn’t dare, it is just some trivial matters. The Seventh Princess’s rations, the Imperial Household Department has made some adjustments and is just explaining it to the nurse.
Adjustments? Jiang Linyue raised an eyebrow. Adjustments to the rations of various palaces by the Imperial Household Department require reporting to the Palace Directorate for filing. This official has not seen the adjustment document for the Quiet Moon Pavilion. Can Eunuch Li present it?
This Eunuch Li’s forehead broke out in sweat. It is, it is a verbal communication.
Verbal communication? Jiang Linyue’s voice turned cold. In palace expenses, every thread and needle has rules. Without documentation on file, privately deducting a princess’s rations, Eunuch Li, are you trying to shoulder the charge of ‘deceiving superiors and acting presumptuously’?
With a thud, Eunuch Li dropped to his knees.
Your Honor, please discern the truth! This servant, this servant did not dare! He kowtowed repeatedly. It was this servant who was muddle-headed! This servant will immediately replenish the Quiet Moon Pavilion according to the original rations! Charcoal fire, cotton materials, and rice grain, not a single fraction will be missing!
Jiang Linyue quietly watched him kowtow, and after a long while, she said: Today’s matter, this official will temporarily make a note of it. The rations must be delivered by this afternoon. If even a hair’s breadth is missing, go to the Palace Directorate to receive your punishment yourself.
Yes, yes, yes! This servant obeys orders! Eunuch Li, granted a pardon, scrambled away in a flurry.
The courtyard returned to silence.
Nurse Zhang supported Xiao Wangshu, her lips trembling, and after a long time, she choked out: Th, Thank you, Recorder Jiang.
Jiang Linyue waved her hand, and her gaze fell upon Xiao Wangshu once more.
The young girl still kept her eyes closed, quietly standing there. The autumn wind swept past, stirring a corner of her moon-white robes like a butterfly hesitant to fly.
Your Highness the Princess, Jiang Linyue slightly bowed. This servant is Jiang Linyue, on duty at the Bureau of Records. The offense just now was presumptuous; please forgive me, Your Highness.
Xiao Wangshu did not reply immediately.
She only tilted her head slightly, her tightly closed eyes gazing in Jiang Linyue’s direction. At that moment, Jiang Linyue almost had an illusion: those eyes were not blind at all; they were peering through her thin eyelids, quietly scrutinizing her.
Then, the young girl spoke.
Her voice was still very light, yet it carried a more elusive meaning than before: What crime does Recorder Jiang speak of? The one who should be giving thanks is this princess.
As she spoke, she actually gave a slight nod, performing an extremely light salute.
Jiang Linyue’s heart shook.
Because the direction Xiao Wangshu gazed towards was far too accurate.
Just outside the door, when she pushed the door open and entered, her footsteps had stopped slightly to the right in the courtyard. At this moment, the angle at which Xiao Wangshu tilted her head and the direction of her nod were precisely aligned with the spot where she was standing, without the slightest deviation.
How could a blind person accomplish such a feat?
Unless
Unless she had long since grown accustomed to navigating by sound in the darkness, accustomed to using her hearing, the flow of air, and the experience accumulated over countless days and nights to construct a complete map within her mind.
Jiang Linyue suddenly recalled some rumors she had heard in her previous life: though the Seventh Princess was blind, she could walk alone inside the Quiet Moon Pavilion without ever bumping into objects; she could distinguish people by their footsteps, and tell whether a teacup was filled to seven parts or full of water.
At that time, she merely regarded it as wild talk exaggerated by palace servants. Witnessing it with her own eyes now, she realized the rumors were not false.
This Seventh Princess was by no means as simple as she appeared on the surface.
Your Highness flatters me. Jiang Linyue suppressed the startled doubt in her heart, her tone calm. This servant is merely fulfilling her duty. The Imperial Household Department deducting rations naturally falls under the supervisory scope of the Palace Directorate.
Xiao Wangshu’s lips seemed to curve ever so slightly, or perhaps they didn’t. She gazed at Jiang Linyue and said softly: Recorder Jiang’s duty is different from that of others.
The words were vague, yet Jiang Linyue caught the underlying meaning.
She was saying: Other female officials would not meddle in such idle business.
Jiang Linyue remained silent for a moment and said: My late father was a border-garrison scribe and taught me a phrase: In your position, fulfill your duties. Since I wear this official uniform, I should do what ought to be done.
This was the truth, and also an excuse she had carefully prepared. Her background as the daughter of a military household could explain why she possessed a measure of courage without arousing excessive suspicion.
Sure enough, Xiao Wangshu did not press further.