The young girl’s expression was far too obvious; Ling Yanshuai guessed her little thoughts at a single glance.
He was not one for smiling, yet watching her eyes flicker with a mix of fear and an irrepressible urge to stare at the glazed lantern, he found it somewhat amusing.
And so, he smiled.
Though the smile was fleeting, he could feel the sense of ease that accompanied the slight upturn of his lips.
“Miss Yun, there is no need to worry. This glazed lantern was bestowed upon me by the Empress,” Ling Yanshuai said as he stepped down from the carriage, placing the lantern in her arms. “I have little interest in such trinkets. It would be better to give it to you for your enjoyment.”
Yun Qiya’s heart hammered with desire, but her reason remained intact. “Since it was a gift from Her Majesty, would it not be improper for you to give it to someone else?”
“Do not worry. The Empress will not mind.” Ling Yanshuai still remembered the little girl’s huffy expression as she kicked pebbles in the Imperial Garden when she thought no one was looking. Seeing her smiling so happily while clutching the glazed lantern now, he felt this was much better.
“This item is too precious.” Yun Qiya gritted her teeth, finally returning the lantern with a pained expression. “I appreciate your kindness, Master Ling, but one should not accept rewards without merit. Please, take it back.”
She didn’t even know his true identity; how could she dare accept such an expensive gift? It wasn’t that she wasn’t tempted, but that she couldn’t afford to let her heart wander into trouble.
She often entertained thoughts of living off a benefactor, but she didn’t want to choke to death on it. No treasure was more precious than her own life!
The glazed lantern Yun Qiya thrust back into his arms felt ice-cold. Ling Yanshuai hadn’t expected her to refuse.
He lit the candle inside the lantern. The candlelight filtered through the glazed shade, spilling onto the ground like a cluster of shattered stars. As his hand shifted slightly, the light moved like a miniature, drifting galaxy.
“The night is dark, and the Chengping Marquisate Manor is still some distance away.” He handed the lantern to Yun Qiya once more.
“Master Ling.” Yun Qiya eyed the sickly young man suspiciously and took two steps back. “My grandfather and eldest uncle are devoted to the court and the people; they are not easily swayed by other matters.”
On the wall not far behind them, a warning sign from the Yamen was posted to alert people against scams.
*There is no such thing as a free lunch. Keep the danger of greed in mind.*
*Creak, creak.*
The sound of a poorly maintained window rattling in the cold wind drew their attention. Ling Yanshuai and Yun Qiya turned their heads simultaneously, and the row of red characters on the wall surged into their field of vision like a tidal wave.
Yun Qiya awkwardly retracted her gaze and met Ling Yanshuai’s eyes. She arched an eyebrow and looked away.
She hadn’t said a word. But her eyes seemed to have said everything.
“The Lantern Festival is nearly over.” The crowds on the street were thinning. Ling Yanshuai said, “It just so happens that I wish to walk around a bit. Our families have been on good terms for a century; I shall escort you back, Miss Yun.”
Yun Qiya glanced at the vermilion wheel carriage behind him—a vehicle forbidden to anyone below the rank of a Duke or Marquis.
He was a relative of Princess Rongshan and could get the Empress to gift him a lantern originally intended for Prince Luo. He couldn’t be a mere member of the Lu family; the Lu clan didn’t have that much prestige.
“Thank you, Master Ling.” Yun Qiya took the glazed lantern, her smile both considerate and a bit sycophantic. “The lantern is heavy; I’ll carry it for you for a while.”
“I am in your debt, Miss Yun.”
As the weight left his hand, it felt as though the burden on his heart lightened as well.
The glazed lantern swayed in Yun Qiya’s hand. Ling Yanshuai watched it; the lamp was indeed exquisitely beautiful. No wonder the Kingdom of Shalan had sent it as tribute.
Passersby were drawn to the lantern in Yun Qiya’s hand, stealing glances every now and then. Yun Qiya held her beautiful head high, looking as proud as a domineering white goose patrolling its village.
The attendants from Prince Ruining’s Estate silently lowered their heads. Having served His Highness for years, they had never been this flamboyant. They were finding it hard to adjust.
“Master Ling.” Yun Qiya handed her own simple lantern to the sickly young man. “This lantern is very light. It’s for you.”
The handle carried a lingering warmth. Ling Yanshuai held the lantern, his palm feeling a sudden heat. “Thank you.”
He didn’t correct her use of “Master Ling,” which confirmed her suspicion that he was indeed related to the Imperial Family.
The Ling family and the Yun family had indeed been close for a century, dating back to when her ancestors followed the founding emperor to conquer the world. The only difference was that the Lings were the sovereigns, and her Yuns were the subjects.
“Whose house is this?” Passing a certain mansion, Yun Qiya noticed a mess of trash piled at the entrance, even including funeral paper money.
The gates were sealed with official strips, the ink still fresh, indicating the mansion had been seized not long ago.
An attendant whispered, “Miss, this used to be Prince Rong’s Mansion.”
“Prince Rong?” Yun Qiya immediately recalled who the former owner was. The smile on her face was instantly replaced by undisguised loathing. “So it’s that conscience-less, wicked, shameless, sub-human dog of a Deposed Prince!”
She suddenly felt like smashing something!
Helu appeared from nowhere with two stones. “Miss, here.”
Who said her lady lacked talent? Look at how many idioms she had used in that short sentence. As expected of her lady—even her insults were poetic.
Yun Qiya stuffed the glazed lantern back into the sickly young man’s hands, grabbed the stones, and hurled them. They struck the steps of the mansion with a loud *thud*.
“Miss,” a man in coarse clothes approached, dragging a bamboo basket. “Do you wish to throw more? I have stones here, ten for three copper coins.”
Fearing she wouldn’t buy, he added, “These stones were gathered by the children at the orphanage. The money you spend on these stones will go toward their care.”
At this, he glanced around and lowered his voice. “Usually, there are soldiers guarding this place. But because there are so many people out for the festival tonight, the guards were reassigned to patrol the streets. If you want to throw stones after tonight, you won’t be able to.”
“I’ll buy them!” Yun Qiya pulled out ten copper coins. “Give me ten coins’ worth.”
*Clack, clack…*
The sound of stones hitting the steps of Prince Rong’s Mansion echoed through the air. Passersby saw what was happening and joined in the fun; soon, a small crowd had gathered at the gate.
Ling Yanshuai and his attendants stood in the midst of the angry crowd, looking entirely out of place.
“Do you want to throw some too?” After throwing a dozen stones to vent her anger, Yun Qiya noticed the sickly young man staring at her pile. She picked out the two smallest stones and shared them with him. “Here.”
“The Deposed Prince and his family have already been locked in the Zongzheng Temple Prison. Smashing this place achieves nothing against him.”
“I know it’s useless against him, but it’s useful to me.” Yun Qiya hurled another stone at the steps. “At least I feel better.”
Ling Yanshuai pondered for a moment. “Miss Yun makes a valid point.”
With a *bang*, he threw a stone against the main gate, much to the horror of his attendants. *Your Highness, have you finally lost your mind from the illness?*
“Hey!” Yun Qiya quickly grabbed his sleeve. “Aim for the steps, not the gate!”
“Why?”
“The Deposed Prince’s property was confiscated; everything here now belongs to the court.” Yun Qiya handed him another small stone. “You won’t break the steps, but if you break the gate, you’ll have to pay for it.”
Venting was fine, but losing money was not.
“You hate the Deposed Prince very much?” Ling Yanshuai saw countless angry faces in the crowd.
“Of course.” Yun Qiya turned the question back on him. “And you?”
“The same.” Ling Yanshuai looked at the stone in his hand and threw it, his eyes as dark as ink. “I hate him to my very marrow.”
Hearing this, Yun Qiya felt that this sickly young man had suddenly become much more likable.
Just as they finished throwing their stones together, a shout came from behind: “The Golden Armored Guards are coming!”
The crowd scattered instantly. The stone seller fled with his basket on his back, running impressively fast.
“We need to go, too!” Yun Qiya grabbed the unresponsive Ling Yanshuai and ducked into the crowd, breaking into a jog toward the Chengping Marquisate Manor.
Ling Yanshuai looked back. The stones, mud, and trash remained at the entrance of Prince Rong’s Mansion. The patrolling Golden Armored Guards stood in place; they did not pursue the fleeing citizens, nor did anyone continue to throw things in their presence.
It was as if nothing had happened.
“If only I could have hit the Deposed Prince himself.” Yun Qiya wiped her hands with a handkerchief and took the beautiful glazed lantern back. “It’s a pity he’s locked away in the Zongzheng Temple Prison. I don’t even know what he looks like.”
If not for him, her father and mother wouldn’t have lived in fear for all those years.
“If you had the chance for revenge, what would you do to him?” A bit of color had returned to Ling Yanshuai’s pale face, though whether it was from running or the exertion of throwing stones was unclear.
“I’d find ways to torment him every single day, making him regret offending me until the moment he dies.”
“He is already in prison. Are you not afraid people will call you petty and vindictive if you continue to seek revenge?”
“Who are these ‘people’? I don’t know what they’d say, but I know that getting back at him would certainly make me feel better.” Yun Qiya tilted her head to look at him. “What is your grudge against the Deposed Prince?”
Ling Yanshuai’s voice was cold. “A hatred as deep as the sea.”
Yun Qiya’s eyes lit up; an idea formed in her mind. “You are a member of the royal clan; you can enter the Zongzheng Temple Prison.”
The Zongzheng Temple specialized in cases involving the Imperial Family. She couldn’t get in, but Master Ling could!
The attendants from Prince Ruining’s Estate saw the sparkle in Miss Yun’s eyes and felt a very bad premonition.
“Since your hatred is so deep, haven’t you thought about adding a little… extra seasoning to his food?”
“Or perhaps finding some lovely rats to keep him company? You could add ice to his cot to help him ‘cool down,’ or frequently remind him to watch his sleeping posture while he’s trying to rest. Eating less is good for the health; two meals every three days should suffice. And too much sleep isn’t good for reflection; one hour of sleep every two days is plenty.”
Yun Qiya rattled off a long list of methods that were agonizing but not lethal. “Ideally, you should petition His Majesty for a special grace to sentence him to death.”
“The Deposed Prince has committed countless crimes; nothing less than death can appease the public’s anger.” Ling Yanshuai’s eyelids flickered. “His Majesty already intends to issue a decree sentencing him to death by hanging in one month.”
“In one month…” Yun Qiya looked at the sickly young man with fervent eyes. “Master Ling, you don’t have much time left to ‘take care’ of him.”
*Go on, hurry up and torment him, break him, make him weep and crawl on the floor.*
Her gaze was far too easy to read.
Ling Yanshuai avoided her eyes. “Mhm.”
“Master Ling, you must be tired from throwing all those stones.” Yun Qiya eagerly unfastened the purse at her waist and offered it up. “Here, have some candy!”
Since they shared a common enemy, she had to treat him to some sweets.
“Yaya?” Yun Luoqing had just emerged from the Imperial Academy. He was almost home when he spotted his sister smiling at a man with utter sycophancy.
What shocked him most was the priceless glazed palace lantern in her hand—one that was clearly for imperial use.
*Sister, we agreed on living off a benefactor, not eating a condemned man’s last meal!*
*Where on earth did you get imperial property?!*
Yun Qiya shot him a look.
*Move along, quickly! Don’t get in the way of me finding a good accomplice for my revenge!*