The tears that suddenly rolled down fell in big drops, mingling with the rain beneath the eaves outside the window.He had always loved rainy days, especially summer rain like this—the stifling heat suddenly turning damp, and his mood easing considerably along with it.But today, the sound of the rain was unsettling, making him increasingly restless.He raised a hand to tug at his tight collar. "What are you crying about?" The moment the words left his mouth, he regretted them.Did he truly not know why she was crying?The pair of eyes across from him were too clear, too pure—joy, anger, sorrow, happiness, love, all utterly impossible to conceal. Too sincere. Too transparent.Without warning, they only served to highlight his own hypocrisy.The careful maneuvering at court, the cautious wariness before the Emperor, the guarded suspicion between brothers—every word spoken, every action taken, required the utmost care.And it wasn't just outside. Returning to the rear courtyard was the same.The women schemed against one another; the rear courtyard was merely another court. They never spoke or acted openly, and even their complaints concealed three parts of the truth. He navigated intrigues outside, then returned to the courtyard to watch more performances.After so long, suspicion had become second nature when he looked at people.Someone like her—he had never encountered before. She treated people and things with her whole heart, without a shred of wariness.Yinzhen turned his head to look at the window, exhaling a deep, turbid breath. "Your hand hasn't healed yet. Stop practicing calligraphy for now.""Teacher, I want to go back." Ye Nanyuan spoke as if she hadn't heard him at all.The air froze in an instant, leaving only the occasional patter of raindrops beneath the eaves. Ye Nanyuan's lashes lowered, and she saw the fist across from her suddenly clench tight.Retreat to advance. Not contending is contending.When dealing with a man, you cannot simply obey endlessly. No matter how beautiful you are, if you're too easily obtained, there's no interest in it—at most, a brief novelty, and in the end, you'd be no different from the women in his courtyard.Especially someone like Fourth Prince, born and raised in the clouds. When flattery and adoration were commonplace, even if you dug out your heart and offered it to him, he might not even look.Those hands clenched, then released. Warm fingertips unconsciously rubbed against the thumb."It's raining right now. Your hands and feet are still injured—that maid said you hurt your leg, so she certainly can't take good care of you…" Yinzhen didn't finish before the person beside him cut him off."Teacher, I know all of that." Ye Nanyuan lifted her head, pressing her lips together to smile at him. Her face was small, no bigger than a palm, and when she smiled, she looked obedient and innocent.Her eyes even carried light, the corners curving downward slightly, beautiful like crescent moons.Yinzhen couldn't help but recall the scene from last night.She wore his robes, her face flushed with shyness, bare feet pale and delicate against the floor. When she had looked at him then, it was just like this—cheeks and earlobes burning red, but those eyes looking at him.Radiant, as if carrying light.He suddenly wanted to ask: "You insist on going back?"The brightness in Ye Nanyuan's eyes flickered out for a moment. She tried to curve her lips upward, but it seemed to take all her strength: "Teacher, I'm afraid I can't keep pretending anymore."From morning until now, she had been avoiding him. Desperately trying to act as if she didn't care, yet her gaze never once landed on him."You…""Teacher has a family, doesn't he?" She tilted her head, shrugging her shoulders as if it were nothing, but her eye sockets were flushed red. "What is Teacher going to do with Nanyuan?""Is Teacher going to make Nanyuan his hidden mistress?"Her sweet, coquettish tone carried a hint of nasality. Yinzhen turned his head away, catching only the glimmer of tears flashing past the red mole at the corner of her eye.His cold, handsome features were sharp and stern, his thin lips pressed together.The next moment, his clenched fist was taken by someone's hand—fingers tender as scallion segments curling around his palm. She trembled as if burned, then held on even tighter."My wet nurse once said that one day I would meet a man who loves me most…" Her small, soft voice was barely audible, as if she were trying to convince him—or herself."And then… and then, when I see Teacher, I won't be so sad anymore."Above her, Yinzhen remained silent. But as her words fell, those pitch-black eyes suddenly snapped open, and faintly visible within them was a danger that could seize the soul.
Su Peisheng stood outside the door, head bowed, awaiting his master's orders to escort the young lady back.Outside, the rain fell harder, whipped by the wind. Even an umbrella could hardly withstand it. The rain beneath the eaves fell like beads from a broken string, cascading in an unbroken sheet.Ye Nanyuan was supported by the two maidservants, and just as she was about to step out the door, she suddenly stopped.She turned to look behind her.Fourth Prince sat on the soft couch, reading a sutra. Her gaze was filled with lingering attachment, taking him in carefully for a long while—as if it were the last time, as if she wanted to carve him into her very bones.For no reason at all, the mere thought of that possibility displeased him greatly.He flipped the sutra to the next page: "The pear garden is only a quarter of an hour from here. If you can't bear to part, I'll come see you in a couple of days." This wasn't a statement—it was an order."No need."Unexpectedly, Ye Nanyuan shook her head rapidly. "If you were to come often, sir, I fear I would never be able to forget you." After speaking, she smiled at him again.She was beautiful, and the hundred-flower Ruyi dress she wore made her appear even more delicate, her smile all the more enchanting, like a heavenly beauty.After saying this, Ye Nanyuan turned to leave, but then, as if remembering something, she turned back around."Sir." She held the ancient zither at an angle, just as she had when she arrived, obedient and endearing. "I said I would play a konghou piece for you, but you've never heard it."Ever since she learned he had a family, she had been avoiding him. Now she brought up the konghou piece again… He raised his eyes to look at her seriously. Those eyes of hers could hide nothing.Her emotions were written plainly in them, as if she wanted to draw a clear line between them, to bid him a final farewell. She was unwilling to be his hidden mistress—with such a proud nature, she naturally would not stoop to being a lesser wife.He lowered his head, no longer looking at her, and his voice turned cold. "Understood.""Three days from now, once your hand has healed, I will come."The young woman's face lit up with joy in an instant. She curved her crescent-moon eyes and spoke in a soft, obedient voice. "Then I'll be waiting for you, sir."After saying this, she blinked, then suddenly added playfully, "It's been a long time since I've touched the konghou. Since you're coming, it seems I'll need to practice properly these next few days."Yinzhen lowered his head, seeing only the unnatural expression on her face and her two hands twisted together.After she left, he finally let out a chuckle. "Little liar." The fury that had been raging within him seemed to dissipate in an instant.From the pavilion in the pear garden came the sound of konghou music, unwavering, day after day.She had been secretly practicing for nearly half a month, still thinking he didn't know.
Su Peisheng returned after seeing the young woman off and found his master seated by the celadon candle stand patterned with lotus carvings, holding a gilded purple-clay teapot.The small stove beside him bubbled as the water boiled, and the room was filled with the fragrance of tea.Su Peisheng stood to one side, carefully observing his master. Judging by his expression, was he in a good mood?He raised an eyebrow slightly and lowered his voice. "Master, she's been escorted back.""How is she?" The tea in his hand was fine Taiping Houkui. Yinzhen raised the cup to his nose and inhaled the aroma, but did not drink.Su Peisheng thought for a moment before answering seriously. "The young lady didn't speak the whole way. She seemed to be in low spirits." He paused, then steeled himself to continue."The two maidservants sent along—she refused them, and they've been sent back…" Su Peisheng dared not raise his head at this point. "She… she said there was no need for you to concern yourself.""Heh…"Yinzhen was not angered by this. He simply downed the tea in one gulp, setting the cup down on the table with a light clink, accompanied by a soft tsk. "Young as she is, she's got a hard mouth."Su Peisheng pondered for a long while, unable to tell whether his master was angry or not.He ventured a glance. "Master, since you fancy the young lady, why not just take her?" Setting everything else aside, her beauty alone—not only was there no one in the Fourth Prince's household who could match her, even in the imperial harem she would rank among the finest.The first time he laid eyes on her, he had been utterly stunned.Besides, the young lady was as pure as a clear mirror—her eyes never once strayed from his master. Such a beauty, and one who adored him—if it were him, he would have claimed her long ago."She's the one who's unwilling."Yinzhen raised a hand to rub his brow, leaning back in his seat. His words were calm—neither annoyed nor angry?Su Peisheng's eyes flickered. Was his master giving up on her? A trace of regret rose in his heart… such a beautiful woman.But from the soft couch came a sudden light laugh.The Fourth Prince lowered his hand, revealing those cold, clear eyes, the interest in them burning with certainty. "But since she's already provoked me, it no longer matters whether she's willing or not."