Li Zhenchun squatted outside the prison cell. The cell was damp and cold, but wearing her light green and pale yellow dress, she looked like a little wildflower blooming inside the gloomy prison.
When Wei Nancheng walked in, he saw her resting her head on one hand while quietly talking to Wei Xinian through the two thin wooden bars.
Wei Xinian held a bowl in one hand and chewed on a piece of chicken happily. His cheerful expression was exactly like when he was a child and crawled through the dog hole in the wall to play with his older brother.
Out of the corner of her eye, Li Zhenchun noticed a figure dressed in blue. She turned her head and saw Wei Nancheng turning around and leaving.
Looking at his back, she called out,
“Wei Er, your brother came to see you.”
“Really? Where?”
Wei Xinian tried to stick his head through the two wooden bars, but his head was too big to fit. He could only press his face against the bars and tilt his head to watch Wei Nancheng walking away.
“Brother! Big Brother! Hey! Why is he leaving?”
He leaned back and looked at Li Zhenchun.
“Did my brother leave because you’re here?”
Holding her knees, Li Zhenchun played with a piece of straw that was used as bedding in the prison. Looking toward the direction where Wei Nancheng disappeared, she suddenly stood up.
Wei Xinian stared at her in confusion. Just as he was about to ask if she had gone crazy, she blurted out,
“My innocence!”
“Huh?”
Before he could react, Li Zhenchun lifted her skirt and hurried after Wei Nancheng.
“Hey! What do you mean? What does your innocence have to do with me? Don’t frame me!”
…
Li Zhenchun ran all the way out of the prison and found Wei Nancheng at the side gate of Shuntian Prefecture. He had just mounted his horse and taken hold of the reins when he heard her shout behind him.
“Wait!”
She walked up beside him.
A light rain was still falling. Tiny raindrops landed on both of their hair, forming little beads of water.
The drops made his black hair look almost white. Looking up at him, Li Zhenchun suddenly imagined him with a head full of white hair in old age.
Sigh… how should I explain this?
The biggest problem was…
He never asked.
She lowered her head and hesitated, not daring to look him in the face.
Wei Nancheng looked at the back of her head.
“The rain is getting heavier. Go back to your carriage.”
Looking at the wet road, Li Zhenchun suddenly blurted out,
“You’ll get soaked riding a horse. Why don’t you ride in the carriage with me?”
Inside the carriage, Li Zhenchun sat across from Wei Nancheng. Feeling guilty, she turned her face away, picked up a round fan beside her, and used it to cover her face.
Seeing that only a few strands of her hair were visible, Wei Nancheng spoke first.
“You and the Second Brother…”
“No!” Li Zhenchun quickly lowered the fan enough to reveal her eyes. “There’s nothing between him and me. Absolutely nothing.”
Wei Nancheng looked at her briefly before looking away.
“I see.”
I see?
What did I see mean?
Grinding her teeth, Li Zhenchun started,
“I…”
Before she could continue, Wei Nancheng interrupted her.
“You don’t need to explain anything to me. You knew Second Brother before you knew me. It’s only natural that you’re closer to him.”
Li Zhenchun fell silent.
Although she had never married Wei Xinian, both Yue Jingque and Wei Nancheng believed she was already his properly wedded wife.
She wanted to comfort herself by thinking that the result was almost the same…
But she really couldn’t do it.
…
The next morning, Li Zhenchun got out of bed with her hair completely messy.
She had spent most of the night wondering how to explain her relationship with Wei Xinian to Wei Nancheng. She had nearly pulled all her hair out before finally coming up with only four words.
Wait and see.
“Hongxiu, help me up.”
She kept her eyes closed, still half asleep.
A hand gently held hers.
“After I help you up, should I help you get dressed too?”
The young girl’s voice was soft and sweet, asking the question seriously.
Li Zhenchun’s eyes flew open.
Seeing Princess Liang’an standing beside the bed, she hugged her blanket and instantly jumped back to the inside of the bed.
“Why are you here?”
“I came to see you. Your maid said you were still sleeping, so she let me come in and wait.”
Li Zhenchun was speechless.
Hongxiu really lets anyone into my room. She’s not doing a very good job as a maid.
Looking at the little princess standing beside her bed, she asked,
“What did you come to see me for?”
Still sleepy, Li Zhenchun climbed out of bed and sat on the edge to put on her shoes.
…
“After the Spring Festival ceremony, Grandmother Emperor summoned me to the palace. Consort Shu asked me to stay there, so I only left yesterday.”
Princess Liang’an quietly listed everything that had happened over the past half month like an obedient little kitten.
“After I left the palace, I met the Elder Princess. She doesn’t like me. She drove away my maid and messed up my hair.”
“She even pushed me into the water. I was very sad, so I wanted to find Sister Chang, but the door to her house stayed closed. No one answered.”
Her eyes turned red as she looked at Li Zhenchun.
“Yiyi said Sister Chang is dead… and that Young Master Wei killed her. Is that true?”
Li Zhenchun sat on the bed.
“You knew Miss Chang?”
The princess nodded.
“How did you meet?”
“Sister Chang was bringing lunch to her cousin. I was hiding in an alley. She called me out and even drew water from the well so I could wash my face.”
Looking at the timid princess, Li Zhenchun thought that not only the Eldest Princess—she herself almost wanted to bully someone so timid.
“Do you know Second Young Master Lian?”
The princess’s face instantly turned pale.
She stepped back several times, glanced at Li Zhenchun, then turned and ran.
Li Zhenchun quickly caught her like an eagle catching a chick.
“Why are you running?”
She grabbed the girl by the back of her neck like she was carrying a kitten.
“Did Lian Er bully you? Or did you see him bullying Miss Chang?”
Looking at the frightened girl, Li Zhenchun smiled like a bandit.
“If you don’t tell me, I’ll take you to see him right now.”
After a while, she finally let go and gently straightened the princess’s collar like a caring older sister.
“All right. You’ve finished today’s task. Go home and eat.”
After Princess Liang’an left, Li Zhenchun shouted,
“Hongxiu! Tell Uncle He to prepare the carriage!”
…
Inside the imperial prison, Wei Xinian and Li Zhenchun stared at each other.
Seeing her empty hands, Wei Xinian’s voice turned cold.
“Where are my lotus cakes, osmanthus pastries, sweet-and-sour cherry pork, roast goose with deer tendon, and dried red dragon meat?”
“Do you know I fell asleep last night thinking about all of them?!”
Li Zhenchun clicked her tongue.
“Can you think about something besides food?”
“Like what?”
“Like Jingque.”
“You want me to have nightmares?”
Wei Xinian looked at her expressionlessly.
“Would you want to dream about both a tigress and your strict teacher at the same time?”
“…”
That actually made sense.
Clearing her throat, Li Zhenchun said,
“I came to see you today because I have something important.”
Leaning against the wooden bars with a piece of straw in his mouth, Wei Xinian scoffed.
“What important business could a silly girl like you possibly have?”
“You’re just a prisoner now. Watch your attitude.”
“I’m only a prisoner for now. My brother will definitely find a way to get me out.”
Unless your brother becomes Emperor, nobody can save you, Li Zhenchun thought.
But she only sighed.
“No one can save you now.”
“What do you mean?”
Wei Xinian became serious.
“Our family has served the country for three generations. Even if my brother and I haven’t achieved much, Grandmother should still be able to protect me.”
“Old Madam entered the palace yesterday and still hasn’t returned. Jingque was taken away by her father, and there’s been no news from her either.”
Looking at him, Li Zhenchun said,
“I didn’t tell you yesterday because I didn’t want you to worry.”
“…Then why tell me today?”
The straw slipped from Wei Xinian’s mouth.
He spat it onto the ground, grabbed the wooden bars tightly, and stared at her.
“So no one in the Wei family can help me now? I’m really going to be executed?”
Li Zhenchun nodded heavily.
“Then why hasn’t my mother brought me something delicious? Does she want me to die hungry?”
He muttered,
“My aunt hasn’t come either. Did she completely forget she has a nephew? And Big Brother… was he too sad yesterday to see me?”
He sighed.
“When you go back, tell Mother, Aunt, Big Brother, and Grandmother to bring me more good food while I still have more than a month left. And if possible, send me the dice from my room too.”
“It’s boring staying here for a month. If I have dice, I can play games with the guy in the next cell.”
Li Zhenchun smiled.
“I didn’t bring dice, but I did bring you something.”
She secretly pulled a small, beautifully made shovel from her sleeve and handed it to him.
“Take this. Dig whenever no one’s watching. In one month, you should be able to dig a tunnel out. It’ll keep you busy and help you escape.”
Wei Xinian looked at the tiny shovel that wasn’t even as big as his hand.
The corner of his eye twitched.
“You’re serious?”
“Of course. As long as you’re alive, there’s still hope.”
She encouraged him.
“If you escape, you’ll still have a chance to settle the score with Lian Er.”
Wei Xinian frowned.
“Lian Er set me up? So that woman who falsely accused me was arranged by him?”
“Don’t tell me you still foolishly think this was all a misunderstanding.”
If she hadn’t added the word foolishly, that was exactly what he believed.
“But why? We weren’t close friends, but we hung around together. Why would he frame me?”
“Maybe… Did you steal the girl he likes?”
Li Zhenchun guessed.
“Impossible! Whenever I go to the Drunken Red Pavilion…”
He suddenly froze and widened his eyes.
Li Zhenchun immediately leaned forward.
“Did you remember something?”
Wei Xinian slowly turned toward her, his lips trembling as if he couldn’t accept reality.
“He likes the Tigress!”
Li Zhenchun was stunned.
Lian Chengbi liked Yue Jingque?
The Prime Minister’s family looked down on Wei Xinian.
No wonder Princess Liang’an had said she saw Lian Er and Yue Feng bullying Boss Chang together.
Wei Xinian looked like his entire worldview had collapsed.
“We were all just regular customers at the brothel. I thought he was joking. Who knew he was actually serious?”
He grabbed Li Zhenchun anxiously.
“Silly girl, hurry and find him! Tell him I can divorce Jingque! I don’t have to keep this wife! Tell him to come back and prove my innocence!”
…
Outside the Prime Minister’s residence, Li Zhenchun and Jiang Qutao stood facing each other after both had been thrown out.
Jiang Qutao pointed at the mansion, then at Li Zhenchun.
“So you came to persuade Jingque to return, and you got kicked out?”
Before Li Zhenchun could answer, Jiang Qutao laughed.
“I think you should just go home. Jingque isn’t coming back. The Prime Minister has always adored her. If Wei Er dies, he’ll simply find her a better husband.”
Looking pleased with herself, Jiang Qutao walked past Li Zhenchun and deliberately bumped into her.
“Don’t block the way, merchant’s daughter.”
Li Zhenchun’s eyes lit up.
She picked up her skirt and followed behind Jiang Qutao.
Jiang Qutao looked back.
“What are you doing?”
“Miss Jiang, you’ve known Jingque for a long time, haven’t you?”
“Of course. We’ve known each other since childhood.”
“I’ve only known Jingque for a short time, so the servants don’t recognize me and won’t let me in. But it’s different for you. You’ve known her for years. The servants must all know you. Going in and out of the Prime Minister’s residence must be easy for you.”
“Naturally.”
Jiang Qutao lifted her chin proudly.
“Jingque and I have been close friends for years. I’m practically another young lady of this residence.”
“Then… could I go in with you?”
“Why should I take you?”
She wasn’t stupid and quickly questioned her.
“I’m just a merchant’s daughter. I’ve never seen a crane in my life. I heard the Prime Minister’s residence keeps cranes in the back garden, so I wanted to have a look.”
Li Zhenchun smiled.
“I won’t go see Jingque. You’re her best friend, so it’s only right that you visit her. I’ll just look at the cranes. I promise I won’t wander around.”
Seeing Li Zhenchun acting ignorant and flattering, Jiang Qutao straightened her back proudly.
“Fine. Stay behind me.”
Li Zhenchun smiled until her eyes became thin.
“Okay.”
“Our young lady has caught a cold and is resting in bed. She won’t receive any visitors for the next few days. Miss Jiang, please return.”
Hearing the servant’s words, Li Zhenchun’s gaze felt like two needles stabbing Jiang Qutao’s back.
Jiang Qutao’s neck turned red with anger.
“Take a good look! Do I look like a guest?”
The servant respectfully replied,
“Miss Jiang is naturally an honored guest of the Prime Minister’s residence.”
There was nothing wrong with his words.
Yet they left Jiang Qutao completely speechless.
“I’ve known your young lady for over ten years! I’ve entered her courtyard countless times! I always came and went as I pleased! How dare you stop me!”
The servant remained calm.
“Miss Jiang, please return. Our young lady isn’t seeing guests.”
“I’ll say it again! I’m not a guest! I’m your young lady’s best friend!”
The servant glanced at her.
“Miss Jiang’s surname is Jiang, not Yue. Therefore, you are a guest. Our young lady has no sisters, only an elder brother and a younger brother.”
Behind her, Li Zhenchun almost burst from holding back her laughter as she followed Jiang Qutao while they were both escorted out.
It was no exaggeration to say that although it was still the chilly early spring of the third lunar month, Li Zhenchun could almost see white steam rising from Jiang Qutao’s head from anger.
Outside the residence, Jiang Qutao turned and glared fiercely at her.
Li Zhenchun cleared her throat.
“It’s okay. Don’t feel embarrassed. I’m also a guest who got kicked out.”