Su Cheng’an was caught off guard by her words, his face showing slight embarrassment. “N-no, I didn’t mean for you to pay… It’s just… your maternal grandfather has retired years ago, and your uncle is still at the Court of Justice… if it’s possible…”
“Father,” Su Yaoyao interrupted firmly, “Grandfather has long since retired and it’s not proper for him to intervene. Besides, Liu Dafu’s gambling and stolen goods are proven beyond doubt; even if Grandfather stepped in, it wouldn’t change anything. And my uncle—you know his temper!”
She looked at Lady Liu, voice calm:
“Instead of crying here and begging Father, perhaps you should consider where the fifteen thousand taels will come from. Oh, and those ‘losses’ from my mother’s dowry… the three-day deadline is almost up.”
Lady Liu’s eyes widened, a flash of resentment appearing. “Miss, are you trying to drive me to death?!”
“Drive you to death?” Su Yaoyao laughed. “You jest, Aunt. Debts must be repaid; it’s only right. Does Aunt think my mother’s belongings can be taken at will and other people’s debts ignored?”
“You!” Lady Liu trembled with anger.
Su Cheng’an’s expression also darkened. “Yaoyao! How dare you speak to your aunt like that!”
“I am only stating the facts,” Su Yaoyao said politely, bowing slightly. “If Father has nothing else, I will take my leave. Copying sutras at Xiangguo Temple today has left me fatigued.”
“Wait.” Su Cheng’an called her back, his gaze complex. “Today… you went to see the Crown Prince?”
Su Yaoyao’s heart skipped a beat.
The news traveled fast.
“Yes,” she admitted calmly. “I went to return something to His Highness.”
“Return something?” Su Cheng’an narrowed his eyes. “I heard the Crown Prince gave you a string of prayer beads?”
Indeed, eyes were everywhere in the manor.
“Yes,” Su Yaoyao lifted her wrist, showing the rosewood beads. “His Highness said it was an apology.”
“An apology?” Both Su Cheng’an and Lady Liu were momentarily stunned.
Su Yaoyao briefly explained the incident at the side hall during the palace banquet—omitting the details about Nuǎnqíng Incense and Su Yun’er’s schemes, only saying a dancer caused trouble and the Crown Prince came to help.
“I see…” Su Cheng’an pondered, a glint of understanding in his eyes. “The Crown Prince… takes an interest in you.”
Su Yaoyao lowered her gaze, saying nothing.
“Yaoyao,” Su Cheng’an’s tone softened suddenly, “although your engagement to the Second Prince has been broken, I will still find you a suitable match. As for the Crown Prince…”
He paused, implying meaning:
“His Highness holds a high status. You must be cautious and not lose your composure.”
Su Yaoyao found it strange. This fickle man shouldn’t be taking joy in this… Could it be…
She concealed her calculations with an obedient nod. “Daughter understands.”
By the time she left the study, night had deepened.
Chuntao held a lantern in the corridor, hurrying forward. “Miss, are you alright?”
“What could have happened?” Su Yaoyao said calmly. “Father only wanted to gauge the Crown Prince’s disposition.”
She lifted her eyes toward the Eastern Palace, where faint lights shone vividly against the night sky.
“Chuntao.”
“At your service.”
“Tomorrow, go check the shops in the western part of the city,” Su Yaoyao instructed softly.
“But Miss, those shops…”
“They originally belonged to my mother,” her eyes turned cold. “She occupied them for so many years; now it’s time to return them.”
Eastern Palace, Quiet Chamber
Xiao Chenyan knelt on the mat, holding a sealed letter.
The candlelight flickered, illuminating his calm, cold profile.
“Your Highness,” Ling Feng reported softly, “the source of Nuǎnqíng Incense has been traced to a black-market apothecary in the southern city. The buyer was a masked woman, but judging by her build and voice… it seems to be a maid from Miss Su’s entourage.”
Xiao Chenyan set the letter aflame, watching it turn to ashes.
“Also,” Ling Feng continued, “the incident with Lady Liu’s brother involved the Grand Tutor’s household. Granny Lin’s people contacted Liu Dafu at the gambling den a few days ago, and the ‘Ancient Jade from the Previous Dynasty’ was also pawned by her arrangement.”
Xiao Chenyan raised his gaze. “Does Su Yaoyao know?”
“Miss Su is likely aware,” Ling Feng said. “Today, the Marquis summoned her. Lady Liu begged the Marquis to pay the debt, but Miss Su was firm, even mentioning her mother’s dowry.”
Xiao Chenyan’s fingers twitched—still empty.
“She wants to reclaim the dowry?”
“Yes. She gave Lady Liu three days.”
He was silent for a moment, then asked:
“What did she do after returning home?”
Ling Feng hesitated, then answered truthfully: “Miss Su copied sutras for a while, then instructed her maid to prepare for auditing the shops tomorrow.”
“Copying sutras?” Xiao Chenyan’s eyes flickered with surprise.
“Yes, the Diamond Sutra,” Ling Feng added. “She was meticulous, having the ink ground three times.”
Xiao Chenyan lowered his gaze to the open sutra in front of him.
The same Diamond Sutra.
The same words:
“All phenomena are void.”
Yet why… did he always picture her, fingers on the beads, eyes lowered as she copied?
“Your Highness?” Ling Feng called softly, noticing his distraction.
Xiao Chenyan returned to focus. “Continue monitoring the Liu household. Report any changes immediately.”
“Yes!” Ling Feng responded, then hesitated. “Your Highness… regarding Miss Su…”
Xiao Chenyan looked up.
Ling Feng immediately lowered his head. “Your servant spoke out of turn.”
“No matter,” Xiao Chenyan said, replacing the hairpin, voice unreadable. “Her teacher entrusted her to me; I will naturally protect her.”
But… entrusted by a teacher?
Ling Feng dared not ask further and quietly left.
The chamber returned to silence.
Xiao Chenyan closed his eyes, attempting meditation.
But the emptiness on his wrist made him restless.
Those beads, worn for ten years, had become part of him.
Now gone, it felt like something was missing.
No.
It wasn’t the beads that were missing.
Something else… had taken their place.
He opened his eyes, staring at the moonlit sky.
Images of her earlier that day in the Sutra Pavilion flashed in his mind—the way she tilted her face up, asking “Is it true?”
So bright, so stubborn.
As if trying to see through him.
Xiao Chenyan placed a hand lightly over his left chest.
The heartbeat was steady.
Yet why… did it feel like something was quietly sprouting, breaking the surface?
He stood, walking to the window.
The night wind carried the faint scent of magnolia from afar.
The fragrance reminded him of her.
Xiao Chenyan stood for a long while, until the moon began to wane toward the west.
Finally, he let out a low murmur:
“Troublesome.”
Was he speaking of her… or… himself?