“Don’t you trust me?” Shen Tinghe pretended to pull her hand away, but he immediately tightened his grip around it.
“I do.”
He completely enclosed her delicate hand in his palm and pressed it against his chest, his gaze burning as he looked at her.
“My Yuanyuan naturally deserves to be cherished in the palm of my hand and treasured for a lifetime.”
That night, red candles burned brightly in the Eastern Palace bedchamber, while the brocade curtains hung low.
For some reason, Xie Yanzhao was more passionate than usual, and far more uninhibited, as though he wanted to confirm something and claim something, leaving his mark upon every part of her.
“Brother… husband… be gentler…” Tears glistened at the corners of Shen Tinghe’s eyes, and she pleaded in a broken voice.
Xie Yanzhao held her tightly from behind, his scorching breath brushing against her ear and neck. His voice was so hoarse it was almost unrecognizable as he stubbornly asked,
“Jiaojiao, whose are you?”
Shen Tinghe’s consciousness was hazy. She whimpered in response,
“Brother’s… I’m Brother’s…”
Yet he was still not satisfied. He caught her earlobe between his lips and pressed her for an answer.
“Call my name.”
“Xie Yanzhao… Xie Yanzhao…”
She called his name again and again in a tearful voice, receiving in return increasingly intense embraces, as though they wished to crush each other and then melt into one.
The candle wax slowly accumulated, while the intimate warmth inside the curtains seemed so thick that it could not disperse.
At the height of passion, Xie Yanzhao held her tightly as she trembled uncontrollably, burying his face in the sweat-dampened hollow of her neck. His words seemed to burn themselves into her very flesh and bones, one by one.
“Yuanyuan, you are mine.”
“For all eternity.”
Spring was in full bloom in the Imperial Garden.
Shen Tinghe was half-sitting beside the railing of a pavilion overlooking the water.
She had grown a little bored staying in the Eastern Palace, but she also did not dare go to Xie Yanzhao’s study.
She certainly did not want to be pinned down once again between piles of official documents and memorials, blushing as she listened to him call her “Yuanyuan” in his low, amused voice.
“Crown Princess, try these freshly made rose pastries. The Imperial Food Bureau just sent them over.”
Qingyu poured a cup of tea and pushed a delicate plate of pastries toward her.
Qingxu held a silk tapestry folding fan, gently fanning Shen Tinghe from beside her. The butterfly-and-flowers design on the fan seemed almost lifelike as it shifted between light and shadow.
Out on the spacious lawn beyond the pavilion, Qinglan and Qingdai were flying an enormous butterfly-shaped paper kite.
The kite was exquisitely crafted and brightly painted. It soared high beneath the deep-blue sky, almost as though it were a real butterfly about to come alive and flutter away.
“Qinglan, let out more string and let it fly higher!”
Shen Tinghe was unable to resist being drawn in by the sight. Leaning against the railing, she called out with a bright laugh.
“Yes, Your Highness!”
Qinglan answered while skillfully controlling the spool.
Just then, a slender figure followed the kite in the sky and hesitantly made her way into the Imperial Garden.
As Dangyu Tuoya looked up at the gorgeous butterfly soaring in the wind, pure wonder and longing appeared in her eyes.
Without realizing it, she followed its direction toward the pavilion. At a glance, she saw the elegantly dressed woman surrounded by palace maids inside.
Shen Tinghe was dressed today in a light rosy-pink palace gown, with a matching layer of delicate gauze over it. Her hair was adorned only with an exquisite white-jade hairpin, yet this simple arrangement made her skin appear even fairer than snow, while her brows and eyes looked as though they had been painted by an artist.
She leaned there in a relaxed manner. Whenever she turned her head to speak with the maids, there was an unconscious languor and radiance in the corners of her eyes and brows an air that came naturally to someone who had been carefully cherished all her life.
Dangyu Tuoya found herself staring for a moment.
It was only today that she had learned this woman’s identity.
She was not only the current Crown Princess, but also the legitimate daughter of Prince Ding’s residence, the beloved granddaughter of the Grand Princess Zhaorong, and the Emperor’s niece.
She had been pampered and treasured since childhood, and had married the heir to the throne, with the couple deeply devoted to each other.
So there really was a woman in this world who seemed to have been favored by Heaven to the utmost living like the most precious pearl, radiant and dazzling, untouched by the dust of the world.
A feeling mixed with envy and melancholy suddenly rose in Dangyu Tuoya’s heart.
She was about to quietly retreat when the woman in the pavilion had already turned her gaze toward her.
“Princess Yuansha?”
A faint smile curved Shen Tinghe’s lips. Her voice was clear, gentle, and warm.
“Since you’re already here, would you like to come over and sit for a while?”
Dangyu Tuoya was slightly stunned. It would be difficult to refuse, so she entered the pavilion and gave a formal curtsy.
“Dangyu Tuoya greets the Crown Princess.”
“There’s no need for such formalities, Princess. Please sit.”
Shen Tinghe gestured for Qingyu to prepare another seat and pour some wine.
“This is Dazhao’s Yuhuchun. It’s mellow, pure, and pleasantly sweet. Give it a try, Princess.”
Dangyu Tuoya accepted the white-jade cup with both hands and took a small sip.
The wine was smooth and warm, carrying a floral and fruity fragrance. It was completely different from the strong, burning wine of Yuansha.
Her eyes brightened slightly, and she sincerely praised it.
“Excellent wine.”
Shen Tinghe smiled and took a small sip from her own cup.
The atmosphere fell silent for a moment.
Dangyu Tuoya put down her cup, her fingers unconsciously rubbing the smooth surface. Finally, she gathered her courage and spoke softly.
“About what happened at the Thousand-Autumn Banquet yesterday… I hope the Crown Princess can forgive me. I…”
She wanted to explain that it had not been her intention and that she had been forced by her elder brother. But when the words reached her lips, they suddenly felt pale and inadequate, as though she were merely making excuses for herself. Her voice gradually faded.
“It’s all right.”
Shen Tinghe’s tone remained calm, as though she were speaking about something completely insignificant.
“I know that wasn’t what you truly wanted.”
Dangyu Tuoya looked up in surprise.
“Crown Princess… how did you know?”
Shen Tinghe looked at her with clear, perceptive eyes.
“The expression on your face at the time was as calm as still water. There was no eagerness in your eyes to curry favor or compete for affection. Instead, you looked like a puppet who had no choice but to obey. On the other hand, your elder brother seemed unusually excited when you spoke.”
The simple remark seemed to strike directly at the vulnerable place Dangyu Tuoya had tried so hard to conceal.
A self-mocking smile tugged at her lips. The bitterness she had suppressed for so long suddenly gave her the urge to pour out her feelings before this noble Crown Princess who, despite her status, did not make others feel pressured.
“The Crown Princess sees through everything.”
Her voice became even softer, carrying a trace of uncertainty.
“I am merely an insignificant princess of Yuansha. It was only because I learned some dancing from my mother when I was young and happened to have one skill to offer that my elder brother brought me to Dazhao.”
“My elder brother… ordered me to find a way to approach His Highness the Crown Prince. He said that even if I could only obtain the lowest position, it would still greatly benefit Yuansha. And perhaps… my mother’s life in the palace would become a little easier because of it.”
After saying this, she instinctively looked toward Shen Tinghe, expecting to see contempt or wariness in her eyes.
Yet the other woman merely listened quietly. Her expression barely changed. In those beautiful eyes, the daylight and shimmering waters outside the pavilion were reflected, remaining peaceful and reassuring.
Indeed, Dangyu Tuoya suddenly thought, perhaps the predicament she regarded as a life-long shackle something so humiliating that she could hardly bring herself to speak of it was merely like a passing breeze to this Crown Princess who had been born with everything.
Shen Tinghe lifted the wine pot and personally refilled her cup before asking slowly,
“Why did you tell me all this, Princess? This… could also be considered part of Yuansha’s intentions.”
Dangyu Tuoya held the warm wine cup in her hands, feeling its heat gradually seep into her palms. She spoke quietly.
“Because I think the Crown Princess is a very good person.”
Upon hearing this, Shen Tinghe smiled softly. Her smile was as bright as spring sunshine.
“I merely invited you to have a cup of wine and try some pastries, and that was enough for you to praise me so highly? You really are straightforward, Princess.”
Dangyu Tuoya smiled as well and did not offer any further explanation.
Perhaps this Crown Princess, who had grown up immersed in love and affection, would never understand.
To her, this cup of wine, this piece of pastry, this simple invitation
To Dangyu Tuoya, they were among the few acts of respect and kindness she had received in this cold world that carried no ulterior motive beyond personal gain, aside from what she had received from her mother.
During the more than ten years she had spent in the Yuansha royal palace, she had tasted every form of neglect and contempt.
Thus, even these small traces of warmth were enough to make her feel grateful.
They were even enough to make her willing to take a little risk and reveal a few words of truth.