"Do you like it?"
"Place your bets! Today is the third day of the month—Linghuai Princess is due to select male concubines. Everyone, guess how many men she'll take back today!"
"I bet on two! Lately, the princess has been radiant with joy. When she's in a good mood, she always takes more!"
"You're mistaken. If the princess looks happy, it must mean she already has a favorite in her manor. I bet she won't take any at all."
Due to the constant flow of talented scholars and beauties around the Princess Manor, land prices in Changle Ward, just a stone's throw from Zhaoren Ward, have skyrocketed. Teahouses line the streets, offering clear views of the two stone beasts guarding the manor's entrance.
Amid the bustling crowd placing bets, a storyteller nearby sipped tea during his break. Recently, Linghuai Princess had frequently appeared in the wards, and the area outside her manor was packed with handsome young men, so crowded it was impassable and buzzing with excitement.
Song Zhen slumped on his mat with dark circles under his eyes. His tea had long gone cold, and he hadn't bothered to have it refilled, looking like a downcast nobleman cast out by his family.
For several days now, Linghuai hadn't stepped foot outside her Princess Manor, nor had she allowed anyone in. He had no idea what she planned to do with Xie Yujin. If this dragged on for another day or two, even he wouldn't be able to cover it up. It was a case of "the emperor isn't anxious, but the eunuch is."
"Still, why are these men so eager to chase after Linghuai Princess when she's so obsessed with male charms? Last year, I saw the new top scholar detour past the Princess Manor during his victory parade. His intentions were clear to everyone in the Imperial City—it's utterly disgraceful."
Song Zhen had long found such talk distasteful but, constrained by his status, couldn't voice his disapproval. He shot a glance at his guard beside him.
Interpreting his lord's meaning, the guard replied, "Linghuai Princess is the emperor's second daughter. Born during an era of endless warfare across the land, His Majesty bestowed upon her the childhood name 'Linghuai,' after the prosperous Linghuai County. After ascending the throne, he granted her a title and a manor, showering her with unparalleled favor. This alone shows how cherished she is by the emperor. Though the princess may be somewhat libertine, marrying her would be the greatest fortune…"
Before he could finish, the gates of the Princess Manor slowly swung open.
Song Zhen immediately straightened up.
Two maidservants emerged from the manor and announced, "Gentlemen, please take note. Her Highness has decreed that she will no longer be selecting entertainers or attendants to enter the manor. We ask that you seek other patrons."
Their words sparked an uproar outside.
Before putting her plan into action, Song Zhiluan had hesitated for a long time.
Her relationship with Xie Yujin was slightly better than anyone imagined.
She had been a princess for three years, but most of her life had been spent following armies on campaigns across the realm. One year, at the cusp of spring and summer, their camp was pitched at the foot of a green mountain, where flowers bloomed across the hillsides.
Xie Yujin had injured his arm and was barred from the battlefield. As the troops marched south, he wore a scowl all day.
That night, he refused to enter his tent, instead sitting under a tree with his sword, one leg bent as he feigned sleep.
Song Zhiluan rewrapped his wound, the removed bandage faintly stained with blood.
The youth avoided her gaze, lazily raising his injured hand. "It won't kill me to change it tomorrow."
Song Zhiluan studied Xie Yujin's face intently until he shifted uncomfortably. Only then did she smile and say, "But it will hurt. Fresh medicine will ease the pain. Endure it a little longer."
After bandaging his wound, she tucked a sprig of Chinese flowering crabapple into the tassel of his sword sheath. "You endure it too. Wait a while longer before returning to battle with your master."
They were perhaps each other's rare friends.
The so-called clashes and mutual indifference had only emerged in the past two years.
Song Zhiluan had nearly forgotten how it all began, but during this time she had come to understand her own feelings.
She would feel heartache, anxiety over potential loss, her heartbeat quickening with just one glance from him.
She had fallen for Xie Yujin.
Xie Yujin had been confined in the Princess Manor for three days.
Mist-like smoke permeated the bedchamber as night fell, the entire room filled with the faint fragrance of pear blossoms.
That night, Song Zhiluan hadn't managed to accomplish much. The night was deep and heavy with dew, and she was thoroughly drunk. She only vaguely remembered seeing Xie Yujin and stumbling drunkenly toward him…
It took several maids working together to pry her off him. After finally completing her bath, she had no recollection of what happened afterward.
She woke at sunrise the next day, sitting slumped by the bedside, her clothes in disarray, her white dress revealing much of her skin.
No need to investigate closely – she must have undone them herself.
When she looked up and met Xie Yujin's calm, unruffled gaze, Song Zhiluan felt even more embarrassed. She began to deeply doubt herself – the pear blossom fragrance had burned all night. She had been drunk and unresponsive, but had Xie Yujin really shown no reaction at all?
Pretending to be composed as she straightened her dress, Song Zhiluan left the next day after tossing out the words, "I tired you out yesterday. Rest well, this princess will return tonight."
Only tonight did Song Zhiluan regroup her courage, bringing two jugs of wine with her.
Her room contained many rare imperial texts. At that moment, Xie Yujin was holding a book, supporting his head with one hand, his expression neutral yet his exceptionally handsome face made it impossible to look away.
Song Zhiluan hadn't prepared outer garments for him, so he wore only simple sleeping robes, the collar hanging open.
She sat down opposite him, her glance catching the distinct contours beneath his clothes, which made her choke. The sound drew the man's gaze, sticking to her.
Song Zhiluan downed the wine in one go, hardened her heart, removed her outer robe, placed her hands on Xie Yujin's shoulders, and sat on his lap.
After all, between the two of them, she was always the one taking initiative. There was no harm in her taking the lead in this matter too.
Xie Yujin discarded his book and watched her quietly.
Song Zhiluan had used too much force earlier and had hurt herself from the impact. Now her eyes glistened with a thin mist, her freshly bathed skin flushed pink, her sleeping robes loose and slipping between her lotus-root-like arms.
Not even daring to look up at him, she lowered her head and began untying his clothes.
Usually, just Xie Yujin looking at her would make Song Zhiluan nervous. Now with their bodies pressed close and breaths mingling, her heart felt like hot springs were surging within, waves of heat washing over her. When her fingers touched the muscles beneath Xie Yujin's undergarments – those firm, clearly defined muscles between adolescent and mature man – her fingertips trembled slightly, accidentally brushing lightly across them.
A slender hand clamped around her wrist.
Song Zhiluan seemed startled, her lips parting slightly. Whether from heat or intoxication, her eyes and nose tip were faintly red, making it seem not like she was the one with improper intentions, but rather that he was about to do something to her.
Xie Yujin narrowed his eyes.
What Song Zhiluan thought was: she hadn't been in the room long before the pear blossom fragrance made her limbs go weak. Xie Yujin had lived here for two or three days, yet he still had such strength.
She should have come later.
Now, no matter how much strength Song Zhiluan used, she couldn't break free from his grip to advance further. Seeing her face flushed red, Xie Yujin quirked the corner of his mouth, his tone languid: "Why bother with such condescending actions? Your Highness doesn't lack for male concubines, does she?"
Too close.
So close that the warm breath from his words flowed against her neck, the brief, cool tone of his voice only intensifying this burning sensation.
Song Zhiluan's entire side pressed against him felt numb and limp, unable to exert any strength. She ceased struggling and wrapped her free arm around Xie Yujin.
Xie Yujin's robes had been shed by her, while her own garments hung loosely. In this firm embrace, she could distinctly feel the delicate texture of his musculature. The moment she held him, Song Zhiluan clearly sensed the stiffness in his body.
It seemed he wasn't as indifferent as he appeared.
No, this reaction was only natural—he was merely eighteen after all.
A flicker of anticipation rose in Song Zhiluan. Before beginning, she kissed the side of Xie Yujin's neck, then lifted her lips before leaning down again to gently nibble the faint blue vein on his throat. "You're not a male concubine—you're my consort. How could sharing intimacy with someone I love be considered lowering myself?"
Xie Yujin braced his hands behind him as if in disbelief, though the gesture only created a momentary distance between them.
The sheer gauze of her dress swayed around his waist and abdomen. Song Zhiluan's slender fingers undid the coiled buttons of his collar, layer by layer, while her pale, smooth legs pressed tightly against his.
Feigning composure, Song Zhiluan leaned over him, placing her hands behind his waist as she bent to kiss his eyes. Xie Yujin neither avoided nor resisted, his lowered gaze fixed intently on her.
"Does it feel better now? This incense was specially selected under my orders. After days of breathing it in, aside from release, there's no other antidote."
She tightened her embrace around Xie Yujin, guiding his hand to rest suggestively on the small of her back. "These coming days, I'll share your bed every night."
Noticing how the man's tall frame remained taut like a fully drawn bow, Song Zhiluan swallowed subtly, a tingling sensation spreading through her lower back. She longed to see Xie Yujin succumb to desire—the deeper and more inscrutable his gaze grew, the more she anticipated what was to come. "Everyone in the Princess Manor knows we're sharing this chamber. Even if we claimed nothing happened, no one would believe it. You understand this too—that's why you haven't resisted, isn't it?"
"From the moment you were brought into my bedchamber, our fates were destined to intertwine—"
The young woman's words were cut short as she tumbled onto the bed, her expression dazed as if still processing what happened. Her soft robes hung in disarray, revealing a slender waist and skin like tender snow, while her hand still clutched the half-undone tie of the man's garment.
A vein throbbed in Xie Yujin's neck. With darkened eyes, he pinned her wrists, pulling the tie from her grasp. As he loosened his collar, he gripped her legs and dragged her beneath him, his voice dripping with icy sarcasm near her ear.
"With twelve male concubines, can't even untie a man's clothing ties?"
When the moment truly arrived, hearing the rustle of discarded garments behind her, Song Zhiluan instead buried herself face down to escape his gaze. Heat flooded from her cheeks throughout her entire body, burning crimson. "Why would I need to untie them? I only enjoy listening to music."
On the fourth day, continuous drizzle pattered outside. Beneath the adjustable window, clusters of vines climbed, their unnamed blossoms displaying pink stamens. The rain-freshened breeze carried a faint chill and waves of floral fragrance.
Silk curtains draped softly over the gilded incense burner, their translucent fabric billowing where incense smoke lifted a corner.
Xie Yujin slowly opened his eyes, his peripheral vision catching a glimpse of pale smoothness—the young woman's delicate, pearly back. Two thin straps had just been loosely fastened, while multiple bruises marked her willow-like waist.
Song Zhiluan was rising to dress when the movement caught her attention, her fingers pausing mid-motion.
She turned and saw Xie Yujin sitting upright, tilting his head with lowered gaze as he grabbed her embroidered quilt and lifted it aside.
Memories from last night flooded back. Song Zhiluan was in high spirits—though they hadn’t gone all the way, they had still shared an intimate connection.
“Looking for this?”
Xie Yujin lifted his head. Some items had fallen to the floor last night and hadn’t been tidied yet. The young woman stood amidst the disarray in her lotus-root-colored undergarment, lips curved upward, her lightly charming eyes glistening like dewdrops.
Song Zhiluan’s slender, pale legs stepped barefoot across the empty space. She took two steps toward him, deliberately or not, stepping on his underpants. Her snow-white toes curled slightly as she lifted her lips and said, “This one’s unwearable now. I’ve prepared a new set for you—it’s by the bedside.”
The young man seemed to ignore her intentional teasing and rose to dress.
Song Zhiluan sat on a low stool, staring intently at him.
She could never quite figure Xie Yujin out.
At times, he was genuinely detached, never wasting any unnecessary emotion.
They had just been intimate.
How could he act exactly the same as before?
Xie Yujin dressed in front of her, concealing the scratches on his back. His demeanor was so composed it was as if he were alone in the room—he didn’t even ask her to step aside.
Perhaps he knew she wouldn’t leave.
So, was Xie Yujin resigned to his fate, or was he treating her as invisible?
Song Zhiluan couldn’t bear being ignored by him. Once he was dressed, she wrapped her arms around him from behind and mused, “Tell me the truth, General Xie—do you like it when I call you by your full name?”
The incense from last night had taken effect, and Song Zhiluan had been proactive. Everything had unfolded naturally, yet he had refused to take the final step. She had tried coaxing him with words, but he showed no reaction—his body was warm, yet his eyes were cold.
It wasn’t until she called his name that he lowered his head to kiss her, resolving the matter in another way.
Song Zhiluan felt her cheeks grow warm.
Sure enough, upon hearing her words, Xie Yujin paused almost imperceptibly.
“Do you like it?” Song Zhiluan didn’t miss his reaction and felt pleased. “Should I call you that more often from now on?”
Xie Yujin pried her hands away, his tone neither warm nor cold as it drifted down from above her. “Your Highness is overthinking.”
“No, it must be true—Xie Yujin, Xie Yujin, Xie Yujin.”
Though Song Zhiluan knew many flirtatious tricks, she was still in her teens, experiencing romance for the first time. Holding the one she loved and speaking sweet nothings made her somewhat bashful.
After speaking, she subtly touched her reddened earlobe.
Her heart felt impossibly soft.
Fine, she conceded. As long as this man would be hers in the future, she was willing to endure any punishment from her father, the Emperor.
Before Song Zhiluan could say more, Zhinu’s voice came from outside the door: “Your Highness, Gao Gonggong is here.”
“So soon?” Song Zhiluan quickly released her hold, casually grabbing an outer robe to drape over herself. “Let him in.”
The guards at the door nodded to Zhinu and stepped aside for the two.
Gao Gonggong instructed two junior eunuchs to wait outside and followed Zhinu in. As the door opened, a whiff of unusual fragrance greeted him.
Passing several screens and gauze curtains, Zhinu halted, and Gao Gonggong found a suitable spot to stand.
There weren’t many men permitted to serve in the princess’s bedchamber—most were exceptionally handsome, and he had met a few. Yet the man before him, clad only in inner garments, surpassed all previous ones in both stature and appearance, despite bearing the same face as the young General Xie.
Song Zhiluan summoned Zhinu to help her dress, her demeanor perfectly composed. "What brings Gao Gonggong here today?"
Gao Gonggong smiled in reply. "Your Highness, His Majesty has ordered this servant to summon you to the palace. The imperial kitchen has prepared new delicacies today, and His Majesty wishes to dine with you. I came in haste and did not expect to disturb Your Highness… and the General. I beg Your Highness's forgiveness."
"Understood."
"Forgive this old servant's impertinence, but it would be best if Your Highness departs immediately. His Majesty awaits you in the Hall of Mental Cultivation."
Seeing not a trace of surprise on the old eunuch's bald head, Song Zhiluan knew her actions had already reached her father's ears. But this was exactly what she had anticipated. Had her father remained unaware, she would have had to inform him herself. Now it saved her the trouble.
Having made peace with the situation, Song Zhiluan grew even more unrestrained in her behavior. She replied lazily, "Very well, you may withdraw for now. This princess still has matters to discuss with General Xie."
Gao Gonggong: "As you command."
Zhinu also withdrew, closing the door behind her.
Song Zhiluan walked up to Xie Yujin and embraced him, pressing her ear against his chest to listen to the vigorous, powerful beating of his heart. She laughed softly, "To celebrate this special day, I've prepared a gift for you. Would you like to see it?"
The young maiden hadn't washed or applied makeup yet, her soft, snow-white skin fully exposed. Her body was suffused with the scent of pear blossoms, intertwining and merging with his own scent – clear evidence of their intimacy the previous night.
Yet Xie Yujin merely glanced at her before fastening his belt. "No."
"Stubborn."
Song Zhiluan buried her face against him and bit him, right over his heart. But she couldn't bring herself to bite hard, making it look more like a kiss.
"Whether you want to or not, you're going to look. If you refuse, I'll go to Guo Gong Fu tonight and sit on your lap to make you look at it personally."
Song Zhiluan retrieved a square box inlaid with turquoise from the table, took Xie Yujin's hand, and placed it in his grasp. "This princess keeps her word. Keep it safe."
Several maids promptly entered to attend to her as she rose.
When Xie Yujin left the bedchamber, two guards initially moved to block his path. But the sound of their sword sheaths clashing drew no reaction from Song Zhiluan. Exchanging a glance, they stepped aside.
Song Zhen was dozing in the carriage when a guard nudged him awake. As his eyelids fluttered open, he spotted his friend emerging from the Princess Manor and was overjoyed.
"Finally out! You kept me waiting long enough!"
Song Zhen scrutinized the young man before him. "Linghuai didn't do anything to you, did she? No missing arms or legs. I thought since she couldn't get what she wanted, she might take her frustration out on you."
"Is this from Linghuai?"
Song Zhen's gaze fell upon the box in Xie Yujin's hand and the lock on it. "What treasure is this? Have you opened it to look?"
Xie Yujin cast an indifferent glance at the box.
The next moment, he released his grip. The box fell from his hand and rolled to the base of a nearby wall.
He withdrew his gaze.
"No. Nor is there any need."
Song Zhen made disapproving sounds. "Linghuai is young and has been spoiled rotten. Don't take it to heart."
In the past, no matter what Linghuai did, Xie Yujin would turn a blind eye. When he couldn't avoid her, he never showed any emotion – like that time she dressed in soldier's attire to sneak into the training grounds to see him, demanding to share his horse. Even then, he showed no signs of anger.
It was as if he was naturally detached, with neither positive nor negative emotions running strong.
Today was an exception.
Before Song Zhen could finish speaking, the young man had already boarded the carriage, leaving only the gently swaying tassels beneath the curtain.
Song Zhen urgently urged the guard to retrieve the box.
Just as the guard reached the spot, a young woman suddenly appeared from nowhere and picked it up first.
Her movements were considerably faster than his.
The guard looked up in astonishment. The young woman before him wore the attire of a palace official, her face slender as a waning moon. While women in the Imperial City currently favored the trendy rounded crescent eyebrows, she naturally possessed long, straight, and sharp eyebrows that carried an imposing aura, making one dare not look directly at her.
"Sir, this item…"
"Yunu!" Song Zhen immediately dropped his smile, strode forward, and grabbed her arm. "How dare you show yourself before me, the heir!"
Yunu finished inspecting the box with a furrowed brow and pushed his hand away. "The heir should return now."
"Return? How dare you drug my wine and knock out both me and Xie Yujin!" Song Zhen gnashed his teeth. "I wondered why you suddenly sent wine to apologize. So this was your scheme all along."
Yunu showed no trace of embarrassment at being caught. "The heir overthinking. Yunu has never done anything wrong. Why would I need to apologize?"
"You country bumpkin still have the nerve to say that? Stubborn and unrepentant!"
Hearing this, a surge of inexplicable anger rose in Song Zhen, and he immediately tried to seize her. Yunu reacted swiftly, not only evading his grasp but using the momentum to kick him back several steps.
The guard quickly supported Song Zhen, who gasped in pain and snapped, "Where are your eyes? Didn't you see this woman attack? You just stood there!"
Before the guard could respond, Yunu spoke first: "It's been half a year since I last sparred with the heir. You seem to have grown weaker."
"You're asking for death…"
"This humble official must attend to the princess now. Excuse me." Yunu entered the Princess Manor with the box.
In the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Song Zhiluan had been kneeling for two hours.
The father who had promised to dine with her was still nowhere to be seen.
With no one around, she secretly sat for a while, but then footsteps sounded behind her. Song Zhiluan straightened up and squeezed out a few tears.
"Xiao Luan."