"Who killed her."
Song Zhiluan tapped the sandalwood chest before her and asked curiously, "What's this?"
"Open it and see."
Zhinu stepped forward and opened the chest, revealing a complete set of shadow puppets. The figurines were exquisitely crafted and vividly painted, clearly of considerable value.
"It's been so long since I've seen these," Song Zhiluan reminisced for a moment before smiling. "What made you think of giving me this all of a sudden?"
Xu Yaochen brushed his hand over the carved patterns on the chest. "I was afraid you'd be bored after General Xie left. Playing with some old things might bring a bit of novelty."
Whether from the Western Regions or the frontier lands south of the Yangtze, rare treasures were often presented by officials from various provinces. Song Zhiluan, who loved indulgence above all else, found few things in the world that could pique her interest—especially in recent days since Xie Yujin had departed.
"Boredom is indeed a reality, so I'll accept it," Song Zhiluan instructed. "Don't put it away just yet. Take it to the backyard. I'll head over shortly."
The maids responded in unison.
Seeing that she had accepted the gift, Xu Yaochen fell silent for a moment before speaking up. "If you find yourself with free time, you can send someone to notify me. I could come to keep you company."
He added, "I'll be at your beck and call."
Song Zhiluan was taken aback, then looked him up and down with a laugh. "Has the sun risen from the west today? Back when I used to collect beauties for my residence, you never ceased nagging in my ear about preserving my reputation. How is it that you're now wading into muddy waters yourself?"
Xu Yaochen replied earnestly, "'How can one satisfy everyone? I only seek a clear conscience.' We are above reproach, and our integrity speaks for itself. Compared to your well-being, my reputation is of little importance."
Song Zhiluan feigned a troubled expression, shaking her head and clicking her tongue. "What a pity, what a pity! I've long made a vow to my husband, swearing never to seek pleasure with other men again. Otherwise, I would have agreed."
Upon hearing this, Xu Yaochen could not conceal his disappointment.
She had deliberately misinterpreted his meaning as a tactful refusal.
He had never compared himself to Xie Yujin before, but at this moment, he keenly felt the disparity.
If he had possessed even half the courage of Linghuai, would it have been him to whom she pledged her vow?
Lost in his thoughts, Xu Yaochen only saw Song Zhiluan's rosy lips moving but failed to grasp her words.
She picked up the jade ruyi scepter from the table and tapped his hand with it, jolting him back to reality. "Why are you spacing out? What do you think of what I just said?"
"What?"
"Tell me, is there any young lady in the Imperial City who has caught your eye?" Song Zhiluan said with a smile. "I could act as your matchmaker. What do you think?"
After seeing Xu Yaochen off, Yunu was about to enter when she suddenly turned aside—a pebble clattered to the ground.
She spotted the familiar carriage but intended to ignore it and walk away. However, the person inside lifted the curtain and called out in a frivolous tone, "Sister Yunu, look what this is."
Song Zhen deliberately mimicked the guards' manner of speaking. Having heard enough of his sarcastic remarks, Yunu remained unruffled and fixed her gaze on the object in his hand.
It was a tattered piece of red cloth.
Though seemingly ordinary, Yunu's expression shifted subtly as she stared intently at the item in Song Zhen's hand.
The crimson hue resembled the blood that had once stained the waters of Beihuai River.
A faint pain began to throb in Yunu's eyes.
As she looked at Song Zhen, her vision blurred into scenes of raging storms, boiling rivers, and countless towering ships engulfed in flames.
The heat and distant cries felt both vivid and remote.
"We're surrounded." A bone-chilling pain pierced through her organs. She saw herself cough up a mouthful of blood, her face deathly pale as she said, "Wolves ahead and tigers behind. This is the burial ground they've chosen for us."
Before she could finish speaking, several deafening explosions suddenly rang out.
Yunu turned her head and saw massive waves erupting. The multi-story ship, large enough for dozens of riders, had been blasted open with gaping holes.
Blood and shredded flesh splattered across her already bloodless face. But this was only the beginning. Moments later, the second and third explosions followed… a dense cascade of blasts detonated in her ears.
"Just now, Her Highness and Zhinu boarded the ship," Mo Che clenched his fist.
A wave of dread surged uncontrollably from the soles of her feet, rapidly climbing to the crown of her head.
Yunu seemed to see a demon, gripping him tightly. "You said Zhinu and Her Highness are on that ship!"
The surroundings fell into dead silence.
Yunu held her sword, her hand covering her face, yet her trembling pupils reflected a small boat approaching them through the chaos of shattered wood and boiling oil.
On the small boat sat only a young man, his left arm bloodied from the explosion. Zhinu and the young princess huddled together for warmth.
…
Yunu shifted her gaze away. When she looked back, her mind had steadied, and she walked toward the carriage.
Reaching Song Zhen, she said, "That day, I tore off a piece of my robe and promised you two wishes. Today, you've come to me with my token. What do you want me to do?"
Song Zhen put on the airs of a nobleman, his smile roguish. "This lord lacks nothing. It's just that in recent years, I've been plagued by headaches, fevers, and sleepless nights. I've sought out immortals and fortune-tellers everywhere, and only yesterday did I obtain a miraculous prescription. It requires three liang of cicada shells from golden autumn cicadas collected during the Waking of Insects, two liang of new tea leaves from Putuo Mountain during the new moon, one liang of incense ash accumulated over a century from the bodhi leaves outside Yue Mountain Temple, and half a jin of saliva from live fish in the New Moon Pond. These must be brewed into medicine and consumed for three years to achieve a full recovery."
The more Yunu listened, the tighter she clenched her fist. "The young master is delicate and precious. It's understandable."
Surprisingly, Song Zhen wasn't angered. He continued with a smile, "This lord isn't deliberately tormenting you. It's just that because of this matter, I've lost all appetite and become indifferent to heat and cold. If you gather the medicinal ingredients for me, perhaps I'll recover after taking them."
Yunu glanced at the red cloth, then looked at Song Zhen's clearly teasing handsome face, as if weighing the truth in his words. For a moment, she didn't respond.
People came and went on the road, but her ears were eerily clear.
"If this is your wish, then I will seek Her Highness's permission today and set off tomorrow."
Song Zhen was unusually calm with her today, crossing his legs and saying, "This lord thinks you might as well go with Linghuai. The princess isn't incapable of leaving Jing. All these things are in the north, and General Xie is also there. It would alleviate their longing for each other, and this lord would also gain a good outcome."
Yunu didn't answer and left directly.
Song Zhen watched her retreating figure, his smile gradually fading until he seemed to have lost his soul. He shouted, "Why are you leaving? Did you hear everything clearly?"
Yunu's figure disappeared in front of the Princess Manor.
A guard reminded him, "Young master, given the current special circumstances, if the prince finds out you came here, he won't let it go easily."
Song Zhen closed his eyes. "So what? Are you going to report me?"
"This subordinate wouldn't dare."
"I think you dare quite a lot," Song Zhen said indifferently. "When we return to the manor, take my token to the treasury and fetch two ingots of gold. Swallow those words and keep them in your belly."
Yunu entered the Princess Manor but saw Zhinu sitting in the garden, her thoughts seemingly far away.
She asked, "Why aren't you with Her Highness? What are you doing here?"
Zhinu said with deep concern, "Sister, didn't I tell you before that I've been having this nightmare I can't wake up from?"
"Hmm."
"I dreamed it again yesterday," Zhinu hugged herself tightly, trembling with fear. "I dreamed His Highness died, right before my eyes."
Yunu frowned. "Who did it?"
Zhinu had always been able to see unusual things since childhood – she was a particularly spiritual child. The Imperial Observatory had repeatedly tried to recruit her from His Highness, but to no avail.
Yunu never treated her words as mere jokes.
Zhinu remained silent for a long moment.
"Xie Yujin."
…
Yunu's brow furrowed deeply. "Zhinu, are you certain of what you saw?"
Zhinu clutched her head.
Her small face scrunched up in confusion, even beginning to doubt her own dream, though her dreams had never been wrong before.
But what reason would the consort have to kill His Highness? Could he still resent His Highness for arranging their marriage? Despite all the kindness His Highness had shown him over the years, could none of it outweigh that resentment?
Yunu noticed Zhinu's distress and reached out to help her up. "Perhaps it was just someone with a similar figure. Don't worry – unless they kill me first, as long as I'm by His Highness's side, I'll protect him with my life."
In the backyard of Guo Gong Fu, the evening glow bathed the young woman's delicate, jade-like face, while leaping flames intertwined with the magnificent sunset.
The sandalwood emitted a cool, subtle fragrance as it burned. Zhinu looked puzzled: "Your Highness, why do you always keep half of what Imperial Academician Xu gives you and burn the other half?"
Song Zhiluan's pupils reflected the flames. "Nonsense, I've never burned anything from him."
Yunu watched the young woman wearing the jade-adorned belt, remaining silent.
Zhinu seemed not to understand, propping her chin as she watched the wooden box crackle in the fire.
As the flames flickered, Song Zhiluan's eyes sparkled with interest. "It's just that if I don't burn them, I keep remembering a certain face."
Yunu asked, "Chancellor Xu?"
Zhinu replied to Yunu, "How could it be Chancellor Xu? He treats Your Highness so well. Your Highness even used to call him uncle."
Song Zhiluan pulled at Zhinu's sleeve, smiling as she gently smoothed it. "I just thought it would be amusing to see the expressions on my father and Xu Qingqu's faces if I called him that."
Those who had betrayed her were more than just 'uncle.'
Both Yunu and Zhinu fell silent simultaneously, and the courtyard became quiet.
Song Zhiluan disliked heat. As the fire grew stronger, she didn't want to stay any longer. Walking into the corridor, Yunu said, "Does Your Highness wish to see the consort?"
Song Zhiluan thought she misheard. "What?"
Before speaking, Yunu kept recalling Song Zhen's expression and tone when he spoke.
Song Zhen was always someone who treated trivial matters with great seriousness and jokes with partial truth. His suggestion for the princess to go find the consort together might not have been accidental.
It might be dangerous for Your Highness to remain in the Imperial City.
After a brief pause, she said, "Last year, Your Highness mentioned wanting to see the maple forest at Zhou Mu Terrace. The maple leaves have turned red by this season – Your Highness could go see them."
Song Zhiluan was surprised by her suggestion, but didn't let the words hang in the air. A knowing smile touched the dimples at the corners of her mouth: "You've reminded me well. I've long grown tired of the Imperial City. It's time to find some amusement elsewhere. Yunu, have the preparations made immediately. We'll depart as soon as possible."
The carriages and boats were ready within a single day.
The princess's procession left the plains, traveling north until they stopped to rest at a residence.
Outside the residence stretched a vast maple forest. Under the molten gold of the setting sun, countless red leaves emitted a hazy glow.
Zhinu couldn't sleep at night, her heart unsettled with a premonition that something was about to happen. Just as her hand touched the bedside, the window was pushed open with a bang. She turned to look.
Her Highness the Princess, renowned for her beauty, had smeared her face dark and changed into men's clothing. Her black hair was pinned up with a white jade hairpin, and when she smiled, her teeth gleamed startlingly white in the night.
"…"
Darkness swam before Zhinu's eyes as she rushed over in distress: "Your Highness, who smeared your face like this?"
Yunu looked rather pleased: "I did. Is there a problem?"
"…"
"It's too exaggerated! Anyone would recognize Your Highness is a woman," Having served by Song Zhiluan's side for long, Zhinu couldn't bear to see any flaw on her. Upon closer look, she noticed small, unblended dark patches on Song Zhiluan's face. Darkness threatened Zhinu's vision again. "Your Highness, how could you let Yunu ruin your face like this!"
Yunu: "?"
Song Zhiluan had checked herself in the mirror—admittedly rough, but passable. Yet seeing Zhinu's strong reaction, she grew uncertain and had Yunu carry her through the window.
With patrolling guards still in the residence, the three moved furtively in their own home as if engaged in some shady business.
Without lighting lamps, Zhinu worked swiftly and skillfully by moonlight, quickly smoothing out the uneven areas. She didn't forget to blend the makeup along Song Zhiluan's neck.
Once finished, Zhinu's furrowed brows finally relaxed: "This is much better. Your Highness, where are we going?"
Song Zhiluan stood up, placing her left hand on Yunu and pulling Zhinu with her right. "To the military camp."
Xie Yujin rubbed the blood jade in his hand, its crimson veins seeping through the chalcedony, strikingly beautiful.
"How many people?"
The soldier replied: "Three. This subordinate noticed their bright clothing. One robed young master asked me to give this jade to you, General, saying you would surely let them in upon seeing it. Fearing to delay important matters, I had them wait in the outer camp while I came to report."
"Bring them here."
"Yes."