He Didn’t Leave Until Daybreak
Bright sunlight streamed through the paper windows. It was a sunny day.
When Xia Ruochu woke up, she was the only one lying in bed, and the meditation room was completely quiet.
She sat up with the quilt wrapped around her. Xinyi’s calming medicine had truly been effective. She had slept so deeply that she had lost all sense of time. After a moment of confusion, scattered memories of the previous night slowly surfaced.
Looking at the narrow meditation bed beneath her, she still found it hard to believe that Xiao Chengyi had really shared a bed and pillow with her for an entire night.
This bed was clearly only large enough for one person to sleep comfortably.
Yet the faint, crisp fragrance of cool sandalwood still lingered around the pillow and bedding, even more distinct than she remembered from last night.
Could it really be that they had… slept on top of each other?
She hurriedly shook her head to dispel those absurd images from her mind, but her ears unconsciously grew warm.
Bihan entered the room and, seeing that she was awake, brought in some hot water.
“Young Lady, you really slept soundly. His Highness went to the front courtyard early this morning to discuss official matters with the Prefect. Before leaving, he specifically instructed us to let you sleep as long as you needed and not disturb you. He also said he’d return at noon to have lunch with you.”
From what Bihan said, he had not left until daybreak. Xia Ruochu felt her ears grow hot and her heart beat faster.
Bihan called toward the doorway, and several older female servants began carrying redwood trunks into the room.
“These are…” Xia Ruochu exclaimed in surprise.
“Prince Su’s residence arranged for someone to deliver them early this morning. I heard they set off before dawn. The mountain roads were muddy and slippery, so bringing everything up here was quite difficult.”
Bihan stepped forward and opened the trunks. Inside were neatly folded dresses, brocade-lined jackets, and cloaks, along with hand warmers, warm hats, and everything else she might need.
There were also several cases containing brand-new dressing accessories and combs, and even rouge and face powder from Luhuanong, a famous cosmetics shop in the capital.
Looking at everything, Xia Ruochu could not help smiling.
“The rain has already stopped. The mountain road should be completely passable by tomorrow at the latest. Why go to so much trouble?” She picked up a cloak trimmed with snow fox fur. It felt soft and warm beneath her fingers. “It’s almost as though we’re planning to stay here for a year or so.”
“This servant thinks His Highness truly cares for Young Lady,” Bihan said with a soft laugh. “You’ve only just recovered from your fever, and His Highness doesn’t want you to suffer any more discomfort.”
“Would he really be so considerate toward me?” Xia Ruochu pondered briefly. Although she found it somewhat unusual, she could not think of another reason.
She remembered that before falling asleep last night, he had agreed to let her manage Yangyi Hall. She had pleaded with him sweetly, and he had agreed.
He had also accepted the sachet she had given him earlier.
Perhaps they really could get along well.
Something seemed to gently soften her heart, though all she said aloud was, “I suppose this is how a prince accustomed to luxury does things. Everything has to be done on a grand scale.”
Away from the residence, Xia Ruochu was even less inclined to bother with elaborate hairstyles and makeup.
She merely asked Bihan to use a pale green silk ribbon to loosely gather a section of her long hair at the back of her head into a flowing-cloud bun, leaving the rest of her dark hair cascading down like drifting clouds.
Without any cosmetics on her face, her eyebrows looked even more like distant mountains tinged with dark green, her eyes shimmered like autumn waters, and her lips were naturally red without rouge. She radiated an unblemished purity.
Once she had finished washing and dressing, Xia Ruochu pushed open the door and stepped outside.
These several courtyard-style meditation residences were situated in the quietest part of Liandeng Temple and had always been reserved for members of the imperial clan and other distinguished guests. At this hour, the morning sunlight filtered through the branches and leaves of ancient trees, while the fresh fragrance of plants filled the air. She took a deep breath, feeling refreshed and invigorated, and could hardly wait to go out for a walk.
But the moment she opened the door, she was startled.
Outside the meditation courtyard stood seven or eight men, all dressed in dark blue-green fitted uniforms. They stood perfectly straight, listening solemnly to Guan Shuo’s instructions.
From their appearance, she could tell they were secret guards. They wore neither armor nor sabers, presumably because they did not want to frighten the worshippers coming and going or disturb the temple’s tranquility. They therefore could not make their presence too conspicuous.
When Guan Shuo saw her emerge, he paused briefly before stepping forward to salute her.
“Greetings, Princess Consort. By His Highness’s orders, additional guards have been assigned to protect you.”
“Jiang Ren and Shang You have served His Highness for many years. Both their martial skills and loyalty are beyond reproach. From now on, they will serve as your personal guards. Your Highness may rest assured in all matters.”
“Thank you for your trouble, Commander Guan.” Xia Ruochu looked at the two young guards who had stepped forward and waved her hand with a cheerful smile.
“Let them go back. I don’t need guards. I’m almost ready to return to the residence anyway. Besides, with His Highness by my side, what danger could I possibly be in?”
The surroundings fell silent for a moment.
Apart from Bihan, everyone’s expression stiffened slightly.
Guan Shuo tugged at the corners of his mouth.
“Your Highness is right. However, these are His Highness’s orders, and we dare not disobey.”
“Even after Your Highness returns to the residence, there will always be occasions when you need to go out. Having these two accompany you and carry out your instructions will certainly be more convenient.”
His words made considerable sense.
On second thought, Xia Ruochu realized that managing Yangyi Hall would indeed require her to leave the residence frequently. If she encountered that irritating Zhao Shu again, she could simply leave the two guards to deal with her instead of wasting her own time.
She smiled and said, “Are you two generals genuinely willing to do this? I’ve heard that people who follow me tend to have bad luck. They often end up receiving strokes of the military staff for no reason.”
“Princess Consort, how could you say such a thing?” Guan Shuo’s face reddened slightly. “If anyone dares spread malicious gossip behind your back, I’ll drag him out and have him beaten to death!”
Shang You, who appeared particularly steady and composed, also spoke.
“Your Highness must be joking. It is our honor to protect the Princess Consort.”
Jiang Ren, on the other hand, had a more lively personality. He grinned and said, “This subordinate is more than willing! Everyone’s been craving Your Highness’s Overlord Tea. They all say that thanks to you, even the servants at Grand Madam Rong’an’s residence have grown noticeably rounder in the face.”
The moment someone praised her cooking, Xia Ruochu’s eyes lit up.
“Are you all from the northern regions? Have you had any trouble adjusting to the climate and food since coming to Lin’an?”
“I can make more than just Overlord Tea. I can also make roujiamo[1]Roujiamo (肉夹馍): A Chinese street food consisting of tender, seasoned meat stuffed inside a crispy, flatbread-like bun. Often called a Chinese hamburger. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3616512_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3616512_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });, noodles with fried bean sauce, fruitwood-roasted duck, goose stewed in an iron pot, hand-grabbed lamb, Beijing-style shredded pork, Kung Pao chicken, spicy crayfish, luzhu huoshao[2]Luzhu Huoshao (卤煮火烧): A traditional Beijing dish made with pieces of wheat flatbread simmered in a rich, savory broth alongside pork intestines, pork lungs, and other ingredients. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3616512_1_2').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3616512_1_2', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });, tripe with sesame sauce, and doornail meat pies… How about I make some for you to try when I have some free time?”
She rattled off a long string of dish names in one breath. Everyone’s eyes instantly lit up, and the sound of people swallowing could clearly be heard.
Guan Shuo looked deeply regretful.
“Although I’ve never heard of many of those dishes, just hearing their names makes me want to eat them. Unfortunately, since I serve His Highness, I’m afraid I won’t have the good fortune to taste them.”
“Don’t worry, don’t worry,” Xia Ruochu said readily. “I’ll simply prepare two extra portions and save them for you and His Highness.”
As she spoke, she had already begun walking toward the exit.
“Where is Your Highness going?” Guan Shuo stopped her.
“His Highness instructed that, because of last night’s unexpected incident, the surrounding area may still be unsafe. It would be best for Your Highness not to go out. If you truly wish to take a stroll, please allow me to report to His Highness first.”
“I’m not a prisoner,” Xia Ruochu said helplessly. “I’m only going to walk around inside the temple. I’m not going anywhere else.”
If someone wanted to harm her, they could strike at any moment. She could not possibly hide inside a room for the rest of her life. Nevertheless, she understood that if she left without saying anything, Guan Shuo would inevitably be placed in a difficult position.
After thinking for a moment, she turned and ran back into the meditation room. Before long, she emerged holding a sheet of plain writing paper.
“Then please give this to His Highness for me.”
There was only one line of delicate handwriting on the paper:
“I’m going out to play.”
At the end, she had even drawn a crooked little smiley face.
Guan Shuo stared at the note, momentarily at a loss for words.
He had never seen anyone dare leave a message for Prince Su in such a playful manner.
But Xia Ruochu had already walked out of the courtyard, with the guards and Bihan following closely behind.
Watching that graceful figure disappear into the distance, Guan Shuo silently sighed, a trace of complicated reluctance flashing across his face.
He had come to understand a little of this Princess Consort’s temperament. She appeared easygoing, but in reality, she had a mind of her own. It seemed that every time she went out, trouble arose out of nowhere. It would be best to report to Prince Su as quickly as possible.
Not daring to delay, he carefully put away the note, turned, and hurried off.
The weather was clear and pleasant, and worshippers streamed into Liandeng Temple without interruption.
Among them were ordinary commoners dressed in plain cloth, as well as wealthy families in respectable clothing accompanied by servants. Clearly, the roads at the foot of the mountain had become much easier to travel.
However, beneath the western corridor, a long line of commoners waited quietly. Most were villagers dressed in simple clothing, their faces showing signs of exhaustion as they stood patiently in line.
Just as Xia Ruochu was wondering about this, she happened to see the temple’s kitchen steward monk, who had prepared her medicine yesterday, passing by with several other monks. She stepped forward, called out to him, and asked about the situation.
The kitchen steward was responsible for managing the temple’s vegetarian kitchen, including overseeing ingredients and preparing vegetarian meals. Knowing that she was Princess Consort Su, he naturally answered her respectfully.
It turned out that the weather had recently turned bitterly cold, with heavy dampness lingering in the air, and many nearby residents had fallen ill. Every ten days, Liandeng Temple set up a charitable medicine stall, distributing commonly used medicinal herbs and arranging for monks knowledgeable in medicine to examine the pulses of the poor.
If any of the villagers were seriously ill, the temple would also arrange meditation rooms where they could stay temporarily until they had recovered enough to descend the mountain.
Upon hearing this, Xia Ruochu’s expression grew serious.
“Is there enough vegetarian food? People who are ill need even more care with their diet and nourishment.”
“We were just about to purchase some ingredients. Although our vegetarian meals are simple, we do our best to prepare hot porridge and steamed cakes.”
“If you have to go down the mountain to buy supplies, can you return the same day?” Xia Ruochu asked with concern.
“Your Highness may not know this, but there’s no need to descend the mountain. There’s a market halfway up the Western Mountains. The paths are narrow and rocky, so carriages cannot pass, but people can travel there and back on foot or by donkey or horse.”
“The market is quite lively. Farmers from the Western Mountains bring freshly harvested seasonal vegetables, newly dug winter bamboo shoots, wild ferns, and mountain mushrooms. There is also freshly hunted game from the local hunters. Even wealthy households in the city often send their stewards there specifically to purchase supplies.”
A trip to the vegetable market!
Xia Ruochu immediately became interested and hurriedly said, “Master, I’ll go with you. I can help with some things.”
“My family has been preparing and selling medicinal cuisine for generations, so I know a little about dietary nourishment. With the cold and rainy autumn weather, dampness can easily harm the spleen and stomach. Most of the illnesses affecting the villagers are likely caused by exposure to wind and cold, combined with dampness accumulating internally.”
“Adding a little perilla leaf and dried tangerine peel to the porridge can help disperse wind and cold, regulate qi, and harmonize the stomach. Mixing some poria powder into the flour for the steamed cakes can help strengthen the spleen and drain dampness.”
“If the temple has old ginger and red dates, you might as well brew a large pot of ginger and red date tea. Give everyone a cup when distributing the medicine. It’s particularly effective for warming the stomach and dispelling cold, while helping the medicinal effects spread throughout the body.”
Hearing that everything she said was reasonable and intended to help the sick and suffering villagers, the kitchen steward immediately looked grateful.
“Amitabha! Your Highness has a compassionate heart and a wise nature. Your kindness will bring immeasurable merit.” However, he then showed some hesitation. “It’s just that this humble monk and his disciples will be making the journey on foot, so our pace will be slow. Your Highness is of noble birth, and I’m afraid it would be inconvenient for you to accompany us.”
Only then did Xia Ruochu remember something, and she blinked.
That’s right. She now had personal guards of her own. Wherever she wanted to go, she only had to give the order.
She turned around and looked at Jiang Ren and Shang You, who had yet to catch up with her train of thought.
“Where are your horses? I want to ride to the market.”
The dozen or so horses belonging to Prince Su’s residence were all housed in the stables near the meditation courtyard.
Among them was Xiao Chengyi’s entirely black horse, Zhuiyun.
The horse was exceptionally strong and tall, its coat gleaming like satin. It carried itself with an arrogant bearing and possessed an air of untamed wildness.
Even from a distance, Xia Ruochu was already eager to give it a try.
A spirited horse recognized its master, and the guards were worried that it might reject a stranger. They first brought out some fodder and tried to help her become familiar with Zhuiyun, thinking that if it really did not work, they could simply choose another horse.
Instead, Xia Ruochu took a piece of honey-glazed candy from her pouch. She had made it by slowly simmering pear juice and licorice over a low fire, producing a sweet that soothed dryness and promoted the production of fluids.
What no one else knew was that Xia Ruochu and this horse were actually old acquaintances.
That year, when the army returned victorious, Xia Yunxiao was rewarded for his military achievements and allowed to select one horse from several fine steeds of the Western Regions bestowed by the Emperor.
According to custom, Xiao Chengyi should have been given the first choice, but he had yielded that privilege to Xia Yunxiao.
Xia Ruochu had pestered her older brother into letting her accompany him to choose a horse. Among all the magnificent steeds, she had spotted Zhuiyun at first glance, when it had not yet fully matured. The other horses stood with their heads held high, but Zhuiyun alone turned its head and gazed at the shiny piece of candy in her hand with its moist eyes. It had even approached her of its own accord.
She had smiled and fed it the candy.
An official from the Court of Imperial Stud, which oversaw the imperial horses, had said that although this horse was the youngest, it was of pure Dayuan horse bloodline. It had a tall shoulder height, long legs, strong hooves and pasterns, and bright, intelligent eyes that seemed to understand people. In the future, it would undoubtedly become an exceptional warhorse, one in ten thousand.
Back then, at the riding grounds, Xia Ruochu had been the first person to ride Zhuiyun at a gentle trot around the grounds.
In the end, Xia Yunxiao neither tried riding it nor chose it. Instead, without hesitation, he left the finest horse for Xiao Chengyi.
On the second day after her wedding, along the bamboo-lined path, Xia Ruochu had recognized Zhuiyun beneath Xiao Chengyi, now grown into a magnificent and imposing steed.
Three years had passed, yet when Zhuiyun stood beside her, it had even quietly rubbed its nose against her arm, clearly searching for the sweet scent of candy inside her pouch.
At the time, Xia Ruochu had been preparing herself emotionally to shed tears, and the horse had nearly made her burst into laughter instead.
Now, as she stroked Zhuiyun’s smooth neck, her voice softened.
“You’ve already been to the battlefield and earned military honors, so why are you still such a glutton? I’ll bring you more next time.”
“I’m wearing a beautiful long dress today, so you must behave yourself. Whatever you do, don’t throw me off!”
Behind her, Shang You and Jiang Ren listened to her coaxing tone, as though she were comforting a child, and could not help turning their faces away to suppress their laughter.
Normally, Zhuiyun would not allow anyone other than Xiao Chengyi to ride it. How could a few sweet words possibly tame it?
Yet before their smiles had even faded, they saw Xia Ruochu lightly place her foot in the stirrup and swing herself onto the horse.
In the blink of an eye, she was already sitting steadily in the saddle.
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