Shi Jun returned to the residence with Luluo, and once inside with the door closed, she finally asked, "What exactly happened?"
Luluo bit her lower lip hard, several times seeming about to speak but holding back.
After a long while, she rolled up her sleeve. On her fair, tender skin, old and new scars overlapped, crimson and raw like blooming azaleas.
Luluo wept, "Sister, I was sent by the prefect. He wanted me to keep watch on Young Master Xie at all times, but the young master conducts himself with utmost propriety—how could there be any stain to find?"
She said, "Sister, as long as I stay here, the prefect will have his eyes on me. I truly cannot go on living like this."
Luluo cried like pear blossoms bathed in rain, her voice trembling so much it was heartbreaking to hear.
Shi Jun listened, her brows knitting deeply. She quickly helped Luluo up and leaned in for a closer look—her flesh was like a pool of soft, rotten mud.
Seeing this, a mist of tears rose in Shi Jun's eyes. A girl of only sixteen, living such a difficult life.
"How do you plan to escape?" Shi Jun asked.
Luluo drew several official documents from her sleeve, stamped with the government seal. She said, "I have blank travel permits. As long as I leave Jiangling, I can go anywhere I want—just… just as long as it's not Jiangling."
"But what about your household registration? You can flee for a while, but what will you do afterward?" Shi Jun questioned.
The household registration system of the Great Sheng Dynasty was extremely strict. With only a piece of paper, even if she could leave Jiangling, what would she do afterward?
"No, sister. There's nothing in this world that silver can't buy. As long as I leave Jiangling, no one will check my registration. Even if I forge one, there's always a way."
Luluo explained.
"There's always a way…"
She raised her eyes to look at Shi Jun, as if she had no road left to walk.
Shi Jun hesitated, but those eyes looked at her, seeing her as their only lifeline.
Shi Jun, oh Shi Jun. You can't even save yourself, yet you want to save others.
"I'll help you—"
The words had barely left her mouth when someone arrived outside the door, and a single sentence made both of them tremble.
"Miss Yingyue, is Luluo here? The young master has sent me to fetch her." Hemu called out.
Hearing this, Luluo shoved the permits into Shi Jun's hands, shook her head at her, then quickly wiped away her tears, lowered her sleeve, and walked out with an air of composure.
The look on her face—like someone going to meet her death—was alarming.
Shi Jun tucked the permits into her sleeve. When she turned back around, Hemu was still outside, his gaze carrying a hint of sympathy.
He said to Shi Jun, "Miss Yingyue, please come along as well."
Shi Jun nodded and followed behind them.
In the study, Xie Changxi propped his hand against his forehead, his knuckles striking the desk in a steady rhythm. The gentle warmth that usually surrounded him had faded, replaced by an invisible pressure.
Hearing the footsteps, he finally looked up.
"It seems Miss Luluo's heart belongs only to the prefect, and that she took the account books from me on his behalf." Xie Changxi curled his lips into a cold smile.
"Since you refuse to stay here, I'll have to send you back to the prefect." With that, Xie Changxi gave a low command: "Hemu, return her to the prefect."
The moment the words fell, Luluo's face drained of color in fright, her pupils trembling incessantly. She bit her lower lip hard—not pleading with Xie Changxi, but turning instead to look at Shi Jun.
"Sister, sister—" Luluo's voice shook like a sieve, her eyes filled with supplication.
Xie Changxi's words had undoubtedly torn Luluo's true face open for her to see.
Shi Jun was certain that Luluo had been using her before. But if a person had a choice, would they really take such a desperate risk?
If Luluo were sent back to the prefect, wouldn't that be sending her to her death?
At this thought, Shi Jun's heart softened, and she immediately kowtowed.
"Young master, Luluo is still young. Spare her this once. Besides, it was I who took it upon myself to let her out. If you must punish someone, punish me along with her." Shi Jun's words were earnest, every sentence working to exonerate Luluo.
Xie Changxi watched coldly as she protected someone she barely knew. He had spelled it out so clearly—she had been used, and still she willingly pleaded for mercy on the girl's behalf.
He wondered whether she was too kind, or too foolish.
"Very well then. Go kneel in the corridor." Xie Changxi's gaze swept over Shi Jun, and he saw that even with her back bent, she remained neither servile nor weak.
Where did that bearing of hers come from?
Xie Changxi's brow furrowed slightly. His tone impatient, he said to Luluo, "Return to your room."
The two each received their orders. Shi Jun knelt in the corridor while the candlelight flickered in the study. Tonight, it was Lanfang who served in the study.
Lanfang saw Shi Jun kneeling and wanted to ask what had happened, but with the young master right there, how could she dare to act rashly?
Xie Changxi only told her to kneel, without setting a time limit.
Shi Jun felt a weight pressing on her chest. She feared both that Luluo would die if sent back, and that she might have truly angered Xie Changxi this time.
At midnight, a crescent moon in the ink-black sky was hidden behind dark clouds. Before her, all was pitch black, and the air carried the wild scent of soil and grass.
Before long, a fine drizzle began to fall.
Though it was summer, the dead of night was cold nonetheless—especially with the rain.
Shi Jun lowered her gaze, her eyes sinking into a void. She couldn't see anything clearly; she couldn't think of anything at all.
She knelt there numbly until dawn.
The next day, morning light broke through. After the rain, the sky was clear and bright, the azure expanse washed clean.
Xie Changxi rose and came to the study in the morning. He saw Shi Jun still kneeling properly in place, her back straight and rigid.
"Get up. Don't be foolish again in the future." Xie Changxi reached out to help her up.
But Shi Jun did not raise her head. Upon hearing Xie Changxi's words, she fell into a daze and fainted.
After this illness, Shi Jun no longer frequently attended to Xie Changxi's side, entrusting all matters to Lanfang.
Lanfang happily accepted, rejoicing over this for several days. Since Lanfang had taken over all the duties, Lingxiang stayed by Shi Jun's side to care for her.
Before Shi Jun woke, Hemu had brought medicine to Lingxiang. Lingxiang decocted it and kept it warm by the stove.
Seeing Shi Jun slowly regain consciousness, Lingxiang hurriedly brought the medicine over, her face full of worry.
"How did sister anger the young master? When has the young master ever punished anyone? And you, sister, have always been the most attentive—how could you have been so foolish?"
"Yes, how could I have been so foolish."
Shi Jun took a sip of the bitter medicine, and her heart turned bitter along with it.
Fearing that Shi Jun might overthink, Lingxiang did not press further and simply sat quietly beside her.
"Is sister in?"
A knock came at the door, and a clear, slender voice sounded from outside.
Shi Jun was familiar with this voice—she had heard it cry, and heard it laugh.
Not knowing what was happening, Lingxiang had already opened the door. Seeing Shi Jun leaning weakly against the bedside, Luluo felt deep guilt in her heart.
"Lingxiang, would you allow me a few words with sister?" Luluo requested softly.
Lingxiang did not agree immediately. She first turned to look at Shi Jun, and only when she saw Shi Jun nod did she close the door and leave.
Luluo knew she had deceived Shi Jun and felt ashamed. She knelt directly by the bedside, tears streaming down her face in torrents.
She took Shi Jun's cool hand in hers and only spoke after a long while.
"Sister, I'm sorry. I… I just, I just had no other way out. Sister, you treated me with sincerity, and I have wronged you."
Luluo wept as she spoke, not seeking Shi Jun's forgiveness, only hoping she would hear her true words.
Shi Jun gently closed her eyes, her mind a blank. Luluo's words went in one ear and out the other.
Whatever she said, Shi Jun no longer cared.
"Your official permit—returning it to you."
Shi Jun took the permit from beneath her pillow.
Luluo knew in her heart that Shi Jun did not wish to see her again, but her conscience would not rest. Even though Shi Jun would not speak to her, she came to see her every day, talking to her as she always had.
That night's incident seemed to have passed for Luluo, as if it had never happened.
One day, Luluo brought Shi Jun her medicine and, along with it, a plate of hibiscus cakes. She pressed her lips together and said, "Sister, I made these myself. Try one and see if they're good."
Shi Jun's cold had mostly recovered, and she only drank half the medicine.
She still refused to acknowledge Luluo, but Luluo furrowed her brows and, as if in a sulk, picked up a cake and fed it to her.
"Is it good?"
Luluo asked happily.
Shi Jun nodded helplessly. Just then, Lingxiang entered the room. Seeing the cakes, she remarked, "Sister Luluo, why have you been going to the kitchen so often lately?"
"Mama Qin was complaining just two days ago that the kitchen boy had been slacking off, always disappearing at night." Lingxiang walked up to Shi Jun, looking her over left and right.
"Sister is much better now. Mama Qin was teasing you, saying that just as the boy slacks off, sister has been slacking off too." Lingxiang raised her brows.
"You, well—since Sister Yingyue isn't going, naturally I have to cover for her."
Luluo's gaze darkened slightly, but she smiled and also handed a piece of cake to Lingxiang.
That evening, Shi Jun went to the kitchen.
The moment she entered, she saw only Mama Qin, who was lighting the fire. Turning her head, Mama Qin spotted Shi Jun.
"I heard from Lingxiang that you were ill. How are you now?" Mama Qin wiped her hands, took Shi Jun's hand, and looked her over from head to toe.
Shi Jun was wearing a moon-white cross-collared short jacket over a plain pleated skirt, as simple and understated as always.
"Much better. It wasn't a serious illness anyway. I missed Mama dearly, so as soon as I recovered, I came to see you." Shi Jun smiled with pressed lips.
"Lanfang was just here a moment ago. You've come at an unlucky time—Lanfang said the young master accepted the prefect's invitation and went to Qingshan Temple outside the city." Mama Qin said.
When Xie Changxi first arrived, he did not eat pastries at night. It was only later that Shi Jun learned the craft and made light, sweet pastries every evening.
Mama Qin had originally thought Shi Jun harbored intentions of becoming a concubine, but it was only after Luluo entered the household that she realized Shi Jun was simply doing her duty.
That was rather strange—what ordinary maidservant would be so thoughtful and thorough?
Shi Jun said, "The young master isn't returning tonight, so I won't make any. I'll take the chance to be lazy."
With that, Shi Jun chatted with Mama Qin for a while.
Mama Qin peered at the sky and frowned. "That boy has been so unreliable lately. It's this late and he still hasn't come back to clean up the kitchen. When I catch that rascal, I'll give him a proper scolding."
"Yingyue, it's getting late. Go back and rest—take good care of yourself." Mama Qin said earnestly.
Shi Jun nodded and turned to head back to the rear courtyard.
The moonlight was clear, silver radiance spreading across the ground.
The household was quiet and peaceful. Low shrubs lined the cobblestone path, rustling in the wind.
Shi Jun took a rare leisurely stroll. Just as she turned around the moon-gate arch, she saw a figure moving furtively ahead in the moonlight.
The shadow stretched long and thin. Before long, the figure turned and stirred.
"Luluo!"
Shi Jun furrowed her brows and called out coldly.
At the sound, Luluo froze in place, staring straight at Shi Jun.
"Sister, we truly came at a bad time." Luluo let out a short sigh, then stepped forward to meet Shi Jun's gaze.
The shrewdness and ambition in Luluo's eyes were laid bare, yet they seemed to carry an emotion Shi Jun could not decipher.
"What are you doing?"
Shi Jun felt a lump in her chest as she furrowed her brows and asked, sensing that Luluo was up to something unsavory.
"Why bother, sister? After today, the Pacification Commissioner will meet his end. Let's take this chance to run away, sister." Luluo raised an eyebrow at her, her heart full of anticipation for Shi Jun's reply.
Shi Jun had once pleaded for mercy on her behalf, and now that the opportunity had come, she too was willing to leave Jiangling with Shi Jun.
Luluo pulled a travel permit from her sleeve, and seeing that Shi Jun remained silent for a long while, she already knew the answer in her heart.
"Sister, take care of yourself."
With those words, Luluo turned and walked away without looking back.