Unveiling

Proofreader/Editor: Nene Yashiro

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“Princess, slow down, slow down!” A young maid, out of breath and waving a handkerchief, tried to keep up with the energetic princess.

“Xiaofu, hurry up! Going so slow is useless; the parade is about to pass by, and if we’re late, we came out for nothing!” A young woman in a red riding outfit moved swiftly forward, glancing back to urge her maid on.

The people around caught a glimpse of a red flash and a faint scent of perfume in the air, leaving the men around captivated.

The young woman in red slipped through the crowd to the front, gazing up at the top scholar on horseback. Though she had seen many fine gentlemen, she had to admit that this newly-appointed scholar surpassed them all.

As the parade continued, the crowd gradually swelled, buzzing with talk of the scholar’s charm. The young woman leaned against a wooden post, quietly listening to the townspeople’s admiration. She folded her arms, nodding now and then.

“Miss—ah! I mean, princess, you ran so fast I couldn’t keep up!” Xiaofu, the maid, clutched the wooden post for support, panting heavily and grumbling a bit.

“I just wanted a glimpse of the top scholar’s charm. I’d say sneaking out today was worth it! Let’s go back,” the young woman said, pulling the maid along.

“Princess, I heard that the Empress Dowager is considering choosing a suitor for the second princess from among these scholars. Do you think the scholar will catch her eye?” the maid asked, glancing at the princess with a conspiratorial grin.

The princess stopped, snorted, and her jade-like face showed a trace of disdain. “Is she worthy? I hear that the new scholar has gained the Crown Prince’s favor, so Mother can’t force anyone into marriage, can she?”

The maid shrugged and, as they left the crowd, whispered, “Maybe, but… I’ll hold my tongue. Last time, the court maid who gossiped had her tongue cut out—it was a terrifying sight.”

The princess made a face but ignored her maid, retrieved her horse tied nearby, mounted it with ease, and rode off.

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When Tang Jiwei finished the parade, he personally returned the horse he had borrowed. Lu Yuan, still busy serving porridge at his shop, was surprised to see him arrive.

“Hey, Lu Yuan, here’s your horse,” Jiwei called out, cheerfully, completely unconcerned about being recognized.

Lu Yuan looked up from his work, “Just wait a moment; I’ll be right there.”

Having swapped clothes with Tang Chenrui, Jiwei had also removed the striking red flower pinned to his chest. Since he’d been high up on the parade horse, few had seen his face clearly, merely admiring him as the scholar. Only a handful truly remembered his features, so he wasn’t worried.

In the back, as he and Lu Yuan tied up the horse, Lu Yuan looked at Jiwei with a hesitant, inquisitive expression, prompting Jiwei to laugh.

“What is it? Want to say something?”

Lu Yuan raised his head, his eyes bright, and with a serious look asked, “I don’t know you—how do you know my name and that of my horse?”

Jiwei replied casually, “Didn’t I say a mutual friend told me? What? Do you doubt that?”

Lu Yuan shook his head, his gaze nostalgic. “It’s not that; he isn’t that type of person, not at all.”

Jiwei’s pupils shrank slightly as he narrowed his eyes at the boy before him.

Looking down, Lu Yuan spoke softly, “You’re Gu Zhenguan, aren’t you? Whether through disguise or other means, I’m certain it’s you.”

Jiwei chuckled, “Gu Zhenguan is dead, and his entire family has fallen. The one who caused it all couldn’t have escaped death either; you’re mistaken this time!”

Lu Yuan picked up some dry grass, feeding it to his horse, Lion Spirit. “No friend would speak of their companion that way. If you weren’t him, how would you know my story? Your words contradict each other, and there’s only one explanation—you are him!”

Lu Yuan turned around, his gaze fixed intently on Tang Jiwei, his slightly flushed cheeks reflecting a familiar sight to Tang Jiwei.

“You’ve got it wrong. I’m not him. My body, my looks, my status—none of it matches. Even our personalities are different. I don’t even have the red birthmark between his brows. How could I be him?” Tang Jiwei murmured.

Lu Yuan laughed and said, “Even if there’s no such thing as soul-swapping in this world, I’m certain you’re him. The way you ride, it’s exactly the same, as if you’re mirroring him. Others may not notice because they don’t focus on these small details, but I do. For a long, long time, all I remembered was that confident stride on horseback. You can’t fool me, Brother Gu!”

Tang Jiwei sighed, glanced at Lu Yuan’s resolute expression, and sidestepped him, leaving only a faint remark lingering in the courtyard.

“I miscalculated today!”

Lu Yuan burst into laughter, shedding manly tears, and rushed to the quietly grazing Lion Spirit. Laughing and crying, he gently stroked the animal’s mane, eventually collapsing onto the horse’s back, crying his heart out.

The Tang family courtyard was bustling. Madam Xiao’s initial excitement gradually tempered, and she greeted guests with grace. Yet her gaze frequently wandered to the door, unable to contain her thoughts.

Tang De rushed in, tripping over the threshold, and shouted, “Aunt, Aunt! My brother’s back!”

Madam Xiao grabbed him, scolding, “No manners at all! Were you scared that badly?”

Tang De wrestled his ear free from her grip, saying, “I was just too excited! Tell me off later. I need to see my brother!”

Without waiting, Tang De bolted out the door, leaving Aunt Tang sighing in frustration. Her son only ran a small business, while Tang Jiwei had achieved such high status. She couldn’t help but worry about his prospects and her daughter’s future marriage. With a heavy heart, she returned indoors.

As Madam Xiao and the neighbors welcomed Tang Jiwei, he glanced at the throngs of people gathered in the alley. With a resigned smile, he walked inside.

“Neighbor, you’re blessed now! Jiwei’s a top scholar!” said a plump elderly woman from next door.

“Yes, yes, soon they’ll have a new mansion, and we won’t see them here anymore. Jiwei, we’ve watched you grow up, and you’ve made us proud! Don’t forget to visit!”

Madam Xiao smiled graciously, saying, “These years, my son and I owe so much to you all. If Jiwei became a top scholar, it’s thanks to everyone here!”

“Oh, stop! Jiwei’s like a celestial star; we did nothing!” the old lady replied, laughing heartily.

Tang De, standing atop a millstone, called out, “Tonight, in honor of my brother’s success, I’ll host a feast at my inn. Everyone, please come!”

“Congratulations! We’ll be there with the whole family!”

“That’s right. Congratulations to all of us—our street has produced a top scholar!”

With his family’s yard crowded, Tang Jiwei, adept as he was, took the opportunity to slip away, pretending to run an errand.

The barefoot doctor was tending to his herbs and barely looked up as Tang Jiwei entered. Unfazed, Tang Jiwei found a shady spot and settled into a lounge chair with a contented sigh.

“What’s this? Feeling stifled before you’ve even started your career? There’s a long road ahead, boy!” the doctor teased as he looked up.

“Enjoying my misfortune?” Tang Jiwei smirked.

The doctor brought out a bottle of aged plum wine, poured a glass for Tang Jiwei, and sipped another himself with a deep sigh.

“Your mother was the master of brewing this wine,” the doctor remarked.

Tang Jiwei swayed in his chair, enjoying the dapples of sunlight and the gentle fall of apricot blossoms covering him.

“Nothing was ever here. So why should anything be tainted?” he murmured.

Tang Jiwei turned to the doctor, saying, “You’ve been in love with my mother, haven’t you? Since then, or now? You can’t hide it from me.”

The doctor laughed heartily, taking another sip before saying, “The past can’t be chased. Better not to bring it up.”

Rocked by his chair, Tang Jiwei felt a peaceful drowsiness overtake him. In the fragrance of plum wine and the light spring breeze, he drifted into sleep.

“Why apricot trees in your study?” Han Zhen asked as he entered, noticing the petals.

“My mother said apricots clear the lungs and ease the mind,” Gu Zhenguan answered, looking up from his book.

Han Zhen bent over him, close enough for Gu Zhenguan to catch a whiff of perfume.

Wrinkling his nose, Gu Zhenguan said, “Where did you go? You reek of perfume!”

“I hadn’t noticed,” Han Zhen replied, “I’ll use your bath.”

Gu Zhenguan nodded, unbothered, “I’ll call a servant to help.”

Watching Gu Zhenguan’s calm figure, Han Zhen’s expression dimmed, his clenched fists loosening as he went behind the screen.

…

In his sleep, Tang Jiwei’s eyelashes fluttered, a tear slipping down his cheek. For them, some things could only remain dreams, forever out of reach.

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Author’s note: Lanlan’s procrastination and laziness have struck again… only now finally updating…

Dear readers, take your time~ I swear, I’ll update daily!~

If you don’t bookmark this, you might end up pregnant! 【Pregnant, pregnant!】

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