Chapter 34

After a nearly sleepless night, Yiling still failed to find even a shred of inspiration.

In the morning, she sat devoutly and solemnly at her dressing table, taking out all her jewelry to study each piece, but still came up empty-handed.

After racking her brain for two or three days, Yiling finally decided to give up and go along with Xie Hengzhi’s suggestion: carving a chi tiger pattern onto the hairpin’s handle.

After all, he was a top scholar. Even if his aesthetic taste leaned toward the conventional and old-fashioned, it was still better than her own helplessness.

Moreover, the chi tiger resembled a dragon, symbolizing divine strength and authority. While it lacked originality, it conveyed respect.

Thus, Yiling asked Mallow to find some intricate chi tiger pattern designs, and she personally used paper and a pen to copy them.

At least this way, it could count as her own effort, right?

When the ink dried, Yiling examined the patterns on the paper, deliberating for a while. Since no other ideas came to her, she had no choice but to bring the gold hairpin along to deliver it to the Eastern Palace.

Feeling guilty, she secretly hoped the process would be more cumbersome, giving her more time to delay presenting something she was unsatisfied with.

Unexpectedly, as soon as Shen Shufang heard she had arrived, all formalities were waived, and Yiling was directly ushered in.

When Yiling stepped into the main hall, Shen Shufang was already waiting for her.

“Such a small matter, why did you come personally?” Shen Shufang asked.

“How could anything involving Your Highness be a small matter? This humble wife dared not be careless.”

As she spoke, Yiling bowed deeply. “This humble wife greets the Crown Princess.”

“There’s no need for such formality between us, come, sit down,” Shen Shufang replied. Her tone was as usual, but her voice carried a faint hoarseness.

Looking up, Yiling saw Shen Shufang’s sickly appearance. Even with makeup, it couldn’t fully conceal her pallor.

“Your Highness, are you unwell?” Yiling asked.

“Just a slight cold,” Shen Shufang said, seemingly unwilling to linger on the topic. Before Yiling could inquire further, Shen Shufang turned her concern toward her instead. “You were gravely injured when you fell into the water before, and today is especially cold. Are you feeling all right after coming all this way?”

“The palace physicians are highly skilled. Other than an occasional cough at night, I’m mostly fine now,” Yiling replied.

With the pleasantries exchanged, Yiling found herself at a loss for further conversation.

Usually, Shen Shufang was the more talkative one, but today she seemed disinterested, her gaze unfocused, lost in thought.

Seeing this, Yiling had no choice but to risk embarrassment.

She awkwardly took out the gold hairpin and her copied design, handing them to Shen Shufang.

“His Highness the Crown Prince is of the utmost status. This humble wife thought long and hard and dared not risk being disrespectful, so…”

Lacking confidence, Yiling’s voice naturally softened, failing to pull Shen Shufang out of her thoughts.

It wasn’t until the items entered her line of sight that Shen Shufang’s gaze suddenly sharpened. Without waiting for Yiling to finish, she smiled and took the design.

However, upon unfolding it, her smile inexplicably stiffened.

After a moment of stiffness, she forced herself to squint and examine the pattern for a while, racking her brain as much as Yiling had in the process. Finally, she grasped the subtlety of the design.

“This chi tiger pattern may appear simple, but its brushstrokes are profoundly intricate. Each line is ethereal at the start and vigorous at the end, displaying extraordinary skill unmatched by ordinary hands. Truly worthy of Mrs. Xie’s craftsmanship.”

Yiling: “…”

That wasn’t necessary.

But seeing that her work had somehow passed inspection, Yiling let out a sigh of relief.

“Your Highness overpraises me. This humble wife is undeserving,” she said.

“Ah, but what a pity,” Shen Shufang said with a sigh, folding the design. “It seems it won’t be needed after all.”

Yiling had just begun to relax when her nerves tensed up again. Her mind raced through ten thousand possible ways Shen Shufang might question her identity, and she spoke cautiously.

“What’s wrong? Is Her Highness dissatisfied?”

Seeing her so anxious, Shen Shufang quickly explained, “Why would I be dissatisfied? Sister, don’t overthink.”

She turned her head to glance at the lacquered wooden box containing the gold hairpin and smiled faintly. “It’s just that the Crown Prince’s birthday isn’t merely a birthday this time. He’s also marrying the legitimate granddaughter of Zhou Ge Lao as a concubine.”

She opened the lacquer box, took a quick look at its contents, then closed it and set it aside.

“As the Crown Princess, a simple hairpin won’t suffice. A grand gift is needed to congratulate His Highness on gaining a new bride.”

Though Shen Shufang usually carried herself with an air of superiority, looking down on others, Yiling, as a fellow woman, couldn’t miss the faint bitterness in her smile.

If she truly didn’t care, she could have sent the gold hairpin crafted with such effort along with the other congratulations gifts. Why leave it untouched, gathering dust?

“Your Highness… you…”

“Stop making that face,” Shen Shufang interrupted with a hearty laugh, her voice suddenly louder.

“Sister, do you think I’m jealous? Since coming of age, I’ve always known my fate was to become the Crown Princess. Why would I concern myself with such trivialities?”

“It’s just a concubine now. There will be many more women entering the Eastern Palace in the future.” She scratched her temple with her slender fingers, feigning distress. “I’ve even been keeping an eye on the noble young ladies of the capital for His Highness. Unfortunately, there aren’t many exceptional ones of the right age.”

“It’s unreasonable for the Eastern Palace to remain so empty. His Highness will need more people to attend to him eventually. But I’m naturally fond of peace and despise fools. Who knows if I’ll ever have peace of mind in the future?”

She wasn’t wrong.

Back then, although Yiling and the other young ladies of noble households were somewhat intimidated by Shen Shufang, they couldn’t help envying her good fortune. She was promised to the Crown Prince at a young age and destined to become the most honorable woman in the land.

Moreover, the Crown Prince was a paragon of the royal family noble, virtuous, and gentle. He had known Shen Shufang since childhood and treated her with exceptional kindness.

But everyone seemed to overlook one crucial fact: the Crown Prince, as her husband, was a man who could never be wholly devoted to one woman. Shen Shufang had no choice but to become the most magnanimous woman in the realm.

Now, the Crown Prince was merely taking a concubine. Once he ascended the throne, new women would be brought into the palace one after another. At that time, there would be no room for emotions; simply dealing with the constant influx of beauties would be headache enough for Shen Shufang.

If it were Yiling in her place, she doubted she’d be able to keep her position as queen.

At least Xie Hengzhi was just…

Wait.

Yiling suddenly looked up, blinking.

What on earth was she feeling relieved about?

No matter how difficult things were for Shen Shufang, at least she married her childhood sweetheart legitimately. Meanwhile, Yiling had to share a bed with her enemy.

She was the toad stuck on a shoe not biting, just making everyone uncomfortable!

After completing her task with Shen Shufang, Yiling should have felt lighter, but she remained sullen and silent on the way back.

Mallow and Mama Cao knew nothing and dared not ask.

When they returned to Xie Mansion, Yiling found Xie Hengzhi sitting in Linfeng Yuan, playing chess against himself. Her anger flared even more.

Hearing her return, Xie Hengzhi didn’t look up. He pondered his move with the black pieces for a moment, then picked up a white piece. Only after placing it did he say calmly, “Make preparations. Tomorrow we’ll go to Shuize Peak to soak in the hot springs.”

Hot springs? Why not just soak in the underworld?

“I’m not going,” Yiling said coldly.

Xie Hengzhi finally looked up, only to meet Yiling’s furious glare.

By now, he was accustomed to Yiling’s unpredictable moods and didn’t plan to argue.

“Are you sure?” He placed the white piece down and added, “Didn’t you still have a cough at night? Shuize Peak’s hot springs are highly effective for cold-induced ailments.”

Yiling froze mid-step but refused to turn around. Only her ears twitched slightly.

Xie Hengzhi continued, “Cold entering the body isn’t a big issue, but if you’d rather not go, so be it.”

Not a big issue? Cold-induced ailments could cause aches and pains on rainy days at best and lead to death at worst!

And those were the renowned hot springs of Shuize Peak famous throughout the capital for their miraculous effects on cold-related illnesses. Even those without ailments could use them to rejuvenate and maintain youth.

But such a wondrous place was, of course, reserved for the imperial family. Ordinary people couldn’t even dream of visiting.

Even imperial children needed the Emperor’s approval to soak in the Shuize hot springs.

Finally, Yiling turned around slowly.

“I… am allowed to enter?”

“If I’m taking you, of course, it’s with the Emperor’s permission,” Xie Hengzhi replied. “Soon, the snow will start falling, and the mountain will be sealed. You won’t have another chance.”

“Then… I’ll go.”

The next morning, Yiling woke up earlier than Xie Hengzhi, a rare occurrence.

Her body might still be in Xie Mansion, but her soul had long since reached Shuize Peak.

Her excitement wasn’t just about the hot springs themselves.

Shuize Peak, located in the suburbs of the capital, was the farthest Yiling had ever traveled aside from being forcibly sent to Qingyang.

If she traveled just a bit farther east, she would leave the capital’s borders entirely.

To travel so far just for a soak in the hot springs, it was something Yiling had never dared to dream of before.

As they drew closer to their destination, Yiling’s anticipation gradually faded away.

Firstly, the journey was long and tiring. They had set out before dawn, endured the weariness of riding, and only reached Shuize Peak by noon.

Secondly, Shuize Peak was completely different from the places Yiling usually frequented.

Being a royal private domain, it was inaccessible to ordinary people, and the path was desolate.

When the sky darkened slightly, the steep and overgrown mountain forest seemed to echo with eerie sounds of ghostly fires and fox cries, exuding an ominous, chilling atmosphere.

Yet, at the peak of this place, a resplendent palace emerged from the ground, glorious and magnificent.

Looking up at it, Yiling was not overwhelmed by the grandeur of the Tangquan Palace. Instead, she felt an indescribable discomfort, similar to what she had felt upon seeing the lotus-filled pond in the queen mother’s garden on a snowy day.

The people accompanying her noticed Yiling’s enthusiasm waning but assumed it was due to the exhaustion of a day-long carriage ride.

When they finally arrived at the main gates of Tangquan Palace, Yiling, with her brows furrowed and eyes downcast, stepped off the carriage. Xie Hengzhi suddenly asked, “You don’t like it here?”

“How could I not?”

Startled that Xie Hengzhi had seen through her thoughts, Yiling instinctively refuted, “I’m just a bit tired.”

Just then, the maids and eunuchs of Tangquan Palace arrived to greet them, taking over the luggage from the Xie family servants and preparing to escort Yiling inside.

Yiling said no more and followed the palace maids briskly.

The exterior of Tangquan Palace was already lavish, but its interior was even more extravagant.

Following the palace maids, Yiling passed through grand pavilions and terraces and walked by dozens of hot spring wells before finally reaching the Yichun Palace, designated for women’s bathing.

Contrary to the dainty and delicate pavilion she had imagined, the Yichun Palace was as imposing as any courtly palace hall.

It was spacious and square, with ceilings so high they seemed to reach over ten zhang, and even the carved designs on the ceiling were hard to discern.

Yet such a grand hall served no other purpose but to house a pool in the center, about the size of four or five canopy beds, where hot spring water flowed in for the nobles to bathe.

The hall was majestic yet empty, and even the maids’ conversations echoed back.

The oppressive feeling surrounding Yiling grew heavier, even giving rise to an inexplicable sense of fear.

After the maids helped her pre-wash and change into the pool, they withdrew, leaving only Mallow and a steward of Tangquan Palace to wait nearby.

With the departure of most people, the vast hall fell completely silent.

Soaking in the water, Yiling clung to the edge of the pool. From time to time, she looked up at the ceiling or glanced around at the golden columns, unable to stop her imagination from running wild.

In such an empty place, if a villain were to appear, she, stark naked, would have nowhere to hide.

At this thought, Yiling felt goosebumps rise despite being immersed in the warm spring water.

She glanced around nervously before lowering her voice to ask Mallow, “Where is the master?”

Mallow, lost in thought about why the spring water was warm, hadn’t yet responded when Xie Hengzhi’s voice suddenly came from beyond the curtains behind her.

“I’m here.”

The moment Yiling heard his voice, she instinctively covered her chest with her hands and turned around sharply, sending ripples across the water, echoing her rapidly beating heart.

Clearly startled, Yiling anxiously searched for Xie Hengzhi’s location.

Finally, she spotted his blurry figure behind the curtains, about three chi away from the pool. Her heart raced even faster.

Still holding her chest with both hands, she stared warily at the curtain for a long time. Seeing that Xie Hengzhi showed no intention of entering, she finally let out a breath of relief.

Gradually, Yiling turned back around and leaned against the edge of the pool, lowering her hands.

She sneaked another glance back and saw that Xie Hengzhi seemed to be leaning against a pillar, showing no signs of either entering or leaving.

In short, his presence made the already quiet hall even more solemn.

But at the same time, it was precisely because of his presence that Yiling’s inexplicable sense of danger dissipated.

The only thing that changed was her body temperature, which felt noticeably higher than before.

Though she knew Xie Hengzhi would likely not lift the curtain to enter, the thought that he was separated from her naked self by only a thin veil made Yiling uneasy.

As for why Xie Hengzhi stood there, the answer was obvious, but Yiling refused to dwell on it.

Over time, all around her fell silent again.

Yiling closed her eyes, her ears filled only with the sound of water rippling.

About an hour later, the palace maid reminded Yiling that her time in the pool was up, as prolonged soaking was inadvisable.

Yiling, having sweated profusely, felt thoroughly refreshed.

When Mallow came to help her out, Yiling turned back to glance behind the curtain.

“The master left just now,” Mallow said, noticing her gaze. “It seems the King Yan and Princess Consort arrived today, and the master went to greet them.”

Yiling exhaled softly before leaning on Mallow’s arm to step up the pool’s stone stairs.

Mallow asked casually, “But why was the master just standing there, neither coming in nor leaving? It was as if he were guarding the door.”

Yiling: “…”

She glanced at Mallow but said nothing.

The King Yan and Princess Consort’s visit to Shuize Peak was a spur-of-the-moment decision, unexpected by everyone.

Nevertheless, since they had come, it was only proper for Yiling to pay her respects.

This seemed to align with Xie Hengzhi’s intentions as well.

By the time she was fully dressed, Xie Hengzhi’s men were already waiting outside the hall to escort her to the King Yan’s quarters at Yongcui Pavilion.

By now, night had fallen. While the Princess Consort was still bathing, the King Yan, impatient, had already started a feast in the pavilion.

As Yiling approached Yongcui Pavilion, the sound of music and instruments reached her ears.

The King Yan, a hedonist who indulged in pleasure, was naturally informal and unrestrained.

Upon entering, Yiling found the music still playing. After exchanging brief courtesies with the King Yan, she lifted her head, her gaze meeting Xie Hengzhi’s across the table.

He seemed far more relaxed in the King Yan’s company, no longer as stiff and solemn as usual. He tilted his chin slightly toward Yiling, motioning for her to take a seat.

This banquet was naturally something she had to attend, and Yiling couldn’t afford to offend the King Yan.

However, just the thought of sitting next to Xie Hengzhi made Yiling feel a subtle sense of repulsion.

Clearly, she had been forced to face him for a long time already, yet for some reason, at this moment, she felt an unexpected resistance.

After taking her seat, Yiling didn’t know what to do, so she quietly ate her meal.

“Didn’t Mallowprepare food for you earlier?”

After she had eaten for a while, Xie Hengzhi finally asked, his voice cutting through the sounds of music and dance.

Yiling, however, seemed not to hear him, as she appeared to be very focused on tasting the Snow Haze Soup, which she usually didn’t enjoy.

Although his voice was soft, given their proximity, it was impossible for Yiling not to hear him.

Xie Hengzhi looked at her for a moment, then turned his attention back to the performance.

The loud music and singing couldn’t hide Yiling’s inner turmoil. Once Xie Hengzhi’s attention was no longer on her, she put down her chopsticks and listlessly stared at the courtesans and maiko on the stage.

This strange feeling had been gnawing at Yiling for quite some time.

It all started when she discovered Xie Hengzhi was with her outside the curtain while she was taking a bath.

The person she hated the most, why, when fear overtook her, was he the first one she sought?

When he actually appeared, Yiling had to admit that, to some extent, she felt strangely reassured by his presence.

This was a very ominous sign.

Yiling couldn’t understand how she could harbor emotions for Xie Hengzhi beyond hatred.

It shouldn’t be, and it couldn’t be.

Had she, perhaps, been gradually softened by Xie Hengzhi’s hypocritical façade?

No, she had never forgotten the grudge of that arrow.

Could it be because she had mysteriously become part of the Shang family, and their consciousness lingered within her?

That must be the reason.

As Yiling pondered, the King Yan had already come over with a cup of wine, sitting beside Xie Hengzhi to chat casually.

The courtesans with their pipa instruments retreated, and a red-clad dancer stepped forward. She was tall and alluring, holding a pair of paired swords.

As she danced with the swords, her movements combined grace with strength, and the music grew more intense with her performance.

A deadly grudge, one that couldn’t be forgiven.

Yiling repeatedly reminded herself, finally suppressing the strange feelings within her.

Just then, as the dancer spun, her feet caught in her skirt, causing her to stumble. She fell forward, swords in hand, and charged toward Yiling.

“Trying to kill me again???”

Yiling saw the swords heading directly toward her; her mind went blank, and her heart nearly leapt out of her chest.

Her legs were tangled under the food table, and she couldn’t run or dodge.

In her extreme panic, she instinctively pulled Xie Hengzhi, who had been unprepared—toward her as a human shield. 

The makoi left sword grazed his neck, tearing through his clothing.

In an instant, the entire banquet hall erupted in chaos.

The courtesans screamed and hurriedly retreated with their instruments, while the maiko who had caused the incident knelt on the ground, horrified, staring at the bloodstain spreading from Xie Hengzhi’s shoulder.

“What happened? What happened? What’s going on?”

The King Yan, equally shocked, froze for a moment before shouting in panic, “Bold! Someone! Drag this lowly maid away!”

Then, quickly changing his tone, he ordered, “Wait! Tie her up right here!”

The dancer regained her senses and immediately began pleading, crying, and kowtowing.

“Your Highness, please forgive me! I’ve been ill with a high fever and lost my senses. I tripped over my dress and accidentally fell. Please forgive me, Your Highness!”

Amid the dancer’s desperate pleas and the prince’s furious reprimands, Yiling, still shaken, began to piece together the situation.

It turned out no one had intended to kill her.

Realizing something, she turned her head and saw that Xie Hengzhi, now wounded, was also looking at her.

His eyes were deep and unfathomable, and in them, Yiling saw darkness she had never witnessed before.