Chapter 6

“I heard,”

This recent incident with the Prince of Nan’an has caused quite a stir. Whenever he goes out these days, he’s surrounded by people angrily shouting at him. Once, it even emptied the entire alley, and they went straight to his carriage to scold him.” This morning, as Xu Duanyi was combing her hair, Shiyu shared this bit of gossip from outside the palace.

This was the first time Xu Duanyi had heard such news. She immediately grew anxious, forgetting that her hair was not yet fully done. She quickly turned around and asked, “Did he suffer?”

“Huh?”

Shiyu was surprised to see her so anxious and didn’t immediately respond. She asked, “Who?” After realizing what Xu Duanyi was asking, she uncertainly added, “The Prince of Nan’an?”

Seeing that Xu Duanyi didn’t correct her, Shiyu thought for a moment before answering, “I don’t think… he suffered? The gossip came from a little eunuch who went to buy something. I didn’t ask too much, but if you want to know, I can ask more later?”

At this point, Xu Duanyi calmed down again. She composed herself and replied, “No need.”

She then turned back to her mirror.

As she casually picked a hairpin, she asked, seemingly without much interest, “What did that little eunuch say?”

Shiyu loved to share gossip.

Life in the palace was often boring, so she found ways to entertain herself.

Being easygoing and generous, Shiyu got along well with the younger eunuchs and maids.

Whenever there was some juicy gossip, no matter whether it was inside or outside the palace, she was always the first to know and share it with Xu Duanyi.

So when Xu Duanyi asked, she didn’t think much of it.

She assumed the mistress was simply bored and eagerly shared what she had overheard.

“The little eunuch said that some of the young masters were unhappy that the Prince of Nan’an could marry you, so they’ve been surrounding him every day. Whether the Prince of Nan’an suffered, I don’t know, but those people definitely didn’t gain anything from it.”

“I also heard that the Prince of Nan’an has quite a mouth on him. In the past few days, he’s even made several people faint from his scolding.”

She loved to make Xu Duanyi laugh.

Now, she imitated the way the Prince of Nan’an acted outside, exaggerating his arrogance. She mimicked how he scolded people, showing a perfect imitation of him.

Xu Duanyi, watching from the mirror, almost felt as though she were seeing Xie Qingya standing atop his carriage, facing down his opponents with great confidence. She couldn’t help but laugh.

It had been many years since she had seen him properly.

She rarely left the palace these years, and Xie Qingya almost never came in. Whenever the palace held a banquet, they would send invitations to the Prince of Nan’an’s residence, but the response was always the same—he wasn’t home, and his younger siblings were still too young to attend.

There were a few occasions when she went outside the palace and happened to run into him.

He would either be riding with a group of young, wild noblemen, galloping through the alleys, or sitting in a tavern, surrounded by an endless crowd of courtesans.

But there was one time when she was very close to him.

It was during the Mid-Autumn Festival. She, along with Baozhu and the others, carried lanterns to Mingyue Tower to enjoy the moon, while Xie Qingya was in the opposite Qingfeng Tower.

The tower was lively, with the sound of silk and bamboo music filling the air. Even though she was far away, she could still see the bustling scene inside.

But Xie Qingya, dressed in red, stood alone by the railing, gazing at the moon. She could sense the loneliness in him. However, they still didn’t speak a word to each other.

Before she could greet him, he was called inside.

When he entered, Xie Qingya once again became that carefree figure, as though the moment of loneliness had been her own illusion.

Xu Duanyi wasn’t sure either.

She didn’t know whether that night, that moment, was just a misperception.

What she did know was that they hadn’t properly spoken to each other in a long, long time.

But she still remembered the times when they were younger.

She remembered how Xie Qingya took her out of the palace, showing her the sights of the capital.

He had been eloquent since he was young, with a boldness far beyond his years.

When they encountered unscrupulous vendors, he would scold them without hesitation, regardless of the fact that he was still just a child.

Yet, he was also kind and soft-hearted.

When they came across poor old men and women, he would secretly give them all the money he had.

The time spent following Xie Qingya was bright and thrilling.

He would take her horse riding, climbing walls, take her out of the palace to see his newborn siblings, and when she was kidnapped, he would rush alone to rescue her.

Unfortunately, after she was promised in marriage to her cousin, her contact with Xie Qingya became scarce.

Later, after her cousin passed away, and Xie Qingya went off to the battlefield with his father and brothers, they hardly met anymore.

She hadn’t seen him confront others in a long time either.

“Master, Master.”

A voice came from behind.

Xu Duanyi gently fluttered her long lashes and softly hummed, asking Shiyu what was the matter.

Shiyu asked her, “What were you thinking just now? I called you several times.”

Xu Duanyi gazed out at the plum blossoms and smiled. “The flowers are so beautiful this year; I must have gotten lost in thought for a moment.”

Hearing this, Shiyu assumed that she had become mesmerized by the flowers.

After that, the two of them did not mention Xie Qingya again.

Xu Duanyi went to the main hall to have breakfast with Empress Dowager Zhao Yu. Today, she was going to leave the palace and return to the Wu’an Duke’ residence.

The new year was approaching.

Although the Wu’an Duke’ residence was seldom occupied, Xu Duanyi would return every year at this time to stay for a few days, tidy up the house, handle the accumulated familial matters, and then visit the Royal Blessing Temple to offer incense for her mother.

“Did you write to your father?”

At the table, Empress Dowager Zhao Yu asked her.

Xu Duanyi replied softly, “I wrote as soon as the decree arrived, but the snow makes the roads difficult, and Liaodong is far, so my father will probably only receive it after the new year.”

Upon hearing this, Empress Dowager Zhaoyu didn’t say much more.

She had never had much to say to her brother-in-law.

“I’ve told the emperor, you will still marry out of the palace. I’ll personally see you off when the time comes,” she thought, feeling that this marriage had wronged Zhaozhao, and she wanted to make it up to her in other ways as much as possible.

Xu Duanyi didn’t want to make a fuss about it.

But she also knew that her aunt’s decision couldn’t be changed, so she didn’t say anything.

“Let Aunt decide.”

Empress Dowager Zhao Yu, seeing her like this, felt even more pity for her. She looked at Xu Duanyi and said, “If Qier were still here, you wouldn’t have to suffer like this.” Before Xu Duanyi could comfort her, the tone of her voice turned harsh, and her face darkened. “It’s all the fault of the late emperor and that vile woman! If it weren’t for them, Qier wouldn’t have died! Qier wouldn’t have died!”

“Aunt.”

Xu Duanyi gently took Empress Dowager Zhao Yu’s hand, comforting her while also showing a hint of sorrow in her eyes.

After holding her hand for a while, Empress Dowager Zhao Yu slowly calmed down, closing her eyes. After a while, she opened them again, and her voice was no longer as sharp, her expression becoming weary. “You should leave the palace now. Take more people with you and take care of yourself.”

Xu Duanyi nodded and didn’t leave immediately. She stayed to accompany her aunt to rest.

Whenever her cousin was mentioned, her aunt would feel distressed.

If the late emperor and the former empress Lin were brought up, her aunt would suffer a headache for a long time.

Xu Duanyi hesitated, wondering whether she should leave the palace today, as she feared her aunt would be upset and unable to sleep well these few days.

It was Danfeng who encouraged her, saying, “Don’t worry, Your Highness. The empress dowager has me here. I’ve already asked someone to replace the calming incense. The empress dowager will certainly sleep well.”

Xu Duanyi was reassured by this.

“Thank you, Aunt, for your concern. Once I finish my business, I’ll return to accompany you.”

Aunt Danfeng nodded.

Xu Duanyi sat for a while longer, watching her aunt, who had already fallen into a deep sleep, and tucked her in before leaving.

—–

The snow had stopped yesterday, but the snowdrifts remained.

The roadsides were piled with thick snow, and the color of the walls and tiles was hidden beneath the layers. Once they exited the Eastern Hua Gate and left the palace grounds, the outside world gradually became more lively.

Xu Duanyi hadn’t been out of the palace for a long time, and she found herself enjoying the lively scene outside.

She had Shiyu open the car window a little.

If it were Bixi here, she would have already warned her to be cautious, but Shiyu, like her, was eager to take in the bustling sights outside.

“Master, make sure you wear your cloak properly. If you catch a cold, Bixi will definitely scold me when she finds out.”

Xu Duanyi smiled and agreed.

She was also someone who took care of herself, so she wrapped herself in a thick cloak, even putting up the windproof hood and holding a small hand warmer to keep her hands warm.

Only then did Shiyu open the window.

The curtain, which had been used to shield them from the wind, was immediately blown up, but Shiyu was quick and grabbed it in time.

“The wind is really strong, Master, you should make sure you’re dressed warmly,” said Shiyu.

Xu Duanyi nodded.

The master and servant began to enjoy the scenery together.

Shiyu leaned against the window, while Xu Duanyi sat upright.

The area near the imperial city was naturally lively, especially since this was a bustling area.

Xu Duanyi looked at the snow-covered capital, noticing that many street vendors were still out. She was about to compare the scene to when she left the palace last time when she suddenly heard loud noises ahead.

“Master, there’s a fight!” Shiyu exclaimed.

Shiyu, who loved such lively scenes, had a sharp ear, trained from her childhood in martial arts, and she could hear better than Xu Duanyi.

Xu Duanyi wasn’t particularly interested in the commotion, and she was about to look away when Shiyu excitedly said, “Master, it’s Prince Nan’an!”

Xu Duanyi paused.

Her gaze, which was about to shift, suddenly moved toward the commotion, and even her body unconsciously leaned toward the car window.

“Master, they’re insulting Prince Nan’an!”

Shiyu, who hadn’t noticed Xu Duanyi’s movement, was still excitedly watching the scene ahead.

As the carriage got closer, Xu Duanyi could see clearly without needing Shiyu’s explanation.

Sure enough, many people were gathered around Xie Qingya.

—-

In the snow, Xie Qingya was wearing a red fox fur coat and a golden crown that held his hair in place, making him easy to recognize.

He was surrounded by people, and a beautiful woman stood by his side.

Shiyu was still enjoying the spectacle and eager to see if Prince Nan’an really was as foul-mouthed as the little eunuchs had said. But when she noticed there was another woman beside him, her eyes widened in anger, “Prince Nan’an is already betrothed to you, and he dares to parade around with another woman! I’ll show him what happens!”

She said this and ordered the carriage to stop, intending to get out and scold him personally.

Xu Duanyi didn’t stop the carriage from halting but grabbed Shi Yu’s arm to prevent her from getting out.

“Master?” Shiyu asked, puzzled.

Xu Duanyi asked her to sit back down and continued watching the scene outside.

It had been over a year since their last meeting during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Even though Xie Qingya was surrounded by so many people, he remained unfazed. Despite the cold, he held a fan, perhaps for show, and seemed annoyed. He tilted his head, casually digging in his ear. “Hey, can you guys say something new?”

“Every day it’s the same few lines; I’ve already memorized them.”

“You! You!”

Those who admired Xu Duanyi were not just the sons of noble families but also many scholars.

Xu Duanyi would go out of the palace every month to distribute porridge to the poor.

Before the spring exams this year, a “scholar theft case” had caused a stir in the capital.

An official’s son accused a scholar of stealing.

The accusation of theft was a serious crime.

If the accusation were proven true, the scholar would not only be disqualified from this year’s exams but would also be banned from taking the imperial exams forever.

These scholars, who had to endure many hardships to get where they were, could hardly defend themselves when falsely accused.

The accused scholar, who came from a poor family and relied on his parents selling tofu to support his studies, had no background to argue with the official’s son.

At the moment of his despair, almost ready to end his life in shame, Xu Duanyi passed by and intervened.

She first had someone inquire about the situation, then investigated, and eventually found the scholar’s money pouch with a beggar.

Only then was the scholar’s name cleared.

Afterward, Xu Duanyi personally set up a place for poor scholars to stay so they wouldn’t have to endure hardships before the exams.

Because of this, when it was known that Xu Duanyi was to marry Xie Qingya, not only did the young nobles feel regret, but the scholars were equally upset.

They weren’t trying to marry Xu Duanyi but simply believed that Prince Nan’an was not a good match for her.

This was why the commotion had arisen today.

“Princess Jiahui is so noble. Since you’re betrothed to her, you should stick to your role! How dare you bring a courtesan through the streets? You’re despicable!”

“Yes, you playboy! You’ve lucked out marrying Princess Jiahui, and now you should be at home praying and thanking the heavens!”

Xie Qingya scoffed and said, “Then you go ahead.”

“You!”

“Absolutely despicable!”

“Princess Jiahui is noble and kind-hearted. You’re lucky to be engaged to her, and yet you’re not satisfied. Today, we’ll teach you a lesson on her behalf, and we’ll see if you dare act so recklessly in the future!”

—-

Xie Qingya had already drawn the public’s ire. His reckless attitude now only stirred more anger, and someone picked up an object nearby, about to throw it at him.

Xie Qingya was prepared.

He used his fan to push the woman beside him aside and was about to roll up his sleeves and fight when a soft voice called out from nearby, “Stop!”

The voice was familiar.

Xie Qingya froze.

He turned around and saw a woman in a pale yellow cloak walking toward him.

Her face was hidden by the wind hood.

The others hadn’t recognized her, but Xie Qingya’s grip on his fan tightened.