The fine rain fell densely, splashing tiny blossoms of water on the red walls and glazed tiles of the East Palace.  The water then snaked its way down the gaps between the tiles, drawing a hazy curtain of rain.

Xiao Chuhuai sat at his desk reviewing official documents. He heard Chen Jian’s footsteps outside, brushing off the rain before entering the room.

A damp, cool breeze swept across the desk, and a clear, sweet scent of lychee unexpectedly filled his nostrils.

It disturbed his thoughts without reason.

Xiao Chuhuai’s pen tip paused, the ink bleeding. He frowned, tore up the paper and threw it aside, replacing it with a new sheet. But the fragrance lingered.

Xiao Chuhuai spoke, “Did the Crown Princess’s sister come today?”

Chen Jian was startled. “No.”

He didn’t understand why His Highness would suddenly mention Luo Sheng. “Today is Qingming Festival. The Crown Princess and the Crown Prince went to the imperial mausoleum to pay their respects to their ancestors. The Third Miss would also be with her family for prayers; she wouldn’t possibly come.”

Then where did that little girl’s scent come from?

Xiao Chuhuai, irritated, tore another page of paper. In the gap, he saw the sachet he had casually placed on the desk.

The single stalk of red lotus looked particularly unrestrained on his meticulously organized desk, flaunting its presence on his territory.

Xiao Chuhuai stared at it for a moment, then put down his pen. His slender fingers picked up the sachet’s cord.

Only then did he discern the lychee fragrance from the concentrated aroma of the sachet, like a fruit freshly picked from the branch, subtly mixed with the fresh scent of rain-washed plants. It wasn’t cloying, but distinctly different from the cold, deep pine scent of his room.

The silk was soft, the fruity fragrance overflowing.

Xiao Chuhuai, without thinking, squeezed it.

Chen Jian waited for a long time without hearing Xiao Chuhuai’s reply. Looking over, he found Xiao Chuhuai lost in thought, playing with the sachet.

Seeming to notice his gaze, Xiao Chuhuai stood up, casually found a box, tossed the sachet inside, locked it, and placed it in the back of the cabinet.

Chen Jian peered in. “Why did Your Highness lock it up?”

“I’m not used to it.”

What’s there not to be used to about a sachet?

Chen Jian withdrew his gaze. “Recently, His Majesty mentioned Your Highness’s marriage. In the future, when you marry, you’ll have more than one sachet. Actually, I think Miss Yuan Mo is quite suitable.”

Xiao Chuhuai didn’t look up. “Go fetch two buckets of rainwater.”

“Yes.” Chen Jian was used to Xiao Chuhuai’s avoidance of the topic of marriage, so he went to fetch the buckets, asking as he went, “Your Highness wants me to fetch rainwater… for…?”

Xiao Chuhuai: “Because you look idle.”

Chen Jian: …

Chen Jian, dejected, carried the buckets outside, leaning against the corridor, watching the rainwater fall into the wooden buckets from the eaves.

He understood Xiao Chuhuai. Growing up in the imperial palace, a large, corrupt pool, he had been pointed at and ridiculed because of his mother, Concubine Chen. Thanks to the Empress and the Crown Prince’s protection, he wasn’t bullied too badly.

As a result, Xiao Chuhuai developed a cold personality, never showing his emotions, and treating everyone with a cold face. He remained indifferent to both praise and criticism.  The Crown Prince, Xiao Yi, was a good-natured man, making Xiao Chuhuai seem even more unapproachable.

Over time, seeing his attitude and knowing he had the Empress and the Crown Prince backing him, no one dared to trouble him again.

Xiao Chuhuai was probably tired of the scheming faces in the imperial court and didn’t feel the need to marry the daughter of one of them, engaging in mutual calculations of their interests and value.

Chen Jian stood with his sword, kicking the wooden bucket in front of him, watching the water ripple, and sighed slowly.

However, recently, Dan Yao was in turmoil, with Grand Minister Yuan leading the military.

His Majesty wanted to appease this important military official, and Grand Minister Yuan had made this request. Judging by His Majesty and Grand Minister Yuan’s intentions, this marriage was likely to be decided, but it hadn’t been mentioned to His Highness yet.

*

The Ninth Princess’s death plunged the palace into a few days of silence, but it wasn’t given much attention.

Within half a month, the Emperor planned to hold a grand birthday celebration for Concubine Zhen under the guise of a Hundred Flowers Garden Party.

Concubine Zhen was infertile; the Second Prince and the Ninth Princess were both adopted by her.  The Ninth Princess died just before her birthday, which Concubine Zhen considered inauspicious, so she asked the Emperor to hold a grand celebration to dispel the bad luck.

Even though the Ninth Princess wasn’t particularly favored, such coldness was truly heartbreaking.

Luo Sheng held the invitation to the Hundred Flowers Garden Party sent by the palace. Listening to Tao Han talk about these palace matters, she was angered. “Ah, how can they be like this?”

“Sigh,” Tao Han sighed.  Everyone else was going, so they couldn’t refuse. “Before, we only knew that Concubine Zhen was pampered and arrogant, but we didn’t know she was so heartless. Even if it were a cat or dog raised for ten years, there should be deep affection. Now that the child is gone, she specially invited a master to perform rituals and exorcisms, and she still wants to hold a Hundred Flowers Garden Party.”

The more Luo Sheng listened, the stranger it seemed. “The Ninth Princess’s death… could it be related to Concubine Zhen?”

Otherwise, why would a perfectly healthy princess suddenly die of a cold.

“Whether the Princess’s death is related to her, I don’t know,” Tao Han whispered. “But, after her rituals, the Empress’s health deteriorated.”

“Within half a year, the Empress would be bedridden, and the imperial seal would be passed to Concubine Zhen. Otherwise, the Crown Prince wouldn’t have been so controlled later, forced to abdicate.”

Tao Han initially suspected that Concubine Zhen might have dealings with Xiao Chuhuai, but later thought it impossible; the Fifth Prince and the Second Prince had always been at odds.

In the previous life, the Second Prince was also severely harmed by Xiao Chuhuai.

This incident might just be Concubine Zhen’s means of coveting the Empress’s position, but it coincidentally benefited Xiao Chuhuai.

Luo Sheng was slightly surprised. “Ah? Really? A ritual could…?”

How uncanny.

Tao Han sighed. “Forget it, let’s not talk about those bad people.”

“Mother will show you something,” she said, leading Luo Sheng to the side of a qin (a Chinese zither). “See if this qin is pretty?”

Luo Sheng saw a brand-new qin on the table beside it, its body smooth and bright, exquisitely beautiful. “It’s beautiful, this is…?”

“A gift from your father to apologize, for saying I was hysterical,” Tao Han proudly raised her head. “Custom-made, I waited a long time for it.”

“Try it with me. If you like it, I’ll have your father make one for you.”

Tao Han loved the qin. She almost remembered any piece of music she heard, and sometimes when she was free, she liked to write musical scores, but she had written less in recent years because of her poor eyesight.

Initially, she suffered because no one in her family understood the qin, so she could only play it by herself, which was extremely boring. Now that she had Luo Sheng, she often played with her.

Tao Han sat down and asked Luo Sheng to sit beside her.

The two of them played for a while, temporarily putting aside the unpleasant things they had just talked about.

Tao Han suddenly lowered her voice mysteriously. “I remember hearing a very special piece of music in the palace in my previous life. It was serene at the beginning, then became turbulent and magnificent, with a dramatic change in mood. You also understand the qin, so I’ll play it and you listen.”

Luo Sheng nodded and sat beside her listening.

As Tao Han said, the music was initially tranquil, calm and serene. In the middle, it suddenly went through a rapid collapse and disintegration, like a peaceful life suddenly shattered, then turned upside down and destroyed everything, finally becoming low and melodious, as if overcoming countless difficulties and obstacles, finally ascending to the throne of the victor.

Luo Sheng vaguely understood why Tao Han couldn’t forget it after hearing it once.

Because it was very much like their family’s survival situation in her mother’s words about her rebirth.

But the music was extremely powerful, tugging at the heartstrings. Her mother hoped that their family could be as unstoppable and make a comeback as the music.

Tao Han’s voice pulled Luo Sheng’s thoughts back. “Have you heard this before? Do you know what it’s called?”

Luo Sheng honestly shook her head. “No.”

To be ashamed, she used to play mostly romantic songs, so except for her family, she never told anyone in the capital that she could play the qin.

Tao Han sighed. “I wanted to find it too, but my eyesight is bad, and my eyes hurt after writing a score, let alone searching through ancient books and music collections.”

Luo Sheng thought this was simple. “That’s easy, Mother, give me the score, and I’ll help you find it.”

Tao Han smiled.  Her little Huai Xi was so considerate.

She got up to get the score, as well as the ancient books and music collections she had collected, and gave them to Luo Sheng. “Take your time looking through them. It’s fine if you can’t find it.”

Luo Sheng nodded. “Okay.”

Suddenly, Luo Qingyan’s voice came from outside. “Mother, what are you looking for? Shengsheng and I will help you.”

Tao Han waved her hand. “It’s a small matter, no need for both of you to help me.”

Luo Qingyan sat down. “I also know a little about music theory, it’s a simple matter, it’s fine.”

Tao Han didn’t mind. “Then if you have time, help me look. I’ll give the things to your sister first.”

“Okay, I’ll go to Shengsheng’s place when I’m free.” Luo Qingyan nodded, looking at Luo Sheng.

Unexpectedly, he met Luo Sheng’s frank gaze, and smiled at him. “Okay.”

Luo Qingyan’s eyelashes fluttered.

Tao Han casually called a few people, moved the things to Luo Sheng’s courtyard, patted Luo Sheng’s hand, “Go back first, Mother has something to say to your brother.”

Seeing Tao Han’s expression, Luo Sheng thought it was probably about Luo Qingyan’s success in the imperial examinations and subsequent dismissal in her previous life.

She nodded and quietly left Qingqiu Pavilion.

She hesitated for a moment, but still waited in the courtyard of Qingqiu Pavilion.

After about two quarters of an hour, Luo Qingyan came out of the room.

Luo Sheng stepped forward and called out, “Brother.”

Luo Qingyan was slightly startled. “Why are you still waiting here?”

Luo Sheng simply and directly said, “Of course I’m waiting for you.”