Chapter 44

They had just left the courtyard when Lingji noticed that the prince, who had been walking at a slow pace, suddenly quickened his steps. Before Ling Ji could react, the prince had already covered several yards ahead.

This startled and confused Lingji.

He shouted, “My lord, wait for me,” and hurried to catch up.

The master and servant quickly walked to the screen wall.

Linji saw a carriage waiting there, prepared in advance by someone, with a few servants standing by.

Clearly, they were waiting for the master’s instructions.

But suddenly, there was an empty space beside him.

Lingji was surprised and looked back, only to see that the prince, who had been walking quickly, had suddenly slowed down again, and in a while, he was trailing behind.

Lingji was puzzled.

He didn’t understand what had happened to the prince.

He stopped and turned to ask, “My lord, what’s the matter?”

“It’s nothing.”

The cold reply came from the prince.

Lingji was still confused and didn’t understand why, if there was nothing wrong, the prince suddenly slowed down.

He had been walking fast just moments ago.

Seeing the prince’s indifferent profile and having been glared at by him twice already today, Lingji, afraid of being scolded if he asked more, didn’t dare to ask again. He just followed the prince, walking much slower now, and gradually caught up.

The carriage was already ready.

The servants standing nearby saw Xie Qingya coming and quickly bowed.

Xie Qingya didn’t let anyone follow him, only instructing Lingji to drive the carriage. The two of them left the royal residence and headed to Shiyongfang in the west of the city.

The Liu family’s residence was in Shiyongfang in the west of the city.

Although Shiyongfang couldn’t compare with the South An Wang’s residence or the Protector General’s residence, it was still a place many officials and noble families liked to settle in, as it was backed by the Five Armies Command.

This residence had been bought by Liu Xunian at the beginning of the year.

After all, the person he was marrying was the gem of the Protector General’s family, so he couldn’t have her living in a small house.

Even such a house had received many cold stares from the Protector General’s family.

It was said that Liu Xun had spent a considerable amount of money to buy the house.

However, whether the Protector General’s family had helped him with the purchase, only the Liu and Xiao families knew.

After leaving the royal residence, Xie Qingya glanced at the dark night outside and scolded Lingji, “Haven’t you eaten? Why are you walking so slowly?”

Lingji, who had been inexplicably scolded, felt very wronged.

He thought to himself that tonight, the prince was truly strange.

Wasn’t he walking at the usual pace?

And he had thought the prince was intentionally slowing down just now.

The prince was walking fast earlier, then slow again. Lingji didn’t know what the prince was trying to do.

Since the time the prince had called him into the room earlier, Lingji had felt something was odd about the prince tonight. It seemed like the prince had some thoughts brewing, ready to break through, but something was missing, preventing him from fully revealing them.

With the mindset of being a subordinate who must help his master, Lingji raised the speed of the carriage and, while urging it on, asked with concern, “My lord, is something bothering you tonight?”

After thinking it over, he wondered if it was because Aunt Deng insisted that the master go pick up the princess.

Though there seemed to be something off about the timing, Lingji couldn’t think of any other reason for it.

He was out there trying to come up with a solution for Xie Qingya: “If you really don’t want to go, how about going back first or resting somewhere else for a bit? I can go pick up the princess from the Liú residence myself.”

Upon hearing this, Xie Qingya became even more irritated. He couldn’t explain the reason for his frustration, but he knew it stemmed from his own actions.

He suppressed his bad temper, lowered his head, and said, “No need. You can go on your own.”

After saying that, he apologized.

“I’m in a bad mood tonight. I didn’t mean to snap at you.”

Hearing this, Lingji’s previous frustration vanished, and he was happy again. He wasn’t bothered by such things.

With a smile, he said from outside, “No problem, as long as you’re alright.”

“However, Master, are you upset tonight because of the princess?”

Lingji’s voice came from outside the curtain, but Xie Qingya didn’t respond right away.

It was because of her, yet it had nothing to do with her.

Even if Aunt Deng hadn’t come earlier, Xie Qingya had already planned to find some excuse to leave. But this very fact made him more upset.

He seemed to be… losing control of his feelings.

He knew he shouldn’t be like this, yet it felt like he couldn’t change it.

Meanwhile, at the Liu residence, Xu Duanyi didn’t know that Xie Qingya had come to pick her up.

She had just left the bridal room.

Tonight, she had dinner in the bridal room with Xiao Baozhu, and while Xiao Baozhu went to bathe and freshen up, Xu Duanyi had said her goodbyes and stepped out.

The night had grown late.

Xu Duanyi didn’t want to stay any longer, so she prepared to return. But since she had come here with her sister-in-law, she didn’t feel right leaving on her own.

She asked Bixi where the other women were eating, and she took Bixi to check on her sister-in-law to see if she was ready to leave.

If her sister-in-law wasn’t done yet, she would ask the servants at the Liu residence to prepare a carriage for her, so she could head back alone.

On the way, they ran into a group of young scholars.

Liu Xun came from the Hanlin Academy and had been the second-place scholar in the previous year’s imperial exam. He socialized only with other scholars or people from the Hanlin Academy, and now these young men were gathered together, reciting poetry.

There was no way to avoid them on the narrow path.

Xu Duanyi didn’t want to disturb them and planned to pass quietly with Bixi. But they were noticed by one of the scholars.

“Princess Chang?” one of them exclaimed, spotting Xu Duanyi.

Others started calling out, “Where? Where is Princess Chang?”

They saw her figure ahead.

The young men, who had been talking enthusiastically, brightened up and walked toward her, especially one scholar in gray who looked particularly excited.

Bixi noticed this and instinctively furrowed her brows, wanting to shield her master and send them away.

“It’s fine,” Xu Duanyi gently patted Bixi’s arm, signaling that it was no trouble.

She had originally wanted to leave quietly without disturbing their fun, but now that they had spotted her, a greeting wouldn’t hurt.

She stood where she was.

As the group of ten or so scholars rushed toward her to greet and salute her, Xu Duanyi politely returned their greetings.

She didn’t want to engage in a long conversation, nor did she wish to interrupt their enjoyment. She had planned to leave after greeting them, but then one of the scholars in gray suddenly asked her, “Your Highness, do you remember me?”

This unexpected question was somewhat intrusive, especially with so many people around. If it spread, it could lead to some gossip.

But Xu Duanyi saw that the scholar, though excited, had no lewd intentions in his eyes, only gratitude and admiration.

She looked closely at his features and realized he seemed familiar. As she observed his scholar’s attire and those around him, she had a thought and asked, “Are you Master Li from the Hanlin Academy?”

Li Wengao was surprised that Xu Duanyi actually remembered him!

He was elated and immediately said, “I usually prefer to keep to myself and don’t associate much with people like Liu Xun. However, my mentor’s advice on the political world has always stuck with me, and I’ve found it quite enlightening.”

His mentor had once said, “You don’t need to avoid bad neighbors or unhelpful friends. The key is to remain composed and find what is beneficial.”

He had also said, “Silence is a form of speech, obscurity is clarity, blending with the mundane is hiding, and peace of mind brings comfort.”

From these teachings, Li Wengao had learned a lot.

In life, not everyone you meet will be a good person or a friend. Instead of constantly being cautious and defensive, it’s better to learn what’s useful for oneself.

He understood that in this world, you’ll encounter many things and people. Instead of always being on guard, it’s wiser to steady your own mind, not follow the crowd, avoid lofty ambitions, and not act superior. Only then can you understand the world and stand firm in it.

After all, the ups and downs of the official world meant that to achieve real success, one couldn’t just be an isolated official.

Today, he came to the Liu Mansion for another reason—besides the banquet—he had heard in advance that the Princess of Chang would also be attending the feast.

Li Wengao knew well that he and Princess Jia Sinaghun were worlds apart and he dared not disturb her, but he couldn’t help but hope that perhaps he could catch a distant glance of her.

He had thought the banquet would soon end, and he had no hope of meeting the princess, but to his surprise, he was fortunate enough to actually speak with her, and at such a close distance.

What surprised him even more was that the prince still remembered him!

How could he not be excited?

Li Wengao was so excited that even his face turned red. A person who was usually confident in discussions and never lost in debates was now so overwhelmed with emotion that he couldn’t complete his sentences.

“Y-Yes, it’s this humble servant!”

Overcome with emotion, Li Wengao’s face showed excitement and admiration, but he dared not look directly at Xu Danyi, fearing that he might disrespect her.

He still slightly bowed, lowering his head and respectfully said, “I owe my success in the imperial examination to Your Highness’s help. I have not had a chance to thank you until today. Today, I—today…”

He stammered and suddenly said, “Please allow me to bow before Your Highness!”

Li Wengao began to lift his robe to offer a bow of gratitude to Xu Danyi.

However, Xu Danyi was not one to accept such grand gestures. She quickly said, “Lord Li, a gentleman may kneel to the heavens, the emperor, his teachers, or his elders, but not to me.”

“I merely lent a hand that day, Your success in the exams was due to your hard work and study, there is no need for such a formal bow.”

“Your Highness is mistaken. If it were not for Your Highness, I fear I would have already given up and left the capital. How could I be here today?”

“Your Highness is like a mentor or parent to me!”

His words were firm, and he spoke with a kind of stubbornness that made it clear he was unwilling to back down.

At this point, he forgot about the distance between them and stood upright, seriously speaking to Xu Duanyi.

Xu Danyi looked at Li Wengao’s determined expression, feeling somewhat helpless.

She had heard that among the top three successful candidates from last year’s imperial exam, Mei, the top scholar, was well-known for his ability to quote from the classics and was deeply loved by old court officials. He was often especially favored by the emperor. Liu, the flower of the Liu family, was eloquent and loved to socialize, although his personality was somewhat flashy.

As for Li, he was not as easygoing or talkative as Mei, nor as clever with words as Liu. He seemed somewhat aloof and stubborn, but he was deeply caring for the people and loved to do practical work. He was a good official.

As such, Xu Duanyi naturally could not treat such a gentleman lightly. However, his stubbornness was indeed a bit troublesome.

Seeing his resolute look, it seemed he would not stop until she accepted his thanks.

Xu Duanyi felt helpless.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a servant with wine and had an idea. She leaned closer to Bixi’s ear and asked her to bring the wine.

She then turned to Li Wengao and said, “Lord Li, you are an official of the court, and I am merely a woman from the inner chambers. If I accept such a grand gesture from you today, I fear that tomorrow someone may file a complaint against me for overstepping my bounds.”

Li Wengao’s expression changed when he heard this.

He quickly replied, “Everyone knows that the Princess is honorable. If anyone dares to falsely accuse her, I, Li Wengao, will be the first to stand against it!”

The other scholars, who had not spoken before, now chimed in, expressing their support and promising they would not let anyone slander her.

“I appreciate everyone’s kind words.”

Xu Duanyi nodded slightly to them, acknowledging their support.

At that moment, Bixi arrived with a wine jug and unused cups.

“Master.”

Xu Duanyi took the cup from Bixi and raised it slightly, saying to Li Wengao, “Since you wish to thank me, why not share this wine with me? Let this be your gesture of gratitude.”

She then looked at the others.

“I am not good at drinking, but seeing all of you here, I am happy to share a small drink. Let this be a toast to our new acquaintance.”

“From now on, I hope to rely on all of you for our country.”

Without waiting for anyone to speak, she raised her sleeve to cover her face and drank the wine.

As soon as the wine touched her lips, Xu Duanyi realized something was wrong—it was strong and spicy, far too much for her to handle.

But it would be inappropriate to stop now.

She steeled herself and finished the drink.

Without letting others notice, Xu Duanyi set the cup down and poured it out, indicating she had finished.

Seeing this, the other scholars immediately followed suit and drank their wine.

“Your Highness…”

After finishing, Li Wengao still wanted to speak.

But Xu Duanyi spoke first, “Since you have drunk this wine, there is no need to speak of thank you anymore. Your contributions to the state are enough. I would not have helped if I did not believe in your potential.”

Li Wengao had many more words of gratitude, but after hearing this, he did not know how to respond. He felt that nothing he said would be enough or adequate.

In the end, he said nothing more, stepped back, and respectfully bowed deeply to Xu Duanyi.

“Your Highness’s words are engraved in my heart. I will not disappoint you!”

He then stepped aside, not daring to delay her further.

Xu Duanyi nodded slightly at them and left.

Once she had walked a distance away, she could no longer hold back a slight furrow in her brow.

Bixi noticed her discomfort and quickly asked, “Master, what is wrong?”

“That wine must be Xifeng liquor,” Xu Duanyi said, lowering her voice, feeling her head begin to grow dizzy.

“What?”

Bixi widened her eyes. “I didn’t know…”

When she had first smelled the fragrance of the wine, she had thought it was the same as the clear wine or fruit wine her mistress usually drank at banquets. She never imagined it was the famous Xifeng liquor.

Xifeng liquor was not an ordinary fruit wine. Although the mistress could drink, she wasn’t good with alcohol.

Seeing the mistress’s complexion flush with a peach-blossom tint, Bixi knew the wine wasn’t something the mistress could handle.

Bixi felt deeply guilty, her eyes reddening with worry.

She quickly supported Xu Duanyi’s arm, walking while choking with emotion. “It’s my fault for not noticing, I’ve harmed the mistress.”

“It’s fine, it’s just one cup of wine,” Xu Duanyi didn’t intend to blame her. After speaking, she gently patted Bixi’s arm to offer comfort.

“You help me to the carriage first, then go tell sister-in-law,” Xu Duanyi feared she might get drunk and lose her composure in front of others, so she decided it was best to return to the carriage first.

Bixi naturally obeyed her.

The two of them walked towards the gatehouse.

The banquet was still ongoing, and aside from some servants from the Liu residence, there were no other people around the gatehouse.

One of the servants from Liu’s household saw them coming from a distance.

At first, he thought they were some important guests, and was about to approach to greet them, but when he got closer, he realized it was Her Highness, the Princess!

The servant’s expression changed slightly, and he hurriedly bowed and ran toward them.

When he got close, he respectfully asked, “Your Highness, what brings you out here? Has there been anything lacking in the reception at the manor?”

The effect of the Xifeng liquor had not worn off and only made Xu Duanyi’s head feel even more muddled.

Fortunately, she hadn’t lost her senses entirely.

Though her mind was groggy, Xu Duanyi still maintained her composure, forcing a gentle tone as she responded, “The reception was quite good, but it’s getting late, and the Wang residence is far away, so I should be heading back.”

Upon hearing this, the servant breathed a sigh of relief.

“Then please wait here, Your Highness. There are many carriages outside, I’ll have someone fetch yours immediately.”

The servant turned to prepare.

But Xu Duanyi suddenly remembered that she had come with her sister-in-law.

She had not spoken to her sister-in-law yet.

She opened her mouth to speak, but her brain was clearly slower than before.

From just looking at her face, it was hard to tell.

But if one looked closely at her eyes, they would notice that her usually bright and clear eyes now appeared dull and confused, almost like a child.

Luckily, she had Bixi.

Bixi always understood her intentions, so she spoke on Xu Duanyi’s behalf, “Our mistress came today with the wife of the Duke of the State. Please bring a clean carriage, and I’ll have someone return it tomorrow.”

When the servant heard this, he immediately replied, “As you say, I’ll have someone bring the carriage and prepare it for you. Please wait here for a moment, Your Highness.”

Bixie looked back and asked Xu Duanyi for her opinion.

“Master…”

Xu Duanyi nodded.

Her head ached terribly now, and she didn’t feel like talking.

She was dizzy but still remembered to inform her sister-in-law, so she wouldn’t worry later.

As Bixi helped her to the waiting room, Xu Duanyi, still groggy, told her, “Remember to speak to sister-in-law.”

Bixi quickly replied, “I will remember.”

The waiting room was meant for people to rest while waiting for their carriages.

Though small, it had been cleaned very well since today’s guests were either rich or influential.

There were also servant girls in the room.

Although they didn’t recognize Xu Duanyi and Bixi, they knew today’s guests were important and didn’t dare to neglect them.

Seeing the two of them enter, one of the servant girls quickly knelt and greeted Xu Duanyi with respect, calling her “Noble Lady.”

Xu Duanyi gestured for her to rise.

Bixi asked for tea to be served, hoping a strong tea might help wake the mistress.

While the servant girl was away pouring the tea, Bixi helped Xu Duanyi sit in a clean spot.

“Noble Lady, please drink the tea,” the servant girl brought the tea over, but seeing Xu Duanyi holding her forehead, leaning on the table, her eyes half-closed and her brow furrowed, the servant girl hesitated and asked, “Noble Lady, are you feeling unwell?”

The reputation of being drunk was not a good one.

Bixi didn’t want others to know, so she simply said, “Our mistress has been busy all day and is just a little tired. Please, go to the inner courtyard and find the wife of the Duke of the State. Tell her our mistress is tired and needs to return early. There’s no need to worry about her.”

Anyone who could be addressed as “Your Highness” was undoubtedly someone of great status.

The servant girl, realizing who they were, turned pale, and almost immediately knelt down in front of Xu Duanyi, trembling and saying, “I am sorry, Your Highness, for not recognizing you. Please forgive me!”

By now, Xu Duanyi’s head hurt terribly.

The alcohol was so strong that her head was throbbing, and she felt dizzy, as if the world was spinning.

The servant girl’s shout made the pain in her temples intensify.

She could barely speak.

Keeping her eyes closed, she tugged at Bixi’s sleeve.

Bixi understood her, signaling the servant girl to rise and proceed with the task. Once the servant left, Bixie couldn’t hide her worry and squatted in front of Xu Duanyi

---

“Master, are you alright?” she asked, looking up at him.

At this moment, there were no outsiders around, so Xu Duanyi didn’t force herself to hide her discomfort. She furrowed her brows and murmured, “…I’m feeling unwell.”

Upon hearing this, Bixi couldn’t help but feel guilty again.

Her eyes were red, and tears glistened in them as she apologized, “It’s all my fault for not asking properly, I’ve caused you harm.”

Xu Duanyi heard her tone and reluctantly opened her eyes, tired.

“It’s nothing serious. I’ll be fine after a rest,” she said, secretly relieved that she had only drunk that one cup.

Not wanting Bixi to continue blaming herself, Xu Duanyi looked at her and said, “Go check if everything’s ready.”

She was afraid that the Liu family might bring out a luxurious carriage, but that wasn’t necessary. Right now, all she wanted was to go back to the royal residence, lie down, and sleep.

Bixi understood.

She quickly wiped her face, stood up, and said, “Please rest, I’ll go check outside.”

After Bixi left, Xu Duanyi originally intended to stay awake and sit up while waiting for her to return, but her dizziness intensified, and she felt as if all her strength had drained away.

Thinking of how steady Bixi was, Xu Duanyi knew she would ensure no one would come close. So, she didn’t need to worry about anyone seeing her in this weakened state.

With that in mind, Xu Duanyi simply let her face rest on her arms, leaning against the table.

She wasn’t sure how long she had been waiting—perhaps a long time, or perhaps just a short while.

In her dazed state, she heard the sound of hurried footsteps approaching from outside.

The steps were hurried and disorganized.

Xu Duanyi assumed it was Bixi returning, but fearing there might be others, she didn’t want anyone to see her in this state.

She tried to sit up straight, weakly supporting her body, and adjusted her clothes, making sure there were no wrinkles.

The door opened.

Xu Duanyi turned her head to look.

But to her surprise, standing at the door was a handsome young man dressed in black fine clothing.

She looked at his face.

Xu Duanyi suddenly stopped her movements.

She stared at the person at the door, unsure whether she was dreaming or if her eyes were deceiving her.

Looking at the man in the doorway, Xu Duanyi blinked, helplessly widening her eyes and muttered, “Prince?”

Xie Qingya didn’t answer her.

He frowned, walked in, and stood before her.

Behind him were Lingji and Bixi.

Xie Qingya stood before Xu Duanyi, blocking most of the light. She tilted her head to look at him, noticing his tall and handsome figure. His long, slender neck was pale and appeared fragile.

The brilliant lights reflected off them, and their eyes met.

“How much did she drink?” he asked, looking at Bixi but answering Xu Duanyi.

“…One cup,” Xu Duanyi slurred, holding up a finger.

She kept her head tilted back, feeling as if this dream was too real, even Xie Qingya’s expression and tone seemed so vivid.

She was certain now—it had to be a dream.

If it weren’t a dream, how could Xie Qingya possibly be standing before her?

“One cup, and she’s like this?” Lingji asked, disbelief in his voice. Before he could add anything, he received a cold glare from his master, Xie Qingya.

Lingji immediately shut up and stood behind, silent.

Once everyone had quieted down, Bixi explained, “It was Lord Li from the Hanlin Academy. He wanted to thank the master, but the master thought it inappropriate, so he suggested they drink. It was my fault for not checking that the wine was West Phoenix wine, and I let the master drink it.”

Bixi said this, her eyes reddened once more.

Not daring to cry in front of them, she quickly wiped her eyes and said to Xie Qingya, “Prince, please don’t say anything more. The master is feeling unwell. We should return to the residence and let the master rest.”

Xie Qingya didn’t want to say more.

He instructed Lingji to go outside to manage the lanterns and then turned to Xu Duanyi and asked, “Xu Duanyi, can you stand up?”

When Xu Duanyi was drunk, she was even more obedient than when she was sober.

Especially in front of Xie Qingya.

She always acted docile.

Xu Duanyi’s brain was slow to respond at the moment.

Under Xie Qingya’s gaze, she stared at him, trying to understand what he said for a while before nodding, “Yes.”

Then she tried to use the table to support herself and stand up.

Bixi naturally didn’t want her to get up alone, and was about to help when she saw her usually capable and unyielding master suddenly frown and sit back down.

Bixi didn’t know what was going on.

She was about to ask, but before she could, she saw the master look at Xie Qingya with a pitiful expression and say, “Xie Qingya, I’m dizzy.”

Xu Duanyi gazed at him with eyes full of a vulnerable look she rarely showed.

She truly believed this was a dream.

In this dream, she was obedient but also bold.

Bixi watched, wide-eyed, as her master, still speaking, suddenly reached out and hugged Xie Qingya’s waist.

Seeing that he didn’t resist, she took the bold step of leaning her face against him, her eyes half-closed, partly coquettish, partly murmuring, “Xie Qingya, I can’t get up.”

Bixi’s eyes widened.

But since she already knew how her master felt about the Prince, she was surprised but knew better than to speak at this moment.

She glanced at Xie Qingya’s rigid posture and his stiff face.

Without saying a word, Bixi lowered her eyes and quietly withdrew.

Soon, only Xie Qingya and Xu Duanyi remained in the room.

Xie Qingya’s face was stiff, and he lowered his gaze.

---

The hands around his waist were not difficult to break free from. He only needed to take a step back to escape the embrace that Xu Duanyi had given him.

But Xie Qingya stared at the top of Xu Duanyi’s head for a long time and ultimately did not do so.

He just looked at her and sighed helplessly and weakly.

“Xu Duanyi, I really… have lost to you.”