Chapter 24

Shen Wei immediately noticed the shock in Zhao Wan’s voice. She looked in the direction of the sound and saw Zhao Wan staring intently at Lu Qi Huai.

Zhao Wan, whose face had always been gentle and demure, appeared somewhat pale at that moment. Even her usually calm eyes now reflected a hint of unease, shifting slightly. What was going on? Why was Princess Qinghe reacting this way? Shen Wei furrowed her brow. She glanced at Lu Qi Huai once again and saw that he was still as composed as usual before turning her gaze back to Zhao Wan, replying, “To answer your question, this is my eldest son, his name is Qi Huai, courtesy name Xuan Yue.”

After these words—

Shen Wei paused for a moment, then cautiously asked, “Princess, do you know Xuan Yue?”

“Qi Huai, Xuan Yue…”

Zhao Wan repeated the name softly, rolling it over her tongue. Then, she raised her head and carefully studied Lu Qi Huai. She didn’t look away for quite some time, but eventually, she withdrew her gaze.

The Buddhist chanting from the temple’s main hall reached their ears, its sound drifting through the air, which helped calm the turmoil in Zhao Wan’s heart. By now, she had regained her composure, and her voice returned to its usual tone: “I don’t recognize him, but I think this Young Master Lu doesn’t resemble the Rongguo Duke very much.”

Although Zhao Wan’s words seemed ordinary, Shen Wei noticed the way she subtly tightened her grip on the arm of her maid beside her. There was still a trace of doubt in Zhao Wan’s heart. However, Shen Wei said with a light smile, “They say sons resemble their mothers. It’s only natural that Xuan Yue doesn’t look like his father.”

Zhao Wan didn’t say anything more after hearing this.

She nodded, then turned to Shen Wei, saying, “It’s getting late, and I won’t trouble you with idle talk. When I have more time in the future, I will invite you for a casual gathering.”

Once Zhao Wan finished speaking, she didn’t linger. With her maid’s help, she began walking away. However, as she passed by Lu Qi Huai, her steps momentarily hesitated. Her gaze couldn’t help but linger on him for a brief moment… but after that, she quickly averted her eyes and continued walking.

After Zhao Wan left, Shen Wei stood up with Mo Qi’s assistance.

She watched Zhao Wan’s departing figure, still thinking about the strange behavior she had noticed earlier. Turning to Lu Qi Huai, she asked, “Do you recognize the Princess?”

Lu Qi Huai smiled gently and lowered his eyes, replying in a soft voice, “Mother, you jest. How could I know such a noble person?” After saying this, he glanced in the direction Zhao Wan had gone and added, “There are many people in the world who look alike. Perhaps the Princess mistook me for someone else.”

After these words—

He glanced at the sky and then continued, “Mother, we should go offer incense to Father. It looks like it might rain soon.”

Shen Wei didn’t say anything further. Since Lu Qi Huai had grown up in the quiet Five Water Lane with his mother, it made sense that he wouldn’t recognize the Princess. Perhaps, as he said, Zhao Wan had simply mistaken him for an old acquaintance… She thought about this and calmed her thoughts, continuing to walk with Mo Qi toward the small temple where they would place the memorial tablet for Lu Bu Wei.

Lu Qi Huai followed her steps, walking alongside her.

Meanwhile, Zhao Wan, who had been walking toward the exit of the temple, suddenly stopped just before leaving. She turned around and looked back. The group she had been with had already turned away, and she fixed her gaze on the figure of the young man in black. Her expression was complex, and her red lips pressed into a straight line.

The maid beside her noticed her halt and softly asked, “Your Highness, what’s the matter?”

Zhao Wan didn’t respond immediately. She stared intently at the young man’s figure for a moment. She watched as the young man followed Shen Wei down a small path, then finally withdrew her gaze. The wind in the first month of the year was still chilly, especially in the mountains. She pulled her cloak tighter around her shoulders and, after a brief silence, said faintly, “It’s nothing. Let’s go.”

Even as she spoke, she couldn’t help but glance back at the temple one more time. But by then, the young man’s figure had disappeared.

—-

At the Huo residence.

As the eldest princess, Zhao Wan naturally had her own residence. However, she had always been close to Huo Longting, and after marrying him, she moved into the Huo family’s house. After returning from Xishan Temple today, she had sent all the maids away and sat alone in her room. This wasn’t unusual; every year when she returned from Xishan Temple, she would do the same.

Therefore, the servants were used to it by now.

But today, the maid Hongling, who had accompanied Zhao Wan, seemed unusually preoccupied. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something about the Princess’s behavior today was different from previous years.

And this difference…

It seemed to stem from the fact that today, the Princess of Chang had seen the eldest son of the Rongguo Duke’s mansion at the Xishan Temple. What was so different about him that it could make the princess feel this way?

When Huo Longting returned, it was already late in the evening.

The Huo family had already lit candles and hung lanterns inside and outside the house. He wore a scarlet one-rank military officer’s uniform with a jade belt at his waist, walking with the elegance of a saber cutting through the air. He was thirty-five now, his face dignified, with a square jaw and thin lips that gave him an imposing aura, as if always holding back.

By the time he reached the main courtyard, he noticed the courtyard outside was brightly lit, but the inside remained dark, so he stopped. The maid, Hongling, who had been waiting outside, hurried to meet him, and after exchanging greetings, she respectfully said, “You have returned, Master.”

Huo Longting responded with a faint “Mm,” then handed his official hat to Hongling. Looking at the dark main room, he added, “Go and prepare some hangover soup for the mistress.”

Hongling took the hat with both hands and responded, “I’ve already had the kitchen prepare it.” After speaking, she watched as Huo Longting walked inside. She had intended to mention the mistress’s strange behavior today, but seeing that he had already stepped past the curtains into the room, she decided against it.

Inside the room, there were no lit candles. Huo Longting felt somewhat uncomfortable as he stepped in.

However, his eyesight was sharp. After a moment, he adjusted and opened his eyes to look around the room. He scanned the area and soon saw Zhao Wan reclining on the soft couch.

He said nothing and continued walking toward her.

Huo Longting had expected Zhao Wan to be as drunk as she was every year, but to his surprise, when he reached the soft couch, Zhao Wan opened her eyes and looked at him. “You’re back.”

Her voice was calm, and even her eyes held no trace of intoxication.

Huo Longting stared at her for a moment, surprised, but only for that brief instant. He quickly composed himself, softened his tone, and replied, “I’m back.” He then sat down beside her and gently pulled her into his arms, stroking her long hair. “Did you go to the Xishan Temple today?”

“Mm…”

Zhao Wan leaned closer to him, wrapping her arms around his strong waist, her body pressed against his chest. There was an unfamiliar sense of dependence and closeness in her voice.

Huo Longting noticed that Zhao Wan was acting differently today. If it were her usual self, she would have been drunk and unconscious by now, but she hadn’t touched the several jars of plum wine beside her. He placed his hand on her face instead of her head and gently lifted her face to look at her. “Has something happened?”

If nothing had happened…

Zhao Wan wouldn’t have been like this.

Upon hearing his question, Zhao Wan tightened her grip around his waist and slowly raised her face to look at him. The moonlight from the window illuminated her face, and she gazed at Huo Longting with a conflicted and hesitant expression. After a long silence, she finally spoke, “Back then, did that child really die?”

Huo Longting was taken aback by her sudden question, momentarily unable to react.

But seeing the pain and pallor on Zhao Wan’s face, his hand, which had been on her face, froze. After a long pause, he spoke in a hoarse voice, “Are you referring to… that child?”

As soon as he spoke, Zhao Wan lowered her gaze again. She withdrew her arms from Huo Longting’s waist and covered her eyes with her hand, trying to hide all the emotions within them. But despite hiding her feelings, the pain in her heart was impossible to conceal. She curled up on the couch, burying her face in her knees. Whether it was from pain or distress, her body trembled slightly. “Today, I saw the eldest son of the Rongguo Duke. His features were so similar to that child from back then, I almost thought it was him returned… Han Shan…”

She suddenly called out Huo Longting’s name, then raised her face to look at him.

Her hand gripped his sleeve tightly, her voice trembling, but her expression seemed to carry a glimmer of hope. “Do you think… it’s possible that he never really died? Could someone have saved him? Perhaps the eldest son of the Rongguo Duke is him…”

Huo Longting didn’t answer immediately. After Zhao Wan finished speaking, he pulled her into his arms.

His hand rested on her back, gently patting it as if to soothe her emotions. Once she calmed down, he spoke in a low voice, “When I arrived that day, the place was already engulfed in flames. I saw his body lying in the fire with my own eyes.”

“Ah Wan…”

Huo Longting seemed to recall the scene from that year. Though usually composed, the anguish in his eyes was now evident. He closed his eyes for a moment before speaking again, “No one survived that day. Not even that child, who was so weak.”

“Moreover…” Huo Longting reopened his eyes, looking at Zhao Wan, his face still carrying the pain of that memory. He spoke again, “You’re saying the person you saw was the eldest son of the Rongguo Duke. But Rongguo Duke, as that child’s right-hand man, how could he have allowed something like this to happen under his very nose?”

As Zhao Wan listened to his words, the excitement and hope that had been on her face faded away completely.

She sat there, stunned, her eyes no longer shining with hope, and the hand that had clutched Huo Longting’s sleeve now hung limply by her side. After a long time, she stared at the moonlight on the floor and softly murmured, “Yes… who would dare to deceive him in this world? How could Rongguo Duke deceive or hide things from him?”

“Perhaps it’s truly because my obsession runs too deep, that such thoughts have come to me.”

As she spoke, the tears in her eyes couldn’t be hidden and continued to fall. She then whispered in sorrow, “But I really wish he could be alive… alive and well.”

Huo Longting, seeing her in such a state, felt heartache and pulled her back into his arms. He reached out and gently wiped away the tears falling from the corner of her eyes, then softly comforted her, “Alright, it’s been so long. Don’t think about this anymore.”

Zhao Wan, hearing his words, buried her face in Huo Longting’s chest, but her tear-filled eyes continued to gaze out of the window.