Section 8: Floating Chariot

  The people in front of you are the most efficient. When I left from Feng Shuyi's place, the guards guarding Cunjutang were only half of what they were just now.

  Yi Xuan supported my hand and slowly walked out, seeing that the night was already deep, and deliberately took a detour, only to return to the house behind the fake mountain in Shanglin Garden, changed into palace maid clothes, and quietly followed Yi Xuan back to Cunju Hall.

  It was the time when the two shifts of guards were changing, and just now they had been disturbed by Empress Hua, so most people were exhausted. Moreover, Xuan Ling had taken away half of the guards, and those who remained were also very lax. Fang Ruo had already distributed the food that Mei Zhuang had given me to the night guards according to her instructions, and a certain amount of anesthetic was added to the food. Before long, those guards were all drowsy.

  Stealthily entering, Fang Ruo and Xiao Lianzi were already waiting inside. Xiao Lianzi said in a low voice: "The young master was not wrong, the young master left soon after, she went to Cao Jieyu's palace from the back hall side door."

  I caught my breath, and although I had long suspected it was her, the shock, anger, and disappointment still surged up, pressing against my chest. I remained silent, my face must have looked terrible, as Xiao Lianzi saw me and asked in alarm, "Young Master, do you want me to go and apprehend her first?"

  I suppressed the surging breath and said calmly: "No need. Just tell them to act as if nothing happened."

  Xiao Lianzi was taken aback and said, "Yes."

  "I said: 'You go back first. I will personally come to investigate her case.'"

  Xiao Lianzi bowed and retreated, "I've already moored the boat in a dense patch of lotus, Young Master should be able to return without drawing attention."

  I nodded and saw him leave, then Fang Yi grasped Fang Ruo's arm and said: "Auntie, thank you."

  Fang Ruo's eyes had a hint of tears, "Young Master, you can't say that, or you'll be killing me. I've been serving Young Master since the mansion, and it's only right for me to do my best." She said, leading me towards the inner hall.

  The chrysanthemum hall was a place she was extremely familiar with, and she walked through it as if it were her own palace. Due to the imperial favor of Xuan Ling, last year at this time, all sorts of chrysanthemums had bloomed here. There were golden peonies, yellow crane feathers, golden pheasants, side gold basins, and oriole yellow; white chrysanthemums included moonlit whites, jade peonies, jade treasures, jade tinkling, snowballs, Diao Chan's moon worship, and Taiye lotus. Purple chrysanthemums included Bi Jiang Xia, double flying swallows, scissors dawn clouds, Nao Pan, and purple Luo Yun. Red chrysanthemums included beautiful reds, sea cloud reds, embroidered hibiscuses, rouge fragrances, brocade lychees, and crane top reds. Light red ones included Buddha's smile, red powder balls, peach blossom chrysanthemums, Xi Shi powders, and jade tower springs. All were famous and precious varieties. Amidst the sea of chrysanthemums that seemed like clouds and mist, Mei Zhuang's face was adorned with a shy smile as a new bride, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction, and she softly said: "The emperor treats me... it can be said that he has a heart." Truly, people were more delicate than flowers.

  However, time flies, and it has only been a year. The chrysanthemum withered and bloomed again, but the former prosperity is no longer in the Chui Hall.

  The palace maid's shoes had very thin soles, and walking on the fallen leaves and withered grass gave a strange, fragmented sensation. As autumn approached, the desolate atmosphere of the withered trees and grasses wafted up to her nose. The moonlight made the dew on the grass wet the palace shoes. Because Mei Zhuang had lost favor, the slaves and maids in the imperial harem were all eager to shirk their duties, serving with increasing laziness, so that weeds grew thickly, flowers and trees withered, and when autumn winds arose, this courtyard seemed even more desolate and bleak. Only one wheel of autumn moonlight remained, like a new eyebrow sprinkling its clear radiance over the lush weeds.

  I turned around and entered the inner chamber, where I saw Mei Zhuang standing at the door. From a distance, she stretched out her hand to me, and her eyes grew hot with tears that almost fell. I hastily ran a few steps forward and firmly grasped both of her hands.

  Meizhuang's hand was exceptionally cold. I hadn't spoken yet, but my vision blurred and tears rolled down uncontrollably. Meizhuang also sobbed, carefully examining me before forcing a smile: "It's okay. It's okay. Fangruo always told me you were fine when she came in to report, but I didn't believe her. Now it seems I can finally relax."

  I forced a smile and said: "I'm fine, I just worry about you."

  The fragrance between words has already gone with the wind, Mei Zhuang's figure lost its former plumpness, a pair of thin hands tightly grasped my hand and walked into the inner room with me.

  As I stepped inside, I couldn't help but pause in surprise. The air was already filled with a musty smell. Mei Zhuang saw my expression and smiled wistfully, saying: "This is no longer the Cuiju Hall of old."

  I couldn't help but be shocked: "Although that's the case, you still have a certain status, yet the palace is so desolate, those slaves are really too excessive!"

  Meizhuang stretched out her hand and lit the red candles in the room one by one, saying: "The power of Huafei is flourishing, those slaves are all used to seeing the wind and making concessions, stepping on me. If it wasn't for Fangruo's secret help, I'm afraid I wouldn't have made it through today." As she spoke, a tear fell down, just falling between the burning candles, "hiss" a soft sound, rolling up a strand of irritating white smoke.

  The candle flame was extremely poor quality, emitting a pungent coal smoke smell when burning. Mei Zhu couldn't help but cough, and I quickly helped her sit down. The bedding and curtains were dull and ambiguous in color, even the teapot seemed unclean. I carefully wiped the bowls with a cloth, then poured out a cup, and upon examining it under the candlelight, I was relieved to find that although it wasn't good tea, it was barely drinkable.

  Jian Mei Zhuang finished her drink in one gulp, and I slowly said: "Don't worry. I will definitely plead with the Emperor to release you as soon as possible." These words were spoken without confidence, and I couldn't help but feel guilty. When would Xuan Ling release Jian Mei Zhuang? I didn't even have a clue. But for now, I could only try to comfort her slowly, hoping to untie the knot in her heart.

  Meizhuang just coldly smiled, seemingly neither affirming nor denying.

  The moonlight pours through the window, like a scattering of pearls in the darkness. The scent of withered grass and trees wafts slowly into the hall. The candle flame flickers, casting an uncertain glow as it releases the pungent smell of melting wax. A single tear rolls down, falling onto the candle holder, like a mournful sigh. It casts a faint light on the heavy, dusty tapestries, stained with the remnants of autumn's decay, reflecting the desolate state of my heart and Mei Zhuang's at this moment, lost in the dim light.

  Half a day passed, and Mei Zhuang seemed to have calmed down a bit. She spoke quietly: "I heard Fang Ruo say that you weren't implicated because of my affair, so I'm slightly relieved. Fortunately, now there's Ling Rong, you're not alone in this anymore." She paused for a moment, gazing blankly at the withered chrysanthemums outside the window that no one had tended to. After a while, she came back to her senses and asked faintly: "Does the Emperor like Ling Rong very much?"

  I was taken aback for a moment, then said: "It's not particularly good. But it's far better than Cao Zhi's works."

  Meizhuang nodded slightly and said, "That's also pretty good. However, Ling Rong is timid and afraid of trouble, although she has gained favor, but for anything important, it still needs you to make the decision."

  I agreed, seeing her thin figure, and couldn't help but say: "Don't be angry with that good-for-nothing slave, take care of yourself first. Today you can hear the commotion outside, it's also a way to vent your anger."

  Mei Zhuang nodded and said: "I heard. But she may not be so easy to deal with."

  I couldn't help but sigh, "It's just one step at a time, I suppose."

  My gaze gradually fell on her still flat belly and I couldn't help but ask, "What really happened when you were pregnant back then?"

  Meizhuang smiled coldly: "Everyone says I'm faking a pregnancy to vie for favor, do you think so too?" Meizhuang subconsciously stroked her flat abdomen and said: "With the imperial favor I enjoyed back then, why would I need to pretend to be pregnant and go to great lengths to vie for favor?"

  I calmly said: "You naturally don't have to resort to such tactics, with your former favor, getting pregnant is only a matter of time. Why bother with this extra move."

  Meizhuang sighed softly and said, "It's good that you understand."

  "Sister, they deliberately made you think you were pregnant to get all the glory and pampering, and then accused you of faking it for attention." I sighed and told her my guesses: "I'm afraid from the prescription Jiang Taoyi gave you to his recommendation of Liu Fu, someone has been manipulating everything. They took advantage of your eagerness to have a child to lure you in, and then used a clever trick to expose you at the right moment."

  Meizhuang said, "They had set this trap from the beginning, just waiting for me to fall into it." She clenched her fist tightly around the handkerchief in her hand, "It's all because I'm useless!" Two lines of clear tears fell straight down from her sorrowful and indignant eyes. "Until Fulang took out the blood-stained clothes, I still didn't know that I wasn't actually pregnant." Meizhuang's fingernails were already three inches long, but in her grief and indignation, she only heard a faint "crack" sound as those water-chestnut-like nails all broke off at once. I was startled, and Meizhuang's eyes were full of icy hatred, "They actually used the matter of the imperial heir to plot against me!"

  I recall Mei Zhuang's overjoyed expression upon hearing the news of her pregnancy, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow. She had always hoped to have a child, to comfort the loneliness of quiet nights, to solidify the king's favor and the family's glory.

  I comforted her, saying: "It's come to this, and there's no use in regretting it. You should know that even I almost fell for their tricks. Originally, I still wanted to support Empress Hua in governing the six palaces, but if not for me bringing her into the scheme today, I'm afraid that in the future, both Ling Rong and I would be in a precarious situation."

  "I heard it clearly inside." Mei Zhuang said with a sad face: "I'm already useless, I hope you won't be implicated too." After finishing speaking, she wiped away her tears and said: "If you can save me from this predicament, that would be the best. If not, don't force yourself either. You alone shouldering the burden of the situation must also be careful, absolutely cannot end up like me..."

  My heart was burning with a desire to cry, afraid of making Browner even more heartbroken, I finally held back with a strong effort.

  In the dimly lit hall, the branches and leaves of ancient trees cast eerie shadows on the window screens, like withered ghostly claws. The autumn insects' chirping in the dead of night grew increasingly desolate and chilly, striking the heart with wave after wave of sorrow.

  "I exclaimed: 'Your Majesty... he...' But I couldn't say any more. Xuan Ling's behavior towards Zong, was really too chilling for me. The rabbit dies and the fox grieves, when the lips are gone, the teeth feel cold! I finally couldn't hold back my disappointment and sadness about past events, and slowly said: 'Your Majesty... perhaps he indeed isn't our good match... what we sincerely prayed for in the past, is probably not going to come true.'"

  "Good husband?!" Mei Zhuang sneered, her voice almost piercing the eardrums. "Even Qi Ren's wives and concubines know that a 'good husband' is someone a woman hopes to rely on for life..." Mei Zhuang's lips tightened in anger, her voice trembling with rage: "He... he has never been able to make me look up to him!" Mei Zhuang's voice grew more mournful, as if drowning in the unbearable weight of past memories. "In the past, I was with you in the boudoir, idly passing the days, hoping that one day I could marry a man of my dreams. From then on, we would wake up together on spring mornings to pick flowers and wear them in our hair, spend cold nights guessing riddles by the lamp, burn incense together while admiring paintings... Years would pass like shadows stepping on moss." Even though she knew that one day she would marry a king, she didn't dare hope for sweet nothings whispered in her ear, but at least hoped he could trust and cherish her.

  Mei Zhuang's voice was choked with excitement, her every word and sentence etched in my heart, forcing out the bitter sorrow that had been stuck in my throat. These words were the playful jokes of our boudoir days, as well as the most sincere longing of a young woman... I forced back tears to comfort her: "Don't worry, I've already sent someone to investigate the frame-up, and I'm sure we'll get results soon. Be patient. When the truth comes out, the Emperor will surely make it up to you and clear your name."

  A sorrowful smile flickered on her face under the moonlight, with a hint of disdain. "Compensation? Can he compensate for the injustice and pain I've endured these days? He held me in his palm, only to discard me like a worn-out shoe... Your Majesty... He is indeed heartless, not even sparing a thought for our past affection!"

  A sense of indescribable fear crept over me, and I felt my heart tossing about like a leaf on the crest of a wave in the midst of Browning's words, gradually sinking down, sinking down... Browning gazed at my expression and said, "Perhaps these words are piercing your heart today, but as someone who has fallen from power like myself, how can you understand the bitterness within?" She paused for a moment before continuing, "The once-respected and now-abandoned Su Jing Tang made me realize that imperial favor is fleeting. It's just like that." As she looked at my increasingly complex and inexpressible emotions, she said calmly, "However, the Emperor treats you well and won't let you end up like me one day. You don't need to persuade me; I'm only leaving to protect the Shen family. The Emperor..." She smiled coldly and stopped speaking.

  I wanted to say more, but Fang Ruo had already come knocking on the door and whispered from outside: "Please hurry up and come out, Master. The effect of the imperial guard's medicine is about to wear off, and it won't be good if we're discovered."

  I hastily wiped away tears and said: "Take care of yourself at least, I will definitely find a way to rescue you."

  Meizhuang grasped my hand tightly, "You take care too!"

  The door was urged by Fang Ruo again, and I reluctantly reminded him of two sentences before rushing out.

  The autumn night's darkness, shrouded in a thin mist, crept into the layered halls and palaces of Ziyao City, as if a pair of stealthy hands were probing every nook and cranny, every cold and grand corner or loft, for secrets and conspiracies, leaving people bewildered.

  I quietly avoided the patrolling guards in the palace and came to the place where Xiao Lianzi had arranged a small boat for me, following the winding stone path into the depths of the lotus flowers.

  A small boat, untied, rocked gently and rippled the water when I boarded. Feeling the boat was slightly unbalanced, I didn't think much of it and simply untied the mooring rope. Just as I was about to row, I suddenly heard the sound of rows of guards passing by with their boots making a crunching noise. In a panic, I hid in the narrow cabin.

  Suddenly, the ground beneath my feet felt soft and slippery, as if I had stepped on something warm. I was so startled that I could hardly make a sound, but the thing let out a loud "Ah yo!"

  It's a man's voice! And it seems familiar. Before I could make a sound, someone on the shore shouted: "Who is in the boat?!"

  My heart almost leapt out of my chest, racing wildly inside. I closed my eyes and breathed softly, secretly cursing - if someone were to discover me, all the effort I put in today would be for nothing, and even Lian Zhuang wouldn't be able to get away with it!

  However, in the dark and cramped cabin, a bright gaze flashed by, seemingly surprised and unexpected. A hand tightly covered my mouth, half of his body stretched out of the cabin, lazily saying: "Who is disturbing this king's good dream?"

  The voice was not loud, but it suppressed the sound of the shore that had just been majestic and powerful, making it disappear without a trace. Someone smiled apologetically and said: "I didn't know that the Sixth Prince was here, I'm really disturbing you, please forgive me."

  Xuan Qing seemed impatient, yawning and waving his hand: "Go, go. Don't disturb the king's interest."

  Xuan Qing had always been unconventional, and no one would think it unusual for him to be out so late at night. Moreover, the Moonlit Cloud Pavilion on the Tai Ye Chi was his old residence, where he would stay whenever he came to the palace to pay respects to the Empress Dowager and found it inconvenient to leave the palace, keeping a distance from the consorts' quarters.

  The people on the shore seemed to have gone in a hurry, and after listening for a while without any movement, he said, "Come out."

  I let out a few "wu wu" sounds, and he suddenly remembered that his hand was still covering my mouth, so he hastily removed it. I lifted the curtain hanging on the cabin door to take a look outside, but my face felt scorching hot as if it were about to burn up.

  He seemed a bit uneasy and slightly embarrassed. He caught sight of my unusual attire for an instant, but didn't ask many questions, only saying: "I'll see you back."

  I didn't dare speak, busily nodding my head, as if trying to dispel my own tension and confusion.

  He exerted himself with a sudden thrust, and the boat had already slowly moved away from the shore by several feet, gradually making its way towards the center of Taiye Pool. As they proceeded further at a slow pace, his wildly racing heart finally calmed down slowly.

  The Shishinden Hall in Kyoto is located south of the Byodo-in Temple, so the summer heat has not completely dissipated with the arrival of early autumn. Even the lotus flowers in the Taikobuchi Pond are blooming more luxuriantly than those in the Kongetsu-ike Pond. However, as it is already late August, the Taikobuchi Pond's ten-mile-long lotus flowers are emitting a sweet and intoxicating fragrance that is almost overwhelming, while the leaves of the lotus, water chestnut, and reeds have a refreshing and elegant scent. The wind gently stirs the lotus flowers on the misty waters, the halls and pavilions are shrouded in mist, and the red lanterns of the palace are reflected in the water, making it seem like a flowing brocade. The lake's surface is adorned with soft, gentle ripples, and I feel as if I am floating on a boat amidst a sea of stars, lost in a world of fantasy, unable to help but be enchanted by this scene.

  I saw the boat tail piled with lotus flowers, and I slightly felt puzzled. I asked: "It's already the end of August, and even the lotus pods are not many, why are there still so many new lotus flowers for the king to pick?"

  He slowly rowed the boat, his tall figure reflected in the rippling lake water, rustling softly like the wind under the pines. He said casually: "Perhaps it's the last lotus flower of this summer. Little Wang visited the depths of the lotus flowers at night, startling the egrets and herons, and only managed to get these few back to put in a vase for quiet appreciation."

  I looked up at the clear moonlight, "Does the king like lotus flowers?"

  "I love it for its ability to emerge from the muddy water yet remain unsoiled, and to wash in the clear stream without becoming seductive." He spoke warmly with a smile.

  The flowing water gurgles and flows past the occasional scattered words between him and me, the boat passes by, and the floating duckweed that has separated from the side of the boat reunites again, as if it had never been apart.

  I saw that there was no one around, so I crawled out of the cabin and sat at the bow. My nose is quite sensitive, and I smelled a faintly fragrant scent that didn't seem like lotus flowers. So I asked: "It seems to be the fragrance of Artemisia? But it shouldn't be in season now."

  Xuan Qing said: "Jie Yu's delicate nose belongs to Xiao Wang." He gazed at her with a crescent moon-like curve, his shallow smile like a gentle breeze that rippled the water and made the moonlight on the waves sparkle like silver. "In the mountains, the fragrance of the Dou Ruo (2) is strong," he said, quoting Qu Yuan's poem "The Mountain Spirit".

  I covered my sleeve and smiled, suppressing the slight surprise in my heart. "Your Highness seems to have found someone you like?" He just smiled and didn't speak, increasing his strength on the oars, causing the small boat to move faster.

  Seeing Xuan Qing's elegant demeanor, rowing and moving forward, her plain clothes with wide sleeves fluttering up and down with her gestures, it was indeed lofty. He couldn't help but smile and say: "On such a deep night, Prince Wang is taking an unmoored boat to drift on the waves of Taiye Pool, it's really leisurely and elegant."

  He also responded with a faint smile, looking back at me and saying: "Zhuangzi said 'Full of food and wandering around, like an unmoored boat, empty and carefree.' (3) Full and satisfied all day, nothing to do, just a rich and noble person, only good for wandering and excitement." Suddenly revealing a mischievous expression: "Unexpectedly today I can share the same boat with beauty. Let little Wang have the feeling of sharing a boat with Xi Shi on Lake Tai."

  I slightly straightened my expression, "If I didn't know the king's true intentions, the concubines would certainly be angry. Please, Your Majesty, do not compare the concubines to Xi Shi again."

  Xuan Qing smiled lightly and indifferently, with a look of obvious disapproval. "How could Yu Nu also be like those common people, thinking that Xi Shi was a beauty who brought ruin to the state?"

  I gently shook my head and said in a soft voice: "If Xi Shi could destroy the State of Wu, who destroyed the State of Yue?"

  He was puzzled, "If Jieyu is so understanding and reasonable, why did she say what she said just now?"

  Lightly holding the lotus flower, its fragrance fills my bosom. Fan Li is Xishi's beloved. Xishi, a young maiden, was sent by her loved one to Wu State as a concubine, how tragic and heartbreaking! Even later when they put aside their past grievances and sailed together on Lake Tai, I suppose her heart was no longer that of the young girl washing silk in Zhenro Village. Her beauty and youth were given by Fan Li to the enemy king as a concubine, and in old age she returned to his side, alas, how could Xishi's love endure?

  He was taken aback for a moment, and his clear eyes seemed to flash with surprise, the corners of his mouth curled up in a smile, and his eyes were full of uncontrollable excitement. "History either praises Xi Shi or scolds King Wu, but no one blames Fan Li." Qing had never heard such high praise before. He suddenly rowed the boat with all his might: "Jieyu's wonderful idea, I am inferior to her."

  His sudden movement made the small boat rock, and I was startled to grab the side of the boat, only to feel embarrassed: "The concubine is just measuring others by herself, speaking wildly in the boudoir, and the king will laugh."

  Perhaps due to the ship's rocking, something suddenly slipped out of his bosom and fell on my skirt. He didn't notice at all, but continued to say: "As Yuji said, Fan Li is not as good as Fucha. At least Fucha treated Xishi with wholehearted devotion."

  I nodded and sighed, "Yes. Fuchai devoted the power of a nation to love one woman. It was love, not favoritism. If it were just favoritism, he wouldn't have paid such a price, only in the eyes of an emperor, this is too extravagant."

  He seemed to be holding back his emotions, and sighed: "To pamper but not love, this is the greatest disrespect towards a woman."

  Suddenly, he said that he had never heard me speak like this before. And his words, I had never heard anyone else say them. In an instant, it seemed as if my chest was opening and closing, the serious words and his words mixed together in a turbulent tide, leaving me speechless.

  The women in the palace only seek the emperor's favor to ensure their daily survival, who dares to extravagantly ask for love. Even if I had once held a thread of extravagant hope, I also understand that among the three thousand weak waters, I am not that one scoop of Lingyun.

  He suddenly turned his head, and his gaze swept across my face like a gentle stream, "It seems that Concubine Wei has been touched by something in her heart, it's a sigh from the bottom of her lungs."

  The boat sailed across the waves, entering the depths of the lotus flowers. The gentle breeze came, and under the moonlight, the white egrets rose and fell in the sparkling ripples. Occasionally, a red carp jumped out of the water, splashing droplets of water everywhere. I remained silent for a moment, then smiled as usual: "Your Highness is overthinking, the concubine was just discussing the matter at hand, also lamenting Xi Shi's short life."

  I don't know why sometimes what he says always moves me to the point of speechlessness. Slightly lowering my head, I see the lake water rippling silently like dark-colored satin, and the palace maid's dress I'm wearing is a plain moon-white color, reflecting the flowing waves of moonlight with a faint blue glow. Although the fabric has a simple, uniform color, I notice that an embroidered clasp on the collar has a soft, gentle luster.

  A silver silk streamer, a tortoiseshell comb, and a bead; it's obviously something that belongs to a man. It should be returned to him immediately, but somehow curiosity got the better of me. Seeing him take up the oars again without noticing anything, I quietly opened it for a look.

  The delicate petals are as if nothing, a few clusters of osmanthus have been dried by the wind, like half-transparent yellow butterflies, still retaining their noble posture, the faint fragrance is endless. I will smile in my heart, osmanthus is a noble fragrant flower.

  Just as I was about to put away the handkerchief and return it to him, I saw a soft, red piece of cloth at the bottom of the bag. I reached in and pulled it out, holding it up to the moonlight to take a look. I was almost shocked into standing still on the spot. On the pure white palm of my hand, a small portrait floated lightly - it was the very same one I had hung on the plum tree in Yulan Garden on New Year's Eve! Xiao Yu's craftsmanship was exquisite, and the portrait captured my smile and expression perfectly. Anyone who took a close look would know it was me. It was too unexpected! I felt dizzy and disoriented, unsure of what to do. All I could feel was the faint sound of "Shan Gui" echoing in my mind, as if it were coming from the other side of a vast, illusory expanse, repeating over and over again the phrase he had just spoken: "Mountain dweller, fragrant peach blossoms."

  He just focused on rowing the boat forward, occasionally praising the moonlight as silver and the beautiful scenery. I suddenly felt a pang of guilt, for a moment unable to distinguish whether the person who had been talking with me was the same person who had carefully collected my small portrait and Du Ruo's together. It wasn't until the golden rose hairpin on my hairdo fell off and hit my arm that I came back to my senses in pain. The golden rose hairpin was one of the jewels given by Xuan Ling the other day, I thought it was well-made and had a unique style, so I pinned it on my hairdo, and even when changing into palace maid clothes, I didn't want to take it off. Who would have thought that it was polished so smoothly, almost unable to hold onto my hair when it came loose. Suddenly seeing the hairpin, I immediately remembered the fact that I was Xuan Ling's concubine, and hastily decided it was better to pretend not to know. With great effort, I calmed down and collected my thoughts, putting Du Ruo and the small portrait into my sleeve and securing them well before calmly calling out to him, "Your Highness seems to have dropped your sleeve ornament."

  He took it with a "thank you" and carefully put it in his bosom, without caring whether I opened it or not. It seemed that whether I looked at it or not was not important to him, he just treasured the things in this small bag.

  I mechanically grasped the golden lotus-shaped purse hanging from my belt, the jade pendant swaying beneath it, and didn't even feel the pain of its edges digging into my hand. I was simply dazed and distracted.

  I don't know when he got it or how, and no matter how hard I think about it, I just can't figure it out. All I know is that having this thing by his side is extremely dangerous if someone were to find out. But seeing him treasure it so much, I also can't bear to say anything.

  He, with a light cloud and gentle breeze, carried me who was full of worries. He seemed to be talking about something that had nothing to do with him, "This brooch is a token of Qingxin's love, if it were lost, it would be a great regret."

  I only now heard him speak, and I woke up from my confusion, saying: "Your Highness is being too serious. It's just a button." Sighing softly so that only I could hear it, I forced myself to say: "Since it's something you treasure, Your Highness shouldn't show it to people again, lest it cause endless trouble."

  He had hardly spoken when the small boat arrived at the Xiao Liang Palace's rear ferry. I picked up my skirt and bid farewell, remembering something, turned back with a smile and bowed: "There is one thing I would like to request of Your Highness."

  "It doesn't matter what you say."

  "Concubine had a slight trouble in the palace, fortunately, was helped by a noble. Just don't mention to anyone that you met and spoke with concubine tonight, or any other night, including the night of the Taiping Palace banquet. If Your Highness agrees, it would be Concubine's great fortune."

  Although he didn't understand the meaning, he still smiled and agreed, "Alright. Little Wang just thought it was a small secret between him and Wei Yu, not to be told to anyone else." He also said: "Being able to have a heart-to-heart talk with Wei Yu is Little Wang's good fortune, like a refreshing breeze in his ear. If he has the chance in the future, he will invite Wei Yu to gather at his Qingliang Pavilion and discuss ancient and modern times, and Little Wang will treat her to three big cups of wine."

  "I said, 'The moon has its phases of brightness and darkness, fullness and emptiness. People also have their destined encounters and partings. Some things can be let go with the flow, while some things are futile even if you try to force them. Summer is already over, Qingliangtai is too cool, so I won't bother you with a visit.'"

  He had a moment of distraction, his left hand unconsciously pressing down on the spot where he had just put down the clasp, and then calmly said: "Qingliangtai is warm in winter and cool in summer, if one day you feel that the sky is cold and unbearable, you can also come together, the small fire stove made of red clay will thaw the frost for you." He lowered his eyes, the edge of his pants was wet by the lake water, with a nearly transparent texture, his voice gradually became lower, as if it had been wetted by the lake water as well. "Qing also hopes that there will never be that day."

  There is a inexplicable sadness and emotion in my heart, as if on a winter day I woke up to find that the ice and snow in the garden had turned into a hundred flowers blooming, so beautiful and grand, but it was the wrong season, which made people dare not accept, nor could they accept.

  I will never forget that my husband is the most supreme in the world. And he is my husband's sworn brother.

  Note: (1) Borrowing from the Yue Opera "Dream of Red Mansions" selected sections, a few sentences imagine Baoyu's married life with Daiyu, their love is harmonious.

  (2) From "Zhuangzi·Lie Yukou": "Full of food and wandering, like a boat not tied to anything, empty and wandering." It refers to an untethered boat, carefree and at ease, evoking a sense of longing.

  (3) In the mountains, I long for a fragrant beauty like the douyu flower: From Qu Yuan's "Shan Gui", meaning the one I miss is as pure and lovely as the douyu flower. It is an expression of deep emotions.

  (4) Yīng yuè: A small embroidered pouch or sachet worn by men.