The medicinal wine worked well. The next day when she woke up, Ying Ying Ji supported herself against the table as she stood on the ground. She tried letting go of her hands and took a step. Her ankle felt slightly sore but could already bear weight. Since she could walk slowly without problems, it was time to leave this place.
She made her way to the door step by step. The brilliant sunlight streaming into the room was suddenly shadowed, and wide-legged pants with pointed boots came into view. Without raising her head, she said softly, “I can return to the dye house now.”
For a moment, Feng Ze Sheng regretted using the medicinal wine to massage her injury. Her attitude of not wanting to stay near him a moment longer made him feel vaguely uncomfortable.
Hearing no response, she took it as agreement. After all, Feng Ze Sheng had said before that he would send her back to the dye house once her injury healed. “Thank you… for kicking Xiu Yuan Zhao yesterday.” Ying Ying Ji stepped over the threshold, bowed slightly, and walked past him.
With only Nanzhao women serving in the palace, she had changed into a colorful pleated skirt. The hem was like blooming flowers in the sunlight, like a colorful cloud, floating past his eyes.
“You didn’t even look up, how did you know it was me standing in front of you?” Feng Ze Sheng asked slowly.
Ying Ying Ji stopped.
Feng Ze Sheng walked in front of her, his voice carrying a hint of expectation: “You could sense it was me, right? You’re familiar with my presence, you trust me… because you trust me, you hate that I couldn’t protect your family. In your heart, you’ve always felt that I could protect you, that I could protect your family! Ying Ying, actually you…”
“Your Highness wears pants made of the finest brocade, dyed six times with parrot blue to achieve this dark cyan. It appears cyan in sunlight and like ink in the shade. Your Highness’s boots are embroidered with vivid lions in dark thread.”
The words he had finally managed to say were easily cut off. As if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head, a cold air emanated from Feng Ze Sheng’s body.
Ying Ying Ji bowed again and slowly walked down the steps.
His arms seemed to still bear her lightness, softly leaning in his embrace like a vine weakly climbing a tree. His palm still retained the feeling of holding her ankle. Her small, delicate foot, like a frightened rabbit, darted away as soon as he let go.
His breathing suddenly became rapid, and watching her gradually disappearing figure, before Feng Ze Sheng could clear his thoughts about what he wanted, his feet had already stepped down the stairs, and his arms naturally scooped up Ying Ying Ji: “It’s not suitable to walk long distances now, it would waste this prince’s medicinal wine.”
Looking down at her, her long eyelashes trembled slightly, concealing her eyes. His heart felt as if brushed by a feather, producing a trace of bittersweetness. This feeling he had never experienced before made Feng Ze Sheng somewhat dazed. It wasn’t until he saw the dye house by the river at the foot of the mountain that he suddenly realized they had arrived.
The soldiers guarding the dye house gate all bowed upon seeing him.
Feng Ze Sheng dismounted and carefully helped her down: “Go back now.”
Ying Ying Ji bowed again and slowly walked into the dye house. Hearing the news, the clerk and Matron Zhuo came out to welcome her, and Jin A came forward to support her.
“I’m returning her to you unharmed. She excels at dyeing silk and color matching. Make full use of her talents, so as not to disappoint the sovereign’s expectations.” Feng Ze Sheng seriously admonished the clerk managing the dye house. His gaze swept across Matron Zhuo’s face, and the colorful skirt hem flashed once before disappearing from view.
“Your Highness need not worry. Every craftsperson here is a precious asset. This official will take good care of them.” The clerk barely dared to look directly at Feng Ze Sheng’s face. After the whip-snatching and kicking incident without a word spoken, he had been scared to his knees. Afterward, he slapped himself several times in private, hating himself for being so stupid. How had he not seen Matron Zhuo’s protective intention toward Lady Ji Yang? Matron Zhuo came from the Bai Ya Palace. Her protection of Lady Ji Yang was naturally the Prince’s intention. Far from being a woman who had angered the Prince and deserved punishment, she was practically a Buddha who needed to be enshrined.
Hearing the horse’s hooves, the clerk carefully raised his head, but Feng Ze Sheng had already gone far. He let out a long sigh and straightened up. Seeing Matron Zhuo still watching Prince Bai’s departure, he put on a face full of smiles: “Matron, since Lady Ji Yang is so skilled, shouldn’t we arrange better quarters for her, let her mix dyes separately?”
Matron Zhuo smiled: “The sovereign raised an army to attack Tang and captured Tang craftspeople to make Nanzhao’s brocade industry flourish and prosper. Such talents naturally should be treated well. This old servant has already arranged for her to stay at the Waterside Residence.”
The dye house was by the river, and the officials’ quarters were right by the riverbank in separate stone courtyards. During the day the sunlight was strong, and in winter, the temperature dropped sharply at night, even requiring braziers for warmth. Compared to the bamboo sheds and wooden houses where ordinary dye workers lived, it was more than ten times better.
The clerk nodded repeatedly: “Matron handles matters reliably, this official is at ease.”
Matron Zhuo bowed to him and led her subordinates back to the dye house.
The room was clean and spacious, with Jin A standing quietly at the side. Ying Ying Ji squinted at the brilliant sunlight outside the window. The opportunity given by time needed to be waited for quietly. If she didn’t do something, she would be driven mad by this stillness. She remembered the extremely bright-colored brocades in the Bai Ya Palace and ordered Jin A: “Bring some silk threads from local Nanzhao brocades.”
Hearing that she wanted to study well-dyed threads, Jin A’s eyes sparked with enthusiasm: “This servant will go right away.”
It was clear that the Nanzhao people sincerely hoped to obtain Tang’s brocade-weaving techniques. If not for this war, Ying Ying Ji might not have been stingy. Because of the war, because of hatred. She couldn’t bring herself to work for the Nanzhao people. However, it was a good opportunity to learn and draw from Nanzhao’s dyeing techniques.
The spacious room gradually became filled with requested dyes, silk threads, and fabrics. The plants unique to Nanzhao’s mountains and forests produced brilliant colors not found in Tang. Ying Ying Ji immersed herself in it, no longer painfully watching the sun’s shadows and the moon’s phases.
Half a month later, the clerk found Matron Zhuo: “Lady Ji Yang’s dye formulations are indeed superior. She’s also written out the recipes without reservation. However, this official has received orders from above. The Weaving Bureau believes she’s being wasted in our dye house. They want her to match colors for brocade weaving.”
“The Weaving Bureau? Is it Xiu Yuan Zhao again?” Contempt flashed in Matron Zhuo’s eyes.
“If it were Deputy Envoy Zhao, this official could handle it.” The clerk pointed upward and mouthed the words “Qing Ping Official.”
Matron Zhuo understood: “This dye house is within Bai Ya Palace’s sphere of influence. We must let the Prince decide.”
The news reached Feng Ze Sheng’s ears. Du Yan wanted Ying Ying Ji to assassinate him. After not seeing her for half a month in the dye house, was Du Yan getting anxious?
“Master, only keeping her in Bai Ya Palace will work,” Chi Hu said straightforwardly.
The suggestion to keep her by his side was tempting. Feng Ze Sheng’s eyes swept past the colorful skirt floating away from him. “The sovereign won’t be pleased to see this prince clash with the Qing Ping Official over a Tang woman.”
Du Yan would be delighted to see him bring Ying Ying Ji back to the palace. She was the wife of Du Jing’s killer. If he did this, the court officials would unite against him. Du Yan, oh Du Yan, you want to avenge your son and make this prince alienated from everyone.
No, Du Yan already knew he cared about Ying Ying Ji. He would certainly keep a death grip on Ying Ying Ji. Feng Ze Sheng suddenly realized this point: “Prepare the horses!”
He and Du Yan were calculating each other’s thoughts in circles. After going around in circles, Feng Ze Sheng suddenly discovered that unless he completely ignored Ying Ying Ji, he would always fall into Du Yan’s trap.
Racing like lightning toward the dye house, Feng Ze Sheng felt a trace of regret in his heart. He shouldn’t have let her return to the dye house at all.