“Silk threads?” Chuniang snapped back to reality, put down what she was holding, and stood up. “Just what I need.”

Chijin nodded. “I need to go to the West City Gate. The carriage is outside; I can give you a ride.”

His words were straightforward and sincere, leaving no room for refusal.

Chuniang composed herself, wrapped her cloak around her, and followed him outside. The cold wind was biting, and there were few people on the streets. Many shops were half-closed, but the silk shop on West Street had its doors wide open. The shop assistant stood at the entrance, and upon seeing her, bowed and said, “Miss, would you like to see our goods? Our shop has just opened, and we have plenty of fine items.”

She glanced back at Chijin, who nodded at her before lowering the curtain and leaving.

Xu Chuniang didn’t think much of it and followed the assistant into the shop. She picked out some beautiful silk threads and then noticed a notice posted on the wall.

“Miss, do you know how to make knots?” the assistant asked with a smile. “Our shopkeeper posted this. If anyone can use our ten-color silk threads to make an exquisite knot, they will receive a priceless piece of purple jade. Look.”

He opened a box to reveal it. “This is the jade.”

Xu Chuniang gasped in shock at the sight of the high-quality purple jade, engraved with auspicious patterns. Just adding a string would make it a perfect accessory.

Although the Princess’s residence provided her with a monthly allowance, she felt embarrassed to spend it without contributing. In a few months, Huaiyu would give birth, and she was troubled about what gift to give. This opportunity seemed perfect; if she could win it, she wouldn’t have to worry.

Her eyes brightened, and Xu Chuniang asked the assistant, “What kind of knot is considered exquisite?”

The assistant replied, “Miss, make it as grand as possible. The more complex the pattern, the better. As long as you are sincere, you will surely impress the shopkeeper.”

Thinking for a moment, he went behind the counter and brought out some patterns for her. “You seem like a kind person, so I’ll give these to you.”

Chuniang thanked him repeatedly and looked at the patterns. They were all quite good, but one in bright red was the most complex and festive.

That one it is!

With a plan in mind, she didn’t think much about anything else and left the shop with the silk threads, intending to walk back.

“Miss Xu,” Lu Jingxing’s voice called from behind.

Chuniang paused and turned to see the chief shopkeeper, Lu, seemingly on his way back to the Princess’s residence. He smiled at her from his carriage. “It’s so cold today; why don’t you ride back with me?”

He instructed the driver to lower the small stool.

Already feeling cold, Xu Chuniang didn’t refuse much. She got into the carriage and sat properly in the corner, smiling and thanking him, muttering softly, “I’m having good luck today.”

Lu Jingxing’s phoenix eyes smiled as he looked at her.

He had originally planned to go to the west of the city, but after encountering someone on the way, he turned his carriage around to help give her a ride.

“Miss Xu, do you know what Chijin’s original surname was?” Finding the matter amusing, Lu Jingxing couldn’t help but speak.

Chuniang shook her head. “Lord Chijin rarely talks about himself.”

“That’s because he’s modest.” Lu Jingxing twirled his jade-bone fan and sighed. “If it were someone else, being born into the Zhuang family of Jiangnan, they would boast about it.”

Jiangnan Zhuang family? Xu Chuniang looked up in shock. “Zhuang Beihe?”

“You’ve heard of him?” Lu Jingxing raised an eyebrow, thought for a moment, and nodded. “That’s right, he has some connections with General Xu.”

Zhuang Beihe was a formidable figure in the martial world and had conflicts with the court. At that time, the Jiangnan authorities couldn’t handle him, so Xu Xian, under the command of the Grand Princess, went to meet him. Somehow, they became friends, and later, when Zhuang Beihe accepted amnesty, Xu Xian traveled a thousand miles to deliver a congratulatory gift.

“Chijin is the ninth son of Zhuang Beihe, named Yan, courtesy name Suihan. He was a pampered young master, but who knew he had a strong will and was rebellious? At seventeen, he left home to wander, hating evil and being impulsive, offending many people. He didn’t want to return to the Zhuang family, so General Xu tricked him into Feiyun Palace.”

Xu Chuniang listened, wide-eyed. “Tricked?”

“Indeed, he laid out martial arts manuals from the palace gate to Feiyun Palace. Chijin was so naive back then, picking them up one by one, only to find a little girl with her hands on her hips in front of him, who beat him up without a word.”

Lu Jingxing hadn’t witnessed this scene himself; he heard it from Xu Xian later. But thinking about it, he found it amusing, imagining Li Huaiyu’s fierce demeanor at the time.

He chuckled softly and said, “If he wanted to return to the Zhuang family now, he could do so immediately. After all, he has a legitimate official position, which would satisfy his family. But he refuses.”

Xu Chuniang thought for a moment and said, “He probably feels he hasn’t done well enough yet.”

After spending so much time with him, even without deep conversations, Chuniang could see that although Chijin was gentle and considerate, he was very ambitious and had high standards for himself. He often practiced swordsmanship outside early in the morning and carefully considered everything before taking action. If he made a mistake, he would avoid others and blame himself for a long time.

For him, a legitimate official position was far from enough to face his renowned father.

Lu Jingxing teased, “I wonder if the trap set by the Grand Princess when he entered the palace left such a deep impression that Chijin became more cunning. Now, the people in Feiyun Palace don’t dare provoke him, fearing his traps.”

“Hmm?” At this point, Xu Chuniang disagreed. “How could he set traps for people?”

He was a kind and simple person!

Looking down at the silk threads and patterns in her hands, then at her determined expression, Lu Jingxing opened his fan to cover his face. “Hmm… you have a point.”

The Ninth Young Master of the Zhuang family set traps so subtly that no one noticed.

Xu Chuniang felt that Shopkeeper Lu misunderstood Chijin, but she had no position to say more. After all, she and Chijin weren’t that close. It was better to go back and focus on making the knot.

Lu Jingxing dropped her off at the Princess’s residence but showed no intention of getting out of the carriage.

Curious, Chuniang asked, “Aren’t you coming in?”

Lu Jingxing smiled faintly. “I suddenly remembered I have something to do. You go ahead.”

Slightly stunned, Xu Chuniang realized.

Since Lord Ziyang and Huaiyu reconciled, Shopkeeper Lu seemed to rarely appear at the Princess’s residence. He had many shops and the largest inn and restaurant in Yixian City, so he could rest anywhere without Huaiyu worrying.

Standing at the entrance, watching the curtain fall and block his affectionate eyes, Xu Chuniang suddenly recalled a famous poem from the capital:

“The phoenix comb is taken and not returned, drunkenly sleeping on the brocade under the full moon.”

Shopkeeper Lu, with his Nanyang jade-bone fan, had broken the hearts of countless beauties in the capital. Many had sought him out, offering themselves to him. Yet, after all these years, why was he still alone?

She took this question back to the main courtyard to ask Huaiyu.

Li Huaiyu, smiling, leaned on the soft couch and replied, “He was too flirtatious when he was young, having seen all the beauties in the world, so he’s tired of it. If you want him to settle down, it would take a beauty of unparalleled charm, more beautiful than him, to move his heart.”

Lord Ziyang, quietly reading documents in the outer room, paused his red pen at the sound, leaving a bright red dot.

Staring at the dot, he pulled out a clean sheet of paper, switched to a brush, and wrote a letter, handing it to Chengxu to deliver.

Li Huailin was troubled by the end-of-year diplomatic break with Eastern Jin, and someone with no sense approached to report, “Your Majesty, if I remember correctly, Lord Baihua is now assisting in Eastern Jin’s governance. Lord Baihua and our Lord Ziyang are quite close. If Lord Ziyang intervenes, there might be room for negotiation.”

With a dark expression, Li Huailin said, “Lord Ziyang is unwilling to return to the capital, and you expect anything else?”

The person, apparently newly transferred from outside the capital, looked puzzled. “How could such a courteous person as Lord Ziyang not return to the capital? Is there something troubling him?”

Before he could finish, someone covered his mouth and led him out.

Qi Han wiped the sweat from his forehead and bowed. “Your Majesty, please don’t take it to heart.”

Li Huailin sneered, “It’s been so long, yet so many still revere Lord Ziyang as a god.”

“Three feet of ice takes time to melt,” Qi Han said. “Lord Ziyang’s years of prestige, without any major mistakes, make it hard to change public opinion quickly.”

How could he not be anxious? His sister and Lord Ziyang had left the capital, and now all he saw was devastation. When he wasn’t in power, the ministers never spoke ill of him and even urged him to take the throne early. Now, no matter what he did, someone would mention the Grand Princess and Lord Ziyang, sighing as if he were unworthy of being emperor.

How did their attitudes change so quickly?

Still young and restless, Li Huailin turned and asked, “Have the people from Pingling received their orders?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. The imperial envoy arrived two days ago and should have entered Yixian City by now.”

“Very well.” He said angrily, “Since the ministers miss my sister so much, let’s invite her back for a proper visit.”

Consort Ning, listening behind the screen, sighed silently.

A few days ago, when His Majesty was ill and delirious, he called out “Sister,” but now, wearing the dragon robe, he seemed like a different person.

He was already an emperor, having everything. If he could let the Grand Princess go, it would be beneficial for him.

What a pity… she shook her head.

Under the gloomy sky, with dark clouds pressing down, Imperial Envoy Jia Liang led a thousand soldiers from Pingling, brandishing the imperial sword, marching boldly towards Yixian City.

“Sir, I’ve heard that Princess Danyang is ruthless. You should be careful,” someone beside him advised.

Jia Liang chuckled. “I’ve already investigated. Yixian City has no garrison, only a few bandits causing trouble. With so many of us, why fear a princess? Even if she calls for reinforcements, we have more, and Lord Pingling supports us!”

“But…” the person whispered, “this city is close to Ziyang. I’ve heard that Lord Ziyang might be here.”

“Nonsense!” Jia Liang scolded. “Lord Ziyang is busy in the main city of Ziyang. How could he suddenly come to Yixian City? Besides, everyone knows the enmity between His Majesty and Princess Danyang. If he came, he’d be on our side. What is there to fear?”

Thinking it made sense, the soldier fell silent, and the army continued marching. Jia Liang looked at the fragile city walls of Yixian City from afar, raising his chin high, and sent someone to demand the gates be opened. “If they don’t open, we’ll march right over and flatten those walls!”

The men behind him laughed and jeered, and the messenger ran quickly to deliver the message with a cheeky grin.

Yixian City was poor, and the city gates looked shaky. Someone on the city tower heard the shout, poked their head out to look at them, and said coldly, “We won’t open.”