After this young gentleman named Lu Lingjun unexpectedly blurted out this astounding statement, I was actually able to maintain my tea-drinking posture with a straight face. I privately believed this princess’s magnanimous tolerance had advanced to a new level.

Obviously, the others present didn’t possess such broad-mindedness, especially Jiang Xuanqing, whose flaring nostrils revealed his surging emotions. Several times he wanted to speak but stopped himself, finally simply kicking over a table and storming off in a huff, leaving the rest looking around in bewilderment before also departing dejectedly.

So the entire floor was left with just Lu Lingjun and me.

We stared at each other quietly, neither speaking.

Actually, I truly didn’t know where to begin. I drafted several versions in my mind – should I say “Brother, your aspirations are truly lofty, this younger brother admires you greatly,” or “Sir, your views are ones I dare not agree with”? But no matter what I said, it couldn’t hide the fact that this handsome gentleman had a twisted heart.

Fortunately, he spoke first: “Who are you?”

…

I coughed and bowed with a smile: “I was originally listening to songs in the hall below. Hearing that Imperial Academy students were having discussions here, curiosity got the better of me so I came to look. If I’ve been presumptuous, I hope you’ll forgive me.”

Lu Lingjun looked enlightened and asked: “What does sir think of what I just said?”

My opinion was… actually, my household already had quite enough male favorites.

I closed my fan and said: “Sir doesn’t seem like someone who would participate in such occasions. What you said earlier was probably to interrupt your fellow students’ words, so to speak. As they say, disaster comes from the mouth and trouble enters through the mouth. If I’m not mistaken, sir was helping them.”

Lu Lingjun was stunned for a moment, then cupped his hands and laughed: “It seems this young brother is a clever person. May I ask your name?”

I almost blurted out “He Feng,” but then felt this name had already passed away with my state of mind – why mention it again? But I couldn’t very well say this princess is surnamed Xiao, named Qitang, as I feared the moment I finished saying the name, Brother Lu would directly collapse.

Through the window I glimpsed the plaque of the neighboring Yueyang Restaurant reading “Heavenly White Jade Capital,” and smiled: “My humble surname is Bai, given name Yujing.”

Lu Lingjun invited me to sit. He probably felt I wasn’t some pedantic old-fashioned type. Only now, sitting so close, did I notice Brother Lu’s facial features were as delicate as jade carvings, his entire being emanating a spirited air, quite capable of inheriting the prince consort’s beauty. But then again, fortunately I was currently in an amnesiac state – otherwise this fine gentleman before me would probably have difficulty escaping my clutches. Very fortunate indeed.

Lu Lingjun took a sip of tea and said: “Brother Bai’s words are half right. Actually, my aspiration truly is to become Princess Xiangyi’s male favorite.”

My eye twitched, and I said with a smile: “I wonder why Brother Lu has such thoughts? I’ve heard Princess Xiangyi is willful and tyrannical. Even being her prince consort is unbearably painful, let alone a mere male favorite?”

Lu Lingjun smiled: “Brother Bai, do you know what became of each of Princess Xiangyi’s male favorites?”

Each? Speaking of which, I still haven’t figured out how many male favorites I have.

Lu Lingjun spread his five fingers and counted one by one: “The first, Wei Qingheng, served as the princess’s young tutor before her coming-of-age. What position a young tutor holds, Brother Bai surely understands. But he only stayed at the princess mansion for half a year. After leaving, he directly became a Cabinet Scholar, and now also serves as our Imperial Academy’s Chancellor. People say one must be a jinshi to enter the Hanlin Academy, must be from Hanlin to enter the Cabinet. Once in the Cabinet, one walks step by step toward the highest positions in court. But if one enters the princess mansion, those decades of careful maneuvering are all saved – one leap to the destination.”

I rubbed the throbbing vein at my temple. So this princess’s first male favorite was called Wei Qingheng.

Lu Lingjun continued enthusiastically: “The second, Zhang Xianyang, was originally the son of a criminal whose entire family should have been executed. The princess brought him back to the mansion for one year, and now he serves as Governor of Zhejiang and Governor-General of Jiangsu and Zhejiang. The Jianghuai faction bureaucrats are headed by National Uncle Li with him as second-in-command. Among prestigious local officials, he’s the youngest with unlimited prospects.”

Zhang Xianyang… this name was indeed familiar. Ah yes, for the Jiangsu-Zhejiang floods, they needed someone who could assist the Governor-General of Jiangsu and Zhejiang. I… I wondered why the Crown Prince had that scheming smile – so he wanted my current male favorite to assist my former male favorite?

“The third is Fang Yachen, son of former Grand Marshal Fang Liang. The Fang family declined due to the Fang Liang case. Logically, Fang Yachen should also be implicated. Not only would he be unable to enter office, but since Fang Liang made many enemies as an official, even his life would be in danger. But thanks to Your Highness the Princess,” Lu Lingjun smiled meaningfully, “he now serves as Professor at the Imperial Academy’s Guangwen Hall, in charge of advanced jinshi students.”

I quietly wiped the cold sweat beading on my forehead and asked: “Fang Yachen is your teaching professor?”

Lu Lingjun nodded then shook his head: “For me, yes. For them, no. That group earlier were students from the Imperial Academy proper – essentially descendants of dukes and nobles of third rank and above. Most only know how to talk big. I’m different.”

I picked up the conversation thread, smiling: “Brother Lu is this year’s Academy top student. I greatly admire you.”

Lu Lingjun shyly turned his head away: “Not at all, not at all.” He paused, then turned back with a serious expression: “Actually, I greatly admire myself too.”

Me: “…”

“As for the fourth, Han Fei…” Lu Lingjun frowned: “To be honest, given the Han family’s generations of officials, his career path was always smooth. Later he even became Fang Liang’s disciple, which should have meant meteoric rise. I don’t know why he ruined his own prospects.”

I very much agreed with his assessment – Han Fei was indeed ruining his own prospects. But thinking these messy affairs over from all angles, collecting a group of male favorites at such a young age – however I looked at it, I was the one ruining my prospects.

Getting to this point, I felt Lu Lingjun was quite a fine person. He could speak so enthusiastically and eloquently even to a stranger. I had originally thought this was psychological distortion, but now it seemed his aspirations were reasonable and well-founded. It was just a pity I already had a prince consort, and even more regrettable that I was now determined to reform and stop being a beast. Otherwise, I could have slightly considered fulfilling his beautiful wish.

Lu Lingjun propped his chin and looked at me: “Brother Bai seems somewhat interested in what I said. Could you be a kindred spirit?”

I waved my hands repeatedly: “Brother Lu jests.” Lu Lingjun laughed heartily: “Brother Bai, you’re quite amusing. I was just joking, yet you’ve actually blushed. Young Master Bai, where is your home? From your dress, you don’t look like a scholar.”

I said: “I live in the capital. I can’t claim to be a scholar – my family has some money, but I’m just an idle wastrel.”

Lu Lingjun nodded: “So Brother Bai is a wealthy idler. That’s the highest realm I pursue – truly enviable.”

Just as Lu Lingjun and I were in the midst of our spirited conversation, there was suddenly a commotion downstairs. Lu Lingjun walked to the doorway and looked down, then turned back to me: “The storytellers have arrived. If we don’t leave now, we might not make it before they close.” I nodded: “Brother Lu, go well. This meal is on me.” Lu Lingjun happily waved at me: “Then many thanks, Brother Bai. Let’s continue another time.” Then he vanished in a flash, incredibly swift.

I listened to the storytelling on the second floor for a while, then figured I should return to the mansion. Leaving the teahouse, I oriented myself and slowly headed back to the princess mansion. The further I walked, the heavier my mood became. That big trouble at the princess mansion gave me a headache just thinking about it. There were also the male favorites Lu Lingjun had mentioned, listed one, two, three, four – interesting for him to say, but making me even more anxious and unsettled. I even thought it would be better to remain He Feng forever and never recover my memories, to avoid remembering I was a debauched princess who harmed more innocent beautiful young men.

While turning a corner, I was lost in thought and didn’t watch where I was going, bumping into someone. Looking up, I saw it was an elderly gentleman of some years. The old gentleman arrogantly asked if I didn’t know who he was. I hurriedly helped him up and apologized repeatedly. Only when I was almost back at the princess mansion did I remember – I was Princess Xiangyi. No matter who he was, I had nothing to fear.

So I always felt I wasn’t as arrogant and domineering as rumored. I was actually quite amiable and approachable by nature.

It was just that the world was too dull to understand the true meaning. This princess wouldn’t stoop to their level.

Thinking this way, my entire being suddenly brightened like finding a village after dark willows and bright flowers. Even seeing the prince consort after returning to the mansion, I felt he appeared even more graceful and elegant.

Well, that last sentence was just a rhetorical flourish to express my mood. Actually, after returning to the mansion, I didn’t even catch a glimpse of the prince consort’s shadow. He had someone bring word that he was busy with a case and wouldn’t return for dinner.

Dinner without the prince consort’s company was extremely boring. Although the prince consort himself was quite dull, at least staying with him wouldn’t be tedious.

Alone, looking at the pond water reflecting moonlight, I remembered how in the past at this time I would sit in the small courtyard with Xu Fang admiring the moon. He was much more interesting than the prince consort – he would tell stories, make jokes, and play the flute. Most importantly, I could bully him as I pleased. With him, my entire heart would settle down, peaceful and comfortable.

Thinking about it, my eyes actually grew moist again, feeling strangely melancholy and flustered inside. It seemed being alone with wild thoughts wasn’t good. I patted my head and decided to return to the study to read and divert my attention.

Returning to the study, I remembered the red leather book I had touched last time. Due to Eunuch Cheng’s visit, I hadn’t been able to read it. This time I suddenly felt interested, so I had a maid brew tea and sat down to read slowly.

This book felt quite heavy in my hands.

Opening the title page, three crooked characters were written vertically: Tang Heart Record.

My jaw nearly dropped to the table. This “Tang” – could it be referring to me? Turning the next page, I saw the writing: “Today Ah Tang practiced calligraphy. Father Emperor praised Ah Tang’s brushwork as free-flowing and well-structured.”

This… this kind of childish, ugly tadpole-like writing was actually called free-flowing? Father Emperor, you can’t just tell blatant lies with your eyes open. Really, you can’t spoil little girls too much. Spoil them too long and they easily become lawless, thus creating the future Xiangyi…

I rubbed my brow. So the meaning of “Tang Heart Record” was… Ah Tang’s inner journal?

Quite interesting indeed.

Now intrigued, I flipped through page by page.

“Crown Prince Brother bought Ah Tang candied hawthorn and honey date cakes. Ah Tang couldn’t bear to eat them, saving them until yesterday to finish. Last night I felt unwell. The imperial physician said I ate something bad. Father Emperor was angry, scolded Crown Prince Brother, and punished him to copy the Dao De Jing ten times. When I went to see Crown Prince Brother, his eyes were red from copying. He said he’d never buy me treats again.”

“Mother Empress’s belly is getting bigger and bigger. She asked if I like a little brother or sister. I said I like a little sister. Crown Prince Brother said he likes a little brother. We argued, and in the end Crown Prince Brother apologized, or I would never speak to him again.”

“Mother Empress actually gave birth to a little brother. Crown Prince Brother was incredibly pleased and said we must bully little brother lots in the future.”

…

This little brother seemed to be the current Crown Prince.

However, it seemed I was really clingy with that Crown Prince Brother in childhood – almost every page mentioned him. It was just a pity that the former Crown Prince Xiao Jinglan had fled to the ends of the earth with his beloved woman when I was seventeen, or it wouldn’t have come to me having to serve as regent. Reading the love for her elder brother between the lines, for a moment, the feelings in my heart were hard to describe. I thought if I hadn’t lost my memory, I would often think of him.

Like watching a play, I discovered that the further I read, the more proper and elegant my handwriting became, completely different from my current writing style learned from imitating Xu Fang. I had to say, it really did have a free-flowing quality. Father Emperor truly deserved to be Father Emperor – he had used a developmental perspective to view problems from early on. I had wronged him.

“A few days ago I poked a beehive and provoked many bees that came to sting me. Crown Prince Brother surrounded me in his arms. His whole body was covered in stings, but my face still swelled up from being stung. We both got fevers. Mother Empress had us rest at Jade Dragon Manor outside the palace. Crown Prince Brother said this was a blessing in disguise. I was very sad – my face was covered in little bumps. How was that a blessing?”

Reading this, I couldn’t help laughing out loud. But suddenly my fingertip froze on the next page.

“It turns out Crown Prince Brother wasn’t lying – it really was a blessing in disguise. I met a big brother.”

…

“Big brother doesn’t know I’m a princess. He thinks I’m just a little palace maid serving the Crown Prince.”

“Big brother said I’m the ugliest little girl he’s ever seen, and also the most adorable little girl he’s ever seen.”

“I think I’ve fallen in love with big brother.”

So this was this princess’s first love?

I hurriedly flipped ahead, but found the next several pages were all blank. When writing appeared again on the page, only one sentence remained: “Big brother left. Ah Tang waited for him under the maple tree for a whole day, but he still didn’t come. He didn’t keep his promise with Ah Tang.”

A promise? What promise?

Curious, I wanted to continue reading, but after this there was never again any mention of this “big brother.” From the evolution of the handwriting, I must have not touched this journal for a very long time.

Until the very last page, where my brushwork had truly become flowing and dancing, I had written neatly in regular script: “Ah Tang marries tomorrow. That person is not him. Unable to wait for the person after four years, I hope four more years will let me truly forget.”

That was all.

I closed my eyes, held back, then opened them again.

No way – so after this thick entire journal, not a single mention of this “big brother’s” surname or name?

At least draw a portrait!

Having my appetite completely whetted and left hanging in mid-air was terribly uncomfortable.

Dispirited, I flipped through the red leather book back and forth, still unable to find any clues. Finally I angrily threw the journal onto the table.

Perhaps I used too much force, or perhaps the wind outside was strong, causing the book pages to flutter loudly.

Then something tucked within flew up, and after the wind died down, slowly fell into my palm.

A maple leaf.

No, it was a palm-sized piece of paper, painted in maple leaf colors, cut into a maple leaf shape.

My whole body stiffened.

So strange, so familiar. Everything around me seemed to disappear, leaving only this paper maple in my eyes and heart.

Without warning, without reason, my heart began to palpitate.

Tea fragrance seeped into the wind, rippling through the room. I slowly pressed my hand to my heart.

Why was it that though I had remembered nothing at all,

I simply could not stop this heart that pounded like a startled deer, like beating drums?

Author’s Note: Cough, because of Dragon Boat Festival plus my birthday the day before yesterday, I played too much and didn’t write – sorry~~

About what Brother Lu said in this Yi Shou Zhe Tian Yi Shou Chui Di – Chapter (the four male favorites), I feel it’s necessary to add a note. Don’t misunderstand that these 4 had any romantic entanglements with the princess, love-hate relationships, or that the princess was fickle with many men. Actually, if you look carefully, you’ll find the princess isn’t conflicted at all about what she might have had with her male favorites. Her heart has always beat for only one person. That person is – the male lead. Hehehehehe. Who the male lead is exactly – anyway, it won’t be any of the four major male favorites.

Someone asked who I think is most adorable in this story – is it Xu Fang or the prince consort or little Lu or someone coming next?

Oh my, this question… actually… actually… I think the princess is most adorable! covers face Isn’t the princess who complains about all sorts of tragic situations but remains strong most adorable?

Hehe. So let me post my mental image of the princess.

He Feng saving the aunt in the countryside, He Feng teasing that silly young master, the princess in male disguise, sad and upset He Feng

And of course, the most confident and adorable Princess! ~~~(≧▽≦)/~lalala

Leave comments for her~~~ I hope her love story moves everyone~~