Wei Qingheng coughed lightly, “Big brother at the wedding banquet? Who is this person?”

“…I don’t know either.” I tried hard to recall, “Just a shadow…”

“Does the princess still remember what your big brother looked like?”

I shook my head.

“How does the princess know that shadow was indeed him?”

I pointed to my heart that had been restless for so long, “That feeling of my heart pounding…”

Wei Qingheng looked at me helplessly and said, “Princess, we should go back. I still have classes to attend, unlike you who are so leisurely.”

“…”

Wei Qingheng indeed went back to his room to rest. At this moment, dawn was breaking. In Lu Lingjun’s room, those fellows Li Da, Du Er, Su San and the like were still lying around snoring in deep sleep. How fortunate they were to live such pig-like lives, but sadly I could never become a true Bai Yujing. With a sigh, I tucked away the imperial edict and returned to the princess mansion.

After returning to the mansion, I hid the edict well and didn’t force myself to stay awake, immediately falling into bed for a deep, drowsy sleep. When I woke, I saw the sun had already set, and only then did I feel my stomach was empty. I instructed the servants to prepare dinner with more meat dishes, simply eating three meals’ worth at once until I was stuffed. Liu Bo watched from afar, shaking his head continuously. As the steward, he had failed to properly arrange the princess’s schedule, and apart from sighing in regret, there was nothing else he could do.

After eating and drinking my fill, I remembered something. Today, the crown prince would likely formally appoint Han Fei as the Jiangzhe Inspector during the morning court session. Although with my seal and his golden words, this matter was settled, Han Fei had previously experienced so many ups and downs, and had been left hanging for quite some time under the name of the princess’s paramour. I wondered if he might encounter any obstacles.

While I was pondering this matter, a maid from the mansion hurried over saying someone requested an audience. Upon inquiry, it was a servant from the Han household. Further questioning revealed something terrible had happened – the servant stammered, “Young Master Han was assassinated and his life hangs in the balance.”

My scalp exploded with shock as I confirmed this with a trembling voice. When I rushed to the Han mansion, I saw the entire household shrouded in an atmosphere of grief and resentment. My heart was pounding – surely not, it couldn’t be, it wasn’t possible that just as I released him, he’d swim straight to his death? So when shock was about to make my nose sting with tears, and suddenly someone emerged from behind the door curtain, I immediately felt dizzy and faint.

Han Fei calmly tapped his tea lid and asked curiously, “Why does the princess look so panicked? What has happened?”

I stared at him and said, “Your servant came to find me saying you were assassinated and your life hung in the balance.”

Han Fei blinked in surprise, “He must have misspoken. That assassin took a sword from me and his life is in danger.”

So when the servant said “cike” (this moment), he actually meant “cike” (assassin)?

I rubbed my numb molars and took a gulp of tea that a servant had set down, asking, “What exactly happened? Where did this assassin come from?”

Han Fei curled his lips and said, “It should be those people from the cabinet – either Chief Minister Zhao or Second Minister Li. But since I dared to take on this assignment, I had already anticipated this.”

I looked at him, “Are we pushing you into a fire pit?”

Han Fei paused, then smiled, “Among officials, there are those who are corrupt and take bribes, and those who protect themselves wisely. If I were the type to cling to life, I wouldn’t have fallen to this state. The princess need not worry about such matters. I asked the princess to come today for two things.” He pulled out a blue-covered booklet from his sleeve and handed it to me, “These are some affairs I recorded while at the princess mansion – which people in the household are suspicious, which ones need guarding against, traces of various court factions, speculations about various people and matters, and some of my personal insights. They may not be of great use to the princess, but keeping them as precaution against others would not be amiss.”

I flipped through it, not knowing how many days and nights he had spent writing these densely packed characters, feeling a pang in my heart, “Thank you.”

Han Fei chuckled twice, considered for a moment, then said, “There’s one more matter… it’s not really a big thing. When I leave, fortune is uncertain, so I hope the princess can, for the sake of past sentiment, protect Fang Yachen. He… is after all the last bloodline of the Fang family.”

I looked at him rather melancholically, very much wanting to ask him a question: Do you know that Fang Yachen is a woman? Naturally, I didn’t voice this question. While learning about how he planned to transport grain, I pondered what method might allow him and Fang Yachen to reconcile. When he mentioned taking the water route, my eyes lit up, “This grain transport will use the canal system?”

Han Fei nodded, “Starting from the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, flowing downstream via the canal system south to Hangzhou, then overland, we can deliver grain to the disaster areas in the shortest time while ensuring safety.”

I rested my chin in my hand and murmured, “In that case… we must arrange for you two to meet…”

Han Fei asked doubtfully, “What?”

I smiled, “This princess is wondering whether to hold a farewell feast for you tomorrow.”

Han Fei shook his head with a gentle smile, his laughter tinged with helplessness, “Is this ‘the wind whistles and the Yi River runs cold, once the warrior departs, he shall not return’?”

After leaving the Han mansion, dusk was falling and another day had passed.

I returned to my mansion, changed back into scholarly robes, and headed to the Imperial Academy. This time I wouldn’t beat around the bush – I went straight to the Jingyi Pavilion sacrificial wine chamber, closed the door, and said to Wei Qingheng who was grading papers, “Master, tonight is clear and bright, tomorrow should be sunny and pleasant. Are you interested in a river excursion?”

Wei Qingheng said, “Ah?”

“That is, sitting on a pleasure boat cruising from the northern bank of the Qing River to the western Pigang, stopping at nearby tea houses for rest along the way, then circling back. This is currently the most favored route among the capital’s high officials and merchants. I hear the scenery is pleasant with unique charm.”

Wei Qingheng confirmed he hadn’t misheard, thought about it, and still said, “Ah?”

“I heard that a student from Guangwen Hall took first place in this month’s examination again. Why not let all the students and doctors take a lake excursion to admire the scenery as a reward?”

Wei Qingheng set aside his scrolls, stared at me for a moment, and said, “The princess hopes Fang Yachen will accompany us? Deliberately using this as an excuse to see Master Han?”

I said, “Master truly is master – you see right through me. What do you think?”

Wei Qingheng nodded, “Will the princess pay for chartering the pleasure boats?”

I: “…”

Wei Qingheng said, “I am an honest official.”

I: “…I’ll pay.”

Wei Qingheng added, “Unfortunately, I have classes tomorrow and cannot accompany you, so I cannot be at ease.”

I: “…” Then why ask about the money…

Wei Qingheng smiled knowingly, “However, Director Nie is free and can accompany the group. It depends on whether the princess is willing.”

He was clearly testing me deliberately. I was obviously moving stones to smash my own feet in self-torture.

I swallowed hard, “If he sees me, he’ll definitely ask questions.”

“I can handle this. I’ll say the princess… is the daughter of Prefect Bai of Quzhou, visiting the Imperial Academy for a few days. I’ve already been informed, and Director Nie is probably too lazy to investigate.”

I agonized for half an incense stick’s time, then slammed the table, “It’s decided then.”

This unprecedented news quickly leaked out. By the time I slowly walked to my dormitory, I saw the entire floor of Guangwen Hall students cheering and jumping for joy. Lu Lingjun spotted me from afar and hurried over, saying, “Brother Bai, where did you go all day again? Oh right, do you know that the higher-ups said because of the monthly exam, tomorrow we Guangwen Hall students can go…”

“River cruising…” I continued, “I know.”

Lu Lingjun tilted his head at me, “Why do you look like this? Don’t you want to go?”

“No…” Mainly I was afraid it would be awkward meeting a certain someone, especially being alone together. I smiled sheepishly, “Actually I’m quite happy… especially being able to go with Big Brother Lu, it’s sure to be lively and interesting…”

Lu Lingjun excitedly patted my shoulder, “Really? Just thinking about being with Brother Bai, I don’t know why I’m so excited too!”

I slowly glanced sideways at Lu Lingjun, suddenly remembering a story, then sighed, walked around him, and entered my room shaking my head.

…

Regardless, the Qing River was indeed a beautiful scene with good waters, especially under this clear blue sky, creating perfect harmony.

There weren’t many Guangwen Hall students – including several instructing doctors, altogether about fifty-odd people. We chartered three large pleasure boats in total. As disciples of the Son of Heaven, we couldn’t lose face – the boats’ singing girls had to be removed, leaving only boatmen, servants, and a few maids, with delicate pastries and fruit platters arranged. Setting sail, it was indeed a carefree sight.

Unfortunately… I truly didn’t know if it was coincidence, but Nie Ran and I were on the same boat. Fortunately, most of the time he stayed inside the cabin, either quietly reading scrolls or listening to students debate eloquently. Lu Lingjun, Li, Du, Su and I stayed on the outer deck, barely speaking. When we did meet, he would at most nod at me before brushing past, treating me like a stranger.

Actually, he and I were no different from strangers now.

I stood facing the wind while leaning against the deck railing. Li Da came over with a wine cup, smiling, “Bai Wu, your posture looks rather melancholy. Are you feeling sentimental about the scenery?”

I gazed at the stretch of green water and sighed, “Exactly – I’m missing my wife back home.”

This was just idle nonsense, but Li Da stumbled, and Du Er and Su San also poked their heads over, “What! You have a wife?”

I continued lying shamelessly, “Sigh, we were betrothed in the womb and are childhood sweethearts. The marriage was arranged before I left home. Now I’m just waiting to return home in glory after becoming the top scholar to formally receive her… Not seeing her for a day feels like three autumns, not seeing her for a year feels like three lifetimes…”

Lu Lingjun came over leisurely carrying a fruit platter. Seeing us gathered together, he smiled and asked, “What are you chatting about?”

Li Da stared wide-eyed, “Bai Wu says he has a wife!”

Du Er and Su San chorused, “That’s right, that’s right!”

Lu Lingjun dropped the fruit platter with a clang and rushed forward with wide eyes. Just as I was about to laugh at them for being fooled, Lu Lingjun urgently shouted, “How is that possible? Aren’t you the princess’s…”

I quickly stepped up to cover his mouth. Lu Lingjun simply pulled me aside and said seriously in a low voice, “Aren’t you the princess’s paramour? How could you have a wife?”

I glanced at him, “So it was just a joke.”

Lu Lingjun was stunned, “A joke?”

I said, “Just teasing. If you speak any louder and make them all suspicious, we’ll be exposed. Besides, even if I don’t have a wife now, I’ll have one eventually. What’s so shocking about that?”

Lu Lingjun snorted, “With your frail appearance, who would marry you?”

I twitched my cheek, “Fine, fine, fine. I’m frail and destined to be alone forever. Are you satisfied?”

Lu Lingjun snorted again. I glanced at him sideways and teased, “The way you’re acting, you couldn’t possibly like me, could you? I should state upfront – I’m not a cut-sleeve, so you can’t have any improper thoughts.”

Lu Lingjun’s face instantly flushed red as he said angrily, “You’re talking nonsense!”

I grinned, “Of course, if I really did accidentally become a cut-sleeve, I wouldn’t…” I raised my hand, “submit to being the bottom. I’d have to be the top.”

“You, you, you…” Lu Lingjun’s entire face was now like a persimmon. After stammering “you” for a long time without finishing his sentence, he flicked his sleeve and turned to return to the pleasure boat.

The three – Li, Du, and Su – looked at me in confusion, “What did you tell him?”

I sighed dramatically, “He’s just jealous and envious that I have a wife. Why don’t you go comfort him?”

The three laughed heartily and followed after Lu Lingjun while laughing. I bent over laughing for a while, then from the corner of my eye spotted someone – it was Fang Yachen standing quietly by the wooden railing, gazing into the distance, otherworldly and solitary.

Actually, looking closely, Fang Yachen’s appearance and bearing were refined everywhere – clean and elegant, without any of the affected airs of a little woman. No wonder no one had discovered her true identity, no wonder Han Fei was moved by her.

I sighed deeply again in admiration. This should have been such an interesting and legendary pair like Liang Zhu – what exactly had caused today’s situation?

“Why are you sighing?”

A gentle voice came from beside me. My whole body stiffened unnaturally as I slowly bowed and smiled, “Director Nie.”

Nie Ran casually rolled up his sleeves and rested his elbows on the railing, smiling calmly, “The sacrificial wine has told me everything, so you needn’t perform these courtesies. I saw you laughing heartily earlier, then sighing repeatedly. What troubles you?”

I said, “It’s nothing major, just that I joked around with them, then couldn’t help feeling regretful that I’m not a real student. When the time comes, I’ll still have to return to square one, which makes me rather melancholy.”

Nie Ran couldn’t help but smile, “At such a young age, you’re already like this. What will become of you in the future?”

Hearing these words, I suddenly felt the world spinning.

Back in Chen Village, when I was gloomily staring at the sky and complaining about life, Xu Fang would tap my nose and smile, “You’re so young yet already so sentimental. What will become of you in the future?”

Seeing me staring at him blankly, Nie Ran asked curiously, “What’s wrong?”

I forced a smile and blinked away the moisture in my eyes, “Nothing, just that these words sound familiar.”

Nie Ran paused slightly, seeming to understand, and also turned to gaze at the river. After a long while, when the pleasure boat swayed with the waves, Nie Ran saw I was a bit unsteady and smiled, “You’re not seasick, are you?”

I said “Ah” once, “How is that possible? If I were seasick, would I be this calm and composed? You haven’t seen truly seasick people – they can’t even walk straight and crouch there vomiting non-stop. That’s really something.”

“Oh? You’ve seen this?”

I said, “I know someone who’s particularly afraid of boats. The moment he steps on a pleasure boat, he feels completely uncomfortable… I still remember the first time he took a boat – he was so scared he gripped the railing tightly and stood perfectly straight. It was quite amusing…” At this point, I stopped abruptly, my mind blank and confused. Who was I talking about?

A scene floated in my mind, hazy and indistinct, from some unknown time and place.

Vaguely under a setting sun at dusk, I watched that person nervously standing on the deck, one hand quietly gripping the railing. When he turned around, it was Song Langsheng.

I suppressed my laughter and tilted my head as I took small steps toward him, “You look very frightened. Have you never been on a boat?”

Song Langsheng pretended to be calm, snorted coldly, and turned his head away.

I pointed with my finger, “Hey, today is my birthday. Usually you ignore me, but since you agreed to this, you must accompany me to the end. A gentleman keeps his word – no backing out.”

Song Langsheng said impatiently, “I have not broken my word.”

“If I ask you something and you don’t answer, that’s breaking your word,” I rattled on, “Not looking at me when you speak is also breaking your word.”

Song Langsheng took a deep breath, his face full of patience, patience. He forced himself to turn back and look at me, “Is this acceptable, Your Highness Princess?”

“Acceptable, Prince Consort.” I chuckled, “You still haven’t answered me – are you very afraid of boats?”

Song Langsheng hesitated for a moment, then obediently nodded, “Mm.”

“Why?” I asked, “Are you afraid of water or afraid of boats?”

Song Langsheng said, “As a child, I witnessed someone drown. For all these years, I’ve never been on a boat.”

Hearing him say this, I felt somewhat guilty, “Why didn’t you say so earlier?”

Song Langsheng said, “There was nothing to say.”

“How can there be nothing to say?” I retorted, “Mental shadows can be big or small. What if it accidentally leaves an indelible trauma?”

Song Langsheng said, “It was just something from childhood. Naturally it doesn’t matter now.”

“Oh, so you’d rather die than board a boat as a child, but now that you’re grown up it doesn’t matter? Could it be that because you’ve grown up, your heart has grown bigger too?”

Song Langsheng looked at me impatiently and took a deep breath, “Wasn’t it the princess who asked me to accompany you on the boat?”

The moment he spoke, he regretted it, his face full of chagrin as he turned away. I was stunned for a moment, then drew out a long “oh” and asked with a smile, “So you’re saying you only boarded the boat because I asked you to? If I hadn’t asked, you wouldn’t have boarded, right?”

He turned his head even further away. I simply walked around to his other side to look at him. He turned his head back the other way, snorting coldly without speaking. Just then the boat rocked violently. He stiffened and gripped the railing, cold sweat beading on his forehead. Seeing him like this, I couldn’t help but laugh heartily. Song Langsheng couldn’t bear it anymore and shouted at me, “Xiao Qitang!”

I stepped back two paces, “The waves are indeed getting quite rough. I’ll go inside to shelter for a bit. If you enjoy the scenery, stay here and watch. I won’t bother you anymore.”

Song Langsheng took a panicked step forward. Just then the boat swayed again, and he quickly gripped the handrail, saying to me, “You, you – don’t leave just yet.”

I ignored him and pretended to return to the cabin, then secretly poked my head out to watch him. I only saw him alone, gripping the railing as he moved slowly, his trembling appearance extremely amusing and adorable. I took a small golden flag from the cabin and waved it vigorously toward the distant opposite shore. Soon, I heard a “whoosh” sound, and brilliant fireworks shot into the sky not far away, blooming instantaneously then bursting forth again, filling the sky with graceful, enchanting patterns of light and shadow.

Song Langsheng was stunned, looking up. I saw the colorful brilliance reflected on his face, his eyes radiant and captivating. Thinking that in this moment he must have forgotten his fear of boats, I stepped forward to link my arm with his and asked with a smile, “Beautiful?”

Song Langsheng came back to himself, “You prepared this?”

“I knew you wouldn’t prepare gifts for me, so I had to be self-sufficient,” I stuck out my tongue, “Being able to trick you into watching together is the best gift. At least right now, in this moment, your appearance, the fireworks’ appearance – I’ll remember it all firmly. When I’m sad I’ll think of it, when I’m happy I’ll think of it, thinking of it day and night, until next birthday when you come accompany me again.”

Song Langsheng looked at me with those flowing, brilliant eyes, and I thought he must have truly seen me.

His gaze made my ears burn, so I said, “Actually, I knew long ago that you were afraid of boats, but I still forced you to come up with me, deliberately wanting you to feel afraid. This way, whenever you see a boat from afar in the future, you’ll have to think of me. Even if it’s with disgust, even if it’s with contempt, you’ll still remember this scene, cursing me a hundred times in your heart. At least there will still be me as a person there.”

Song Langsheng was silent for a moment, then unconsciously used the hand gripping the wooden railing to pat my head, “Treating me this way, I will naturally remember it in my heart.”

My heart instantly bloomed like fireworks, radiating brilliant light. But I wouldn’t show weakness with my words, “Hey, I can’t understand what you mean by that. Are you going to remember my kindness or my grudges?”

Song Langsheng was speechless and turned his head to ignore me again.

I changed positions again to look at him, put away my smile, and said seriously, “To tell the truth, from the day I met you, I’ve been forcing you to do things you don’t want to do, using the authority you despise most to force you to marry me, to face me day and night, preventing you from pursuing your ambitions. When I’m happy I like to tease you, when I’m unhappy I like to take it out on you, often making you accompany me in these boring, inexplicable activities. I don’t respect your thoughts at all. In your heart, you must hate me to death…”

Song Langsheng didn’t want to hear any more and angrily interrupted, “Then just treat me sincerely and respect me from now on, wouldn’t that be fine?”

Now I was stunned, and he was stunned too.

I stared at him foolishly, even forgetting to smile. Perhaps because the fireworks were too brilliant, Song Langsheng’s entire face was rosy red. Seeing me looking at him this way, he forgot about fearing the boat and strode back into the cabin with a turn of his body, leaving me alone standing there for a long time, unable to control my blooming smile.

“What are you thinking about?”

A question snapped me back to reality with a start. I turned to look at the person beside me. Nie Ran asked, “Seeing you smile like this, are you thinking of that friend who’s afraid of boats?”

I smiled with my eyes curved, my lips moved, “Yes, vivid as if it were yesterday.”

Suddenly remembering all this made my mood bright as the sunlight.

How much did I used to love the prince consort? The person I liked – wasn’t it big brother? What exactly happened between then and now? Wei Qingheng always said he stood on the side of my past self. What was my past self like?

A wave caused violent rocking, and I stood unsteadily. Nie Ran instinctively supported me, then let go when the waters calmed. I gazed at where water met sky, my thoughts flying thousands of li away, not noticing anything amiss. “Do you think a person’s heart, a person’s feelings, would completely disappear along with forgotten memories?”

Nie Ran’s voice was low, “I originally thought it would be so…”

I saw a small boat approaching from the distance, with what seemed to be a figure at the bow. The sun was too bright to see clearly, so I leaned forward to get a better look. When the sun flickered past, I saw that person’s face clearly.

Coincidentally, Song Langsheng also stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze lightly glancing toward me… and Nie Ran.