Just as Meng Youde had thought, Jiang Li’s examination paper had indeed reached the palace.

In the Imperial Study, a young man emerged from within. Eunuch Su at the entrance bowed respectfully as he escorted him out, watching his departing figure with a sigh. Just over twenty years old, passing the imperial examinations in one attempt, and climbing to such a position in merely a year—truly smooth sailing all the way. The younger generation was formidable indeed.

This young man was none other than the current Assistant Imperial Secretary Shen Yurun. Emperor Hongxiao currently favored Shen Yurun greatly, frequently discussing current affairs with him. Some even said that Emperor Hongxiao intended to bring Shen Yurun into the Grand Secretariat, grooming him as the future Chief Grand Secretary—Jiang Yuanbai’s successor.

Who could say for certain what the future held, but this didn’t prevent people from currying favor with him now.

As Shen Yurun passed through the Imperial Garden and headed toward the exit, he encountered someone in the corridor.

Princess Yongning was resting at the stone table in the garden. Seeing him, she revealed a charming smile and said, “Minister Shen.”

It was the height of summer. The Imperial Garden’s trees provided dense shade, and a cool breeze brought refreshment. A thread of golden light filtering through the gaps in the leaves illuminated half her face perfectly. She was truly noble and radiant—even her skin seemed like the finest mutton-fat jade, making one want to reach out and touch it.

Her eyebrows and eyes were distinctly upturned, giving her a proud appearance, yet she adopted a gentle, delicate manner, her greeting polite and dignified.

Shen Yurun cupped his hands in salute: “Your Highness Princess.”

“You just came from my Imperial Brother’s quarters. What matter were you discussing?” Princess Yongning gently waved a thin silk fan. Her lips were painted with bright red rouge, full and luscious, delicate and alluring.

Shen Yurun averted his gaze and said, “His Majesty heard that yesterday’s honor roll was posted—the top scholars of both the Imperial Academy and Mingyi Hall have been announced. His Majesty discussed this matter with this humble official.”

“Oh?” Princess Yongning looked at him in surprise, her tone carrying a somewhat coquettish liveliness that was also seductive as she said, “This princess has also heard of this matter. I heard that Mingyi Hall’s top scholar is Second Miss Jiang. She was expelled from the Jiang family years ago and spent eight years in a nunnery. She has only returned to the capital for just over a month, and has been at Mingyi Hall for no more than ten days. Yet she won first place in this assessment.” She smiled charmingly. “She truly is an accomplished talented woman. I heard she also writes excellent calligraphy. This princess has not seen it with her own eyes. What does Minister Shen think?”

Shen Yurun froze momentarily, then lowered his head and said, “This humble official has not seen it either.”

“Heh,” Princess Yongning laughed softly again. “I thought Minister Shen would surely go see such a thing. Unexpectedly, Minister Shen is not interested. Perhaps Minister Shen has seen so many talented women that he prefers rouge and powder instead?” The last sentence carried a frivolous seduction in her words.

Shen Yurun stepped back and said, “Princess, please watch your words.”

“Look how frightened you are.” A flash of displeasure crossed Princess Yongning’s eyes, quickly hidden as she chided playfully, “My people are all guarding outside. No one can hear me speaking with you. I haven’t seen you for so long these past days. Have you missed me?”

She became increasingly unbridled.

Shen Yurun kept his head slightly lowered and gave an almost imperceptible nod.

This slight nod immediately made Princess Yongning beam with delight. She even reached out to caress Shen Yurun’s hand, laughing as she said, “I knew it—you also think of me. It’s just that there have been too many trivial matters lately, making it inconvenient for me to seek you out. Tomorrow Mingyi Hall will test the lower three subjects. Why don’t we both go watch? After viewing it…” Her trailing voice dissolved into suggestiveness.

Shen Yurun allowed her to hold his hand. His expression softened somewhat as he said softly, “Princess…”

“I’ve said before—when there’s no one around, you should call me Yongning.” Princess Yongning gazed at his handsome features with infatuation. From the first time she had seen Shen Yurun, she had fallen in love with him. Such a young and handsome man who understood political affairs and could write magnificent essays. When she saw him riding a tall horse through the streets in the victory parade, her heart had fallen and could never be retrieved.

Unfortunately, he already had a wife. But ultimately, it was no great matter. She was a princess of golden branches and jade leaves of the imperial family, while his wife was merely the daughter of a minor official. Even if she had unparalleled talent and beauty, she was still lowly as an ant.

So she killed her.

Princess Yongning knew that in Shen Yurun’s heart, Xue Fangfei still had a place. Xue Fangfei had a beautiful face and the reputation of a talented woman, and had shared years of matrimonial affection with Shen Yurun. Shen Yurun still harbored lingering feelings, but Princess Yongning could not tolerate even the slightest part of his heart not belonging to her. Regarding Xue Fangfei, she not only wanted her life but also her reputation and dignity. She wanted her to die with nothing, in the most wretched manner.

Who told her to occupy something that didn’t belong to her?

In the end, she herself was the victor.

Shen Yurun did not linger long in the Imperial Garden. After all, the palace had many eyes and ears. Although Princess Yongning’s people stood guard, he ultimately feared some accident might occur. Xue Fangfei had not been dead for even half a year. If rumors spread of his involvement with Princess Yongning, he feared he could not silence the endless gossip.

Princess Yongning could only watch Shen Yurun’s retreating figure disappear with reluctant attachment.

Once again alone beneath the tree shade, Princess Yongning thought about how every few days she came to the palace—ostensibly to speak with Imperial Concubine Liu, but in truth to catch a glimpse of her beloved. It was so difficult. Xue Fangfei was already dead, yet she still could not spend every day intimately with him, could not be openly together, but instead felt like an adulterous lover. Thinking these thoughts, she couldn’t help but feel mournful.

“How difficult it is to be together…” She sighed deeply.

Suddenly thinking that after tomorrow’s assessment she could again share a moment of pleasure with Shen Yurun, Princess Yongning’s brow colored with joy. Although regarding these talented women, she had never particularly liked them, simply because they reminded her of Xue Fangfei.

Speaking of which, Xue Fangfei’s calligraphy had also been unparalleled in Yanjing, except Xue Fangfei wrote in hairpin-flower small regular script, while Second Miss Jiang’s characters resembled a man’s.

Talented women emerged in every generation. Xue Fangfei was ultimately already dead.

…

In Fangfei Courtyard, Bai Xue watched Jiang Li practicing calligraphy. After pondering for a while, she said, “Miss, your calligraphy is truly magnificent.”

“Magnificent” was already the most refined literary term Bai Xue could think of.

“That’s right, that’s right,” said Mingyue, who came over carrying tea. She glanced at the writing and smiled, saying, “It’s completely different from other young ladies’ handwriting.”

Jiang Li smiled.

When she was Xue Fangfei, in the first half of her life in Tongxiang, her handwriting had been bold and flowing—she had learned Xue Zhao’s heroic spirit. In the second half of her life after coming to Yanjing, she had begun changing to hairpin-flower small regular script.

Not for any other reason, but simply because the madams and young ladies of Yanjing all wrote this way. To avoid appearing unconventional and to integrate more quickly into the circle of nobility here, she had abandoned what she liked, including her writing habits.

Even Shen Yurun probably thought she excelled at hairpin-flower small regular script. But times had changed. Though hairpin-flower small regular script was certainly delicate, as a woman, moving through the world was already more difficult than for men, precisely because the world treated men leniently but women harshly.

Since this was so, she would rely neither on heaven nor earth, but only on herself. If she regarded herself as a man, naturally she could also bear life’s inconstancy.