Shen Xihe had been recuperating in Linxiang County for half a month. During this time, Emperor Youning, having heard of her fall into the river, sent a eunuch to express his concerns.
“Your Grace, that man is causing trouble again,” Ziyu burst in, properly performed her greeting, and immediately began complaining.
Shen Xihe was admiring the Celestial Ribbon plant. For the past fortnight, she had spent time each day observing it, deeply fascinated by its essence, though she had not dared to disturb it.
Historical records of this plant were sparse, noting only its origin, shape, and color.
Beyond these basic details, nothing else was known, and many likely had never even heard of its existence.
Shen Xihe had kept it in a jade box for half a month, yet it showed no signs of wilting, remaining as vibrantly green as ever.
Just as Ziyu finished speaking, Zhenzhu entered with Biyu and Hongyu, and they all properly greeted Shen Xihe.
Looking up at her four maids, she observed Zhenzhu in her white dress, while the others wore gowns matching their names’ colors, all embroidered with the same orchid pattern. Each possessed their own charm – some elegant, some vivacious, some delicate – a pleasing sight to behold.
After careful observation over this period, she had confirmed these maids were truly loyal to her.
“What has he done now?” Shen Xihe asked casually.
The person Ziyu referred to was the eunuch sent by Emperor Youning, who held the respectable fifth rank in the Department of Internal Service.
In the five days since his arrival, apart from delivering the imperial verbal decree on the first day to inquire about Shen Xihe’s welfare, he hadn’t come to pay his respects again. Instead, he kept sending people to urge Shen Xihe to begin her journey.
He had been living quite extravagantly these past few days, entertaining Linxiang County officials and wealthy merchants, likely collecting more money than he had saved in his entire lifetime.
“This servant saw him dragging a young lady back to his quarters,” Ziyu said indignantly. “A eunuch, yet he dares to violate a young woman, he…”
“Ziyu!” Zhenzhu cut her off promptly – how could she speak of such vulgar matters before the Princess? This eunuch had come on imperial orders to check on the Princess and personally escort her to the capital. Wielding his imperial mandate like a weapon, he thought himself an imperial envoy, and indeed, no one here dared to touch him.
“Let’s go see,” Shen Xihe said impassively.
She wore a twelve-immortals skirt in peacock blue with gold thread-embroidered auspicious patterns, high-waisted to accentuate her tall, graceful figure.
A water-blue gauze shawl with watercolor peach blossom patterns draped casually over her shoulder, flowing elegantly in the breeze.
The jade pendants at her waist chimed melodiously with each step.
Zhenzhu and the others followed behind Shen Xihe, while Ziyu’s eyes already showed signs of enchantment.
Since the Princess’s rescue, she had truly become the embodiment of grace, her every movement as natural as flowing clouds and running water, each pose worthy of a painting, beautiful as a fairy from her dreams.
Standing before Huang Degui, even this figure of divine beauty caused his eyes to grow misty with admiration, despite his not being a true man.
“This servant greets Your Grace. You need only send someone to summon this servant if you have orders. To trouble Your Grace to come personally, this servant deserves death.” Huang Degui made a show of slapping his face twice.
Shen Xihe cast a faint glance at the eunuch bowing before her, his clothes disheveled. Her gaze passed over him to the open door behind, where a pretty young woman with tear-stained cheeks clutched at her clothes, half her face visible from behind the door.
A girl from a respectable family.
A slight ripple appeared in her eyes, and her voice rang out, clear as jade beads striking together: “Master Huang, do you know… where the last servant I sought out is now?”
“Your Grace…” Huang Degui’s brow twitched, but he quickly composed himself. He had been sent to escort Shen Xihe under imperial orders; he was the Emperor’s envoy. Shen Xihe wouldn’t dare touch him. He replied casually, “Please calm your anger, Your Grace. It was this servant’s negligence. Upon returning to the capital, this servant will surely request punishment from His Majesty.”
“Moyu,” Shen Xihe called softly.
Before Huang Degui could react, a black shadow flashed before his eyes. He felt a pain in his chest as he fell backward. Before he could respond, a kick flipped him over, and his hands were instantly bound.
At this moment, his two young eunuch attendants rushed in from outside. They saw a girl in black fitted clothes holding Huang Degui down on his knees, and when they met the serene gaze of Shen Xihe standing in the courtyard, they inexplicably lowered their heads as her calm eyes swept over them.
“Your Grace, this servant is an imperial envoy. Even if there were improprieties, Your Grace shouldn’t…”
“Noisy.”
As soon as Shen Xihe spoke, the stone-faced Moyu promptly dislocated his jaw.
With the silence restored, Shen Xihe ordered: “Biyu, escort this young lady away and make sure the right people are properly warned; Zhenzhu, tell Mo Yuan to prepare for departure; Hongyu, bind these two along with Master Huang.”
The next morning, Shen Xihe departed from Linxiang County, this time traveling by land.
“Kah kah kah…” Shen Xihe’s body was still very weak. Despite half a month of recovery, she began coughing and gasping after just half a day’s journey.
“Your Grace, he refuses to eat, and he said…” Ziyu returned from delivering dried provisions to Huang Degui, agitated again. “He said he would surely remember Your Grace’s ‘gift’ today.”
Lying in the innermost part of the carriage, resting in Zhenzhu’s arms, Shen Xihe finished her medicine with closed eyes before opening them.
Her eyes were as luminous as obsidian bathed in divine essence, gleaming with crystal-like clarity, yet carrying a hint of mist like that which shrouds mountain ranges, making her clear pupils seem impenetrable.
With just a slight turn of her head, Zhenzhu understood and lifted the carriage curtain.
Through the square window, glimpsing the scenery outside, Shen Xihe said, “This isn’t the official road.”
“What?” Ziyu and the others were startled.
They had never left Shen Xihe’s side, spending most of their time in the Northwest. This was their first time accompanying Shen Xihe to visit her maternal family. Their guide was Mo Yuan, a soldier specifically assigned to Shen Xihe by Shen Yueshan, whose entire family lived in the Northwest.
Even after what happened to Linglong, they had never doubted Mo Yuan.
“I’ll go ask him clearly – abandoning the smooth official road to take these rough mountain paths, isn’t this deliberately tormenting the Princess?” Ziyu completely set aside the matter of Huang Degui and was about to leave the carriage.
But Biyu grabbed her: “We’ve always told you to use your brain, but you never listen. Mo Yuan is now the Princess’s man, and only the Prince could command him to override the Princess’s orders.”
“How could the Prince bear to torment the Princess?” In their eyes, the Princess was the apple of the Prince’s eye.
“Father has his arrangements,” Shen Xihe sat up slightly. “Help me get out for a walk.”
As soon as Shen Xihe descended from the carriage, Mo Yuan, who had been scouting ahead, strode over and bowed to her: “Your Grace, there’s a small village ahead. Given Your Grace’s recent illness, it would be unwise to continue traveling. Might we rest in the village for the night and resume our journey tomorrow?”
After a pause, he added: “This subordinate has already inquired – there’s a wealthy household’s estate in the village, and I’ve sent someone to negotiate arrangements.”
Note: In ancient times, eunuchs and servants referred to themselves as “nupu.” The term “nucai” only appeared during the Qing Dynasty and could only be used by Manchu officials when addressing royalty; Han officials did not have this privilege.
Note: “Zhongsi” was a term for eunuch envoys. If the eunuch held considerable power, they were called “Zhonggui.”