Ruyi and Jixiang watched his actions with confused expressions and said, “Young Master Du, the water was boiling just fine and hadn’t overflowed. Why did you ladle it out? Now there’s only this little water left, which probably isn’t enough for making tea.”

Du Ruhui smiled and said, “Don’t worry, this water will be poured back in to suppress the fire later.” As he spoke, he stirred the boiling water in the pot with bamboo utensils and took the tea jar, sprinkling the tea powder into the water. When the water boiled again, as he had said before, he poured the ladled water back in, suppressing the turbulent boiling.

When the water boiled once more, he took the pot and poured the tea into blue porcelain tea cups. Remarkably, he had arranged the foam on the tea into the shape of orchid flowers, which was quite extraordinary.

He poured four cups of tea in total. Du Ruhui took one cup and handed it to Yunyi, who sat across from him. “Your Highness, please have some tea!”

Yunyi took it and sipped, then nodded and said, “Clear and fragrant, mellow with a lasting aftertaste. Very good.” She smiled and said, “How strange. It’s clearly the same tea powder, but when brewed using your method, it gives a completely different feeling. I’ve known you for quite some time now, yet I didn’t know you possessed this unique tea-brewing skill.”

“If I had told Your Highness early on, and you had me enter the palace daily to brew tea, what would I do?” His words made Yunyi laugh softly. “Then aren’t you afraid that now that you’ve revealed your secret, you’ll have to brew tea for me daily from now on?”

After handing the other two cups of tea to Ruyi and Jixiang, Du Ruhui said, “I’m not worried, because someone will replace me in brewing tea for Your Highness.”

Yunyi said casually, “You mean Ruyi and Jixiang? These two are currently best at being lazy. If this tea were left to them, they’d surely ruin it.”

Ruyi protested urgently, “Your Highness wrongs us! We only accidentally overcooked the tea once. How does that make us deliberately lazy?”

Du Ruhui shook his head, “I’m not referring to Ruyi and the others.”

“Not them?” Yunyi asked puzzledly, “Then who are you referring to?”

Du Ruhui stirred the foam on the tea and said, “Now that Brother Zheng is gone, has Your Highness considered selecting a new consort?”

Yunyi looked at him appraisingly and said with a smile, “What, do you want to recommend yourself? But… I have no intention of marrying you.” After saying this, she added, “This tea is quite good. Brew another pot.”

Du Ruhui nodded. After putting the spring water on to boil again, he said, “I can brew tea for Your Highness for a while, but I cannot do so for a lifetime.”

Yunyi glanced at him and said indifferently, “Then I simply won’t drink it. It won’t have any great impact.”

“Tea can be foregone, but what about a person? Does Your Highness plan to grow old alone in Changsheng Hall?” Du Ruhui’s words made Yunyi pause momentarily, then she set down her tea cup and said, “Speak plainly if you have something to say.”

Seeing her say this, Du Ruhui stopped beating around the bush and said, “Actually, I entered the palace today at Brother Cui’s request. For the past six months, he has never forgotten his feelings for Your Highness. Does Your Highness remember the day after we discovered Brother Zheng’s body, when I entered the palace? It was he who specifically asked me to enter the palace to comfort Your Highness. And yesterday, when he and I were drinking at Qingxu Winery, some people nearby were discussing Your Highness’s supposed curse. When Brother Cui heard this, he became very angry and argued with those two men.”

A flash of surprise crossed Yunyi’s face, then she stared at him and said, “So you entered the palace today to act as Cuiji’s advocate?”

Du Ruhui didn’t answer directly but said, “I know Brother Cui’s character very well. Like Brother Zheng, he is someone worthy of Your Highness entrusting your life to.”

“Cuiji…” Yunyi stood and murmured the name, then said, “I do remember this person. His answer that day was what I wanted to hear, but… it couldn’t make me believe, so I chose Zheng Yang at that time.”

“I know.” Du Ruhui handed the bamboo utensils to Ruyi, having her brew tea as he had done before, then stood and walked in front of Yunyi. “I know that in Your Highness’s heart, no one can compare to Second Young Master, but… I understand Brother Cui. Perhaps when facing enemies, he might not be able to repay hatred with kindness, but he will certainly give his all to treat Your Highness well. I can guarantee this. I believe Brother Zheng’s spirit in heaven would also hope to see Your Highness happy and joyful.”

After looking at each other for a long while, Yunyi said, “But I don’t want to select a new consort so soon.”

“Your Highness…” Before Du Ruhui could continue, Yunyi said, “I’m tired. You may go.”

Du Ruhui helplessly cupped his hands and said, “Please consider this carefully, Your Highness. I’ll come to visit you again in a few days.”

After Du Ruhui left, Ruyi said while pouring the freshly brewed tea, “Your Highness, I also think that Young Master Cui is quite good, especially since he’s willing to defend Your Highness in front of those who speak ill of you. That’s truly rare.”

Jixiang chimed in, “Yes, Your Highness, please consider it.”

Yunyi glared at them irritably and said, “One Du Ruhui leaves, and now you two come along, is that it? The matter of Cuiji is not to be mentioned again.”

The two stuck out their tongues and didn’t dare speak further. After a while, the sound of pattering rain came from outside. Just then, came the high-pitched voice of a palace attendant: “Her Majesty the Empress arrives!”

Yunyi quickly stood to greet her, seeing Lady Xiao walking in through the rain supported by Hong Li, with many places on her clothes soaked. Yunyi hurriedly took a handkerchief to wipe the rainwater from Lady Xiao’s body. “Why didn’t Mother Empress bring an umbrella when you came out?”

Lady Xiao smiled and said, “The weather was clear when I came out. Who knew it would start raining on the way? This weather in February and March—sunny one moment, rainy the next—is truly vexing.”

Seeing that the handkerchief couldn’t dry the water stains on Lady Xiao’s clothes, Yunyi said, “Jixiang, go to Zhaoyang Hall and fetch a set of clothes for Mother Empress to change into.”

Lady Xiao called to Jixiang, “No need to trouble yourself. I was only caught in a little rain. It’s not serious.” She pulled Yunyi to sit down and said, “Mother Empress came today because there are some matters I want to discuss with you.”

Yunyi said, “Whatever matters Mother Empress has, just send someone to summon me and I’ll come over. Why come personally? Fortunately, the rain isn’t heavy, or you would have been soaked.”

Lady Xiao smiled, “Mother Empress is fine. Don’t make a fuss.” After pausing, she said, “Now that Zheng Yang is gone, what are your plans?”

“Mother Empress came here for this matter?” After Lady Xiao nodded, Yunyi said, “Since Young Master Zheng is gone, the marriage is naturally cancelled. This gives me the chance to stay in the palace and accompany Mother Empress for a few more years.”

“Accompany me for a few more years?” Lady Xiao said with a half-smile, “You’re already eighteen this year. If you delay further, won’t you become an old spinster? If you can’t marry in the future, Mother Empress would bear great guilt.”

Yunyi smiled and said, “Not being able to marry would be perfect. Then I could stay by Mother Empress’s side for life.”