Yunyi turned a page of her book without lifting her head: “No need to try it on. Over all these years, the clothes made by the Imperial Wardrobe Bureau have never failed to fit properly. This one surely won’t be any different.”

Seeing her say this, Jixiang could only put the items back in their original place, then pointed to the pile of things covering the table: “Princess, how should these items be arranged?”

Yunyi glanced casually: “You and Ruyi take a look. If there’s anything you like, take a few pieces. Put the rest in the storeroom.”

Hearing this, the two servants said joyfully: “Thank you for the Princess’s gracious gift!”

As the two were preparing to carry away the piles of brocade boxes, Yunyi suddenly said: “Wait!”

While Ruyi and the other looked on in confusion, she walked to the brocade boxes covering the table and opened them one by one. When she saw a pair of dragon and phoenix white jade pendants, she stopped her movements and silently gazed at the pair of dragon and phoenix jade pendants.

Seeing her staring at the jade pendants, Ruyi said: “This pair of jade pendants was sent by Consort Ronghua. I heard they were carved from a single piece of flawless mutton-fat white jade – warm and lustrous without blemish, very precious indeed. His Majesty bestowed them years ago, and if not for the Princess’s grand wedding, Consort Ronghua would be reluctant to part with them.”

“They are indeed fine.” As she spoke, Yunyi had already closed the brocade box and said to Ruyi: “Make a trip outside the palace and have someone send this pair of dragon and phoenix pendants to the residence of the Hedong Regional Inspector. Say it’s a gift from an old friend congratulating the Second Young Master and Miss Changsun on their great joy.”

Lady Li had passed away in the early part of the ninth year of Daye. Now it was the twelfth year of Daye – the three-year mourning period was nearly over. Presumably Li Shimin, like herself, had his wedding approaching.

Ruyi and the other never expected that she would take this pair of white jade dragon and phoenix pendants to send to Li Shimin. Indeed… the Princess had never forgotten him.

Jixiang looked at Yunyi with concern: “Princess…”

Yunyi interrupted her: “I’m fine. I just suddenly remembered this old friend and wanted to express my sentiment.” Then she said to Ruyi: “Go quickly, and remember – don’t mention my name.”

“This servant understands.” Ruyi reluctantly agreed and left with the pair of dragon and phoenix white jade pendants.

Watching Ruyi’s departing figure, Yunyi silently said in her heart: Li Shimin, I wish you and Miss Changsun to grow old together with white hair. This time, I suppose… this is our final connection.

As the day approached, the phoenix crown and ceremonial robes, ceremonial carriages and sedan chairs were all prepared one by one. By the seventh day of the third month, everything was ready – they only needed to wait for the day to arrive to perform the grand ceremony.

Since entering the third month, the weather had gradually warmed, and fair weather became increasingly common, unlike the second month when rain fell every few days.

Yunyi took an exquisite porcelain jar from Ruyi’s hands and said to Du Ruhui, who was boiling spring water: “This is Guzhu Purple Bamboo Shoot tea tribute from Huzhou in Jiangnan Province. I heard that this year’s rainfall was insufficient, so the yield of this Guzhu Purple Bamboo Shoot was extremely low – only a few catties in total, not enough to share among many people. What I have was bestowed by Mother.”

While speaking, the tea water in the small pot was already boiling like a gushing spring. Jixiang had seen Du Ruhui do this once before and knew that at this moment he should ladle out a scoop of water to set aside, but after waiting a while without seeing Du Ruhui ladle any water, she reminded him: “Young Master Du? Young Master Du?”

After Jixiang called out twice, Du Ruhui finally reacted, looking bewildered: “What’s wrong?”

Yunyi took the bamboo ladle from beside his hand and scooped out a ladleful of the water that was about to boil over: “That’s what I should be asking you. From the moment you stepped into Changsheng Palace until now, you’ve been absent-minded. Is there something troubling you?”

“Nothing much. I suppose I haven’t been sleeping well these past few days, so I’m a bit distracted.” Du Ruhui said while sprinkling in the tea powder. After the third boiling, he removed it from the fire and poured the tea as usual. Yunyi took a sip and looked at Du Ruhui: “Are you truly all right?”

“What could be wrong with this subject?” Du Ruhui smiled and picked up the tea cup, warm and lustrous like jade, but didn’t drink. After a while, he suddenly said: “Could the wedding date be postponed by a few days?”

Yunyi looked at Du Ruhui in astonishment, then laughed: “Are you joking with me? The wedding date has already been proclaimed to the world. The palace, the Ministry of Rites, and the Cui residence have all made preparations. How could it possibly be changed?”

Faced with her words, Du Ruhui smiled: “The Princess speaks truly. This subject spoke out of turn.”

Ruyi teased from the side: “Could it be that Young Master Du, seeing the Princess’s wedding approaching, suddenly regrets giving up the previous selection of a consort?”

Du Ruhui was stunned, then said with a mixture of crying and laughing: “Where did Miss Ruyi’s thoughts go? I was…” His voice paused slightly, then continued: “afraid the Princess wasn’t ready yet, so I spoke thus.”

Yunyi smiled: “You needn’t worry about me. Since I’ve promised Mother, I will treat this marriage well. Besides, didn’t you all say that Cuiji is the most suitable person for me?”

Du Ruhui gazed at the yellow-brown tea liquor in his cup and the tea foam floating on top with a complex expression. He had indeed previously thought Cuiji was most suitable for Yunyi, but now… he no longer dared to be certain.

The azure moss on Cuiji’s shoe sole kept appearing before his eyes. These past days, he had been investigating Zheng Yang’s movements that night, but apart from the farmer he encountered last time, no one else had seen Zheng Yang. He had also never found the large bundle the farmer mentioned, and when he went to ask the fisherman’s family, they insisted that when they discovered Zheng Yang’s body, there was no bundle.

Du Ruhui didn’t know whether there truly was none, or whether they had taken it but refused to admit it. The entire matter seemed to have entered a dead end.

Leaving Ziwei Palace, it was already dusk. Du Ruhui walked aimlessly through the streets. Today’s marketplace was somewhat different from usual – every household had hung red lanterns at their doors. This was the court’s requirement: for the grand wedding of Princess Jinyang and the young master of the Cui residence the day after tomorrow, all of Luoyang was to be hung with red lanterns, burning continuously for three days without extinguishing.

All along the way, what he heard most was still the common people’s discussions about Yunyi bringing misfortune to husbands. Many were waiting to see whether Cuiji would become the second Zheng Yang.

When passing through an alley, he heard the mixed cries of women and children coming from a house with its door half-open – most pitiful indeed. There were also white paper money on the steps, suggesting someone in the family had passed away.

Just as he was about to leave, two people also passed by this place. Hearing the cries from inside, one shook his head: “I saw him just fine a few days ago, and in the blink of an eye he’s dead. Truly, worldly affairs are unpredictable.”

The other sneered: “This is retribution. Usually, relying on knowing a bit of martial arts, he would lord it over everyone in our Deyue Ward, even forcing us to call him Master Wu. He never thought whether he deserved that title. If you ask me, he got what he deserved.”

The previous person nodded: “That’s true enough, but I pity his wife and two children. As orphans and a widow, who knows how they’ll manage in the future.”