“How dare you!” Along with these two words, Zhangsun Shi raised her palm and struck Xiuzhu’s face. With the crisp sound of the slap, the latter immediately froze in place—not from pain, but from being stunned by that slap. She had served Zhangsun Shi since childhood, and even when the latter was expelled from the Zhangsun family, she had followed by her side without abandoning her. The two were more like sisters than master and servant. Over the years, Zhangsun Shi had treated her extremely well, always remembering to give her a share of good food and useful things. On ordinary days, let alone hitting her, she rarely even spoke harshly. But now… she was hitting her for the sake of an outsider!

A flash of pain crossed Zhangsun Shi’s eyes as she commanded, “Go kneel outside, and don’t get up without my permission.”

Yunyi tried to mediate: “Xiuzhu didn’t mean it. Let’s just forget about this matter.”

“No!” Zhangsun Shi, who was usually gentle-tempered, was extremely resolute this time. “If I don’t teach her a lesson this time, I’m afraid she’ll become even more presumptuous later.” With that, she said to Xiuzhu, who was still kneeling there, “Why aren’t you going?!”

Xiuzhu covered her face and went outside to kneel under the eaves with tears in her eyes. Yunyi sighed softly, “Why did you have to do this?”

Zhangsun Shi said with lingering anger, “It’s all because I’ve been thinking of our childhood friendship and have been too indulgent with her on ordinary days, making her increasingly presumptuous.”

Yunyi looked at Xiuzhu kneeling under the eaves, weeping quietly, and said, “Her words just now were indeed excessive, but ultimately, she was trying to protect you.”

“I know, but she misunderstood my intention.” Zhangsun Shi fell silent for a moment. After a long while, as if she had made some decision, she spoke: “When I asked the Princess that question just now, it wasn’t because I wanted to blame anyone, but… I wanted to know the Princess’s true feelings. If the Princess is willing, I’ll go speak with my husband and have him marry the Princess as an equal wife.”

If they hadn’t heard it so clearly, Ruyi and the other would have thought they misheard. Second Young Madam not only hadn’t made things difficult for the Princess, but had actually volunteered to have Second Young Master marry the Princess as an equal wife. What… what was going on?

After the initial shock, Yunyi said with a complex expression, “You don’t mind?” When she was in the palace, she had seen many concubines resorting to any means necessary out of jealousy and rivalry for favor. Except for the Empress Mother, every concubine hoped to monopolize Yang Guang’s affection. Someone like Zhangsun Shi was the first she had encountered.

Zhangsun Shi lowered her head and smiled, saying, “To say I don’t mind at all would be a lie, but in comparison, I hope more that my husband is happy and content. So, as long as he likes someone, I like them too. Besides, the feeling of having the Princess accompany me through New Year’s Eve in the future… is very good.”

While Zhangsun Shi was speaking, Yunyi had been staring into her eyes. Her eyes were clear as water and bright as the moon, showing not a trace of deception or insincerity. Unless Zhangsun Shi’s acting skills were so good that she couldn’t detect even a hint of flaw, those words just now were her heartfelt truth. She truly hoped for her to be together with Li Shimin. This magnanimity and generosity was something Yunyi admitted she couldn’t match.

Yunyi stepped forward and grasped her hand, saying with emotion, “You truly are a very, very good person. Being able to marry you as his wife is Second Young Master’s greatest fortune.”

Zhangsun Shi lowered her eyes and said, “I’m not like Xiuning, who can wear a wild goose-feather sword at her waist and exchange her red makeup for battle robes. I can’t help my husband with military matters, so I can only try to ensure he has no worries behind him.” With that, she continued, “Actually, with the Princess’s status, you should be my husband’s principal wife, but…”

Yunyi shook her head, “No, the position of Second Young Master’s principal wife, whether now or in the future, can only be filled by you and no one else. I’m the same.”

Zhangsun Shi smiled gently and said, “There’s something I’ve been keeping safe for the Princess for several years, and now I can finally return it to you.”

“Keeping safe for me?” Yunyi looked puzzled. Before Li Shimin brought her back to Longmen, she had never met Zhangsun Shi, so how could there be anything for her to keep safe?

Zhangsun Shi saw her confusion and called out, “Come in.”

Following her words, a young servant entered, carrying in his hands a pot of yellow wintersweet. It was now the season when yellow wintersweet bloomed most magnificently, with petals golden like amber, emanating a subtle, refreshing fragrance that made one feel refreshed and joyful.

Yunyi stared blankly at that pot of yellow wintersweet as past memories flashed rapidly through her mind. Four years ago, when she was still in Honghua Prefecture, Li Shimin had once had Chuyi deliver a pot of yellow wintersweet to her, but she had refused it while trying to escape her own feelings at the time. In refusing that pot of yellow wintersweet, she had also indirectly rejected Li Shimin’s feelings.

After returning to Luoyang, she would often think of that pot of yellow wintersweet, wondering what would have happened if she hadn’t refused it then. Unfortunately, the past was the past, and bygone events couldn’t be reversed.

This pot of yellow wintersweet before her eyes looked so much like the one Li Shimin had sent her back then. Could it be… that this was what Zhangsun Shi meant by something she had been keeping safe for years?

Zhangsun Shi reached out to caress the delicate golden petals and said slowly, “In the winter of the tenth year of the Daye era, I went to Honghua Prefecture to visit my husband and saw this pot of yellow wintersweet in his room. I thought it looked very beautiful, so I asked for it. Although my husband agreed, I could tell he was reluctant to part with this wintersweet. Later, I learned from Chuyi that this wintersweet was originally meant for the Princess, but the Princess was unwilling to accept it. I thought then that perhaps one day, this wintersweet would return to its true owner. So these past few years, no matter where I went, I brought it with me. Now it can finally return to its rightful owner.”

To think it really was the wintersweet Li Shimin had sent her! Yunyi suppressed the excitement in her heart and declined, “Since Second Young Master gave it to you, it’s your possession. You are its owner.”

“I said I was only keeping it safe. Besides…” Zhangsun Shi joked, “Keeping this wintersweet alive isn’t easy at all. To care for it, I’ve practically become half a gardener. Today I can finally be free of this burden, so please, Princess, grant me this favor.”

Yunyi was made to laugh by her words. After laughing, she said, “If that’s the case, then I’ll accept it.” At this point, she said solemnly, “Wugou, thank you. I’ll remember this kindness for the rest of my life.”

“The Princess is too kind.” Zhangsun Shi’s smile was as gentle and warm as always, like the warm spring breeze of March that instantly dispelled the cold of winter.

After having the young servant set down the flowers, Zhangsun Shi said, “Since the Princess has agreed, I’ll go speak with my husband about this.”

“Wait.” Yunyi called out to her, “Second Young Master will march on Luoyang in ten days. This is the time when distractions are most to be avoided. Let’s wait until he returns victorious before discussing this.”

Zhangsun Shi thought about it and agreed, “Alright, then I’ll have to trouble the Princess to wait a bit longer.” After saying a few more words with Yunyi, she got up to leave. When passing by Xiuzhu, she stopped and asked, “Do you know your mistake?”

Hearing these words, Xiuzhu’s tears, which had finally stopped, began falling again. She said in a hoarse voice, “This servant knows her mistake.”

Zhangsun Shi looked at her for a while and said, “Since you know your mistake, get up. Remember, you must never be so rude again in the future.”