The street was icy, and Xu Chunian wrapped in a thick cloak, and holding the hot water bottle, strolled. If Jiang Shen were by her side, he would have been impatiently striding forward, but Chi Jin wasn’t. His dark cloud boots moved in step with hers, not leaving her behind at all.
Chunian glanced sideways and couldn’t help but say, “You can go ahead, I know where the medicine shop is, we can meet up later.”
Chi Jin glanced at her and smiled lightly, “Do I look impatient?”
“Not really…” Chunian shook her head, “But I’m strolling, and you can’t take big steps with me.”
Did he come out with her just to take big steps? Chi Jin pursed his lips, feeling that this Miss Xu was a bit silly. Everyone could see what he was trying to do, but she had an innocent look and seemed completely unaware. Or perhaps, she simply didn’t think in that direction at all.
“We just had lunch, walking too fast is not good for the body.” Looking at the stalls on the street, Chi Jin said, “Let’s just walk and look around, it’s nice.”
With such a gentle temperament, Xu Chunian couldn’t help but sigh. So, a man could also be gentle like this.
“Is this one nice?” Passing by a stall run by an old woman, Chi Jin stopped and looked at the things on the stall, asking her.
Chunian turned her head and saw that the stall was filled with wooden hairpins, rough but elegant.
Seeing someone stop, the old woman hurriedly said, “Take a look, young lady and young master, everyone wears these. They’re cheap, two coins each.”
The city had just been connected to the river, and while the drought had eased, the people’s lives were still not easy. Seeing the large patches on the old woman’s clothes, Xu Chunian felt a bit sorry. She touched her purse and decided to give her some silver directly.
However, Chi Jin stopped her and squatted down to take a closer look. He said, “The people in the mansion have never seen these things before, buy one for each of them. Just right.”
With that, he picked up a female hairpin and handed it to her, then took one for himself and wrapped up the rest, handing over two taels of silver.
“This… this is too much.” The old woman was a bit flustered.
Chi Jin smiled lightly, “You are kind-hearted, understanding that you are old, let you go home early to rest, and buy some good food with the extra money.”
Thankful, the old woman looked at Xu Chunian and nodded repeatedly, “Thank you, thank you!”
Xu Chunian felt embarrassed and returned the courtesy to her before following Chi Jin, walking and saying softly, “The silver was given by you, how can it be considered me being kind-hearted?”
Chi Jin smiled and played with the hairpin in his hand, not answering, but instead asking, “Want to try it?”
When she left Yinpeng, she didn’t even pack her luggage, so she didn’t have any jewelry on her head. After thinking for a moment, Chunian reached up to her hair bun and inserted the hairpin into it.
Chi Jin looked at her and nodded, “It’s not bad.”
“Do you want to try it too?” She asked eagerly.
Looking at what he held in his hand, Chi Jin said, “I’m not very good at styling my hair. If I take out the hairpin, I’m afraid I’ll have to walk with my hair down.”
“It’s okay, I can do it!” Xu Chunian looked around and led him to a nearby alley, avoiding people’s eyes. She whispered, “Crouch down a bit.”
With a slight change in his eyes, Chi Jin handed her the wooden hairpin, then turned his back to her, crouching in front of her, letting her undo his original hairstyle with her hands as a comb, and then quickly re-braided it for him.
With his back turned, Xu Chunian couldn’t see, but Chi Jin curved his index finger against his nose and smiled silently for a long time.
After a while, both of them had new hairpins on their heads, and they continued slowly towards the medicine shop. Xu Chunian had some lingering worries in her heart, but as she walked down the street and observed the various aspects of life, occasionally eating some street snacks, she suddenly felt that dwelling on past sorrows was a waste of time. With so many people suffering more than her, they were still striving to live.
Taking a deep breath, Xu Chunian’s steps lightened. Her eyes also cleared up. She went with Chi Jin to select the medicinal herbs, then went to the next street to buy candles, and returned to the princess’s mansion with laughter and conversation.
“Here are the things I brought for you.” She cheerfully placed a large bundle of wooden hairpins on the table.
Today was a day off, and everyone was bored staying in the mansion. Seeing this commotion, Qing Xian was the first to jump up, “What’s this, what’s this?”
But Bai Ai was faster, she came forward and opened the package, made a sound of surprise, picked up a hairpin, and looked at it, raising her eyebrows as she asked Xu Chunian, “What’s gotten into you? Why did you think of buying these?”
Chunian smiled, “The old lady was selling them, and Lord Chi Jin was kind-hearted, so he bought them all. This small city isn’t very prosperous, so let’s adapt to the local customs and wear these, it’s not bad.”
Qing Xian heard this and said without thinking, “Since when did Chi Jin become kind-hearted?”
Wasn’t he known throughout the entire Feiyun Palace for being ruthless and full of schemes?
Giving Qing Xian a faint glance, Chi Jin said, “There aren’t enough hairpins, leave two for the princess and His Majesty, don’t take them.”
The street was chilly, and Xu Chuniang wrapped herself in a thick cloak, cradling a freshly filled hot water bottle as she strolled. If Jiang Shen were by her side, he would have impatiently marched ahead, but without him, the jet-black cloud boots kept pace with her, never leaving her behind.
Chuniang glanced sideways, unable to resist saying, “My lord, you can go ahead. I know where the apothecary is. We can meet up later.”
Chi Jin glanced at her and chuckled softly. “Do I seem impatient?”
“Not exactly…” Chuniang shook her head, “But I’m walking so slowly that you can’t even take proper steps alongside me.”
Was he accompanying her just to match her pace? Chi Jin pursed his lips, finding this Miss Xu rather naive; everyone could see what he intended. Only she remained oblivious, or perhaps she simply didn’t entertain such thoughts.
“Just had lunch, walking too fast isn’t good for the body.” Chi Jin glanced at the stalls along the street. “Walking and browsing like this is nice.”
With such a gentle disposition, Chuniang couldn’t help but sigh. So, men could be gentle like this too.
“Is this one nice?” Passing by a stall run by an old lady, Chi Jin stopped, looking at the items on display, and asked her.
Chuniang turned back and saw a variety of wooden hairpins laid out on the bamboo mat. Though simple, they had an elegant charm.
Seeing someone stop, the old lady hurriedly said, “Take a look, young lady and young sir. These are worn by young ladies and gentlemen, and they’re cheap too, just two coins each.”
The city had only recently been connected to the river, easing the drought, but life for the common people was still difficult. Seeing the patches on the old lady’s clothes, Chuniang felt a pang of sympathy and reached for her purse, intending to give her some silver directly.
However, Chi Jin stopped her, squatting down to examine the items carefully. “People in the mansion have never seen anything like this before. Buy one for each of them. Just right.”
With that, he picked up a hairpin and handed it to her, taking one for himself, then wrapped up the rest and handed over two taels of silver.
“This… this is too much,” the old lady stammered nervously.
Chi Jin smiled lightly. “The young lady has a kind heart, understanding that you’re older. Take the extra money and buy something nice for yourself to enjoy at home.”
Gratefully looking at Chuniang, the old lady nodded repeatedly. “Thank you, thank you!”
Chuniang felt very embarrassed and followed Chi Jin as he walked away, whispering as they went, “You gave the money, so how can it be considered my kind heart?”
Chi Jin chuckled, playing with the hairpin in his hand. Instead of answering, he asked, “Want to try it?”
When she left the Shadow Plains, she didn’t even pack her belongings, so she had no jewelry on her. After a moment’s thought, Chuniang reached up to her hair bun and inserted the hairpin into it.
Chi Jin glanced at her and nodded. “Looks good.”
“Do you want to try one too?” She asked excitedly, touching the hairpin on her head.
Looking somewhat awkward, Chi Jin glanced at the hairpin in his hand. “I’m not very good at styling hair. If I take out the hairpin, I’m afraid I’ll have to go with untied hair.”
“It’s okay, I can do it!” Xu Chuniang looked around, leading him to a nearby alley, away from prying eyes, and whispered, “Lower yourself a bit.”
With a slight movement in his eyes, Chi Jin handed her the wooden hairpin, then turned his back to her, crouching in front of her, letting her undo his original hair bun, using her hands as a comb, deftly retying it for him.
Facing away, Xu Chuniang couldn’t see, but Chi Jin curled his index finger against his nose, silently laughing for a long time.
After a while, both of them had new hairpins on their heads, and they continued on their way to the apothecary at a leisurely pace. Xu Chuniang had been somewhat troubled, but watching the hustle and bustle of the street, occasionally enjoying some snacks from the roadside, she suddenly felt that dwelling on past grievances was a waste of time. With so many people facing more hardships than her, weren’t they still striving to live? Taking a deep breath, Xu Chuniang’s steps became lighter. Her eyes cleared. Following Chi Jin to select medicinal herbs at the apothecary and then going to the neighboring street to buy candles, they returned to the princess’s mansion with laughter and conversation.
“Things we brought for you all.” She enthusiastically placed a large bundle of wooden hairpins on the table.
Today was a day off, and everyone was staying in the mansion, bored. Seeing the commotion, Qing Xian was the first to jump up, “What’s this?”
But Bai Ai’s actions were quicker. He stepped forward and opened the package, picking up a hairpin and examining it, raising an eyebrow as he asked Xu Chuniang, “What’s gotten into you? Why did you think of buying these?”
Chuniang smiled, “Sold by an old lady. His Lordship Chi Jin has a kind heart, so he bought them all. This city isn’t very prosperous, and since we’re here, why not blend in a bit? Wearing these isn’t bad.”
At her words, Qing Xian, without hesitation, said, “When did Chi Jin become kind-hearted?”
Wasn’t he infamous throughout the entire Feiyun Palace for being ruthless and cunning?
Casting a faint glance at Qing Xian, Chi Jin said, “Not enough hairpins. Save two for His Highness and the Eldest Princess. Don’t take them all.”
Qing Xian choked and immediately changed his tone, “I meant to say, when did Lord Chi Jin’s heart turn bad? Ah look at me, I can’t speak properly when it’s cold.”
With that, he grabbed a hairpin and sidled away.
Xu Chuniang was about to laugh when she saw Huaiyu and Lord Ziyang finally coming out.
“Oh, what’s this?” Li Huaiyu curiously approached to take a look.
Jiang Xuanjin walked expressionlessly beside her, glanced at the table, and said, “Haven’t seen wooden hairpins before?”
“Never seen them, but they’re quite clever.” Picking one up, Huaiyu smiled, “The carved patterns on the hairpins are so vivid.”
Bai Ai scrutinized her for a moment, seeing her complexion unchanged and with no signs of discomfort, he sighed in relief and whispered, “Brought back by Chi Jin. Your Highness, take a look, do you like any?”
“This one!” Huaiyu picked a hairpin with a peony design and picked a plain one for Jiang Xuanjin. She ran back to him, gesturing to his head, “Everything looks good on you!”
Everyone: “…”
Jiang Xuanjin stiffened, slightly annoyed, “Shut up.”
“You’ve been telling me to shut up all this time, and now you’re telling me to shut up again?” Li Huaiyu stood with her hands on her hips, refusing to back down, “I didn’t say anything wrong!”
Teasing him in the room wasn’t enough, now she was causing a scene? Jiang Xuanjin’s ears turned red, and feeling somewhat helpless, he rubbed his temples with a headache.
Xu Chuniang watched a hint of envy in her eyes. Even after going through so much, when these two reconciled, it seemed like nothing had changed.
In an instant, it gave the impression of an eternal bond.
“Don’t like this one?” Li Huaiyu muttered as she examined the plain hairpin in her hand, “Isn’t it good?”
Jiang Xuanjin took a glance at the hairpin in her hand, then glanced at Chi Jin and Xu Chuniang beside him. “These hairpins are a pair, the female hairpin has a larger flower head, and the male hairpin has a smaller one. Since you’ve taken the peony, why not give me the other half?”
“Huh?” Huaiyu noticed it now, “They’re a pair?”
Chi Jin paused slightly, then looked up at him. Jiang Xuanjin calmly met his gaze, his eyes falling on the hairpin in his hair.
Discovered? Chi Jin raised an eyebrow but then smiled.
The hairpin on his head, with its smaller flower head, was not clear from a distance. Xu Chuniang’s, on the other hand, was much more obvious, with three plum blossoms.
“I didn’t even notice.” Xu Chuniang looked at Huaiyu in surprise as she pulled out the male hairpin with the peony design, then turned to Chi Jin and asked, staring at the hairpin on his head, “Does my lord have the other half too?”
Looking down at her and then at the hairpin in her hair, Chi Jin said lightly, “Don’t worry about it, it’s just a hairpin, let it be.”
Speaking as if it were of no consequence, clearly setting a trap in advance. Miss Xu, so naive, didn’t even think twice, just agreed and then turned to help Huaiyu examine the hairpins.
Jiang Xuanjin looked at Chi Jin for a while, suddenly feeling that his second brother, despite his charm, might not be able to match up in terms of tactics.
“Your Highness,” Cheng Xu whispered beside him, “There’s news from the capital.”
Relieved, Jiang Xuanjin nodded, his face stern as he asked Li Huaiyu, “Fancy seeing a good show?”
“What good show?” Huaiyu leaned over, her eyes full of curiosity.
Feeling her hand, slightly cold, Jiang Xuanjin tightened her tiger fur cloak and whispered, “Come with me.”
The people nearby were puzzled, watching the two of them whispering for a while, then walking out together.
“Ah…” Qing Xian looked unhappily at their backs and muttered quietly, “Just arrived and leaving already?”
“This is normal,” Chi Jin said, “After a long separation, they need some time together.”
“But Lord Ziyang doesn’t seem like someone who enjoys spending time with others.”
Xu Chuniang listened quietly and whispered, “He just doesn’t like to spend time with others.”
Huaiyu was different. She had noticed before, when she was in the Jiang residence, that His Highness had no patience for anyone, finding them noisy and annoying. But with his consort, he had never once driven her away, no matter how tightly he furrowed his brows. During that time, everyone thought His Highness had become more temperate and easier to get along with. It wasn’t until later, when the consort left, that everyone realized His Highness hadn’t changed at all. It was just that when he was in a good mood, he would treat people more kindly. He had given all exceptions to her, while others could only benefit indirectly.
It’s nice.
Jiang Xuanjin walked to the guest room with a stern face, Huaiyu at his side, shaking his hand, “You’ve been sulking for two hours, and it’s not gone yet?”
Not saying anything would have been better, but once mentioned, he recalled what had happened in the red curtain tent, his jaw tight, his eyes fierce.
“You said you wouldn’t bully me again.”
And what happened?
With starry eyes, Li Huaiyu hooked her pinky with his, “How can that be considered bullying? It’s just that you’re too serious, always shy… Ah don’t frown, not shy! How could His Highness Ziyang be shy? I mean reserved! You’re too reserved!”
Jiang Xuanjin stared at her coldly.
This familiar look made Huaiyu feel amused, and she teased him in a low voice, “Next time, don’t scowl at me. Just beg for mercy directly, I promise it’ll work!”
Letting go of her hand, Jiang Xuanjin said expressionlessly, “Go back to your room.”
“Huh?” Huaiyu widened her eyes, “Didn’t you say there was a good show for me to watch?”
“Suddenly there isn’t.”
With a wave of his greenish sleeves, Jiang Xuanjin turned and walked into the room, slamming the door shut with a bang.
Huaiyu leaned against the nearby pillar and laughed out loud, turning to Cheng Xu, “Why is His Highness so adorable?”
With a stumble, Cheng Xu’s mouth twitched, “Adorable…adorable?”
“Look.” She extended her index finger and pushed against the door latch, and the two doors creaked open.
“Even when he’s so angry, he doesn’t latch the door. Isn’t that just adorable?”
Cheng Xu was silent, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead with his sleeve. He thought to himself, dare you say that, I wouldn’t dare nod in agreement either, isn’t this courting death?
After laughing for a while, Huaiyu walked into the room and saw Jiang Xuanjin sitting with his back to her on the soft couch, looking still angry. But hearing the movement behind him, he angrily spread out the cushions piled beside him, covering the hard edges of the couch. In the end, he snorted coldly.
Huaiyu wanted to pounce on him and kiss him, but her body was heavy and she couldn’t bounce up. She could only climb onto the soft couch obediently and poke his arm with the wooden hairpin, “What’s with you, mister?”
Ignoring her, he tossed a letter at her coldly.
Seeing the seal of the capital relay station, Huaiyu raised an eyebrow, forgetting to tease him for the time being as she opened the wax seal to take a look.
With just one glance, her expression turned serious.
“Zhang De… holding him accountable, moving his coffin to the sea?” Li Huaiyu couldn’t believe her eyes, her brows furrowing. “What has happened?”
Zhang De was an eunuch by the side of Emperor Xiao, the same one who had schemed to disgrace her in the Li Shan Palace years ago and was later subjected to her punishment. When he died, the entire court condemned the Eldest Princess as heartless. To atone for the royal family’s sins, they allowed his coffin to be hidden in the sacred mountain blessed by dragon energy.
And now, his coffin was about to be dug up and thrown into the sea, and it had even been reported by the Prime Minister’s Mansion. In other words, everyone in the capital knew about this.
What kind of crime could prompt Li Huaijin to make such a decision? He should be well aware. To convict Zhang De was to vindicate her past actions.
“Zhang De had an adopted son who, some time ago, lost a gambling bet and was chased with a knife. To save his life, he shouted in the street that he had a decree from Emperor Xiao, and he took out a finely made scroll in bright yellow. When the Emperor found out, he was furious and executed him for blasphemy against the late Emperor, and then pursued Zhang De for it.”
The person with his back to her spoke coldly, “You’re lucky to witness this spectacle even from a thousand miles away.”
Huaiyu was stunned, setting down the letter and looking up at him. “Do you think I’m foolish? Zhang De spent so many years by my father’s side, how could I not know whether he had an adopted son or not?”
Her interlocutor stiffened, and Jiang Xuanjin fell silent for a moment before continuing, “Your Highness isn’t a deity, you can’t be expected to know everything.”
Simultaneously exasperated and amused, Huaiyu reached out and pulled him, dragging his body closer, and looking into his eyes. “As luck would have it, I happen to know everything! News that I haven’t even received yet, you’ve already got in your hands. His Highness, can’t you just tell me you feel sorry for me and want to vindicate me? Is that so difficult?”
His eyes flickered slightly, and Jiang Xuanjin pursed his lips.
This was something he had been preparing for since he learned about her past from Qing Si. It took quite a bit of effort, and he even resorted to the scheming and plotting he usually disdained, but he finally achieved success.
But to ask him to speak… how could he put it? Was he supposed to say, ‘I knew someone was mistreating you, so I helped you find a way to mistreat them back’?
Lord Ziyang felt that such words sounded like boasting and seemed quite childish. He didn’t want to say it!
“The people of the Jiang family do not engage in sinister schemes,” he said, looking at her with a serious expression. “Your Highness, I am unaware of this matter.”
Li Huaiyu narrowed her eyes. “Unaware, huh? Fine!”
“Qing Si!”
Someone outside the door responded and entered. Huaiyu looked at her and said, “Find out for me how Zhang De was convicted!”
Qing Si looked bewildered. After glancing at the person beside her and thinking for a moment, she nodded in agreement. “Yes.”
Jiang Xuanjin felt somewhat helpless. “Why bother with all this effort? The outcome will be favorable, won’t it?”
With Zhang De convicted, the major accusations that had been imposed on the Eldest Princess for so many years would dissipate. Although many people might still instinctively consider her a villainess, quite a few would also come to realize that over the years, the Eldest Princess had contributed more than she had harmed to both court and country.
As for other matters, he wasn’t sure, but the people of the Jiang family would surely understand.
He wasn’t misled. Nor did he love the wrong person.
Li Huaiyu stared fixedly at the person in front of her and only spoke after a long time, “I was foolish, only now do I realize.”
The previous petition for redress wasn’t about personal feelings for anyone; he had long since planned to expose Li Shan’s misdeeds to the public on her behalf. She had only seen the irrigation canal construction plans provided by Ping Ling, but how could she not have noticed the sudden change in attitude from the feudal lords afterward?
It wasn’t entirely her fault. At that time, Jiang Xuanjin harbored so much hatred towards her, who could have guessed that beneath that thick layer of animosity, he still held such thoughts?
“You… ” She pursed her lips, looking down at the back of his hand.
There was a shallow scar there, similar to the one on her neck, the one he had given her when he stopped her from committing suicide.
He hardly ever said much, but he didn’t lack what was necessary, not any less than her.