The street was cold. Xu Chuniang wrapped herself in a thick cloak, holding a hand warmer filled with hot water, and walked slowly. If Jiang Shen were beside her, he would have impatiently strode ahead by now. However, Chijin did not; his dark cloud boots matched her pace, never leaving her behind.
Chuniang turned her head and couldn’t help but say, “Sir, you can go ahead. I know where the pharmacy is, and we can meet there later.”
Chijin glanced at her and chuckled softly, “Do I look like I’m in a hurry?”
“Not really…” Chuniang shook her head. “But I am walking very slowly, and you can’t take big steps with me.”
Did he accompany her just to take steps? Chijin pursed his lips, thinking this Xu family girl was somewhat naive. Everyone else could see his intentions, yet she remained oblivious, completely unaware.
Or perhaps, she simply never thought in that direction.
“Walking too fast after lunch isn’t good for the body,” Chijin said, looking at the small stalls by the street. “It’s nice to walk and look around like this.”
With such a gentle nature, Xu Chuniang couldn’t help but marvel. She hadn’t realized men could be so gentle.
“Do you like this?” Passing by an old lady’s stall, Chijin stopped and asked her, looking at the items on display.
Chuniang turned back to see many wooden hairpins carved from bamboo strips on the stall. Though rough, they were elegant.
Seeing someone stop, the old lady quickly said, “Take a look, young lady and gentleman. They’re cheap, just two coins each.”
Yixian City had just opened its waterways, alleviating the drought, but life was still hard for the people. Seeing the large patches on the old lady’s clothes, Xu Chuniang felt a pang of sympathy and reached for her purse, intending to give her some silver.
However, Chijin stopped her, crouched down to examine the items, and said, “No one in the household has seen these before. Let’s buy one for each of them. Just right.”
Saying this, he picked up a woman’s hairpin and handed it to her, took another for himself, then wrapped up the rest and handed over two taels of silver.
“This… this is too much,” the old lady said, flustered.
Chijin smiled gently, “The young lady is kind-hearted, understanding your age, and wants you to go home and rest early. Use the extra silver to buy some good food.”
Gratefully, the old lady nodded repeatedly at Xu Chuniang, “Thank you, thank you!”
Xu Chuniang felt embarrassed, returned the gesture, and followed Chijin, whispering, “The silver was yours, how does that make me kind-hearted?”
Chijin played with the hairpin in his hand, smiling but not answering directly, “Want to try it?”
When she left Yinping, she hadn’t packed any luggage, so she had no accessories for her hair. Thinking for a moment, Chuniang reached up to her hair bun and inserted the hairpin she held.
Chijin looked at her and nodded, “It looks nice.”
“Do you want to try it too?” she asked, touching the hairpin with delight.
Looking at the hairpin in his hand with some difficulty, Chijin said, “I’m not good at tying hair. If I take out the hairpin, I might have to walk with my hair down.”
“No problem, I can do it!” Xu Chuniang looked around, leading him to a side alley to avoid prying eyes, and whispered, “Bend down a bit.”
With a slight movement in his eyes, Chijin handed her the wooden hairpin, then turned his back to her, crouching slightly, allowing her to undo his original bun and deftly re-tie it with her hands.
With his back to her, Xu Chuniang couldn’t see, but Chijin pressed his index finger to his nose, silently laughing for a long time.
Moments later, both had new hairpins in their hair and continued slowly toward the pharmacy. Xu Chuniang, who had been feeling a bit down, found herself uplifted by the sights of everyday life on the street and the occasional street snack. She suddenly realized that wallowing in sorrow was a waste of time. Life had to be lived earnestly; so many people with worse fates than hers were still striving to live.
Taking a deep breath, Xu Chuniang’s steps became lighter, her gaze clearer. After selecting herbs at the pharmacy with Chijin, they went to the neighboring street to buy candles, chatting and laughing as they returned to the Princess’s residence.
“I brought you something,” she said enthusiastically, placing a large bundle of wooden hairpins on the table.
Everyone was at the residence on their day off, feeling bored. Seeing the commotion, Qingxian was the first to jump up, “What is it?”
Bai Ai was quicker, stepping forward to unwrap the bundle, exclaiming, and picking up a hairpin to examine it. He raised an eyebrow at Xu Chuniang, “What made you think of buying these?”
Chuniang laughed, “An old lady was selling them, and Sir Chijin was kind-hearted, so he bought them all. Yixian City isn’t a bustling place, so it’s nice to blend in and wear these.”
Qingxian, without thinking, said, “When did Chijin become kind-hearted?”
Wasn’t he known throughout Feiyun Palace for being ruthless and cunning?
Chijin glanced at Qingxian, “There aren’t enough hairpins. We need to save two for His Highness and the Lord, so you can’t take one.”
Qingxian choked, immediately changing his tune, “I meant, when was Sir Chijin not kind-hearted? Oh, look at my mouth, I can’t speak properly when it’s cold.”
Saying this, he grabbed a hairpin and shrank to the side.
Xu Chuniang was about to laugh when she saw Huaiyu and Lord Ziyang finally come out.
“What’s this?” Li Huaiyu curiously leaned in to look.
Jiang Xuanjin, expressionless, walked over with her, glanced at the table, and said, “Haven’t seen wooden hairpins before?”
“No, but they’re quite clever.” Picking one up to examine, Huaiyu laughed, “The carved head is lifelike.”
Bai Ai scrutinized her, seeing her complexion was normal and her body seemed fine, he sighed in relief and whispered, “Chijin brought them back. Does Your Highness like any?”
“This one!” Huaiyu picked a peony-shaped one, then took a plain one for Jiang Xuanjin, running back to him and comparing it to his head, smiling brightly, “You look good in anything!”
Everyone: “…”
Jiang Xuanjin stiffened, annoyed, “Shut up.”
“You’ve been telling me to shut up all day, and now again?” Li Huaiyu protested, hands on her hips, “I’m not wrong!”
Teasing him inside the house wasn’t enough, and now she was causing a scene? Jiang Xuanjin’s ears turned red, but he couldn’t do anything about her, rubbing his temples in frustration.
Xu Chuniang watched, her eyes filled with a bit of envy. Despite everything, these two seemed unchanged when they reconciled.
For a moment, it gave the illusion of eternal love.
“Don’t like this one?” Li Huaiyu muttered, examining the plain hairpin, “Isn’t it nice?”
Jiang Xuanjin took the hairpin from her, glanced at it, and then at Chijin and Xu Chuniang, “These hairpins come in pairs. The women have larger heads and the men’s smaller ones. Since you took the peony, why not give me the other half?”
“Huh?” Huaiyu only then noticed, “They’re paired?”
Chijin paused slightly, looking up at him. Jiang Xuanjin met his gaze calmly, his eyes falling knowingly on his bun.
Was he discovered? Chijin raised an eyebrow, then smiled.
The hairpin on his head had a small head, making it hard to see from a distance. Xu Chuniang’s was more obvious, with three plum blossoms.
“I didn’t notice,” Xu Chuniang said, surprised, watching Huaiyu find the peony men’s hairpin, then turned to Chijin’s head. “Does Sir have another half too?”
Looking down at her, then at the hairpin in her hair, Chijin said nonchalantly, “Don’t worry about it. They’re just hairpins, let it be.”
He spoke as if it didn’t matter, clearly setting a trap in advance. The Xu family was so simple-minded, they didn’t think much of it, agreeing and turning to help Huaiyu with the hairpins.
Jiang Xuanjin watched Chijin for a while, suddenly feeling that his second brother, though charming, might not match up in tactics.
“Lord,” Chengxu whispered beside him, “There’s news from the capital.”
Feeling relieved, Jiang Xuanjin nodded, sternly asking Li Huaiyu, “Want to see a good show?”
“What kind of show?” Huaiyu leaned in, full of curiosity.
He touched her hand, finding it cold, and wrapped her in her tiger fur cloak, whispering, “Come with me.”
The others were puzzled, watching the two whisper to each other before walking out together.
“Hey…” Qingxian grumbled, watching their backs, “Just arrived, and now leaving?”
“This is normal,” Chijin said. “After a long separation, they need some time together.”
“But that Lord Ziyang doesn’t seem like someone who enjoys being clingy.”
Xu Chuniang listened, whispering, “He just doesn’t like being clingy with others.”
Huaiyu was different. Back at the Jiang residence, she noticed that the Lord had no patience for anyone, and found them noisy and annoying, but with his lady, no matter how tightly his brows furrowed, he never drove her away.
During that time, everyone thought the Lord had become more amiable, and easier to talk to and get along with. It wasn’t until the lady left that they realized the Lord hadn’t changed at all; he was just more gentle when in a good mood.
He gave all his exceptions to her, and others could only benefit from it, nothing more.
How wonderful.
Jiang Xuanjin walked toward the guest room with a stern face, Huaiyu beside him, swinging his hand, “You’ve been sulking for two hours, still not over it?”
It was fine until she mentioned it, then he remembered the incident in the red tent, his jaw tightening, eyes unfriendly.
“You said you wouldn’t bully me again.”
And yet?
With stars in her eyes, Li Huaiyu hooked his little finger, “How can that be bullying? You’re too serious, always shy… Hey, don’t scowl, not shy! How could Lord Ziyang be shy? I mean reserved! You’re too reserved!”
Jiang Xuanjin glared at her coldly.
That familiar look made Huaiyu laugh, teasing him softly, “Next time, don’t be fierce, just beg for mercy, it’ll work!”
Releasing her hand, Jiang Xuanjin said expressionlessly, “Go back to your room.”
“Hey?” Huaiyu widened her eyes, “Didn’t you say there was a good show for me to see?”
“Suddenly, there isn’t.”
With a flick of his cyan sleeve, Jiang Xuanjin turned and entered the guest room, closing the door with a “bang.”
Huaiyu leaned against a pillar, laughing heartily, and said to Chengxu, “How can your Lord be so endearing?”
Chengxu stumbled, his mouth twitching, “En… endearing?”
“Look.” She pushed the door slightly with her finger, and it opened with a creak.
Li Huaiyu laughed so hard she could hardly stand, “So angry, yet didn’t lock the door. Isn’t that endearing?”
Chengxu remained silent, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, thinking that while she dared to say it, he wouldn’t dare agree. That would be courting death.
After laughing for a while, Huaiyu entered the room and saw Jiang Xuanjin sitting on the couch with his back to her, still seemingly angry. But hearing her movements, he, while angry, pulled over the cushions piled beside him, covering the hard edges of the couch. Finally, he snorted coldly.
Huaiyu wanted to pounce on him and kiss him, but her body was heavy, and she couldn’t jump. She could only climb onto the couch, poking his arm with the wooden hairpin, “Sir?”
The gentleman ignored her, coldly tossing a letter her way.
Seeing the seal of the capital’s post station, Huaiyu raised an eyebrow, setting aside her teasing to open the wax seal and read.
At a glance, her expression turned serious.
“Zhang De… held accountable for his crimes, coffin moved to the sea?” She could hardly believe her eyes, frowning. “What happened?”
Zhang De was an attendant on the late Emperor’s side, the one who tried to trick her into Li Shan’s palace to be humiliated, and later executed by her. When he died, the court and the public condemned the Princess for her cruelty, and to atone for the royal family, his coffin was allowed to rest in a mountain blessed by dragon energy.
Now, his coffin was to be exhumed and thrown into the sea, with the news published by the Grand Commandant’s office. This meant everyone in the capital knew about it.
What kind of crime could make Li Huailin decide this? He must know that holding Zhang De accountable was equivalent to vindicating her actions back then.
“Zhang De had an adopted son who recently lost money gambling and was chased with a knife. To save his life, he shouted in the street that he had the late Emperor’s edict and even produced a seemingly authentic yellow scroll. The Emperor, upon hearing this, was furious and executed him for desecrating the late Emperor, implicating Zhang De as well.”
The person with his back to her spoke coldly, “You’re lucky, so even from afar, you can enjoy this good show.”
Huaiyu was stunned, setting down the letter and looking up at him, “Do you think I’m stupid? Zhang De was by my father’s side for so many years, wouldn’t I know if he had an adopted son?”
His back stiffened, Jiang Xuanjin was silent for a moment, then said, “Your Highness isn’t a deity, you can’t know everything.”
Both angry and amused, Huaiyu pulled him around to face her, looking into his eyes, “I happen to know everything! The news I didn’t receive, you got first. Lord Ziyang, is it so hard to admit you care for me and want to clear my name?”
His eyes flickered, and Jiang Xuanjin pursed his lips.
This was something he had been planning since learning about her past from Qingsi, putting in a lot of effort and even using the schemes he usually disdained, finally achieving a satisfactory result.
But to say it… how could he? Should he say, “I know someone bullied you, so I thought of ways to bully them back”?
Lord Ziyang felt that saying this would be like boasting, childish, and he didn’t want to say it!
“The Jiang family does not engage in deceitful acts,” he said righteously, “This matter is unknown to me.”
Li Huaiyu squinted, “Unknown, huh? Fine!”
“Qingsi!”
Someone responded from outside, and Huaiyu said, “Find out how Zhang De was convicted!”
Qingsi was taken aback, glanced at the person beside her, thought for a moment, and nodded, “Yes.”
Jiang Xuanjin was somewhat helpless, “Why waste the effort? The result is good, isn’t it?”
With Zhang De convicted, the heavy accusations against the Princess over the years would dissipate. Although many might still habitually see Danyang as a villain, many would realize that over the years, the Princess’s contributions outweighed her faults.
He didn’t know about others, but the Jiang family would understand.
He wasn’t deceived, nor did he love the wrong person.
Li Huaiyu looked at him for a long time before saying, “I was foolish, only now realizing.”
The previous confession wasn’t for any favor; he had planned all along to expose Li Shan’s misdeeds to the public. She only saw the tributary canal construction plans from Pingling, not noticing the subsequent change in attitude from local lords.
It’s not surprising she didn’t think of it; at that time, Jiang Xuanjin hated her so much. Who would have thought he harbored such intentions beneath that intense hatred?
“You…” she murmured, looking down at his hand.
There was a shallow scar, similar to the one on her neck, from when he stopped her from taking her own life.
He never said much, but what should be there was never less than what she had.