When the palace soldiers escorted him to the hall, Prince Kang’s eyes were filled with imminent triumph. However, when the Crown Prince questioned Lu Lingjun point by point about whether Prince Kang knew I was the princess and whether he ordered my assassination, Lu Lingjun answered very definitively: “Yes.”
With each word he answered, Prince Kang’s expression grew darker. No matter how he racked his brains, he probably couldn’t understand why Lu Lingjun would seek his own death when denial could have saved his life.
Just as Lu Lingjun calmly finished recounting all the causes and consequences, and the Crown Prince was about to explode in fury, Jiang Feng managed to step forward, prostrating himself on the ground: “Your Highness, everything was this minister’s doing… Originally His Highness wanted to report this during morning court, but this minister feared the fake princess would abuse her power to harm His Highness, so I secretly used His Highness’s private seal to borrow his name and order Lu Lingjun to strike…”
The Crown Prince pursed his lips, couldn’t hold back, and rolled his eyes.
Another scapegoat had emerged halfway through.
Though my uncle’s talent for scheming was mediocre, how could he undertake such risky endeavors without leaving himself an escape route?
Sacrificing pawns to save the king—to find so many willing scapegoats deserved solemn respect.
Lu Lingjun didn’t continue listening to Jiang Feng’s fantastical confession, but kept his head lowered, his fists trembling slightly.
He probably never imagined in his wildest dreams that even if Prince Kang personally wrote orders commanding him to kill me, it still might not be enough to convict him.
Among so many interlocking and enduring powers, whose hands weren’t stained with unspeakable deeds?
Originally today, I had no intention of destroying Prince Kang completely. Even without saving Lu Lingjun, eliminating these brothers-in-arms of Father Emperor wasn’t something that fledglings like the Crown Prince and I, who were still biding our time, would dare attempt lightly.
But… Lu Lingjun said he wanted revenge.
He said: Brother Bai, help me succeed.
Why did I say to Lu Lingjun at that moment, as if possessed: “Brother Lu, even if it’s a path to death, if you want to walk it, I will escort you all the way.”
But promises I make to others, I never take back.
I gripped the carved dragon handles of the golden throne tightly with both hands and rose again.
Jiang Feng was still saying something, but when I stood like this, he couldn’t help but freeze, craning his neck to look at me uncertainly.
I asked unhurriedly: “The Ministry of Justice governs criminal punishment policies throughout the realm. Minister Jiang, as Vice Minister of Justice, why don’t you tell us yourself—what punishment should your crimes receive?”
Jiang Feng bowed his head, saying in a heavy voice: “This minister plotted to harm the princess—heaven and earth cannot tolerate this… this should be… autumn execution.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Death penalty? It seems if Minister Jiang reaches the underworld, he should study our Great Liang laws more carefully.”
Jiang Feng was puzzled. I said: “Eunuch Cheng, present what this palace brought.”
Eunuch Cheng complied, carrying a large tray covered with yellow cloth and slowly ascending the hall, moving to my front.
Without a moment’s hesitation, I personally lifted the yellow cloth.
Under the brilliant sunlight, before everyone’s disbelieving eyes, the imperial edict, the Sword of Authority, and the Imperial Seal appeared simultaneously in this great hall.
“Three years ago, after the Heaven Worship Ceremony, Father Emperor established the Crown Prince, and on that very day granted this palace the regent position! When Father Emperor proclaimed to the world before all officials, he said: ‘From this day forth, the Regent Princess’s words are my words, the Regent Princess’s actions are my actions, the Regent Princess’s intentions are my intentions. Those who disobey, disrespect, speak rashly, or act rashly toward her shall be viewed as deceiving the ruler and scorning authority! I command the forging of a precious sword to bestow upon her, to advise wise rulers above and strike down treacherous ministers below…'” I raised high the dragon-carved golden sword, “‘…To see the sword is to see the ruler!!'”
The first to kneel wasn’t anyone else, but my younger brother the Crown Prince. As he lifted his robes, Chief Minister Zhao also respectfully knelt simultaneously. One was the noble young heir apparent, the other the cabinet minister who dominated court affairs. This kneeling undoubtedly added more power to the sword Father Emperor had given me. In an instant, the hall again filled with kowtowing figures crying “Long live!” in an awesome display.
I said: “Just now Minister Jiang confessed without denial to plotting against this palace. Elder Zhao, you are the chief minister of our court—why don’t you tell us what crime Jiang Feng should bear?”
Chief Minister Zhao, with his aged appearance, said: “Plotting against the princess is like plotting against His Majesty—the crime equals treason. According to Great Liang law, the entire family should be executed!”
The entire family.
As if already seeing bloody massacre, Jiang Feng’s body shook like a sieve as he leaned forward, stunned for a long moment. Then his eyes suddenly became frenzied, like a dying person’s last struggle. He crawled forward on his knees several steps, crying mournfully: “This minister… this minister deserves ten thousand deaths, but I was not the mastermind. The real… real instigator… was, was… Prince Kang… If Your Highness and Princess don’t believe it, this minister’s residence contains solid evidence…”
Though this was an answer everyone knew in their hearts, when Prince Kang’s most capable confidant openly betrayed him in the hall, Prince Kang’s previously tense expression actually calmed down.
In this imperial palace, profit always came first—there were never truly loyal people. Victory and defeat were natural; no one else was to blame.
What followed was mostly smoother than expected.
Prince Kang confessed. He not only admitted to plotting my assassination but also to all charges of corruption and forming factions.
Many years later, when folk storytellers recounted “the princess’s great display of divine might in the golden hall, forcing Prince Kang to reveal his true form,” they could embellish Princess Xiangyi with gold and jade, making her shine like a god or Buddha.
But no one knew how I exhausted all my strength to push my cherished friend toward the abyss of death.
After court dismissed, I walked step by step through the corridors, gripping the Sword of Authority.
Three years ago, on the night Father Emperor bestowed the sword upon me, he summoned me to the palace. He asked: “Do you know why I didn’t give the sword to your brother, but gave it to you instead?”
I played dumb: “Because Father Emperor dotes on A’Tang.”
Father Emperor sighed. “It’s Father Emperor who has wronged you.”
At that time, how could I not understand that power and crisis were always inseparable as shadows?
But now I had to thank Father Emperor—without this power, I couldn’t have won this battle.
Only when my spirit relaxed did I feel blood stagnating in my chest. After several days of ups and downs, fatigue swept over me like a tide. I heard my younger brother the Crown Prince calling me from behind. I wanted to turn and respond to him, but fell into darkness.
“Royal Sister!”
—————————————————————————————————————
When I opened my eyes, I was lying on white snow. Snowflakes danced like willow catkins, yet surprisingly I didn’t feel cold.
I had no idea how my younger brother the Crown Prince had brought me here.
There was no one around. I walked for quite a while before finding a carriage. On the carriage was a little girl holding a small white rabbit, carefully feeding it. I called out “little sister” several times, but she kept her head down and didn’t respond. Only after a while, when she finished feeding the rabbit and looked out the window at the scenery, did I see her face—it was my nine-year-old self.
Only then did I realize I was in a dream.
This feeling was quite special—being in a dream while clearly understanding it was a dream made everything seem much more interesting.
Little Xiangyi quietly petted the rabbit, eyes looking out the window, thinking about some strange things.
The horse whinnied, nearly making her roll off the seat.
She lifted the carriage curtain and peered out. The coachman tremblingly told her that ahead in the snow lay a person, apparently a vagrant child, probably dead.
The vagrant child in the snow moved his little hand. Little Xiangyi saw this and commanded: “He’s clearly not dead—how can you treat him as dead?”
Little Xiangyi had people wrap the little beggar in thick bedding. With sufficient charcoal fire in the carriage, the frost on the little beggar’s face soon melted. She curiously took a handkerchief to wipe his face, revealing a delicate and well-behaved countenance.
The little beggar opened his eyes.
Dark, round eyes dully turned in a circle. Seeing little Xiangyi so close to him, he was scared and rolled around.
Then little Xiangyi rummaged through the carriage cabinet for many pastries, placing them before the little beggar. “Are you hungry?”
Faced with delicious food, the little beggar had to submit.
A full box of red bean cakes disappeared into his stomach in an instant. Princess had never seen anyone so hungry in her life. “Eat slowly, no one’s fighting you for it.”
Having had no one care about his life or death for so long, this refined young lady actually didn’t despise him. The little beggar was overwhelmed with gratitude, stammering after a long while: “Thank… thank you.”
Little Xiangyi’s eyes sparkled. “When you’re dazed, you look like A’Bai.”
“A’Bai?”
“Yes, this is A’Bai. She’s one year old now.” Little Xiangyi held up the white rabbit. “A’Bai’s father was bitten to death by a big bad dog when she was very small. Her mother also died of illness last month. Now she’s all alone—I’m her best friend.”
Little Xiangyi didn’t understand why, when she was clearly talking about her rabbit, the little beggar suddenly started crying, making it seem like she was bullying him.
She found green bean cakes. “Here, here, something delicious—don’t cry anymore.”
The little beggar picked up the green bean cake and stopped crying.
Little Xiangyi thought helplessly: How have I spent the whole day feeding pets?
In her eyes, anything cute was a pet—the little white rabbit was a small pet, the little beggar was a big pet.
Who knew the little beggar would wolf down the green bean cakes and continue crying.
Angry, little Xiangyi reached out and gave the little beggar’s head a knock. “My big brother said men don’t shed tears lightly. Crying and wailing will only make everyone look down on you, despise you, really really despise you!”
The little beggar was knocked senseless.
“Stay obediently in the carriage and watch A’Bai. I’m getting out to do something. Don’t run around.”
Little Xiangyi had the coachman stop. She secretly ran to a clothing shop to choose clean, nice clothes for the little beggar, and bought more delicious food and drink.
She thought: Every time she cried endlessly, big brother would comfort her this way.
She happily anticipated the sense of achievement from being a big sister, but when she returned to the carriage, both the little beggar and the white rabbit were gone.
Had the little beggar stolen and eaten the white rabbit?
She looked around and saw some commotion ahead. She quickly ran a few steps and saw a group of little beggars surrounding someone, punching and kicking—wasn’t that the little beggar?
Little Xiangyi was furious. Dragging her long skirt, she rushed to them and shouted: “Stop! Who said you could use numbers to bully the few!”
The little beggars saw the mediator was a little girl who hadn’t even grown all her hair yet. “Who are you? Is this your business?”
Little Xiangyi snorted, taking a purple jade carved with a flying dragon from her sleeve—this was a personal token bestowed by Father Emperor. In all of Great Liang, she was the only woman who could wear dragon jade. “This princess is the dignified Princess Xiangyi of Great Liang. Do you think this princess has authority or not?”
At this moment, the sword-bearing guards from the carriage timely caught up, each drawing their swords and standing before little Xiangyi. “Audacious ruffians! How dare you be disrespectful to the princess?”
The little beggars fled in panic.
Only the little beggar remained, curled up on the ground holding the rabbit, looking dumbly at little Xiangyi.
That gaze was like looking at a deity.
Little Xiangyi helped him up. “Why did you run out?”
“A’Bai… ran out, they wanted to grab her… you told me to watch A’Bai…”
Little Xiangyi felt incredibly moved.
Usually, no matter how much she cherished her rabbit, people around her treated her as ignorant, though she truly was ignorant. Only the little beggar would brave fire and water for her friend. Little Xiangyi thought: This is indeed what Teacher Wei described as “sticking knives in both sides for friendship, duty-bound.”
The little beggar returned the rabbit to her. Seeing him motionless, little Xiangyi asked: “What are you standing there for?”
“You’re a princess… how can I go with you?”
“Why not?” Little Xiangyi was puzzled. “You saved A’Bai, so you’re my friend. You have no home, so come home with me.”
The little beggar was completely stunned. He struggled to swallow saliva. “Friend…?”
“I’ll tell Father Emperor I need a study companion, so we can play together from now on.”
The little beggar couldn’t help but break into a smile: “Really… really?”
In the sunlight, on the snowy ground, his disheveled black hair, bright eyes, and brilliant smile made this little beggar shine.
Little Xiangyi squinted happily. “Really!”
The little beggar was thus taken away by little Xiangyi.
Unfortunately, the good times didn’t last long.
Little Xiangyi’s carriage encountered an ambush by assassins on the road.
Outnumbered, more than ten sword-bearing guards were quickly and efficiently eliminated.
The coachman desperately drove the carriage into the forest but was also killed by a stray arrow.
Little Xiangyi hugged the rabbit tightly, trembling with fear.
Seeing the assassins about to catch up, the little beggar calmed down instead. He said to little Xiangyi: “Let’s quickly switch clothes. I’ll lead them away—you escape northward.”
Little Xiangyi remained motionless.
The little beggar grew anxious too. “If we don’t switch now, it’ll be too late!”
Little Xiangyi said tearfully: “But then you’ll die.”
The little beggar was stunned. “How can my worthless life compare to the princess’s?”
“Big brother said all lives are precious. Those guards had the duty to protect me, but you don’t…” Little Xiangyi shook her head. “They want to kill me—you should run quickly.”
The little beggar stared at little Xiangyi. “You really are a strange princess…”
He resolutely took off his clothes, found a red skirt from the cabinet to put on, and gripped her small hand with his tender fingers. “But friends protect friends—no duty is needed.”
The little beggar said: “I definitely won’t die. The princess said so—the princess will take me home.”
Little Xiangyi refused to believe: “You’re lying.”
The little beggar extended his pinky finger. “I promise the princess—I’ll go to the capital to find the princess. Then, the princess can’t pretend not to know me.”
Little Xiangyi dubiously hooked pinkies with him.
The little beggar immediately leaped from the carriage. Little Xiangyi grabbed his sleeve. “I still don’t know your name.”
“Lu Lingjun. My name is Lu Lingjun.”
————————————————————————————————————
The dream suddenly collapsed, and I awakened with a start.
Opening my eyes to see brilliant ceiling beams, I wasn’t in the Princess residence but in the Eastern Palace.
When I sat up, my younger brother the Crown Prince was sleeping soundly by my bedside, completely unaware.
Probably during my unconscious period, he couldn’t bear to let others care for me. Worried that the Princess residence wasn’t very peaceful now, he was only satisfied placing me in the Eastern Palace under his watch.
Seeing porridge and dishes on the round table with warm steam rising from the soup, I felt ravenously hungry.
When I finished a hot bowl of chicken porridge, the Crown Prince sleepily stretched, then turned to see me sitting upright. His whole person nearly jumped up. “Royal Sister! You’re finally awake!”
I picked at my ears. “Too loud.”
My younger brother the Crown Prince stuck out his tongue and sat beside me. “The imperial physician said you collapsed from not sleeping too long, and would wake up after a good sleep. Royal Sister, do you know you slept for three whole days…”
“Three days? Why didn’t you wake me?”
“How would we dare disturb you? Especially your prince consort—every day after finishing official business, he’d come early to accompany you, able to watch you all night… If not for Prince Kang’s case having wide implications keeping the Court of Judicial Review too busy, he’d probably want to set up a bed in the Eastern Palace to accompany you…”
My heart warmed. “Where is he now?”
My younger brother the Crown Prince scratched his head. “Probably busy with Lu Lingjun’s funeral arrangements…”
“Funeral arrangements?” I quickly put down my bowl and chopsticks, gripping the Crown Prince’s shoulders. “Has Lu Lingjun been beheaded? How could this be? Even death row inmates haven’t reached execution time!”
My younger brother the Crown Prince swayed back and forth as I shook him. “No, no, he was just exiled to military service.”
I: “…”
“Royal Sister, what’s that expression?”
“If it’s military exile, then military exile—why did you say ‘funeral arrangements’!”
“Funeral arrangements…” The Crown Prince blinked. “Doesn’t that mean handling subsequent matters?”
“…”
I tried hard to smooth the vein on my forehead.
The Crown Prince was dizzy. “Actually, originally an Imperial Academy student who was neither imperial relative nor nobility would certainly die for such crimes. Strangely, your prince consort seemed determined to save him. Xu Ningzhi said he almost read through all of Great Liang’s laws and finally found legal precedent to preserve his life. Though the Ministry of Justice and Censorate inspection censors weren’t happy, during the three-department joint trial his arguments were indeed irrefutable. After all, it was for your sake, Royal Sister—nobody has good days when they offend your prince consort… Royal Sister, tell me, why is your prince consort suddenly so concerned about a small student? Could it be…”
The Crown Prince seemed to think of something inappropriate, touching his little heart. “Could he be… cut-sleeve?”
I glared at him, and he covered his mouth silently.
How could I not know Song Langsheng’s intentions?
Such an inflexibly righteous stubborn person—his single-minded effort to find legal loopholes was simply because he feared I’d be sad and grieved over Brother Lu’s death.
Thinking of this made me miss my husband even more… Wait, the Crown Prince just said Lu Lingjun was sentenced to military exile?
“Do you know when Lu Lingjun departs?”
The Crown Prince said casually: “Today…”
I: “…”
“Royal Sister, what’s that expression again?”
I stood up. “Why didn’t you say so earlier? Military exile involves long, arduous journeys. With Lu Lingjun’s leg injury unhealed, how can you let him leave today?”
The Crown Prince looked at me strangely. “How do you know his leg injury hasn’t healed? Besides, why do you care about him? Could it be… ah, could it be you and your prince consort both fancy him? What should we do? Hey, Royal Sister, where are you going?”
Riding the palace’s fast horses, I galloped all the way. After leaving the city and racing five li, I finally saw the winding exile convoy.
Along the way, I thought of many things I wanted to say to Lu Lingjun.
I wanted to say “I’m so sorry my memory isn’t very stable and I only just remembered you—it’s so wonderful that you’re still alive,” and also “Brother Lu, I couldn’t protect you well, I’m unworthy as a friend.” Thinking about it made my nose tingle with various emotions—no matter what, the scene ahead would surely involve tears and snot.
Then when I rode my horse near the convoy, I heard that familiar voice exaggeratedly telling his traveling companions: “Oh, you have no idea—Princess Xiangyi actually has many bad habits! Like snoring while sleeping, not washing her hands before eating, and walking slightly pigeon-toed, you know…”
Others asked skeptically: “Really?”
“This young master was ordered to observe her for months. During her time at the Imperial Academy, we spent day and night together. If I were lying, would I be here in exile with you all now?”
Someone else asked: “But Princess Xiangyi looks so beautiful…”
That person got carried away—if not for the wooden cangue, he probably would have been dancing with joy: “That’s all makeup! Her bare face is really quite ordinary…”
Me, with my ordinary bare face: “…”
I choked and coughed forcefully.
Hearing the sound, Lu Lingjun actually stopped walking. The fellow exiles seeing him halt also slowed their pace, puzzledly following his gaze to look at me. The soldiers leading the convoy ahead saw the group had slowed down and came running forward with imposing manner: “Who dares disturb this officer’s prisoner escort?”
I pulled out my jade token and waved it before that obtuse soldier’s eyes. I was about to politely ask the soldier to let me have a good chat with Brother Lu, but who knew that soldier’s eyes would meet mine and his legs would immediately go weak: “This… this subordinate didn’t know it was Princess… please forgive this transgression…”
Hearing this, the surrounding exiled prisoners were also scared out of their wits, sparsely kneeling and kowtowing.
My eyebrows twitched violently.
It seemed my display of authority in the great hall a few days ago had created quite a psychological shadow for everyone.
Fortunately, Lu Lingjun didn’t follow the crowd, merely bowing to me and smiling: “Brother Bai!”
I supported myself on the saddle and jumped down to his side, wanting to respond with a few words, but the soldier kneeling at my feet suddenly struck Lu Lingjun’s ankle hard with his sword hilt, forcing him to kneel: “Audacious villain! Seeing Princess, why don’t you kneel and pay respects!”
The muffled sound of Lu Lingjun hitting the ground made my heart skip three beats. Remembering his knee injury, my heartache instantly turned to anger. I pointed at that soldier: “Who told you to touch him!”
The soldier was dumbfounded: “Uh, he didn’t kowtow to the princess…”
“He is this princess’s person! This princess permits him not to bow!”
This declaration was earth-shattering.
The soldier immediately fell silent as a cicada, personally helping Lu Lingjun up while apologizing profusely. I glimpsed the unhealed torture wounds on Brother Lu’s wrists and found that wooden cangue even more displeasing. I told the soldier: “Remove his shackles!”
The soldier hesitated for a moment, stammering: “Your… Your Highness… this… if the cangue is removed, where can it be placed…”
I blinked, not expecting this to be a little soldier who dared challenge authority.
How could this princess not reward such a brave warrior?
So in the end, I had that soldier put on the cangue himself.
Anyway, I finally found a quiet place to talk with Lu Lingjun.
I weighed things in my heart and finally chose what seemed like the most important question: “Brother Lu, do you really think I’m plain and unremarkable without makeup?”
Lu Lingjun: “…Brother Bai, did you come here to discuss this with me?”
I said: “No.”
“…”
I considered again and said anew: “Lu Lingjun, would you be willing to be my male favorite?”
“…”
I gritted my teeth: “I’ve thought for a long time—this is the best way to save you.”
He had been looking choked, but seeing I wasn’t joking, he sighed: “Better not.”
“Didn’t you once say that you, Lu Lingjun, neither sought official position, marquis rank, or noble titles, nor envied pure reputation lasting through ages, and that your greatest aspiration in life was to be Princess Xiangyi’s male favorite? Now you can both achieve your long-held wish and avoid hard labor—why not?”
Lu Lingjun exclaimed: “You remember the exact words—this foolish brother is impressed.”
“…How could I easily forget such shocking words?”
Lu Lingjun scratched his head embarrassedly: “At that time I didn’t know Princess, so I imagined everything more beautifully.”
“Lying again.” I said: “You ate two whole boxes of my green bean cakes and one box of red bean cakes—still want to pretend you don’t know me?”
Lu Lingjun blinked: “You… remembered?”
“What do you think!” I said irritably: “I also remember that as soon as I returned to the palace, I had Big Brother send people to search the world for a child named Lu Lingjun. And the result!”
Lu Lingjun was stunned, blurting out: “You came looking for me then?”
“Nonsense!”
Lu Lingjun grinned, smiling brilliantly: “Really?”
I couldn’t stand his smug look: “But you—you didn’t lose your memory, so why didn’t you honestly tell me?”
“Tell what?”
“Tell… tell about our past connection, tell that you were that little beggar…”
Lu Lingjun laughed heartily: “So you still haven’t realized even now!”
“Realized what?”
“That year, when you saved me from waiting to die in the snow—to you, it might have been just a small act of kindness along the way, but to me, among all the carriages passing by, only you were willing to stop and save a dirty little beggar. You were truly a good person.” He paused. “But you don’t actually know that after waking up in the carriage, seeing your pampered lifestyle, I asked myself why heaven was so unfair—some people could have fine clothes and food while others were destined for loneliness and suffering. Thinking this way, I conceived evil intentions.”
“…”
“Did you think I was saving your rabbit? I just stole all the valuable jewelry from your carriage and tried to escape. Who knew your A’Bai would chase after me… It happened that some beggars saw I was acting suspiciously, so I grabbed A’Bai and pretended to be protecting the rabbit…”
“Then you came running without thinking, even boldly revealing your princess identity.” Lu Lingjun smiled. “I was scared to death and had to tell a massive lie.”
I struggled to calm my breathing: “Fine, I know you’re trying to mock how foolish I was then…”
“You were very foolish, befriending a thief and feeling pleased about it…”
“…Hey!”
Lu Lingjun’s voice unconsciously softened: “But you told me you’d take me home.”
“Though you were a noble princess, in times of danger you considered my life as important as your own. I’d never seen anyone like you.” Lu Lingjun’s eyes were like morning light. “Though I was selfish and afraid of death, I told myself then that even if it cost me my life, I would protect you well.”
My ears felt hot: “Brother Lu, your serious expression really doesn’t match your face…”
Lu Lingjun glanced sideways: “But no matter how special that princess was to me, when I thought you were a male favorite who might be disposed of by the prince consort, I still unhesitatingly traded you out with our agreement.”
This time I was truly stunned.
“Memories are beautiful, but since they’re past, I, Lu Lingjun, will never cling nostalgically and stop moving forward…” Lu Lingjun smiled radiantly. “So… whether Prince Kang told me you were a fake princess and villain, or I learned you were the genuine real princess, whether you’re a man or woman… to me,” Lu Lingjun said, “you’re always Brother Bai.”
Warmth surged in my heart as I heard him say: “The Brother Bai I met at Yuelu Tea House, shared a courtyard with at the Imperial Academy—white-haired as new acquaintances, yet close as old friends.”
“Tell me, what sense would it make for brothers to have one be the other’s male favorite?”
I was momentarily speechless: “That was just an expedient measure…”
“What’s expedient about it!” Lu Lingjun laughed freely and boldly. “It’s just exile—a real man takes responsibility for his actions. Though I may not have a loyal face, I still have some heroic aspirations. Protecting home and country and all that…”
I gave him a slap on the head, couldn’t help laughing and scolding: “Don’t boast too much! Know when to stop!”
Lu Lingjun waved his empty hand like a fan: “This young master speaks from the heart! Don’t judge people by appearances!”
I naturally assumed Lu Lingjun was just making things up to avoid implicating me. Who could have imagined that just months later, he would distinguish himself in battle, become chief among the eight military schools, and receive the imperial title of Benevolent and Brave General?
The soldiers ahead grew impatient wanting to continue their journey, but fearing for their lives, they dared not urge us. Lu Lingjun sighed a few times, then unexpectedly gave me a big hug, grinning: “Seeing this, they won’t dare make things difficult for me along the way.”
I laughed: “Don’t bully them—they’re good soldiers doing their duty faithfully.”
Lu Lingjun’s eyes moved slightly. Though he clearly wanted to chat more with me, he finally said: “Brother Bai, though when I was around, I didn’t seem to take much care of you… I still must symbolically say what all departing people say—take care of yourself.”
I retorted unceremoniously: “You too!”
He showed an expression wanting to be sentimental: “The ‘care’ I speak of isn’t the cautious consideration of looking before and after, nor the ‘care’ of considering the overall situation. Those kinds of ‘care’ often make you lose sight of one thing while attending to another, losing what’s most important to you.”
Rarely did I not argue with his words.
He rubbed his chin and giggled: “Well, what I mean is, girls should be unreasonable and willful to be lovably pitiful.”
I also smiled: “Wordy!”
The sky was gradually darkening—if they didn’t set out soon, they’d have to lodge in the wilderness.
When seeing him off, I inadvertently glimpsed the smile he suppressed when turning his head.
But I pretended not to see it.
He only left me a back view waving energetically.
When he’d gone quite far, laughter seemed to ring out from the convoy again.
That guy—who knows what rumors about me he was spreading now—
I wiped away tears I’d held back for so long, wanting to turn back to find my horse, but saw someone sitting on it.
In the outskirts’ beautiful forest, crows roosted in trees.
That person’s face was darker than crow feathers, yet his features were more elegant than a clear breeze in empty valleys.
Song Langsheng—every appearance was mysterious and unpredictable, yet always precisely when I needed him most.
Somehow, my mood improved considerably.
“Prince Consort, you came looking for me, right?” I extended my hand for him to pull me onto the horse. He looked at me deeply for a while, then squeezed his legs, tugged the reins, turned, and rode away by himself.
I: “…”
Seeing he had no intention of stopping, I ran after him, shouting: “Hey—why aren’t you waiting for me—”
Song Langsheng, now some distance away, suddenly said coldly: “Because you’re having an affair.”
As expected…
I called out loudly: “I—am—not—”
Song Langsheng tugged the reins and slowed down but didn’t turn back: “Hmph.”
I: “…”
Already somewhat weak from just waking up from deep sleep, after running a few steps I grew tired and simply lay on the ground pretending to faint.
I waited and waited, finally hearing the clip-clop of horse hooves.
Song Langsheng jumped down and scooped me up: “A’Tang!”
I took the opportunity to wrap my arms around his neck and hold tight: “A’Sheng!”
“…”
A’Sheng angrily tried to pry me off him.
“Oh no!” I suddenly thought of something, saying nervously: “Prince Consort, I just remembered something.”
“What?”
I gazed at his eyes with utmost seriousness: “The children we have in the future… should we name them Sheng Tang? You’d see him and call ‘Court—in—session—’ and he’d respond ‘Awe—inspiring—'”
The father of the unborn Sheng Tang: “…”
Evening glow receded, the sky turned ink blue.
Prince Consort Song, worn down by my pestering, finally took me home.
Though he still looked reluctant, he held me tightly, afraid I’d fall from the horse.
Along the way, I noticed several roads had red lanterns hanging, without candle flames inside, somewhat old and damaged. I asked Song Langsheng curiously: “Why have I never seen these lanterns before? And why do they only hang on the right side of the roads?”
Song Langsheng didn’t speak. Thinking he was still angry, I turned to glare at him, but saw him looking up thoughtfully.
He slowly said: “These lanterns were hung by your order, Princess.”
I was surprised: “Me? When?”
He pursed his lips: “The day before my birthday.”
Somehow, hearing him mention this date made my heart tremble slightly: “What did I hang these lanterns for?”
Song Langsheng shook his head: “You said you wanted to tell me something, but the next day… you disappeared.”
One thing? What thing?
I smiled awkwardly: “Really… it’s been so long, why are these lanterns still here?”
After a full tea’s worth of silence: “I kept them in the princess’s name.”
“Why?”
His grip around me tightened slightly: “I just thought, if I could find the answer from these lanterns, perhaps I could find the princess.”
A simple sentence contained so much of him from those days that I couldn’t see.
When wind and snow damaged the lanterns, did he always have people repair and replace them?
When night fell on his way home, would he walk alone and look up at them?
Soon we reached the Princess residence. Song Langsheng dismounted and extended his hand to me: “We’re home—get down.”
Home?
I stared blankly at my prince consort, suddenly feeling somewhat unreal.
Inexplicably, I remembered that year seeing off my teacher Fang Liang—the same two people, the same return journey.
Yet later, we experienced so much and changed so much.
Today Brother Lu told me: Those kinds of ‘care’ often make you lose sight of one thing while attending to another, losing what’s most important to you.
Perhaps he was right, but I never wanted to taste the feeling of loss again.
Having made up my mind, I placed my hand in his palm, borrowed his strength to dismount, and met his gaze: “Prince Consort, I have a secret I’ve never dared tell you.”
“Oh?” He raised an eyebrow: “Song Sheng Tang?”
“…I’m not joking…” I gripped his hand tighter: “I’ve kept this secret in my heart for so long. Before, I thought there were others between us and feared speaking out would only invite embarrassment. Later I learned things weren’t as they appeared, and I thought to wait for a better moment to tell you, but right now I feel I can’t wait any longer…”
Song Langsheng looked completely bewildered: “…What is the princess saying?”
“I’m saying…” I took a deep breath: “Actually, Cai Mi is…”
“Cai Mi!?”
Song Langsheng exclaimed in surprise, but his gaze wasn’t on me. Following his line of sight, I turned my head and actually saw a person in the heavy tree shadows.
Under the moonlight, that person wore purple silk robes, her thin frame appearing fragile, but her features were delicate and pitiful.
If not for the bright moon casting her long shadow, I would have thought I was seeing a ghost.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t.
Cai Mi.
This little palace maid who had served by my side for many years—how could I mistake her?
Before I could react to how this dead person that my prince consort said was buried in the earth could appear here, the next moment she rushed forward and embraced Song Langsheng.
“Big Brother!”
Her momentum was too great, making Song Langsheng step backward and our clasped hands separate.
I stared blankly at my empty palm.
Looking up again, Song Langsheng’s shock and bewilderment—rare sights in a hundred years—filled my vision.
While Cai Mi’s long lashes shed tear after tear, sobbing: “Cai Mi… Cai Mi finally found you! Big Brother!”
——End of Chapter, Please See Author’s Note!!
Author’s Note: First, Lu Lingjun’s arc has temporarily concluded. Among all the men in this story, none are more free-spirited than Brother Lu—I really love him. So, Brother Lu temporarily says goodbye, see you in a few months. ~(^_^)/~~
Cough. I wonder if readers at this point are thinking, “Damn, another Cai Mi appears—is this author ever going to finish? Can’t you let the prince consort and princess live in peace?”
About this, I have a few things to say. First, this Yi Shou Zhe Tian Yi Shou Chui Di – Chapter is over ten thousand words—if you enjoyed reading the earlier parts, please don’t dismiss me because of this ending segment or say I’ve ruined the story. That would make me very sad. _ _