Before me, the silhouettes of phoenix pavilions and dragon towers receded into the distance, dark and jagged. Beneath such a brilliant moon, these obsidian shadows stood in stark contrast to the magnificent clamor of the great hall behind me, exuding an indescribable, deep-seated melancholy.
The melodious, ornate music mingled with the low, soft murmurs of the guests. The waves of sound coalesced into something almost tactile—like feathers or silk, floating smoothly through the summer air.
Amidst this scene of peace and prosperity, a sudden, jarring commotion erupted, punctuated by the sharp screams of women. The music cut off abruptly.
My hand tightened instinctively around the hilt of my blade. I heard Mingde’s voice, tinged with a hint of panic yet striving for composure, rising above the chaos of the hall: "Summon the Imperial Physician!"
The tremor in his voice made me wonder if something had happened to Wuxiu. I started to turn, but my arm was held back by Shi Yun. He lowered his voice, looking perplexed. "It seems one of the ministers has collapsed."
Several young eunuchs on duty in the hall sprinted out. Before long, they returned in a frantic rush, leading a perspiring Physician Qi.
After a moment of silence, a low hum of whispers resumed within the hall.
"Someone, prepare my imperial carriage," Mingde’s voice rang out, sharp as metal, his majestic tone brooking no argument. "Send my Sixth Imperial Uncle back to his manor at once."
But a woman’s voice followed immediately, speaking with quiet dignity: "Your Majesty, there is a proper distinction between sovereign and subject. As a servant of the crown, he would not dare overstep his bounds."
Before she could finish, her words were drowned out by the rising tide of discussion from the crowd. However, I had heard clearly—the calm voice belonged to Mingshao’s mother, the Princess Consort of Jing.
The one who had collapsed was the Sixth Prince?
My heart suddenly grew restless.
"Officer Xi?" Startled by the call, I looked up to see a stout figure standing not far away under a large tree, peering toward me while holding an octagonal glazed lantern. It was Eunuch Wang.
I greeted him, though I couldn't help but feel suspicious. Why was he here in the middle of the night? Realizing he was usually inseparable from Mingde, a bad premonition surged within me.
"Is Eunuch Wang out for a stroll as well?" I waved my hand dismissively. "Please, take your time. I shall head back first." Without waiting for a response, I turned to slip away.
"Stand where you are!" A deep voice echoed from behind, laced with a faint trace of displeasure. "Where exactly have you been?"
I froze in place, unsure if I should turn around. Where had I been? I had gone to the Imperial Academy of Medicine to ask Physician Qi about the Sixth Prince’s condition, of course. But the old man hadn't given me the time of day, dismissing me with a curt, "His Majesty has ordered that this matter is not to be publicized."
"Officer Xi?" Seeing my rigidity, Eunuch Wang offered a helpless reminder from the side.
I turned and walked toward the direction indicated by his lantern. Behind layers of dense foliage lay a hidden sanctuary: a flower trellis fashioned from bamboo, sheltering a set of bamboo furniture. A game of Go was laid out on the table, and beside it, two fair-faced palace maids were brewing tea over a small copper stove.
Mingde wore a simple white robe, his hair casually gathered with a white jade hairpin. He held a black stone between his fingers, staring intently at the board as if he hadn't noticed my approach. Sitting opposite him was a beauty in full regalia, perhaps sixteen or seventeen years of age. Her skin was as white as cream, and she possessed a pair of bright, enchanting phoenix eyes. In terms of sheer beauty, she seemed to surpass even Wuxiu. She glanced up at me from time to time, seemingly curious about my presence.
I knelt formally to pay my respects. Not knowing the lady's identity, I could only say vaguely, "Your servant Xi Xia greets Your Majesty and the Imperial Consort."
Mingde gave a noncommittal grunt and said coolly, "Rise."
I stood up and took a step back, standing with my hands at my sides. I then heard Mingde’s cold voice ask, "To see Physician Qi? You certainly are a concerned soul."
I remained silent. As the Deputy Commander of the Guards, patrolling the outer city of the Forbidden Palace was permitted. My private visit to the medical academy wasn't strictly a violation, but the Sixth Prince was a sensitive subject right now, and my actions had inevitably drawn his ire.
Mingde snorted and swept the stones in his hand back into the box with a sharp clatter. He seemed to be getting angry again. I stole a glance at Eunuch Wang and the consort; both wore expressions of trepidation.
"Eunuch Wang, escort Lady Yao back," Mingde stood up and commanded icily. "Xi Xia, follow me." With that, he strode past me.
I knelt to bid farewell to the now-stiff Lady Yao and hurried after him.
Mingde walked quickly, heading straight toward the Dawn Maple Pavilion. It was the highest octagonal pavilion in the Imperial Garden, requiring a climb up a flight of stairs. Mingde walked in silence ahead of me. Halfway up the steps, he stopped abruptly and turned to look down at me.
Under the bright moonlight, I could see his expression clearly. His initial piercing gaze softened bit by bit, gradually transforming into an indescribable sadness.
I remembered reading in a magazine once that when a woman looks up at someone, her expression can look rather foolish. I wondered if Mingde felt the same. Ultimately, he gave up on interrogating me from that angle. With a long sigh, he turned and entered the pavilion.
When I followed him in, Mingde was standing by the railing, hands behind his back, gazing at the moon. His silhouette looked somewhat lonely in the ethereal light.
"Come here," he commanded softly, without turning around.
I walked over slowly and stood beside him, feeling awkward. From this vantage point, one could see most of the Inner Palace. Amidst the flickering shadows, I wondered how many lonely women were hidden away.
He turned his face and reached out, his hand lightly brushing my left cheek. "Does it still hurt?" he asked with a sigh.
I had never seen such a look in Mingde’s eyes—it was as gentle as the moonlight. For a fleeting moment, I was dazed. I had realized that night at the House of Dreams that his gentle expression bore a striking resemblance to Mingshao’s. It wasn't until his cold fingers touched my cheek that I snapped out of it—this man’s hands were always so icy, devoid of warmth.
I quickly took a step back, avoiding his gaze. "It’s nothing. It stopped hurting long ago."
Mingde sighed softly. "I lost my composure that day. I have never laid a hand on anyone before. I didn't expect the first person I struck would be you." He paused, then added, "I suppose... I was just jealous."
The word "jealous" seemed to come with great difficulty. I looked up at him, but his face remained calm and tender.
"Jealous?" I repeated the ambiguous word. "Jealous that someone with martial skills like mine stands on the side of Your Majesty’s political rival?"
Mingde’s eyes flickered, but he spoke with absolute certainty. "The one I wish to deal with is not my Sixth Uncle. I am merely reclaiming the power that should be mine. He is of the Qing clan; it is his duty to support me unconditionally."
"And what about me?" I countered. "Why must Your Majesty use such a method to insult the Sixth Prince?"
Mingde stared at me without blinking, his deep gaze like a turbulent sea hidden beneath the night. This silence felt like an invisible pressure weighing on my heart, suddenly causing a dull ache.
"Xi Xia," Mingde sighed, "you know the reason why I am willing to bear such infamy."
I shook my head. "But this is not what I want."
Mingde interrupted me quickly. "What do you want?"
"I want to be a law-abiding constable," I said, gazing at this man who felt more like a stranger the closer I got to him. "That is my lifelong ambition. I want all the living souls of this world to be equal before the law."
His obsidian pupils remained fixed on me, his eyes shimmering with a light I couldn't decipher.
"Furthermore," I did not look away, perhaps sensing that we wouldn't have such a deep conversation again, "I want a man’s whole heart, not just a large fragment among many. I want to be loyal to the one I love, and for him to be loyal to me. In my feelings, there is no room for sharing."
This time, Mingde was the one to look away.
"That is all?" He paced slowly for a few steps before standing before me again. "But what I cannot give you, Mingshao cannot give you either."
"Mingshao and I have a marriage contract," I reminded him again. "Moreover, since Your Majesty wishes to be a wise ruler, why act so irrationally? You lose the support of the Prince of Jing’s manor and ruin your own reputation. You only grieve your kin and gladden your enemies."
Mingde shook his head slightly. "If one cannot even keep the woman he loves, what does it matter if he gains the support of the whole world?" He repeated his earlier statement: "In truth, what I cannot give you, Mingshao cannot give you either."
I didn't understand. Seeing my confused frown, he shook his head. "In a few days, Mingshao will marry General Lin’s daughter as a secondary wife. It is said to be an auspicious marriage to ward off the Sixth Prince’s illness."
"Impossible." The words burst out before I could even think.
A faint smile touched Mingde’s lips, vanishing in an instant. "You don't know yet? Mingshao has arrived in the capital. Just now, in the Imperial Study, I met with him. He told me so himself."
My heart skipped a beat. Mingshao was back? He was really back?
Mingde gazed at me deeply. "Are you even listening to me?"
I shifted my gaze blankly to his face. Mingde shook his head again. "I said he is going to marry Lin Qinghong."
I shook my head once more. "That is simply impossible."
Mingde suddenly began to laugh. Though he was laughing, his voice was full of mockery, as if he had witnessed the most ridiculous thing in the world.
His laughter agitated me. I couldn't help but interrupt. "What are you laughing at?"
Mingde stepped toward me, reaching out to gently stroke my cheek. His cold fingers slid down to my lips. I turned my head to avoid him, but he stubbornly cupped my face, forcing me to meet his eyes. "You trust him that much?!"
His voice carried no emotion, yet it sent a chill through me.
"Answer me!" He gave my face a slight shake, his eyes glinting with a cold light.
"Yes," I said.
Mingde’s gaze grew sharp. "Since you believe in him so much, do you dare to make a wager with me?"
I pressed my hand against his chest, trying to push him away. But Mingde’s hand slid from my shoulder to my back, pulling me tightly into his embrace.
"Your Majesty..." I didn't want to have a falling out with him at a time like this, so I only used a fraction of my strength to push him. However, his arms tightened around me again. He said stubbornly, "We shall wager on Mingshao. If you win, I will release you from the palace immediately. Whether you return to the Ministry of Justice or go home to marry, I will never interfere again."
I froze. "Truly?"
"Truly!" Mingde lowered his head, resting his forehead against mine. He said softly, "But if you lose, you are never to see him again. You are not to mention leaving the palace, and from then on, you will follow my arrangements in all things."
Such an intimate posture felt wrong between us, leaving me flustered. I pushed him back slightly and said curtly, "Fine!"
Mingde’s head tilted back slightly. A beam of moonlight fell across his face, creating a blurred yet brilliant radiance in his eyes. It was like the inexplicable mix of void and satisfaction a drug addict feels the moment the needle enters the skin.
Then, he stood straight and released me slightly. When his gaze met mine again, his eyes were clear. This calm, self-possessed Mingde was the one I knew. I suddenly wondered if the expression I had just seen in his eyes was real or merely an illusion.
"Two days from now is the joint exercise between your squad and Shen Pei’s," he said slowly, deep in thought. "After the exercise is over, I will take you to see Mingshao."
***
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A Dream of Justice: The First Lady Constable | Chapter 62 | A Royal Wager | Novela.app | Novela.app
