The day after her late-night "breaking and entering" into her own home, Xiao Nanhui predictably overslept.
The blood-stained garment she had glimpsed the night before had found its way into her dreams. It seemed to come alive, chasing her with flailing, claw-like sleeves.
She felt drained, yet she had to force herself to stay sharp.
In a short while, she would be accompanying the Emperor to Yu’an. There wasn't much time left to investigate in Quecheng, yet the fragmented clues she held remained a confusing muddle.
Thinking of the silk band from the previous night, she felt an urge to examine it again by the light of day. However, the moment she stepped out of her courtyard, she was intercepted by Dujuan.
With the guilt of a thief, Xiao Nanhui assumed her activities had been discovered and was prepared to confess everything. To her surprise, Dujuan simply placed two roasted geese on the stone table.
Dujuan’s culinary skills were exceptional. In Xiao Nanhui’s estimation, they were superior to most restaurants in Quecheng. Consequently, aside from fresh vegetables, poultry, and eggs, ready-made food from outside was rarely seen in the manor.
Take these roasted geese from Xinhengji, for instance. The craftsmanship was exquisite and the flavor had remained authentic for a decade, yet Dujuan viewed them as a challenge to her own cooking and detested seeing them in the house.
There was only one exception.
That was when Dujuan had a particularly troublesome task for her.
The last time Dujuan had treated her to roast goose, Xiao Nanhui had been forced to wait in line for a day and a night outside the Xianluo Fabric Shop for a limited-edition patterned silk.
Xiao Nanhui stared at the two packages of roast goose wrapped in red paper, her mouth feeling dry. She suddenly lost her appetite.
"Sister Dujuan, that fabric from last time... haven't you finished using it yet?"
"What fabric?" Dujuan’s large eyes blinked, seemingly having forgotten the fabric shop incident entirely. "What I want to discuss with you is a serious matter."
*Alright,* Xiao Nanhui thought. *One roast goose is for a small errand like buying fabric; two roast geese mean she wants me to handle 'serious business.'*
Not far away, Bolao had already followed the scent. His eyes shone as he unwrapped the greasy paper from the geese.
A look of distress began to cloud Xiao Nanhui’s face.
She hadn't felt it before, but now she truly began to envy those who were "big-headed and brainless." To have no mind was to have fewer worries—Master Yao Yi had not lied to her.
"This matter can be seen as big or small. For you, it’s just a bit of legwork."
Dujuan lowered her head, focusing on her needlework as if mentioning it in passing.
However, the more nonchalant she acted, the more uneasy Xiao Nanhui felt. It was like a massive boulder hanging by a loose thread above her head; she knew it would fall, she just didn't know when.
Sure enough, in the next heartbeat, the "boulder" was dropped.
"Prince Xuanyuan’s manor has a new little prince, and they are holding a Full Moon banquet. I’ve prepared the gifts. Take them with you in a while and represent the Marquis’s Manor."
Dujuan spoke of it lightly, as if they were visiting a pancake stall on Dingyu Road rather than a member of the Imperial family.
But the keywords "Prince Xuanyuan’s Manor," "Little Prince," and "Full Moon Banquet" hit Xiao Nanhui like a bolt of lightning, leaving her paralyzed.
She had always believed that a child’s memory wasn't particularly strong.
Yet the moment Dujuan mentioned those words, an image flashed before her eyes: herself as a child, standing in the back garden of Prince Xuanyuan’s manor, throwing a lunge punch that knocked out one of Sui Pingchuan’s teeth.
"No, no, no." She recoiled, her tongue feeling thick in her mouth. "What is my status? It’s not appropriate for me to attend such an occasion. I’d better not go..."
She had barely taken half a step back when Dujuan’s "devil claws" reached out, unceremoniously dragging her back.
"Your status is exactly right. You have no idea—those occasions are full of blind, gossiping female relatives. The Marquis’s current position is sensitive; he must avoid such things to ensure no one finds an opening to exploit."
Thinking of the crowd she had encountered at the Yan Manor that day, Xiao Nanhui nodded involuntarily, but then she felt something was off.
*Wait, if they are all blind gossips, why does she think I can handle them?*
She suddenly remembered that Lady Bo she had met at the Yan Manor, and her entire spirit wilted.
"Sister Dujuan, I really think this should..."
The weak second half of her sentence was forcefully cut off.
"It’s settled. Take Bolao with you. The two of you will have company and can look out for each other."
Xiao Nanhui glanced at a certain someone nearby who was salivating while comparing which of the two geese was fatter. She had serious doubts about Dujuan’s reasoning.
"It’s only for half a day. You’ll be back after dinner at the latest. You’ve been to the battlefield; are you really afraid of entering a Prince’s manor?"
*I’d rather go to the battlefield ten more times than enter that manor once.*
Xiao Nanhui wanted to cry but had no tears. After a long silence, she could only rise in tragic indignation and snatch back the roast goose that belonged to her.
Since she was going to the "execution ground" anyway, she might as well go on a full stomach.
****** ****** ******
Half an hour later, Xiao Nanhui stood before the main gates of Prince Xuanyuan’s manor.
Looking at the threshold, which was higher than her shins, the regret in her heart nearly overflowed.
If it were anyone else, she wouldn't have come even for a hundred taels of gold. Yet Dujuan had dismissed her with a single roast goose.
Unfair. Truly unfair.
The steward who welcomed her seemed very efficient, managing the entire scene single-handedly. But perhaps because he was *too* capable, he vanished immediately after respectfully accepting her invitation.
It wasn't that he intended to slight the guest; it was simply that Xiao Nanhui rarely participated in such events and was unskilled in these social ways. Aside from the Marquis’s Manor and the Yan Manor, she had hardly entered the inner courts of other high-ranking households. Prince Xuanyuan’s manor seemed to expand before her eyes, a vast and boundless expanse.
The men who entered around the same time as her quickly found acquaintances to exchange pleasantries with, abandoning their wives and daughters without a second thought. The women seemed accustomed to this, moving with practiced ease. Even if they didn't know each other, a few words about jewelry from Qingcui Pavilion or rouge from Baoyue Studio would make them as intimate as sisters within a couple of rounds of conversation.
Xiao Nanhui stood at the entrance for a long time, unable to move forward or retreat.
She could not join the groups of officials putting on airs and discussing tea, nor could she dive into the soft, fragrant pile of rouge and silk.
People of all sorts drifted past her, yet she felt as if she were on a deserted island.
Bolao had long since disappeared, likely having followed his nose in search of food.
She rubbed her aching wrists and resigned herself to carrying the two large gift boxes forward, hoping to find a servant of the manor to take these bothersome birthday gifts.
After wandering along the corridors for a while, she finally spotted two figures. One was dressed as a manor servant—exactly who she was looking for.
"Excuse me, young man..."
As soon as she spoke, before the servant could react, the person facing him turned around. It was Sui Pingchuan.
Xiao Nanhui froze. She had considered that she might run into Sui Pingchuan today, but she hadn't expected it to happen so soon.
"Greetings, General of the Left."
When Sui Pingchuan saw it was her, his expression immediately soured.
The servant, observant of his master's mood, took the gifts and quickly retreated.
Once the servant was out of earshot, Sui Pingchuan spoke in a muffled voice.
"Why is it you?"
Xiao Nanhui felt a prickle of annoyance. She found the question rather rude.
Why *couldn't* it be her? Was she so unpresentable that she couldn't even show her face at a baby's Full Moon feast?
But then she remembered that this man was thin-skinned and possessed a strong sense of pride. Could he be afraid she would bring up the incident of the lost tooth and the dropped trousers, causing him to lose face?
The more she thought about it, the more convinced she became. She raised her left hand to her mouth and lowered her voice intentionally.
"Brother Pingchuan, rest assured. One must learn to look forward. Regarding those old grievances between us, I certainly won't mention a single word."
She spoke very softly, which naturally required her to lean closer to him.
After she finished, there was a long silence. When she turned to look, she was met with the sight of ears turned bright red.
Today, he wore a white deep-robe embroidered with silver thread. The silver should have harmonized with his overly pale complexion, but now it only served to highlight the vivid red on his face.
Xiao Nanhui was stunned for a moment. Before she could process the meaning behind this scene, Sui Pingchuan’s gaze landed on her brow. The moment their eyes met, he looked away as if burned.
He stepped back, stood still for a moment, and then turned his back to her.
"These past few days... have you been well?"
*Eh? When did this stubborn young master learn how to offer kind inquiries?*
"Fine, fine." Of course, she wasn't fine, but she didn't want to bring up those troubling matters for now, so she gave a casual laugh. "Congratulations, Brother Pingchuan, on your new sibling..."
Halfway through the polite cliché, she found herself unable to continue.
Before meeting Lady Bo, she might have convinced herself that Sui Pingchuan was simply young and hot-headed, perhaps a bit too extreme in his views.
But since meeting Lady Bo, she suddenly felt a sense of understanding and sympathy for him.
He wasn't extreme at all. In fact, he probably should be more so.
The unspoken words swirled on the tip of her tongue. Xiao Nanhui patted the man's shoulder.
"In any case, you are an elder brother now. Thinking about having a little brother to boss around in the future is actually quite nice."
After saying this, she gave a dry laugh.
She had never been good at comforting people; she usually regretted it immediately after trying.
As expected, Sui Pingchuan remained silent for a long while. When he spoke again, his voice had returned to that awkward tone of aloofness.
"What I meant earlier was... I didn't say you couldn't come, just that you shouldn't have come *today*. I thought, given your personality, you wouldn't like this sort of thing. Why did you choose today of all days to join the commotion?"
Xiao Nanhui found his manner of speaking somewhat amusing. She suddenly felt that this lad actually shared some similarities with the Emperor: a core of superiority, yet a strange curiosity about the affairs of the common dust.
But then, it was only natural. After all, the two of them were relatives...
*Relatives? Since when was it her place to discuss the Emperor's relatives?*
In an instant, she snapped back to her senses.
Lately, she found herself thinking of the Emperor far too often. This was not a good omen.
Clearing her throat, she took the lead in the conversation.
"Isn't today just a Full Moon feast? Though your family has many rules, I'll just watch from the side. Nothing can go too wrong."
"You don't know?" Sui Pingchuan was clearly surprised by her reaction. "According to the traditions passed down by the Sui clan, whenever a new bloodline is born into the Imperial family, they must receive a blessing from the Sage Elder of the Imperial Tombs and Ancestral Temple. At that time, everyone present must receive the rite together."
The roast goose in her stomach felt as if it were stretching its neck to sing. Xiao Nanhui felt it was the most overpriced goose she had ever eaten in her life.
Just as she was about to ask what on earth this "rite" entailed, a figure suddenly appeared at the end of the corridor.
"I was wondering why Chuan-er, who isn't one to lose his sense of priority, would be late. It turns out he was chatting and laughing with a beauty and forgot the time."
Lady Bo approached with a beaming smile, walking straight toward Sui Pingchuan.
"Mister Zong is about to arrive. The Prince is waiting in the Ancestral Hall. Chuan-er, you should head over quickly."
From beginning to end, Sui Pingchuan did not spare Lady Bo a single glance. He only whispered "be careful" into Xiao Nanhui’s ear before leaving with a stiff face.
With Sui Pingchuan’s departure, the smile on Lady Bo’s face faded slightly. She looked at Xiao Nanhui and said slowly, "Today is indeed not a day for brandishing swords and spears. I'm afraid Miss Xiao will find her skills have no place here. However, I have set up a table for *Shefu* in the side courtyard. Though it's just a little game for the ladies to pass the time, it's better than nothing. If Miss Xiao doesn't mind, come and join the fun."
*The way she puts it... how could I dare to 'mind' the Prince's manor? I only... I only mind the person in front of me.*
The smile on Xiao Nanhui’s face was more painful than a sob.
"Then... then I shall have a look."
Lady Bo had already anticipated she wouldn't refuse. She turned gracefully and led the way, leaving Xiao Nanhui with no choice but to follow.
The woman took small, natural steps, which were inherently slow. Xiao Nanhui was unaccustomed to such a pace and shifted her feet awkwardly.
After finally exiting the long corridor, a small garden came into view.
Bored by the walk, she looked up and scanned the surroundings. That was when she saw the tree.
It was a plum tree, clearly quite old. Now, covered in green leaves, it blended into its surroundings, yet for some reason, Xiao Nanhui recognized it at a glance.
In the next moment, Lady Bo’s voice sounded from ahead.
"You have a good eye. That is the *Yingshui Chonglou*."
If she had previously felt a slight yearning for this delicate plum blossom because of Mei Ruogu, after the incident with Bai Yun, she now felt no fondness for it whatsoever.
She remained silent, making it clear she didn't want to engage.
Lady Bo, however, pretended not to notice. Acting as if she had just recalled some amusing anecdote during casual conversation, she insisted on continuing.
"Chuan-er previously instructed the servants not to prune the branches this year; he wanted to do it himself. I imagine he intended to keep the most beautiful blossoms to give to someone personally." Her voice paused, and when it resumed, it carried a hint of regret. "Regrettably, he acted a bit too late. The flowers couldn't wait; more than half fell overnight. Perhaps this is what the masters often say... a lack of karmic affinity."
The woman’s voice remained soft, yet it felt as uncomfortable as sticky spider silk.
However, "once bitten, twice shy." Having dealt with Bai Yun first and now Lady Bo, she was beginning to see through the methods these women used to manipulate others. Her heart actually grew calmer.
Taking a deep breath, she replied in a low voice.
"Madam worries too much. This plum tree is full of new buds and lush greenery. It looks as though it could live for another hundred years, far outlasting you or me. Why grieve so much over the bloom or wither of a single season?"
Lady Bo’s figure stiffened for a moment. Then, as if she hadn't heard the remark, she continued forward with her dainty, mincing steps.
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
新恒记 | Xinhengji | A famous food shop known for roast goose.
仙罗布庄 | Xianluo Fabric Shop | A high-end textile shop.
姚易 | Yao Yi | A character mentioned as a source of wisdom/proverbs.
丁禹路 | Dingyu Road | A street in the capital, Quecheng.
满月生辰宴 | Full Moon Banquet | A traditional celebration for a baby reaching one month of age.
左将军 | General of the Left | Sui Pingchuan's military rank.
宗先生 | Mister Zong | A respected elder/priest from the Imperial Tombs.
帝陵宗庙 | Imperial Tombs and Ancestral Temple | The sacred site for royal ancestors.
射覆 | Shefu | An ancient Chinese guessing game involving hidden objects.
映水重楼 | Yingshui Chonglou | "Reflected Water Multi-storied Pavilion," a rare and precious variety of plum blossom.
