It was just past noon when Xiao Nanhui emerged from the palace. The carriage that had brought her was gone, so she began the long, heavy-footed walk back through the streets.
As expected, that old fox of an Emperor hadn't promoted her out of the goodness of his heart; he had been calculating from the very start.
His words still echoed in her ears, and with every sentence she recalled, her heart sank a little further.
"I have resolved to campaign against Bi Jiang. However, the Bai clan is cunning; if we fail to strike true with the first blow, the conflict could drag on for years. I wish to appoint you as a scout to head into Lingxi and reconnoiter the enemy's situation. What do you think?"
"The responsibility of a scout is heavy, Your Majesty. I fear I am not up to the task."
"Do you realize, my dear subject, that this entrustment is a rare opportunity for you?"
It was said that those in high power possessed exquisite hearts and were masters of psychological manipulation. Xiao Nanhui had heard such things before but had never paid them much mind. Only now did she truly witness their prowess.
Every word the Emperor spoke had struck a chord in her heart.
Though she lived in the Marquis’s manor, she had not been born there. At the end of the day, she was an outsider.
Xiao Zhun possessed a magnanimous nature, and the circumstances of the Xiao family were highly unusual. Because of this, she had never faced harsh criticism or questioning, and over the years, she had rarely dwelled on the delicacy of her position.
While Xiao Zhun might not currently hold the highest level of power, his influence often shielded her. Previously, she had been nothing more than a minor squad leader. Though she had earned some military merit, it was like a stream flowing into the sea when compared to Xiao Zhun’s achievements—hardly enough to make a ripple. As time passed, even if others didn't say it to her face, there were bound to be those who felt it was unjust.
To put it simply: she was not worthy of standing beside Xiao Zhun.
Whether in terms of birth or the ability to establish herself through merit, she and Xiao Zhun still belonged to two different worlds.
Normally, this wouldn't have mattered. She was a woman, after all; one day she would marry out of the manor and no longer have to bear that pressure. But marriage wasn't what she craved. What she wanted was to truly become a member of the Xiao family.
Her birth was a fact she could never change, but the latter—though difficult for a woman—offered a chance if she was willing to try. Furthermore, looking at it from another perspective, the Marquis of Qinghuai’s manor was currently supported by Xiao Zhun alone. If she could succeed, it would be a boon for both the manor and herself.
Of course, that was assuming she handled the matter perfectly and lived to return.
The Emperor wanted her to gamble with her life for his sake, and in the end, she was expected to be grateful to him for providing the opportunity.
Black-hearted. Truly black-hearted.
Xiao Nanhui stopped in her tracks, suddenly regretting her agreement.
What did "scout" even mean? To put it nicely, it was the vanguard; to put it bluntly, wasn't it just a spy? She hated spies most of all, and she was ill-suited for such deceptive business. Was the Emperor so short on men that he had to send her to do this?
Her mind was a tangled mess, and she decided to find someone clever to discuss the matter with. But when she detoured to Yanfu Street, she came up empty-handed. The young clerk at Wangchen Tower told her that Manager Yao had left the city early that morning.
Left the city? Yao Yi, that thousand-year-old turtle who usually refused to budge from his nest, had actually left the city?
When she finally found the earthen mound ten li outside the city, Yao Yi was sitting regally on a rock, cradling a small hand-warmer.
Today, he wore a gaudy, sapphire-blue jacket with a bat-patterned front. He sat by a fire where rabbit meat and sweet potatoes were roasting, a porcelain jar for silver coins placed by his side. He was cracking melon seeds, looking for all the world like a wealthy country landlord.
"What kind of act is this now? You won't stay in your fine tower, but insist on running out to the hills."
Yao Yi nudged the jar aside, barely making enough room for her. "If you're coming, then come, but don't interfere with my business."
Xiao Nanhui looked around in confusion. She saw many soft cushions arranged on the flat ground nearby. The ones in the front were more exquisite, each paired with a small table set with tea and snacks, looking very sophisticated.
But what business could be done on this weed-choked mound? Were they here to look at the scenery?
Dozens of cushions were already mostly occupied by people, every one of them staring toward the south. Xiao Nanhui followed their gaze and realized that from this vantage point, one could see Yueqi Lake within the walls of Tiancheng Palace.
Yueqi Lake sat between the second and third palace walls. It had originally been a lotus pond during the previous dynasty, but when the Su family took over, they found the pond had mysteriously dried up. They had intended to level it and build a garden, but no matter how much they tried, they couldn't fill the massive crater. It was said the silt at the bottom was of immeasurable depth; digging found no end, and filling it with soil only caused it to sink. In the end, they were forced to fill it with water and turn it back into a scenic lake. The water was exceptionally still, and at night, the moon’s reflection was so clear it looked as if the moon itself lived in the lake. Thus, it was named "Yueqi"—Moon-Resting Lake.
Currently, a crowd had gathered by the lakeshore. It seemed something was indeed about to happen.
"What's the excitement over there? Everyone's stretching their necks like chickens."
Yao Yi spat out a melon seed shell. "Don't you know? The Emperor is choosing a wife."
Choosing a wife? The Emperor?
Xiao Nanhui didn't believe a word of it. She peeled a freshly roasted sweet potato and began stuffing pieces into her mouth. "He's choosing a wife and letting people watch? Who are you trying to fool?"
Yao Yi looked at her and her sweet potato with utter disdain. "Look at you, acting like you've never seen the world. The Emperor is conducting the selection of virtuous maidens. Of course they won't let you see the selection process itself, but once they're chosen and brought into the palace, isn't that an opportunity to look?"
Xiao Nanhui suddenly thought of the scene when she had just met the Emperor. He had seemed as though he had just finished bathing. It turned out he hadn't done it to meet her, but to meet these beauties.
With her mouth full of sweet potato, she raised an eyebrow as if she had seen through everything. "You mean to say, their audience with the Emperor after entering the palace takes place by Yueqi Lake?"
Yao Yi nodded with an air of profound mystery. Just then, more "guests" arrived in a hurry. Clearly, this wasn't their first time coming for the "viewing." They practicedly pulled out silver and placed it in the jar before Yao Yi, preparing to head inside.
The profiteer Yao flashed a polite smile. "Is that not Young Master Huang? Perfect timing, your seat has been reserved. It's just that this year, the guards of the Guangyao Battalion in the capital region have changed; the inspections are stricter, so this viewing fee might..."
Young Master Huang glared, his beard bristling. "Another price hike? Didn't it just double last year?"
"Last year was last year, this year is this year. It's a small business, Young Master Huang, please understand."
At that moment, two more wealthy young men arrived behind the man named Huang. Seeing the delay, they urged him on. "Is this brother going to take his seat or not? If not, move aside and don't delay others."
Yao Yi slowly pointed to the words written in charcoal on a nearby rock: *Standard seat, thirty taels of silver. Front row, fifty taels. No copper coins accepted.*
Young Master Huang agonized for a moment but eventually steeled himself and produced the silver. The two wealthy men behind him followed suit, briskly handing over a hundred taels. Yao Yi smiled so widely his eyes nearly disappeared, waving his hand to gift them a set of fruit plates and candied treats.
Xiao Nanhui watched from the side, feeling a bit sour. She thought of her trip to Huozhou, where she had nearly lost her life for a mere hundred gold pieces, while this fellow could probably earn nearly that much in a single day.
"They're coming, they're coming!" Someone with sharp eyes was the first to spot movement on the lake. The entire hilltop instantly erupted in excitement. Everyone stared with burning intensity toward Yueqi Lake, where a woman was gracefully walking from the shore onto the winding bridge, heading toward the pavilion in the center of the lake.
It had to be said, the spot Yao Yi had chosen was perfect. The angle was tricky, yet the field of vision was wide. Although it was quite close to the lake, the pine and cypress trees provided cover, making it difficult for those below to notice the people on the hill. Furthermore, because it was on the north side of the lake, the entire slope was in shadow, while the lake area below was brightly lit, making it even less likely for anyone to look up.
The atmosphere was electric, and Xiao Nanhui temporarily forgot the troubles she had accumulated with the Emperor, joining in to watch the spectacle.
She hadn't realized until she saw it, but the beauties selected for the Emperor were indeed different. Each had a graceful figure, walking like a willow swaying in a gentle breeze. A closer look revealed that their exposed necks and hands were all fair and translucent. Their dark hair was styled in various fashions, and even a few simple pearls or emeralds made them look radiant.
They weren't just beauties; they were beauties in the prime of their youth.
For some reason, this scene made her think of Aunt Dai, and a pang of regret touched her heart. If Aunt Dai’s face hadn't been scarred, even without being ten years younger, she would certainly not be inferior to these women. She would have been a beauty to outshine them all.
Over there, the young masters who had paid their silver were already flushed with excitement, competing to comment on the women.
"Quick, look at that one! That's the only daughter of Ma Mengren, the Junior Protector of the Army. She takes the top prize in polo every year; she's quite the sensation."
"Hmph, she doesn't look like much to me. Her waist is a bit thick, and her shoulders are quite broad. Doesn't look like a lady, looks more like a general."
Xiao Nanhui gave the man a sharp glare, but not wanting to ruin Yao Yi’s business, she simply took another piece of sweet potato and ate in silence.
"What do you know? Is the Emperor's taste something you could ever guess?!"
She hadn't spoken, but a middle-aged man in the front row did. Clearly a veteran of these spectacles, he spoke with an air of experience.
"Rumor has it the Emperor prefers those with moles on their faces. Others say he specifically picks those with sparse eyebrows, and some say he likes those with raspy voices. In short, no one knows what the Emperor’s taste actually is. We only know it is highly changeable, which made things very difficult for the female officials during the last selection."
The man who had spoken earlier snorted. "Moles and eyebrows? From this far away, you can't see a damn thing."
"It's just for fun, why take it so seriously?"
"Oh, look! Here comes a slender one. But she looks unfamiliar; I wonder whose beauty she is."
Xiao Nanhui squinted and looked hard. Well, this one indeed probably hadn't been seen by many, but she had just crossed paths with her at the city gate yesterday and still had some impression of her.
That was Cui Xingyao, the daughter of the late Prince Kang—the very first one to be pushed toward the Emperor.
It had to be said, Prince Kang must have married a very beautiful wife, otherwise he couldn't have fathered such a daughter.
"Finally, one that catches my eye. Look at that figure; with a waist like that, a gust of wind would surely snap it..." Young Master Huang’s eyes were glazed with intoxication, completely forgetting he was leering at the Emperor's woman.
Suddenly, a peach pit the size of an egg flew through the air, striking him squarely on the head and cutting off his reverie.
Young Master Huang turned back in a rage. "Who?! Who dares hit me—"
A pair of somewhat wicked eyes was staring at him fiercely, the owner holding a half-eaten peach in his hand.
"What are you looking at? I'm the one who hit you. Stow your filthy language. If I hear it again, I'll kick you right off this hilltop!"
Young Master Huang was a scholar by trade and had never encountered such a ferocious person. His tongue tripped over itself. "In—in broad daylight, do you intend to commit violence?! I was merely praising a beauty, what business is it of yours?"
His answer was the other half of the peach. This time, it was clearly thrown with full force. Young Master Huang only had time to let out a miserable cry. When he looked up again, a large lump had swollen right in the center of his forehead, and a line of blood was trickling down his brow. He tremblingly wiped it away, looked at his hand, and collapsed onto the ground.
This sudden turn of events startled everyone around. They all looked over, but no one dared to step forward and say a word.
The one who had thrown the peach finally stood up. His build was clearly different from the silk-clad young masters; he was tall, straight, and athletic. He stepped forward, grabbed Young Master Huang by the collar, and hoisted him off the ground.
"It's one thing to lust after others, but you dare lust after *her*. Today is just a warning, and it's to let all you lecherous bastards here see clearly: from now on, if anyone dares to speak of her with such disrespectful mockery, I'll beat them one by one, or two by two..."
"Xu Shu?"
Xiao Nanhui looked at the back of the figure in disbelief. But having known him for many years, she felt she couldn't be mistaken.
The arrogant youth turned around, a look of surprise crossing his face as well. It was indeed Xu Shu.
"It really is you. Why aren't you on duty at the Imperial Guard camp? What are you doing here?"
***
