Chapter 2 Mei Heting, I Don’t Want You Anymore

Chapter 2 Mei Heting, I Don't Want You Anymore

For the latter part of the banquet, Xuan Mingzhu, the birthday celebrant, did not make an appearance.

The so-called loving reputation was nothing more than a carefully maintained illusion she had sustained for years. Now, with her life uncertain, all these false pretenses were better left aside.

At dusk, as the banquet dispersed, Mei Heting came over, but the carved door to the Imperial Princess's chambers remained closed, barring him from entering.

Mei Heting stood silently outside the door for a moment before turning to head to the study.

Jiang Jin, Mei Heting’s trusted aide, felt anxious upon seeing this: "Your Highness didn’t open the door, Sir, wouldn’t you at least knock and say something gentle?"

Jiang Jin hesitated and said, "The Imperial Princess summoned a physician during the day, perhaps she’s feeling unwell. Sir, why not lower your head and present the gift you prepared..."

Before he could finish, Mei Heting coldly interrupted, "In the past, even with minor ailments, she always made sure to let me know. Today, since it’s so quiet, there must be no serious issue. Let her calm down on her own."

Inside the room, Xuan Mingzhu sat silently in front of her phoenix-embroidered mirror.

The honey-scented incense in the brazier was replaced with the fainter scent of lotus petals. Hong'er and Cheng'er gently removed the jade hairpins and pearl combs from the princess's elaborate hairstyle, letting her thick, dark hair fall softly around her shoulders.

Hong'er and Cheng'er tidied up the cosmetic boxes quietly, trying their best to act as if nothing unusual was happening.

They had heard what Physician Yang had said.

Having served the Imperial Princess since childhood, they had a special bond with Xuan Mingzhu and refused to believe that she could be suffering from such an illness at her young age. Their hearts ached, but they dared not show it.

Xuan Mingzhu caught a glimpse of the girls’ expressions in the mirror and forced a smile, feigning annoyance. "You two should grow up a bit; don’t let me mock you. How can you assume I’ll...?"

Remembering that the nanny was still present and couldn’t bear talk of life and death, she stopped herself and glanced apologetically at the nanny.

The woman, free of makeup, had long, plain hair falling quietly by her snow-white cheeks, black becoming darker, white becoming whiter, utterly clean and dust-free.

Only the vermilion mole between her brows, without the flower ornament to cover it, revealed its original vibrant color, mesmerizing and captivating.

Nanny Cui felt a chill run through her heart.

She recognized that look in the Imperial Princess’s eyes.

Back when the Empress Dowager was critically ill and the Imperial Medical Office was helpless, saying there was no cure, the Imperial Princess, enraged, led the imperial guards to tear down the doors of the Medical Office, threatening that if they couldn’t save her mother, they would all be buried alive.

During that harsh winter, Nanny Cui accompanied the young princess as they visited every temple in the Imperial City.

She watched as the princess, who never believed in Buddha, held prayer beads and repeatedly performed three bows and nine prostrations.

Even with swollen forehead and knees, and frozen legs, the young princess stubbornly and devoutly prayed to Buddha, hoping for a miracle.

She also witnessed the young princess serving medicine and tending to the Empress Dowager day and night. Facing her mother’s withering face, the young princess only managed to smile and say, "The peach blossoms outside the palace have bloomed again; Mother, you must get well soon and go see them with me..."

Despite all this, they couldn’t save her.

After the funeral, the young princess smashed the prayer beads on her wrist.

Having recited scriptures ten thousand times and seen countless lamps, the young girl, dressed in mourning, henceforth despised Buddha.

The look in the princess’s eyes now was exactly the same as when she returned from the imperial mausoleum.

Dull and lifeless, devoid of any spark.

The Imperial Princess had cried her eyes dry for the Empress Dowager, but today, upon learning she had little time left, shed not a single tear.

Nanny Cui knew there was a saying in books: the greatest sorrow is the death of the heart.

She took a deep breath, pretending not to notice, and began combing the princess’s soft, cool hair.

She didn’t try to persuade the princess to tell her husband about her condition.

Having raised the princess, how could Nanny Cui not understand her thoughts? Given the way the princess and her husband had interacted over the years, telling him the truth would merely be begging for a bit more tenderness and care in her dying days.

There was no reason for a woman to live her entire life clinging to a man.

Moreover, her young princess was born proud and couldn’t bear others’ pity.

The nine-branched gilded candlestand cast a warm glow, illuminating the silent room. As Nanny Cui combed her hair, Xuan Mingzhu asked:

"How is Baobao doing at the ancestral hall?"

"Your Highness, Yingxiao went to fetch the young miss from the ancestral hall. She was making a solemn vow, holding up three fingers, swearing that she would never leave the hall until she finished copying the books. She will sleep there tonight."

Hong'er tried to sound cheerful: "Of course, she didn’t forget to drag the two young masters along. One is grinding ink and fanning away mosquitoes, while the other is telling her stories to keep her entertained."

A hint of a smile appeared on Xuan Mingzhu’s face.

"Well, if she wants to stay there, let her. Make sure to prepare some midnight snacks so they don’t go hungry."

"Yes."

The curtains were drawn, and the lights extinguished, with no words exchanged overnight.

Xuan Mingzhu used to find it unbearable to sleep alone in a cold bed.

Though Mei Heting’s personality was cold, his body was always warm like a furnace, and she was accustomed to snuggling into his embrace, holding his slender waist as she fell asleep, feeling secure.

She feared most when urgent cases arose at the Supreme Court, leaving Mei Heting unable to return home at night, leaving her alone with the chill of “a green pillow and a gauze canopy, the coolness seeping through at midnight.”

Now, with her heart grown cold, she realized that sleeping alone wasn’t so bad after all.

She slept dreamlessly through the night.

At dawn, as the morning light shone through the window lattice, eight maids entered one after another to serve the princess as she washed up.

Cheng'er habitually reported while soaking a handkerchief, "The imperial son-in-law left for the government office before dawn"—and was elbowed by Hong'er.

Xuan Mingzhu noticed their small actions and self-mockingly said, "This habit should indeed be changed. In the future, if I don't ask, there's no need to mention his affairs."

Cheng'er hesitated.

Xuan Mingzhu asked, "Is there something else?"

Cheng'er spoke somewhat hesitantly, "Early this morning, when the market gates just opened, Eunuch Huang from the palace came with an oral edict from His Majesty: The Imperial Princess's birthday banquet was excessively lavish and extravagant. We must not forget the ancestral teachings; such extravagance must not be allowed to grow. Therefore, she is ordered... to reflect in seclusion and take this as a warning."

For an oral edict, this was already very severe language.

Xuan Mingzhu's lips curled slightly, "My good nephew finally decided to show his true colors to me?"

The current emperor is not yet of age, having reigned for three years, during which he has not called Zhaole, the Imperial Princess, his aunt for three years.

Hong'er said softly, "Your Highness, please don't say that. After all, we are blood relatives. If His Majesty hears it, he might be heartbroken."

"I rather hope he doesn't recognize me as his aunt."

Xuan Mingzhu wore a loose, light blue robe embroidered with phoenixes, and while looking in the mirror, she drew her eyebrows, completely unperturbed by the emperor's rebuke.

She turned and smiled at the two maids, "How do my eyebrows look today?"

Hong'er and Cheng'er's eyes lit up, nodding vigorously like little chicks pecking at food.

The Imperial Princess had a bright red mole between her brows. Because the imperial son-in-law once said it was "too seductive and inappropriate," she either drew it as a flower pattern or covered it with a brow ornament.

But leaving it exposed made her look even more charming.

Cheng'er didn't understand the imperial son-in-law's grand principles. She only felt that a noble Imperial Princess should be beautiful without restraint—why hide it?

After breakfast, a little girl wearing a butterfly-patterned silk dress and a bun hairstyle ran into the room. Seeing Xuan Mingzhu's new makeup, the little girl was stunned.

"Mother looks so beautiful today! Of course, you were also very beautiful yesterday, but today you're especially beautiful. It makes me feel inferior. I bet when I see Mother tomorrow, I'll be dazzled!"

Her voice was sweet and full of energy, instantly brightening the gloomy atmosphere in the room.

Hong'er and Cheng'er greeted her with smiles and brought out various sweets and pastries for the princess's beloved daughter.

Then, remembering the princess's condition, they restrained their emotions and stepped outside the gauze screen.

"Your Highness, the eldest and second sons said they were afraid of being late for the National Academy, so they did not come in to greet you," Nurse Cui said softly.

Hearing this, Xuan Mingzhu's gaze flickered, and she said, "I see." She picked up the little girl and placed her on her lap, smelling the pleasant scent of milk from her neck.

"Do you blame your father for punishing you to copy books?"

Mei Baoya shook her head proudly, "Well, I'm used to copying anyway. The small bed in the side room of the ancestral hall is custom-made for me, and Mei Da and Mei Er accompany me."

As she spoke, the little girl frowned, her slender white fingers entwining together, muttering:

"It's wrong to splash ink on people, and I admit that mistake. But when I asked Father why the bad aunt who spoke ill of others first wasn't punished, he said... well, he said a lot, and it seemed reasonable, but Baoya doesn't like it—hmmph, next time I'll splash her again! And then copy books!"

This child had always been exceptionally clever, able to remember any word she saw or heard, much like her father.

Xuan Mingzhu held the squirming little girl tightly and stroked her head.

"Did he say that Chengyu was wrong first, and Baoya was wrong afterward, and her mistake was greater than yours? But since no one could prove her mistake, and everyone saw your mischief, the only way to clear yourself was to be blameless first, then you could address others' mistakes."

Mei Baoya listened carefully and clapped her hands, "Yes! Mother really understands Father!"

But she still didn't like it—it wasn't satisfying.

Xuan Mingzhu didn't like it either.

Fairness, rules, and propriety were Mei Heting's principles after the age of seventeen.

Recklessness was her principle before the age of eighteen.

It was unreasonable that her principles should accommodate his, only to have her cherished daughter suffer as a result.

Back when she gave birth to Baoya, she suffered a life-threatening hemorrhage. Even in that critical moment, she refused to give up the child.

At that time, Mei Heting was away on official business and was unaware of her perilous situation, unable to hear her desperate cries.

That night, Mei Heting returned in disarray and saw the frail infant in the cradle. He remained silent for a long time before simply saying, "I'm sorry."

At that moment, Xuan Mingzhu lay weakly on the bed, every part of her body aching. Looking into those apologetic, reddened eyes, she felt nothing but pity, not a hint of resentment.

During her confinement period, Mei Heting never held the child or touched her once.

"Baoya, how foolish I was back then."

"Hmm?" Mei Baoya felt a cool touch on her head and tried to turn around, but a gentle hand held her still.

She turned her big, round eyes and pointed to her little head, declaring loudly,

"This smart brain of mine inherited Mother's strengths! If Mother were foolish, Daughter would only be at Father's level. Oh, what a loss, what a huge loss!"

Xuan Mingzhu laughed through her tears, her gaze filled with immense tenderness and freedom.

Indeed, she still had little Baoya, and for that, she was grateful.

That night, Xuan Mingzhu had a dream.

In the dream, she was eighteen years old, wearing a fiery red pomegranate skirt, standing by the imperial lotus pond, holding a willow branch, and eagerly looking towards the end of the curved bridge.

She was waiting for someone to join her, their first private meeting since the Qionglin Banquet.

It was strange; Xuan Mingzhu knew it was a dream, yet it felt too real. She could clearly feel the girl's anticipation and shyness, and the willow branch in her hand seemed to exude a fresh, grassy scent.

A tall and slender figure came into view, approaching from afar.

It was an elegance of clear wind and bright moon, and also a coldness of frosty sleeves and snowy bones.

Seventeen-year-old Mei Heting stood straight, like a newly grown bamboo shoot. His sword-like brows reached his dark hair, and his eyes were like clear mountain springs, strikingly proud and unsettling.

Xuan Mingzhu, however, knew how chilling his next words would be.

Just two sentences:

"I believe I am unsuitable for Her Highness the Imperial Princess."

"I fear I would disappoint Her Highness's kindness."

If this could be considered a vow, then it must be said that Mei Heting fulfilled it well in the days that followed.

Since it was just a dream, Xuan Mingzhu, as Mei Heting was about to speak, took a quick step forward and pressed her lips against his.

The young man stood there in a daze, seemingly unable to react to his surprise. As he tried to pull away, Xuan Mingzhu bit him fiercely, almost in retaliation, and then pushed him away without any hesitation.

Beneath the blazing sun, she smiled brilliantly: "Mei Heting, I don't want you anymore."