Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Good heavens! I heard that these days, every time Prince Nan'an goes out, he gets surrounded and cursed by people. Once, the street even cleared out completely, and they went straight to his carriage to curse him." That morning, while combing her hair, Xu Duanyi listened to Shiyu gossiping about the happenings outside the palace.

This was the first time Xu Duanyi had heard about this, and she immediately became anxious. She didn't even mind that her hair wasn't fully styled yet and turned around to ask, "Did he get hurt?"

"Huh?"

Shiyu was rarely seen so anxious, and she was momentarily stunned, not reacting at first. She asked, "Who?" Then, realizing, she hesitantly asked again, "Prince Nan'an?"

Seeing that Xu Duanyi didn't refute, Shiyu thought for a moment before answering, "Probably... not? The story came from a young eunuch who went out shopping. I didn't ask for details. If you want to know, I can go and find out more later?"

Xu Duanyi had calmed down by then. She regained her composure and said, "No need."

Then she turned back around.

While casually picking out hairpins, she asked as if by accident, "What exactly did the young eunuch say?"

Shiyu was a big fan of gossip.

Life in the palace was always dull, so they had to find ways to entertain themselves.

Shiyu was always on the go, and because of her good temper and generosity, she got along well with the eunuchs and maids in the palace.

She was always the first to know any gossip or secret, inside or outside the palace.

Hearing Xu Duanyi ask, she didn't think much of it.

Thinking her mistress might be bored too, she eagerly shared all the gossip she had heard with Xu Duanyi.

"The young eunuch said that those gentlemen are unhappy that Prince Nan'an gets to marry you, and they surround him every day. I don't know if Prince Nan'an was hurt, but those people definitely didn't come out on top."

"I heard that Prince Nan'an has a sharp tongue. These past few days, he's cursed so fiercely that he's made several people faint."

She enjoyed entertaining Xu Duanyi.

Mimicking the eunuch, she playfully acted out Xie Qingya's arrogant demeanor, vividly showing how he cursed people in front of Xu Duanyi.

Looking into the mirror, Xu Duanyi seemed to see Xie Qingya standing on the carriage, boldly confronting others, and couldn't help but laugh.

It had been many years since she had seen him properly.

In recent years, she rarely left the palace, and Xie Qingya almost never entered the palace. Every year when the palace held banquets, the invitations sent to Prince Nan'an's mansion were always met with the response that Prince Nan'an was not at home, and his twin siblings were still young.

On the rare occasions she left the palace and ran into him,

he was either leading a group of playboys through the streets or sitting in a tavern, surrounded by countless beauties.

Only once were they close.

It was during the Mid-Autumn Festival. She was taking Bao Zhu and others to the Moonlight Pavilion to admire the moon with lanterns, and Xie Qingya was in the Breeze Pavilion across the way.

The pavilion was lively.

The music and singing never stopped.

Even from such a distance, she could see the lively scene inside.

Yet Xie Qingya, dressed in red, stood alone by the railing, gazing at the moon.

She could sense the loneliness emanating from him.

But they still did not exchange a single word.

Before she could greet him, he was called back inside.

When he went back in, Xie Qingya returned to his usual drunken, carefree demeanor, as if that moment of loneliness had been a figment of her imagination.

Xu Duanyi wasn't sure if what she saw was real.

She wasn't sure if that night, that fleeting moment with Xie Qingya, was just a trick of her imagination.

All she knew was that it had been a long, long time since they had had a proper conversation.

But she cherished the memories of their youthful adventures together.

She remembered Xie Qingya taking her out of the palace, showing her the sights of the capital.

Even as a child, he was eloquent and bold.

When they encountered unscrupulous vendors, he would scold them without hesitation, never mind that he was just a child himself.

Yet he was also kind-hearted.

When they came across poor old men or women, he would quietly give them all the money he had.

The days spent with Xie Qingya were bright and thrilling.

He would take her horseback riding, scale walls with her, and even sneak her out of the palace to meet his newborn siblings. He would single-handedly come to her rescue when she was kidnapped.

It was just a pity that after she was betrothed to her cousin, she and Xie Qingya rarely interacted.

Later, when her cousin passed away, Xie Qingya went to the battlefield with his father and brothers, and they saw each other even less.

It had been a long time since she had seen him confront others.

"Master, master."

Shiyu's voice came from behind.

Xu Duanyi's long lashes fluttered slightly, and she softly acknowledged and asked Shiyu what was wrong.

Shiyu asked her, "What were you thinking about just now? I called you several times."

Xu Duanyi looked at the plum blossoms outside the window and smiled, "The blooming flowers are a mesmerizing sight. This year's plum blossoms are so beautiful, they made me lose myself for a moment."

Hearing this, Shiyu simply assumed she had been captivated by the flowers.

After that, neither of them brought up Xie Qingya again.

Xu Duanyi went to the main hall to have breakfast with Empress Dowager Zhaoyu. She was leaving the palace today to return to Marquis Wu'an's estate for a short stay.

The New Year was approaching.

Although Marquis Wu'an's estate was rarely occupied by its master, every year around this time, Xu Duanyi would spend a few days at the estate, tidying up, managing the accumulated social duties, and then visiting Huang'en Temple to offer incense in memory of her mother.

"Have you written to your father?"

At the table, Empress Dowager Zhaoyu asked her.

Xu Duanyi replied softly, "I wrote the letter the day the decree was issued, but the snowy roads are difficult, and Liaodong is far away. Father probably won't receive it until after the New Year."

Hearing this, Empress Dowager Zhaoyu didn't feel inclined to say more.

She had never been fond of her brother-in-law.

"I've spoken to the Emperor, and you will still be married from the palace. That way, I can personally see you off," she said, feeling that this marriage was a bit of a grievance for Zhaozhao and hoping to compensate her in other ways as much as possible.

Xu Duanyi didn't want to cause a scene.

But she also knew that once her aunt had decided something, it was impossible to change, so she didn't say anything.

"As you decide, Aunt."

Seeing her like this, Empress Dowager Zhaoyu felt even more pity. She looked at Xu Duanyi and said, "If Qi'er were still here, you wouldn't have to suffer such grievances." Before Xu Duanyi could comfort her, her tone shifted, and a look of anger appeared on her face. "It's all because of the late Emperor and that wretched woman. If it weren't for them, how could Qi'er have died? How could Qi'er have died!"

"Aunt."

Xu Duanyi gently held Empress Dowager Zhaoyu's hand, patting it comfortingly, her eyes also filled with concern.

Empress Dowager Zhaoyu, holding her hand, gradually calmed down after a while. She closed her eyes, then opened them again, her voice no longer as strong as before, her expression becoming weary. "Go ahead and leave the palace. Take more people with you and take good care of yourself."

Xu Duanyi nodded but didn't leave immediately. Instead, she accompanied her aunt to rest.

Every time she thought of her cousin, her aunt would become distressed.

And if she thought of the late Emperor and the deposed Consort Lin, it would surely give her a headache for a long time.

Xu Duanyi was even hesitant about whether to leave the palace today, fearing that her aunt would have trouble sleeping again these days.

It was Danfeng who advised her, "You can go with peace of mind. I am here with the Empress Dowager. I've already had someone change the calming incense, so Her Majesty will surely sleep well."

Hearing this, Xu Duanyi felt slightly reassured.

"Then I'll trouble you, Auntie. I'll come back to accompany my aunt after I finish my business."

Danfeng nodded.

Xu Duanyi sat for a while longer, watching her aunt, who had already fallen into a deep sleep, and tucked her in before leaving.

...

The snow had stopped yesterday, but the snowdrifts remained.

The roads were flanked by thick piles of snow, and the walls and tiles were indistinguishable from their original color. Only after passing through Donghua Gate and leaving the palace grounds did the outside world gradually become lively.

Xu Duanyi, who hadn't left the palace in a long time, was somewhat captivated by the outside scenery.

She instructed Shiyu to open the carriage window slightly.

If it were Bixi here, she would have advised against it, but Shiyu was even more eager to enjoy the lively scene outside.

"Please put on your cloak, mistress. If you catch a cold, Bixi will surely scold me when she finds out."

Xu Duanyi smiled and agreed.

She was also someone who took good care of herself, hiding within a thick cloak, even pulling up the hood, and holding a small hand warmer to keep her hands warm.

Shiyu had just opened the window.

The curtain, originally used to block the wind and provide cover, was immediately blown up by the wind, but Shiyu quickly caught it with her swift hands.

"The wind is really strong, mistress. Please make sure your clothes are properly fastened."

Xu Duanyi agreed.

Thus, the mistress and maid began to enjoy the scenery.

Shiyu leaned against the window, while Xu Duanyi sat upright.

The area near the imperial city was naturally bustling, especially since it was a prosperous place.

Xu Duanyi gazed at the capital covered in snow, noticing that there were still many street vendors, and was about to compare it with her last outing from the palace when she heard a loud commotion ahead.

"Mistress, there's a quarrel over there!"

Shiyu, who loved such excitement, had trained in martial arts since childhood and had keen ears, hearing it more clearly than Xu Duanyi could.

Xu Duanyi had little interest in such a spectacle, just glanced over and was about to look away.

Then she heard Shiyu excitedly exclaim, "Mistress, it's Prince Nan'an!"

Xu Duanyi suddenly paused.

Her gaze, about to be withdrawn, suddenly shifted back towards that direction, and her body involuntarily leaned closer to the carriage window.

"Mistress, they're scolding Prince Nan'an!"

Shiyu, not noticing her reaction, was still excitedly watching the scene.

As the carriage drew closer, Xu Duanyi could see the scene without Shiyu's narration.

Indeed, many people were gathered around Xie Qingya.

In the icy snow, Xie Qingya was clad in a bright red fox fur coat, with a golden crown tying his hair, making him easily recognizable.

He was surrounded by the crowd, with a charming woman standing beside him.

Shiyu, who had been gleefully watching the spectacle, was eager to see if Prince Nan'an's scolding matched the little eunuchs' descriptions. Upon seeing another woman beside Xie Qingya, she immediately widened her eyes in anger, "Prince Nan'an is engaged to you, yet he dares to parade around with another woman. Just wait and see how I handle him!"

After saying this, she ordered the carriage to stop and was about to get out to teach him a lesson.

Xu Duanyi did not stop the carriage, but she grabbed Shiyu's arm to prevent her from getting out.

"Mistress?"

Shiyu was confused.

Xu Duanyi made her sit down and continued to watch outside.

It had been over a year since they last met during the Mid-Autumn Festival celebration.

Even surrounded by so many people, Xie Qingya remained unperturbed. Despite the cold weather, he held a folding fan, a pretentious prop for elegance, and seemed to be growing impatient, tilting his head and scratching his ear: "Hey, can't you come up with something new?"

"You keep saying the same things every day; I could recite them in my sleep."

"You, you!"

Besides the young men from prestigious families, many scholars were also smitten with Xu Duanyi.

Xu Duanyi would leave the palace every month to distribute porridge.

Before the spring examinations this year, there was a case in the capital where a scholar was accused of theft.

At that time, a young man from an official family accused a scholar of stealing.

Being accused of theft was a grave matter.

If the accusation were proven true, the scholar would not only be disqualified from the spring examinations but also barred from future examinations.

These scholars, who had studied hard through bitter winters, had come a long way.

The scholar falsely accused of theft came from a poor family, supported by his parents who sold tofu, scraping together every penny to get him this far.

Being an ordinary scholar with no background, he had no way to defend himself against the accusation from the official's son.

Just as he was filled with grief and indignation, wishing to end his life to prove his innocence with his blood, Xu Duanyi happened to pass by and intervened to resolve his predicament.

Xu Duanyi first sent someone to inquire about the incident, then had people investigate, and finally found the accuser's purse on a young beggar.

Thus, the scholar was exonerated of the false charge.

After that day, Xu Duanyi personally established a place specifically for these impoverished scholars to live, sparing them the ordeal of wandering before the spring examinations.

Therefore, when it was known that Xu Duanyi was to marry Xie Qingya, not only did the young men from prestigious families feel regret, but so did these scholars.

They did not necessarily want to marry Xu Duanyi, but simply felt that Prince Nan'an was not a suitable match.

This is why the current situation arose.

"Given that you are engaged to the noble Princess Jiashun, you should uphold your responsibilities! How dare you parade around with a courtesan, you, you are utterly shameless!"

"Exactly, you scoundrel, what incredible luck you must have had over lifetimes to marry Princess Jiashun. If I were you, I would be at home fasting and bathing, thanking the heavens!"

Xie Qingya sneered at them: "Then you go ahead."

"You!"

"Utterly shameless!"

"Princess Jiashun is noble and has a heart of a Bodhisattva. You, scoundrel, are fortunate to be engaged to her and still not satisfied. Today, we'll give you a lesson on behalf of Her Highness, so you'll think twice before acting so insolently again!"

...

Xie Qingya had already provoked public anger, and his arrogant demeanor only fueled the crowd's fury. Someone picked up something nearby and was about to throw it at Xie Qingya.

Xie Qingya was prepared.

He pushed the woman beside him aside with his fan and was about to roll up his sleeves to fight when he heard a soft female voice from not far away: "Stop!"

The voice was familiar.

Xie Qingya paused.

He turned around and saw a woman in a goose-yellow cloak walking towards him from a distance.

The woman's face was hidden under her hood.

While others had not yet recognized her identity, Xie Qingya's hand holding the fan tightened inexplicably.