Chapter 42: Chapter 42 (Two Chapters Combined)

Chapter 42: Two Chapters Combined

She Niang, ever observant, noticed an unfamiliar man approaching while she was playing. Without hesitation, she scooped up her younger brother with one arm and slipped away. It wasn't that she lacked decorum; rather, in such situations, gentlemen typically kept their distance. Li Ju, for instance, always sent word through her maid whenever he had something to convey.

Pang Geer, oblivious to these social niceties, thought She Niang was playing a game. He clapped his hands, urging, "Sister, run, run!"

At Dowager Consort Hua’s residence, the elderly lady, unlike Old Madam Pei who favored Buddhist devotions, spent her days reading storybooks. She wasn't one for tales of scholars and beauties, preferring instead stories of knight-errants and adventurers.

Strangely, while other children cried and fussed, this child loved to laugh. At Dowager Consort Hua’s, he giggled incessantly.

"Why are you back so soon? Young people should spend more time playing outdoors. It’s not good to be cooped up at home all the time," Dowager Consort Hua remarked, turning a page of her book.

Knowing this wasn't her own home, She Niang replied, "I don't usually go out much, even when I'm at home."

Dowager Consort Hua eyed She Niang. "I see you have a well-proportioned figure—not frail or delicate, but quite robust. That's excellent. It's not good for young ladies to be overly weak, constantly needing support like a willow in the wind."

"You are right," She Niang agreed. Her health was good, but she couldn't overexert herself, or her heart would race.

After a brief chat, She Niang took Pang Geer back to Haitang Pavilion, where she and Yu Shi worked on needlework in their room. Since the Prince of Xiang's household was in mourning, playing cards or attending operas was out of the question; imperial censors would surely object.

Yu Shi calculated the days. "We'll stay here for ten days, until after your grandmother's birthday, then we'll go home. Oh, if only we could return with the Prince of Qing's heir, it would be so much safer."

"Yes, I thought so too, but he came to deliver an imperial decree. I'm afraid it won't be possible," She Niang replied.

This was why people rarely traveled in those times: primarily due to safety concerns, and also because it was often inconvenient for women to appear in public.

Even official families worried about such matters, let alone common folk.

Yu Shi looked at her daughter's rosy cheeks and asked, "Your grandmother has grand ambitions. What are your own thoughts?"

"Honestly, focusing solely on status isn't necessarily a good thing. We still have a few days here, so let's talk about it later. But I suspect Grandmother's plans might be difficult to achieve. Still, she doesn't need me to worry about her, so I won't say more," She Niang replied.

Compared to becoming her eldest sister's husband's second wife, the Prince of Xiang's son was unmarried and quite handsome. Though she had only caught a distant glimpse of his face, and it wasn't quite to her taste, he was undeniably a fine-looking man.

Yet, thoughts of marriage and matchmaking were hard for her to entertain. In her previous life, she had no choice and was forced to marry into the Prince of Jin's household. Now, reborn, shouldn't she be able to live according to her own desires?

Even though Dowager Consort Hua treated her very well, She Niang had her own ideas. With this in mind, she cut some satin to make sachets for her two aunts and knee pads for her three uncles—a small token of her affection.

Meanwhile, Li Jue said to Li Ju with a wry smile, "The moment I approached, she darted away like a startled rabbit."

Li Ju mused that in his previous life, when Emperor Jianchang sought to establish an empress, many supported Concubine Liu, while others suggested the emperor marry another noblewoman. Yet, Emperor Jianchang had always insisted on making Pei Sheniang the empress.

Many claimed Pei Sheniang was exceptionally cunning, and there were even rumors, supposedly spread by the Pei family themselves, that she had schemed her way into the position.

However, after interacting with her for so long, Li Ju felt that while one might know a person's face but not their heart, Pei Sheniang didn't seem like someone who would actively seduce others to climb the social ladder. On the contrary, she was very proper. When she stayed at his home, she almost never met him privately if there were no outsiders present. Even on the boat, when he visited, her maids were always there.

This was quite different from the rumors.

Therefore, Li Ju said, "If you truly have feelings for her, you shouldn't meet privately. Instead, you should ask your father and mother for permission to marry her properly."

This was Li Ju's perspective: men and women should maintain proper boundaries. Secret meetings without a clear outcome could damage a woman's reputation.

Hearing Li Ju's serious tone, Li Jue replied, "We're still in mourning, so it's not appropriate to bring this up."

Li Ju smiled and said, "True, and besides, you've only seen her a few times."

The two then shifted their conversation to court politics. Li Ju reflected that in his previous life, the Prince of Jin ascended the throne because the current emperor was in poor health and died young. The crown prince succeeded too hastily, was too young, and hadn't yet taken full control when the Prince of Jin seized power.

Now, through his dealings with Western merchants from the Hangzhou Weaving Bureau, Li Ju had obtained quinine. With this medicine, the current emperor would surely survive, and the Prince of Jin would avoid meeting the same fate as King Wuling of Zhao.

But this alone wasn't enough. The main issue was that he had been reborn too late. His current trip to Xiangyang wasn't solely for the conferment ceremony; he also had a secret imperial order to investigate the White Lotus Society, which was why he agreed to stay.

Life in the princely household was rather dull. Yu Shi, having been there for just a day, already felt restless. Back in the Pei household, although it was also somewhat monotonous, she could at least visit her natal home, engage in Buddhist devotions, or find excuses to go out.

But the servants here were all strictly bound by rules and decorum.

Only Dowager Consort Hua seemed like a lively presence.

Yu Shi asked her daughter, "Was it like this when you were at the Prince of Qing’s residence?"

"Most of the time, yes. But the Princess of Qing doted on Princess Jiangdu. Since the princess was young, she naturally enjoyed novel and strange things. As her study companion, I had a bit more freedom. I even learned to ride horses at the Prince of Qing’s residence," She Niang recalled, feeling a longing to gallop on horseback again.

Fortunately, after two days of needlework, Dowager Consort Hua mentioned to the Princess of Xiang that she wished to visit the Zhenwu Mountain Taoist temple for a prayer ceremony. Although her status wasn't as high as the Dowager Princess's, the Prince of Xiang disliked his stepmother and was closer to Dowager Consort Hua, so he agreed.

When Li Jue heard about this, he insisted on escorting the dowager consort. The Princess of Xiang, concerned for her son’s well-being, said, "Your uncles can go with her. Why do you need to go?"

"Mother, Dowager Consort Hua raised me when I was young. Now that she’s going somewhere far, I should accompany her. Besides, I have nothing else to do," Li Jue insisted.

The Princess of Xiang finally nodded. "Very well. Dowager Consort Hua’s birthday is coming up soon, and she visits Zhenwu Mountain every year. We can’t stop her from going just because your grandfather has passed away."

Once this was settled, Dowager Consort Hua personally came to express her gratitude—a testament to her tactfulness. While others might put on airs with younger generations, she did not. By doing this, she elevated the Princess of Xiang’s status and made her feel respected.

She Niang accompanied Dowager Consort Hua on the outing. The dowager consort specifically invited her into her carriage and advised her earnestly, "I can see you have a strong character, but sometimes, you shouldn’t be too rigid."

"Grandmother, I wish I could be as easygoing as you, but I’ve always been like this—I just can’t seem to relax," She Niang replied with a smile.

Dowager Consort Hua had noticed that most women her age lacked strong opinions and simply went with the flow, treating their elders’ words as imperial decrees. She Niang was different; she might not openly contradict you, but she wouldn’t blindly obey either.

She had her own firm opinions and preferred to observe carefully before committing to anything.

But Dowager Consort Hua didn’t expect her to do anything specific. As long as Li Jue had a chance to see She Niang, half the battle would be won. The rest would be up to her to arrange.

Since the journey involved climbing mountains and crossing waters, Yu Shi stayed behind with the children. This was She Niang’s first time seeing the scenery of Huguang. The climate here was similar to that of Hangzhou; at this time of year, wearing a single layer was sufficient, without even needing lined clothing. Still, She Niang brought along lined garments, fearing the mountains might be cold.

Even though she knew the Prince of Xiang’s son was outside, She Niang kept her eyes forward without glancing around. Dowager Consort Hua nodded approvingly. Many women might act reserved ordinarily, but upon seeing a handsome or noble man, they would immediately abandon their reserve.

They traveled for a day and rested at a nearby place that evening. The next morning, Dowager Consort Hua insisted on climbing the mountain. She Niang quickly changed from her high-platform shoes to flat-soled ones, preparing to accompany the elderly lady up the mountain.

Although the Prince of Xiang’s son was accustomed to a life of luxury, he was also a military man and ready to climb as well.

She Niang changed into a Hu-style outfit, which accentuated her slender figure. Li Jue glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and felt she looked different from how she appeared in the residence—elegant and beautiful there, but now vibrant and full of life outdoors.

Dowager Consort Hua walked in the center, with She Niang and Li Jue flanking her on either side as they ascended.

"When I was young, I could climb without even getting out of breath—I’d zip right up. The old prince used to say that even those with wings couldn’t fly as fast as me. Now, I’m not what I used to be," Dowager Consort Hua said with a laugh.

She Niang responded, "In my opinion, each stage of life has its own state of mind. Before, you cared about reaching the summit quickly to enjoy the view from above. Now, you can take your time to appreciate the scenery along the way, which is also wonderful."

Dowager Consort Hua waved her hand and said, "I don’t understand all your refined language, but I get the general idea."

Li Jue seized the opportunity to ask, "What books are you reading now, Miss Pei?"

"Currently, I have the 'Zhaoming Literary Selections' on hand," She Niang replied. She had already read the anthology but wanted to gauge the Prince's literary level.

Li Jue asked, "Don’t you read poetry, miss?"

"Of course I read poetry, but in our Pei family, a scholarly clan focused on imperial examinations, eight-legged essays are emphasized more. The current emperor values such writings, after all," She Niang subtly noticed that Li Jue seemed to detest eight-legged essays deeply.

"Indeed," Li Jue said, "though I have met several *juren* (scholars who passed the provincial examination) who focus solely on exam strategies, they remain utterly ignorant of the livelihood and economy within a hundred miles. In my view, such learning might as well be abandoned."

At this point, She Niang was deeply interested in the eight-legged essays. She recognized their rigidity but believed that the goal was to reform the rigid system from the highest position of power, not to criticize what was, for students from impoverished backgrounds, the fairest system available.

However, she was still only theorizing without practical experience.

Thus, upon hearing such remarks, she merely smiled.

Dowager Consort Hua, however, sensed trouble. While others might blush and feel their hearts flutter when men and women were together, leading to secret affections, these two were different—their disagreements were many.

In Dowager Consort Hua’s view, for a woman to live well, she must sometimes play dumb when necessary and not take things too seriously. Men preferred women who had character in general but showed admiration toward them specifically. She Niang’s temperament was rather...

She Niang, of course, knew what kind of women men liked. She could pretend, but she truly had no desire to do so.

In her previous life, she had pretended, and it had amounted to nothing—enduring endlessly until even her robust health was worn down.

It was like thinking that a suitable match in terms of family background, good character, and looks, with both parties unmarried, seemed made in heaven. Yet, that was not necessarily the case.

In truth, personal feelings mattered greatly. It largely came down to whether there was a mutual spark.

It was not until they reached the middle of Mount Zhenwu that She Niang grew thirsty, while Dowager Consort Hua was too tired to continue. Li Jue had servants bring up a sedan chair carried on bamboo poles, and everyone waited together.

"Thank you for your trouble, Your Highness," Dowager Consort Hua said.

Li Jue hurriedly replied, "Not at all, Dowager Consort. It was my oversight."

Their party waited midway. Fortunately, the estate steward was capable, providing green parasols for shade and fetching mountain spring water, which quenched She Niang’s thirst.

Dowager Consort Hua suddenly smiled and asked, "Fifth Girl, are there any famous Taoist temples in Hangzhou?"

"Replying to the Dowager Consort, between West Lake and the Qiantang River lies the Fuxing Temple on Mount Yuhuang, one of the three great Taoist temples of West Lake. It was originally called the Jade Dragon Taoist Temple, and even Lü Dongbin, the famous Taoist from the Tang Dynasty, visited and composed a poem there," She Niang replied.

At this, Li Jue interjected, "Was it: 'Adorned with seven treasures and five-colored elixirs, / Through six penetrations and four directions, it transcends the dust. / The taste within is known only to immortals, / Meeting a destined one, it brings smiles and opens hearts.'"

"Your memory is exceptional, Your Highness," She Niang praised sincerely, wanting to save face for her grandmother, as Dowager Consort Hua still had to live in the estate.

Having seemed slightly sharp earlier, She Niang’s sudden compliment made Li Jue feel immensely pleased.

As the Prince of Xiang was deeply devoted to Taoism, Li Jue, as his heir, had been influenced by his environment since childhood. He went on to share a parable, and She Niang, who loved reading, immediately responded, "Are you referring to the famous Five Dynasties Taoist Liu Haichan?"

They exchanged a few more words. She Niang found that Li Jue was indeed knowledgeable, but as the conversation deepened, he tended toward conspiracy theories, often forcing far-fetched connections. While it was good to think deeply, overthinking led She Niang to simply respond with "Mhmm, mhmm, mhmm."

Fortunately, the sedan chair arrived just then, and they set off again, avoiding further awkward conversation.

Li Jue, however, felt the conversation had been thoroughly enjoyable. He had never spoken so freely with a girl before, especially since his mother detested both his and his father’s devotion to Taoism.

Soon, they reached the mountaintop. She Niang took out a handkerchief to wipe her sweat. In the faint morning light, she accompanied Dowager Consort Hua in offering the first incense. Hearing that the Bodhisattva here was very efficacious, She Niang quickly knelt and prayed: "May the Heavenly Lord bless your devotee with health and excellence in literary pursuits. May my future husband be the most respectful man in the world, the one most attuned to my heart, and a handsome man devoted solely to me."

After saying this, she wrote her heartfelt wish on a red cloth and had it placed in the wish box. Worried that the Heavenly Lord might doubt her sincerity, she specially donated a string of cash to the merit box.

After leaving the main hall, Dowager Consort Hua conversed with the Taoist priest accompanied by Li Jue. Concerned that She Niang might grow impatient, she said, "You may rest in the guest room first. Don’t wander too far."

"Yes," She Niang nodded.

She knew that Taoist temples were not necessarily peaceful places—her mother had once been deceived in one—so she remained very cautious. Surrounded by seven or eight servants and maids, she kept her eyes forward.

Unbeknownst to her, Li Ju had been observing from the hall. He was staying at the temple due to matters related to the White Lotus Sect, having heard that its members were mixed among the crowd. As he watched, he saw She Niang place a red cloth strip into the wish box. He told himself that he was peeking for the sake of the nation, not for dishonorable reasons.

After careful thought, he retrieved the cloth strip. He recognized She Niang’s handwriting—after all, he was peerless at imitating others’ calligraphy.

Reading the words on the red cloth, Li Ju smiled.

Meanwhile, She Niang arrived at the guest room and ate some fruit pastries brought from the estate. She had to admit that the Prince of Xiang’s estate’s food suited her taste perfectly.

"Don’t wander off. Wait to see how they arrange things," she instructed.

She knew Dowager Consort Hua was creating an opportunity for her. For unmarried men and women to have such a chance was already quite good, but She Niang did not plan to stay long. Li Jue had many beautiful maids in his quarters and preferred docile girls. His current interest in her was likely only skin-deep, and beauties were as common to them as fish in a river.

Moreover, she saw that Dowager Consort Hua believed Li Jue could decide his own marriage, but She Niang thought otherwise. To become his concubine would be worse than her previous life—after all, the Prince of Jin was a formidable ruler.

Dowager Consort Hua used herself as an example, believing that if a man loved you, he could do as he pleased. In reality, many men might like someone, but they loved themselves more.

They sought a respectable marriage—a virtuous wife and beautiful concubines were their lifelong pursuit.

When Dowager Consort Hua returned, she was very tired. She Niang personally attended to her until she fell asleep before returning to her own room. Fu Rong brought tea, and as She Niang was about to drink it, she said, "Miss, His Highness is outside the window."

"His Highness? What is he doing here?" She Niang thought she meant Li Jue.

Unexpectedly, Fu Rong said, "It’s our His Highness."

So it was the Prince of Qing’s heir. She Niang could not help but ask, "What is he doing here? I thought he had already returned."

Fu Rong shook her head.

She Niang dismissed the other servants, keeping only Fu Rong to attend to her, telling them to rest for a bit outside and not serve.

Once they had left, She Niang opened the window and indeed saw Li Ju there.

He was dressed in Taoist robes, disguised to look ethereal and immortal. She Niang asked, "What’s wrong? Why are you here?"

Seeing her concern, Li Ju knew he needed her help to cover for him, so he told the truth: "We are handling a highly confidential matter. Two Imperial Guard brothers who came with me have gone missing. I fear we’ve been targeted, so I disguised myself and came here."

Matters handled secretly by the Imperial Guard were undoubtedly significant, even life-threatening. Remembering how he had taken care of her and her family on the journey and offered her advice, She Niang said, "What do you need me to do?"

"I need you to get me out. Once I reach the nearby commandery, I’ll manage," Li Ju said.

She Niang glanced at him. "I have many servants here. It would be difficult to sneak a man out. Are you hungry? Would you like some pastries first while I think of a way? Also, can we inform the Prince of Xiang’s household?"

Li Ju quickly shook his head. "No, my whereabouts must not be revealed yet."

Although he had a good relationship with the Prince of Xiang’s heir, some things could not be shared, or else if leaked, his mission would be over.

She Niang nodded and told Fu Rong, "Bring some of the pastries and tea on the table for His Highness."

Li Ju outside the window was indeed hungry. Seeing the refreshments She Niang had passed to him, he felt he had unexpectedly ended up at her place—probably because he knew she was clever and would have a plan.

Li Ju had indeed presented She Niang with a challenge. As a young woman, she was always accompanied when going out, making it hard to secretly transport a man. If it were a child, he could hide in a trunk, but Li Ju, though a few months younger, was taller than her and would not fit.

After some thought, She Niang said to Fu Rong, "Have Tuan’er bring a set of servant’s clothing."

Fu Rong left immediately. She Niang propped open the window and, seeing Li Ju still there, said, "Everyone here is from the Prince of Xiang’s estate. Without the Prince of Xiang’s heir’s orders, it would be hard to leave. I’ll say I want to eat beef noodles from a shop eight li away and have you disguised as a servant to go out."

"Agreed," Li Ju nodded promptly.

She Niang smiled. "But you don’t look much like a servant right now. I’ll use some makeup to disguise you. Please don’t take offense."

This was only possible because the Prince of Xiang’s people did not know what his servants looked like.

Li Ju quickly responded, "You're taking such a risk to help me—it can't be easy. How could I blame you? If anything, I'm the one who has dragged you into this. If you ever need anything in the future, just call on me, and I’ll do whatever you need."

"How could I dare boss around a crown prince? Come, let me quickly help you with the makeup," She Niang said, bringing over her cosmetics case.

Li Ju should have disliked her intensely, yet somehow, he found himself increasingly drawn to her. She possessed both the fierceness to deal with those who wronged her and a natural compassion for the poor and suffering, all while being so loyal and righteous.

She Niang, on the other hand, was thinking how strikingly beautiful Li Ju's eyes were. She first changed his hairstyle, tying it into a boy's bun, then mixed eyebrow pigment with jade complexion powder and applied it to his face with a scented cotton pad, darkening his complexion significantly.

Next, she thinned his eyebrows but accidentally let some of the trimmed hairs fall into his eye. Startled, she quickly said, "Wait a moment, let me blow it away for you."

Realizing the impropriety of her offer, she immediately held up a hand mirror and said, "Here, use the mirror to get it out yourself."

Their eyes met briefly before they both quickly looked away. Li Ju promptly fished the stray eyebrow hair from his eye and examined himself in the mirror. "I really don’t look like myself anymore."

"Of course not. You naturally have sharp, starry eyes and bold brows, but I’ve thinned your eyebrows and made your eyes look more narrowed and slanted. Naturally, your whole appearance has changed. In a moment, I’ll have Tuan’er go out with you," She Niang explained.

As they spoke, she added, "I’ll go find my grandmother now to get a matching pass for you."

As she turned to leave, Li Ju hurriedly said, "When you return in a few days, let’s go back together. That way, we can watch each other’s backs."