After Cui Jinbai's figure disappeared, Bu Shulin revealed a triumphant smile, whistling a tune as she briskly rounded the rockery and found Shen Xihe. Last time at Hibiscus Garden, they had also met here.
"What brings you here?" Shen Xihe asked upon seeing her.
Bu Shulin swept her robe aside, sitting with unrestrained posture before Shen Xihe, her eyes curving into a smile. "I've been missing my dear sister terribly."
"Such glib talk. Shall I help wash your mouth out?" Shen Xihe's gaze drifted toward the small pond ahead.
Bu Shulin waved her hands repeatedly, reining in her smugness as she straightened her posture and smoothed her robe. "I have serious business. Lately, to dissuade His Majesty from wanting me to marry a princess, I've been pestering Cui Jinbai relentlessly. I didn't dare seek you out rashly, lest it cause you trouble."
Flirting with Cui Jinbai while simultaneously visiting Shen Xihe would appear suspicious, and Bu Shulin was a cautious person.
Shen Xihe's eyes swept over Bu Shulin. "Speak."
After glancing outside, Bu Shulin leaned in, shielding her mouth with one hand as she lowered her voice. "Didn't you ask me to keep an eye on Cui Jinbai? I've been tailing him for some time. He has no connections with any of the princes, but he is on good terms with the Pei family."
Back when Shen Xihe had promised to help resolve the matter of marrying a princess, Bu Shulin had agreed to provide three thousand sets of Fine Armor and keep an eye on Cui Jinbai.
How naive and simple she had been then! Only now did she realize that the so-called "help" was actually her willingly offering herself as Shen Xihe's pawn—and an unsuspecting one at that!
"The Pei family..." Shen Xihe was somewhat surprised.
The Pei family was a military household, the maternal clan of the Youning Emperor's eighth son, Prince Jing Xiao Changyan. Xiao Changyan differed from the other princes.
Four years ago, when Annam lost three cities consecutively, Xiao Changyan's maternal grandfather, Old General Pei, died in battle. The Pei family faced widespread criticism. The fifteen-year-old Xiao Changyan volunteered to restore his family's honor.
Despite opposition from ministers and officials, the Youning Emperor overruled all objections and appointed him as vanguard, sending him to the front lines.
Xiao Changyan not only recaptured the lost cities in Annam but also advanced into Wenshan Kingdom. His bravery in battle made the Youning Emperor proud. For the past four years, he had remained in Annam to investigate the reasons behind the Pei family's defeat and to intimidate Wenshan Kingdom.
Rumors in recent years suggested Xiao Changyan refused to return to the capital to maintain his grip on military power.
Nevertheless, the Pei family enjoyed the Emperor's deep trust. One of the left generals of the Golden Guard was Xiao Changyan's own uncle, and recently, his capable subordinate had been transferred to Annan as deputy protector.
Calculating this way, the ones who gained the most advantage weren't just Xiao Changqing and his brother. While they flaunted their visible benefits, Xiao Changyan quietly secured substantial gains.
With Cui Jinbai associating with the Pei family, Shen Xihe—who had only been half-suspicious of Xiao Huayong—now leaned more toward suspecting Xiao Changyan. However, she reserved judgment for now, waiting to see future developments.
"Thank you." Shen Xihe smiled at Bu Shulin.
Bu Shulin wore a pained expression. "So it takes being useful to earn a smile from the beauty."
Shen Xihe's smile deepened. "Being useful can also keep you alive."
Bu Shulin: ...
Before Bu Shulin could respond, Shen Xihe said, "You may leave now."
Bu Shulin: ...
"We've both been away from the banquet too long. It will raise suspicions."
Feeling disgruntled, Bu Shulin could only leave expressionlessly.Watching Bu Shulin walk away with a tense expression, Shen Xihe finally chuckled and instructed Biyu, "Tomorrow, send the fragrant spices I blended to Worldly Son Bu."
The reason Bu Shulin hadn’t changed her habit of using Evening Jade fragrance even after Shen Xihe’s reminder was that it had been her mother’s favorite. To mourn her mother, she used it very lightly, so lightly that only someone with Shen Xihe’s extraordinary sense of smell could detect it.
Perhaps for her, Evening Jade fragrance not only served as a tribute to her late mother but also as a constant reminder of her identity.
Using Evening Jade fragrance as a base, Shen Xihe had blended it with a more robust spice, allowing Bu Shulin to use it openly from then on.
"Worldly Son Bu will probably be so delighted she won’t be able to sleep," Biyu couldn’t resist teasing.
Shen Xihe smiled faintly. She lingered a while longer in the breeze before heading back. To avoid drawing attention, she deliberately retraced her steps, which inevitably took her past the courtyard of the toilet.
Unexpectedly, she encountered the two sisters from the Pingyao Marquis residence, Yu Sangzi and Yu Sangning.
Yu Sangzi shoved Yu Sangning to the ground, exclaiming, "You’re always up to no good! Even when someone gives me a scented sachet, you tell me to be wary. The one I should really be wary of is you!"
With that, Yu Sangzi stormed off angrily, while Yu Sangning slowly rose with the help of her maid.
Just then, they noticed Shen Xihe approaching. Yu Sangning, still shaken by Shen Xihe’s punishment of Liang Danpu at the Ding Prince residence, immediately stepped aside and lowered her gaze submissively.
Shen Xihe had no intention of speaking to her, but the path was rather narrow. As she passed Yu Sangning, they were less than half a step apart. In the gentle breeze, the scent of incense from the toilet mingled with the osmanthus fragrance wafting from Yu Sangning, though within the osmanthus was a faint, familiar herbal aroma.
Shen Xihe didn’t dwell on it and returned to the banquet just as the segment for noble ladies to present their dances began.
In this dynasty, the love for dance was particularly strong. From high officials to commoners, men and women alike enjoyed dancing, and dance skills were an essential accomplishment for noble ladies.
Bian Xianyi opened the segment with a drum dance performed alongside dancers from the Office of Music. The deep, resonant drumbeats and the dancers’ graceful yet powerful movements captivated the audience, leaving them enthralled long after the dance ended.
One might have expected the performers after Bian Xianyi to feel intimidated, but surprisingly, the next dancer was Changling Princess. Dressed in red, she performed a lively and agile Hu Xuan dance, full of intricate variations.
Her sleeves and skirts twirled with ethereal grace; spinning left and right, she moved like a whirlwind sweeping through snow.
It was a true feast for the eyes. Following her, Princess Pingling performed the Hu Teng’er dance, her steps rhythmic and overlapping.
She seemed to tread on flowers, ready to take flight, her jeweled belt tinkling; like one intoxicated, she swayed softly, her silks and brocades swirling in a riot of colors.
One performance after another dazzled the audience. Fortunately, it wasn’t a competition requiring rankings, or it would have been impossible to judge who was best.
Just then, a commotion arose not far from Shen Xihe. While most were absorbed in the stunning dances, only those nearby noticed—it was Yu Sangzi from the Pingyao Marquis residence, who had changed into her dance attire and rushed over.
Shen Xihe noticed red bumps on her face and saw how anxious she looked. It seemed her turn to perform was approaching.
Appearing like this would be disrespectful in front of the sovereign and clash with the celebratory atmosphere of the birthday banquet. She would have to explain the situation, but once she did, everyone would wonder why she suddenly couldn’t dance. Clearly, she didn’t want to become the subject of gossip.At that moment, Yu Sangning leaned over and whispered something, after which the two of them left together.
Shen Xihe smiled and remarked, "Verbena—prolonged sun exposure causes rashes."
Few were aware of this; she had only learned it through her in-depth research on perfumery.
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