Li Zhongqian woke from a deep, dreamless sleep to find the room shrouded in darkness.
The bed curtains were drawn low, casting the space in dim shadows.
In the gloom, the soft rustle of silk skirts whispered through the air. A slender figure sat cross-legged before a low table, her profile turned toward him. Chin propped in her hands, a faint smile gracing her lips, she gazed intently at an incense box on the table.
It was a gold-inlaid, engraved clam-shell box adorned with phoenix and bird motifs, its lid slightly ajar. From within seeped tendrils of pale cyan light.
Enchanted, the young lady reached out and gently pushed the lid open.
Instantly, a soft radiance spilled forth like flowing water, illuminating the room as brightly as candlelight.
Inside the box lay a luminous Fu Lin night-luminous wall-jade, round and smooth as a pearl, large as a pigeon’s egg.
Li Zhongqian sat up, rubbing his shoulders.
“Do you like it?”
He asked with a smile, a touch of pride coloring his expression.
Night-luminous wall-jade was also called Bright Moon Pearl. The moment he had seen it, he’d thought of his younger sister, whose childhood name was Bright Moon Slave, given by Xie Wuliang.
Li Yaoying nodded, her smile radiant, her dark lashes thick and lush. “I love it.”
Jewels and precious stones were commonplace, but this Bright Moon Pearl was exceptional—its hue smooth and lustrous, its form exquisite.
The shimmering glow cast upon her snow-white face enhanced her already striking beauty. Bathed in the pearl's hazy radiance, her features appeared as though painted, soft and enchanting.
Li Zhongqian stared blankly for a moment, as if rousing from a deep dream. His phoenix eyes narrowed slightly as he studied Yaoying closely.
Yaoying disliked the heat. Her jet-black hair was swept up high, crowned with a peony-patterned green gauze headdress. An emerald adornment graced her brow, her lips were tinted with spring’s delicate blush, and she wore a robe of sheer, cicada-wing-like pale blue gossamer silk. Beneath it, a five-colored, gold-threaded, eight-paneled long skirt flowed gracefully. Draped over her arm was a silver-woven shawl embroidered with white-ground floral and bird patterns. Her brows were delicately arched, her gaze a pool of liquid charm. Leaning one hand on the low table, she sat there smiling.
In private, she was always like this—languid and casual, preferring to sit rather than stand, leaning against something rather than kneeling properly. Her posture was unrestrained, utterly lacking the demure dignity expected of a noble lady.
Li Zhongqian had reminded her several times.
Yaoying would obediently promise to change, but before long, she’d subtly shift her kneeling posture—either crossing her legs rudely or simply leaning back against the armrest to laze about.
When scolded, she’d offer a careless smile, kneel properly for a while, then soon revert to her old habits.
Li Zhongqian doted on Yaoying and rarely pressed the matter.
She was his sister—there was no need for her to suppress her nature.
In his eyes, Yaoying was still an innocent, charming child, tottering after him, begging to be carried to the courtyard to pluck ripe plums from the branches.
But in that moment, watching Yaoying bathed in the pearl’s glow, Li Zhongqian suddenly realized: Unnoticed, his sister had long since grown up.
She remained as casual as ever, sitting cross-legged, yet there was no trace of coarseness in her demeanor. In her every glance and gesture, there was an indescribable, just right allure.
Her face was elegantly beautiful, her bearing noble and refined, yet from within her bones emanated a soft, boneless seductiveness.
And in the full bloom of youth, her vivid beauty needed no cosmetics. A mere curve of her brows, a radiant smile, could melt half the frivolous young nobles of the capital.
Li Zhongqian’s brow furrowed slightly, and he suddenly recalled the poems Xue Wu had recited.
Her demeanor profound and graceful, sincere and true,
Her skin delicate, her form perfectly proportioned.
He really should have broken Xue Wu’s other leg back then!
A shadow crossed Li Zhongqian’s eyes, a surge of dark anger rising within him.Since his teenage years, he had lived a life of unrestrained indulgence, frequenting pleasure quarters. He knew exactly what kind of woman could captivate a man’s heart and what was going through the minds of men like Xue Wu.
Yaoying gave Li Zhongqian a puzzled glance and asked with concern, "Brother, do you have a headache?"
Li Zhongqian grunted vaguely in response.
Yaoying patted his arm lightly. "I always tell you to drink less, but you never listen!"
She raised her voice and called for Chunru.
A palace maid answered, lifted the silk bed curtain, and brought warm water and a towel to assist Li Zhongqian with his washing. She then lit the gilded lampstands in all four corners of the room one by one.
Yaoying carefully put away the luminous jade and ordered the servants to bring the meal.
She had already eaten earlier. She had intended to wake Li Zhongqian to join her, but seeing his furrowed brow in his sleep, as if he were extremely exhausted, she decided not to disturb him.
The soup had been kept warm on the stove, and the lamb was stewed until tender. Li Zhongqian ate two bowls in silence and then asked about Mengda Ti Po.
Yaoying had already considered her words carefully. She did not mention the Brahmin miracle drug, only saying that even Mengda Ti Po could not cure Xie Guifei’s madness.
Li Zhongqian did not press further but asked, "Did he check your pulse? What did he say?"
Yaoying smiled. "The master said I was born with a weak constitution, but thanks to careful nurturing and consistent exercise, there’s nothing seriously wrong."
When Xie Guifei was lucid, she would stay by Yaoying’s side day and night, taking care of her without rest.
Yaoying was always kept clean and fresh.
Later, Li Zhongqian took her under his care and sought out renowned physicians far and wide. As long as a doctor prescribed a remedy, no matter how unusual the formula or how rare and expensive the ingredients, he would find a way to gather them and have the medicine prepared into pills for her to take.
Thanks to such meticulous care, her health had improved greatly compared to her childhood. She could run, jump, ride horses, and had grown tall quickly.
Still uneasy, Li Zhongqian had someone fetch the prescriptions left by Mengda Ti Po and sat down under the lamp to examine them carefully.
They were merely a few mild tonics and regulating formulas. After reviewing each one, he nodded.
"Bright Moon Slave, come here."
Li Zhongqian dismissed the servants and motioned for Yaoying to sit before him. He spoke earnestly, "I spoke with Prime Minister Zheng last night and have arranged a marriage for you."
Yaoying was stunned for a long moment, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
Wasn’t this too rushed?
In some matters, Li Zhongqian was stubbornly insistent, and finding her a suitable marriage was one of them.
She had already told him that she was still young and did not wish to marry.
With a sword hanging over her head, she truly had no mind for marriage.
Yet Li Zhongqian remained resolute. After much consideration, he had settled on the Zheng family.
Before his expedition, he had brought this up, but she had not agreed at the time.
After thinking it over, Yaoying stuck to her decision. "Brother, let’s discuss this again in a couple of years."
She had not yet uncovered the truth behind Tang Shi’s angry suicide or found the villain who poisoned Xie Guifei and drove her mad. She simply had no energy to spare for choosing a husband.
Li Zhongqian reached out and ruffled Yaoying’s hair. "Don’t be afraid. It’s just an engagement for now. We can discuss it again after you come of age. The Zheng family’s third son is of legitimate birth, upright in character, handsome, and amiable. He has studied the classics since childhood and is well-versed in laws and institutions. Though he currently holds only a nominal post at the Court of State Ceremonial, he is sure to be promoted soon."
So it really was Zheng Jing?
Yaoying was taken aback.
After leaving Pingkang Ward, Xie Qing had calmly informed her that the young man who had scrambled out the window in such a fluster was none other than the Zheng family’s third son.Yaoying couldn't recall Zheng Jing's appearance and hadn't recognized him at all back then. She had merely taken him for a scholar visiting the pleasure quarters for the first time. Hearing the commotion outside the tavern, he must have mistaken it for officials coming to make arrests. In his flustered embarrassment, he tried to escape by jumping out the window and happened to land right in front of her.
Remembering how Zheng Jing had been covered in dust, mortified beyond words, Yaoying couldn't help but chuckle.
Who could have imagined that the timid and unremarkable Zheng Jing would later rise meteorically to become a powerful chancellor, bold enough to strike the young emperor across the mouth with his court tablet?
Leaning against the armrest, she laughed so hard her shoulders shook, making the candlelight in the room seem to brighten instantly.
Li Zhongqian immediately frowned with suspicion. "What are you laughing at?"
Yaoying waved a dismissive hand. "Nothing."
His narrow phoenix eyes narrowing further, Li Zhongqian suddenly leaned forward, grabbed her shoulders, and pressed urgently: "Xiao Qi, have you met Zheng Jing? What did he say to you? What exactly are you laughing about?"
Yaoying merely smiled without answering, a faint blush coloring her cheeks.
She didn't dare tell him about bumping into Zheng Jing at the brothel—what if he flew into a rage and beat Zheng Jing to death?
Li Zhongqian's face darkened as a possibility occurred to him, turbulent emotions swirling in his eyes.
"Are you in love with Zheng Jing?"
Seeing her like this, could she be having a secret affair with him?
Yaoying stared blankly before hurriedly explaining: "I've only seen him a few times..."
His voice turned cold. "So you have met him? How many times? What did Zheng San say to you?"
Yaoying couldn't resist rolling her eyes at him. She stopped smiling and pushed him away. "I've seen him a few times, but we never spoke."
Since he'd already arbitrarily decided on the marriage alliance, why bother about these details?
She wasn't even the one throwing a tantrum—what was he being so crazy about?
Li Zhongqian fell silent for a long moment, realizing he'd overreacted. He reluctantly released her with a sullen expression.
Sighing, he reached out to carefully adjust the silk shawl slipping from her shoulders, his movements tentative and appeasing.
Yaoying snorted coldly with a stern face, snatching the shawl away to prevent him from touching it.
Li Zhongqian smiled bitterly, gripping the shawl tightly without letting go, his voice strained. "Xiao Qi, remember—don't be like Mother..."
Don't impulsively give your whole heart for a fleeting youthful infatuation, like a moth flying into flames, only to gain nothing in the end.
Even if you love someone, protect yourself well. Be more selfish, more detached.
Don't foolishly plunge headfirst into it.
Yaoying froze.
Li Zhongqian smiled but didn't continue.
Actually, he didn't need to worry so much—Xiao Qi had never been like Xie Guifei.
But he couldn't help his anxiety.
Yaoying sighed softly and gently clasped Li Zhongqian's stiffened hand.
"Elder brother, don't worry."
She suddenly understood why Li Zhongqian had always been unwilling to marry.
He seemed rough and careless, but was actually quite sensitive.
When he was born, Li De and Xie Guifei were at the peak of their affection. He had witnessed the conflicts between Tang Shi and Xie Guifei, watched Xie Guifei awaken from her illusions to disappointment and finally become utterly broken, and seen the Xie family rise to prominence only to collapse.
After experiencing so much, he cared about nothing anymore.
...
After their minor quarrel, Li Zhongqian knew he was in the wrong and agreed to Yaoying's request to postpone discussing the Zheng family matter.
Yaoying breathed a sigh of relief.Since learning she was Li Xuanzhen's sister, she had been observing carefully and discovered some things aligned with her previous knowledge: Tang Shi died before her birth, Li De posthumously honored Tang Shi as empress after ascending the throne, none of the Li family princesses held titles except Zhu Lvyun who was granted the title Fukang, and Li Xuanzhen and Zhu Lvyun were indeed entangled.
However, some things differed: for instance, Li De declared himself emperor two years earlier than in her previous life, and he already had three more sons and two more daughters this time...
Yaoying herself was also a variable.
Now she only wanted to investigate the entanglement between Tang Shi and Xie Guifei, wishing to avoid complications and involving more unrelated people.
...
Crown Prince's Palace.
Li Xuanzhen, having stayed up all night, returned to the Crown Prince's Palace. His attendant reported that Crown Princess Zheng Biyu had waited for him until midnight.
Rubbing his temples, knowing Zheng Biyu must have prepared a full arsenal of admonishments, he turned toward the study instead of going to listen to his wife's lecturing.
Wei Ming had compiled recent intelligence reports into a memorandum for Li Xuanzhen's review.
Li Xuanzhen skimmed through the documents, his brow furrowing halfway: "What's going on with Du Sinan?"
Du Sinan was a rare talent. He had instructed the Crown Prince's officials to recruit him, but after several months, there was still no progress?
Wei Ming answered expressionlessly: "Your Highness, rumors in the capital say Du Sinan has already pledged allegiance to the Second Prince."
Li Xuanzhen smiled: "Du Sinan wouldn't serve Li Zhongqian. Send someone to invite him again..."
He pondered for a moment.
"No, don't send anyone. I'll personally invite him to show respect."
Wei Ming's eyebrow twitched, his face showing difficulty: "Your Highness, Du Sinan might not have pledged to the Second Prince... but there's another rumor in the capital... concerning the Seventh Princess."
Li Xuanzhen remained silent.
Wei Ming glanced at him and continued: "They say the Seventh Princess admires Du Sinan's talent and visits him frequently. Du Sinan is overwhelmed by the favor and has already fallen under the Seventh Princess's spell."
Li Xuanzhen slowly raised his eyelids, his phoenix eyes narrow and sharp.
Wei Ming said: "Your Highness, if Du Sinan truly becomes the Seventh Princess's devotee, he would surely be a formidable threat. This man cannot remain."
Li Xuanzhen asked indifferently: "Is the information reliable?"
Wei Ming nodded.
Li Xuanzhen said nothing more, lowering his head to continue reading the documents.
Wei Ming wasn't anxious, bowing and retreating behind the screen.
Moments later, he saw Li Xuanzhen summon the shadow guards.
A calm command echoed in the quiet study: "Kill."
A single word, cold and lethal.
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