Shao Shang returned to the Everlasting Autumn Palace with a heavy heart, weighed down by the gravity of human life. As expected, the Crown Prince had been waiting by the Empress's side. When both mother and son turned their hopeful gazes toward her, she felt somewhat overwhelmed. Ling Buyi, however, remained composed and calmly summarized the murder case at Liang Manor in a detached tone, as if he were merely reporting that the neighbor's tabby cat had given birth to two more kittens.
After listening, the Empress was puzzled: "...Apart from Lingjun, no one entered or left the study. Yet Lingjun firmly denies killing her husband. So who exactly killed Liang Shang?"
The Crown Prince, on the other hand, was both shocked and bewildered. His expression shifted several times before he finally spoke: "Zisheng, so you're saying Liang Shang must have been killed before the hour of Shen?"
Ling Buyi gave him a deep look but did not respond.
The Crown Prince then turned to Shao Shang: "Shao Shang, you tell us."
Shao Shang glanced curiously at her fiancé before quickly replying, "Your Highness, I questioned everyone. The warm stove in the study wasn't burning very hot. Regardless of whether the person who delivered lunch at noon killed Liang Shang, given how cold the corpse was, Liang Shang couldn't possibly have been killed during the hour of Shen... According to the coroner, he had been dead for at least over an hour."
The Crown Prince closed his eyes, as if steeling himself for a major decision. He solemnly bowed to the Empress and said, "Mother, I have something to confess."
"Crown Prince, I do not approve," Ling Buyi interjected suddenly.
Shao Shang looked at him in surprise—the Crown Prince hadn't even said anything yet.
The Empress glanced at Ling Buyi, then back at the Crown Prince: "Speak first."
The Crown Prince said, "I wish to clear Lingjun's name..."
Shao Shang was startled. Ling Buyi's flat voice cut in again: "I still do not approve."
Ignoring them both, the Crown Prince continued, "Mother, Liang Shang couldn't possibly have been killed by Lingjun because... because..." He flushed slightly. "Because yesterday, I met Lingjun at the Purple Osmanthus Courtyard outside the city!"
The Empress gasped in shock. Shao Shang turned to Ling Buyi in astonishment: "Did you already know about this?"
"Ever since Madam Qu arrived in the Capital City, I've been on guard day and night, worried His Highness would go to see her," Ling Buyi said calmly. "The morning before yesterday, when I heard His Highness had ordered a carriage prepared for mountain roads, I knew what he intended. So I tampered with the carriage, hoping the axle would break halfway and give His Highness a fall..."
Shao Shang facepalmed: "You actually came up with such a terrible idea?"
"Unfortunately, His Highness was too impatient and decided to ride a horse instead at the last moment. So I arranged for some men to disguise themselves as bandits and scare him back to the city..."
"So those people were your doing!" the Crown Prince exclaimed incredulously.
"But luck wasn't on my side—we happened to run into General Han and his troops returning from patrol. If my men hadn't fled quickly, they might have been captured alive by General Han, and I'd have had to bail them out."
The Crown Prince was both exasperated and amused: "Zisheng, you... how could you... Ah, well, man proposes, heaven disposes."
Finally, Ling Buyi delivered a darkly humorous conclusion: "Your Highness is right. I've come to understand heaven's will. From now on, if I oppose Your Highness's actions, I won't beat around the bush. If I had challenged Your Highness to a duel the other day and taken the chance to break your arm, perhaps none of this would have happened."
In response to this remarkable speech, the Empress shook her head repeatedly, while Shao Shang was left utterly speechless.The Crown Prince touched his intact arm and subtly shifted slightly away from Ling Buyi. Turning back to the Empress, he continued, "That Secluded Residence is quite a distance from Liang Manor. Even at a gallop, it would take over an hour to travel between them. Ling Jun left early in the morning, and we only had a brief meeting. By the time we parted, it was already the beginning of the noon hour. Mother, think about it—no matter what, Ling Jun couldn't have returned home before the mid-afternoon hour. How could she possibly have killed Liang Shang?!" He had thrown caution to the wind and said everything in one breath.
The Empress pressed a hand to her chest, breathing lightly as she said, "You... you shouldn't have seen her again, especially in private! Are you trying to commit adultery with a minister's wife?!"
The Crown Prince kowtowed, weeping. "Mother, please forgive me! Your son would never dare to commit such a rebellious act. Since parting with Ling Jun ten years ago, I had long resolved to forget all past affairs... but... but... I happened to learn that Ling Jun's life has been truly miserable! That beast Liang Shang was worse than an animal—he had been beating her for years..."
"It's true! It's absolutely true!" Shao Shang quickly spoke up for the Crown Prince. "This concubine saw with her own eyes—Madam Qu's injuries included bruises from pinching, blows, and even whip lashes! I heard some of those wounds were years old!"
The Empress sat back in a daze, her face gradually showing a look of pity.
"Though, perhaps it would've been better not to mention this," Shao Shang muttered. "Bringing it up only makes Madam Qu's motive for killing her husband more apparent."
"My child," the Empress said weakly, "do you realize that once you speak of this, you won't escape the vicious gossip? Your reputation, your virtue—none of it will remain untarnished..."
The Crown Prince shed tears. "The pure will remain pure. Father will understand. Ling Jun refused to plead her own innocence precisely to avoid implicating me. If I were to prioritize self-preservation and stand by watching her suffer unjustly, what kind of person would I be?!"
Shao Shang was somewhat moved. No matter the time or place, those with kindness in their hearts always brought warmth to others.
"Even so, this subject still does not approve," Ling Buyi continued impassively.
Shao Shang's moment of emotion was interrupted, and she said irritably, "Can you say anything besides 'do not approve'?!"
The Crown Prince turned to Shao Shang with a sorrowful smile. "The Crown Princess and Ling Jun are as different as heaven and earth, yet their circumstances are now completely reversed. I abandoned the jewel for a shard of tile—you must have long secretly cursed me as a fool in your heart."
Shao Shang thought, Well, at least you're aware of it.
The Crown Prince whispered, "Ten years ago, I didn't know about the marriage arrangement between the Qu and Liang families. I thought Ling Jun would marry well and live harmoniously with her husband, so I endured the pain of parting. Who could have guessed she would meet such a scoundrel as Liang Shang and live a life worse than death... Upon reflection, it was all my fault. Now, I can only repay this debt."
Shao Shang sighed softly.
The Crown Prince then turned to Ling Buyi. "Zisheng, though younger than I, has been wise and decisive since childhood, understanding ten things upon hearing one. Back then, you advised me to break off the engagement and marry Ling Jun, saying 'a short pain is better than a long one.' I didn't listen to you, and now I regret it too late. Today, I must once again disregard your counsel."
Shao Shang grew even more moved, but Ling Buyi remained like an unfeeling automaton: "Your Highness speaks well, but this subject still does not approve."
Shao Shang glared at him: "..."
The Crown Prince shook his head with a bitter smile and stopped arguing. The Empress also turned away silently, tacitly conceding.After leaving the Everlasting Autumn Palace, Shao Shang sighed with emotion, "Actually, I'm quite good at judging people. The first time I saw the Crown Princess, I thought she wasn't a kind-hearted person, and now it seems I was right. The first time I saw the Crown Prince, I thought he was a benevolent gentleman, and alas, that also turned out to be true."
Ling Buyi remained silent.
Shao Shang asked, "Why aren't you saying anything?"
Ling Buyi's ice-carved, frost-congealed expression didn't change in the slightest: "I just want to know how the Crown Prince 'accidentally learned' that Qu Lingjun had been abused by Liang Shang for years."
Shao Shang laughed carelessly, "I know there are many twists and turns behind this, but why bother with all that? As long as Madam Qu wasn't in the study at the time, then she couldn't be the murderer. Isn't that enough?"
Ling Buyi seemed to think of something as he stopped by a plum tree and gently touched the girl's head. Her soft hair was braided into a simple, adorably clumsy bun that hung by her cheeks. He smiled and said, "Actually, your simple-mindedness is quite endearing too."
Shao Shang immediately took offense, slapping his hand away and glaring at him with wide, round eyes. "You're calling me stupid!" Among all the ways she'd been criticized openly or covertly over the years, this was a relatively fresh insult.
"Why don't you go home and ask your father and mother what they think?" Ling Buyi stood beneath the white plum tree with its falling blossoms, his smile clear and bright.
"Ask them I shall!" Shao Shang declared loudly.
Upon returning home, Shao Shang went straight to her parents' inner chamber, only to find Old Man Cheng lying with his head on Madam Xiao's lap as she cleaned his ears—just cleaning ears, yet they were exchanging flirtatious glances and touching hands and feet... truly an unbearable sight. Shao Shang had to retreat behind the screen, coughing twice loudly before entering the room.
After briefly explaining the situation, Shao Shang asked, "Father, Mother, do you think the Crown Prince should testify for Madam Qu?"
Old Man Cheng thought for a moment and countered, "What does Zisheng say?"
Shao Shang replied unhappily, "Why ask about him?!... He doesn't approve."
"Then the Crown Prince shouldn't testify!" Old Man Cheng answered bluntly.
"Father, how can you be like this?! Whatever Ling Zisheng says goes? You won't even dine with him!"
Cheng Shi justified himself, "Whether I'm willing to dine with Zisheng has nothing to do with whether I trust his judgment! I come back every night to eat with you, little troublemaker, but does that mean I trust you?!"
"Father doesn't trust his own daughter?!" Shao Shang was deeply hurt. "Father, go ask around—how many in the entire Capital City are as capable and clever as your daughter, who can even thrive in the palace..."
Cheng Shi shook his head, "That depends on who you compare her to. Compared to Ling Buyi, I'd certainly trust him more."
"Father...!"
"Enough!" Madam Xiao scolded softly. "Where are you two taking this?" After glaring at her husband, she said seriously to her daughter, "After all, we come from humble origins. We don't understand the intricacies of those noble families, and we may not grasp the Crown Prince's current situation as well as Zisheng does. When you encounter such matters, you should listen to Zisheng more. He's older than you and has seen more. If he doesn't approve, there must be a reason."
Cheng Shi added, "Your mother is right. It never hurts to be cautious."Shao Shang lowered her head in thought, then said, "Father and Mother's teachings are correct, your daughter will remember them. But it's too late now—while we've been speaking, the Crown Prince has already gone before His Majesty. Looking on the bright side, perhaps His Majesty will see the Crown Prince's benevolence and honesty, and instead appreciate his sincerity? Father, Mother, then your daughter will take her leave now. Tomorrow morning, Mother need not come to wake me. The Empress said I was tired from today's events at Liang Manor and has permitted me to enter the palace later tomorrow. I intend to sleep until the sun is high in the sky."
Watching their youngest daughter depart, Cheng Shi smiled at his wife. "Don't you think Niao Niao has grown up? She's much more tolerant now. If this had happened when we first returned, she would have surely mocked the Crown Prince for meddling in others' affairs."
Madam Xiao gazed in the direction their daughter had gone, remaining silent for a long while before speaking. "...It's not that she's grown up. It's that the Empress has treated her well. Her Majesty is gentle and kind, tolerating her self-righteousness while praising her cleverness. Over time, the hostility in Niao Niao's nature naturally faded. When others treat her with leniency, she in turn learns to view the world with tolerance."
Cheng Shi, understanding his wife's thoughts, sighed. "Don't dwell on it. It's Niao Niao's good fortune to have won the Empress's favor."
Madam Xiao's heart was clear as a mirror. But some things, once past, could never be reclaimed.
...
The next day, Shao Shang indeed slept until the sun warmed her backside. Satisfied, she crawled out of her cozy bedding, washed, dressed, and made herself presentable. A Zhu couldn't help remarking, "It's so late already, Young Lady. Why not have lunch at home before going to the palace?"
Shao Shang laughed as she walked out. "I'm saving the household some provisions."
But little A Mei exposed her: "Sang Guo told me. There's salt-roasted venison at Everlasting Autumn Palace today. The Young Lady has been craving it for ages. She even instructed the kitchen to save her a few pieces to bring back for everyone to try tonight."
Shao Shang stuck out her tongue at A Mei. "You little tattletale! Betray me, and you'll get no venison!"
Amid the laughter of the maids in the courtyard, Shao Shang departed. Inside the carriage, she scolded Sang Guo: "I thought you were honest and tight-lipped! Telling A Mei is the same as telling A Zhu, and telling A Zhu means Mother will know. Once Mother knows, Father will surely rush to tease me about my gluttony!"
Sang Guo hung her head in shame. "This servant was at fault. Last night, when I told the kitchen staff that the Young Lady would bring fresh venison home today and asked if they knew how to prepare it, A Mei overheard."
Lian Fang chuckled. "It amounts to the same. Once the kitchen knows, Madam Qing knows, and naturally the Female Lord will find out too." Meaning there was no way Shao Shang could have escaped discovery.
As the three conversed, their carriage passed through the marketplace. Shao Shang noticed an unusual commotion outside, though she couldn't discern the cause. A sense of foreboding prompted her to send a servant to investigate. The news he brought back left her aghast.
"...The commoners are whispering that the Crown Prince has killed the Governor of Liangzhou's son!"
Terror-stricken, Shao Shang dared not delay further and hastened to the palace. Alighting at the Upper West Gate, she sprinted all the way to Everlasting Autumn Palace. Only then did she notice the expressions of fear and caution on everyone—from the Central Yellow Gate Attendants guarding the palace gates to the palace maids sweeping the paths—all wary of attracting misfortune.Zhai Nanny came forward and quietly informed her that the Crown Prince was inside being reprimanded by the Emperor, though she didn’t know the specifics. Shao Shang nodded and cautiously stepped into the hall, making her way down the palace corridor. She spotted Cen Anzhi standing guard at the inner chamber’s entrance and raised her hands in a gesture to stop him from announcing her arrival. Cen Anzhi gave a bitter smile and nodded in agreement.
From the inner chamber came the Emperor’s furious shouts. Shao Shang faintly heard words like "utterly ignorant," "acting on your own," and "unbelievably foolish." She had always held the Crown Prince in high regard, believing him to possess simple integrity, compassionate kindness, and a readiness to stand up for justice... Then, she quietly retreated.
"Aren’t you going in to speak a few good words for His Highness?" A voice suddenly came from behind, startling Shao Shang so much she nearly screamed.
She turned and smacked Ling Buyi hard, whispering fiercely, "Am I insane? His Majesty scolds me even on ordinary days. If I go in now, it’d be a death sentence!"
Seeing the girl’s frightened, tense expression, Ling Buyi led her out, all the way to a side hall for lunch. He placed the most succulent bowl of venison in front of her, watching her with the affectionate gaze one might use to encourage a kitten to drink milk.
Shao Shang asked what exactly had happened. Ling Buyi ordered her to keep eating while he explained in detail—
Yesterday afternoon, the Crown Prince had gone to confess to the Emperor about his private meeting with Qu Lingjun, hoping to clear her name. Instead, he was berated harshly and told not to act rashly—the Emperor had his own plans. Worried that delays would only cause Qu Lingjun more suffering—what if she took her own life in despair?—the Crown Prince went to the Court of Justice on his own and confessed to Ji Zun. It was said Old Man Ji turned pale with anger, glaring at the Crown Prince before reluctantly notifying Liang Manor at the prince’s insistence.
Aunt Liang naturally flew into a rage, viciously cursing Qu Lingjun for her lack of virtue, wishing she could tear her skin off. But the Governor of Liangzhou ignored her outburst, directly informing the clan elders that regardless of who the murderer was, it certainly wasn’t Qu Lingjun, and the matter should end there—no further investigation was needed. At this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. If Qu Lingjun had killed her husband under unbearable abuse, the Liang family would have a hard time explaining it to the Qu family. Besides, everyone trusted Qu Lingjun’s character and didn’t believe the Crown Prince had any improper relationship with her. Even if they had, noble households were full of such ambiguities.
At this point, Liang Shang’s body could finally be prepared for burial. Because the fatal injuries were so obvious, Ji Zun had overlooked conducting an autopsy—and that’s when things took a turn for the worse.
"Liang Shang had a jade cicada in his mouth, engraved with the characters ‘Zi Kun,’" Ling Buyi said calmly.
Shao Shang knew this was the Crown Prince’s courtesy name. "...Could it be a mistake? Maybe someone forged it—engravings aren’t hard to fake."
"Lord Ji was still at Liang Manor, dining with the Governor. As someone who frequently attends imperial audiences, he recognized it as the very jade cicada the Crown Prince usually wears," Ling Buyi remarked casually. "In fact, Lord Ji had seen it hanging from the prince’s waist just days earlier."
"Also, when Liang Shang’s hair was loosened, several tiny osmanthus petals were found tangled within it—keep eating, don’t stop. Yes, those petals were purple," Ling Buyi continued.—The specialty of the Crown Prince’s Purple Osmanthus Courtyard, the unique purple osmanthus flowers found nowhere else in the Capital City!
“Is there more?” Shao Shang asked, resigned to the worst.
“Naturally,” Ling Buyi replied coolly. “Though Old Ji is advanced in years, his mind remains sharp. Seeing the situation, he immediately went to inspect the chest that had delivered the ancient texts.”
“What about the chest?” Shao Shang asked suspiciously. “I remember it was empty—no, wait, there were a few bamboo scrolls inside, with some scattered beside it.”
“Old Ji removed all the bamboo scrolls from the chest and lifted the oilcloth lining the bottom. He discovered not only traces of blood on the inner walls but also several grains of purple osmanthus.”
“…What a neat trail of clues,” Shao Shang sneered, slamming down her chopsticks. She could almost imagine what the Liang Manor household must have speculated last night—Qu Lingjun, intending to meet the Crown Prince in secret, was discovered by Liang Shang, who then followed her to the Purple Osmanthus Courtyard. There, he confronted his wife and the Crown Prince in a rage, leading to his murder. Afterward, to cover up the crime, the Crown Prince used the chest to transport Liang Shang’s corpse to the study, where Qu Lingjun pretended to discover the body. Finally, with the Crown Prince as her alibi, Qu Lingjun would escape blame.
“Then how did this escalate so much? It’s become the talk of the town!” Shao Shang fumed. “How could the Liang family be so reckless? Even if the truth isn’t clear, even if the Crown Prince did act improperly, they shouldn’t have exposed this!”
“A wise person wouldn’t do such a thing. But, of course, the Liang family has its fools,” Ling Buyi mocked. “The old matriarch of the Liang family, nursing her resentment, became convinced that the Governor of Liangzhou and Lord Ji were deliberately shielding the Crown Prince and Qu Lingjun. Last night, she feigned a fainting spell. Early this morning, she had her confidants slip out of Liang Manor and loudly report the case to the Capital Magistrate.”
Shao Shang’s chest tightened with anger as she looked at Ling Buyi. “With things blown up like this, how can you remain so indifferent?”
Ling Buyi gave a cold smile. “Isn’t it a good thing to finally know what moves our opponent will make? Otherwise, we’d always be on edge, never knowing from where, when, or whom the next strike would come.”
He rose gracefully, his tall frame pacing slowly around the room. “This trail of clues may seem tidy, but it’s not flawless. The jade cicada, the purple osmanthus—all could have been planted. The Crown Prince has always been open and careless with details. He once even lost the Eastern Palace seal—how much less would he care about a mere accessory?”
“But unfortunately, our upright and virtuous Crown Prince has already admitted to meeting Qu Lingjun at the Purple Osmanthus Courtyard, which complicates matters. Still, even if Liang Shang had stumbled upon the Crown Prince and Qu Lingjun, disposing of a corpse would have been simple. Hmph! Why go to such lengths? It’s practically an admission of guilt!”
“There are many flaws in this case. But as long as the truth remains unclear, even if His Majesty forcibly suppresses it, the Crown Prince will never escape the sidelong glances and rumors. I suspect the mastermind behind this doesn’t actually intend to pin the crimes of murder and wife-stealing firmly on the Crown Prince. They merely want to muddy the waters, tarnish his reputation, and lay the groundwork for the future…”
Only now did this seemingly ordinary case of uxoricide begin to shed its carefully concealed facade, revealing its sinister and twisted true nature to Shao Shang. The mechanisms were interlocking, each twist exploiting human weakness. The thought that someone had been lurking in the shadows all along, watching the Everlasting Autumn Palace like blood-dripping fangs exuding a chilling aura, sent an involuntary shiver down her spine.Ling Buyi waited until the Emperor had finished his scolding before returning to the inner hall to tidy up the battlefield and, incidentally, take in the prisoners.
The Empress had fallen ill again—whether from anger or sorrow, no one could say. But she didn’t mention a word of it to Shao Shang. Instead, she smiled and urged her to take the roe deer meat home early. If the Cheng Residence’s kitchen staff didn’t know how to prepare it, she said, the Everlasting Autumn Palace’s cooks could make a trip there to help.
Shao Shang quietly left the bedchamber and saw the Crown Prince sitting dazedly under the corridor outside, lost in thought. In the glow of the setting sun, his face seemed to have aged five years in a single day, looking utterly helpless. Sensing someone behind him, he asked softly, “Is Her Majesty well?”
“Her Majesty has taken the medicinal broth and is now asleep.”
"Some say I lack virtue and conduct, and indeed, they are not wrong. It would be best to add that I lack discernment as well. Back then, I misjudged the Crown Princess, causing Lingjun to marry the wrong man. Now, when I wish to help Lingjun, I only plunge her into an even more wretched situation. Truly, as the Crown Prince, I am utterly worthless," the Crown Prince mocked himself.
"Your Highness, do you truly believe Madam Qu did not kill Liang Shang?" Shao Shang did not offer comfort but instead posed a sharp question. "You misjudged the Crown Princess before—could it be that you are now misjudging Madam Qu? What if she plotted to kill her husband during the journey, hid his body in a book chest, and then transported it back to the study after meeting with you?"
The Crown Prince was taken aback and laughed. "Then what would be her motive? What benefit would dragging me into this bring her, or the Liang and Qu families?"
"Your Highness, I know nothing of court politics. But are you certain the Liang and Qu families have absolutely no intention of framing you?" Shao Shang pressed.
The Crown Prince chuckled. "Though I may be blind and foolish, I am not so ignorant. Noble families like the Liangs and Qus would never personally involve themselves in such schemes, even if they wished to harm me."
Shao Shang murmured, "That’s what I thought as well. The Liang family is now in utter chaos, their reputation in ruins. Who would sacrifice so much just to frame someone? Especially when the blow might not even be fatal—it’s like injuring the enemy by eight hundred while losing a thousand oneself. Even my family, which has only risen in the last twenty or thirty years, would never take such risks, let alone the Liang and Qu families."
"What exactly are you trying to ask, Shao Shang?" the Crown Prince questioned.
Shao Shang snapped back to attention and smiled. "Earlier, Lord Ling mentioned to me that Madam Qu is known for her intelligence. If she truly wished to kill Liang Shang, she would have countless methods and would never place herself in such a predicament. Combined with Your Highness’s words, I believe Madam Qu could not have killed Liang Shang."
"Naturally."
"And Liang Shang couldn’t have taken his own life, could he?"
The Crown Prince laughed. "How could that be?"
"Good."
Shao Shang sat beside the Crown Prince, her eyes as clear and innocent as a child’s. She spoke earnestly, "Your Highness, perhaps you made a mistake ten years ago, but you did not err now. You learned of Madam Qu’s suffering—had you turned a blind eye for the sake of reputation, that would have been truly chilling. There are those who scheme for a lifetime, but none who guard against schemes forever. If you let fear of hidden plots dictate your every move, how dull life would be!"
"However, let this incident serve as a lesson. From now on, please consult Lord Ling before acting. Liang Shang was a coward, a wretch, a despicable man. If you couldn’t intervene personally to stop his abuse of Madam Qu, you could have entrusted Lord Ling with the matter. He has no fewer than a hundred and eighty ways to deal with such scum, don’t you think?"
The Crown Prince, infected by the girl’s fervor, couldn’t help but smile. "I will remember that. From now on, I shall discuss matters with Zisheng. But Shao Shang, you speak as though this affair is already resolved."
Shao Shang stood up, straightening her shoulders with determination. "Your Highness, rest assured. Since Madam Qu is innocent, the true culprit must be someone else. No forest is so dense that light cannot pierce through, no river so vast that not a drop escapes. This is not an endless sea without traces—it’s just one Liang Manor. We will find the flaw!""Both you and Madam Qu are good people. There's no reason for the good to suffer while the wicked strut about. Your Highness, don't worry about your tarnished reputation now. Once the true culprit is caught and the truth comes to light, your innocence will be restored."
The Crown Prince thought to himself: She's so full of vitality, completely different from those frail, pallid creatures raised in the deep palace. Like a tough wild vine, even without branches to cling to, she can stand upright on her own, growing upward to greet the sunlight.
He felt genuine happiness for Ling Buyi.
Author's Note:
When the female lead was at home, facing hostility, wariness, and indifference, she naturally bristled with defenses. But in Everlasting Autumn Palace, where she spends her days eating, sleeping, studying, with protection, tolerance, gentle treatment, and a crowd treating her like a superstar, she unwittingly becomes silly—
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