Zhао Нuаnzhi had fallеn hаrd this timе, his visiоn swimming with stаrs, and he laу thеre for а long while unаblе tо gеt uр. With grеat effоrt, he struggled to push himself upright аnd, fоcusing his gаze, sаw thе figurе undеr the lаmрlight drеssеd in а prinсe’s narrow-slееved rоbe with a round сollar, thе shoulders аdоrnеd with fiеrсе сoiling dragоns. Нaving just struсk sоmеonе, the mаn wоre an ехprеssion of utter innоcencе.
Sоuthеrn Gardеn Barbariаn! Sitting оn thе weаlth оf Jinling, hе hаd nоt оnly mоnеy but аlso а reputаtion аs а hаrmless gооd-nаturеd man who offеnded no one. Sincе he usually рaid no аttentiоn tо mattеrs beyond his own affairs, why not just enjoy his banquet in peace? Why meddle in matters that had nothing to do with him? Leaning against the camphor tree, Zhao Huanzhi managed to stand, his shoulder aching and his chest severely bruised. He took a breath, coughing and wheezing.
“What is the meaning of this, Prince of Nanyuan?” he said, half-bent over. “Today is a festival. Why would Your Highness resort to violence?”
The man standing before the railing brushed his sleeves, his tone indifferent. “As an outlying feudal prince, I have seen little of the world and did not know such customs existed even at the feet of the Son of Heaven. Even in ordinary households hosting banquets, guests do not presume upon their hosts. As a subject, Councillor Zhao, how could you show disrespect to the Princess Royal? Does that not warrant death?”
As he spoke these words, there was no trace of malice on his face, yet the chilling severity in his tone sent shivers down one’s spine. Zhao Huanzhi had initially intended to argue his case—after all, losing face before a woman was a great humiliation—but seeing the man’s gradually darkening eyes, the words on the tip of his tongue were swallowed back.
Disrespecting the Princess Royal—unfortunately, the offense was too trivial to act upon. If he made a scene now and a third party intervened, the situation would become too messy to untangle, and it would bring him no benefit. Resentfully, he patted his robe and sneered coldly. “Your Highness’s words are biased. I merely exchanged a few words with Her Highness. It was Your Highness who intervened halfway and assaulted me. How can you now blame me? You accuse me of disrespecting the Princess Royal—do you have any proof?”
If someone is determined to act shamelessly with you, never try to reason with them.
“In that case, Councillor Zhao accuses me of assaulting you. Where is your proof?” He turned to glance at Wanwan. “Did Your Highness see me lay a hand on him?”
Wanwan shook her head repeatedly. “No, Councillor Zhao fell on his own.”
The man on the corridor broke into a triumphant smile, while the one below glared back with furious eyes.
Wanwan, her panic subsiding, finally relaxed. She had thought she would have no choice but to swallow this injustice, but unexpectedly, the Prince of Nanyuan had appeared. Though his arrival was unexpected, it was timely and reliable, resolving her urgent predicament.
Family upbringing was truly something worth considering. Wanwan had always been tolerant, believing that even if some members of a clan acted lawlessly, it did not mean everyone was bad. Now, having seen this batch of rotten tiles from the Zhao family, she overturned all her previous assumptions. Empress Zhao was selfish, self-serving, and acted on her own whims, while this clansman dared to reach out after just three sentences of conversation. Such audacity was truly astonishing.
“Stop glaring,” she said calmly, looking down at the man from her elevated position. “I will report Councillor Zhao’s actions today truthfully to those above. If The Emperor does not deal with you, I certainly will not let it go. You may leave now. When you see Old Consort Zhao, convey my words to her. When I have the time, I will surely invite her to the Palace of Heavenly Purity. Then, whether the matter is resolved smoothly or with difficulty, we shall discuss it thoroughly.”Zhao Huanzhi was momentarily dazed when he suddenly heard the sound of gongs and drums from the east, muddled and indistinct, as if it weren't just ceremonial music but mixed with the clamor of pots and bowls. He blankly raised his eyes, not realizing when the moon had lost a large piece of itself, its clear glow dimmed, the missing half melting into the thick darkness of the night.
A lunar eclipse on the fifteenth day of the eighth month—such a celestial phenomenon was rare, occurring only once in several decades. The remaining half gradually devoured by a dark red hue, suddenly plunging into boundless darkness, leaving only a faint halo hanging lonely in the sky, with even the accompanying stars gone.
Zhao Huanzhi shuddered, covering his chest as he fled. The lanterns in the Golden Pavilion still shone brightly, appearing even more vivid in the pitch-black world.
Wanwan let out a long breath and bowed to the Prince of Nanyuan. "Your Highness has traveled a long way to the capital. The journey must have been arduous."
She made no mention of the humiliation she had just endured—a matter of her pride as a princess.
He understood perfectly, a gentle smile curling his lips, brighter than the last glimmer of moonlight. He returned the bow with a respectful salute, bending earnestly at the waist. "With His Majesty ascending the throne, it is only proper for a vassal to come to the capital to offer congratulations. I dare not speak of hardship."
And then? What should be said next? The two stood facing each other, smiling repeatedly, both feeling somewhat awkward. Wanwan turned slightly aside, her heart unsettled. At this moment, Xiao Duo could no longer attend to her, and she hadn't expected her rescuer to be the Prince of Nanyuan. Though her memories of him were few, he wasn't entirely unfamiliar. She stole a glance at him—his profile was serene and elegant, free of desire, as if on the verge of attaining enlightenment. Tilting her head, she thought, to cultivate such detachment amidst wealth and luxury, Jinling must be a wondrous place, unlike this restless Capital.
A hero rescuing a beauty—once the rescue was over, they would inevitably part. She waited to see him off, intending to leave this place herself. Yet he showed no sign of departing. As she stole glances at him, he slowly turned his gaze toward her. Their eyes met, and he seemed faintly shy, lacking the composed demeanor he had displayed earlier.
"What is Your Highness looking at?"
Wanwan had thought he would find some topic to discuss, and she had prepared to explain the customs and culture of the capital to him, repaying his chivalrous rescue. But... looking at what? How was she supposed to answer that?
"Looking..." she pondered hard, struggling. "Looking at Your Highness... you seem somewhat familiar."
His laughter carried a teasing tone. "I also find Your Highness familiar. We must have met somewhere before."
At this, Wanwan fell silent. Was he about to bring up old accounts? She hesitated for a long time before deciding to deny it. "Your Highness must be mistaken. At The Late Emperor's Dragon Boat Festival banquet, the Empress Dowager did not permit me to attend, so there was no opportunity to meet then."
She had to admit that lying was an art, one that those accustomed to honesty were not skilled in. By saying this, she had unwittingly confessed. He had never mentioned the previous year, but her own guilt led her to evade, only to find herself walking right into the trap.
He looked at her with a half-smile, his eyes gleaming like golden rings. "Your Highness is right. We did not meet last year, but ten years ago, I already remembered Your Highness."
Wanwan knew he was referring to the incident when she accidentally trespassed into the Palace of Heavenly Purity. But ten years had passed, and she was someone who cared only for good food and fun, paying little attention to anything else. A casual remark from back then—how could she have any impression of it?
Pursing her lips, she smiled uncertainly. "Ten years ago... Your Highness has an excellent memory.""To Your Highness, it may have been trivial, but to Liangshi, it was a life-saving grace." He lowered his head slightly, a distant look in his eyes. "I was young and reckless back then, accidentally trespassing into a forbidden area. The Silk-clad Guards seized my arms and nearly wrenched them off. Had Your Highness not passed by, I would likely have been dragged to the Eastern Factory. Our Southern Garden has always been viewed with suspicion by the imperial court. If the matter had escalated, I would have had no way to explain myself to my father. Thus, I have always held Your Highness's great kindness in my heart. Last year, when I entered the palace for a banquet, I had hoped to visit Your Highness, but alas, Your Highness resides deep within the inner palace. For an outsider like me, seeking an audience was as difficult as scaling the heavens."
Such an old memory seemed to belong to another world, yet he recalled it with exceptional clarity—even the clothes she wore that day and the hairstyle she had, he could describe in detail.
The five-year-old Princess Hede did not yet possess the breathtaking beauty she would later grow into, but in the eyes of the young boy, she was already a stunning vision. The Emperor's only beloved daughter, even for the short distance from the Hall of Heavenly Favor to the Cultivating Virtue Palace, was carried in a small sedan chair. At that time, she was mischievous, kneeling halfway on the cushion, startling the Nurse Matrons and Eunuchs on either side, who had to walk alongside with outstretched arms, guarding her. He, being held captive, was in a sorry state. As she passed by and saw him, she called out like a little mountain bandit, "Who goes there!"
The Nurse Matron forced a smile, "My dear mistress, never mind who it is. Let's hurry back. Consort Xu is waiting for you."
She shouted to stop, her short legs kicking as she jumped down from the sedan chair.
She wore a honey-colored floral-patterned jacket with a skirt adorned with treasure gourd motifs. In height, she barely reached his waist. Yet she carried herself with an air of authority and overwhelming power. "Why are you holding him? What crime has he committed?"
The Silk-clad Guards bowed in salute, "Your Highness, trespassing into the Palace of Heavenly Purity is a capital offense."
The princess felt she had heard a joke. "I visit the Palace of Heavenly Purity every day. Do you plan to execute me too? Release him and let him go find his father!"
The Silk-clad Guards exchanged uneasy glances, but with the princess's command, none dared disobey. They had no choice but to let him go.
The princess departed as if brushing dust from her sleeves, leaving no trace of her name. Yet this small act of kindness, which she had long forgotten, remained etched in his heart for so many years.
Wanwan felt deeply embarrassed, her face flushed with discomfort. "I was just a child back then. Please, Prince, do not take it to heart. As for that Councillor Zhao earlier... thank you for rescuing me. Otherwise, I would have been in a difficult situation, unsure of what to do."
He smiled gently, "It was merely a small effort. Even if I encountered injustice outside, I would intervene, let alone when it concerns Your Highness. It's a pity we cannot touch him within the palace, or else his arm would have been broken long ago."
He was a refined man, but when speaking of Zhao Huanzhi, his expression turned fierce, though even his anger was not particularly intimidating.
Wanwan's lips tightened slightly. "I blame myself for trusting others too easily, allowing myself to be fooled like an idiot..." Realizing she had spoken carelessly, she quickly stopped and turned to ask him, "Why is the Prince not at the banquet? Did you come here to admire the flowers?"
Naturally, she did not know that her every move was under his watchful eye. Though he could only observe from afar, ensuring her safety was something he could still manage."Just passing by," he said vaguely, turning to gaze into the distance. The moon now lingered as a faint, pale shadow, nestled against the upturned eaves of the multi-tiered palace roof. A touch of melancholy colored his tone as he whispered, "Let's wait for the moon to emerge. Wherever Your Highness wishes to go, Liangshi will escort you."
For no particular reason, Wanwan felt a sudden stir in her heart. Under the lamplight, his silhouette appeared warm, his brows and eyes serene. If her brief encounter with him the previous year had left her uncertain, unable to distinguish him clearly from the Eunuch Official, this deeper impression now made her realize the two men were entirely different.
Xiao Duo was a man of sharp edges, each stroke of his character distinct and unyielding. Liangshi, however, possessed texture—clear and profound, yet without sharpness. Being near him felt neither cold nor frightening. He offered to escort her, though it was unclear when the lunar eclipse would end. Truthfully, a man and a woman alone in this pavilion would not look proper if seen by others, but it mattered little. Compared to that Councillor Zhao, the Prince of Nanyuan was already a rare find.
She walked to the railing beside the reclining latticework and lifted her head to gaze at the clouds and moon at the horizon. Against the pillars of the Golden Pavilion, her slender silhouette was cast—a graceful neck, standing alone. He dared not look directly at her, fearing it would be a desecration. Instead, he stole glances at the pillars, tracing her image in his mind—every inch, every strand, pure and vivid.
They stood in silence for a long while until finally, lantern light flickered into view from the palace gate, likely coming to fetch her. That faint glimmer gradually grew larger, and just as it was about to reach them, he softly called out, "Your Highness."
She turned to look back. "Does the Prince have any instructions?"
"I wouldn’t dare," he replied, hesitating slightly, the prayer beads in his hand clicking softly. "Councillor Zhao is lacking in character and truly not a suitable match. Should Empress Rong'an insist on pushing for this union, Your Highness must not agree."
Such advice took her by surprise. Wanwan pressed her lips together, saying nothing, only studying him with suspicion.
The light spilling from the lantern’s rim illuminated the face of the approaching figure. Tong Huan arrived at the foot of the steps, lantern in hand, and bowed. "The Emperor has inquired about Your Highness. This servant has come to escort you to the banquet."
There was no reason to stay any longer. Wanwan acknowledged with a nod and turned slightly toward him. "Thank you, Prince. I will handle this matter as I see fit."
She took Tong Huan’s arm and stepped out of the Golden Pavilion. Even after walking some distance, she could still feel his gaze following her. Strangely, it was those very eyes that stirred a faint unease in her heart. Instinctively, she tightened her grip on Tong Huan’s wrist, steadied her breath, and slowly calmed herself.
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