The Golden Hairpin

The summer sky was clear as if freshly washed, with stars embedded in the night, large and emerald green.

Huang Zixiang returned to Kuiwang Mansion by the light of the stars and moon, where Li Shubai was indeed still reading in his study.

Under the brilliant glow of four phoenix-winged octagonal palace lanterns hanging from the ceiling, he had changed into a plain gauze robe. The pure white fabric draped softly over him, appearing exceptionally pristine in the lamplight, like snow settling on distant mountains.

His quiet and composed demeanor, in the stillness of the night, instantly settled Huang Zixiang’s restless heart.

She passed through the curtains and approached him quietly, kneeling before him.

Without looking up, he asked, "Wang Yun suspects you?"

She nodded. "Your Highness already knows?"

"I didn’t," he said, closing the book in his hand and setting it aside. "But I heard from the household that Wang Yun had invited you to meet. To be cautious, I sent you a blank letter."

Huang Zixiang nodded silently, understanding his meaning—the blank letter was a precaution, a way to summon her back if needed, or to be ignored if all was well.

"Wang Yun... already knows I’m Huang Zixiang."

"After all, you were his betrothed—and one who brought him great humiliation. It’s only natural he’d be sharp-eyed." Li Shubai’s tone was indifferent, as if discussing something trivial. "If he saw a eunuch resembling Huang Zixiang and didn’t react at all, that would be strange."

"But there may be trouble in the future."

"There won’t be any more trouble, because I will resolve it for you." Though his words were spoken lightly, they carried undeniable authority.

Huang Zixiang nodded, and at his reassurance, the unease and agitation caused by Wang Yun suddenly dissipated. The storm she had anticipated looming ahead vanished in an instant.

Relieved, she lowered her head with a faint smile.

The long night was silent as the two sat facing each other. Li Shubai, seated before her, glanced up and saw her bowed face. The lamplight cast a faint rosy glow on her jade-white cheeks, lending them a delicate peach-blossom hue—soft and radiant, as though an unseen spring had quietly bloomed beside him in the depths of the night.

He watched as the light trembled like water on her lashes, then swiftly averted his gaze before she could notice. His eyes turned to the desk, where a red fish lay motionless in a glass vessel, peacefully asleep.

As if to break the silence, Li Shubai changed the subject. "What about the explanation you owe me from earlier?"

Huang Zixiang immediately recalled his words on the polo field that day. By helping the man Li Shubai had dismissed from the ceremonial guard, she had effectively opposed him in secret—a blatant disregard for her master.

The pressure she felt now was a hundred times greater than when facing Wang Yun. Her breath hitched before she replied softly, "Your Highness is my master, and to you, I owe loyalty. Zhang Xingying is my friend, and to him, I owe righteousness. Though loyalty and righteousness are at odds, Zhang Xingying once helped me, and I must repay his kindness with courtesy... So after much deliberation, I could only choose to help him first.""So, your relationship with him is quite close, while in comparison, I am more distant, is that it?" Li Shubai glanced at her and said slowly, "Huang Zixiang, you truly know how to distinguish between closeness and distance, showing such loyalty and affection."

Huang Zixiang immediately felt cold sweat trickling down her back. She instinctively defended herself, "Your Highness has shown me immense kindness, and I fear I can never repay it in this lifetime... whereas Zhang Xingying is someone I can repay."

Li Shubai looked at her under the lamplight. She kept her head obediently lowered, appearing guilty and uneasy. The light cast on her face flickered faintly, as if veiled by a layer of restless gauze.

Only then did he speak slowly, "Actually, I have no interest in Zhang Xingying's affairs. I simply dislike people keeping things from me."

She quickly bowed her head in acknowledgment of her mistake. He then changed the subject and asked, "Any progress on the Jianfu Temple matter?"

Huang Zixiang promptly recounted what she had seen and heard at Jianfu Temple that day, then gestured with her hands, "That iron wire was about two feet long, not entirely straight. The rusted end had a semicircular curve, while the straight end seemed to have been tempered, giving off a faint gleam."

"I'll go to the Dali Temple tomorrow to take a look," Li Shubai said, then turned his gaze back to her. "Also, today I agreed to Princess Tongchang's request for you to investigate the strange occurrences around her. But in truth, you don’t need to be overly concerned. Though she is a princess, you are under my household and not at her disposal. Your involvement in this case is merely to assist the Dali Temple and has nothing to do with her. So, if she makes unreasonable demands, just pass them on to Cui Chunzhan."

Huang Zixiang silently mourned for Cui Chunzhan in her heart while responding, "Understood."

"And the biggest question is—" Li Shubai continued, "whether these two incidents—the death of the princess's consort and the eunuch Wei Ximin in Jianfu Temple—are connected."

"Such a complex conspiracy behind what happened on the polo field... So..." Initially, she truly hadn’t wanted to get involved. Huang Zixiang thought helplessly, glancing at Li Shubai with a questioning look—didn’t you also want to stay out of this at first?

Li Shubai clearly understood her unspoken question but didn’t respond. Instead, he tapped his fingers lightly on the table, as if considering something. Finally, he pulled open a drawer, took out a piece of paper, and handed it to her without a word.

Puzzled, Huang Zixiang took it and studied the words written on it.

Yu Xuan, a scholar from Shu Commandery, arrived in the capital last month to prepare for the imperial examinations. He is currently assisting with the study of the Rites of Zhou at the Imperial Academy. Princess Tongchang, having heard of his reputation, invited him to her residence to lecture on the Rites of Zhou. Yu repeatedly declined but ultimately could not refuse. He now visits the residence once every five days to give lectures.

The note contained only these few lines. Huang Zixiang set the paper down, pressed her lips together, and looked at Li Shubai without speaking.

Li Shubai said indifferently, "There are quite a few rumors circulating about this matter."

Huang Zixiang, who had managed to remain composed upon learning of Yu Xuan’s connection to the princess’s residence, finally showed a slight change in expression.

Rumors about Princess Tongchang and Yu Xuan... As for what those rumors were, it went without saying."Didn't expect that, did you? He actually has connections with the Princess's residence." Li Shubai didn't even glance at her as he leisurely picked up his tea and took a sip, his gaze resting on the small fish quietly swimming in the glass bowl. "I've heard that despite his youth, his scholarship is quite solid, often offering unique insights into the works of ancient sages. Moreover, his conduct and academic rigor are impeccable—the various instructors, assistant professors, and academic officials at the Imperial Academy all speak highly of him."

Huang Zixiang stood beneath the lamp, silent for a long while, saying nothing.

"As for this... your..." He paused, choosing his words carefully before continuing, "sworn brother, what do you plan to do?"

Huang Zixiang replied softly, "He is now utterly convinced that I am the murderer who killed my entire family, and he hates me to the core. I think... for now, it's best if we avoid seeing each other as much as possible."

"There's one thing I find rather strange," Li Shubai said, setting down his teacup and slowly turning his thoughtful gaze toward her. "He spent years with you, sharing his heart and mind. He should know better than anyone what kind of person you are. Why is he so adamant in believing you're the killer?"

Huang Zixiang silently met his eyes for a long, long time before whispering, "His parents passed away, and later, my father took him in. Last year, he passed the provincial examination in Shu and, by law, was provided a residence and servants by the court. On the first night he moved in at my parents' urging, it snowed heavily. The next morning, when I went to check on him, I found someone standing outside the magistrate's residence, covered in snow. Upon closer look, it turned out to be... Yu Xuan, frozen stiff from the cold."

Her voice trembled slightly as she spoke, and it took her a while to steady her breath before she continued with difficulty, "He said he couldn't adjust to the new place—it felt like he no longer had a home. So, unable to sleep, he walked through the snow in the middle of the night to stand outside my house. Too embarrassed to come in, he just stood there for a while, as if being even an inch closer to us would bring him some comfort..."

Li Shubai saw tears glistening in her eyes, as if she were still the Huang Zixiang who had lived happily in the magistrate's residence. Her gaze was lost in the empty air, where there was clearly nothing, yet she seemed to be staring at the most beautiful years of her life—a time now forever gone, never to return.

Yu Xuan had been a constant presence throughout her youth, the most important and cherished part of her memories from that time.

He averted his gaze, lowering his voice to its calmest tone. "It sounds like he was deeply attached to your family."

"Yes... He valued our family more than anyone else in the world—which is why it's even harder for him to forgive me, the one who destroyed what he held dearest."

"Is there anything else?" Li Shubai pressed further.

She hesitated, then looked at him.

His expression was composed, fingers interlaced as he rested his chin on them, his dark eyes fixed intently on her. "There must be something else that convinced him you're the murderer."

Huang Zixiang lightly bit her lower lip. After a long pause, she finally spoke in a trembling voice, "A letter... I wrote him a letter."

"What did it say?"

Though much time had passed, Huang Zixiang remembered its contents vividly. Slowly, she recited the most critical words from it—"The case I investigated in Longzhou the other day has been cleared up. The two were truly a case of love suicide. The so-called murderer was merely one who failed in their suicide attempt and lingers on in this world. Sighing at this, my heart boils with emotion, and I wonder—if you and I were in such a situation, could I also abandon my family and embark on that path of no return?"

Listening to her recite word by word the love letter she had once written to someone else, Li Shubai's fingers gripping the glass cup unconsciously tightened. Suppressing the turbulent undercurrents in his heart, he slowly asked, "When did you write this?"

"Just... two days before the massacre of my family."

"So, it was the letter Yuxuan presented to the authorities after your family's incident?"

"Yes..."

"Conclusive evidence, isn't it?" A cold smile faintly appeared at the corner of his lips, his gaze sharper than a blade. "The letter you wrote with your own hands is your greatest piece of incriminating evidence."

Huang Ziyao clenched her teeth and said nothing.

What she had done with her own hands was irreversible. She neither wished to defend herself nor could she.

In the dead of night, shadows of trees loomed heavily. The moon had been obscured by clouds, leaving only the lamplight cast upon them in a sea of darkness.

Li Shubai stroked the glass cup, pondering for a long while before finally looking at her and speaking slowly, "The grievances between you and Yuxuan are not for me to interfere with. You... take care of yourself."

She raised her head to look at Li Shubai before her. Under the lamplight, he appeared radiant and resplendent, which only accentuated his icy resolve.

Silently, she bowed and prepared to withdraw.

"Oh, there's something I need to tell you," Li Shubai added. "Compared to Princess Tongchang and Yuxuan, there's another person you should keep in mind—someone from the Taiji Palace sent you a message today, summoning you for an immediate audience."

Huang Ziyao was taken aback. "Now?"

"It's late today. Tomorrow will do," Li Shubai said. "Since she has business with you, you likely won't be leaving the capital anytime soon. Moreover, the matter she intends to entrust to you must be related to Consort Guo and Princess Tongchang. Therefore, I think it might be necessary for you to stay in the capital and handle this case."

"Understood."

His calm yet profound eyes fixed on her as he said, "Recently, Consort Guo has been making frequent moves—her intentions are obvious to all. Empress Wang's summoning you is undoubtedly related to this."

Huang Ziyao nodded silently as he continued, "I hope you know your limits. If you cannot accomplish it, there's no need to force yourself. I will step in when the time comes."

She nodded again but stubbornly said, "I will do it well."

The corners of his lips lifted slightly into a mocking smile. "Overestimating yourself."