The Golden Hairpin

Hearing her words, he couldn't help but feel dazed for a moment. Standing before her, he gazed at her appearance for a long time without moving.

Her slender figure lay sideways on the couch, dressed in red robes with black belts—the attire of a eunuch. A few strands of hair cascaded down her neck, winding their way into her collar. The black strands against her fair skin were strikingly conspicuous, drawing one's gaze downward along the graceful curves of her body.

A faint warmth suddenly surged in his chest, stirring subtly. In an instant, he understood and immediately turned away, silently returning to his desk.

Huang Zixiang looked at him in confusion, unable to comprehend why the ever-composed Prince Kui had suddenly acted so out of character.

After resting for a while, she felt the dizziness subside and quickly sat up, saying to Li Shu Bai, "I dare not disturb Your Highness any longer. This servant takes her leave."

He watched her slightly unsteady steps, hesitating to speak, but as she reached the door, he finally said, "Don’t go looking for Zhang Xingying tonight."

She turned back in surprise.

"In your current state, I might have to pick you up from the streets tomorrow."

Huang Zixiang couldn’t help but smile, then replied, "Then I’ll go early tomorrow morning."

"Mm." He stood up and walked out of the Pillow Stream Pavilion with her.

Unsure of his destination, Huang Zixiang followed slowly behind him.

The willow branches along the shore brushed against their shoulders and arms, while lotuses bloomed near and far under the moonlight. He remained half a step ahead of her, maintaining a distance where he could reach out and steady her at any moment.

Huang Zixiang suddenly realized—he was accompanying her back.

In the quiet darkness, the moon, eager to rise early in the night, was nearly full, casting its bright radiance.

That silvery light bathed her, and it bathed him as well.

Gazing at the figure half a step ahead, so close yet untouchable, her heart and mind repeated a single line of poetry over and over—

"May I chase the moonlight to shine upon you."

Unconsciously, a deep self-loathing overwhelmed her, and the pain in her chest became unbearable.

She could only clench her fists, taking deep breaths, forcing those memories out of her thoughts bit by bit. She told herself, Huang Zixiang, cast away all those past burdens. Her parents and loved ones were all gone. If she couldn’t even do this last thing for them, she deserved nothing but divine retribution!

They say a sunset glow foretells clear skies for miles. The splendid sunset of the previous day had brought about perfect weather, and even at sunrise, Chang’an was already sweltering.

Huang Zixiang wore an underrobe with a thin crimson gauze garment over it, feeling drenched in sweat. Staying still in the prince’s residence was bearable, but moving around left her drenched.

Yet there was no choice—the case at the princess’s residence wasn’t over, and she still had to go out.

As soon as she reached the gate of the prince’s residence, Zhou Ziqin was already there, holding the reins of "Little Xia" and waiting for her. In his hands were four steaming steamed buns wrapped in lotus leaves. Seeing her, he quickly stood up and offered them. "Chonggu, here—two for each of us."

"I’ve already eaten." But since she’d only had a piece of steamed cake in her haste that morning, she took one anyway, eating it as they rode side by side."I knew you were just brushing me off yesterday with insincere words! If I hadn’t blocked you at the gate today, you’d have gone off to investigate alone!" Zhou Ziqin pouted, reproaching her.

Huang Zixia casually reassured him, "How could that be? I was actually planning to look for you."

"Really?" Zhou Ziqin immediately believed her. "Good brother, loyal to the end! Tell me, where are we going today? Will there be a corpse for me to showcase my skills?"

"Hopefully not." Huang Zixia shot him a glare. "We’re going to Second Brother Zhang’s place."

"Ah!" Zhou Ziqin nearly fell off his horse. "Why are we going there?"

"Didn’t you go to the Dali Temple yesterday? That painting from Second Brother Zhang’s house—it’s gone."

"That painting? The one depicting the three victims?" Zhou Ziqin was so agitated he almost dropped his steamed bun. "Does that mean the painting is really connected to the incidents? How? Why do the scenes in the painting resemble the cases so closely? Is Second Brother Zhang in trouble? What’s the Capital Defense Office planning to do? I hope nothing happens to him!"

"Finish your bun first." Huang Zixia cut off his barrage of questions with one sentence and patted Nafusha, urging the horse to quicken its pace.

Crossing half of Chang’an from east to west, they arrived at Zhang Xingying’s house. Early-rising women were drawing water and gossiping: "Hey, weren’t those officials yesterday? Why did so many come at once?"

"I heard it’s because that Zhang boy is in trouble again."

"No way, that kid always seemed so honest. How come he’s been getting into so much trouble lately? First, he was kicked out of Prince Kui’s residence, then expelled from the Capital Defense Office, and now even the officials are investigating him. Who’d have thought he was like this?"

Zhou Ziqin couldn’t believe his ears. He dismounted and confronted the woman, "What? Who said Second Brother Zhang was expelled from the Defense Office? How is that possible?"

The middle-aged woman panicked at his sudden questioning. "Isn’t it true? Officials raided his home, and he hasn’t stepped out today. Doesn’t that mean he’s been sent back?"

Huang Zixia frowned. "Ziqin, don’t bother with strangers like this."

Reluctantly, Zhou Ziqin led "Xiao Xia" toward Zhang Xingying’s house. Huang Zixia also dismounted, and as they approached the door to knock, a woman rushed out, nearly colliding with them.

From inside, Zhang Xingying called out, "A-Di! Where are you going?"

Huang Zixia swiftly reached out and grabbed the woman’s arm to stop her.

The woman’s face was pale and haggard, her hair tightly pinned with a wooden hairpin. She wore a narrow-sleeved blue dress and blue shoes embroidered with hibiscus flowers—it was Dicui.

Trapped by Huang Zixia’s grip and unable to break free, she trembled and cried out, "Eunuch Yang!" before tears began streaming down her face.

Huang Zixia quickly asked, "What’s wrong? Did you have a fight with Second Brother Zhang?"

Dicui shook her head vehemently but said nothing.

Zhang Xingying rushed out, sighing helplessly. "A-Di, don’t be unreasonable. This matter... it has nothing to do with you."Huang Zixiang and Zhou Ziqin exchanged a glance. She led Dicui back inside and asked softly, "What exactly happened? Could you tell us in detail? If we can help, we’ll do our best. Even if we can’t, at least there’s someone else to offer advice, right?"

But Dicui only covered her face and wept, refusing to speak.

Zhang Xingying sighed helplessly and said, "She... I don’t know what’s wrong. She stood in the courtyard all night yesterday. When I saw her this morning, I immediately asked what had happened, but she started rambling nonsense—saying that I had a bright future ahead, but it was all ruined by her... that she was dragging me down, and even... even said she wanted to leave!"

Before Huang Zixiang could respond, Dicui’s trembling voice broke in, her words fragmented by sobs: "Second Brother Zhang, I... I truly am an ill omen. Being with me... I’m nothing but a curse! My father always said I was born a calamity—that I killed my mother the moment I was born, and later... later ended up in such a state. I shouldn’t even exist in this world..."

"Stop talking nonsense!" Zhang Xingying cut her off sharply. He glanced around, relieved to see no one nearby, then grabbed her arm and pulled her back into the courtyard, shutting the gate behind them.

"I... I’m not talking nonsense..." Dicui wailed, her cries almost hysterical as she turned to Huang Zixiang and Zhou Ziqin. "Do you know who I am? I’m Lü Dicui! The woman the entire city of Chang’an mocks and gossips about! The whole world knows I was defiled by that scoundrel Sun Laizi, knows I should have died in the wilderness! I shouldn’t be alive here, I shouldn’t be dragging Second Brother Zhang down!"

"Ah Di!" Zhang Xingying rushed forward and wrapped his arms tightly around her, covering her mouth to stop her from speaking further.

Though held firmly by Zhang Xingying, though her anguished cries were forcibly silenced, Dicui’s eyes still brimmed with tears that fell in heavy drops. Her gaze was filled with despair, her entire being like that of someone already dead—a sight that evoked nothing but sorrow.

Huang Zixiang and Zhou Ziqin exchanged another glance. Zhou Ziqin was at a loss, opening his mouth but finding no words to say.

Huang Zixiang stood and walked over to Dicui, speaking softly, "Miss Dicui, we came here with no ill intent. Second Brother Zhang is a dear friend of ours—he’s helped me many times before, and I know well that he is upright and honorable. His involvement in this case is only because a few threads among countless others happened to lead to him. We’re just here to ask routine questions. There’s no need to worry; we’ll leave once we’re done."

Dicui continued to stare blankly at her, her expression making it clear she hadn’t processed a single word Huang Zixiang had said.

With a sigh, Huang Zixiang said, "Second Brother Zhang, let go of Miss Dicui first. We’ll just ask a few questions and then leave."

Zhang Xingying helped Dicui sit at the table, murmuring to her, "Just wait a little longer. It’ll be over soon.Huang Zixiang gestured for Zhang Xingying to sit at the stone table and asked, "What did the Dali Temple officials say yesterday?" And what about the Capital Defense Office?"Zhang Xingying looked bewildered, rubbing his hands together as he said, "Yesterday afternoon, I was still at the Capital Defense Bureau when suddenly officials from the Dali Temple came looking for me. They said they wanted to borrow a painting from my family, supposedly inscribed by the late emperor. I found it very strange at the time, thinking this painting had always been carefully stored in our home and never mentioned to anyone—how did the Dali Temple know about it? But since they asked, I took them home, had them wait downstairs, and went upstairs myself to open the cabinet where the painting had always been kept... But when I unlocked the cabinet with the key, the painting was gone!"

"Gone?" Zhou Ziqin exclaimed in shock.

"Yes, that painting which had been safely stored in our cabinet for over a decade had vanished without a trace! I panicked and immediately asked my father, who also became frantic. Along with A Di, we searched every corner of the house from top to bottom, but couldn't find it. Helpless, I had to tell the Dali Temple officials that the painting was missing. They didn’t believe me, saying this painting was of great importance—someone high up had specifically requested it, and if I couldn’t produce it, no one could bear the responsibility. I understood the Dali Temple also had to answer to their superiors, but the painting had truly disappeared from our home—what could I do? In the end, the Dali Temple officials told the Defense Bureau that I was involved in a case—two murders and the injury of the imperial son-in-law. Do you think this wouldn’t blow up? The Defense Bureau told me to handle this matter first and not report for duty until it’s resolved."

Zhou Ziqin turned to Huang Zixiao in surprise and asked, "Guess... who’s the bastard who specifically asked the Dali Temple for that painting? Could it be... Princess Tongchang?"

Huang Zixiao rubbed her forehead. She knew full well that "that bastard" was Li Shubai. He had probably just mentioned it to the Dali Temple in passing, and they had gone to such lengths, stirring up this whole storm.