The Golden Hairpin

Huang Zixiang nodded and was about to speak to the coachman, Old Yuan, when a sudden commotion erupted from the intersection ahead. Old Yuan gradually brought the carriage to a halt, remaining motionless at the crossroads for a long while.

Huang Zixiang quickly pulled open the small window and asked, "Uncle Yuan, what's the matter?"

"Princess Tongchang's carriage is blocking the intersection," he replied.

Huang Zixiang immediately jumped out of the carriage to investigate.

They were near Pingkang Ward. The roads of Chang'an were usually broad, but due to ongoing canal maintenance on both sides and the overgrown locust trees leaning into the street, much of the passage was obstructed.

The situation was already dire, but to make matters worse, two entertainment houses from Pingkang Ward had set up small stages right at the intersection, competing for attention. The sound of flutes and pipes filled the air, and dancers twirled their sleeves, drawing a crowd of idle onlookers who completely blocked the road. Amidst the clamor, Princess Tongchang's carriage, adorned with gold and jade, stood motionless, unable to advance even an inch.

Huang Zixiang saw Chui Zhu, Luo Pei, Zhui Yu, and Qing Bi standing by the carriage, frowning and retreating under the pressure of the surrounding crowd.

She approached them and called out, "What a coincidence, is Her Highness here too?"

Despite the jostling crowd, Chui Zhu managed to curtsy and replied, "Indeed. Is the... eunuch here with Prince Kui today?"

As Huang Zixiang nodded, Princess Tongchang lifted the carriage curtain and glanced at her. Her sharp, delicate features were now furrowed with irritation, lending her an even more intimidating air. "Eunuch Yang, you're here too? Where are Prince Kui's guards? Why aren't they dispersing the crowd?"

Huang Zixiang detected the simmering anger in her tone, which clearly overstepped by ordering Prince Kui's men around. She could only reply helplessly, "I'm afraid Your Highness will be disappointed. Prince Kui has just returned from the imperial city and has no soldiers accompanying him."

"Tch! Of all times, just when my carriage happens to pass through here, we get stuck!" she snapped, then turned to scold the coachman. "Even if we had entered through Phoenix Gate and taken the route past the Eastern Palace, so what? It's not like I haven't met the Crown Prince before!"

The coachman could only bow his head and mutter meekly in response.

Hearing mention of Phoenix Gate, Huang Zixiang paused in surprise and asked, "Your Highness has been unwell recently. Shouldn't you be resting? Why are you heading to Taiji Palace?"

Chui Zhu nodded slightly, her face filled with worry as she gazed at the sea of people ahead, murmuring, "Consort Guo is still waiting for Her Highness..."

Currently, only Empress Wang resided in Taiji Palace. If Consort Guo was there now and had summoned Princess Tongchang, what could be the reason?

Suddenly, Huang Zixiang thought of something and quickly asked, "Is His Majesty there as well?"

"This servant doesn't know... Consort Guo sent someone to inform Her Highness," Chui Zhu replied cautiously.

Huang Zixiang immediately understood—today must be a critical moment for Empress Wang, and Consort Guo had summoned Princess Tongchang to deliver a fatal blow.

She recalled the words Empress Wang had spoken during their meeting. At the time, the empress had casually mentioned her return to the palace, appearing confident of victory. She must have held a crucial trump card against Consort Guo—but would it be enough today?As she was lost in thought, the music around her grew louder. The competition between the two courtesans had reached its climax. The woman in red on the right was performing a whirlwind dance, spinning left and right with astonishing speed, drawing cheers from the crowd below. Meanwhile, the woman in green on the left sang with an exceptionally powerful voice, performing "Moonlit River on a Spring Night." Her voice cut clearly through the clamor, a testament to her skill. And just at that moment, she reached the line—

"Gazing at each other yet unheard, may I follow the moonlight to shine upon you..."

Huang Zixiang's eyes involuntarily turned toward Princess Tongchang.

The princess's face was twisted with irritation as she muttered under her breath, "These detestable performers! When will Father drive them all out of Chang'an?"

With that, she angrily yanked the carriage curtain shut. The crowd outside was packed tightly, and the two horses pulling the carriage, startled by the throng, began to shift uneasily, causing the carriage to sway.

Chuizhu quickly steadied the carriage door and called inside, "Your Highness, are you alright?"

Before she could finish, Princess Tongchang had already pushed open the door and stepped out.

Her illness had not yet fully healed, and her temper was as volatile as ever. In her haste, she stumbled and nearly fell.

Chuizhu rushed to support her, while a dozen accompanying eunuchs closed in, pushing the surrounding crowd away.

The street was already packed, and the sudden intrusion of these attendants only worsened the chaos. Those enjoying the performance were jostled and shoved, and a few hot-tempered onlookers shouted, "What's the meaning of this? Just because you're eunuchs, you think you're special? Even the Emperor wouldn't stop commoners from watching a show!"

Amid the uproar, Princess Tongchang's gaze suddenly fixed on a particular spot in the crowd. Her sharp eyes widened in shock as she cried out, "The Nine Phoenix Hairpin!"

Huang Zixiang followed her gaze but saw only a sea of bobbing heads. A few courtesans wore gaudy floral ornaments, but none resembled the naturally elegant jade of the Nine Phoenix Hairpin.

The princess's maids also scanned the crowd. Chuizhu instinctively asked, "Your Highness saw the hairpin? But... we don't see it..."

"Over there! In someone's hand!" Princess Tongchang pointed southwest and took a few involuntary steps forward.

Chuizhu hurried after her, reaching out to pull her back. "Your Highness, be careful—"

Before she could finish, the princess was yanked by the arm and dragged forward. Petite and frail, she was swallowed instantly by the crowd, which parted and closed like the maw of a beast.

On the stages to either side, the song "Moonlit River on a Spring Night" reached its peak, accompanied by dozens of singers. The melody was hauntingly beautiful, but as the others gradually fell away, only the original singer's voice soared above the noise. Her high notes twisted like a path through endless mountains, winding and climbing straight into the heavens.

Meanwhile, the whirlwind dance reached its most frenetic moment. The woman on the right stage spun wildly, her arms outstretched and face tilted skyward. Her hair, braided into hundreds of tiny plaits, flew loose along with her veil and robes, creating a swirling vortex of color.The cries of Chui Zhu and the others were drowned out by the clamorous music. The princess had vanished right before the eyes of dozens of people, leaving everyone around her in stunned disbelief, unable to react immediately.

Huang Zixiang was the first to regain her senses and immediately pushed through the crowd, trying to make her way inside.

Amid the throng of people, with their varied clothes and appearances, she quickly lost her bearings and stood in the middle of the street, momentarily unsure where to go. Just then, someone grabbed her wrist and pulled her out.

Huang Zixiang turned to see Li Shubai. Tall and slender, he stood out effortlessly in the crowd and had spotted her instantly.

Frantic with worry, she asked, "Where is the princess? Did Your Highness see her?"

Li Shubai shook his head, frowning. "I’ve already ordered the musicians to disperse, but it will take time for the crowd to clear."

Huang Zixiang urgently replied, "Before she disappeared, the princess cried out 'Nine Phoenix Hairpin.' I suspect someone lured her away with it. I fear... the princess may be in grave danger!"

Li Shubai paused briefly in thought. His memory was extraordinary—he had once studied a map of Chang'an and could recall every detail with perfect clarity. The four main streets of Pingkang Fang, the sixteen smaller lanes, and the 123 alleys were all etched in his mind. Eliminating the paths crowded with entertainment houses, the streets lined with taverns, and the dead-end alleys, the most likely dozen routes immediately surfaced.

With a wave of his hand, he swiftly assigned tasks to the panicking eunuchs from the princess’s household, directing them to specific streets and intersections, even specifying the exact lanes they should search.

Huang Zixiang glanced back and noticed only three of the princess’s maids remained. She scanned them and asked, "Where is Chui Zhu?"

"Chui Zhu chased after the princess and disappeared into the crowd too..." Before Zhui Yu could finish, a distant scream pierced the air, now eerily quiet as the crowd dispersed. "Help... someone help...!"

It was Chui Zhu’s voice.

Li Shubai and Huang Zixiang reacted the fastest, sprinting toward the sound without hesitation.

Behind the fang wall, a narrow strip of land remained, overgrown with morning glories climbing the courtyard wall, their vibrant crimson blooms sprawling like splashes of blood against the green leaves.

At the end of the morning glories, Princess Tongchang’s body leaned against the wall, slowly sliding down. Her eyes were already closed, her body still twitching.

The red dress embroidered with golden butterflies was stained with an unnaturally bright, wet sheen, its color glaringly vivid under the sunlight.

Behind the morning glories, tangled weeds and sparse clusters of scarlet sage swayed faintly in the breeze.

Chui Zhu stumbled forward, tripping over the entwining vines, yet summoning an inexplicable strength to crawl and roll her way to Princess Tongchang’s side. She clutched the princess, her face deathly pale, too terrified to even scream. Desperately, she pressed her hands against the wound gushing blood from the princess’s chest, but her feeble palms could do nothing to stem the tide of life slipping away. She could only watch helplessly as the princess’s warmth and vitality seeped into the earth, vanishing without a trace.

Kneeling over Princess Tongchang’s wound, Chui Zhu’s face was frozen in shock, her expression one of unbearable disbelief.Huang Ziyao's steps faltered as she rushed to their side. Where Princess Tongchang's blood had dripped, amidst the trampled and crushed morning glories, lay the Nine Phoenix Hairpin that had mysteriously vanished.

The marvelous jade in nine colors was carved into nine leisurely soaring phoenixes. Blood dripped upon them, making the lustrous hues indescribably radiant.

The crescent-shaped tail of the Nine Phoenix Hairpin was now broken, embedded in the princess's heart.

The bloodstains made the two ancient seal characters engraved upon it stand out even more vividly—

Yu'er.