Wu Jiang could barely feel his own mind functioning, grabbing the first word that came to him, "Warm... it's warm..."
Xiao Xiang burst into a soft laugh, quickly covering her mouth with her sleeve, leaving only a pair of eyes brimming with amusement for Wu Jiang to see.
Flustered by her laughter, Wu Jiang lowered his head again. "This humble officer has been disrespectful. I beg Your Highness's forgiveness..."
Compared to her earlier demeanor, Wu Jiang would rather see her laugh—even if she was laughing at him—than witness her clearly heartbroken and despairing expression, which pained him far more.
"General Wu," Xiao Xiang's voice still carried a gentle laughter, "since you're not here to return the sachet... why did you ask to see me?"
Wu Jiang was taken aback once more. "His Majesty... didn't say anything?"
Xiao Xiang shook her head lightly, the movement accompanied by the faint tinkling of hair ornaments. "The envoy sent by my imperial brother only said I would know once you arrived."
Wu Jiang's heart leaped into his throat. Gazing at her, radiant and tender in the warm glow of the setting sun, his mind went blank, and the words spilled out impulsively: "I want to marry you..."
Before the words had fully left his lips, he realized what he had said. Panicked, Wu Jiang dropped to his knees. "This humble officer deserves death!"
"Rise..."
As if his body moved of its own accord, Wu Jiang found himself standing again, head bowed low.
"You..." Her voice trembled slightly, yet it held a trace of irrepressible laughter and a hint of involuntary embarrassment as she whispered softly, "You cannot die... If you die, how will you marry me?"
Wu Jiang stared blankly for a long moment before lifting his head. "Your Highness... you... you agree?"
Whether it was the sunset's glow or not, Xiao Xiang's fair cheeks were flushed crimson. She lowered her head slightly, pressing her lips together in a suppressed smile. "General Wu hasn't examined that sachet closely, has he?"
How could he not have examined it carefully? He had lost count of how many times he had turned it over in his hands. Every time he saw those fine, neat stitches, he could imagine the clever and delicate heart behind them...
"General Wu hasn't looked inside, has he?"
Inside the sachet... wasn't it just incense?
Anxious yet careful, Wu Jiang untied the thin cord wrapped around the pouch's opening. Inside was indeed a small cloth bag of incense sealed with gauze.
"Take out the incense pouch and look inside..."
Wu Jiang carefully removed the incense pouch and turned the sachet inside out. Only then did he realize the outer layer was double-embroidered. The inner layer distinctly bore a seal-script character "Wu," and the craftsmanship and thread quality were incomparably finer than the outer layer.
Wu Jiang was stunned. "Your Highness..."
Xiao Xiang hung her head, nervously twisting her fingertips like a child who had done something wrong, her pretty face blushing deeply with shyness. "I... I heard many stories about you years ago, but I could only steal glances at you from the Wanqing Tower... Later, I... I embroidered many such things, not knowing how to give them to you or whether you would even accept them..."
Since childhood, she had been introverted and timid, unable to win her parents' favor, and thus received little affection. She quietly nestled in her cold, desolate courtyard—not crying, not making a fuss, not speaking much, and never competing with others—so she remained overlooked in the vast imperial harem.
Ever since she was thirteen and first heard that name and learned of that person, intermittently hearing stories about him from the palace maids, a vague, inexplicable longing had taken root in her heart.At fifteen, she first accompanied the Empress to Wanqing Tower to watch the sunset and, under the Empress’ guidance, caught her first glimpse of that tall, straight figure entering the Imperial Study. From then on, every time she heard his name, she paid extra attention. Hearing of his achievements and rewards would lift her spirits for days, while news of his illness or injury would worry her until she learned he was safe again.
She excelled at embroidery, though she lost count of how many items she secretly stitched with him in mind. She even finished her own wedding dress, red veil, mandarin duck pillows, and hibiscus quilt… yet she could never muster the courage to ask the Emperor to speak on her behalf.
It wasn’t until late last year, when she overheard the Emperor and Empress discussing matchmaking for her beloved, that she grew restless. Still, fearing he might not feel the same and unwilling to force him, she held back. She only begged the Emperor to let her attend the banquets on the first and fifteenth days of the month, hoping he might notice her.
After two face-to-face encounters, Wu Jiang showed no response at all. Palace rumors said he was busy. Xiao Xiang had begun trying to convince herself to let go, but now…
Xiao Xiang had never felt her life so vividly alive.
Wu Jiang didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “I’ll accept them, all of them!”
“Then…” Xiao Xiang’s gentle lips curved slightly. “You’ll have to ask my royal brother.”
Once again, Wu Jiang felt an overwhelming urge to go through fire and water for Xiao Jin Yu. “The Emperor and Prince An have already agreed—as long as the Princess consents!”
Xiao Xiang paused in surprise, then smiled sweetly, her cheeks flushing crimson as she gave a faint nod. “I consent…” Before the words faded, she was drawn into a warm, broad embrace.
Shy and trembling, the woman in his arms still clung to his warmth, not pulling away but carefully wrapping her arms around his sturdy waist. “General Wu…”
Wu Jiang stayed silent and still, simply holding her close. Only this real warmth and faint fragrance convinced him this wasn’t some distant dream.
Holding a woman like this for the first time, he noticed how slender and cool she felt, her slight shivering stirring his heartache. He held her tighter.
He wondered how much quiet suffering this gentle soul had endured in the deep, cold palace halls…
“General Wu, the sunset here… is beautiful.”
“I only like watching the moon.”
“Then… I’ll watch it with you from now on.”
“Alright.”
☆、108 The Prince’s Promise
Xiao Jin Yu had originally planned to return to the Royal Mansion immediately after the imperial exams ended, so he pressed Jing Yi to finish the memorial and send it to the palace before dusk.
Unexpectedly, Xue Rucheng insisted his offenses required more than a day or two of reflection and stubbornly refused to leave the Heavenly Prison. With the Emperor turning a blind eye, Xiao Jin Yu had to single-handedly grade thousands of exam papers over five days, exhausting himself nearly to the point of collapse.
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