Zhao Ai silently accepted the fact that the heir apparent position had been taken by his younger brother, offering no complaints. He even remained in Lin’an at his father’s request to attend Zhao Hao’s investiture ceremony. However, he was unyielding on the matter of marriage, consistently claiming that he was too occupied with official duties to spare any attention for matrimony, and earnestly requested that the Crown Prince take a consort first. The Emperor had no choice but to ultimately agree to let him return, postponing the marriage for the time being, and ordered preparations for the Crown Prince’s wedding ceremony to begin first.
Upon returning to Ningguo Prefecture, faced with a backlog of government affairs that had accumulated during his absence and awaited his handling, Zhao Ai resumed his busy life of attending to myriad matters daily. Opportunities to meet with Zhenzhen became scarce. It wasn’t until the Autumn Equinox, when Zhenzhen noticed he had a bit of leisure, that she invited him to Zhanle Tower for an autumn banquet she had specially arranged for him.
The matter of establishing the heir apparent was already known throughout the country. Zhenzhen was well aware of Zhao Ai’s inner melancholy. On this day, she deliberately brought the two Hu dancers she had purchased in Guangzhou to present songs and dances, and also invited Wei Qingxun to join, hoping she could help console and comfort Zhao Ai.
Wei Qingxun made no mention of the heir apparent matter, instead teasing Zhao Ai: “Your Highness looks so downcast—clearly, you were pressured into marriage by elders upon returning to Lin’an.”
Zhao Ai glanced at her and asked, “What gossip have your family members been spreading to you from Lin’an?”
“Not at all, not at all,” Wei Qingxun laughed. “No one passed on any messages; I’m just guessing. Every time I return to Lin’an, there are elders who nag me daily, urging me to marry as soon as possible… Your Highness is no longer young, yet you managed to escape unscathed this time. I wonder what secret tricks you have—could you teach me so I can use them to refuse marriage too?”
Zhao Ai replied, “There are no secret tricks. It’s just about firmly refusing. Whenever someone brings it up, I put on a cold face, get up, and take my leave. No matter what they say afterward, I don’t listen to a word.”
Wei Qingxun said in surprise, “Every time my father brings this up with me, as soon as I show I don’t want to listen, he gets so angry he wants to take a whip to me. When The Emperor advised you and you didn’t listen, wouldn’t he get angry?”
“He was indeed angry,” Zhao Ai answered. “He even considered confining me, forcing me to marry before leaving. I heard a wife had already been chosen for me, and they were about to begin the betrothal process. But then the young lady’s father reported that his daughter had recently fallen ill and couldn’t marry for the time being. Only then did The Emperor relent and allow me to return to Ningguo Prefecture.”
Hearing this, Zhenzhen asked, “Which family’s young lady was it?”
“I don’t know,” Zhao Ai waved a hand dismissively. “I have no interest whatsoever. I only heard she was from a noble family. Whenever anyone brought it up with me, I immediately became hostile, so I have no idea who it actually was.”
“Second Brother, why not patiently listen and find time to meet her?” Zhenzhen said with a smile. “Perhaps upon meeting, you’d find her congenial and create another beautiful story.”
Zhao Ai looked up at her and smiled faintly: “You are my beautiful story.”
Then, he withdrew his gaze from Zhenzhen’s astonished face and turned to Wei Qingxun, politely bowing slightly: “My apologies. We are all friends, so allow me to speak frankly.”
Wei Qingxun immediately wrapped her arm around Zhenzhen’s waist, kissed her on the cheek, and then smirked at him: “Your Highness, that depends on whether I agree or not.”
Zhao Ai frowned, and the atmosphere suddenly grew tense. The two Hu dancers, unaware of the underlying tension and thinking they were just joking, couldn’t help but laugh one after another. Zhenzhen’s face flushed red, and she scolded them: “What are you laughing at! Did I tell you to stop? Hurry up and play a newly practiced tune for us to hear.”The Hu dancers humbly complied, and soon one played the xiao while another held a pipa, beginning to perform a piece with an exotic charm. The melody was at times sorrowful and delicate, at times resonant like the sound of metal and stone. The Hu dancer playing the pipa spun her fingers swiftly, her technique intricate and complex, playing faster and faster. At the most intense moment, a string suddenly snapped, bringing the music to an abrupt halt.
The Hu dancer blushed and apologized, saying she had only just begun practicing this piece, and as it was a court composition of great difficulty, her skill was insufficient to complete it. Zhenzhen’s expression suddenly changed, and she asked the Hu dancer, “What is the name of this piece?”
The Hu dancer replied, “Liangzhou Melody.”
Zhenzhen fell silent. As soon as the melody began, she had felt it was familiar. By the time the Hu dancer reached the middle section, she had remembered—this was the pipa music that had drifted down from the upstairs room when she was escorted out of the unfamiliar garden after her last meeting with Qiu Niang. During the hours she had spent with Qiu Niang, she had not seen anyone else in that small building, which meant the pipa music was almost certainly played by Qiu Niang herself. Previously, Xiangli’er had also mentioned that Madam Ju was skilled at performing the Liangzhou Dance. Could this be further evidence that Qiu Niang was indeed Madam Ju?
Her mood grew increasingly somber. Since she had been forced to leave Lin’an, she had not been able to return, nor did she know how her mother was faring. Whenever she thought of her mother, she could only console herself with the memory of that night—her mother’s appearance unchanged, her spirit undiminished, her attire refined. It seemed she was being treated well and likely faced no mortal danger. All she could do was follow her mother’s advice: live well, find a way to return to Lin’an someday, and hope for a reunion.
Zhao Ai, noticing her distracted and tearful state, called out to her with concern. Zhenzhen snapped out of her reverie, widened her eyes as much as possible, and instructed the Hu dancer, “Stop playing the pipa. Sing another song instead.”
The Hu dancer agreed, conferred softly with her companion, and then the xiao sounded again. The woman who had played the pipa now sang softly: “By the railings, no lush leaves are seen; beneath the steps, only brilliant clusters sway. What can compare to this delicate sight? Like dawn clouds layered over Red Wall Palace.”
Zhenzhen asked what the song was about. The Hu dancer replied, “This is a new piece taught to us by the musicians of Luming Tower. They said it’s a quatrain by Xue Tao, titled ‘Golden Lantern Flower.’ Earlier, while practicing in the backyard, we saw the golden lantern flowers blooming beautifully in the garden, so we decided to sing this song.”
Wei Qingxun, upon hearing this, walked to the window facing the backyard and looked out at the garden. Indeed, in the center of the largest plot, golden lantern flowers bloomed in abundance—leafless, each blossom a vivid red, petals like dancing flames, forming a dazzling tapestry that stood out starkly against the desolate autumn scenery.
Zhenzhen now slowly walked to her side to admire the flowers. After a moment of thought, Wei Qingxun asked Zhenzhen, “When were these flowers planted? I’ve never visited Zhanle Tower around the autumn equinox in previous years, so I never noticed them before.”
Zhenzhen replied, “The flowers were planted by the owner of this courtyard. I kept them because they bloomed so beautifully.” Noticing Wei Qingxun’s unsmiling expression, which seemed less like admiration, she asked, “What’s wrong? Is there something improper?”
Wei Qingxun said, “These flowers thrive in dark, damp places, often blooming in dense ancient forests, at the mouths of deep caves, or… on graves. They have another name—‘Ghost Lantern Stand.’ Many people dislike them, considering them inauspicious. Have none of the guests dining at Zhanle Tower mentioned this?”
Zhenzhen was taken aback and shook her head. As she looked again at the blood-red blossoms, she suddenly felt there was something eerie and unsettling about their appearance."Perhaps because these flowers have a short blooming period, not many people here have seen them, and even if some know, out of courtesy, they haven't mentioned it," Wei Qingxun said.
Zhenzhen fell silent for a moment before asking her, "So, you mean that if we open a restaurant, we shouldn't keep these inauspicious flowers and should just remove them?"
Wei Qingxun smiled faintly. "Not necessarily. Although the golden lantern flower grows in unfavorable places and isn't favored by our people, a Japanese monk once told me that they find it beautiful. This flower might very well be one of the four celestial flowers mentioned in Buddhist scriptures—the Manjushaka. So, whether it's auspicious or not depends on the viewer's perspective. You're still the one in charge of Zhanle Tower. If you don't mind it, you can certainly keep it."
Manjushaka! Zhenzhen was inwardly startled once more, immediately recalling the words Zhang Yunqiao had once emphasized in the Lotus Sutra.
She raised her eyes to gaze at the patch of golden lantern flowers, finding them increasingly glaringly red the longer she looked. Pondering Wei Qingxun's words, she gradually felt a chill creeping over her, her heartbeat inexplicably growing erratic.
At that moment, Zhao Ai suddenly asked Wei Qingxun, "Lady Wei, do you have a fondness for flowers and plants? You seem quite knowledgeable about them."
"It's my mother who loved tending to flowers and plants," Wei Qingxun replied. "She lived alone in a secluded courtyard with little to do, so she spent her days caring for rare and exotic blooms. I spent much of my childhood by her side, and seeing so much, I naturally picked up a thing or two."
Zhao Ai continued, "You and your mother must have shared a deep bond. Those who love cultivating flowers are often gentle by nature. I imagine she wouldn't have forced you into an arranged marriage."
"I wish I had the chance for her to force me," Wei Qingxun's eyes dimmed slightly. "She passed away several years ago."
Zhao Ai quickly apologized for his thoughtless remark. Wei Qingxun offered a faint smile and said, "It's alright." After a moment, she shared with him and Zhenzhen the story of her mother: "After she gave birth to my elder brother and me, my father took a concubine and neglected her. She began to pour her emotions into flowers and plants, sparing no expense to acquire rare blooms, filling her days with her children and her garden. Later, when my elder brother defied our father's authority and came to Ningguo Prefecture to open a restaurant, my father flew into a rage and nearly disowned him, thereafter favoring the son born of his concubine even more. My mother was deeply saddened, often weeping before me, lamenting that I wasn't a son who could win our father's favor in my brother's stead... Persuaded by someone, she believed that only by bearing another obedient and well-behaved legitimate son could she change the situation of being oppressed by the concubine. So, despite the risks of advanced maternal age, she gave birth again, only for both mother and child to perish in the end... After her death, I no longer wished to stay in that household. When my elder brother returned for the funeral, my father insisted he take up an official post. I asked my brother to entrust Luming Tower to me and, disregarding my father's objections, came to Ningguo Prefecture."
She paused, glancing at Zhao Ai and Zhenzhen, who listened with sympathetic expressions, then offered a cool smile. "Don't you think my mother's life was too pitiful? She tied all her joys, sorrows, and hopes to a single man, completely forgetting herself. Is marriage and childbearing the only path for a woman? To become a resentful wife, consumed daily by anxiety over winning or losing favor and whether she bears a son? I refused to follow my father's arrangements and finally found the life I wanted in Ningguo Prefecture."
With that, she turned to the two Hu dancers who had been listening intently, her face brightening once more with a spirited smile. Raising her voice, she instructed them to pour wine, then lifted her cup to Zhao Ai and Zhenzhen, saying, "Come now, let us seize the day with poetry and wine!"As the wine flowed until the sun set in the west, Wei Qingxun bid farewell and returned to the city. Seeing that Zhao Ai had no intention of leaving, he did not invite him to accompany him. Instead, he took the two Hu dancers back with him.
After they had left, Zhenzhen cautiously brought up the matter of establishing the crown prince, hoping to offer some comfort. However, Zhao Ai stopped her, saying, "Actually, since childhood, I have always believed that the throne would one day belong to my eldest brother, so I never held any hopes for it. Now that I have missed the opportunity to become the crown prince, I am not too disappointed... What truly saddens me is that this return to the palace has made me deeply realize that my father has completely given up on me."
Zhenzhen comforted him, saying, "The Emperor has always cared for you deeply. It was only because of the misunderstanding regarding Crown Prince Zhuang Wen that things have come to this. But he was willing to go against all opposition to grant you real authority in Ningguo Prefecture, which shows that he still values you greatly and intends to nurture you."
Zhao Ai shook his head gloomily. "No, Zhenzhen, he gave up on me long ago when he sent me away... Why did he make me leave Lin'an? Because at that time, he had already decided to make my third brother the crown prince. Bypassing the order of succession would inevitably face opposition from the ministers, so he sent me away from Lin'an first to prevent me from having the opportunity to form alliances with court officials. That way, even if there were objections, they would not gain momentum, and he could easily suppress them. Granting me this bit of local authority was merely a token of consolation. After all, whether I do well or not, it won't affect my third brother."
He then looked at Zhenzhen with a self-mocking smile. "When I heard he had summoned me back this time, I thought he had remembered me and wanted to see me. But it turns out he was afraid that I might rebel after seeing my third brother become the crown prince. So, on the eve of the crown prince's establishment, he specifically had the Empress Dowager keep me confined in the Northern Inner Palace for a night. After that, he closely monitored my movements, strictly forbidding me from contacting any officials. It wasn't until after my third brother's coronation ceremony, when the situation was settled, that he allowed me to return... I am just his unfilial son. What virtue or ability do I possess to warrant such caution from him?"
He smiled bitterly, poured himself another cup of wine, and drank it in one gulp. As he reached for the wine jug to pour another, Zhenzhen stopped his hand.
"Second Brother, you've had enough to drink today," Zhenzhen said gently, stopping him. She then advised, "Our lives are given to us by our parents, and raising us to adulthood is already a great kindness. Family property and additional affection, if given to us, are certainly like adding flowers to brocade. But if they choose not to give them, there is nothing to blame. That is their decision, and we should not resent them. They have already nurtured us to adulthood, and we can live self-sufficiently. There is no need to compare how much wealth or affection they have given us, because ultimately, we must live independently, relying on ourselves. I firmly believe that all parents love their children. The Emperor is the ruler of a nation, and family matters are state matters. He must consider things more thoroughly than we do, hoping to act with caution and avoid giving others cause for criticism. Perhaps he simply believed it was the right thing to do, not a special precaution against you. Looking at it from another perspective, he probably knows that you have always been free-spirited and unrestrained, so he broke precedent by allowing you to leave the capital and come to Ningguo Prefecture to make use of your talents."
Zhao Ai listened silently, offering no response to this. Instead, he asked her, "Zhenzhen, do you still remember your father? Was he good to you back then?"
Zhenzhen was taken aback for a moment, then said, "My father left me when I was very young, but I believe it was not his wish to leave me..."
"Have you never found out where he went?" Zhao Ai asked again.Zhenzhen shook her head, but her face pale, she couldn't help glancing once more at those "manjusaka" flowers.
Slightly tipsy, Zhao Ai didn't notice her unusual expression and didn't press further. He continued sharing his thoughts intermittently until dusk settled and autumn insects chirped, then stood up saying, "I should return now."
Worried that he had drunk too much and riding at night would be unsafe, Zhenzhen suggested, "Why don't you stay in the bedroom on the second floor tonight? I'll return to Grandma Song's courtyard later."
"No," Zhao Ai said. "Staying here would damage your reputation."
"Reputation? I stopped caring long ago." Zhenzhen smiled. "Song Taosheng's reputation was utterly destroyed by Judge Zhao long ago."
They had been interacting closely, and he had deliberately displayed their intimacy several times. By now, the entire Ningguo Estate probably knew and would undoubtedly regard them as lovers. Thinking this, Zhao Ai felt an inexplicable warmth in his heart. Seeing her lack of concern, a sweet sensation arose within him, and the corners of his lips lifted silently.
Zhenzhen continued, "After experiencing so many life-and-death matters, I've long since come to see things clearly. Names, status, so-called reputation—none of it matters. No matter how outsiders gossip or speculate privately about how we interact, as long as we are open and honest with ourselves and have a clear conscience, that's enough."
With a faint smile, Zhao Ai extended a finger and lightly touched her lips, whispering, "Truly without any guilt at all?"
In the thick darkness, Zhenzhen only felt his eyes deep and profound, the flickering affection within them swaying with the candlelight. Her heart skipped a beat, and for a moment she was speechless.
Zhao Ai chuckled, withdrawing his hand. "I'm no Liu Xiahui. If I stay any longer, I'll start wondering: If I embrace you, will you push me away? If you reject me, I'll lose face terribly and might even feel too embarrassed to see you for a long time. If you don't push me away, I'll question whether your kindness is merely sympathy for my current situation, and whether I'm just exploiting misery to seek pity... Better not to pose such dilemmas for us."
He went downstairs, mounted his horse, and left, not allowing Zhenzhen to see him off. So she stood by the upstairs window, watching him ride away.
After a few steps, he suddenly turned back to look at her, his brow relaxing into a smile before continuing along the path lit by the pale moon over autumn waters. The night breeze was gentle, his sleeves fluttering gracefully. Under her smiling gaze, even the sound of hoofbeats seemed particularly light and melodious.
Only after his figure disappeared did Zhenzhen realize she had been smiling all along. Recalling her dampened spirits when he first arrived through the snow years ago, she faintly sensed that something between them was indeed quietly changing.
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