Zhenzhen, Wei Qingxun, Yang Zicheng, Grandma Song, Han Suwen, and several attendants set off for Lin’an the very next day. Zhenzhen and Grandma Song rode inside the carriage, wearing veiled hats all day long, making it difficult for outsiders to catch a glimpse of her face. Occasionally, when inspectors questioned them, Wei Qingxun would step forward to explain that she was the Lady of Xinan Commandery, and they were quickly let through without further trouble.
They traveled through wind and rain, and when they were still about twenty or thirty li from Lin’an, they suddenly heard the clamor of carriages and horses behind them. A herald shouted for pedestrians to make way, announcing the arrival of the Crown Princess. Hearing this, Zhenzhen was momentarily stunned before realizing that this "Crown Princess" must refer to Fengxian.
With her marriage to Zhao Hao settled, Fengxian had been taken back to her parents’ home to live until the wedding date drew near. She then set out from an outer commandery to return to Lin’an for the ceremony. At that time, Fengxian rode in a Palace Carriage as tall as a house, drawn by four magnificent horses. Hundreds of attendants accompanied her—some clearing the way ahead, others armed and guarding, some playing ceremonial music, and others carrying numerous dowry chests. The procession stretched on endlessly, advancing toward Lin’an in a grand and imposing manner.
Wei Qingxun, riding on horseback, glanced back and then signaled the attendant driving Zhenzhen’s carriage to stop and move to the side of the road. He dismounted along with Yang Zicheng, Han Suwen, and the others, also retreating to the roadside.
All pedestrians along the road lined up on both sides, bowing respectfully to the Crown Princess’s Palace Carriage. Worried that showing herself might cause unnecessary trouble, Zhenzhen did not alight from the carriage, remaining seated inside with the doors and windows tightly shut. The herald, noticing that Zhenzhen’s carriage was slightly larger and more elaborately decorated than those typically used by women, guessed that its occupant held some status. Eager to flatter Fengxian and make her feel a sense of supreme dignity, he deliberately shouted at Zhenzhen’s carriage, "Who is so ill-mannered as to not alight and pay respects upon seeing the Crown Princess’s procession?"
Wei Qingxun stepped forward to explain, "This is a member of Prince Wei’s household, the Lady of Xinan Commandery. Due to the long and arduous journey, she is extremely dizzy from travel fatigue and has just fallen asleep in the carriage, thus failing to alight and pay respects in time. We beg the Crown Princess’s forgiveness."
She thought that mentioning Prince Wei’s household would deter further trouble, as it had with previous inspectors. However, upon hearing this, Fengxian spoke from within her carriage, "Since it is a member of Prince Wei’s household, we can be considered family. Why doesn’t my sister alight and have a chat with me?"
With that, she opened her carriage window and fixed her gaze on Zhenzhen’s carriage, then scrutinized Wei Qingxun and the others. Yang Zicheng, dressed in the attire of Wei Qingxun’s servant, deliberately prostrated himself respectfully on the ground. Fengxian could not see his face and paid little attention to him, her eyes sweeping over the group until they lingered briefly on a rectangular redwood chest being transported by Wei Qingxun’s servants.
Hearing her words, Zhenzhen knew she could not avoid it any longer and had to alight from the carriage. Still wearing her veiled hat, she bowed low to Fengxian and said, "Your humble servant, Lady Song of Xinan Commandery, pays respects to the Crown Princess. May the Crown Princess enjoy boundless blessings."
To prevent Fengxian from recognizing her voice, she deliberately spoke in the Ningguo Prefecture dialect, keeping her head lowered and hidden behind the veil so Fengxian could not see her features.
Fengxian stared at her, scrutinizing her closely, and said coolly, "Since this is our first meeting as sisters, why doesn’t the lady remove her veiled hat, so I may have the honor of beholding your lovely face? That way, when we meet again in the palace, we will recognize each other."Zhenzhen lowered her head and said, "During this journey, I have been exposed to sun and rain, and suffered from mosquito bites. My face is terribly swollen, which is why I cover it with a veil. To avoid frightening the Crown Princess with my unsightly appearance, I beg your forgiveness for my discourtesy and hope you will grant me permission to keep the veil on. On another day when we meet in the palace, I will personally express my gratitude for your leniency."
Fengxian continued to scrutinize her from above, remaining silent for a moment before speaking again. "Very well, you may keep it on. It is rare to have the fortune of meeting you here, Madam. I would like to offer you a humble gift as a token of my goodwill. I hope you will accept it."
She then called over her maid and whispered a few instructions. The maid obeyed and went to the carriage behind, retrieving a brocade box. Opening it, she presented it to Zhenzhen with both hands.
Zhenzhen looked up and saw a set of white floral ornaments inside. Startled for a moment, she looked more closely and realized they were inlaid with mother-of-pearl and mica, exquisitely crafted and shimmering with a rainbow of colors under the sunlight.
Zhenzhen slowly accepted the gift and bowed again in gratitude. Fengxian smiled and excused her from the formalities, then instructed her maid to close the carriage window and resume their journey.
Returning to her own carriage, Zhenzhen picked up one of the floral ornaments and turned it over to examine the Breath-Activated Adhesive on the back. The adhesive was translucent and appeared normal. She sniffed it but detected no fragrance.
Closing the brocade box, she tried to calm her uneasy heart. Closing her eyes, she thought perhaps Fengxian had simply given her a meeting gift, and she was overreacting, truly becoming a startled bird.
Zhenzhen and her party arrived outside Lin’an but did not enter the city immediately. Instead, they first went to the Great Stone Buddha Monastery on Baoshi Mountain, northwest of the imperial city.
The monastery was built halfway up the mountain, housing a half-body statue of Maitreya carved from a massive stone. Legend had it that the stone was originally used by Qin Shi Huang to moor his boat. During the Later Zhou’s Xiande era, the King of Wuyue built a monastery here, and the Maitreya statue was carved during the Xuanhe era of the current dynasty, leading to the monastery being named "Great Stone Buddha Monastery."
Wei Qingxuan escorted Zhenzhen, Grandma Song, and Yang Zicheng to the monastery before entering the city with Han Suwen to find Zhao Ai. Zhenzhen requested an audience with the monastery’s abbot, asking to temporarily store the rosewood chest she had brought in the backyard. The abbot agreed and invited Zhenzhen’s party to rest and have tea in the monastery.
Zhenzhen personally directed the attendants to place the chest in the courtyard. The attendants then left to have tea, but Zhenzhen remained standing in place, her gaze fixed on the chest for a long time.
In front of the great stone Buddha stood a ginkgo tree over a hundred feet tall, lush with foliage. Autumn was now deep, and leaves rustled as they fell. Ginkgo leaves covered Zhenzhen from head to toe, but she remained oblivious, standing quietly until she heard the cry of a crane. Only then did she look up, gazing toward where the crane danced.
The great stone Buddha was carved against the mountain, with its crown backed by the midsection of the hillside. There was a viewing platform there, where a white crane danced briefly above Zhenzhen before flying to the platform and landing beside a man standing in the wind.
Zhenzhen looked up, blinking against the backlight before recognizing the man in light robes and a cloak as Lin Hong, whom she had not seen for three years.
At the summit of Baoshi Mountain, massive stones formed peaks, offering a panoramic view of the Broken Bridge. That day, Lin Hong had brought A Che to the mountaintop, facing West Lake and playing the zither in the wind. As they were about to return home, they passed by the platform on the mountainside. Seeing the golden ginkgo leaves falling, Lin Hong strolled over and looked down at the scenery below.The ginkgo tree's canopy was vast, its fan-shaped leaves like golden foil dancing to the rhythm of the autumn wind—sometimes fluttering like butterflies, sometimes cascading down, piling thickly on the ground and dyeing most of the courtyard gold. A redwood chest placed in the courtyard was also covered with a thick layer of yellow leaves, and at the center of this golden world stood a young woman in a white dress, her figure slender and her demeanor desolate. Her dark hair was lifted by the wind, flowing backward like a shadow or a phantom. When she tilted her face upward, the golden sunlight illuminated her smooth complexion. She opened her bewildered eyes, her expression as pure as a child's.
Lin Hong stood silently facing her amidst the falling leaves and wind, and it took him a moment to remember the present day. He then descended the stone steps along the mountain path, circled to the main gate of the Great Stone Buddha Temple, and strode directly into the rear courtyard, stopping before Zhenzhen.
His eyes gleaming, he had just called out "Zhenzhen" when Yang Zicheng suddenly emerged from a nearby meditation room. Bowing to Lin Hong, Yang introduced, "Lord Xuanyi, this is the Lady of Xinan Commandery."
Lin Hong immediately fell silent. After a moment, he bowed deeply to Zhenzhen in silence.
Yang Zicheng led him and Zhenzhen into the meditation room, where a young monk was arranging flowers in a vase. Seeing their solemn expressions as they entered, the monk guessed they likely had important matters to discuss. He rose, excused himself, left the unfinished flower arrangement, and headed to the main hall.
The three sat down. A Che, who had followed Lin Hong, set down the qin and went outside to fetch water to brew tea for them. Yang Zicheng broke the silence first, asking Lin Hong why he had come. Lin Hong replied, "I bought a small garden on a solitary hill on a nearby island and now live there, tending flowers and raising cranes. In my leisure time, I stroll around the surrounding mountains. Today, I came to Baoshi Mountain to play the qin and unexpectedly had the fortune of meeting an old acquaintance."
He longed to ask Zhenzhen about her experiences over the past few years, but as she did not bring it up herself, he felt it inappropriate to inquire. Another awkward silence filled the room. Just as he decided to leave and rose to bid farewell, Zhenzhen called out to him, "Teacher Lin, when I studied under you in the past, I often heard you tell stories and anecdotes. Today, I also have a story I wish to share with you. Are you willing to listen?"
Lin Hong nodded and sat back down.
Zhenzhen looked at him and began her tale: "In a certain dynasty, treacherous ministers held sway, deceiving the emperor and oppressing the people. The nation faced internal strife and external threats, and the people suffered. A diligent and ambitious prince resolved to eradicate the treacherous officials and restore the empire's prosperity, but the chief villain took revenge, causing the death of the prince's wife. The prince had two close friends: one was a remonstrating official, and the other was a royal physician. The remonstrating official's father had also been persecuted to death by the villain. National grievances and personal hatred drove the three to unite in punishing evil and eliminating the villain. They devised a plan similar to Jing Ke's assassination attempt on the King of Qin..."
"Assassinate the King of Qin?" Lin Hong repeated thoughtfully, his gaze somewhat distant.
"Yes," Zhenzhen continued. "The prince was Crown Prince Dan of Yan, the physician was Jing Ke, and the remonstrating official was Fan Yuqi... The remonstrating official took the initiative to impeach the chief villain, who then grew to despise him deeply. At this point, the physician expressed his desire to defect to the villain. Knowing of their prior friendship, the villain doubted the physician's sincerity and demanded that he betray the remonstrating official by providing evidence of his crimes, so the villain could frame him. This was something the prince and his friends had anticipated. The physician and the remonstrating official had previously agreed that the latter would sacrifice his life to help the physician gain the villain's trust... What happened afterward, Teacher, you should know, right?"
Lin Hong did not answer but instead fixed his gaze intently on Zhenzhen and asked, "Who told you this?"Zhenzhen gave a sympathetic smile. "Crown Prince Zhuang Wen... in a rather special way."
At this moment, Yang Zicheng sighed deeply from the side. "This matter is true. Before being sent by The Emperor to serve as the supervisor of the Eastern Palace, I was His Majesty's close attendant, serving him since his youth. He trusted me greatly. Back then, when he discussed this matter with Imperial Physician Zhang and your father, he often had me secretly liaise between them, so I know the hidden details... Although this plan succeeded, your father paid with his life, while Imperial Physician Zhang's reputation was ruined, becoming in the eyes of court officials a treacherous man who betrayed friends for personal gain. Later, he disappeared without a trace. The truth of this matter cannot be made public, so I imagine both the Xuan Yi Lang and your mother remain in the dark, never knowing the truth."
Lin Hong's gaze shifted between Yang Zicheng and Zhenzhen, clearly weighing the credibility of their words. Zhenzhen then said, "Supervisor Yang is loyal and reliable, never speaking falsely, which is why The Emperor sent him to the Eastern Palace after Wang Muze's incident, to guide Crown Prince Zhuang Wen. As for me, when facing my teacher, I always speak my mind, as I did before, and as I will now and in the future. Besides, after experiencing these life-and-death matters, would you still think it necessary for me to fabricate lies to deceive you?"
Lin Hong remained silent. Zhenzhen continued, "This story isn't over yet... After the great treacherous minister died, his family fell apart, but he had a granddaughter. Guided by her mother, she went to Lingnan..."
Lin Hong felt a chill in his heart, yet his expression barely changed. He only stared at Zhenzhen, slightly furrowing his brows, holding his breath as he listened to her account.
Zhenzhen turned Madam Yu's scheme of using Consort Liu to impersonate Lin Hong's cousin and enter the palace as a consort into a story, narrating it all the way until the Crown Prince witnessed Consort Liu worshipping the moon to honor her father, after which the Crown Prince mysteriously died not long after.
Yang Zicheng also continued to testify, telling Lin Hong about his encounter with the Liu family's tutor in Lingnan, proving to him that Consort Liu was not actually his cousin.
After listening to both of them, Lin Hong remained silent for a long time. Zhenzhen knew that this revelation had shaken him to his core, but he was inherently reserved, keeping joy and sorrow deeply hidden within. Even if his heart was bleeding inside, his face remained composed, just as it was now. Apart from Zhenzhen glancing down and noticing his hands secretly clenched into fists, nails digging deep into his palms, he appeared otherwise normal.
"Why did you deliberately bring this up?" he finally asked gloomily after a long while.
Zhenzhen replied, "I wanted to know if, during your interactions with Consort Liu and Madam Yu, you noticed anything suspicious regarding their identities or Crown Prince Zhuang Wen... To clarify the truth about Crown Prince Zhuang Wen's matter, to clear the disgrace imposed on him by rumors and the unjust accusations against me, and to block the hands of treacherous individuals reaching for power in the realm, I need more evidence."
Lin Hong fell silent again, saying nothing.
Zhenzhen understood that his years of affection for Consort Liu could not be severed by her few words, even if he knew she shared no blood ties with him and might even be the daughter of an enemy.
For the moment, she did not press Lin Hong further. Turning her head, she looked at the flower branches left by the monk earlier, rose, and went to the seat where the monk had arranged the flowers. She selected some branches herself and inserted them into the vase.
First, she arranged several maple leaves that transitioned in color from green to red, then trimmed some small white chrysanthemums to intersperse among them. Next, she chose a red chrysanthemum and placed it near the mouth of the vase, with two buds of the same color standing tall and short behind that flower. With slight adjustments, she made the three flowers extend in different directions.Lin Hong watched silently without comment. But when Zhenzhen cut a branch of red hibiscus and tried to arrange it beside the chrysanthemum, asking him if it was suitable, he stopped her.
“This hibiscus and the chrysanthemum share the same color and are similar in size; they cannot be arranged together,” he told Zhenzhen.
“Why?” Zhenzhen asked. “Both flowers are blooming beautifully. I want to use them as the most important floral materials simultaneously.”
“In a vase of flowers, there is only one most important floral material. If two similar flowers are used together, neither can be considered the ‘most’ important.” Lin Hong patiently instructed her as he always had. “You must learn to make choices.”
“Yes, one must learn to make choices.” Zhenzhen put down the flower branch and looked directly at Lin Hong, speaking solemnly, “When righteousness and life cannot both be preserved, your father chose righteousness. When righteousness and reputation cannot both be upheld, Imperial Physician Zhang chose righteousness. Now, when righteousness and personal affection cannot both be maintained, what will you choose, Teacher?”
Lin Hong gazed at her for a long time, undoubtedly struggling inwardly with pain. Finally, he lowered his eyes slightly, shifting his gaze to the scattered flower branches, and spoke at last: “Before Crown Prince Zhuang Wen was poisoned by drinking mushroom water, Madam Yu came to me, saying that Consort Liu wanted to imitate the Eastern Palace’s water system to channel spring water from the mountaintop into her pavilion, and asked me for the Eastern Palace’s water pipe map for reference. At the time, I had no suspicions and lent it to her... When the Crown Prince fell ill and you came to ask me about the water quality, I later recalled this matter and vaguely felt it was suspicious. I felt deeply guilty toward Crown Prince Zhuang Wen, so I made a special trip to the Eastern Palace to confess my fault.”
“Indeed, the pipes in the mountains were covered with protective layers and soil. Without the map, it wouldn’t have been so easy for an ordinary person to locate and excavate them.” Zhenzhen let out a cold, astonished laugh. “Why didn’t you say anything at the time?”
Lin Hong replied, “Speaking of this matter would involve many people. Besides, I only had suspicions and no concrete evidence.”
Zhenzhen thought about it and could understand his desire to protect Consort Liu at the time, as well as why he insisted on confessing his fault after the Crown Prince recovered. Overwhelmed with mixed emotions, she didn’t know what to say. After a long pause, she spoke stiffly, “Thank you for telling me this.”
“There is one more thing,” Lin Hong continued. “Later, Consort Liu asked me to renovate the garden of Furong Pavilion for her. One day, Madam Yu requested that I send a craftsman to repair her leaky roof. After returning, the craftsman told me that there was actually a small hidden room beneath the floorboards under Madam Yu’s bed, which had leaked water, so he was asked to repair it... The next day, this craftsman suddenly left a letter saying his parents were ill and he had to return to his hometown. He disappeared afterward, and it’s unknown whether he truly went back.”
After speaking, he looked up at Zhenzhen and said, “If Furong Pavilion is ever searched in the future, it might be worthwhile to find this hidden room. Madam Yu may have hidden some important items inside.”
Before Zhenzhen could respond, Yang Zicheng stood up and bowed deeply to Lin Hong. “Lord Xuan Yi, if one day Crown Prince Zhuang Wen and Palace Attendant Wu’s grievances are cleared, I will surely report to The Emperor and ensure your forthright words today are not forgotten.”
Lin Hong forced a smile and stood up to return the bow. However, whether it was due to standing up abruptly after sitting for too long or the emotional strain he had just endured, he suddenly felt dizzy and swayed slightly. Zhenzhen, seeing this from the side, instinctively reached out to steady him. Lin Hong’s right hand dropped and happened to grasp the hand she extended toward him.
His hand was exceptionally cold.
Zhenzhen lowered her gaze and saw that his hand was like ice or jade—clean and pale. As it held hers, his fingers were slightly bent, their shape long and elegant.In that fleeting moment, Zhenzhen's thoughts suddenly flew back to the night when the island of Gathering Scenery Garden was submerged by the flood. The person who had saved her had held her hand in the same way. Her other hand had reached out groggily, faintly sensing his slender knuckles.
As if scalded, she abruptly withdrew her hand. After steadying herself, she looked up at Lin Hong and asked, "Teacher Lin, do you know how to swim?"
Lin Hong fell silent briefly, then a faint smile surfaced in his gentle eyes. He slightly spread his sleeves and said, "Look at me. Does it seem like I know how to swim?"
Zhenzhen examined him once more, feeling that he was just as she remembered—full of scholarly refinement, gentle and cultured, nothing like a swimmer. Moreover, he was obsessed with cleanliness; it seemed highly unlikely that he would leap into the murky lake water to save someone.
"I'm sorry, that was an unnecessary question. I was rude," Zhenzhen apologized, lowering her gaze.
"It's fine," he replied, his lingering smile flawless. Then, with polite courtesy, he bowed to her once more. "I should take my leave now."
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