After that, the Emperor still frequently summoned Ju An. They would either engage in literary pursuits, drink and sing softly, or simply sit side by side under the eaves, quietly watching flowers bloom and wither without speaking, peacefully listening as time slipped away with the sound of the wind. She always tried to prolong her time with him as much as possible, yet he strictly adhered to his principles. As soon as dusk fell, he would order someone to escort her back, never allowing her to stay overnight.
Compared to her life before meeting him, such days were already beautiful enough, but she still felt anxious and uneasy, plagued by a sense of insecurity. To her, he was the first ray of light after fifteen years of gloomy existence. She bathed in his gentle care with both surprise and joy, yet when she reached out, she could not grasp him. When she left him, her heart sank back into boundless darkness along with the deepening twilight. She looked forward to reuniting with him, just as she longed for the dawn's sunlight.
He had many favored consorts, such as Consort Liu the Elder and Lady Li the Younger, who could accompany him day and night. She considered herself no less than them in appearance, talent, or skill, so why couldn't she be one more to add fragrance to his nights?
One day, she was summoned to the Hall of Blessing and Tranquility again. She wielded her brush to write in the slender gold script, while the Emperor stood beside her, occasionally offering comments. Soon, the Empress entered and, seeing the characters she had written, paused for a moment before quickly composing herself and bowing to the Emperor.
After exchanging a few pleasantries with the Empress, the Emperor invited her to sit and observe, continuing to guide Ju An in her calligraphy practice.
The Empress watched silently for a while before smiling and saying, "I always said that Ju Butou is diligent in her studies, especially fond of delving into the art of writing. Your Majesty, with your love for talent, is happy to offer guidance. This could have been a beautiful story passed down as a fine tale, but there are some meddlesome idlers in the palace who gossip, saying that Ju Butou frequently visits the Hall of Blessing and Tranquility to seduce Your Majesty with her charms and join the ranks of the consorts. If I hear such rumors again, I will severely punish the rumor-mongers to clear Ju Butou's name."
Upon hearing this, the Emperor said, "There's no need to make a fuss. Unimportant rumors are like wind passing by the ears; just listen and let them go."
But Ju An stopped her brush, her gaze sweeping toward the still-smiling Empress, and said calmly, "What if it's not a rumor?"
The Empress's smile froze, and she was speechless for a moment before rising to take her leave, excusing herself by saying she had a garden outing planned with the Consort, and hurriedly departed from the Hall of Blessing and Tranquility.
After the Empress disappeared from sight, the Emperor sighed to Ju An, "Why bother? She is the mistress of the inner palace. If you offend her, your days may not be easy in the future."
Ju An said, "I don't care... You will protect me."
The Emperor smiled and embraced her shoulders.
Ju An took the opportunity to wrap her arms around his waist, looking up at him with earnest eyes, and posed the question that had troubled her for a long time: "Why won't you make me your consort?"
The Emperor took her hands, gently pushed her away to arm's length, and smiled at her, softly saying one sentence: "I treat you like a sister."
"Madam Ju..." Suddenly hearing someone call her, Qiu Niang snapped back to reality and felt the coldness on her cheeks. Raising her hand to touch them, she realized they were tearstains left behind at some unknown time.
She wiped away her tears, turned to look at Cheng Yuan who had called her, and resumed her previously indifferent expression.Suppressing her emotions, she spoke to Cheng Yuan in as calm a tone as possible, “I have always remembered in my heart the care you have shown me over the years, Master Cheng. Now that the late emperor has been gone for many years, I am nothing more than a trivial entertainer in the eyes of the Empress Dowager. If you do not mention me, I doubt she would even remember me. Why must you keep me confined here, wasting such fine clothes and food? If you would be merciful and allow me to return to my hometown, I would be forever grateful for your kindness, praying for your blessings every day for the rest of my life.”
“You are only safe here with me,” Cheng Yuan said softly, wearing a reassuring smile. “You know yourself that you are different from others in the eyes of the Empress Dowager. After the late emperor passed away, she immediately sent the imperial concubines out of the palace, ordering them to spend their remaining lives in seclusion as nuns. Only you and Official Liu remained unresolved in her mind. She said that since you were the palace attendants most cherished by the late emperor, he surely would not have wished to leave you behind in this mundane world, so she ordered your capture… This order remains in effect to this day. Over the years, you have shed all adornments, living in seclusion in the countryside with simple clothes and wooden hairpins. Though this may have kept you safe for a time, Wu Zhenzhen is growing older and her actions are becoming more reckless. It is only a matter of time before she reveals your whereabouts. That is why I dared to invite you to take refuge here. Please rest assured and stay as long as you wish. Your clothing, food, and provisions will never be inferior to what you had during the late emperor’s lifetime, and I will do everything in my power to ensure your safety for the rest of your life.”
“Zhenzhen…” Hearing her daughter’s name, Qiu Niang’s eyes misted over again. After a moment of contemplation, she turned and bowed to Cheng Yuan, saying, “Since you brought me to the capital instead of handing me over to the Empress Dowager, you must have some affection for me, and I am deeply grateful. I beg for your mercy to allow me to return home. I will take my daughter and leave Pujiang, finding another secluded place to live under an assumed name.”
Cheng Yuan took two steps closer to her and whispered in a voice so low it was almost inaudible, “It’s too late. Wu Zhenzhen has already come to Lin’an in search of you and has become a palace attendant in the Bureau of Palace Provisions…”
Qiu Niang opened her eyes wide and met his gaze, her breathing gradually growing rapid.
“What’s even more unfortunate…” Cheng Yuan looked at Qiu Niang with what seemed like pity, though the corners of his lips curled into a cold smile, “is that by now, she should already know of Official Liu’s existence.”
Qiu Niang glared at him angrily, her chest heaving. A trembling hand groped along the nearby table until it found a celadon incense burner. She immediately grabbed it and hurled it toward Cheng Yuan’s face.
Cheng Yuan sidestepped, and the incense burner struck his right shoulder before falling to the ground, shattering with a piercing sound. The spilled incense ash scattered across half of Cheng Yuan’s body.
Unperturbed and without anger, Cheng Yuan brushed the ash from his clothes, retreated to the door, bowed respectfully in farewell, and then turned and left.
Under the careful care of Zhenzhen and others, Yin Qi gradually returned to his normal state, though he became even more attached to Zhenzhen, insisting that she stay by his side all day. Seeing this, the Lady of Chen once again brought up the matter of taking a concubine, urging Zhenzhen several times, but Zhenzhen still refused. Frustrated, the Lady of Chen left in displeasure but did not forget to instruct Yin Qi’s wet nurse and the servants around him to keep a close watch on Zhenzhen, ensuring she did not leave the prince’s residence even for a moment.
Not long after, Zhenzhen heard rumors that the Lady of Chen had secretly begun preparations for taking a concubine, telling the prince that if necessary, she would report to the Empress Dowager and request her personal permission for Yin Qi to take Zhenzhen as a concubine. In that case, Zhenzhen would have no choice but to comply.
Seeing that the situation was becoming inevitable, Zhenzhen could not help but feel deeply anxious. She considered escaping from the prince’s residence, but with the strict surveillance everywhere, she ultimately found no way to break free.One day, a sudden announcement came from the attendants: the Second Great King had personally arrived at the commandery prince's residence to visit the eldest son. Yin Qi led Zhenzhen to the main gate to welcome him, and indeed saw Zhao Ai dismount and enter, followed by several palace attendants trailing behind. A few eunuchs carried a large wooden chest, which appeared to contain gifts intended for Yin Qi.
Upon seeing Zhenzhen behind Yin Qi, a smile flickered in Zhao Ai's eyes. However, he first exchanged greetings with Yin Qi, and the two walked side by side, chatting casually, temporarily saying nothing to Zhenzhen.
Zhenzhen followed them inside when suddenly one of the palace attendants brought by Zhao Ai hurried forward, approached Zhenzhen, and softly called her name.
Turning her head, Zhenzhen was delighted to discover that the palace attendant was none other than Fengxian.
Upon reaching the main hall, Zhao Ai ordered the gifts to be taken out of the wooden chest. Among them was a marble board for the game of tanqi.
Ordinary tanqi boards are square, with a raised center and flat edges like a whetstone. This one, however, was rectangular, with the marble carved into mountains, rivers, and valleys, creating a landscape of ridges and gorges. The round wooden pieces were black and white, and the four corners of the board had grooves. Players would use silk cloths to flick their pieces, which could roll along the grooves into the corners.
Yin Qi praised the board for its exquisite craftsmanship, with its mountains and valleys displaying remarkable grandeur. Zhao Ai smiled and said, "Most people in our dynasty do not care for tanqi, finding it simple and dull. So I had the board modified. This design is more aesthetically pleasing and also more challenging to play. Since you spend much of your time at home, perhaps this could serve as a pastime."
Yin Qi thanked Zhao Ai, and the two promptly set up the pieces with great enthusiasm. Each took a silk cloth and took turns flicking their own pieces to collide with their opponent's, aiming to knock the opponent's pieces into the grooves.
After playing for a while, Zhao Ai paused and said to Yin Qi, "Playing like this is a bit dull. How about we add a wager?"
Yin Qi agreed. Zhao Ai immediately ordered his attendants to bring out several pieces of jewelry and place them in the hall. Seeing this, Yin Qi pointed to the coral, gold vase, and incense mountain displayed in the hall and said, "If I lose, you may take any item in this hall that catches your eye."
The two resumed their match. Yin Qi's skill was clearly not as refined as Zhao Ai's, and he quickly lost the first game. Zhao Ai pointed to the crimson coral and asked, "May I take this?"
Without even lifting an eyelid, Yin Qi had someone quickly place the coral in a brocade box and hand it to Zhao Ai's attendant. He then urged Zhao Ai to start the second game.
In the second game, Yin Qi lost again and, without even glancing, allowed Zhao Ai to take an incense mountain.
For the third game, Yin Qi rallied his spirits and engaged in a fierce battle with Zhao Ai, holding out until the very end. His last remaining piece stood isolated atop a mountain peak. Zhao Ai smiled faintly, flicked his silk cloth with lightning speed, and sent one of his black pieces flying toward the peak. It collided with Yin Qi's piece, which promptly fell and rolled along the river valley into a groove.
"My apologies, this game is also mine," Zhao Ai said to Yin Qi with a smile.
Yin Qi gestured for him to claim his prize. Zhao Ai slowly surveyed the people and objects in the hall, finally fixing his gaze on Zhenzhen.
"Give me this maidservant," he demanded, his tone carrying an implicit command.
This time, Yin Qi looked up and carefully observed Zhenzhen and Zhao Ai before firmly refusing, "No."
Zhao Ai laughed and said, "I am the Second Great King. Should you not obey my command?"
Yin Qi calmly replied, "I am the Second Great King's uncle. Surely, Your Highness would not take what is cherished by an elder."
Zhao Ai laughed aloud, unable to press the matter further. He did not mention the prize again and simply invited Yin Qi to play another game.After a short while, seeing the two men were too engrossed in their game to notice anything else, Zhenzhen gently tugged Fengxian's sleeve, signaling her to follow her out.
Zhenzhen led Fengxian to her own room, where the two embraced, laughing and crying with joy at their reunion. When discussing their recent situations, Fengxian briefly mentioned being assigned to serve the Second Great King, then eagerly asked about Zhenzhen's current circumstances. Zhenzhen recounted most of what had happened since entering the Prince's residence, including Yin Qi's illness and Lady of Chen's proposal for her to become a concubine, but she omitted the part about Official Liu. It wasn't intentional concealment; she simply felt the matter was too cruel and complicated to bring up at that moment.
After hearing this, Fengxian asked Zhenzhen, "So, are you really going to stay here and marry that man with the mental illness?"
Zhenzhen shook her head. "Elder Master Yin is a good person, but I have no romantic feelings for him. My wish to find my mother remains unfulfilled, and I won't marry anyone."
Fengxian said, "The Second Great King has also heard about this matter, which is why he brought me here today to see for myself. From what I can tell, Yin Qi seems quite fixated on you and likely won't let go easily. We must find a way to help you escape."
Zhenzhen sighed. "Lady of Chen has people monitoring my movements, so escaping won't be easy. Besides, Elder Master Yin has been very kind to me. Leaving without a word wouldn't be right."
Fengxian frowned. "This is a serious matter. We can't let a moment of soft-heartedness ruin half your life."
She paced slowly around the room, thinking for a while before asking Zhenzhen, "Earlier, you mentioned that Yin Qi goes mad if he sees wontons?"
Zhenzhen confirmed it.
Fengxian asked further, "Do people in the palace know about this?"
Zhenzhen replied, "According to Yin Qi's wet nurse, this is a tightly guarded secret in the Prince's residence and hasn't been leaked to outsiders."
"That's good..." Fengxian murmured thoughtfully, then seemed to make a decision. She said to Zhenzhen, "In five days, it will be the Crown Prince's birthday. The Eastern Palace will surely invite Yin Qi to the birthday banquet. You must persuade Yin Qi to attend and take you with him. During the banquet, keep a close eye on his actions to ensure he doesn't harm you. As for the rest, I'll find a way."
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