The banks of the Shun River stretched across a vast landscape, with wildflowers blooming across the green grassland. A closer look would reveal a few common medicinal herbs scattered among them.
During the Dragon Boat Festival, it was customary to gather herbs. Digging up a few to bring home symbolized prayers for the family’s health and protection from illness and misfortune.
Wei Rao had come out today equipped with a small medicine basket and a herbal hoe. Since dragon boat drills were much the same as ever, she chose an unoccupied patch of open grassland, dismounted, and began searching for herbs. She had instructed the guards from the Princess Manor to rest in the shade of the trees. Just then, two fast horses galloped toward her. Wei Rao glanced over and recognized Lu Zhuo and his younger sister, Lu Changning.
She averted her gaze and continued her search for herbs.
A patch of mugwort lay ahead—mugwort was a valuable plant, known to warm the meridians, dispel cold, relieve asthma and coughs, and even repel mosquitoes.
Wei Rao lifted the hem of her skirt slightly and crouched down to harvest the herb.
Lu Zhuo dismounted and watched as her fair, slender hands gripped the hoe, rhythmically digging around the mugwort roots.
Though she wore a veiled hat, the thin gauze only shielded her from dust. From up close, he could even make out her thick, curled lashes.
“Such rough work—may I assist you, Princess?” Lu Zhuo knelt on one knee, half-crouching before her.
Dressed in a red robe and black boots, he reminded Wei Rao of his dashing figure three years ago, when he had galloped on horseback, shooting arrows with precision. She also recalled the moment the Divine Martial Army’s dragon boat was about to lose to the Han family’s Soaring Dragon Army. Lu Zhuo had suddenly leaped into the air, vaulting from one end of the boat to the other. The lake wind had billowed his crimson robes, and as he landed steadily on the dragon boat, he had smiled, exuding confidence and composure.
Any young lady in the capital who had witnessed that scene would likely never forget the elegance of the Lu family’s young master from the Duke of Yingguo’s manor.
He had mocked her and insulted her in the past, yet now he was eagerly pursuing her, willing to spar with Li Wei for her sake and even gather herbs on her behalf.
To claim that Wei Rao took no pleasure in this would be a lie.
But more than anything, Wei Rao wanted to see just how far Lu Zhuo would go for her.
“Does the heir truly wish to help me?” Wei Rao asked without looking up, her small hoe tapping rhythmically against the ground.
Lu Zhuo gazed at her veil. “Naturally. Whatever command the Princess gives, I shall obey without question.”
Wei Rao chuckled and glanced toward the Shun River ahead. “I’ve heard there’s an herb at the bottom of the Shun River called bitter herb. It clears heat, detoxifies the body, relieves coughs, and reduces phlegm. Would you be willing to fetch a couple for me?”
Lu Zhuo was familiar with bitter herb. As someone who had marched and fought in battles, where injuries and dangers were ever-present, all sons of the Lu Family could identify common medicinal herbs.
“The Shun River runs deep. Bitter herb may be difficult to find,” Lu Zhuo mused after a moment’s thought.
Wei Rao lowered her head and continued working on the mugwort plant. “If that’s the case, then forget it.”
Lu Zhuo smiled. “If I manage to find the bitter herb, may I be rewarded with a smile from the Princess?”
Wei Rao snorted. “No.”
Lu Zhuo changed his request. “Then may I be granted a glimpse of the Princess’s jade-like countenance?”
Jade-like countenance…
Wei Rao’s cheeks warmed. Afraid his sharp dark eyes might detect her blush, she nodded dismissively, hoping he would leave quickly.
Lu Zhuo rose to his feet with a smile.
Lu Changning exclaimed in surprise, “Elder brother, are you really going to search for herbs at the bottom of the river? The water is so deep—can you manage it?”
Lu Zhuo did not reply. With an air of calm composure, he walked to the riverbank, removed his crimson official robe, and handed it to his cousin. He cast one last glance at Wei Rao, who remained absorbed in harvesting mugwort. Then, under the watchful eyes of the people on both banks, Lu Zhuo laughed and plunged into the water.
The splash—a loud “plop”—seemed to strike right at Wei Rao’s heart.
He had truly jumped in.
And just then, the mugwort plant finally came free, roots and all.Wei Rao grasped the mugwort leaves, gently shook off the soil from the roots, placed them in the medicine basket, stood up, and continued searching for other medicinal herbs.
The bitter grass wasn’t easy to find. Lu Zhuo would surface periodically to catch his breath, while Wei Rao nonchalantly gathered herbs nearby. By the time her medicine basket was nearly full, Lu Zhuo had come ashore. His white underwear was soaked through, clinging tightly to his tall, upright frame. The usually refined and scholarly-looking Young Lord now revealed the demeanor of a military officer. His slender limbs, though not as robust and ape-like as Qi Zhongkai’s, were firm and powerful, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. The underwear pressed against his abdomen clearly outlined the shape of six-pack abs.
His dark hair was tied high on his head, and water droplets rolled down his handsome face, reflecting sparkling sunlight along the way.
The five Dragon Boat teams of the Divine Martial Army, who had come to watch the excitement, erupted in cheers, shouting praises for the deputy commander’s prowess.
Ignoring the onlookers, Lu Zhuo wrung the water from his underwear, put on the official robe handed to him by his cousin, and walked toward Wei Rao, holding a few dripping wet medicinal herbs.
Wei Rao thought of his condition—to show him her face—and for some reason, her heart fluttered.
What was there to see? What was there to be nervous about? They had acted as a married couple for a year, and Lu Zhuo had even seen her in her underwear.
Yet she was flustered. As Lu Zhuo drew closer, Wei Rao suddenly wanted to flee.
And flee she did, though she disguised it as disdain. Walking all the way to her snow-white steed, Wei Rao mounted the horse, secured her medicine basket, and then, gripping the reins, coldly addressed Lu Zhuo, who was only a dozen steps away: "Young Lord, you took too long. My medicine basket is already full. You can keep the bitter grass for yourself."
With that, Wei Rao spurred her horse forward.
Suddenly, a whistle sounded from behind. Wei Rao’s heart skipped a beat, only to see Flying Ink, who had been leisurely grazing ahead, trotting over toward her back—and behind her was Lu Zhuo!
Was Lu Zhuo coming after her?
Wei Rao turned her head and saw Lu Zhuo mount his horse, indeed heading straight for her!
Whether it was to avoid being caught and forced to remove her veil or out of a competitive spirit, Wei Rao cracked her whip, urging her white horse to gallop at full speed.
The scenery on both banks flew past in reverse. The onlookers along the shore seemed to be watching her, but Wei Rao had no time to discern what they were saying or laughing about. She simply raced ahead. The sound of Flying Ink’s hooves grew closer and closer. To her left was the city wall of the capital, to her right was the Shun River—no escape in either direction. She had no choice but to press on stubbornly.
Out of the corner of her eye, a dark shadow flashed. The next moment, her head felt lighter—her veil had been snatched away.
Flying Ink blocked the path ahead. Wei Rao’s white horse whinnied and was forced to a halt, spinning in place twice with her on its back.
"Give it back!" Wei Rao snapped angrily, her cheeks flushed a deep crimson, like a peony blooming too vibrantly, embarrassed to be scrutinized by admirers.
This was the first time Lu Zhuo had seen Wei Rao like this. Though her eyes blazed with arrogance, her expression—a mix of shyness and irritation—was utterly charming and captivating.
It reminded him of the grasslands at the West Mountain Imperial Palace, where he had teased her with words. Wei Rao, enraged, had tried to whip him, but he caught her and pulled her onto his horse, holding her waist tightly. Back then, Wei Rao’s ears had turned bright red, leaving him parched and restless.In truth, had the riverbank not been crowded with people, Lu Zhuo would have snatched Wei Rao onto his horse the moment he caught up to her, punishing her at his whim.
Guiding his horse closer, he first handed her the medicinal herb: "This is bitter grass. I’ve fulfilled my task—I hope the princess will accept it."
Wei Rao glanced at his hand. Despite his frantic pursuit, the bitter grass he held remained pristine—not a single leaf crushed, vibrant green and dewy, its roots washed clean.
Then she looked at Lu Zhuo. His hair was still dripping, water tracing paths down his jade-like, handsome face.
Wei Rao pressed her lips together and handed over the medicine basket. As soon as Lu Zhuo placed the bitter grass inside, she swiftly withdrew her hand, reattached the medicine basket, and extended her hand again, her expression taut, eyes lowered: "Return my veil hat.""
Lu Zhuo looked at the veil hat in his hand, then at her radiant face, and said quietly, "There have been some baseless rumors circulating recently in the city. Has the princess heard them?"
Wei Rao knew, of course. Xie Hualou had completed her mourning period. Xie Hualou had long been praised for her beauty surpassing Wei Rao’s, and now, still an unmarried maiden, in public speculation, Xie Hualou’s appeal to Lu Zhuo naturally outweighed that of Wei Rao—this "withered willow" already "slept with" by Lu Zhuo. Some were even placing bets, wagering that Lu Zhuo would surely abandon her to seek Xie Hualou’s hand.
Wei Rao held no animosity toward Xie Hualou, but anyone constantly overshadowed by another in rumors couldn’t help feeling a sting of resentment.
Blame Xie Hualou? No, Xie Hualou was merely a tool used by schemers to undermine her.
Blame Lu Zhuo? No, Lu Zhuo hadn’t shown any particular interest in Xie Hualou; it was all outsiders’ conjecture.
"What rumors?"Wei Rao turned her face away,背对着 the scorching summer sunlight."
The dazzling sun beat down on her snow-white neck and delicate skin. Though Lu Zhuo loved to look, he couldn’t bear to see her exposed, so he returned the veil hat first.
Wei Rao promptly put it on.
With the veil in place, her cherry-red lips stood out even more, irresistibly tempting thoughts of pressing those full, alluring lips against his own and savoring them wantonly.
Lu Zhuo lowered his gaze slightly, looking at her hand, and said, "The talk of peonies and herbaceous peonies."
Wei Rao scoffed, "That? I heard it three or four years ago. Frankly, I had the fortune to see Miss Xie at the palace flower gathering a few days ago. She truly has the grace and nobility of a peony. You and she share a past connection; pursuing her now would complete a beautiful tale and fulfill the people’s expectations."
"But I only love herbaceous peonies," Lu Zhuo waited until her sarcasm subsided, then drew closer to her white horse, whispering near her ear, "If you are the herbaceous peony, then from now on, I care only for herbaceous peonies. No matter how splendid the peony, it means nothing to me."If the world truly loves herbaceous peonies, go tell that to the flowers. My surname is Wei, my name is Rao—I am no flower or plant."
Before her words faded, Wei Rao urged her horse forward again, heading toward the city gate.
That area was even more crowded, so Lu Zhuo did not pursue further.
Lu Changning, seeing the two part, hurried over and asked curiously, "Elder Brother, what did you and the princess talk about?" Did she forgive you?"
Lu Changning was truly astonished by her brother’s actions. If a man were willing to jump into a river to find herbs for her, she would certainly marry him.
Lu Zhuo glanced at his sister and smiled, "All I sought today was to see her. Since I have, my wish is fulfilled."
Lu Changning stared, dumbfounded.Lu Zhuo urged his younger sister to quickly chase after Wei Rao, then turned his horse around to continue watching Lu Ya drill the Divine Martial Army's dragon boat team.
This year, Lu Zhuo would not be participating in the competition, but as it was his second brother's first time leading the team, he hoped he would achieve a good ranking.
On the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, the triennial Imperial Palace Dragon Boat Race was about to begin once more.
Last time, Wei Rao had attended with her grandmother, but this time, as a princess, she received a separate invitation.
The seating arrangements for viewing the race on Qionghua Island were different from the previous occasion. Last time, Emperor Yuanjia and his consorts had accompanied the Empress Dowager in the Star Plucking Tower. This year, the Emperor had invited several important ministers to join him there, while the Empress had selected the most distinguished Imperial Order Ladies to watch from the Wangxian Tower, second only to the Star Plucking Tower.
Wei Rao was seated in the Moonlit Pavilion, where, surprisingly, Sixth Miss Xie, Xie Hualou, was also present. They shared the table with several other young ladies of noble families, with no elders accompanying them.
Coincidentally, all the young ladies present were close friends of Xie Hualou. When Wei Rao arrived, they glanced at her with disdain.
Xie Hualou, however, proactively invited Wei Rao to take the seat of honor, as her status was the highest among them.
The race had not yet begun. Across the lake, the dragon boat teams from the Four Elite Armies, the Imperial City Guard, and the Imperial Guard were already making preparations.
Wei Rao recognized Lu Ya from the Divine Martial Army and Li Wei from the Flying Eagle Army. Qi Zhongkai remained the commander of the Imperial Guard, while the Soaring Dragon Army had a new commander this year. It seemed Han Liao, now thirty-five, no longer had the face to compete alongside a group of young men in their early twenties.
"Miss Xie, the Empress requests your presence at the Wangxian Tower for a conversation."
While Wei Rao was enjoying the scenery, the Empress suddenly sent a palace maid to summon Xie Hualou.
Xie Hualou accepted the command and followed the maid away.
Almost immediately, the other young ladies began whispering enviously: "Sister Hualou is the epitome of grace among us noble ladies—it’s only natural she would gain Her Majesty’s favor."
"Indeed, if not for Old Tutor Xie’s passing delaying matters, Sister Hualou would not still be unmarried."
"Seeing how much Her Majesty dotes on Sister Hualou, perhaps she intends for her to become…"
The young lady trailed off with a meaningful expression, but everyone understood: Xie Hualou might become the consort of Prince Jing or Fu Wang.
Wei Rao took out a packet of sour plums from her pouch, selected one, and placed it in her mouth.
Not long after, she spotted Lu Zhuo in his official robes, following a young eunuch as he made his way onto Qionghua Island.
Wei Rao averted her gaze in time, but the other young ladies had also noticed Lu Zhuo and began whispering excitedly. Without even looking, Wei Rao could track his movements.
"Oh, the heir has gone to the Wangxian Tower. Did the Empress summon him?"
"Since he isn’t competing this year, Her Majesty might have invited him to commentate on the race."
"How coincidental—Sister Hualou is also at the Wangxian Tower."
The young ladies deliberately tried to provoke Wei Rao. With the sweet and sour plum in her mouth, Wei Rao actually felt a pang of pity for Xie Hualou.
After Old Tutor Xie’s passing, the Xie family’s prestige had waned significantly, though his legacy still lingered. With Xie Hualou’s beauty, temperament, and family background, she was fully qualified to become a prince’s consort. Yet, the Empress deliberately arranging for Lu Zhuo and Xie Hualou to meet indicated that Her Majesty did not take Xie Hualou seriously.
She wondered what Lu Zhuo, who claimed to love peonies, would think when he saw the Xie family’s "peony"?
After finishing the plum flesh, Wei Rao gently bit into the pit.
OpenNovel