In the spring of the fourth year of the Yanjia era, Fu Zhi, the youngest daughter of Grand Commandant Fu, set off from Yuancheng and returned to Yujing before the grand wedding at the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.

The wedding of the young master of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion was naturally a grand affair. But Fu Zhi found it all rather boring.

She had lived a carefree life in Yuancheng for three years, and her heart had long since become wild. She was too lazy to watch these adults being hypocritical and perfunctory with each other.

Halfway through the banquet, she excused herself to go out of the hall to get some fresh air and sober up, and went to sit on the long corridor in the courtyard with her maid.

The courtyard was lit with lamps, but they were not very bright. Instead, they gave off a dim and hazy feeling, probably because a layer of red crepe gauze was pasted on it. The candlelight shone through the red gauze, which made the dimness feel festive and warm.

A maidservant stood by, holding a plate of pastries that she had taken from the table. Fu Zhi sat on the corridor, occasionally reaching out to grab a pastry and feeding it to her.

She sat in the hall for a long time, but could hardly eat anything. Because she had not returned to the capital for three years, the ladies and young women in the capital were very curious about her. They would ask her all sorts of questions. One asked about the local customs of Yuancheng, and another asked about her age and whether she had been engaged.

It's still more comfortable outside. Fu Zhi thought contentedly.

Suddenly, footsteps sounded from behind. Fu Zhi straightened up alertly, turned around to look at the maid, put her finger to her lips in a "shh" gesture, signaling the maid to be quiet. Then she quietly peeked half her head out from behind a pillar to see who it was.

However, she had not returned to the capital for three years. During those three years, Wei Qinglou, the former Minister of Justice, had become the Grand Secretary, which showed how significant the personnel changes were. She did not recognize any of the four men who came out of the hall.

No, after racking her brains for a long time, she finally recognized one of them as a man surnamed Zhang, a former colleague of her father, but she didn't know what rank or position he held now.

The four of them walked to the magnolia tree in front of the courtyard, their arrangement subtly centered around one person. Fu Zhi looked at them, unable to hear what they were saying, but she could see three adults of similar age to her father, their expressions somewhat respectful, while the one in the middle was a handsome young man with clear features.

He stood there, a smile on his lips, his expression at ease. His sapphire blue robe did not make him appear frivolous; instead, it revealed a calm and composed demeanor.

After about half a cup of tea's time, the three adults bowed and left one after another. Fu Zhi, who was holding onto the pillar, was about to look away when she saw the young man in the sapphire blue robe still standing solemnly, showing no intention of leaving.

But the smile on his face faded. In the dimly lit courtyard, his features were hidden in the dappled light and shadow of the magnolia blossoms, revealing a melancholy and loneliness that seemed out of place in this spring and at this joyous occasion.

There he stood, like a magnolia branch blooming at an angle, growing in the wind with a solitary and pure posture.

Fu Zhi blinked, suddenly feeling a little sad for him.

Then another drunk man came out and saw the boy under the magnolia tree. He seemed to sober up a bit, stopped, and bowed to him somewhat awkwardly, calling out "Lord Jiang".

Fu Zhi then saw that person smile again and speak to the man in a very warm manner.

The two stood there for a while, and then, as if someone was calling them, they went back into the hall.

Fu Zhi wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but she felt that the person seemed to glance in her direction before leaving.

She and her maid were left alone in the courtyard again. She turned to the maid who was holding half a plate of pastries and asked, "In the past few years in the capital, do you know who that young master was?"

The maid hurriedly swallowed the pastry in her mouth, thought for a moment, and replied, "Miss, that is this year's top scholar, the son of Imperial Censor Jiang from Dekang Lane."

Fu Zhi nodded.

Jiang Shaoxing.

She murmured the name to herself, her heart pounding like a drum.

...

After Zhu Jiayu's wedding, Jiang Shaoxing rarely saw her again.

I often saw the young ladies from Grand Commandant Fu's household.

He could always see her on his way home from court, on his way to his shift at the Hanlin Academy, and on his way home at dusk.

After seeing him many times, Miss Fu seemed to become familiar with him. Whenever they met, she would greet him with a smile. As the number of times increased, Jiang Shaoxing, out of consideration for the Grand Commandant's family, would respond once or twice.

But that's all.

In the days that followed, Miss Fu sent him pastries, food, calligraphy, paintings, and inscriptions, but he refused to accept any of them.

He understood what she meant, so he refused with exceptional decisiveness.

But Fu Zhi seems to be carefree by nature. No matter how coldly he speaks or how seriously he treats her, she may be a little discouraged at the time, but she remains unchanged and even becomes more courageous after setbacks.

Jiang Shaoxing had a terrible headache, but he couldn't do anything about it. He thought that people's hearts could grow cold in an instant, and once they grew cold, they were like scattered ashes that could never be rekindled.

But before that moment, it takes a long time to accumulate disappointment and frustration.

So let her be. Maybe she'll figure it out herself in time.

...

One evening at the end of April, Jiang Shaoxing finished his shift at the Hanlin Academy and entered the mansion when he heard his mother's cheerful laughter.

He stopped and was about to ask the butler behind him what was going on when he suddenly heard a soft, girlish voice, like that of a nightingale.

His face turned cold as he looked at the butler: "From now on, don't let just anyone in."

He went to the garden, and when Madam Jiang saw him, she smiled and waved to him: "Ah Xing, come here quickly, this is Miss Fu from the Grand Commandant's residence..."

Jiang Shaoxing suppressed his anger, nodded to his mother, then turned around and grabbed Fu Zhi, who was squatting on the ground and smiling at him. He pulled her up, grabbed her wrist, and led her outside.

In her haste, Fu Zhi didn't forget to speak to Madam Jiang: "Auntie! I'll come see you again next time!"

Once outside the garden, Jiang Shaoxing let go of her hand.

Fu Zhi almost lost her balance, but seeing that Jiang Shaoxing had no intention of helping her, she didn't dare to fall. After regaining her footing, she rubbed her reddened wrist: "Why are you squeezing so hard? You've hurt my hand."

She raised her hand, showing her wrist to Jiang Shaoxing, looking aggrieved.

On a section of wrist as white as snow, a red mark was left, creating a striking contrast.

Jiang Shaoxing showed no remorse whatsoever. He merely looked at the beautiful young woman before him with disgust: "Fu Zhi, I thought you were just a little clueless, but I never expected you to be so cunning. What are you trying to do by scheming to get close to my mother?"

He asked this question, but in reality, he had already condemned Fu Zhi. He was certain that Fu Zhi had deliberately approached and tried to please his mother for his sake.

Fu Zhi was stunned for a moment, staring at him blankly. After a long while, she finally understood what he meant and looked up in disbelief: "You look at me like that?"