Chapter 51 Unresolved Sorrow: "Do you like it?"

Xue Chan had always been concerned about marriage. Although the two were engaged and he was interested, she didn't want to live a life of confusion and uncertainty.

She needed to ask questions clearly, so as soon as she saw Jiang Ce, she immediately went downstairs to find him.

Jiang Ce was clearly watching her at first, but then he left for some reason.

She chased and searched all the way, and saw him emerge from the azalea path behind Jilan Pavilion and walk towards the peach blossom embankment.

"Second Young Master"

She called out to Jiang Ce, who was about to cross the bridge. He was already exhausted and had been running for a while, so he was catching his breath.

However, Jiang Ce seemed not to hear him and continued walking forward, his pace quickening.

"Jiang Ce! I have something to say to you."

Jiang Ce remained oblivious, crossed a small path, abandoned Xue Chan, and quickly disappeared from sight.

Xue Chan watched his departing figure, wondering what he was thinking.

She turned around and saw that Jilan Pavilion and Fangchun Pavilion were connected by an azalea-lined path and a wall.

Xue Chan immediately went to Fangchun Pavilion. As soon as she passed the screen, she saw a brocade box on her desk where she usually painted.

Upon opening it, I found a bluebird hairpin with an apricot blossom in its beak.

She thought for a moment, then took off the original thin jade butterfly and replaced it with the bluebird hairpin.

"This person is really awkward."

Xue Chan sat in Fangchun Pavilion for a while and decided to go find Jiang Ce.

She first went back to the banquet, but Jiang Ce was not there, so she quietly inquired with the palace servants. There were many people attending the banquet, and not everyone knew where he was.

But this back-and-forth pacing caught Yu Lang's attention. She couldn't help but stop Xue Chan and ask, "What are you doing? Why aren't you attending the banquet properly? Why are you walking around here?"

Xue Chan said directly, "I'm looking for Jiang Ce."

Yu Lang: "What do you want with him?"

"It's urgent, something urgent," Xue Chan replied briefly, then turned to ask, "I won't keep Your Highness any longer."

Although she didn't know what kind of complicated relationship had developed between the two, Yu Lang couldn't stand it and thought that what she was doing was an eyesore.

"Alright, I'll send someone to ask. Stop wandering around here, what kind of behavior is this?"

Xue Chan was somewhat surprised, but readily agreed: "Thank you, Your Highness."

Yu Lang is always very efficient. Xue Chan had barely picked up her teacup when someone came to her lips.

"Your Highness, Young Master Jiang is currently drinking with Prince Xiao, Zheng Liulang, and others at Lanfang Pavilion."

Xue Chan bowed to Yu Lang and hurriedly left for Lanfang Pavilion.

In fact, Lanfang Pavilion is located in front of Fangchun Pavilion, connected to a pond with green willows and artificial hills. There are only two stone steps on the left and right to go up to it.

Because Xiao Huaiting and Li Wu passed the imperial examination, Zheng Shaoyu started a small banquet at Lanfang Pavilion.

Amidst the clinking of glasses and laughter, several people chatted and laughed. Jiang Ce, however, remained somewhat silent, only pouring himself more wine.

Xiao Huaiting looked at him, sighed inwardly, and smiled, "Bo Zhou, shouldn't you offer me a toast to show your congratulations?"

Jiang Ce snapped out of his daze, looked up at him, smiled, poured himself a glass of wine, and prepared to clink glasses and drink.

A figure appeared on the artificial mountain path of Lanfang Pavilion. Through the curtain that was sometimes visible and sometimes hidden by the wind, Jiang Ce recognized her at a glance as Xue Chan.

What is she doing here?

As he suddenly realized what was happening, Xiao Huaiting turned around and saw Xue Chan on the other side of the winding path.

Jiang Ce turned his face away, as if he hadn't seen it.

Zheng Shaoyu nudged him: "Miss Xue probably has something to discuss with you, otherwise she wouldn't have come here without regard for others. Go see her."

The others nodded and urged him to leave the pavilion.

Jiang Ce poured himself a glass of wine, tilted his head back, and downed it in one gulp: "I don't have time to see her."

"..." Zheng Shaoyu frowned and couldn't help but say, "Why are you like this?"

Jiang Ce was very stubborn, and when Xiao Huaiting looked down again, he was nowhere to be seen.

He looked around, and when he turned around, he saw Xue Chan standing on the stone steps leading to the pavilion, bowing to everyone.

"I have urgent business to attend to, and I would like to ask you all to allow him to leave for a moment."

Jiang Ce was also surprised that Xue Chan came up so quickly, and he was made nervous and confused by her pressing attitude.

Xue Chan walked down the stone path, and Jiang Ce, persuaded by the others, reluctantly followed. He lingered on the short path for a while, unsure how to face Xue Chan or what to say.

Even after dawdling for a while, they finally reached the end, and Xue Chan stood by the Green Willow Pond.

Although this place is next to Lanfang Pavilion, it is below it, so people above cannot see it.

Xue Chan turned around, and Jiang Ce saw the bluebird hairpin in her hair, which made his mind even more complicated.

"This hairpin was a gift from you."

She was very direct, so direct that Jiang Ce was caught off guard: "What are you talking about? Why would I go to all this trouble to send this?"

Xue Chan hesitated for a moment, then patiently softened her voice: "I think it was you who sent it, and I hope it was you who sent it."

Jiang Ce clenched his fist and asked her, "Do you like it?"

Xue Chan said, "I like it."

"So I want to ask you, are you willing to accept me and this marriage?"

She took a step closer, startling Jiang Ce so much that he abruptly took a step back.

Jiang Ce felt she was too direct, to the point of being somewhat unacceptable. He always felt that Xue Chan's gaze was too sharp and too frank, which only made him more hesitant.

The difference between pearls and jade and stubborn rocks, between puddles and rivers.

After drinking, his head was spinning: "If you're just asking this question, then you already have the answer. It's very impolite of you to come here instead of staying at the banquet; people will laugh at you if word gets out."

Jiang Ce was only thinking about leaving, urging her to leave incessantly, blurting out one sentence after another in a daze.

"Although we are engaged, I don't necessarily need you."

Xue Chan watched him quietly, listening to his words. With each sentence he spoke, her heart sank a little deeper.

During her recent visit to the palace, Consort Xue had told her that the engagement might be scheduled soon. It's not enough for Jiang Ce to simply like her and have feelings for her; there's a long road ahead, and this is a very important matter.

She needed to find out his attitude.

Jiang Ce tried to leave, but Xue Chan chased after him and grabbed his sleeve.

"There are still some things we haven't explained to each other."

"We have nothing to say!"

He suddenly flicked his hand, managing to pull out his sleeve, but Xue Chan was thrown into a nearby rockery.

Xue Chan instinctively reached out to help, and her palm was scratched.

Jiang Ce stepped over, grabbed her hand, looked up at it, and took out a handkerchief to wrap it around her hand: "Who told you not to let go? Do you have to be so stubborn? If you hadn't chased after me and hadn't stood there, would you have gotten hurt?"

"I didn't mean to. I already said I didn't want to talk to you, why didn't you listen?"

Xue Chan withdrew her hand, her voice still relatively calm: "I know, I came at the wrong time."

She bowed, returned the handkerchief to Jiang Ce, and walked past him.

"Xue Chan!" Jiang Ce called out to her.

"Do you have something to say to me?" She exhaled sharply, turned to look at him, "Go ahead, I'm listening."

Jiang Ce said, "I still maintain that this marriage was optional."

Xue Chan turned and walked away, but after passing a pond, she turned back and looked at it deeply.

Disappointment, that's disappointment.

But couldn't she say a few more words? Couldn't she stay a little longer?

As Xue Chan hurriedly left, her figure receded into the distance. Consort Xue, who had come out to distribute the wine, watched her walk over.

She stormed off, then suddenly exhaled and turned into Fangchun Pavilion, intending to take a few paintings with her.

As she walked along the Peach Blossom Embankment with the painting in her arms, she remembered how she had tricked him into falling into the water during the Cuju match. For some reason, thinking about these things made her feel quite amused, so she smiled.

"That's enough. I pushed too hard. We should take things slowly."

Thinking this way, Xue Chan felt a little better and went back along the long embankment.

Just then, a group of people slowly walked up from the end, with Baojia leading the way.

As evening fell by the water, the sounds of orchestral instruments drifted slowly across the surface of the Floating Light Pond.

Palace servants, carrying lanterns on either side, led out Consort Xue, who was distributing wine.

She walked slowly along the edge of the Floating Light Pool, the gentle breeze carrying away the lingering fragrance and intoxication.

“Your Majesty, the night dew is heavy by the water; you might catch a cold. Why don’t we take a walk along the flower path? There are azaleas there; we can enjoy the flowers and drink wine. It’s much better than staying here,” Yunyu suggested.

Consort Xue nodded and headed towards Jilan Pavilion.

It was only evening, and the ground was covered with broken gold and cinnabar.

The group had only walked a short distance along the path when they turned past a clump of blooming rhododendrons. They didn't see anyone, but instead, they heard clear, melodious voices.

"Third Miss, why are you picking up flowers from the ground? If you like them, we can ask the palace servants to cut a couple of branches."

"The flowers on those branches are in full bloom, it wouldn't be good to cut them. These fallen flowers are still fine, I'll pick two to take back to my second brother."

"Why would Erlang like flowers on the ground?"

"My second brother doesn't care about these things at all; he likes picking flowers to play with himself."

The group walked into the azalea-lined path and saw two people, one big and one small, rolling up the azaleas on the ground into a handkerchief.

Consort Xue smiled and slowed her pace.

The little girl smiled brightly and skipped over, holding the flowers.

"Sister Lvying, let's go back quickly!"

As Jiang Yao jumped and laughed, she unexpectedly bumped into Consort Xue's arms.

The palace maids were startled and hurriedly tried to stop her. Consort Xue raised her hand slightly and glanced to the side, and they retreated.

Consort Xue instinctively put her arm around her.

The two of them lowered their heads and then raised them again.

Jiang Yao stared blankly at the exceptionally handsome person in front of her, blinking her eyes.

She spoke, her voice gentle and soft.

"Be careful, you'll be crying if you fall and get hurt."

"I wouldn't."

Jiang Yao saw that she was dressed in her finest attire and recognized her as Consort Xue, whom the palace maid had mentioned. She immediately bowed and said, "This humble woman greets Your Highness."

Consort Xue asked her, "Which family are you from, and what is your name?"

Jiang Yao said, "This humble woman, Jiang Yao, is from the Marquis of Wu'an's residence."

Consort Xue looked at her and smiled: "So it's you."

Jiang Yao was surprised and asked her, "Does Your Highness know me?"

"Yes, I have seen it, when you were very, very young, when you were still in your mother's womb."

"So you've met my mother before?"

"I've met you."

Jiang Yao was somewhat disappointed: "But I've never met her. She's been gone since I can remember. I don't know what she looked like or what kind of person she was."

Consort Xue said, "Your mother is very beautiful and gentle, and she has beautiful handwriting. You look very much like her."

The little girl looked up, her eyes sparkling: "Really? My dad and grandma both say I look like my mom, so it seems they weren't lying to me."

Consort Xue couldn't help but smile and asked her, "We're old acquaintances meeting again, why don't you accompany me for a walk?"

"OK."

A light rain had fallen a few days ago, washing the azaleas along this path exceptionally clean, their fragrance condensing into dew.

Perhaps the dew was too heavy, for the flowers fell to the ground with a "thump, thump, thump." The path was covered with bright red flowers, like clusters of low-burning fires.

Consort Xue walked very slowly, while the little girl skipped and hopped, not even stepping on a single flower, just like a nimble bird.

How old are you?

"Seven years old"

"I also have a daughter, who is seven years old."

If it's still there.

"Then why isn't the little princess with Her Majesty?"

"She probably doesn't like me as her mother, so she's not around."

"But I think Your Majesty is so gentle, just like my mother. And she's so beautiful, how could the little princess not like her?"

Consort Xue lowered her eyes, still smiling slightly, but said nothing.

Jiang Yao pursed her lips and quietly looked up at her.

Her beautiful face was bathed in the warm glow of the setting sun. She thought she looked beautiful, more beautiful than the twilight, more beautiful than all the azaleas.

But there's also a feeling I can't quite put my finger on.

"The little princess will understand. Your Majesty is definitely a good mother."

Consort Xue smiled gently: "She left a long time ago, and went to a place where she will never come back."

Jiang Yao said "Oh" and nodded naturally, "I understand."

Consort Xue couldn't help but laugh: "What do you know?"

"Do you know where the little princess went?" Jiang Yao said seriously, "She must have gone to a place like my mother's."

Consort Xue stopped and listened attentively to her words: "Do you know what that's called? That's called death."

Jiang Yao replied, "I know."