Chapter 25 Choosing a Belated Self-Fulfillment

In front of Yujin Palace, there is a bamboo garden. Beside the exquisitely arranged pond and rockery, there are groves of bamboo, which reflect in the pond water, creating a shimmering turquoise color.

In the past, every summer, as the sun set, the mistress of Yujin Palace would order her maids to set up a table there, either for dinner or tea, to admire the emerald green that she loved so much, which always brought her great joy.

Back then, people would enjoy the cool breeze by the pond, drinking and playing music, their laughter filling the air—a truly delightful sight in Phoenix Dance City.

Now, this place has been silent for a long time.

Every day, Shuli would stand by the bamboo grove at the entrance of Yujin Palace, gazing towards the direction of the Cold Palace. Now the entire palace had been bestowed upon her, but it was only her palace...

After hesitating for a long time, she summoned a palace maid and decided to go once again to the place she had longed for every day.

Even if she visited him repeatedly, openly or secretly, she was always greeted by an increasingly wooden face.

Shuli looked painfully at her mother, who no longer remembered her at all. She saw her silly smile, heard her incoherent mutterings, wiped the drool that unconsciously dripped from her lips, and was always pushed away and cursed by her mother when she was about to cry.

Shuli could only watch her for long periods of time, and sometimes she couldn't even get close...

Sometimes, she felt like she was going crazy, but she thought it might be better if she did, because then she could spend more time with her mother.

As dusk approached, a palace maid from the Cold Palace brought Consort Liu her medicine for the day. Shu Li blew on it to cool it down before serving her a mouthful.

The palace maids beside her kept hinting and reminding her not to linger here... But for some reason, Shuli really wanted to see her mother fall asleep before leaving.

Thinking about how I've been avoiding arranged marriages, I realize that such opportunities are becoming fewer and fewer.

The nights in the cold palace always seemed especially lonely.

Every flower and tree left unattended, every table and chair left unrepaired, and every person left uncared for—all are lonely.

After playing with the dead branches for a while, Consort Liu finally said she wanted to go to sleep.

She was unusually well-behaved tonight, letting Shuli help her change her clothes. Shuli was so surprised that she almost burst into tears.

She tucked the blanket around her mother, and then, on a sudden impulse, gently patted her to lull her to sleep.

She imagined that when she was very young, perhaps before she could remember anything, her mother would pat her to sleep like this, but she just didn't remember it...

Then, she saw her mother's smile slowly appear; for the first time, her mother smiled at her.

Shu Li's tears could no longer be controlled and overflowed from the corners of her eyes. She sincerely felt that if things could always be like this, it would be very happy.

Even in such circumstances, she felt the warmth from her mother, and she was still content and happy about it.

Once Consort Liu finally closed her eyes and fell asleep, Shu Li felt relieved and prepared to leave.

But the very next second after she turned around, she heard a violent cough behind her.

Turning back, what met her eyes was the blood her mother coughed up, staining the snow-white sheets red...

-

In early winter, Bai Lian attended Consort Liu's funeral.

In fact, it cannot be called a proper ceremony... Even the original families of the concubines who were banished to the cold palace wished they could sever all ties with them, not to mention the indifference shown to them by the entire Phoenix Dance City.

Therefore, no matter how bizarre the cause of death, no one will be surprised or saddened.

Besides Shu Li.

When Bai Lian saw Shu Li again, the girl who had once seemed so gentle and lovely in her heart had grown up overnight.

She was no longer as vulnerable as she had been when she first faced her brother's departure. She remained silent from beginning to end, watching her mother's coffin being closed and then sent to that place that did not belong to the royal mausoleum.

Apart from some elderly eunuchs and palace maids who helped out, only Bai Lian, Jia Luolin, and herself attended the funeral that day.

The whole scene was so calm it didn't feel like a funeral; it felt more like a farewell.

There was no heart-wrenching weeping, only the old palace maid of Yujin Palace hiding in the distance, sobbing softly.

Bai Lian always remembered that Shu Li's empty eyes held no trace of the former brightness, and there were no tears in her eyes, like a dried-up riverbed.

She said to Bai Lian in a hoarse voice, "I don't want to stay in this man-eating palace for even a second longer."

-

Today, a distinguished guest was arriving at the Bai residence. At three-quarters past noon, the main gate of the Bai residence opened wide, and the gilded copper nails on the vermilion gate gleamed in the sunlight.

Bai Moyuan, dressed in a crimson court robe, led his entire family and relatives to stand with their hands at their sides before the white marble steps.

A carriage adorned with eight precious jewels and tassels, surrounded by guards, slowly came to a stop. Two female officials alighted first, unfurled five-colored peacock feather fans, and announced loudly, "Princess Shuli has arrived—"

A scarlet carpet embroidered with golden auspicious cloud patterns was laid out from the carriage, and Princess Shuli, dressed in a palace dress with gold-embroidered begonia flowers and phoenix tails, walked gracefully in, supported by her palace maids.

Shu Li slowly raised her head, the pearl tassels in her hair swaying gently with her steps. She looked at Bai Ziyuan, who was standing by the door waiting for her, and finally smiled.

Bai Moyuan bowed deeply and said, "Your subject Bai Moyuan respectfully welcomes Your Highness the Princess." His family members behind him echoed in unison, their clothes rustling as they knelt in greeting.

"Prime Minister Bai, there's no need for such formalities. My father, mindful of my stifling experience in the palace, granted me permission to leave for a stroll. I thought of the crabapple blossoms at the Bai residence, which are in full bloom, and thus came to admire them." Shu Li's voice was like shattered jade thrown into a plate, yet it possessed an air of imperial majesty.

Changsun Rao'er stepped forward three times and bowed again, saying, "It is truly an honor for my humble abode to have the flowers and plants graced by your presence. Please, Your Highness, move to the flower hall for tea." As she spoke, she stepped aside to lead the way, her scarlet silk robe draped in gold, forming a respectful arc.

Upon arriving at the flower hall and taking their seats, Changsun Rao'er personally picked up the silver-gilt teapot and poured the brewed tea into the lotus-petal cup in front of the princess. The warm fragrance rose gently, creating a cozy atmosphere.

Shu Li picked up the teacup with her slender fingers and said with a smile, "Madam Bai, your politeness seems a bit too formal. Do you remember how often I visited your home when I was little? My brother loved it..."

A name that should never be mentioned again... Shu Li suddenly hesitated, and her smile faded slightly.

At this moment, Changsun Rao'er gently placed a plate of pastries in front of Shuli and said softly, "Princess, try this Jade Dew Dumpling. I've seen you love it before."

She felt sorry for the poor little princess...

Shu Li silently gazed at the jade dew cluster, seemingly having made up her mind. Suddenly, she turned to Bai Ziyuan and softly said, "Young Master Bai? Would you like to accompany me for a walk in the garden?"

Bai Moyuan and Changsun Rao'er exchanged a glance upon hearing this. Bai Ziyuan, who was still lost in thought, suddenly looked up, and Bai Moyuan quickly gestured for his eldest son to come closer.

The two walked towards the garden one after the other. When they reached the crabapple tree, they saw countless strands of crimson silk hanging down, just like red clouds covering the sky.

A gentle breeze swept by, and petals fluttered down like rain. One petal landed right on Shu Li's temple, and Bai Ziyuan subconsciously raised his hand to point to his temple.

Shu Li turned her head in surprise, reached up to her temples, plucked a soft petal from her fingertips, and smiled as she lowered her eyes:

“Brother Ziyuan, I’m not a brave person, so I’ve lost a lot of things I wanted… But today, I want to be brave for once.”

Bai Ziyuan looked at Shuli in silence. He could see that Shuli was hiding her sadness with a smile, and he didn't know how to comfort her.

Shu Li slowly walked up to Bai Ziyuan, looked up at him, and said, word by word, "Brother Ziyuan, I love you, and I hope... you will marry me."

This blunt and unvarnished statement made Bai Ziyuan's eyes widen instantly, and he hurriedly said, "But Shuli, I..."

“I know you have someone in your heart,” Shuli smiled self-deprecatingly, and continued, “I also know that it’s hard for you and the person in your heart to be together.”

Bai Ziyuan's mind was blank at this moment, and he couldn't say a word for a long time. He only heard Shu Li's voice again, but it was like jade shattering on the ground, with a broken sigh.

"I will go and plead with Father... I'm sorry, Brother Ziyuan, I can't live without you anymore."

-

A few days later, news spread throughout Phoenix Dance City: Princess Shuli had requested to marry Bai Ziyuan, the son of the current prime minister, and the wedding would take place soon.

What caused an uproar was that the princess refused to build a new mansion and instead married into the Bai family in Luoyang, taking her husband's surname from then on.

This was nothing short of a thunderbolt in the Jia clan, which had always strictly adhered to the principle of "marrying a son-in-law and having him take the woman's surname," and was an unprecedented exception.

With Emperor Jia Fengtian's tacit approval, this became the last chapter in the history of the Feng Dynasty.

Upon hearing this, Bai Lian paused for a moment, then understood.

Shuli wanted to escape, to escape this golden prison that had both nurtured her and wounded her deeply.

She would be willing to give up her noble surname and the glory of being a princess.

Perhaps for her, this was not a compromise, but a belated act of self-fulfillment.

Thinking of this, Bai Lian felt as if something had gently bumped into her heart. She couldn't tell whether it was melancholy or relief; a mix of emotions overwhelmed her and was hard to describe.

That night, the moonlight shone like a ribbon, clearly spilling into the window.

Bai Lian lay in bed deep in thought. Her memory had been recovering extremely quickly these past few days, leaving her momentarily disoriented and unsure of her surroundings.

She unconsciously turned to the side, gazing at Galorin's sleeping profile. She was somewhat lost in thought, her fingertips seemingly rising on their own, wanting to touch his outline.

But just as she was about to touch him, her wrist was suddenly grabbed.

"This is the third time tonight. If you provoke me again..." Galorin didn't open her eyes, only a lazy smile appeared on her lips. Her voice was low and husky with sleepiness, but every word was clear, "You'll bear the consequences."

Bai Lian panicked and instinctively tried to pull her hand away, but it was held even tighter. With a slight pull, Jia Luolin caused her to fall into his warm embrace.

He made no further move, simply holding her securely in his arms, his chin gently resting on the top of her head. After a long while, he spoke slowly in the darkness, his breath brushing against her ear:

"I don't know what's on your mind. If you don't tell me, I won't ask."

His voice was calm, with a gentle and tolerant tone.

"I will wait. I will wait until the day you are willing to open your heart to me and tell me the truth."

Bai Lian's body stiffened slightly, but she didn't try to break free. She let him hold her, her ears filled with his steady heartbeat, each beat striking the silent night.

She closed her eyes, yet another sleepless night passed.

-

"Miss, Miss, wake up!" Cuizhu's incessant voice rang out in the bedroom.

Bai Lian turned around impatiently and covered her head with the blanket.

She quickly raised her arm out of the blanket, groped around the bedside for a while, and found Cuizhu's hand supporting her on the edge of the bed. She then tried to grab it and throw it out like she used to throw an alarm clock.

"Miss, you're scratching me a little..."

"..." Bai Lian instantly woke up, sat up somewhat awkwardly, and casually brushed her hair back.

Cuizhu glanced at her but exclaimed, "Miss, you slept with the flower ornament on all night?"

Confused, Bai Lian quickly pulled her hair down to cover herself, while Cui Zhu continued to mutter to herself, "I don't remember wearing floral decorations yesterday?"

Just then, a palace maid announced from outside, "Your Highness, Young Master Bai requests an audience. He is waiting for you in the front hall."