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The bamboo forest casts a deep shadow, completely blocking out the sweltering summer sun even under a clear sky, leaving only dappled sunlight filtering through the gaps. A breeze stirs, causing the bamboo leaves to rustle softly, their sparse shadows forming a natural, secluded barrier.
"Is everything prepared?"
Liao Yan put down the five-petaled lotus-shaped celadon bowl in her hand and looked up at Lin Xu, who had taken his seat.
Zhu Ling then brought up several arrows from the lacquer tray in her hand. The bronze arrowheads were sharp, and there were horns made of animal bones on them. The arrow shafts were straight and tough, which showed that they had been polished for a long time to make them into perfect whistling arrows.
Several young ladies from aristocratic families, long accustomed to living in seclusion, all showed expressions of surprise. One woman in a pink dress even covered her mouth with a handkerchief and gasped softly:
"These arrows are incredibly sharp, but they look rather strange, quite different from the ones my brother usually uses. Does Mu Jing still have such skilled craftsmen?"
Another woman in purple slowly glanced at Lin Xu's hand, which held the teacup; thick calluses covered his fair fingertips. Fang, without changing his expression, said in a sweet, gentle voice:
“Miss He, you are mistaken. It’s not just your superb skills that are remarkable, but also your sincere heart. Without dedication, even the most skillful hands would find it difficult to make a single piece, let alone a dozen or a hundred of these exquisite works.”
Kunrou waved her hand, signaling the maidservant to take the arrow from Zhuling's hand. In a rare moment of high spirits, she said loudly:
"These whistling arrows are a unique weapon of the northern frontier. They can take on ten enemies in battle. The requirements for their grinding and material selection are very strict. You have put a lot of thought into this."
The woman in pink, somewhat embarrassed by the words, wrinkled her nose and turned to Lin Xu, saying, "It's because Miaoyi is blind." She gently pressed the excess powder between her nose lobes with a handkerchief, and then a searching glint appeared in her eyes:
"I've never seen this young lady before; she looks quite unfamiliar. May I ask your name?"
A noble lady who can while away the time drinking tea with Princess Kunrou must come from an extraordinary background. Lin Xu smiled gently and said softly, "I am Lin Xu, the daughter of the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. I usually study at Zhiqiong Hall, and thus I have the good fortune to know the Princess."
The woman in purple slowly sipped her tea before smiling and saying:
"Oh? So you are the daughter of Right Chancellor Lin? My apologies." She glanced at Lin Xu's side, her smile both generous and charming: "What a coincidence! Miss Dou will also be studying at Zhiqiong Hall in the future. You two are quite destined."
Upon hearing this, Lin Xu looked to her side. Dou Zhen, with her brows furrowed and a gentle smile on her face, met her eyes.
"I used to just read books at home and never went to the palace to be taught by a teacher. I'm afraid I'll make Sister Lin laugh at me."
Before she could finish speaking, He Miaoyi smiled and said:
“Miss Dou, please don’t be modest. You are renowned in the capital for your talent. That’s why the Princess has specially ordered you to take the coveted position of a study companion to the princess. If you don’t want to go, you should give me that position.”
Upon hearing this, Liao Yan put down the celadon bowl in his hand, raised his hand and lightly tapped He Miaoyi's forehead, laughing and scolding, "If you were to become my study companion, you'd probably just sleep all day in the school. Don't bother me!"
Liao Yan, who usually presents a cold and aloof demeanor, rarely smiles so lightly. He Miaoyi, after being scolded by the princess, pretends to pout and act aggrieved. The others burst into laughter at the sight.
Her heart gradually calmed down amidst the trembling flowers.
No wonder the list of the princess's study companions was delayed after it was posted; it turns out the eldest princess had already personally chosen the candidate. Poor Song Jiaoling had coveted this position for so long, even risking offending her, only to be rejected by Liao Yan?
That day, she and Yao Suran were both expelled from the school. Although disappointed, they could guess what was going on. The Duke's mansion was prestigious and powerful, and its influence was naturally much greater than that of her father, a mere Right Vice Minister.
Although she had long anticipated that the school's supervisor and the doctor would suppress the matter and let it go, she still couldn't help but feel a surge of emotions when she heard with her own ears that the position of her long-planned companion was so casually decided.
Thanks to the protection of the imperial son-in-law, the Dou family's influence made it perfectly natural for Dou Zhen, already renowned for her talent, to become a study companion. Tragically, her secret and open rivalry with Song Jiaoling ultimately benefited another. How truly laughable.
Her mind was racing, and she didn't notice the maidservant bringing her a pot of steaming hot water with Ophiopogon japonicus. She only snapped back to reality when she heard the noise, which startled the maidservant. The copper pot was full of boiling, bubbling water, so hot that the maidservant lost her grip and accidentally spilled it all over her clothes.
In an instant, everyone panicked, and the little girl hurriedly knelt down. Fortunately, she had dodged in time and was not injured, but her thin gauze skirt was soaked, and her skin was faintly visible under the gauze.
Zhu Ling tenderly wiped her wet skirt. Although she wasn't burned, the water was still scalding hot, and the steam made her fair skin slightly red from the heat.
While sternly questioning the flustered little girl kneeling on the ground, Liao Yan also summoned the kind-faced old woman who had led Lin Xu to the back hall to change her clothes.
The octagonal pavilion was located in the back garden of the princess's residence, not far from the nearest sleeping quarters. Zhu Ling accompanied her on a brisk journey, and soon they crossed the vast bamboo forest and arrived at the palace to change clothes.
A maidservant, having received instructions from the old woman, had prepared clean clothes for her to change into. Everywhere one looked was made of simple and elegant sandalwood. In the main hall stood a heavy white jade table, upon which stood a serene and imposing black Buddha statue.
She removed her clothes behind the screen, changed into clean ones, and then examined her face in the bronze mirror hanging high on the wall.
Her delicate brows furrowed slightly, and even with her composed expression, a hint of displeasure could be seen. When she wasn't smiling, there was always a chilling aura about her. The myriad troubles in her heart were difficult to conceal. In her past life, she was least adept at dealing with these ruthless and heartless noble children, but now, to achieve her goals, she had no choice but to do so.
Although she had never met the Second Miss He, judging from her name, her father was probably He Luanshan, the valiant general personally appointed by Emperor Su, who was invincible on the battlefield. She remembered that in her previous life, the carefree Second Miss He was chosen by the emperor to marry into the Ye Dynasty. After being granted the title of princess, she left her hometown and died in depression just one year after her marriage.
The woman in purple, though her identity remains unknown, is clearly not someone to be trifled with, as her words and tone are laced with sarcasm.
Dou Zhen was a princess, and the eldest princess held great power. The people who could enter the princess's residence must be far more complex than the circle of the Yao sisters in the past. If she wanted to protect herself among these people, she had to make sure no one could see through her thoughts. She could only slow her breathing and force herself to calm down.
.
When she changed her clothes and came out from behind the screen, the old woman was already waiting there, smiling gently:
"Miss Lin, does the dress fit you well?"
She must have changed into one of Princess Liao Yan's old clothes, a light pink soft silk skirt. The material was soft and delicate, and the skirt was wide, giving it a graceful and gentle appearance. It must have been a skirt that was the most understated among the princess's clothes and that best suited her skin tone, making it the most appropriate and comfortable.
She thanked her gently, stuffed a handful of golden melon seeds into the old woman's palm, and then turned back towards the octagonal pavilion.
At the end of the corridor, Liao Yan stood by the railing as if waiting. Hearing her footsteps approaching, he turned around and asked with concern, "How are your injuries?"
Although her skin wasn't injured, a gentle maidservant applied medicine to her wounds. She was always good at enduring pain, and didn't feel any discomfort. She slightly curved her lips, but before she could speak, she heard Liao Yan say softly:
"If you are interested in having a study companion, I can easily ask my mother for help. Adding another study companion would not be difficult for me."
Upon hearing this, Lin Xu's heart stirred, and he quickly bowed and thanked him.
"Thank you for your kindness, Princess..."
Before she could finish speaking, the bamboo forest rustled, and a gentle breeze carrying the delicate fragrance of a woman's cosmetics drifted in from afar.
"Is this the one who was kicked out a few days ago for cheating?"
The speaker spoke in a very low voice, slowly sipping his tea.
"Speaking of which, this person has quite a lot of stories. Wasn't it said that she coveted Miss Dou's brother, and that she went to the school in the first place because she was determined to marry him..."
A brief silence followed, then the sound of swallowing pastries could be heard—a satisfied sigh from He Miaoyi. She then seemed to remember something and asked:
"If Miss Lin marries into the family in the future, wouldn't she become Miss Dou's sister-in-law?"
No one answered for a long time.
Liao Yan tilted his head, watching the bamboo leaves fluttering in front of him, his expression unreadable.
Lin Xu's brows were half-closed, his expression mostly hidden in the dim shadows, but his voice remained as quiet and calm as ever, devoid of any emotion.
"Thank you for your appreciation, Princess, but I am aware that I am deeply embroiled in a cheating scandal, which is against the rules both in public and private. It would also make you appear to be biased towards me. Moreover, it is already a great fortune for me to be able to study at Zhiqiong Hall. To be able to receive instruction from several great scholars and to be able to get to know you is a rare joy that I can only dream of. I am content."
Liao Yan seemed to have never expected her to answer like that, and couldn't help but raise her eyebrows, her gaze becoming more inquisitive.
"You don't want the position of study companion? Then what do you want?"
The person kneeling before her, bowing in greeting, usually appeared delicate and frail, but now, as promised, entrusted her with the task of manufacturing one hundred arrows—a task nearly impossible to complete. Each of her slender fingers was covered in calluses, a testament to the immense effort she must have expended.
She had long seen that this person was no ordinary young lady, nor was she of the caliber of a common woman.
Strangely enough, she couldn't guess what this seemingly delicate and gentle person was really thinking.
Seeing Lin Xu lower his head and remain silent, Liao Yan asked again:
“You knew I was making things difficult for you, yet you still made these whistling arrows. When you learned that someone else had been chosen as your study companion, you looked so downcast, which didn’t seem like an act. I don’t believe you didn’t have ulterior motives.”
“As expected, nothing can escape the princess’s eyes,” Lin Xu slowly raised her head, her eyes shimmering with a light brown light in the afternoon’s golden light. Her unfathomable eyes held a hint of cunning compared to before. She smiled slightly and spoke in a barely audible voice.
"I do have other plans. But they are simply to make a mutually beneficial deal with you, Princess."
Liao Yan snorted coldly, her eyes filled with disbelief:
"How dare you try to scheme against me?"
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