In late spring, a gentle breeze, like a ethereal fairy, swirled with willow catkins, drifting past the high-hanging sign of Jinyun Bookstore. The characters "Jinyun" danced freely in the wind, making a rustling sound, as if telling the wonderful stories of the bookstore.
Princess Shou'an, dressed like a servant, squatted on the bluestone slabs at the entrance to the bookstore. Her blue cloth jacket was wrinkled, as if she'd been through a fierce battle, and her hair was mischievously tilted behind her ears. She was tugging at the corner of Young Marquis Su's dark green robe, a small clump of willow catkins clinging to the tip of her nose, looking adorable. At this moment, she glared angrily at the bookstore's second-floor window, her eyes filled with confusion and dissatisfaction.
"Didn't your sister say that Brother Jiang Yan was too sick to get out of bed? Then who was drawing on it?" Princess Shou'an's voice was clear and loud, with a hint of questioning.
Young Marquis Su carried the toy sword, the red silk tassel gently brushing the princess's hair. He scratched his head, a hint of hesitation on his face, then suddenly lowered his voice and said, "My sister said... that Brother Jiang Yan has a heart disease, and he becomes ill when he sees an abacus." He paused, then added, "Actually, I think he's pretending..."
"You're pretending!" The princess stood up abruptly. Her movements were so dramatic that half of her gold-studded wristband peeked from the sleeves of her blue cloth gown, gleaming brightly in the sunlight. "Let's go! Let's settle accounts with your sister!" She grabbed Young Marquis Su's hand and rushed into the bookstore.
As the two men stormed into the bookstore, Su Jinli was engrossed at her desk by the window, meticulously drawing illustrations for "Flying Fox." The wolf-hair brush in her hand was like a nimble spirit, leaping and dancing across the rice paper, creating a playful fox tail with perfect timing. Just then, she heard a commotion downstairs. She instinctively looked up, only to see Princess Shou'an lunge at her like a cannonball, clinging to her thighs and demanding, "Sister Su! Don't you want to teach me? You're pretending to be sick and avoiding me!"
The hairpin on the princess's head gently rubbed the corner of Su Jinli's moon-white skirt. The pearl pendant on the hairpin was still dangling with the morning dew from the imperial garden, reflecting a colorful light. Su Jinli reluctantly put down the pen. The cinnabar accidentally stained on her fingertips inadvertently rubbed on the princess's servant's hat, leaving a bright red stain. "No, no, look—" She turned slightly and pointed to the soft couch in the inner room, "Brother Jiang Yan is really sick."
As if to echo Su Jinli's words, Jiang Yan coughed weakly twice, his body trembling slightly beneath the quilt, as if a gentle breeze could blow him over. It turned out that he had deliberately applied peppermint cream to his collar the previous night, and now his face was just the right paleness, as if he had just recovered from a serious illness. However, where the quilt had slipped, a section of the mahogany frame of an abacus was exposed, gleaming with a warm luster in the sunlight, looking particularly abrupt.
"Liar!" Princess Shou'an, with her sharp eyes, spotted the flaw immediately. She rushed over and pulled back the corner of the quilt, revealing the sleek abacus. "You're hiding an abacus when you're sick? I heard the imperial physician say that heart problems should be kept away from abacus!" She put her hands on her hips, her face brimming with smugness, as if she had grasped some powerful evidence.
Jiang Yan's feigned smile froze instantly. His fingers subconsciously reached for the abacus, but realizing the inconvenience, he shrunk back under the quilt, a flicker of panic in his eyes. Su Jinli, observing this, hurried forward to pull the princess away. Just as she was contemplating an explanation, she heard the crisp ring of imperial bells from the front yard—the Empress Dowager's procession had arrived. The bright yellow umbrella stood out against the willow trees, like a giant flower in full bloom on a spring day, embodying the majesty and dignity of the royal family.
Prime Minister Su, dressed in court robes, followed the Empress Dowager respectfully. The jade belt buckle at his waist swayed gently with his steps, reflecting a dazzling light that dazzled everyone's eyes. While no one was paying attention, he quietly slipped a stack of banknotes into Su Jinli's hand. His fingertips still carried the faint scent of ink, and he whispered, "Daughter, if you really can't make it, come to the palace. Daddy will ask the Ministry of Revenue to allocate you a small kitchen so you don't have to eat cold meals."
The Queen Mother, leaning on a dragon-headed cane, slowly walked into the bookstore. Her eyes first swept over Jiang Yan, who was pretending to be sick, and then fell on the princess with her eyes wide open. Suddenly, she smiled softly, and the wrinkles on her face were like ripples in a spring pond, revealing a kind of gentleness and kindness. "I see, it's the top scholar's face that's sick, and Shouan's little mouth that's greedy for stories." She reached out and took Su Jinli's hand, and the jade armor on her fingertips gently scraped across the delicate lotus pattern on her sleeve. "Shouan, whose biological mother passed away early, loves to hear new stories." The Queen Mother's voice was gentle and kind, like a spring breeze, gently blowing through everyone's hearts.
Princess Shou'an hid behind the Empress Dowager, her gold-thread headband inadvertently showing from beneath her blue cloth gown. She poked her head out and exclaimed, "Grandmother! Sister Su's fox painting can hold copper coins. It's much more interesting than the palace tutor!"
Jiang Yan, lying in bed, nearly rolled off the couch with a start when he heard this, only to find his balance after a lot of effort. Su Jinli looked into the Queen Mother's gentle eyes, a wave of complex emotions suddenly welling up in her heart, and her thoughts drifted back to her past life. Back then, she was sick and no one cared about her, suffering alone in the pain, but now, she felt a completely different kind of warmth in this bookstore. Her nose felt sore, and her eyes reddened slightly. She said, "If the Queen Mother doesn't mind, Princess Shou'an can come to the bookstore often. I... I'll tell her the sequel to "The Oil Seller."
The Queen Mother gently patted her hand. The ambergris on her body blended with the scent of ink that filled the bookshop, lingering around her nose, exuding a unique and enchanting aroma. "Very good. I will entrust this devil with you, thus fulfilling her wish." The Queen Mother turned slightly to look at Jiang Yan, her face deliberately stern as she said, "Lord Jiang, your illness... requires rest. Don't burden Madam Su."
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