Chapter 16 Did we realize we'd met before?
This eldest princess possesses extraordinary persistence and drive.
She seemed to have set her sights on Yue Yining. Over the past month, she had managed to sneak out of the palace three times to Jiulian Town, and this noble princess, who had traveled a long way, only stayed for an afternoon each time.
After their meeting, the two would talk over tea and exchange their views on the current affairs of the Dongxi court.
Most of the time, Wei Yihua was the one doing the talking, while Yue Yining played the role of a listener.
A month has passed since the eldest princess first graced us with her presence.
Dew clings to the grass, wind rustles the leaves, autumn has arrived.
October has arrived.
The bamboo and grass gradually withered, and fallen leaves filled the small courtyard, weighing heavily on the eaves. Outside the window, the green mountains aged, and yellow leaves sprouted before the steps.
As the setting sun casts its glow, wisps of smoke rise from the stove.
Someone walked along the pebbled path and came to Yue Yining's door. The glow of the sunset covered the hem of his moon-white robe. Touching the hands that held the tea, one could see that the skin was fair and the bones were well-proportioned, shining like jade.
Ayu gently pushed open the door, and with a creak, stepped into the inner room.
Yue Yining was sitting by the window, head down, engrossed in her work. On the table were piles of ancient books and miscellaneous volumes, yarrow stalks in a Bagua compass and a bronze plate, and a few copper coins were hastily folded and placed on a sheet of Xuan paper with flowing ink.
Yue Yining has recently been studying ancient and unorthodox metaphysical methods again.
A few days ago, she was reading "Jade Essence of Gold and Jade" and discovered that the book contained a method that could indirectly calculate a person's birth chart.
The author of this ancient book was the Imperial Preceptor of the previous dynasty and a member of the Yingtian Sect, making him her grandmaster in terms of seniority. Unlike other ancient books on metaphysics, this book is written in a simple and easy-to-understand style, and even Yue Yining, who doesn't like reading, found it fascinating.
As mentioned above, the study of destiny is ultimately inseparable from people and their environment, from the interaction between people and the mutual influence between people and their environment.
If someone has lost their memory or whose origins are untraceable, when seeking their birth chart (Ba Zi), one can start by examining the friends and benefactors in their life. Whoever has profoundly influenced and changed this person will inevitably have a connection to their birth chart. While reverse-engineering one's destiny is difficult, it is not impossible and may be the key to breaking through obstacles when necessary.
She only skimmed through this book, yet she has already benefited greatly from it.
Yue Yining reached out and pressed her aching shoulder blades.
Sitting for too long while reading is taking its toll on my bones.
"Miss, would you like some tea?"
Before the sound arrived, the fragrance wafted first. Yue Yining lifted her head from the book and smelled a strange scent that rushed towards her, cold and deep, with a penetrating chill.
Strange, why is there a cool fragrance?
Yue Yining asked whatever came to mind, "Did you burn incense?"
Ayu came to the table, took the teacup out of the tray, and placed it next to Yue Yining. "I was busy today, so I didn't have any."
After autumn arrived, there was much more work to be done in the yard. Yue Yining often found Ayu already standing in the yard, sweeping up all the fallen leaves from the previous night, as soon as she got up.
Yue Yining, however, caught a flaw in his words.
Yue Yining: "So you mean you use incense when you're not busy?"
Ayu probably didn't have any money on him; his wages for working in this house were all used to offset the money Yue Yining had spent on him. He almost never went out, and occasionally Fu Yao would order him to run errands to town to buy daily necessities. Yue Yining once timed it and figured that he should have returned as soon as he finished shopping, without having time to do anything else.
Seeing her curiosity, Ayu smiled faintly and said, "No, I don't have that kind of leisure or refined taste."
“Now that you mention it, I think I know why I smell so good,” Ayu said. “I was sweeping the courtyard recently and found many plants that look like withered grass, but they can actually be used as incense. So I collected them and dried them by the window in my room. I think that’s how I got the fragrance you mentioned.”
Yue Yining found it somewhat amazing: "We have incense materials in our yard? What kind of incense materials are they?"
Ayu: "Among the incense materials I collected, there are mugwort, calamus, pine needles, angelica, and some mint."
Yue Yining seemed to be thinking about something, and beckoned to him: "Come closer, let me smell it carefully."
Ayu replied, "Okay."
Ayu obediently approached and knelt at Yue Yining's feet. Her moon-white clothes were piled on the wooden floor, like a snow-capped mountain under the moonlight.
Once the distance was reduced, he could reach out and grasp her kneecap.
Yue Yining's eyes were clear, and she seemed to simply want to smell that pleasant scent, but as she leaned slightly toward her, Ayu's fingers in her sleeve suddenly clenched the hem of her clothes.
Snow-capped mountains do not tremble at the smell of humans, just as humans do not covet gods.
Unless he already had other plans.
As you get closer, the fragrance does indeed become deeper and stronger, almost penetrating your very soul.
Yue Yining sniffed it carefully for a while and nodded: "It does smell quite nice."
"And after smelling it, there is an indescribable feeling of comfort."
Ayu: "The spices inside help with sleep. I've noticed that you've been going to bed late lately, so I was thinking of making some sachets to put in the room. Maybe that will help you sleep better at night."
His voice was gentle, like cotton wool falling on her heart.
Yue Yining was slightly taken aback.
She has indeed been having some trouble falling asleep lately due to the cooler weather, which manifests as her going to bed later than before. But before Ayu said it out loud, she herself didn't realize that she hadn't been sleeping well lately.
To be fair, Ayu's observations of her were indeed very meticulous.
She prefers white and yellow teas to mature teas like black tea, and green tea is her favorite because she likes its refreshing taste. When Wei Yihua first came to ask for divination, she brought four boxes of tea kings. She immediately opened one of them, Gu Zhu Zi Sun. Almost as soon as she opened it, A Yu brought up the tea with water.
Different types of tea require different brewing water. Lightly brewed tea is best brewed at a lower temperature, while mature tea needs just-boiled water. The water that Ayu brought that day was just the right temperature—hot but not scalding—which meant he had already guessed which tea she would choose.
She prefers strong tea and often steeps the leaves for a longer time. She has a discerning palate; for her, even a five-breath interval can result in a completely different taste.
But Yue Yining was too lazy to mention such details. She wasn't used to bothering others, so she simply did all the work that required detailed instructions herself, and she would brew her own tea whenever she wanted. Even Fu Yao, who had been with her for four years, didn't know this and thought she just liked to do things herself.
But the first time Ayu brewed tea for her, the taste was exactly what she liked, and she thought it was a coincidence.
But when there are too many coincidences, they are no longer coincidences.
She had only just begun, but over the past few days, she had picked up many forgotten fragments of memory one by one.
When she straightened up, she pulled on her shoulder, making her movements a little stiff. Ayu noticed and asked, "Miss, is your shoulder injured?"
Yue Yining: "I'm not injured, but I'm physically weak. My shoulders, back, and legs ache if I sit for too long." She can't even sit for long, and sometimes she laments that she's just not cut out for studying.
Ayu seemed to realize something and paused for a moment: "I thought it was just a slight discomfort that everyone would experience after sitting for a long time, but judging from Miss's reaction, it should be..." It should be a chronic illness.
Yue Yining nodded: "Indeed, it would be a minor problem for other people. But I ate poorly when I was young and was often exposed to the cold, which left me with some health issues, so I have more problems."
Ayu pursed her lips and slowly said, "...If Miss doesn't mind, I can give you a shoulder massage."
"If it's soreness and pain, it might feel better after the meridians are unblocked."
Yue Yining did not refuse: "Alright."
The birdsong broke the twilight, dappling the paper and ink on the table. She sat up straighter, gathered her long hair to her chest, and turned her back to him.
Ayu's palm brushed across her shoulder, and she held it carefully.
Only when you place your palm on it can you feel how frail this body is.
Ayu held her breath. He dared not use too much force. Her bones, which were barely covered by flesh, were almost pierced through if he pressed down with a little force. In fact, every time he exerted force, he felt as if he would crush her.
“Miss,” Ayu said in a low voice, “if you hurt anywhere, you must tell me.”
Yue Yining closed her eyes slightly and said, "Mmm."
Ayu lowered her eyes, watching her reaction. Yue Yining's lowered eyelashes trembled slightly from time to time, probably because he had pressed on a sore spot; but after he pressed, her brows would slowly relax, indicating that the pain had been relieved.
Ayu lowered her brows, her eyes turning deep black.
In the book, Yue Yining's health was always poor due to her childhood experience of wandering. In addition, she practiced metaphysics and repeatedly explored the dragon veins and national fortune, which shortened her lifespan. She suffered a lot, but she rarely talked about it and rarely asked others to take care of her because of it.
Whenever he thinks about these things, he feels a sharp pain in his heart, as if it is about to crack open inch by inch.
Yue Yining suddenly called out to him, "Ayu."
Ayu responded with a "Hmm?"
Yue Yining's eyes were half-closed, her snow-white neck slightly lowered. His well-defined fingers rested on her shoulder, and between her soft, warm skin were only two layers of fine cotton autumn robe.
She said to him, "Did you know me before?"
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