Chapter Thirty-Nine
The sun is high, but the flowers cast no shadow.
Mo Yinghuo opened her eyes, looking at the incredibly familiar scene around her. The faint scent of sandalwood mingled with the fragrance of incense burning all night, giving her a feeling of being in another world. The intense sunlight shone through the openwork carved window frame, stinging her eyes.
Mo Yinghuo's hands trembled slightly from weakness as he struggled to support himself on the edge of the bed and slowly sat up, completely lacking any strength.
She stood up gently, walked to the window, and pushed open the half-closed window. The sweet, gentle fragrance of peach blossoms filled the air. After taking only one step, Mo Yinghuo found her legs were slightly weak. She placed her hands on the table, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw several books neatly arranged on the table. The cover of the top book was faintly yellowed, and four bold, black characters gently entered her eyes—"Nian Que Qiao Xian" (念鹊桥仙).
Mo Yinghuo sighed unconsciously. Autumn footsteps echoed softly outside the window. She casually touched the collar of her dress, her black hair cascading down to cover her shoulders and neck. Suddenly, Mo Yinghuo froze, a vague memory forming in her mind.
Last night, it felt like something was violently tearing at him, like... he was completely exhausted and sweating profusely, like... just when he was about to collapse, a warm sensation slowly flowed into his body through his brow... then, it felt like his legs were too weak to stand and he was about to fall to the ground... then, it felt like someone pulled him hard... and then, what else happened... Mo Yinghuo heavily raised his palm and rubbed his brow vigorously. The rubbing was so forceful that large red marks immediately appeared on his pale and weak forehead.
The more Mo Yinghuo rubbed, the less she could remember what had happened after she fainted. Exhausted, she put her hand down and suddenly saw the snow-white silk sleeve. Her chest trembled violently, and a blush instantly spread across her fair, snow-white face, flowing down her neck, across her slender collarbone, and then bursting open violently at her chest.
This is the undergarment she usually wears in the manor, not the one she wears in the army, not... not the one she wore last night... Who helped her change? Last night, she was only with Zhao Shu. Could it be him...? Impossible... He wouldn't touch her willingly. He practically has a "Keep Out" sign hanging around him. Holding hands through the wormhole was out of necessity.
Who...who is that...and who else...?
Just as she was racking her brains over her choice of a plain white, soft silk undergarment, the door suddenly opened. An older woman with bruises around her eyes walked in carrying a food tray.
Mo Yinghuo looked closely and, seeing her disheveled appearance, immediately teased, "Granny, did you fall by accident, or did you offend someone and get accidentally beaten?"
Granny Shen was the steward of the Princess's residence, and Mo Yinghuo entrusted her with managing all affairs within the residence. Despite being a woman, she not only managed the Princess's residence with impeccable order, but also handled all matters at court without neglecting any necessary tasks, without wasting any money. In short, under her management, the Princess's residence was a place of peace and tranquility.
Therefore, although Mo Yinghuo has been fighting outside for the past few years, she is very familiar with the affairs of the court. This is largely thanks to Granny Shen who often writes to her to report on the situation in the court and the country.
Everyone, both inside and outside the mansion, respectfully called her "Grandma".
Mo Yinghuo enjoyed joking with the nanny, not out of disrespect, but because he found her honest, interesting, and talented. Her talent naturally referred to her smooth and skillful handling of situations, and her interestingness stemmed from her excessive concern for him—she worried about him even more than his father and mother. In short, she had the heart of a nanny but the work of a strategist.
For example, sometimes when she and Shurong sneaked out, Granny Shen would stand at the gate of the Princess's residence all day, waiting like a mother longing for her son who was far away; if Mo Yinghuo didn't eat on time, Granny Shen would lose her appetite and become increasingly thin; a few years ago, when Mo Yinghuo said she was going to the battlefield, Granny Shen actually packed her bags and insisted on going with the Princess to take care of her daily meals. In the end, no one knows what Mo Yinghuo said or what methods she used, but she managed to get Granny Shen to stay at the residence obediently...
Every letter that Granny Shen delivered, besides matters of the court, would end with a few rambling, overly concerned but impractical words such as "take care of your daily routine," "preserve your life," and "do not act impulsively."
Mo Yinghuo read to the end of the letter and then set it aside to avoid making a fool of himself. What a fine intelligence letter, ruined by all that fussy, sentimental stuff at the end.
"Your Highness arrived suddenly last night. This old servant was so overjoyed that I tripped and fell," said Granny Shen calmly and indifferently, with an air of utmost seriousness.
Mo Yinghuo habitually accepted the bowl of peach blossom soup handed to her by Granny Shen. The delicate fragrance filled her nostrils, and she realized that her weakness stemmed from the urge to eat. Granny Shen, though seemingly frail, was remarkably healthy. She stood quietly beside Mo Yinghuo, her hands clasped together, saying nothing, but watching intently as she finished the food, careful not to spill a drop.
Only after Mo Yinghuo put down his chopsticks did Granny Shen finish cleaning up the dishes and bowls, and neatly put them back on the food plate.
"By the way, what about the person who came with me last night?" Mo Yinghuo asked, touching her snow-white sleeve as she thought of Zhao Shu.
Granny Shen said coldly, "Enjoy the flowers in the courtyard."
Judging from her tone, Mo Yinghuo roughly guessed what had happened last night and smiled, "Granny, I'm afraid you didn't fall and hurt yourself."
Granny Shen ignored him, but her face suddenly turned serious, and she adopted a painstaking tone, "Princess, you are not young anymore. You can consider getting married while you are back in the capital."
Mo Yinghuo gave a wry smile and raised an eyebrow. "What, is Granny going to tell me about some young master from a prominent family in the capital?" As soon as she finished speaking, Zhao Shu walked into the room, and the smile on her lips trembled involuntarily.
Granny Shen gave Zhao Shu a slight bow, and without caring that outsiders were present, she said in a clear voice, "Yanxi Tower not only has gentle and tender girls, but also outstanding men. If you really like it, Princess, you can go and visit, compose poems and write elegant verses. Don't eat too much yellow sand and not know that there are all kinds of men in this world, and hang yourself on one tree."
"..."
Mo Yinghuo's lips twitched. What was she even talking about? Besides, wasn't it you, Granny Shen, who always wrote to me saying that this young master from Jiangnan and that young master from the North had arrived at Yanxi Tower? People who didn't know the situation would think it was my eldest princess's doing. Heaven knows if it was you, Granny Shen, that disrespectful old woman, who went to Yanxi Tower every day while I was away. Otherwise, how could you know so much about the fine wines and beauties from all over the country?
Mo Yinghuo felt a pang of sorrow, but her eyes unconsciously stole a glance at Zhao Shu. She saw that his expression was normal, but he was looking out the window somewhat absentmindedly, his gaze seemingly fixed on the peach tree in the courtyard that was blooming beautifully and fragrantly.
Actually, this wasn't entirely Shen Mama's fault. Her enthusiastic and meticulous care for Mo Yinghuo stemmed not only from her unwavering devotion but also from the subtle pressure implied by Emperor Zhaoming. Since Steward Pang was close to the Emperor, Shen Mama naturally considered him a key person to be cultivated.
On one occasion, the head steward whispered to her that the Emperor had mentioned several times that he regretted not arranging a marriage for the Princess before she went to war. Military campaigns are not something that can be completed in a year or two, and if the Princess went to war at such a young age, her time would be wasted as she grew older. As the Emperor's younger brother, how could he explain this to his father and mother?
As shrewd and worldly-wise as Granny Shen was, she immediately discerned the Emperor's intentions and from then on made the Princess's marriage her top priority. Indeed, Granny Shen had a sudden realization: in such a vast palace, if Heaven did not protect their Princess and she truly died on the battlefield, she, an "old and frail" woman, would have no place to use her talents and would truly die alone and destitute.
However, once she got carried away, Granny Shen became obsessed and thought that if the Princess had a child, she would have a great responsibility and could take good care of the child as if he were the Princess herself. The huge Princess's mansion would then be full of life and no longer cold and desolate because of the child.
From then on, what was originally a regret for the Emperor became another major, meticulously planned matter for Granny Shen, besides ensuring the Princess's health and well-being. She truly went mad; even the proprietress of Yanxi Tower was on her shopping list.
She, who was always deep and far-sighted, was blinded by the marriage to the eldest princess. As the commander of the Yunzhao Army, no matter how young and impetuous she was, she could not abandon hundreds of thousands of troops, let alone disregard the safety of the people of Yun.
Mo Yinghuo thought she was crazy and had lost her mind, so he never replied to her letters. Occasionally he would reply, but it was only to ask Granny Shen to help investigate some matters in the court.
"Um... Granny, you don't need to trouble yourself." Mo Yinghuo rubbed her temples, trying to quickly change the subject.
Granny Shen persisted, saying, "The eldest son of Lord Huang of the Hanlin Academy is a few years older than Your Highness. He is handsome, talented, and the adopted son of the Imperial Uncle Yu. This old servant has secretly checked him out for Your Highness, and he is simply the perfect choice to be the consort."
If Zhao Shu hadn't been standing there, Mo Yinghuo probably would have already slapped Granny Chen's old face unconscious.
What do you mean, "You secretly went to peek for me"? When did I ever allow you to go? Besides, the way you're saying that makes it sound like I'm a princess with nowhere to vent my lust for a husband! Don't you see? In the entire capital, when it comes to being exceptionally handsome and skilled in both literature and martial arts, which young master wouldn't be lining up to enter my princess's residence!
Mo Yinghuo suddenly stood up, her tone a bit cold, "Granny Chen, aren't you meddling too much? Take the food tray away and get out."
Granny Shen slowly picked up the food tray and said earnestly, "Princess, you should rest well and think this matter over carefully." She stared at Mo Yinghuo and deliberately drew out the word "Princess".
Mo Yinghuo sighed helplessly, "Alright, alright, please leave."
"Yes, Your Highness." Just as Granny Shen was about to leave, she suddenly remembered something and turned back, asking, "Your Highness returned suddenly last night. If anyone asks, should we say you arrived this morning, or last night? Should I inform the Head Steward about the Emperor, or…?"
Mo Yinghuo pondered for a moment and said, "Just say that I arrived this morning. Tell the head steward in private that we shouldn't let anyone else know that I, the princess, have returned to the capital. Oh, and prepare a set of official robes for me, as well as a few sets of casual clothes, they should be loose-fitting."
“Alright,” said Granny Shen, glancing at Zhao Shu and nodding respectfully before slowly leaving.
As expected of someone who had long been acquainted with worldly affairs, although she did not know the identity of the person beside the princess, she could vaguely guess that this person was no ordinary person.
Last night, this man suddenly appeared in his room, holding a cold, icy knife, and brutally ripped his old bones out of his warm bed. Who was so bold as to dare trespass on the Princess's residence? Granny Shen immediately guessed that it might be some bandit from some remote, impoverished place, who had run into a trap without realizing it, and assumed that the person was only there to rob him.
After all, there wasn't a single young maidservant to be seen in the entire Princess's residence. Ever since Mo Yinghuo went to war, in order to save unnecessary expenses and use more money to deal with various people, Granny Shen had greatly reduced the number of people in the residence, leaving only the essentials, while she herself often cleaned the Princess's room.
Knowing that His Highness was returning to the capital a few days ago, I lit the incense burner every day. However, the Princess's residence has no maids, which is a habit that Mo Yinghuo had kept in the past.
Therefore, Zhao Shu, who was mistaken for a bandit, was probably not after a woman. If he was, then he was really unlucky. There were only two women in the mansion, and the younger one had already gone to war. The rest were either old or plain-looking guards.
Granny Shen figured that since he was robbing her, she could just give him some silver and send him away. However, to her surprise, the man led her to the Princess's room. What terrified her was that the Princess was lying on the bed, drenched in sweat, her eyes closed, clearly unconscious. She didn't have time to think about how the Princess and this man had appeared in the manor without her noticing; she simply kept her eyes warily fixed on Zhao Shu. Without saying a word, the man only said, "Change Her Highness's clothes," and then left the room.
Judging from their behavior just now, Granny Shen guessed that this person must be an advisor to the Princess. As she left the room, she closed the door behind her so that the two could discuss matters.
Mo Yinghuo glanced at the door that had been closed by his own presumptuous actions, then stood up unconsciously, smiled slightly, and said, "Zhao Shu, thank you for last night."
Zhao Shu said calmly, "General, it was my oversight."
"Zhao Shu, if you have nothing to do these next few days, how about coming to the palace with me to see my brother, the Emperor?" Mo Yinghuo casually picked up the hourglass on the table, turned it upside down, and the flowing sand inside the glass slowly fell.
Zhao Shu remained silent for a long time.
Seeing that he suddenly stopped speaking, Mo Yinghuo guessed that he did not want to enter the palace, and said gently, "Zhao Shu, as you wish, I will talk to my brother about it when the time comes."
Zhao Shu said quietly, "It's alright. I will go to the palace with the general. There are some things we need the help of the emperor of Yunxiu Kingdom."
Mo Yinghuo was stunned for a moment, wondering what was something she couldn't do. She turned the hourglass over again, playing with it as she laughed, "Alright, the Emperor will be very excited to see you."
Zhao Shu fell silent again, and the two suddenly fell silent once more. Mo Yinghuo turned the hourglass in his hand over and over, turning it over and over again, several times, until finally a thought struck him. Just as he was about to speak, Zhao Shu suddenly asked, "General, where should I stay in the capital?"
Mo Yinghuo was taken aback. She hadn't even considered this question, because she had taken it for granted that Zhao Shu should live with her in the Princess's residence, just like when they lived in the Yun Zhao army camp at the border. Indeed, back then, he could only live in the camp; now that they were back in the capital, there were plenty of places to stay.
Mo Yinghuo smiled awkwardly and pretended to ponder, "Um, Zhao Shu, where would you like to stay? The capital is bustling, and I think my brother would agree to anything except the Emperor's palace."
After a moment's thought, Zhao Shu said softly, "If Your Highness doesn't mind, could you stay at the residence?"
Before Mo Yinghuo could react, the hourglass in her hand almost slipped from her grasp, and she was overjoyed. "No problem, no problem at all. I'll have Granny Shen prepare a room for you right away. There are few people in the manor, lots of empty rooms, and plenty of guards, so it's safe. Granny..."
Granny Shen was clearly not outside, and Mo Yinghuo didn't hear her calls several times. Zhao Shu saw that she was clearly weak but suddenly became energetic, so he stopped her and said, "Your Highness, there's no rush."
Mo Yinghuo: "Alright, by the way, have you eaten?"
Zhao Shu: "Used it."
Another silence fell.
Mo Yinghuo noticed that Zhao Shu's gaze was fixed on the hourglass in her hand. Before the sand had completely settled, she turned the hourglass upside down and held it in front of her eyes, as if recalling something. "This hourglass was a gift from my younger brother when I was a child, for my birthday." After saying that, she paused. "When I used to play with this hourglass out of boredom, some strange things would always happen."
Zhao Shu asked calmly, "What is it?"
“That’s right, sometimes the sand in the hourglass suddenly flows out very quickly; other times, it suddenly flows out very slowly,” Mo Yinghuo said slowly.
Zhao Shu suddenly fell silent, as if he was thinking about something.
Mo Yinghuo continued, seemingly oblivious to her surroundings, "I had a craftsman check it, but they didn't find anything wrong. However, it was fine again later." After saying that, she turned the hourglass upside down and over and over again, "See, it's fine now too."
Zhao Shu suddenly reached out and took the hourglass from her hand. He looked at it with great interest and quietly turned it up and down several times.
Mo Yinghuo stood to the side, staring at him with some surprise. To this day, Mo Yinghuo seemed to have never discovered anything that Zhao Shu would be interested in. In any case, seeing his dignified and solemn demeanor all day long, he sometimes even wondered if this man was even indifferent to women.
Seemingly sensing the gaze from the side, Zhao Shu turned his head, his eyes inexplicably fixed on Mo Yinghuo. Mo Yinghuo immediately snapped out of it, scratched the back of his head, and chuckled, "Zhao Shu, I didn't expect you to be so interested in this hourglass."
Zhao Shu carefully placed the hourglass on the table, glanced at the books on the table, and said softly, "Your Highness, please rest first. I'm going out for a bit."
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