Qi Yue nodded, but another thing came to mind: at the palace banquet, her cousin the Crown Prince would definitely be there, so would Xin Suiyun... be there too?
This thought kept her restless all day. At dinner, she had no appetite and left early to return to her room.
In the dead of night, Qi Yue lay in bed, unable to fall asleep. Xin Rui's words from earlier that day echoed in her mind. Xin Suiyun's Northern Di bloodline, the brutal training of the Dark Guard, the prejudice against him by people in the court... all of this wove together a complex and contradictory image, completely different from the blood-soaked boy she remembered.
She rose, lit a candle, and took a small wooden box from the bottom of her vanity case. Inside was a slightly faded amulet. She had obtained it two years ago at a temple along the way when she accompanied the Third Princess in her search for her brother. She had obtained two amulets at the time; one for her brother, Qi Mingxuan, and the other… she had originally intended to give to Xin Suiyun to thank him for saving her life, but she had never had the courage to do so.
Qi Yue gently stroked the patterns on the amulet, suddenly realizing that her fear of Xin Suiyun might stem more from a lack of understanding. It was like being afraid of the dark as a child, simply because she didn't know what lurked within.
"Miss, you're still awake?" Yun'er's voice came from outside the door.
Qi Yue hurriedly put away the amulet: "I'm going to sleep now."
After blowing out the candle, she lay in bed, making a firm resolution: if she encountered Xin Suiyun at the chrysanthemum appreciation banquet in the palace tomorrow, she would muster the courage to observe him closely. Not to question or accuse, but to truly understand this man who had puzzled her for so many years.
This decision brought Qi Yue a strange sense of relief. She closed her eyes and finally fell into a deep sleep.
Moonlight streamed through the window, gently illuminating her peaceful sleeping face. The gears of fate were quietly turning. Unbeknownst to Qi Yue, her simple decision would uncover a secret buried for sixteen years, altering the course of her and Xin Suiyun's destinies.
Meanwhile, inside the Eastern Palace's secret guard post, Xin Suiyun was kneeling before the Crown Prince, reporting on yesterday's actions.
"The Northern Barbarian spies have all been eliminated, a total of seven." His voice was calm and even, as if he were saying something completely ordinary.
Crown Prince Xiao Chengji nodded: "Thank you for your hard work. The Northern Barbarian delegation will arrive in the capital soon, and I will need you to keep a close eye on things then."
"Understood."
Looking at Xin Suiyun's indifferent face, the Crown Prince suddenly asked, "I heard that you met your cousin Yue'er near the Duke of Ying's mansion yesterday?"
Xin Suiyun's eyes flickered slightly, but she quickly regained her composure: "Yes."
"She wasn't frightened, was she?" the prince asked with concern.
Xin Suiyun was silent for a moment, then said in a low voice, "I misspoke and disturbed Miss Qi."
The Crown Prince sighed softly, "Suiyun, I know you have a knot in your heart. But Yue'er is innocent; she knows nothing."
Xin Suiyun raised her head, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes: "I understand. I will be careful to keep my distance from Miss Qi in the future."
The crown prince wanted to say something more, but in the end he just waved his hand and said, "Go and take good care of your injury. I heard that you got a new injury on your arm yesterday."
Xin Suiyun bowed and withdrew. As he stepped out of the palace, the moonlight shone on the bandage on his arm, revealing that the seeping blood had turned a dark red. He glanced down at it, then expressionlessly pulled down his sleeve to cover the wound completely.
In the darkness, his figure, like a ghost, quickly disappeared into the shadows of the palace walls. Meanwhile, Qi Yue was fast asleep, completely unaware of the impending storm.
Tomorrow's chrysanthemum appreciation banquet will be another point where her fate intersects with Xin Suiyun's.
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