Side Story 2: What Can I Do When the Moon Shines Brightly
Extra (2)
On the banks of the lotus pond in the Imperial Garden, the night breeze carries the scent of water and lotus leaves.
Princess Chu Xue Zhao dismissed the palace servants and sat alone by the waterside pavilion, gazing blankly at the bright moon reflected in the water, its reflection shattered by the ripples.
In his hand, he held a secret letter from Hexi.
The letter was written by Xu Zhiyuan. As always, it was concise and respectful, reporting on the military affairs and border trade in Hexi. Finally, he gave her a perfunctory greeting and... included several packets of medicinal herbs, local specialties of Hexi, saying they would be beneficial for treating her chronic cold constitution since childhood.
His handwriting was strong and upright, just like him—seemingly gentle, but with a steely inner strength.
But between the lines, there was nothing but the respect of a subject for the imperial family.
Chu Xue Zhao ran her fingertips over the words "To Her Highness the Third Princess" on the letter, a bitter smile curving her lips.
At that time, she was on an inspection tour in place of her father, the emperor.
In the misty rain, he held an umbrella and explained the advantages and disadvantages of the canal transport to her. His eyes were clear and his insights were unique, which was completely different from those local officials who only knew how to flatter or were trembling with fear.
They met again in the capital at a palace banquet.
He was now the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and his demeanor was even more impressive than before. Among the sons of noble families, he stood out like a pine tree.
She couldn't help but glance at him a few more times, only to see him chatting and laughing with his colleagues, his gaze never lingering on her.
Later, Xu Qingyao "came back to life," Xiao Zhouyan gained immense power in the court, and the Xu family's fortunes rose accordingly.
Because of her friendship with Xu Qingyao, she had more opportunities to meet with Xu Zhiyuan.
Sometimes it was a glimpse from afar at a palace banquet, sometimes it was a chance encounter at the Zhenyuan Marquis's residence, and sometimes... she deliberately sought out an excuse to "ask" some trivial questions at the Ministry of Personnel.
She thought she had concealed it well until that time when she mustered up her courage and had a palace maid deliver a sachet filled with calming spices that she had embroidered herself, under the pretext of thanking him for the Hexi dates he had given her before, to the Xu residence.
He accepted it, but the next day he sent someone back a set of rare and valuable ancient books from the previous dynasty, saying that he was grateful for the princess's generous gift and felt unworthy to receive it, so he was returning the favor with this gift.
His manners were impeccable and beyond reproach. Yet, he also... drew a clear line between himself and others.
Chu Xuezhao understood his concerns.
She was a princess, and he was a subject, as well as a powerful regional official with a large army.
If he were to become involved with her, it would inevitably arouse suspicion, which would not be good for him, the Xu family, or even the new emperor.
How could a cautious and prudent person like him, who prioritizes family and national affairs, allow himself to make a mistake?
But... how can the heart be easily controlled?
She remembered the light in his eyes when he talked about the people's lives on the border, the unconscious gentleness in his tone when he occasionally mentioned his sister Xu Qingyao, and the time at the Marquis's residence when she accidentally twisted her ankle and he instinctively reached out to support her, his steady and warm hand, and his ears that instantly turned red...
Those tiny, insignificant details became the honey and poison she repeatedly savored during her lonely years in the deep palace.
"Princess, it's late and the dew is heavy. Let's go back to the palace." The personal maid's voice sounded softly from behind.
Chu Xue Zhao snapped out of her reverie, carefully folded the letter in her hand, and tucked it into her sleeve. The moon's reflection in the water remained fragmented, mirroring her current state of mind.
She stood up, reverting to her usual aloof and dignified demeanor, as if the woman who had just been gazing at the moon with sorrow was merely an illusion.
"Let's go," she said calmly, turning and leaving the waterside pavilion, her skirt brushing against the stone steps, without looking back.
The bright moon still hangs high, its clear light shining on the world, yet it cannot illuminate the secrets that some people deliberately bury deep in their hearts.
She knew that some roads were destined to be walked alone. Some feelings, like pebbles thrown into a deep pool, might never stir a ripple in his heart.
This is probably what she meant by "the bright moon shining on the ditch".
*
Hexi, the study of the military governor's office.
The flickering candlelight illuminated Xu Zhiyuan's slightly tired yet still handsome profile.
He had just finished dealing with the pile of military documents, rubbed his temples, and his gaze inadvertently fell on a corner of his desk—there sat a slightly worn sachet embroidered with crooked green bamboo.
Unlike the exquisite and beautiful purse of the Third Princess Chu Xue Zhao, this sachet was made of ordinary materials and the stitching was even a bit rough. It was thrown to him by Liu Ru Shuang when she left, with the excuse that it was to "repel insects and mosquitoes, so that you, a bookworm, won't get bitten by mosquitoes."
He gently ran his fingertips across the rough surface of the sachet, and the image of that woman in fiery red, with her bright and flamboyant smile, seemed to reappear before his eyes.
She rescued him from danger in Yangzhou, investigated cases alongside him, accompanied him through mountains and forests and raided thieves' dens. She acted unconventionally and spoke directly, completely different from all the young ladies he knew, even the reserved and noble Third Princess.
He remembered her hearty drinking, her swift swordplay, and the occasional tenderness and care she showed that seemed out of place with her appearance.
I also remember that when she left, she patted his shoulder and laughed heartlessly: "Xu Mu Tou, do your job well as an official! This young lady has a long way to go in the world, see you again if fate allows!"
So unrestrained, so... without leaving any room for compromise.
Xu Zhiyuan knew that the secret stirrings in his heart were perhaps as insignificant as dust to Liu Rushuang.
She belongs to a wider world, while he, burdened by the expectations of his family and bound by the rules of the court, walks a completely different path.
Therefore, when the Third Princess subtly showed his goodwill, he could only choose to avoid her.
It's not that Chu Xue Zhao is bad; she is noble, intelligent, and kind, and she is a member of the royal family whom he should respect and be loyal to.
But he could neither deceive himself nor her.
The faint, perhaps forever unspoken thought in his heart was tied to another woman, as radiant and free as a wildfire.
This is fairer to him and to the Third Princess.
He sighed and carefully put the sachet back deep into the drawer, as if he were also locking away those untimely thoughts.
**
The capital city, the imperial palace.
Chu Xuezhao sat by the window, facing the chessboard, but remained motionless for a long time. The black and white pieces on the board crisscrossed, just like her chaotic thoughts.
A palace maid quietly entered and whispered, "Princess, we just received news that Lord Xu... when Lord Xu was suppressing bandits some time ago, he was accompanied by a woman in red who was extremely skilled in martial arts. She is said to be a well-known heroine in the martial arts world, named Liu Rushuang."
Liu Rushuang...
Chu Xuezhao's fingers trembled slightly as she held the chess piece, and the white piece landed on the board with a "snap," disrupting the game.
She had heard of that name.
When Xu Qingyao occasionally reminisces about the past, she mentions Ms. Liu, a straightforward girl who helped her in times of crisis.
So it was her.
In an instant, many details that she had deliberately ignored came to mind.
When Xu Zhiyuan talks about the martial arts world, there's an occasional, almost imperceptible glint in his eyes; his bookshelf is filled with travelogues and miscellaneous writings that seem out of place with classical texts; and when he's with himself, he maintains a consistently polite yet distant attitude…
It turns out, he wasn't inherently cold-hearted, nor did he have too many concerns.
But in his heart, there was already a completely different figure.
That figure, who could accompany him on his adventures, who could share life and death with him, was someone she, a princess in the deep palace, could never reach.
Chu Xuezhao looked at the white piece that had been placed in the wrong position on the chessboard and suddenly found it somewhat ridiculous.
All my tossing and turning and being so cautious these past few days turned out to be nothing but wishful thinking.
She slowly and gracefully returned each chess piece to the jar, her movements elegant and completely calm.
But her slightly lowered eyelashes concealed the fleeting glint of tears and relief deep within her eyes.
That's fine.
The bright moon has its own radiance, and the ditch also has its place to go.
From then on, she remained the aloof and dignified Third Princess, while he remained the loyal and patriotic Military Governor Xu.
Two lines, briefly intersecting, will eventually go their separate ways and never be related again.
She got up, walked to the window, opened it, and let the night breeze dispel the last trace of lingering sorrow in her heart.
The moon is bright and the stars are few in the sky, a scene of perfect clarity.
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