After wiping it almost clean, Jin Heng took out something wrapped in silk from his clothes, handed it over, and said, "This is a coming-of-age gift for you."
Wei Yinqiu took it, opened it, and saw that it was a jade hairpin carved into the shape of a peony.
"It's so beautiful, the quality of this jade is excellent."
"I searched for a long time to find this jadeite rough stone for carving. Do you like it?"
"Did you carve this yourself?"
"Um."
Wei Yinqiu was surprised to learn that he had this skill. Holding the hairpin up, she examined it closely by the moonlight and couldn't help but exclaim, "Grand Tutor, is there anything you can't do?"
Jin Heng chuckled, "There are many things I don't know; it just so happens that I share similar interests with the princess."
"Why didn't you mention this before?"
"My skills are too shallow to be worth showing off."
Wei Yinqiu thought he was being too modest. The hairpin was carved so lifelike, like a real green peony in full bloom. It would take at least ten years of craftsmanship to make it.
Although she often carves wood and leaves, she has never touched jade or precious stones, for fear that her lack of skill would turn priceless treasures into waste.
She glanced at Jin Heng, then at the hairpin, her eyes lighting up instantly. She grabbed his sleeve, "Grand Tutor!"
At times like this, Jin Heng would always get goosebumps from her.
Seeing her hesitant manner, he instantly understood her intention and shook his head, "No."
"Please teach me, I really want to learn."
Jin Heng said righteously and sternly, "I am usually busy with official duties and I am afraid I have no time to teach the princess carving skills. If the princess really wants to learn, there must be no shortage of skilled craftsmen in the palace who are more skilled than me."
“But… I just want you to teach me.” Wei Yinqiu blinked her big, watery eyes and said, “I can move out of the palace soon, and Yongning Residence isn’t far from the Jin residence.”
"Princess, I have said..."
She interrupted his refusal, her tone instantly tinged with sadness, "Jinheng, I've come of age today. Do you know what that means? It means that others can propose to me. If you push me away again, I'll marry someone else."
She paused, looked up at him quietly, and asked, "Do you want me to marry someone else?"
He frowned slightly, opened his mouth, but couldn't utter the word "hope".
...
After that, Wei Yinqiu frequently visited the Jin residence.
Jin Heng was really busy; sometimes she would wait from day to sunset and still not see him return home.
Nominally, she came to learn jade carving, but in reality, he hardly ever taught her. She usually learned from the technicians he hired, and then spent the whole day working on a single stone by herself.
Later, rumors began to circulate in the capital, so the Empress Dowager ordered that her feet be confined.
She was confined to Yongning Residence, where she continued to carve those broken stones, which was much more difficult than carving wood or leaves. Sometimes, she would spend a whole day working on it and still not be able to get a complete outline.
Her fingers were scraped raw and bleeding, and were wrapped in several layers of gauze.
She thought she wouldn't see Jinheng for a long time, but she never expected him to sneak over the wall and come in.
On a dark and windy night, a dark figure suddenly landed in front of the window. He drugged the guard, carefully pushed open the door, and met Wei Yinqiu, who was standing on a stool holding a basin of water.
The air seemed to freeze for a moment.
"How could it be you!" Wei Yinqiu quickly steadied the swaying basin and placed it aside.
She jumped off the stool barefoot and threw herself into Jin Heng's arms.
"Why aren't you wearing shoes?" Jin Heng put his hands under her armpits, lifted her up, walked inside, and placed her on the table.
Wei Yinqiu sat on the table, swinging her small, white feet, and said with a grin, "I was about to rest when I suddenly heard a noise. I thought it was some flower thief."
"So, was that basin of water meant to be splashed on me or thrown at me?"
"Oh dear, I didn't know it was you."
If she had known from the beginning that it was Jin Heng, how could she have bear to splash the foot bath water on him? She would have definitely thrown herself on him!
Jin Heng placed his hands on the edge of the table and leaned slightly closer.
She held her breath, her heart pounding as if a deer were leaping in her chest.
"Why do you... smell strange?"
She realized it too late...
Damn it! I spilled my foot bath water on myself!
She quickly pushed him away, stepped back, and hugged herself to her chest, saying, "Stay away from me. Men and women shouldn't touch each other."
Jin Heng clicked his tongue and said, "In the past, when you saw me, you couldn't wait to stick to me? Why didn't you say that people shouldn't touch each other back then?"
"You, you, you mustn't talk nonsense..."
Wei Yinqiu stretched out her foot to kick him, but he grabbed her ankle and gently pulled her back to him. The heat of his palm made her feel as if her skin was burning, and her cheeks gradually became warm.
"Now you know how to be shy? Too late." Jin Heng leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Wei Yinqiu, tell me the truth, was it the Empress Dowager's order to get close to me?"
The temperature in her body dropped inch by inch in an instant. She looked at the handsome face so close to hers and heard her own stiff voice: "How could you think that?"
Jin Heng slowly straightened up, lowered his eyelashes to look at her, his eyes filled with a deathly stillness. "I know the Empress Dowager confined you to your quarters to show me."
Wei Yinqiu paused, staring blankly at him as she asked, "Then why did you still come?"
"Because I've fallen for you."
Wei Yinqiu never expected him to openly admit his feelings, especially under these circumstances. She didn't even know how or what to say in response.
She was completely stunned, staring at him without blinking, as if afraid she was dreaming.
The commotion outside told her it wasn't a dream.
She jumped off the table and pulled him into the inner room.
Jin Heng only saw her lift a jade Guanyin statue, then activate a mechanism, and the cabinet opened from both sides, revealing a secret room.
He was then pushed into the secret room, and the cabinet closed behind him again.
The maid knocked only twice, and before she could answer, the guard pushed the door open and entered. The head maid hurried in, only to see Wei Yinqiu peeking out from behind the curtain, asking sleepily, "Auntie, what happened?"
The palace maid quickly glanced around the room, frowned, and asked in confusion, "Your Highness, a thief has broken into the manor, so we came to check. Has Your Highness seen anyone else?"
"I was sleeping soundly and don't know anything." She yawned lazily, lifted the curtain and came out. "Go ahead and investigate, hurry up and investigate, this princess needs to rest."
The palace maid glanced into the bed curtains and, seeing the displeasure on her face, quickly put on a smiling face. "It seems there isn't any here. Let's check elsewhere. Princess, please rest well."
So they quickly withdrew.
Wei Yinqiu sat on the edge of the bed, looking at the closed door, and gave a cold smile.
Jin Heng was a favorite of the emperor, holding the highest rank and wielding immense power. At a young age, he was able to rival Grand Secretary Yan.
In fact, Wei Yinqiu was not stupid. Having lived in the palace for so many years, she was not entirely unaware of what was happening in the court.
The Crown Prince is young and insignificant, the Emperor is in poor health, and the Yan family is eyeing the throne with covetous intent. Jin Heng is someone the Emperor has personally groomed to balance the court. He is the Emperor's sword, and he will become the Crown Prince's sword in the future.
The Emperor was only superficially distant from the Crown Prince; in reality, he never intended to change the heir apparent. Otherwise, why would Jin Heng have needed to personally teach him military strategy?
In fact, she lied to Jin Heng. Since he stopped entering the palace, she had rarely been to the Eastern Palace either.
She was raised by the Empress Dowager, whose surname was Yan, so she shouldn't have been close to the Crown Prince on the surface.
She understood the Empress Dowager's intention in allowing her to approach Jin Heng—to win him over. The Empress Dowager thought she was doing it for the Yan clan, but in reality, she was doing it for herself.
She genuinely liked Jin Heng.
Therefore, she would not comply with the Empress Dowager's wishes on this point.
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