Chapter 110: I'm eager to go home and wait for my sister to come back. The warm breeze on the street corner awaits our reunion.
The breeze on the palace path gradually softened, bringing with it the characteristic evening coolness. Little Swallow walked quickly, her skirt lifted. The hem of her moon-white gown brushed against the bluestone slabs, making a soft rustling sound. The mutton-fat jade bracelet on her wrist still jingled with her footsteps, but this sound was less filled with the doubts she had felt when she arrived and more filled with the eagerness of returning home.
Sunlight slanted down on the vermilion palace walls, stretching their shadows far out, as if guiding her home. From afar, the sound of the evening bells drifted in, deep and lingering, rippling through the empty palace grounds. Little Swallow looked up at the sunset glow on the horizon. Layers of orange-red clouds formed, resembling the patterns on a crape myrtle handkerchief.
"Ziwei would surely compose poetry if she saw a sunset like this," she muttered softly, quickening her pace. "I wonder if she's had some snacks yet. Will the headmaster make her some Jinan's pre-rain Longjing tea?"
The closer they got to the palace gate, the more eunuchs and palace maids came and went, all of them bowing and greeting Xiaoyanzi. Although she wasn't used to palace etiquette, she followed Xiao Jian's instructions, nodding slightly in response with a faint smile on her face.
"Miss Fang, are you leaving the palace?" A young eunuch carrying a food box came towards them. When he saw Xiaoyanzi, he stopped immediately with a respectful smile on his face.
Xiaoyanzi recognized that this was Xiaoluzi from the imperial kitchen, who had delivered snacks to Shufangzhai before, so she smiled and nodded: "Yes, my sister is waiting outside, I have to go back quickly."
"So that's how it is." Xiao Luzi's eyes lit up, and he leaned closer and lowered his voice, "Don't worry, Miss Fang. The imperial kitchen made osmanthus cake today. I specially left an extra plate and asked the guard at the gate to bring it to you."
Xiaoyanzi's heart warmed. Thanks to the Emperor's care and her own personality, the people in the palace were much more kindhearted than in her previous life. "Thank you so much, Xiaoluzi!" she smiled, her eyes curved. "I owe you a favor. I'll bring you some peach cakes made at home someday!"
"Oh, I don't deserve that." Xiao Luzi waved his hands quickly, then bowed with a smile, "Miss Fang, please leave quickly. It's getting late and the palace gates should be locked."
"Hey!" Xiaoyanzi responded, running forward a few steps with light steps, then turned back and waved, "Remember it's for the guards of Fang Mansion!"
"I know!" Xiao Luzi's voice came from afar.
After leaving the palace gate, the guards of the Fang Mansion who were guarding outside immediately came up to greet them: "Miss, you are out. The young master asked us to wait here." The leading guard took Xiaoyanzi's cloak and said respectfully.
"Where is my brother?" Xiaoyanzi asked, glancing around the carriage.
"The young master said he was waiting near the academy. He was afraid of being surrounded by people, so he asked us to take you there first." The guard said as he lifted the curtain for Xiaoyanzi.
The carriage was thickly cushioned and warmed by a fireplace. As soon as Xiaoyanzi sat down, she smelled a familiar sweet aroma. She opened the food box in the corner and saw a box full of freshly baked plum blossom cakes, her favorite pastry. She knew it must have been prepared by Xiao Jian.
The carriage moved slowly along, and Xiaoyanzi leaned against the window, watching the streets of the capital gradually become bustling. The setting sun's afterglow shone on the bluestone pavement, gilding it with a layer of gold. Pedestrians hurried by, and the cries of vendors echoed in and out, filling the air with the atmosphere of everyday life.
"It's still free outside." She sighed softly, picked up a piece of plum blossom cake and took a bite. The sweet but not greasy aroma spread on her tongue. "Ziwei has been staying at the Fang family for three months. I'm afraid she misses the bustling streets. When she comes back, I'll take her to eat candied haws, listen to storytelling, and visit the temple fair..."
As she ate her snacks, she mentally considered what she was going to do with Ziwei, her eyes filled with longing. As the carriage turned the corner, she spotted Xiao Jian in the distance. He was wearing a dark blue robe, standing under an old locust tree, his gaze fixed on the direction of the academy.
"Brother!" Xiaoyanzi lifted the curtain and shouted without waiting for the carriage to stop.
Xiao Jian turned around and saw Xiao Yanzi. A gentle smile appeared on his face, and he quickly walked over to her: "Finally you're out. How's it going? What about the Emperor..."
"Everything is fine!" Xiaoyanzi jumped out of the car and grabbed Xiao Jian's arm, her eyes sparkling. "The Emperor promised to secretly help Ziwei and said he would never let her suffer any injustice! He also gave me a collection of poems by Aunt Xia Yuhe. Ziwei will definitely be very happy when she sees it!"
Xiao Jian looked at his sister's excitement and felt relieved. He reached out and ruffled her hair. "That's good. I just asked someone to check the academy. Everything was quiet, so there shouldn't be anything wrong."
"Yes!" Xiaoyanzi nodded vigorously and looked up in the direction of Jingxin Academy. The eaves there were faintly visible in the sunset glow. "Let's wait a little longer. Ziwei should be coming out soon."
Xiao Jian nodded and stood side by side with Xiao Yanzi under the old locust tree. The evening breeze rustled the leaves, carrying a faint fragrance of flowers. In the distance, the night watchman's clapperboard clappers rang out. "Dong—dong—" It was already two quarters past the hour of You.
Xiaoyanzi clutched the precious poetry collection in her sleeve pocket, her fingertips turning slightly white from the pressure. She stared at the closed door of the academy, silently saying to herself, "Ziwei, don't be afraid. The Emperor and I are here. We'll be fine in this life."
The lanterns on the street corners lit up one by one, and the warm yellow light dispelled the twilight, stretching the silhouettes of the brother and sister very long, blending with the gradually darkening night into a warm painting, waiting for the return of the other person in the painting.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
