Chapter 132: Moonlit Corridor, Old Things, New Feelings
The moonlight from Shufangzhai was like scattered silver, illuminating the orchid leaves in the courtyard. Xiaoyanzi sheathed her sword, its silver blade reflecting against her face. Fine beads of sweat dripped from the tip of her nose, and the cuffs of her lilac-colored tights were stained with grass debris. She flicked her wrist, hearing the tinkling of wind chimes in the corridor. Turning, she saw Ziwei sitting in a bamboo chair, her embroidery needle weaving across her handkerchief. The moonlight fell on the hem of her aquamarine skirt, soft as a painting.
"Sister Ziwei, what do you think of my 'Swallow Piercing the Clouds' move?" Little Swallow ran over, sword in hand, the red tassels brushing the moss on the steps. "My brother said this move can dodge sneak attacks from the dark, and it's useful in the palace."
Ziwei put down the embroidery frame and took up a handkerchief to wipe her sweat. Her fingertips touched her warm cheek. "The sword moves quickly and steadily. Just don't be too hasty next time. Watch out for slipping." She pointed at the orchid she had just embroidered on the handkerchief. "Look, it's almost done. How about using it as a tassel for your sword?"
Xiaoyanzi leaned over to take a look, her eyes sparkling. "It's beautiful! Even more beautiful than the brocade bag my brother gave me!" Just as she finished speaking, she heard the sound of a small stool outside the courtyard. Someone said with a little excitement, "Princess! The Fifth Prince is here! He's carrying a big box!"
"Yongqi?" Xiaoyanzi raised an eyebrow and handed the sword to the small table that came over. "Why is he here? Did he hear that I entered the palace and specially send me something nice to please me?"
Before he could finish his words, Yongqi had already entered through the moon-shaped gate, dressed in royal blue attire, a jade belt around his waist, and indeed, holding a gilded brocade box. He saw beads of sweat on Xiaoyanzi's forehead, paused, and a smile played in his eyes. "Just finished sword training? You're still breathing hard, be careful not to catch a cold."
"What do you care?" Xiaoyanzi said stubbornly, but she couldn't help but glance at the box in his hand. "What's in your box? Are you going to test me on horseback archery again?"
Yongqi placed the brocade box on the stone table and tapped the lid with his fingertips, deliberately keeping the question in suspense. "Guess? If you guess right, I'll give it to you." He glanced at Ziwei and bowed. "Miss Ziwei is here too, so it's a good opportunity for us to take a look together."
Ziwei smiled and stood up: "Fifth Prince, you are too polite. Xiaoyanzi is very smart, so it's just right for her to guess."
"Who said I couldn't guess?" Xiaoyanzi tiptoed to reach the box, but Yongqi gently held her wrist. She struggled but couldn't get free, her cheeks slightly red. "Let go! I guess it's... a kite! Last time you said the wind in the Imperial Garden was perfect for flying kites, you must have made a new one!"
The smile in Yongqi's eyes deepened as he opened the brocade box. "You're quite impressive." Inside the box lay a butterfly kite, its wings embroidered with colorful scales, its frame delicately made of bamboo, and its wingtips adorned with small bells. "A few days ago, I saw you teaching the Twelfth Prince how to fly a kite. The strings on your old kite were all worn out, so I had a craftsman make a sturdy new one. The frame is made of nanmu wood, so it won't break even in strong winds."
Xiaoyanzi's eyes lit up, and she reached out to take it. As her fingertips touched the wings of the kite, the bell jingled. "It's so beautiful!" She looked up at Yongqi, her lips curved like a crescent moon. "It's much more exquisite than the kites I flew when I was a kid in Jiangnan!"
"I'm glad you like it." Yongqi looked at her shining eyes and felt inexplicably relieved. "Tomorrow afternoon, the wind will be good. Do you want to go to the Imperial Garden and try it? I'll teach you how to let go of the line. I guarantee it will fly three meters high."
"Who wants you to teach me?" Xiaoyanzi picked up the kite, her chin slightly raised. "My kite-flying skills are even better than your horse riding and archery skills! In my previous life..." She suddenly paused, stuck out her tongue, and changed her words. "I mean, I never lost when flying kites in Jiangnan!"
Yongqi didn't notice her slip of the tongue, thinking she was just trying to show off again. He chuckled and said, "Then let's have a competition tomorrow. If you lose, you have to imitate the call of a wild goose three times."
"Let's compete!" Little Swallow handed the kite to Little Mosquito, "Put it away. Tomorrow I'll show Fifth Prince how powerful I am!"
At this time, a small table came in with a food box and shouted from a distance: "Princess! Miss Ziwei! Concubine Ling sent someone to deliver some snacks. She said it was freshly baked lotus root powder and osmanthus sugar cake!"
"Sugar cake!" Xiaoyanzi's eyes immediately glued to the food box. She rushed over and opened the lid. The sweet fragrance instantly filled the air. "Empress Ling Fei understands me the best!" She picked up a piece and stuffed it into her mouth, mumbling, "Yongqi, do you want to eat it? If not, I'll eat it all!"
Yongqi took the piece Ziwei offered him and took a small bite, the sweet fragrance of osmanthus spreading across his tongue. He watched Xiaoyanzi wolf down her food, then watched Ziwei smile as she handed him the tea. Suddenly, he felt that the moonlight and sweet fragrance filling the courtyard were more comforting than the study in the Eastern Palace. "Eat slowly, no one's trying to steal it from you," he said softly, wiping the sugar residue from the corner of her mouth.
Xiaoyanzi's cheeks flushed, and she turned away to pass the cake to Ziwei: "Sister, you have one too, this one is the sweetest."
Ziwei took it with a smile, her eyes flickering between the two of them, a gentle smile in her eyes. "Fifth Prince is so thoughtful, sending me a kite," she said softly. "Ever since Xiaoyanzi entered the palace, she's been complaining about how bored she is in the courtyard. Flying a kite is just the perfect way to relieve her boredom."
"As long as you can make Princess happy." Yongqi watched Xiaoyanzi pick up another piece of candy cake. The cuffs of her sleeves were stained with icing sugar, like a little squirrel stealing food. He couldn't help but pull out a clean handkerchief from his sleeve pocket and handed it to her, "Wipe your cuffs, otherwise if Eunuch Su sees you, he will report to the emperor that you are not clean."
Xiaoyanzi took the handkerchief and wiped it roughly, muttering, "Is Eunuch Su the Emperor's spy? He has to control even my eating of a piece of candy?"
Ziwei shook her head helplessly and straightened her collar for her. "There are many rules in the palace, so it's always better to be careful." She looked up at Yongqi and said, "Thank you, Fifth Prince, for sending the kite today. Xiaoyanzi will be happy for several days."
As Yongqi stood up to leave, he glanced back at Shufangzhai. The wind chimes in the corridor were still swaying gently. Xiaoyanzi was holding up a candy cake and showing Ziwei how to fly a kite. Ziwei smiled and clapped her hands. The moonlight stretched their shadows very long. He touched the jade pendant he had just bought in his sleeve pocket—it was a soft jade with a small swallow carved on it. He had wanted to give it to her, but seeing how happy she was, he quietly put it away.
"I'll be here on time tomorrow," he said, standing outside the moon-shaped gate, his coat lifted by the evening breeze. "I'll bring two spools of new thread, enough for you."
Little Swallow poked her head out from under the porch, waving the candy cake in her hand: "It's a deal! Whoever doesn't come is a puppy!"
Yongqi smiled and agreed, turning to walk back. The moonlight on the palace path was bright. He could hear Xiaoyanzi and Ziwei's laughter behind him, mixed with the tinkling of wind chimes, like a string of warm beads, gently falling on his heart. He thought that the bustle of Shufangzhai might be more reassuring than anywhere else in the palace.
In the courtyard, Xiaoyanzi bit into a candy cake and asked Ziwei, "Sister, don't you think Yongqi treats me well? He gave me a kite and played with me. He's much better than in my previous life... than those young masters I knew before."
Ziwei wiped the sugar crumbs from the corners of her mouth with a smile in her eyes: "Fifth Prince has a gentle and sincere temperament, so he is naturally a good person." She looked up at the moon in the sky. The moonlight was like water, flowing quietly through the blue bricks of Shufangzhai, and also through the peaceful time when the two of them first entered the palace.
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