Chapter 45: The Emperor's Eyes Are Darkly Concentrated
By the time the morning dew wet the window lattices at the Fang residence, Xiaoyanzi had already sat facing the bronze mirror for half an hour. Madam Fang was combing her long hair herself, the mahogany comb teeth tracing through the jet-black tresses, leaving behind a faint woody fragrance. The girl in the mirror wore a lilac-colored skirt with an intricately embroidered lotus flower pattern at the neckline. As the skirt fell, it resembled a lavender cloud, accentuating her already lively features with a touch of gentleness. However, the uneasiness in her eyes could not be concealed.
"Mom, do I have to dress like this?" Xiaoyanzi pouted slightly, her fingertips unconsciously picking at the pattern on the hem of her skirt. "This material is so slippery, I'm afraid of falling when I walk." She still preferred the gray cloth shorts from the courtyard, even though the trouser legs were stained with mud.
Madam Fang smiled, patted the back of her hand, and inserted a pearl hairpin into her bun. The beads swayed gently with her movements, casting a fine shadow in the mirror. "Silly child, this is a palace flower viewing banquet. Although the rules are not as strict as those of a festival, it is still a royal occasion and no room for carelessness." She brushed her daughter's temples with her fingertips, her eyes full of love. "Look how bright these pearls are! They make my daughter Ci'er look like a fairy from a painting."
Xiao Jian walked in wearing a moon-white gown, the cuffs embroidered with subtle bamboo leaves, which accentuated his tall stature. He held a hand warmer in his hand, its copper surface engraved with twining branches. He gently touched the back of Xiao Yanzi's hand with his fingertips as he handed it to her. "It's got spices in it to warm your hands and soothe your nerves. Stay with your parents later, and don't run around."
Xiaoyanzi took the hand warmer, and her palms were immediately wrapped in warmth. She looked up at her brother and saw worry in his eyes, so she nodded vigorously: "I know, talk less and smile more, right?" She pursed her lips like a lady, but because she was too deliberate, she looked a little funny, which made Mrs. Fang laugh out loud.
As the carriage pulled away from the Fang residence, Xiaoyanzi lifted a corner of the curtain and glimpsed the direction of the compound. A sense of emptiness welled up in her heart. Liu Qing and Liu Hong should be setting up their stall by now, right? The old locust tree beside the millstone cast a shadow, and she suddenly remembered the kneepad Liu Hong had sewn for her, now hidden quietly under her skirt. Though the stitching wasn't exquisite, it gave her greater peace of mind than the gorgeous dress she was wearing.
The Forbidden City's corner towers gleamed like glazed glass in the sunlight. A carriage passed through the palace gates, its wheels rolling over the bluestone pavement, making a rhythmic click that felt like a tap on Xiaoyanzi's tense heart. Her fingers tightened around the hand warmer, the warmth seeping through the fabric, but it couldn't warm the chill deep within her heart. The layers of red walls and yellow tiles felt like a cage from a past life, making it difficult for her to breathe.
"We're almost there. Adjust your skirt." Fang Zhihang's voice was tinged with a subtle nervousness. He wore a dark blue brocade robe that accentuated his elegance, but the way he twirled his folding fan between his fingers betrayed a hint of uneasiness. Although the Fang family was a family of scholars, they remained cautious in the face of such royal majesty.
The flower-viewing banquet was held at the Chengrui Pavilion in the Imperial Gardens. Outside, peonies were planted everywhere, the Yaohuang and Weizi trees in full bloom, their fragrance mingling with a faint incense, filling the warm breeze. Many officials and their families had already arrived, their elegant attire and cheerful conversation filling the air. The sound of stringed instruments drifted from the pavilion, creating a scene of elegance and grace.
Xiaoyanzi followed behind Madam Fang, head lowered, trying to minimize her presence. The sweep of her lilac skirt across the bluestone slabs brought with it a whiff of floral fragrance, but it couldn't dispel the uneasiness that lingered within her. She could feel the gazes from all sides—curious, scrutinizing, probing. It made her feel uncomfortable, and she just wanted to find a corner to hide.
"Mr. Fang is here." A familiar official came forward to greet Fang Zhihang. His eyes inadvertently fell on Xiaoyanzi, and he said with approval, "Is this your daughter? She is indeed a gifted and talented woman."
Fang Zhihang returned the greeting with a gentle smile, "Thank you for your compliment. I'm sorry for my naughty behavior."
Xiaoyanzi knelt and saluted according to etiquette. Her movements, though awkward, were standard. This was the result of Xiao Jian's half-night training. She lowered her eyelids, her long lashes like two small fans, obscuring the emotion in her eyes. She could only hear her own heartbeat, mingling with the distant sound of stringed instruments, creating a frantic rhythm in this flower-filled courtyard.
Suddenly, a subtle commotion erupted from the back of the crowd. The laughter gradually faded, and even the string music stopped. Xiaoyanzi subconsciously looked up and saw a man in a bright yellow dragon robe, surrounded by guards and palace maids, slowly approaching.
It was Qianlong.
He was dressed in his usual attire today, a bright yellow robe embroidered with dark gold dragons, and a bright yellow jade belt tied around his waist, accentuating his upright figure. His dark hair was held back with a red gold hairpin, and his face remained handsome, though his brows held the majesty of an emperor. Wherever his gaze passed, everyone bowed in greeting.
Xiaoyanzi's heart sank, and she subconsciously dodged behind Madam Fang, her lilac skirt wrinkled from her grasp. Memories of her past life—the throne, the reprimands, the cold palace walls—came flooding back, chilling her fingertips and making her hold her breath.
"Everyone, stand up." Qianlong's voice was tinged with a gentle smile. His gaze slowly swept through the crowd, finally landing in the direction of the Fang family. When his eyes fell on the young woman hiding behind Madam Fang, only half of her face visible, his steps paused almost imperceptibly.
Those eyebrows, that slightly wrinkled nose, that subconsciously dodging expression... so much like! So much like the little swallow in his past life, the one who was always noisy but always worried about him!
Qianlong's fingertips gently caressed the jade buckle of his jade belt, a flicker of shock in his eyes, followed by an indescribable complex of emotions: ecstasy at having regained something, cautious tentativeness, and a touch of tenderness he himself hadn't noticed. He had originally been attending a banquet as a routine, but now he felt that the peonies in the garden were not as captivating as that one glimpse.
Xiaoyanzi could clearly feel that gaze on her, like a hot iron, burning her spine. She lowered her head even lower, her long eyelashes almost touching her cheeks. The warmth of the hand warmer penetrated her palms, but it couldn't suppress the chill in her heart. She could feel that gaze lingering on her for a long time, so long that she thought she was suffocating.
"Your Majesty, this is Mr. Fang Zhihang from the Hanlin Academy," Lord Li, who was standing nearby, saw the emperor stop and hurried forward to introduce him. "This is Madam Fang, and Miss Fang."
Fang Zhihang hurriedly stepped forward with his wife and daughter to pay his respects. "Your Highness Fang Zhihang, along with my wife and daughter, pays homage to the Emperor. Long live the Emperor."
Xiaoyanzi followed suit, kneeling, her forehead almost touching the ground. The kneepads beneath her skirt jarred her knees, reminding her of countless times she had prostrated herself in her past life. She could feel that gaze still lingering on her, making her feel uncomfortable and wanting this torment to end quickly.
Qianlong's gaze fell on Xiaoyanzi's slightly trembling shoulders and her slender fingers clutching Madam Fang's sleeve, their knuckles slightly white from the pressure. He suddenly spoke, his voice a little gentler than before: "Mr. Fang, there's no need to be so polite. I heard that your compilation of 'Jiangnan Scenery' is quite insightful, and I admire it very much."
"I don't deserve it. It's all thanks to the emperor's wisdom." Fang Zhihang replied respectfully.
Qianlong finally shifted his gaze from Xiaoyanzi, but as he turned and walked towards Chengrui Pavilion, he inadvertently glanced back. This time, he met Xiaoyanzi's panicked gaze, her eyes filled with panic and a subtle sense of familiarity, like a frightened deer, yet surprisingly bright.
The moment their eyes met, Xiaoyanzi ducked her head as if scalded. Her cheeks flushed crimson, even her ears. Her heart pounded wildly, nearly bursting through her chest. That glance had made her feel as if everything in her heart had been seen through, bringing back memories of her past life.
Qianlong's lips curled up in a barely perceptible smile. He turned and continued walking, his steps brisker, his gaze at the peonies in the garden warmer. Eunuch Su, following behind the emperor, took it all in. Seeing the smile on the emperor's face, he marveled inwardly: "The emperor seems particularly happy today, especially after seeing Miss Fang just now... Is there something special about this Miss Fang?"
Xiaoyanzi waited until the bright yellow figure disappeared into the pavilion before she dared to quietly raise her head and let out a long sigh of relief. Her back was already soaked with cold sweat. She patted her chest, trying to calm her pounding heart, but she couldn't ignore the burning gaze and the inexplicable familiarity and resistance in her heart.
"Ci'er, are you okay?" Mrs. Fang felt her daughter trembling and hurriedly held her hand, her palm was cold.
"Mom, I'm fine." Xiaoyanzi shook her head, her voice still trembling, "I'm just... a little scared."
Xiao Jian stood not far away, observing everything that had just happened. Seeing the emperor's particular attention to his sister, his brows furrowed slightly, a flicker of vigilance in his eyes. He stepped forward, calmly placing himself in front of his sister, and whispered, "Don't be afraid. I'm here. Let's rest by the peony bushes over there, away from the pavilion."
Little Swallow nodded quickly, following her brother as if grasping at a lifeline. She glanced back in the direction of Chengrui Pavilion, only to see the bright yellow figure sitting in the main seat. Through the shadows of the flowers and the crowds of people in the garden, she couldn't see clearly, but she felt as if that gaze, as if penetrating the distance, was still firmly locked on her.
She lowered her head, staring at the bluestone pavement beneath her feet, her heart a turmoil. That emperor…why did he look at her like that? Why did she feel so familiar, yet so terrified? This palace banquet, as she had expected, had been filled with an unsettling atmosphere from the outset. Unbeknownst to her, this seemingly accidental encounter had already stirred up a storm in the emperor's heart, quietly derailing her peaceful rebirth.
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