Chapter 57: The Lotus Wind Meets the Old Time, the Old Dream Is Hard to Find
The carriage's thrumming over the bluestone slabs was monotonous and rhythmic, like the beat of a drum against my heart. Little Swallow sat in the carriage, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the lotus embroidery on the hem of her skirt. The moon-white fabric was soft, but it couldn't block the chill that seeped in through the window. She could feel the carriage slowly approaching that magnificent prison, and with every step closer to the Imperial Garden, the suffocating feeling in her heart grew stronger.
"Miss, we're here." The driver's voice came with a bit of caution.
Xiao Jian got out first, the hem of his moon-white gown brushing the dust on the carriage's pedals. He turned around and held out his hand, his palm broad and warm: "I'll help you."
Xiaoyanzi climbed onto his hand and alighted from the carriage. As soon as she landed, she was dazzled by the scenery before her. The Imperial Garden lived up to its reputation. Greenery blanketed the ground, and the air was filled with the fragrance of grass and lotus flowers. Huge lotus leaves clung to each other, dotted among them with pink, white, and pale red lotus flowers, like countless graceful brushes, painting the vibrant summer air across the clear water.
Yet, this vibrant scene seemed a bit distant to Xiaoyanzi. She lowered her head and followed the eunuch who led the way. Her moon-white skirt swept across the grass beside the road, picking up a few drops of glistening dew.
"Brother, do you think the emperor really just wants to listen to the piano?" She asked in a low voice, her voice so low that only Xiao Jian could hear it.
Xiao Jian glanced vigilantly at the guards and palace maids around him and lowered his voice: "No matter what he wants to do, you must be careful and talk less. We will leave after he finishes playing the piano." He squeezed his sister's wrist, conveying comfort with strength.
Xiaoyanzi nodded and was about to take a step when she heard a burst of hearty laughter from the front, mixed with the voices of young men talking. She subconsciously stopped and looked up -
Beneath a nearby willow tree stood three young men. The leader, dressed in bright yellow casual attire—though not a dragon robe, he still possessed an extraordinary bearing, his features radiating a gentle warmth. He was the Fifth Prince, Yongqi. Beside him stood two men: one, dressed in a royal blue robe, with an upright figure and a handsome face. He was Fu Erkang; the other, dressed in a lake green robe, with a smile on his face, appearing more lively. He was Fu Ertai.
Time seemed to stand still at this moment.
Xiaoyanzi's breathing suddenly hitched, her heart feeling like it was being gripped by an invisible hand, the pain almost choking her. It was them! It was really them! Yongqi was still the same as she remembered, only younger, his brows no longer heavy with the later heaviness; Erkang was still as tall as a pine tree, and Tai'er's smile was as bright as ever.
All the memories of her past life came flooding back to her mind like a tide - the frolicking in the imperial garden, the thrills in the paddock, the bitter cold in the clan residence, and Yongqi's final words when he left, "Little Swallow, wait for me"... Tears blurred her vision in an instant. She hurriedly lowered her head and quickly wiped the corners of her eyes with her sleeve, her fingertips turning white from the force.
"Ci'er? What's wrong?" Xiao Jian noticed her abnormality and asked with concern.
"No... I'm fine." Xiaoyanzi sniffed, trying to calm her turbulent emotions. Her voice was choked with a barely perceptible sob. "The sand blinded me."
She didn't dare to look any further, and just wanted to walk past them quickly to avoid them. But the three of them were also walking towards her, and they were about to collide with her.
"Fifth Prince, Young Master Fu Da, Young Master Fu Er." The eunuch leading the way bowed hurriedly and spoke in a shrill voice.
Yongqi and the other two stopped, their gazes naturally falling on Xiaoyanzi and Xiao Jian. When Yongqi's gaze swept over Xiaoyanzi, he paused slightly—the girl, wearing a plain moon-white dress, lowered her head, revealing her small chin and reddened ears. She looked a little timid, yet exuded an indescribable aura, like a crabapple tree covered in dew after rain.
"Who is this?" Yongqi asked in a gentle voice, noble but not arrogant.
Xiao Jian stepped forward, stood in front of Xiao Yanzi, and bowed slightly: "I am Fang Yan, and I, along with my sister Fang Ci, have come to the banquet at the invitation of the emperor." He deliberately did not mention the name of the "Fang family" as he just wanted to keep a low profile.
Xiaoyanzi lowered her head, her fingertips digging deep into her palms, forcing herself to calm down. She could feel that familiar gaze resting on her. It was Yongqi's. In her past life, that gaze had looked at her tenderly countless times, filled with doting, worry, and love. But now, it held only polite curiosity, nothing more.
He didn't recognize her anymore.
This realization pierced her heart like a needle, and a wave of bitterness and loss spread instantly. Yes, if they weren't reborn, how could they know the current "Fang Ci"? The little swallow in her previous life had already died in that storm.
"It turns out to be Mr. Fang and Miss Fang." Yongqi nodded slightly as a greeting, and his eyes inadvertently swept over Xiaoyanzi, "What's wrong with Miss Fang? Are you not feeling well?" He saw that she kept her head down and her shoulders trembling slightly, and couldn't help but ask.
Xiaoyanzi's heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively raised her head, meeting Yongqi's inquiring gaze. Those eyes were still as bright as ever, as if filled with starlight, but there was no trace of her in them anymore. She hurriedly lowered her head again, her voice as tinny as a mosquito's, "My dear, I'm fine, just... just a little shy."
Erkang and Ertai looked at each other and both felt that the girl was a little strange, timid and a little awkward.
Ertai was a lively man, and he smiled to smooth things over: "So that's how it is. Miss Fang, don't be afraid. Although this imperial garden is large, we are all family members."
Family? Xiaoyanzi smiled bitterly in her heart. Yes, they were the closest family in their previous life, but now, she was just a stranger.
"It's getting late. The emperor is still waiting. Let's go first." Xiao Jian didn't want to argue any more. He bowed again and was about to leave with Xiao Yanzi.
Xiaoyanzi lowered her head and hurried after Xiao Jian, but out of the corner of her eye she couldn't help but glance at Yongqi again. He was talking to Erkang, his profile looking particularly gentle in the sunlight, a faint smile on his lips. It was a smile she once cherished, but now it had nothing to do with her.
As they passed each other, a gust of wind blew by, picking up the loose strands of hair at Xiaoyanzi's temples and ruffling the hem of Yongqi's dress. Yongqi subconsciously moved aside, his gaze once again fixed on the red ribbon tied at the end of her braid. That vibrant red, against the plain moon-white dress, was particularly eye-catching, like a vermilion mole, inexplicably imprinted on his heart.
"This Miss Fang... seems a little peculiar." Ertai looked at Xiaoyanzi's back and touched his chin. "She's obviously very shy, but she seems to be...hiding something."
Yongqi said nothing, only watching the moon-white figure gradually recede, his brows furrowed slightly. He didn't know why, but the moment the girl looked up, he felt strangely familiar, as if he had seen her somewhere before. But when he thought about it carefully, he had no recollection of her.
"Let's go, the Emperor is still waiting for us to discuss matters." Yongqi retracted his gaze, turned around and walked in the opposite direction of Xiaoyanzi. His bright yellow uniform flashed in the green shade and quickly disappeared around the corner.
Meanwhile, Xiaoyanzi followed the eunuch leading the way, walking further and further away until she could no longer see the three men. Only then did she breathe a long sigh of relief, her back already drenched in cold sweat. The brief encounter had nearly drained all her strength.
"Brother, I'm fine." She forced a smile at Xiao Jian, but her eyes were still full of tears. "I just didn't expect to meet them here."
Xiao Jian patted her shoulder, not asking any further questions, but understanding everything. He knew that these people must have a place in his sister's memories of her past life, and that they were very important.
From a distance, they could already see a bright yellow figure in the waterside pavilion. Qianlong was sitting by the railing overlooking the water, holding a scroll in his hand, as if waiting for them.
Xiaoyanzi took a deep breath and straightened her back. No matter who she met, no matter how turbulent her heart was, she had to hold on. She couldn't let Qianlong see her flaws, and she couldn't let the tragedy of her previous life repeat itself.
The lotus breeze blew by, bringing with it bursts of fragrance, but it couldn't dispel the heaviness in her heart. The Imperial Garden's beauty remained, but things and people had changed. Those who were once familiar were now "strangers" who needed to be carefully avoided. She didn't know what awaited her at this lotus viewing banquet, but she knew that from the moment she met Yongqi and the others, today's trip to the Imperial Garden was destined to be restless.
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