The Princess's Residence.
As dusk settled, Shen Jintang stood beneath the towering walls of the Princess's residence.
A gentle night breeze brushed past, lifting a few stray strands of hair by her ear, and in the moonlight, fine beads of sweat could be seen on her smooth forehead.
She took a deep breath, lightly touched the brick wall with her toes, and silently landed on the branch of an old tree inside the wall as her skirt fluttered.
Who is it?
From afar came the guards' alert shouts.
Shen Jintang immediately held her breath and curled up among the dense foliage. The old tree branches hurt her arms, but she remained motionless.
She landed as lightly as a falling leaf only after the patrol's footsteps faded into the distance.
The moonlight cast her shadow long and thin, casting a solitary image on the bluestone path.
The South Study was located in the quietest corner of the front yard. Shen Jintang moved slowly along the wall, but could hear the thumping of her own heart.
She remembered her martial arts master telling her that the most important thing about lightness skill is to be calm and focused.
But now, her mind is filled with what Ye Qingzhou said, and she can't calm down at all.
What should have been a half-stick incense stick journey took a full incense stick's time to complete.
She stood at the door of the south study and saw the warm yellow light shining through the window paper and the diamond-shaped shadows cast on the stone floor.
Shen Jintang hid behind a pillar and could clearly see Gu Zhixing's figure reflected on the window paper—he was writing something with his head down, occasionally pausing to think.
That familiar silhouette made her heart clench.
It's so late, yet he's still in the South Study.
What was in the Southern Study... were only those portraits.
"The eldest brother's painting skills are so good, all because he has practiced by copying those portraits over the years."
"I heard that the girl and her family left Kyoto, and he even went after them!"
"The study was filled with portraits of that girl, covering an entire wall!"
"Just one look..."
She whispered to herself as her fingers touched the cold door.
Just then, a night breeze swept by, bringing with it the scent of ink wafting from the study.
The smell suddenly reminded Shen Jintang of that rainy day when Gu Zhixing held an umbrella for her to go to the shop, while he was soaked through, even though he was completely dry; she remembered when she was sick, Gu Zhixing took care of her closely until she recovered; she remembered when she forced him to study, even though he was dissatisfied with her, he never really held it against her...
It's not that she's heartless, nor that she doesn't care about anything, nor that she's forgotten everything; it's just that she keeps most of the situations to herself and doesn't show them.
Thinking of this, Shen Jintang suddenly stopped her outstretched hand.
What am I doing?
Shen Jintang abruptly pulled her hand back, her nails digging unconsciously into her palm.
The night wind tousled her hair and also dispelled her impulse.
She suddenly felt afraid—afraid that the portrait she saw when she opened the door would destroy these beautiful memories; afraid that Gu Zhixing, who had been so gentle with her, actually had someone else in his heart; afraid that Gu Zhixing was only being so kind to her because he was using the portrait to think of her.
Under the moonlight, her figure trembled slightly.
Finally, Shen Jintang slowly took two steps back, turned around, and walked into the darkness.
The hem of her skirt brushed against the fallen leaves on the stone steps, making a soft sound, before being scattered by the wind in the blink of an eye.
On the way back to the palace, Shen Jintang walked very fast.
The night wind blew in my face, and my eyes felt sore that I wanted to cry.
She kept thinking about Ye Qingzhou's words, and then she remembered the focused look in Gu Zhixing's eyes when he looked at her—was that her reflection or someone else's?
When Shen Jintang returned to Yutang Palace, it was already late at night.
The palace lanterns swayed gently under the eaves, casting her long, lonely shadow on the bluestone ground.
She stood before the hall, looking up at the swaying lamp. The light reflected in her eyes, but it could not illuminate the silence.
She paused slightly as her fingers touched the palace door, took a deep breath, and pushed the door open to enter.
The palace maid on night watch hurriedly came forward, but before she could speak, she was stopped by the woman raising her hand.
"Tomorrow at dawn," her voice was soft, yet clear and cold like a pebble falling on ice, "everyone gather in the front hall. The wedding process needs to be expedited."
The palace maid's eyes widened, and she said instinctively, "But the original date was half a month later..."
“Five days.” Shen Jintang interrupted her, and when his gaze swept over, the palace maid immediately fell silent. “In five days, I want to see them capable of handling things independently.”
The hall fell silent instantly, so quiet that the sound of the lamp flames exploding could be heard.
In the days that followed, the entire Jade Palace was shrouded in a tense atmosphere.
Shen Jintang personally observed the demeanor and behavior of every palace servant, from the stride of their walk to the curve of their fingers when serving tea; not a single mistake could escape her notice.
"Start over."
She stood under the eaves, her voice not loud, but it made the palace maids who were practicing their bows tremble.
The spring sunlight filtered through the crabapple blossoms, casting dappled patterns on the ground and obscuring half of her face, making it impossible to discern her expression.
On the fifth day at dusk, Lin Tingwan hurriedly arrived, lifting her skirt, and her eyes reddened as she stood outside the palace gate.
She grabbed Shen Jintang's hand, her fingertips trembling: "Jintang, thank you."
Originally, it was handed over to the Ministry of Rites, which would have delayed the nearest auspicious day she had chosen; the next good day would be three months from now.
However, if the task is given to Shen Jintang, there will be plenty of time, enough to make it to the date three days later.
Shen Jintang lowered her eyes to look at their clasped hands, then gently pulled them apart, a faint smile curving her lips: "It's good to leave the palace sooner. Haven't you been looking forward to this day?"
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