It was just an ordinary day back then.
The lingering echoes of the opera's curtain call still lingered in the waterside pavilion. Zhiwei gazed into Zhu Hua's unfathomable eyes, and a sudden unease gripped her heart.
This princess has always acted eccentrically, yet today she suddenly invited her to come to the theater often; I wonder what her true intentions are.
"Your humble servant... obeys the decree." Zhiwei curtsied, not daring to say more.
Zhu Hua, accompanied by her personal maid, escorted Zhiwei to the palace gate.
As she turned to leave, the evening breeze lifted the hem of Zhiwei's clothes, and a thought suddenly popped into her mind—the Princess had summoned her today not only to test her little bit of cleverness, but also most likely because of the special treatment Zhu Mingyu and Zhu Liji gave her.
Zhu Mingyu is one thing, but even if she only ate half a bowl more rice, he would beam with joy and be generous with his praise.
As for Zhu Liji, Zhiwei paused for a moment. The two of them had gone through a life-or-death situation together, so it was not surprising that he could admit his own abilities.
only……
Earlier at the banquet, Zhu Hua and Zhu Liji were at loggerheads, looking as if they wanted to draw their swords against each other on the spot.
Zhiwei always thought that the siblings were enemies and adversaries.
When Zhu Hua mentioned Zhu Liji just now, although there was a mocking tone in his voice, there was not much real hatred. Instead, there was a kind of familiarity that was hard to explain.
What are you thinking about?
Zhiwei heard Zhu Hua's voice in her ear. She turned around and saw that it was already late. Moonlight shone through and cast a faint shadow on the scar on Zhu Hua's face.
"I've been thinking, what have I done to deserve the favor of the princes and princesses?" Zhiwei carefully chose her words, and even she felt a pang of sadness after she finished speaking.
Zhu Hua laughed out loud: "That doesn't sound like something you would say."
"Someone once said that you're a tough nut to crack."
"A tough nut to crack..." This phrase is most likely used to describe Zhu Liji.
Zhiwei pouted: "Your Highness, you are too good at talking."
“His silver tongue is laced with venom,” Zhu Hua chimed in, his laughter ringing out clearly in the night. “But compared to me, he’s still a bit green.”
"Moreover, he was actually quite dull when he was a child, completely different from now. When he was wronged, he would just stare blankly with his neck outstretched. You have no idea how he looked when I took his snacks when he was a child."
"It looks just like a silly goose." Zhu Hua laughed, seemingly pleased with himself for finding the most fitting description.
Seeing Zhu Hua's expression, Zhiwei subconsciously replied, "Actually, you two are still very much like siblings, aren't you?"
Why make things awkward for each other in front of outsiders? Is it a unique way of getting along, or...?
Zhu Hua interrupted Zhiwei's thoughts.
"A deep bond between siblings? Well, in this deep palace, we're practically in the same boat." Zhu Hua squinted, lost in thought.
Perhaps he was reminiscing about the past, Zhiwei guessed.
Zhu Hua and Zhu Liji were left in the capital as hostages from a young age. One pretended to be obedient under the Empress Dowager's care, while the other endured humiliation as a study companion in the Eastern Palace. The hardships they endured during those years were unimaginable to outsiders.
The true relationship between the siblings is unknown to Zhiwei; all that comes to mind is another figure.
"What about Mingyu? Do you like him?" Zhiwei couldn't help but ask.
Zhu Mingyu grew up on the frontier and should have been somewhat distant from these two siblings, but Zhiwei felt otherwise. Whether it was the brother with a deadpan expression or the elder sister with eccentric behavior, Zhu Mingyu treated them with utmost respect.
No matter what new gadgets they got, aside from Zhiwei, they would excitedly send a copy to their older brothers and sisters.
It really is a puppy.
Zhiwei chuckled to himself.
Zhu Hua could see her reaction clearly.
When Zhu Mingyu was mentioned, Zhu Hua's smile faded a little, perhaps because she thought of how good her younger brother had been to her. It was rare for her to be so gentle: "Mingyu is the apple of our parents' eye. He is kind and good-natured, like Daoguang. I understand. Everyone likes him."
He is unlike her, and unlike them.
Zhiwei felt a slight stirring in her heart, and only then did she understand why Zhu Hua was always so tolerant of Zhu Mingyu.
She nodded and continued in agreement, "Although I'm used to being silly, everyone likes it."
Zhu Hua smiled, raised her eyes, and a complex emotion flashed in them: "But often, if liking something is really just liking it, then there's nothing to worry about."
But liking is often more than just simple liking.
If you like something, you want to have it; if you like someone, you want to give them more.
But if you give too much, won't you have less to give to others?
A pair of warm embraces flashed through Zhu Hua's mind.
She waved her hand dismissively and said, "Go back."
——
This eldest princess is truly a mystery.
As Zhiwei walked along the palace path, the night breeze cleared her mind.
She returned to the place where Shao Zhao and Shao Yang had been waiting, but Shao Zhao was nowhere to be seen.
Only Shao Yang stood obediently in the corner, like a quiet orchid.
"Where is Shao Zhao?" Zhiwei asked.
Shao Yang curtsied and said, "Your Majesty, Miss Shao Zhao saw a figure and followed him to the Imperial Garden."
"Men and women?" Zhiwei frowned.
“Like a guard,” Shao Yang said.
He left without permission again.
Zhiwei was a bit overwhelmed.
Having been in the palace for some time, Shao Zhao still acts as if she doesn't care about anything and is fearless. This always makes people worry that she might cause some trouble.
“Things aren’t what they used to be; we still have to follow some rules,” Zhiwei sighed.
Shao Yang didn't reply to Zhi Wei, and kept her head down.
Zhiwei looked at Shao Yang's tense shoulders and recalled how Shao Yang had been doing laundry, keeping accounts, and working diligently these past few days. He was a jack-of-all-trades and always had a maturity beyond his years.
The two got along very well. The only drawback was that, compared to Shao Zhao, who occasionally climbed over them, there was always a sense of distance between Zhiwei and Shao Yang.
They clearly said they're family, and we should treat each other like sisters.
Zhiwei sighed and patted Shaoyang's hand: "You don't have to be so reserved with me, relax."
Shao Yang's hand trembled slightly, and she finally raised her head.
"Look at you, so radiant when you lift your head."
Zhiwei teased, then said, "I have a favor to ask of you. In the future, if Shaozhao does anything out of line again, or ignores other people's well-intentioned advice, just slap her on the head and make her calm down."
Shao Yang's eyes widened in shock: "This... isn't this inappropriate?"
“What’s wrong with her?” Zhiwei raised an eyebrow. “With her temperament, if we don’t keep her in check, she’ll cause trouble in the palace sooner or later.”
"I'm counting on you for everything." Zhiwei held Shaoyang's hand. "Just think of yourself as her older sister."
Seeing her hand clasped with Zhiwei's, Shao Yang blushed. She wanted to say something more, but Zhiwei pulled her toward the Imperial Garden: "Let's go find that wild girl."
Along the way, Zhiwei kept nagging Shaoyang, "You know, that girl Shaozhao, I saw her interacting with Sun Wei at the lantern market last time, and now she's with someone else. Girls grow up and leave home..."
Before he could finish speaking, he saw Shao Zhao blushing and talking to a guard under the willow tree in front of him.
"Tsk tsk, another one?" Zhiwei pulled Shaoyang behind a tree. "Let me see which unlucky guy this girl has her eye on."
When Zhiwei saw the guard's face clearly, she was stunned—he was a familiar face, wasn't that Sun Wei? How did he become a palace guard?
Sun Wei seemed to say something, and Shao Zhao's face turned even redder as she lowered her head and fiddled with the hem of her clothes.
Zhiwei stepped forward and patted Shao Zhao on the shoulder: "Oh, isn't this our Shao Zhao? Trying to snag a rich husband here?"
Shao Zhao was startled, and when she saw it was Zhiwei, her face turned even redder: "Sister! Don't talk nonsense!"
"Do you think I'm lying?"
Zhiwei remembered Sun Wei mentioning the "old friend" in his heart, cleared her throat, and pulled Shao Zhao aside: "You know Sun Wei has someone in his heart, right?"
Shao Zhao nodded, a hint of sadness flashing in her eyes: "He told me that he treats me like a younger sister."
"Then why..."
“I know.” Shao Zhao interrupted her, but her tone was firm. “I just like him, it has nothing to do with him.”
Looking at her stubborn expression, Zhiwei could only sigh: "Fine, as long as you know what you're doing."
She changed the subject again, circling around Sun Wei several times.
Sun was dressed as a gray-black guard, with a knife at his waist, and he did indeed look quite the part.
Zhiwei's shoulder brushed against his elbow: "Oh, Sun Paozheng, have you been promoted or demoted?"
Sun Wei quickly bowed, feigning seriousness: "I was fortunate enough to get a job as a bodyguard with a sword after my merits on the battlefield. Now my monthly salary has increased, but I can only manage three or five people. It's a demotion in name only."
"In short, my situation is definitely not as good as that of Consort Yan, or rather, the prospective imperial concubine?" Sun said with a teasing laugh.
If it were anyone else, Zhiwei might have gotten a little worked up, but since the person in front of her was Sun Wei, she forgot to hide it.
"It's not even close to being started yet, not even close to being started!" Zhiwei slapped Sun Wei's shoulder hard, so hard that the burly man in front of her choked out.
"Speaking of which, I thought you were someone who liked freedom. How did you end up in this deep palace, getting involved in this murky water?"
Sun Wei scratched his head and rubbed his hands together, saying, "They're still human, how much do they give?"
"It seems we are all servants of money," Zhiwei sighed repeatedly.
Just then, a clear palace bell rang out from the Imperial Garden.
A curfew has been imposed.
Shao Yang's expression changed slightly, as if he had remembered something important. His face was full of panic as he stepped forward and said, "Master, when you met with the princess, General Zhu asked several times that he would like to invite you to the training ground to watch polo the day after tomorrow morning."
"Polo?" Zhiwei asked curiously. "With whom?"
"I heard it's... His Highness the Crown Prince." Shao Yang's voice lowered.
Zhiwei's eyes lit up; this combination was quite novel.
"I'm going, I definitely want to go!" Zhiwei had long been aware of Zhu Mingyu's physical limitations, and as for Zhu Liji, Zhiwei couldn't help but chuckle when she recalled how frail he looked in the cave.
"By the way, Sun Wei, are you on duty the day after tomorrow?" Zhiwei asked, turning her head.
Sun Wei paused for a moment: "Do you need me to accompany you the day after tomorrow?"
"Exactly!" Opportunities to see Zhu Liji suffer a setback are rare, so the more people who go, the better!
Zhiwei was in a great mood.
While instructing Shao Yang, she pulled Shao Zhao along, saying, "Shao Yang, go to Xuanxie and call Zhen'er too. She's probably bored by herself. It'll be more lively if everyone's together."
Shao Yang saw that the two figures were running faster and faster and farther away, and assumed that the two were going to the training ground.
"Master, I already said it's the day after tomorrow, the day after tomorrow!" Shao Yang jumped up, showing a rare hint of displeasure.
"I heard you. I just wanted to go back to the palace to rest as soon as possible. I have to be on duty tomorrow. Don't treat me like a fool like Shao Zhao!"
"Sister—"
The night was deep and dark, summer insects chirped softly, and the three of them frolicked in the moonlight.
Sun Wei shouted something from behind, but Zhiwei didn't hear it.
Much later, when she looked back on that day, Zhiwei couldn't help but feel that if she hadn't invited Sun Wei, in retrospect, perhaps not so many people would have died in vain.
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