Royal favor
Li Yin followed the people arranged by Wen Youqing out the door. If the previous carriages were already described as luxurious, this one was exquisite and beautiful, beyond measure in price.
The wood carvings are exquisite, depicting landscapes, the sun and moon, and majestic palaces. The design features openwork, and the wood is of the finest quality, exuding a faint fragrance that brings peace to the mind.
Wood carvings inlaid with jade, with gold engraving on the jade, are magnificent and exquisitely beautiful.
Upon seeing all this, Li Yin was first astonished. The man then helped Li Yin up and respectfully said, "Madam, please."
Li Yin then gently stepped forward, and the man followed, lightly lowering the curtain. The carriage swayed gently, and the wheels rolled.
Li Yin stayed in the carriage for a while. The road wasn't far, and they arrived in no time. When the carriage stopped, Li Yin, with the help of this person, gently lifted her skirt and got off the carriage.
The first thing you see is the uniquely decorated porch, with exquisite stone carvings, vibrant flowers and branches that climb upwards, and a touch of green that stands out on the stone porch, spreading across all the stone porches and connecting them all.
Li Yin found it rather strange, after all, this place had a grand entrance hall, but was covered with green vines, which, while showing vitality, made it lose some of its majesty.
Li Yin glanced at the figure before looking at the person in front of him. The figure was dressed in purple robes with dark patterns embroidered on them, the patterns resembling clouds. The style was classic, with narrow sleeves, conveying a sense of competence and nobility, making the person appear to be from the palace.
Li Yin became even more curious. What kind of place was this, that there were people from the palace here?
When those people saw her arrive, they first glanced at the carriage behind Li Yin, and were immediately startled. They quickly looked at the person standing next to Li Yin, and then respectfully bowed their heads and made a gesture of invitation, saying to Li Yin, "Please."
Li Yin stepped over the threshold and went inside, while the person beside him remained where he was, watching Li Yin leave.
This further confirmed Li Yin's suspicions. The rules were exactly the same: servants were not allowed to enter the courtyard. This person must also be from the palace, but Li Yin had no idea who it was.
Once inside, Li Yin strolled along the long corridor and the winding stone path for a long time before finally arriving at a courtyard.
The yard is planted with rows of bamboo, which are not very tall, but they are still quite well-shaped, like a small screen, letting in light and shadow, and swaying gently in the wind.
Li Yin walked over and saw a person through the gaps between the bamboo stalks.
The person was dressed in red, with long hair loosely tied up to waist length. Just seeing their back view sparked endless imagination, making people involuntarily curious about what kind of person was behind that figure, and what kind of face they had.
Li Yin stopped and looked at the other person through the bamboo, but the other person did not stop. Her hands continued to move. She gently plucked the strings of the zither, light yet powerful, stirring the heart. She plucked and strummed slowly, without haste or panic, moving with her heart and with the wind.
Li Yin listened intently. The string music easily conveyed emotions, and Li Yin felt the emotions in this person's heart. The sound of the zither was like a stream, light and cheerful, flowing gently, dripping and pattering, playful yet powerful.
Li Yin stood there, analyzing the situation. It was joyful, yet a few beats slower; it was like melancholy—a very contradictory feeling.
Li Yin guessed from the sound and did not go to disturb her. The person sat upright in the pavilion, dressed in red like fire, with her black hair flowing freely. She stopped playing the last note, reached out and covered it with her hand. The lingering sound dissipated and grew fainter and fainter.
She turned her head to look at the bamboo, and then at the green figure among the bamboo. When she saw Li Yin, her eyes showed undisguised amazement, and she blushed instantly.
Li Yin also saw this person. He had a beautiful face and almond-shaped eyes, which were like stars. Whether it was due to the lighting or the person's natural features, Li Yin thought to himself, "What bright eyes! They are like stars and the moon."
The woman lifted her skirt and slowly stood up. She walked towards Li Yin, her red figure slowly approaching, while Li Yin stood still.
Zhao Yuemu looked at Li Yin with bright eyes. After a while, she excitedly asked, "Are you Miss Li?"
Li Yin nodded, and Zhao Yuemu smiled upon hearing this. She looked at Li Yin with a beaming smile and said, "I've been waiting for you for so long, and now you're finally here. You have no idea how stingy Brother Wen is. He treats you like a treasure and wouldn't let me see you."
Upon hearing this, Li Yin raised an eyebrow. Was Wen Youqing really treating her like that? Li Yin naturally hadn't sensed it; she simply assumed Zhao Yuemu was exaggerating and didn't pay much attention.
Zhao Yuemu took Li Yin's hand and said with a smile, "Sister Li, I felt a sense of familiarity with you when I first saw you." She paused slightly, then continued, "Sister Li, could you teach me some simple moves? I don't need them to be very powerful, I just want to watch them."
As soon as she finished speaking, her star-like eyes fixed on Li Yin. Upon seeing those eyes, Li Yin lost the confidence to refuse and had no choice but to nod.
Seeing this, Zhao Yuemu smiled even more happily and said, "Sister Li is the best."
When Li Yin saw the person beside him, he smiled. This person was completely guileless, knew nothing of power struggles or tricks, and had a pure heart and a clear mind.
Li Yin lowered his eyes and looked at the jade pendant with the word "Anping" engraved on it hanging from Zhao Yuemu's waist. This was the Anping Token. Li Yin immediately understood that this was the current emperor's "most beloved" youngest daughter, who was also the least favored princess.
To avoid seeing her, His Majesty deliberately kept her living outside the palace and generally did not allow her to attend or appear in public unless there were large-scale meetings.
Li Yin tentatively asked, "Your Highness, what is the purpose of learning this?"
Zhao Yuemu thought for a moment, glanced at the people around her, and seeing that no one was watching, she smiled slyly and said to Li Yin seriously, "Shh, I'm only telling you this. I'm doing this for my father. His birthday is coming up in a few days, and I want to give him a surprise."
Upon hearing this, Li Yin said, "You seem to miss him." But he might not be thinking of you.
After listening, Zhao Yuemu gave an awkward smile, then said earnestly, "As a daughter, this is how it should be."
Li Yin smiled upon hearing this, remaining silent. Royal family members talking about family ties? That's really... too unusual. She was also very curious about how such people could survive well after leaving the palace. Weren't they afraid that the guards were too lax and that this person would die on the spot?
Or perhaps they intended for this person to die, a clever bait. Superficial concern masking ulterior motives; seemingly showing familial affection, but actually testing hearts and minds. Using this person as a figurehead, they aim to force those unwilling to participate in the succession process to choose sides, thus providing a stable outcome.
This is a brilliant move, killing two birds with one stone.
Li Yin stopped thinking about it after realizing this, since it was no longer her concern. She clearly remembered her purpose in coming here, and asked, "Your Highness, Yu Shu..."
Before she could finish speaking, Zhao Yuemu interrupted with a smile, saying, "She's resting. She's covered in injuries. If it weren't for me, she probably would be dead."
Upon hearing this, Li Yin quickly looked up at Zhao Yuemu and asked urgently, "Where is she now?"
Zhao Yuemu was startled by Li Yin's serious expression. She was taken aback for a moment, then widened her eyes, thought for a moment, and then said, "She is still in Leting Pavilion."
Li Yin's face showed urgency, and she quickly said, "Your Highness, could you take me there?"
Zhao Yuemu nodded, took Li Yin's hand, and led her into the deep courtyard. The layout was similar to the Wen Mansion, with long corridors, red railings, white walls, and arched gates. They walked around and entered a courtyard.
The trees rustled softly in the gentle breeze. The courtyard was simple, with only a few trees whose leaves had withered, giving it a slightly desolate feel. Zhao Yuemu raised her hand and pushed open the door. The first thing that greeted her was a faint fragrance of osmanthus, followed by a bitter smell that spread slowly like a tide. It was the smell of Chinese medicine, a mixture of many different herbs.
Inside the room was a wooden screen, a wooden table, a stool, and a bed. Li Yin walked in, let go of her hand, walked around, and looked at the wooden bed.
The person on the bed was pale, with bloodless lips. She was covered with a thin blanket, and her hands were still sticking out. When Li Yin saw this, her heart clenched, and she quickly walked to Yu Shu's side.
She reached out and gently felt Yu Shu's wrist for a pulse. The pulse was strong but somewhat weak, long but not strong enough. She gently withdrew her hand and pulled Yu Shu's exposed arm back under the covers.
Yu Shu's eyelashes trembled slightly, like a butterfly fluttering its wings. She seemed to want to wake up, but no matter how she struggled against the illness, it was still no use. Li Yin hoped that Yu Shu would open her eyes, but she just wouldn't.
Li Yin softly called out, "Yu Shu." However, "Yu Shu" and "Yu Su" sounded similar, so it was unclear whether she meant "Yu Shu" or "Yu Su"...
Yu Shu's body was almost entirely covered in bruises, faint red marks, knife wounds, and scars.
Li Yin felt even more upset. Yu Shu had done nothing at the banquet, yet she was being unfairly criticized and accused of doing things for someone else without asking the truth.
Her voice lowered as she asked, "Your Highness, do you know who injured her?"
Zhao Yuemu pondered for a moment before saying, "The Shen family, the Qi family, and my imperial sister."
Li Yin listened and made a mental note of everything. She then asked, "Your Highness, do you know what it's about?"
After a moment of contemplation, Zhao Yuemu said to Li Yin, "It seems... they stole a piece of my elder sister's jewelry."
jewelry?
She said, "The Wen family has many pieces of jewelry in their storeroom, how could she possibly see through them?"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Yuemu murmured, "They said that's how it is."
Yu Shu's eyelashes trembled slightly. Li Yin leaned closer and then asked, "Has anyone investigated this case?"
Zhao Yuemu glanced at Yu Shu, then at Li Yin, before saying, "Yes, it is the Prince of Pingding, but Zhu is not qualified."
Li Yin frowned slightly upon hearing this, then gently sat down next to Yu Shu. She patted Yu Shu's shoulder softly and said, "I will seek justice for you and make those who bullied you pay the price."
Yu Shu's eyelashes trembled, but she still didn't open her eyes. Suddenly, she broke out in a sweat, her fingers gripping the bed sheet tightly, muttering something under her breath. Li Yin leaned closer and finally heard her clearly.
Yu Shu's voice was weak and low as she said, "I am not a time traveler, I am not..."
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