Chapter 89
The next morning, the light slanted across the green tiles, and Luo Sanrong's knuckles, which were gripping the edge of the wooden basin, finally loosened their grip.
On the clothesline in the yard, the plain cloth shirt swayed gently in the morning breeze. She tiptoed to hang up the last piece of clothing. As her fingertips touched the knot, she heard soft footsteps coming from outside the yard gate.
"Who are you looking for?" She turned around abruptly, her hands unconsciously pressing on her waist, where the short daggers commonly used by people in the palace should have been hanging, but now there was only an empty cloth belt.
The man, wearing a gray cloth robe and thin in stature, bowed his head when he saw her and lowered his voice very low: "I am here on the orders of Lord Shang to look for Luo San'er, the inner official of Luo."
Luo Sanrong's throat tightened, and her fingertips dug into her palms. "Are you from the palace?"
The man raised his eyes and glanced at her, without nodding or shaking his head, but took out an envelope with ink patterns on the seal from his arms.
When she took it, her fingertips touched the other person's cold fingertips, and her heart tightened again. After watching the gray figure disappear at the alley, she quickly returned to the house holding the envelope.
The wooden door creaked shut, and her hands couldn't stop shaking as she opened the envelope.
The handwriting on the paper was scribbled, with only a few words: "My work at the palace is not yet finished. I hope to meet you in the backyard of the teahouse in the West Market at 9:00 PM today."
The ink was still wet, as if the writer had been feeling uneasy even when he put pen to paper. Luo Sanrong pressed the letter to his chest, and the chirping of the morning birds outside the window suddenly became piercing.
She knew that this trip might be dangerous, but she still straightened her clothes in front of the bronze mirror, tucked her hair neatly, and finally pushed the door open and stepped into the morning light outside the alley.
The pear tree in the backyard of the West Market Teahouse is lush with branches and leaves. The fragmented sunlight shines through the leaves onto the bluestone slabs, casting mottled light and shadows.
As Luo Sanrong stepped through the Moon Gate, she saw a figure in a dark robe standing in the corridor. The figure had his back to her, wide sleeves hanging at his sides. A white jade pendant was hooked onto a jade belt around his waist. The familiar sound of the jade pendants clashing against each other made her heart clench.
Is it him?
She walked very lightly, and every step felt like she was walking on the edge of a knife.
The person in the corridor seemed to notice the movement and suddenly turned around.
Luo Sanying's pupils suddenly shrank, and he instinctively wanted to turn around and run, but his feet seemed to be nailed to the ground, and even his breathing stagnated.
Li Yin's face was reflected in the morning light. His brows were still sharp, but there was a faint dark blue under his eyes. The eyes that once contained a smile were now fixed on her, as if they wanted to see through her.
"Why, after seeing me, you just want to run away?" Li Yin approached her step by step, his dark robe brushing against the fallen leaves on the ground, making a small rustling sound. He stopped in front of her, so close that she could smell the faint scent of ambergris on him and feel his heavy breathing brush against her ear.
The next moment, his voice suddenly turned cold and hard: "Luo Sanrong, I will never forgive you."
Luo Sanrong lowered her eyes, her eyelashes trembling violently, tears welling up in her eyes, but she bit her lower lip tightly to prevent them from falling.
She could feel Li Yin's gaze on the top of her head, with a scorching heat. Suddenly, a pair of strong arms embraced her, and his voice was close to her ear, with a barely perceptible tremor: "But I want to hear your explanation. No matter what you say, I believe it. I only have one question for you - were you sincere to me in the past?"
She pushed him away suddenly, took a half step back, her fingertips clenched white: "I'm sorry, Your Highness."
Before he could finish his words, the side door of the backyard was knocked open with a clang, and Wei Dao rushed in in a tight suit. His eyes first swept over Luo Sanrong, then quickly fell back on Li Yin, and his voice hurriedly said, "Your Highness, someone is following us. You need to hide quickly!"
Li Yin's brow furrowed, and he reached out to pull Luo San'er closer, but she gently dodged him. "Your Highness," she looked up at him, her eyes misty but her tone firm. "No matter where I am, please don't be curious; no matter what news you hear about me, don't be shaken. I will do the same from now on."
There was a chaotic sound of footsteps outside the yard, getting closer and closer.
Li Yin's hand froze in mid-air. Luo Sanrong bit her lip, turned around and followed Weidao towards the secret door. When she reached the door, she couldn't help but look back.
Li Yin was still standing in the corridor, his dark robe rustling in the wind, his eyes fixed on her back, as if engraved into his bones and blood.
"Bang!" The door of the front yard was kicked open, and a large number of guards rushed in. The leader was Liu Yang, the Chief Justice of the Dali Temple, who always held a scroll in his hand and could neither lift it nor carry it on his shoulder.
He was wearing a crimson official robe, holding a sword in his hand, but cold sweat was oozing from his forehead. He glanced at Li Yin in the yard, and his expression instantly became hesitant. It was obvious that he did not see the person he was looking for.
Seeing this, Li Yin curled up the corner of his mouth into a sneer.
Liu Yang hurriedly bowed and saluted, his voice trembling: "Your Highness, I pay my respects to you."
"Lord Liu seems quite in high spirits," Li Yin said, slowly descending the steps, his fingertips rubbing the jade pendant at his waist. His tone was filled with mocking knowingness. "I heard someone tipped off that there was a trap waiting for me here, so I came to see what was going on. I didn't expect to see Lord Liu here. Could it be that you were the one who set the trap?"
Liu Yang's cold sweat streamed down his cheeks, soaking the collar of his official robes. "Your Highness, I accidentally learned about the traitor group, so I came here to check."
"Traitor?" Li Yin stepped forward, looking down at him, his voice suddenly cold. "Master Liu, are you saying that I am a traitor?"
Liu Yang suddenly knelt on the ground, buried his head very low, and moved his lips, but could not utter a word.
Li Yin squatted down, pinching his collar with his fingers. His tone was light, yet it carried a chilling chill: "Master Liu, the only way to survive right now is to hand over the person who told you the news. You should know that my patience has never been very long."
In the morning light, Liu Yang's shoulders were shaking violently, and the breathing of the guards in the courtyard was clearly audible. Only the branches and leaves of the pear tree were still swaying gently in the wind, and a few tiny petals fell on Li Yin's dark robe, and were blown away by the wind in an instant.
The candle in the side hall of the East Palace had burned down to more than half, and the candle wick was emitting tiny sparks, which made the dark patterns on Li Yinming's yellow robe flicker.
As soon as he sat down, he felt his mind restless. His fingertips unconsciously stroked the jade pendant at his waist. Finally, he couldn't help but speak, his voice filled with a hint of urgency that he didn't even realize: "Wei Dao, Luo He...are you okay?"
Wei Dao stood at the bottom of the stairs with his hands hanging down. His dark suit made his figure look even taller. He paused slightly when he heard the words. There was no emotion in his dark eyes as he simply replied, "Your Highness, there is nothing serious for now. We will be transferred to a safe place soon."
"A safe place?" Li Yin raised his eyes suddenly, the candlelight flickering in his eyes. He leaned forward slightly, and added a hint of inquiry to his tone, "Where is it?"
Wei Dao remained bowed, but his voice deepened, carrying a subtle hint of dissuasion: "Your Highness, if you are curious, it will only make her suffer more."
These words were like cold water poured on Li Yin's heart. He slowly leaned back in his chair, his knuckles turning white from the force, and his previous eagerness was gradually replaced by loss.
The only sound in the hall was the crackling of the burning candles. He was silent for a while before he spoke softly, his voice full of weakness: "I will make her work harder... That's all, from now on... I won't ask." After saying that, he raised his hand and rubbed his brow, and the light in his eyes dimmed.
——
Ji Zelan leaned against a soft couch covered with black fox fur, her fingertips carelessly stroking the lotus pattern on the edge of the teacup. There were only two silver lamps lit in the hall, and the dim light stretched her shadow long and narrow, falling on the blue brick floor like a ball of insoluble ink.
There were the sounds of footsteps outside the palace, followed by a palace maid's low announcement: "The Crown Princess has arrived."
Ji Zelan raised her eyes, her gaze swept across the light pink figure at the door, and the corners of her mouth curled up into a smile.
Zhao Yan'er was wearing a newly made palace dress with fine cloud patterns embroidered on the collar and cuffs. She only had a jade hairpin pinned in her bun, which made her look simple and dignified.
She bowed politely after entering the room, and her skirt made a very slight rustling sound as it swept across the ground.
"Get up." Ji Zelan's voice came through the curling tea smoke, and no emotion could be heard. "You just entered the palace. Are you getting used to living here? Although the other palace is remote, it is quiet."
Zhao Yan'er stood up with her eyes downcast, her long eyelashes casting a small shadow under her eyes. Her tone was so gentle that it was impeccable. "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am doing well. I learn etiquette with the female officials every day, from the rules of morning and evening visits to the procedures of sacrificial ceremonies. It's trivial but fulfilling, so I don't find it boring at all."
"Full?" Ji Zelan suddenly chuckled, and there was obvious sarcasm in her laughter. She put down the teacup, leaned forward slightly, and her eyes fell on Zhao Yan'er like thorns.
"Those red tapes have always been the most detested thing by the people in the palace, yet you can even say 'fulfilling'? Do you truly think they're useful, or are you willing to endure even this little injustice for the sake of the Crown Prince?"
The question was pointed. Zhao Yan'er's fingertips quietly clenched the hem of her skirt, her fingertips rubbing against the texture of the brocade, but she remained calm: "Etiquette is the foundation of palace rules, and it is also my duty as the Crown Princess. It has nothing to do with others."
Ji Zelan didn't pursue the topic anymore. Instead, she picked up the fruit plate beside her and used a silver skewer to pick up a candied fruit. However, she didn't put it into her mouth and just twirled it around her fingertips. "Come to think of it, you've been in the palace for quite some time now. The Ministry of Rites hasn't sent us the auspicious date for the state wedding yet?"
Zhao Yan'er paused, her hands hanging by her sides curled slightly, and her voice was lower than before: "I asked the Ministry of Rites a few days ago, and they said they are selecting an auspicious date and will submit it to you soon for approval."
"Soon?" Ji Zelan scoffed and threw the candied fruit back into the fruit bowl with a crisp sound. "So what even if you've made your choice? Would you really agree to it if you were the crown prince?
"How many times has he postponed meeting you these days under the pretext of handling government affairs? He even found excuses to postpone the dates initially proposed by the Imperial Observatory. Aren't you curious about why he's so resistant?"
These words were like a fine needle, gently piercing Zhao Yaner's forced calmness.
Her face paled slightly, and a hint of unconcealable disappointment flashed across her eyes, but she still managed to speak: "As the crown prince, His Highness is naturally busy with government affairs. If he truly has difficulties, he has his own considerations, and I dare not speculate."
Ji Zelan looked at her trying to remain calm, a hint of pride flashing in her eyes. She slowed her tone, but every word struck Zhao Yan'er's heart: "You are considerate. But do you know that the prince is not so indifferent to everything? Do you remember the eunuch named Luo Sanzhen who was with him a while ago?"
Zhao Yan'er was stunned and didn't answer.
"Indeed, that eunuch's status is low, so not many people pay attention to him."
Ji Zelan's tone was light, yet deliberately guiding, "But since that eunuch disappeared last month, haven't you noticed that the Crown Prince has changed a lot? He often stays alone in his study at night, and even eats less of his favorite snacks. Occasionally, when he mentions him, the sadness in his eyes can't be hidden. Tell me, how could the disappearance of a eunuch make the Crown Prince so distracted?"
Zhao Yan'er's pupils constricted slightly, and the force of her fingertips unconsciously increased, causing several wrinkles to form on the brocade. She opened her mouth, her voice trembling with a subtle tremor: "Your Majesty... what do you mean by this?"
Seeing that she had finally revealed her flaw, Ji Zelan was secretly pleased with herself, but she stopped talking. Instead, she picked up her teacup and took a sip. Her tone returned to its previous calmness, as if what she had just said was just a casual remark. "It's nothing special, just a casual chat. You are the Crown Princess, and you will be with him for the rest of his life. If he is unhappy, you should comfort him on behalf of your mother."
Zhao Yan'er stood there, feeling that the tea smoke in the hall suddenly became choking, and even her breathing became a little tight.
She lowered her head, her long eyelashes hiding the surging emotions in her eyes, and she only softly responded, "Your Majesty... obey your command."
——
Mr. Shang's fingertips stroked the jade paperweight on the table, his fingertips rolling over the cold cloud patterns, without a trace of emotion on his face, as if the news that someone had used his name to make an appointment with Luo Yu was just ordinary gossip.
When he raised his eyes, he swept his gaze over the people below the stairs, finally landing on Wei Dao. His voice was steady and calm: "Do you know where Luo He is now?"
Wei Dao stood in the shadows with his hands hanging down. The cuffs of his dark suit were stained with a little dust, which was the mud splashed by the horse's hooves when he escorted Luo Yu out of the city last night.
His Adam's apple rolled slightly, but he swallowed the truth that was on the tip of his tongue. He bowed and replied, "I don't know. That day, I was ordered by His Highness to be your personal guard. When I arrived at the agreed location, Miss Luo Ye had disappeared."
"Bang!"
Mr. Shang suddenly raised his hand and slammed it on the table. The jade paperweight vibrated with a crisp buzzing sound, and the tea in the teacup on the table splashed into tiny drops of water.
His usually gentle features were now frosty, and his voice had taken on a harsh tone: "Who on earth dared to use my name to call Luo He out for no reason?!"
A man at the bottom of the stairs took a half step forward, the hem of his green robe sweeping across the ground. He spoke with a hint of urgency, "Shang Gong, please be advised. The people who know you want to see Miss Luo Zhen are all close to us. We absolutely cannot let anyone know!"
Another person chimed in, his fingers unconsciously twisting the jade belt around his waist. "It must be Ji Ke and his gang's doing! Not only are they using the Red Maple Society's name to commit crimes, they're also trying to sow discord among us, making us suspicious of each other so they can reap the benefits!"
Lord Shang slowly stood up, his dark brocade robe hanging to the ground, the dark patterns embroidered on the fabric faintly visible in the candlelight.
His gaze swept over the people below the stairs like a hawk, taking in everyone's expression. Finally, his gaze stopped mid-air, and his voice was as cold as ice: "If I find out who leaked the information today, or if they are colluding with Ji Ke and his gang -"
He paused, then tapped the table lightly with his fingertips. The force of his tap made everyone present feel nervous: "I will make sure he dies without a burial place!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
