Chapter 29 - ARTTEDSBGT Chapter 29
In the evening, it was time to go home again. Li Zhizhi prepared to leave Mingyuan, and as she passed by a quiet alley, she suddenly heard a familiar cat’s meowing.
Li Zhizhi followed the sound and, as expected, found a dark cat by the roadside, meowing at her. She instinctively looked around but didn’t spot Xiao Rulei’s presence. She hesitated for a moment and decided to leave quickly; who knows where the little girl was waiting?
Just then, she heard hurried footsteps behind her. Before Li Zhizhi could react, she felt someone bump into her. It wasn’t a heavy collision, but the person let out a yelp and ended up sitting on the ground.
Li Zhizhi quickly turned to look and saw Xiao Rulei. The young girl stared at her, her eyes slightly red, and there was a small bump on her forehead, red and swollen. Li Zhizhi was surprised and wondered if her back was really that tough.
She hurriedly reached out to help Xiao Rulei and asked, “Are you okay?”
Xiao Rulei initially flashed a happy smile, but then remembered something. She covered her forehead and winced, saying, “Sister, I’m hurt.”
Li Zhizhi examined the bump, which was already showing signs of bruising. It didn’t seem like something she got from the collision. Although she was puzzled, she asked with concern, “Does it hurt?”
“Yes, it hurts,” Xiao Rulei replied, holding onto Li Zhizhi’s sleeve with a pitiful look. “Sister, you can’t just leave me like this.”
Tears welled up in the young girl’s eyes, like a frightened little animal afraid of being abandoned. Li Zhizhi had no choice but to say, “Let’s get up first. Isn’t the ground cold?”
Xiao Rulei tried to stand up but found it difficult. While her collision with Li Zhizhi hadn’t been forceful, she had landed quite solidly on her buttocks, making it painful. She pitifully said, “My bottom hurts, sister.”
Li Zhizhi was taken aback and didn’t know how to respond.
A quarter of an hour later, Li Zhizhi held a black cat in her arms and looked at Xiao Rulei, who was rummaging through her school bag. She asked, “Is your bottom still hurting?”
“Yes,” Xiao Rulei replied without even looking up. Then she found a small round box and asked curiously, “Sister, what’s this?”
Li Zhizhi glanced at it and said, “It’s dye for painting.”
Xiao Rulei’s eyes lit up, and she eagerly asked, “Can I take a look?”
After receiving permission, she opened the box, revealing a beautiful shade of blue dye, which looked stunning in the evening sun. Xiao Rulei’s eyes sparkled as she exclaimed, “This is so pretty! It’s like the color of a peacock’s feathers.”
Her tone was cheerful, and she seemed carefree, as if she didn’t have a worry in the world. Li Zhizhi couldn’t help but smile and said, “It’s beautiful, but it’s not used this way.”
She took a fine brush from her bag, dipped it in the dye, and painted a flower with long, slender petals on Xiao Rulei’s hand. The petals were gathered closely together, creating a beautiful pattern.
Xiao Rulei loved it and wanted to touch it but was afraid to ruin it. She asked, “What kind of flower is this?”
Li Zhizhi smiled and said, “This flower is called ‘No Worries.'”
…
Princess’s Mansion.
By now, the sky had darkened, and the servants had already lit the lamps. The evening was cool and tranquil, with birds returning to their nests. Only a single palace lamp swayed gently under the corridor, casting a flickering, hazy light.
Underneath a bamboo window, two people were playing a game of Go. A handsome young man sat on a stool, holding a white Go piece. He lightly tapped the table and said with a bitter smile, “Aunt, if I’ve done something wrong, just punish me, I won’t say a word.”
The person across from him was none other than Princess Yongning. Today, she had casually styled hair, wearing ordinary clothing that made her seem approachable. Princess Yongning glanced at Xiao Yan, picked up a white Go piece from the board, and said, “I made a mistake with this move. Let’s redo it.”
Xiao Yan could only comply with her request. Everyone in the palace knew that playing Go with Princess Yongning was a form of torture. Not only was her Go skill lacking, but she also often regretted her moves. Each move she made felt like it could put Xiao Yan to sleep, and she played with great seriousness, never allowing her opponent to intentionally let her win.
Xiao Yan had consumed cups of tea, but he couldn’t leave the table, wishing he could end his own life just to escape this ordeal.
Just as he was about to drink his fourth cup of tea, a servant entered quietly and reported to Princess Yongning, “Your Highness, the person has arrived and is in the flower hall.”
Upon hearing this, Princess Yongning abandoned the game and stood up, saying, “I’ll go there now.”
Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow and asked, “Who has arrived?”
Princess Yongning gave him a look and instructed the servant, “Escort the Crown Prince over as well, but he should remain out of sight.”
Xiao Yan had no time to refuse and could only watch as the other side’s tall figure disappeared at the door. The servant pushed Xiao Yan out of the room, saying with a mischievous smile, “Your Highness, I apologize.”
Xiao Yan keenly sensed that something was amiss and asked, “What does Auntie intend to do?”
The servant, with a sly look, replied, “I have no idea about Princess’s intentions.”
As they reached the front courtyard and entered the flower hall, following Princess Yongning’s instructions, the servant stopped behind a folding screen. Shortly after, a somewhat familiar voice could be heard, “Seventh Princess said she didn’t know how she ended up at the Princess’s Mansion. I offered to accompany her, as I owe Seventh Princess a favor. If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave.”
Princess Yongning warmly insisted, “You’ve made a trip, and if you don’t mind, please sit and have some tea.”
She immediately ordered tea to be brewed and served a variety of snacks. Li Zhizhi was courteous and agreed to stay for a while. Princess Yongning liked her, and Xiao Rulei sat beside her, serving tea and snacks attentively, like a little tail.
Princess Yongning teased her, “You like your sister so much; you might as well go home with her today.”
Xiao Rulei looked surprised and asked, “Really?”
But soon, she felt disappointed and added, “Brother won’t agree to it.”
Behind the folding screen, Xiao Yan couldn’t help but silently sneer, and Xiao Rulei, sensing something was wrong, shrank her neck, looked around, and said, “Aunt, there’s a draft in this hall.”
Princess Yongning suppressed a laugh and said, “It seems the screen is broken, and that’s why there’s a draft. I’ll have it repaired as soon as possible.”
After she spoke, she noticed something on the back of Xiao Ruolei’s hand and curiously asked, “What is that?”
Xiao Ruolei cheerfully said, “It’s a flower that my sister drew for me. Isn’t it beautiful?”
She leaned in and proudly showed Princess Yongning her hand. Princess Yongning examined it carefully and nodded in approval, saying, “Indeed, it’s beautiful. Is it a honeysuckle?”
“No,” Xiao Rulei happily said, “Sister said it’s called ‘Wuyou Flower.'”
Upon hearing this, the eldest princess was momentarily surprised and looked at Li Zhizhi. The young girl seemed a bit uneasy and said softly, “It’s just a playful thing to amuse His Highness, not suitable for the royal court. I hope the princess won’t mind.”
A faint smile appeared in the eyes of the eldest princess, and she said, “I think it’s quite nice. You draw beautifully. If you have some free time, could you draw one for me too?”
Li Zhizhi was rarely praised in this manner, and she had never received such direct compliments before. In her experience, she was accustomed to mockery, sarcasm, gossip, and disdainful looks. Nobody had ever told her straightforwardly that she was talented and likable. She found it peculiar that both Xiao Rulei and the eldest princess were so open with their praises. Xiao Rulei’s simple and straightforward nature could be forgiven, but why was the eldest princess acting this way?
Li Zhizhi felt a bit embarrassed and even restless, her ears turning red. She tried to maintain a composed and poised demeanor on the surface, but her palms were sweating.
Seeing her silence, the eldest princess playfully asked, “Are you unwilling to do it?”
Li Zhizhi hurriedly replied, “No, I’m more than willing to serve Your Highness.”
The eldest princess watched Li Zhizhi, who appeared both shy and determined, with great interest. She found the girl’s personality quite appealing and was pleased. This child truly had a charm that caught her eye, and her character was admirable. So she continued to chat with her and, knowing that Li Zhizhi had recently arrived in the capital, suggested, “In a few days, I plan to visit the Temple of Mercy to offer prayers. The scenery on the mountain is quite beautiful, and there’s also a temple fair. If you’re interested, you could come with me.”
The tone of the eldest princess was gentle and accommodating, making Li Zhizhi hesitate to refuse. After some contemplation, she politely declined, “As a commoner girl attending school, I may not have the leisure, and I wouldn’t want to disappoint the princess.”
The eldest princess then suggested, “On the day of my visit, the Mingyuan Palace will be on break. What kind of school do you attend?”
Li Zhizhi was puzzled because there was no holiday on the calendar, neither a special season nor a festival. How could there be a day off? The eldest princess gave her a meaningful look and said with a smile, “If you want to go, the Mingyuan Palace will have a break.”
Li Zhizhi suddenly realized that Mingyuan Palace was under the management of the eldest princess. If she said there would be a holiday, there would indeed be one. She was momentarily lost for words.
The eldest princess saw her reaction and felt even more fond of her. She couldn’t resist reaching out to pat her head and said, “You’re still a child. Why do you always act like a little adult?”
Li Zhizhi blinked rapidly, lowered her head, and at that moment, she couldn’t describe her feelings. It was as if a soft cotton ball was nestled in the depths of her heart, wrapping her tightly. Her only thought was, “The eldest princess’s hand is so warm.”
“Will you go or not?” the eldest princess asked softly.
Li Zhizhi replied in a quiet voice, “I will.”
It was getting late, and the eldest princess originally intended to invite Li Zhizhi for a meal, but the young girl declined this time, insisting on returning home. So, she dispatched someone to accompany Li Zhizhi’s carriage back to her residence.
As the eldest princess returned to the flower hall, she saw Xiao Rulei and Xiao Yan facing off, like two stubborn chickens, sitting on opposite sides and not paying any attention to each other.
Princess Yongning sat down on the circular chair, took a sip of tea, and felt a bit cold. She put the cup down and asked, “What’s going on? In such a short time, they’ve made enemies again.”
“Xiao Rulei is quite temperamental,” Xiao Yan, holding two chess pieces, replied nonchalantly. “I don’t want to bother with her.”
Xiao Rulei complained, “It’s clearly your fault, why are you always like this?”
“Oh,” Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow, “and what about it?”
Xiao Rulei stared at him, and Xiao Yan smirked, “Do you think I enjoy taking care of you? Why waste my energy and time? What have I done wrong? If I had spent a couple of days reciting scriptures in the temple, I might have become a Buddha or an immortal by now.”
He had a sharp tongue, and Xiao Rulei couldn’t argue with him. Tears welled up in her eyes, and Princess Yongning immediately signaled for her to go to the back to have some candy.
Princess Yongning sighed and asked, “Why do you take it so seriously?”
Xiao Yan touched his forehead and said, “I’m not taking it seriously. Aunt, if I were to take it seriously, could I have lived until today?”
The flower hall was quiet, and Princess Yongning picked up a bronze stick to adjust the candle flowers. The candles crackled and made a light popping sound. She suddenly changed the subject, saying, “I understand your concerns. If it weren’t for you arriving in time back then, A’yang might not have survived.”
Xiao Yan replied with a blank expression, “She could be tricked into falling into the water with a piece of candy, easily persuaded with a few words. She didn’t care about her life. Aunt, I’m not a divine being. How many times can I save her in my lifetime?”
After a moment of silence, Princess Yongning sighed softly, “A’yang’s situation has also been hard on you.”
“I don’t feel it’s hard, actually,” Xiao Yan smiled and continued, “Aunt, you probably won’t believe this, but I don’t consider A’yang a burden. It’s just…”
He paused, then continued, “I’m in this position. If I’m not careful, I could end up in an irreparable situation. But I’m not afraid. I’d rather have them focus on me alone.”
Princess Yongning furrowed her brows, her long willow-like eyebrows almost forming a knot. She fiddled with the candle wick with a bronze stick, and the candle’s flame suddenly flickered for a moment before gradually brightening, illuminating the entire flower hall.
Xiao Yan remembered something and asked, “Aunt, it seems like you really like that Li Zhizhi.”
“She’s a good girl,” Princess Yongning put down the stick and turned to say slowly, “My judgment of people has always been accurate.”
Xiao Yan thought for a moment and said, “She’s not a wicked person. In the future, I won’t interfere between her and A’yang. You can rest assured.”
Princess Chang chuckled, “The way you’re talking, it’s as if you’re planning to marry A’yang off.”
Xiao Yan also couldn’t help but laugh. He was exceptionally handsome, and when he smiled, the gloominess around his eyes and mouth dissipated by half. Princess Yongning looked pleased and said, “Zhizhi said she grew up in a small village in the countryside, but I don’t think she looks like it. She carries herself with grace, has good manners, and is cute with some hidden thoughts. It’s clear that her biological parents raised her very well.”
After hearing this, Xiao Yan let out a sarcastic laugh and said, “I’m afraid it’s not her biological parents’ credit, after all, her real parents wouldn’t have taught her anything.”
Princess Yongning was taken aback and asked, “Do you know something?”
Xiao Yan absentmindedly played with the chess pieces and hesitated for a moment before answering, “The Li family didn’t say, but as far as I know, she wasn’t adopted. She was originally the biological daughter of Li Cen and his wife, the true young miss of the Li family.”
Princess Yongning was shocked and said, “Is that true?”