A Mirror That Longs To Return - Chapter 2

Wang Miaoyi could not help staring in surprise. “What? Once someone is dead, how could they possibly come back to life?”

She gave Yan Changjun a suspicious glance and noticed that a trace of sorrowful tenderness had once again appeared around the princess’s eyes and brows.

Wang Miaoyi suddenly understood.

Her Highness the Princess might wield immense power, enjoy unrivaled prestige, possess breathtaking beauty, and have no children—but she had already lost two husbands.

She must have been thinking of them.

“Mm. Once a person dies, they truly cannot return to life.” Yan Changjun spoke softly as she set down the porcelain cup in her hand, though her gaze continued to follow the figure of that “old acquaintance” without wavering.

Wang Miaoyi suddenly smiled and consoled her. “Your Highness, you should put your mind at ease. New lovers always surpass old ones—wasn’t that what you taught me?”

The woman before her was Yan Changjun, the Eldest Princess of the current dynasty and the present emperor’s only elder sister.

She commanded military power and controlled the imperial court. She was also carefree and notoriously romantic. Even though two of her prince consorts had already died, men who wished to become guests behind her bed curtains were still as numerous as carp crossing a river, surging forward one after another without end.

Yet Wang Miaoyi had never heard of her giving even the slightest bit of genuine affection to anyone. Instead, she often heard about how the third prince consort had been humiliated and denied entry to the Princess Manor.

“A new lover?” Yan Changjun repeated quietly, the depths of her eyes growing colder and more shadowed.

Following the direction of her gaze, Wang Miaoyi realized she was looking at the Jinyiwei officers.

“Your Highness, don’t overthink things. Look—the two officers on the left are both young, unmarried talents!”

“Which two?”

“That is Lord Pei Jin, Commander of the Jinyiwei. Surely you know him?” Wang Miaoyi covered her mouth and subtly bent one finger toward the other man. “And that is Lord He Jingling, a fifth-rank Jinyiwei chiliarch. People say, ‘Among the beauties of the Jinyiwei, none surpasses him.’ I simply wonder whether Your Highness…”

Wang Miaoyi left the rest unsaid, but Yan Changjun understood what she meant.

A fifth-rank Jinyiwei chiliarch was hardly a major official in the eyes of a princess, but his appearance was exceptional.

Yet Yan Changjun knew perfectly well exactly what made this so-called Lord He’s appearance exceptional.

She quietly murmured a single word beneath her breath.

“Imperial Uncle, what do you think of these Jinyiwei officers of mine?” The emperor seated at the head of the banquet lifted his chin and looked proudly toward Prince Heng beside him. He beckoned for the officers to approach again. “Let them come closer!”

Only after receiving another order did the Jinyiwei officers who had been brought in merely to fill the ranks walk forward one by one.

He Jingling had only caught one distant, indistinct glimpse of Yan Changjun earlier, but it had already been enough to make her heart stir.

The elderly and highly respected Prince Heng smiled kindly and stroked his long beard.

“Your Majesty’s ceremonial guard is indeed extraordinary. This subject has truly had his eyes opened.”

The young emperor smiled as well, feeling immensely pleased.

“They haven’t even come close yet.” The emperor laughed, then turned toward Yan Changjun with a fawning smile. “Imperial Sister, they aren’t here merely for Imperial Uncle to inspect. You should take a look as well.”

Prince Heng had always been a formidable contender for the throne. Years ago, when the late emperor lay gravely ill, he had hesitated between the current emperor and Prince Heng.

Had it not been for Princess Jialang, Yan Changjun, tirelessly supporting him both before and after his ascension, the emperor would have been forced to surrender the throne long ago.

For that reason, not only did he refrain from interfering in Yan Changjun’s private affairs, he even took the initiative to send people to her.

A smile had already appeared on Yan Changjun’s face, though her voice remained calm.

“Your Majesty is thoughtful.”

“If Imperial Sister takes a liking to anyone, simply tell me.” The emperor made another promise. “I imagine you have never met Chiliarch He before.”

He had even personally bestowed a Flying Fish Robe upon that man.

Everyone who heard this was inwardly astonished. These royal siblings were actually discussing romantic affairs in front of everyone as though no one else were present.

The Eldest Princess truly was wanton and unrestrained.

No wonder both of her prince consorts had died of sudden illnesses.

Perhaps she had angered them to death.

At that very moment, the line of Jinyiwei officers stepped inside.

The instant Yan Changjun lifted her eyes, a black boot embroidered with gilded cloud patterns came into view.

Above it was a Flying Fish Robe made from gold-threaded brocade patterned with flowing clouds and leaping flames. A luan-patterned belt outlined a lean, powerful waist, from which hung a gilded silver badge. A Xiuchun blade rested at the hip, and a fiery red cloak trailed behind.

The figure stood tall and straight, like a solitary pine.

“This subject, He Jingling, pays respects to Your Majesty. Long live Your Majesty, for ten thousand years upon ten thousand years.”

He Jingling bent her knee and knelt first before the emperor.

Others before her had also bowed and offered their greetings, yet Yan Changjun heard only He Jingling’s voice.

It was the only voice she wished to hear.

He Jingling.

Only after hearing her speak the name herself did it seem real to Yan Changjun.

But was this truly real?

Yan Changjun questioned herself, her fingertips painted with delicate crimson nail polish digging even deeper into her palm.

Brows like painted ink.

Temples sharp as if trimmed by a blade.

Black eyes like lacquer and lips richly red.

She seemed adorned with stars and trailing moonlight, pale as snow and cold as frost, possessing both sharp brilliance and gentle grace.

Everything resembled her.

And yet nothing did.

The emperor looked at He Jingling with great satisfaction.

“Good. Lord He, rise. This is Prince Heng.”

Prince Heng did not reside in the capital, and tonight’s Mid-Autumn Banquet had been arranged especially to invite him. Since the emperor also intended to show off, He Jingling first turned toward Prince Heng and offered him a formal salute.

Yet as she rose, He Jingling could not suppress her curiosity. She shifted her eyes sideways and stole a glance at Yan Changjun.

The princess sat there with graceful composure.

A towering palace lantern stood behind her, casting hazy light and shadow that fell in dense strands across her hibiscus-like face, making her seem both flowerlike and snowy.

Her noble phoenix eyes carried a hint of weariness, but the instant their gazes met, light rippled through them. Brilliant golden lanternlight reflected within, like autumn waters changing color beneath a sky filled with radiant clouds.

Her raven-black lashes had taken on a faint golden hue from the jeweled ornaments adorning her hair.

Her kingfisher-feather hairpin was shaped like a peony and phoenix, set with gemstones and gleaming with gold and jade.

A fine nose, vermilion lips, and an air of proud magnificence.

With only that single glance, He Jingling felt as though spring winds had swept freely through her, stirring the banners of her heart until they fluttered wildly.

Tsk. She really is rather beautiful.

He Jingling concealed the dazed look on her face and turned her gaze away.

Yan Changjun could openly study her for as long as she wished, but He Jingling could not do the same.

No wonder those men were willing to tear their hearts and livers apart for the chance to compete—to become a guest behind her curtains.

The brief exchange went unnoticed by everyone else.

“Oh?” After hearing the emperor’s words, Prince Heng raised an eyebrow and looked toward the young officer. For some reason, a measure of fondness arose in his heart. “Lord He is certainly different from the rest. This prince has suddenly grown rather curious…”

The emperor asked, “What has made Imperial Uncle curious?”

He Jingling had already been in this world for more than a year. She had long since grown accustomed to people staring at her whenever she was on duty or traveling on official business, and tonight was no exception.

Yet she kept feeling that someone was watching her, leaving her with the sensation of thorns pressing against her back.

She stood facing Prince Heng and the emperor.

Naturally, that meant her back was turned toward the Eldest Princess.

Now that she had turned away and stopped looking at her, Yan Changjun had even more reason to indulge in a long, lingering gaze.

Prince Heng laughed heartily.

“I wonder whether Lord He has married yet? This prince happens to have a daughter who has only recently passed the age of fifteen.”

The instant he finished speaking, laughter broke out among the crowd.

They had thought Prince Heng intended to ask something profound, but it turned out he was merely seeking a good marriage match for his daughter!

The emperor also laughed.

“Hahahaha! I do not know the answer to that. Why not let Lord He speak for himself?”

Married?

He Jingling revealed nothing on her face and replied neither humbly nor arrogantly.

“Not yet.”

She could already imagine what consequences those two words would bring.

Almost by reflex, she added, “However, this subject’s heart already belongs to someone.”

The four words my heart belongs to someone immediately silenced everyone present.

Prince Heng’s expression changed, and he appeared somewhat offended.

It was rare for him to personally raise such a matter, yet he had once again been flatly rejected.

The topic then shifted, though it was merely being used to allude to her private life.

He Jingling’s heartbeat suddenly thundered in her chest.

But it soon calmed again.

Yan Changjun’s face remained expressionless.

“Anyone entering the Princess Manor must first undergo a thorough selection.”

Prince Heng choked on her words.

He had just been rejected by He Jingling, and now He Jingling had apparently been rejected by Yan Changjun. After all that circling around, was he not still the one being humiliated?

Seeing the situation turn awkward, the emperor hurriedly said, “Lord He is currently occupied with serving the nation. Naturally, there is no leisure for…”

Yan Changjun remained indifferent, while Prince Heng’s expression shifted like changing winds and clouds.

There was nothing more for the Jinyiwei officers to do after that. The emperor had summoned them only to display them before Prince Heng.

Strangely, however, nearly all the Jinyiwei on duty tonight were middle-aged men around thirty who already had families.

“Speaking of which, who is the person Lord He’s heart belongs to?”

Don’t go making enemies everywhere so quickly.

He Jingling let out a soft, derisive laugh.

However, after seeing Yan Changjun, her thoughts had also begun to change—even though Yan Changjun appeared to have no interest in her.

Before, all those men had merely been imagined enemies.

Now, they had genuinely become rivals in love.

A massive bronze bell stood nearby, so large that it would require the combined strength of more than a hundred men to make it ring.

Flames spread unchecked, as though they intended to swallow the mortal world.

“Run!”

“Something’s happened!”

Cries rose one after another.

He Jingling had already watched many people race past her, but she still could not act rashly.

The person she was waiting for had not yet arrived.

She pressed one hand against the hilt of her blade and waited silently in the bamboo grove.