Chapter 14

On the eighth day of the month, the breeze was warm, the blue sky was clear, and it was very suitable for travel.

In front of the prince’s manor, soldiers opened a path on both sides and maintained order. The common people who loved watching excitement had gathered early around the outer edge. While carrying vegetable baskets, they stretched their necks to look at the long row of carriages and the handsome attendants waiting nearby. They even discussed with familiar roadside stall owners which maidservant was prettier. It was bustling, almost like a festival.

At three quarters past the chen hour, everything was ready, and the convoy set off.

Dafang and I rode in the same carriage as the princess. After we had traveled for a while, I could not help lifting the window curtain to look back. I could still see the young prince in silver armor standing in the middle of the road, waving toward us with deep reluctance. Under the first sunlight of morning, he was especially dazzling.

What deep sibling affection… After being dazzled, I lowered the curtain, unable to bear looking at the young prince’s bitter face any longer. Turning back to face the princess, who was currently reclining leisurely on the soft couch with her eyes closed, I suddenly sighed inwardly.

How did this look like going to a temple for quiet cultivation? A luxurious and stable large carriage, exquisite tea snacks and fruits arranged on the table, and Dafang adding a piece of agarwood into the incense burner. It was so comfortable that all that was missing was someone playing the qin and singing a little song nearby…

“Dahua, can you sing?” the princess suddenly asked softly. The corner of my eye could not help twitching, and my gaze swept lightly toward her.

Her wide sleeve slipped down, revealing a stretch of snow-white lotus-like arm supporting her chin. Against the plain, elegant fabric, it looked especially beautiful. Her cloud-like hair fell smoothly over the soft pillow behind her. When her eyes were closed, her expression was graceful and refined, yet her two curved, long rows of eyelashes carried a cold and bewitching allure.

Heh, she was clearly a goddess-like beauty, but who knew how wicked she was inside? I replied with a smile, “This servant knows a little.”

“Oh?” Seeming somewhat surprised, the princess opened her deep-pool eyes and looked over. Her elegant brows lifted slightly. “Sing for me.”

“Yes.” I nodded shyly, pinched my fingers into an orchid shape, softened my voice, and read the original at bailiantales.combegan singing with deep emotion the Plum Blossom Ode I had heard not long ago: “Mist drifts and stirs the cloudlike dust, fragrance follows the wind afar…”

Princess: “Enough. Go sit over there and eat fruit.”

“…” My voice stopped, as if something were stuck in my throat. I had only sung two lines! This was truly outrageous. What was with that feeling of disdain from her?! I sulkily sat at the other end, and expressionless Dafang even thoughtfully handed me an orange.

Forget it… I would treat this trip as a chance to relax and not lower myself to argue with this fox. I gloomily peeled the orange, only to hear another teasing chuckle from the soft couch. When I raised my head again, the princess had already closed her eyes once more, while Dafang still sat upright beside the table like an old monk in meditation.

The carriage returned to silence, as if nothing had happened just now. Yet that low, soft, seductive voice somehow kept lingering in my mind like smoke and mist.

I hurriedly shook off those strange thoughts, lifted the window curtain, and continued looking at the scenery outside. I had investigated the nearby area before and knew the terrain and mountain formations by heart, but after leaving the boundary of Evergreen Forest, things became less clear. I still had to spend some effort memorizing them.

For this trip, Dowager Consort Shu and her party were taking the Liaonan official road, which would intersect with our route at the Ten-Li Pavilion relay station near Withered Grass Mountain. At that time, the two groups would meet there, rest for one night, and set out together the next day. We were expected to reach Maple Leaf Temple by evening. Altogether, it was a two-day journey.

After traveling steadily for a long time, the light outside the window gradually became bright and dazzling. Sunlight shone on the bamboo curtain at the side, casting swaying horizontal lines onto the covering cloth. Listening closely, aside from the sound of the carriage wheels turning, there were only some vague and steady footsteps, along with sparse cicada cries coming from the roadside forest.

By afternoon, I grew increasingly sleepy.

The princess had already fallen asleep comfortably, and I had been ordered to sit at the side and fan her. Half an incense stick of time passed, and I only felt my legs going numb and my hand aching. It was even more tiring than practicing swordsmanship. I really wanted to smack that enchanting face with the fan… I sighed silently in my heart.

Waiting for the chance to kill someone was like sleeping on brushwood and tasting gall.

Out of boredom, I looked at the princess’s snow-white neck, and my thoughts stirred again. If that day truly came, what kind of scene would it be when my treasured sword Mingfeng swept across her throat… It would be a pity for such tender white skin.

Near dusk, we arrived at the relay station as expected. The station chief had already brought people to stand there respectfully and welcome us. The princess got out of the carriage. Just as she entered the gate, she saw Dowager Consort Shu and her son walking out.

“Dowager Consort. Your Highness Prince Ding.” She smiled faintly and bowed. Dowager Consort Shu hurriedly came forward and held her hand.

“Qingning, come here and let this one have a look at you. Aiya, we haven’t seen each other for half a year, and you’ve become even more beautiful…” The dowager consort did not hide the joy on her face at all. She smiled so widely that even the crow’s feet at the corners of her eyes appeared. She warmly pulled the princess along and began asking after her at length, leaving her own son to the side.

Thus, before the princess even had time to say much, she was escorted into the front hall like the moon surrounded by stars.

I stood where I was, looking at the dowager consort’s well-maintained face, which was smiling like a chrysanthemum, and then at the elegant and handsome Third Prince beside her. Suddenly, many thoughts surfaced in my mind. Could the dowager consort’s true purpose in bringing the Third Prince to copy scriptures and pray for blessings be to create opportunities for her son to spend time with the princess, then marry this unparalleled beauty of the nation back home as his princess consort?

Very possible! But… when the Third Prince and the princess were together, something felt a little off. Hadn’t there been rumors before that the Third Prince disliked Princess Jin’an…

An image suddenly flashed through my mind of two foxes mutually despising each other and rolling their eyes.

Dafang never left the princess’s side, so naturally she went in to serve her. I, meanwhile, had to go manage some matters. Under the guidance of a station attendant, I arrived at the side rooms that had been arranged for us, checked everything again, and explained the necessary matters to the attendants accompanying us before finally going to eat dinner. After eating my fill, I slowly walked out of the courtyard. A young maidservant dressed in a simple goose-yellow palace dress swayed into my view.

“Lady Hua, Lady Hua, look at how beautiful the evening clouds are!” Xiao Lan pointed excitedly toward the distant sky. “The scenery outside must be beautiful too. Why don’t we go out for a walk?”

Perhaps because her blinking almond eyes were too adorable, I could not bear to refuse. After all, this young girl was going on a long trip for the first time, so it was normal for her to find everything fresh and interesting.

“All right. Since the princess hasn’t ​unauthorized copy​sent for us at the moment, let’s take a walk after dinner. It helps with digestion,” I said lightly.

As soon as I finished speaking, Xiao Lan happily linked her arm through mine and brought me out.

This little girl was naturally lively and warm. In the time it took to have one meal, she had already become familiar with all the station attendants here. When we went out, we even met several people who smiled and greeted her. I took the opportunity to observe the area and found that although the relay station was not large, its security was quite tight. Several guard teams had also been added to patrol back and forth.

Outside, there were several stables. Beside them was a wide stretch of grass, usually used for grazing horses. In the distance, forests and mountains stretched endlessly. One glance made the view feel broad and magnificent.

Xiao Lan and I walked on the grass for a while, then vaguely heard the sound of horse hooves coming this way. Looking up, I saw the dusk thickening. On the horizon where the last trace of sunset glow was disappearing, a brightly dressed man on a spirited horse appeared. It turned out to be Guard Hao Shanzhong, whom I had met not long ago.

When Shanzhong saw us, he slowed down and smiled gently from afar with lowered brows. The red clouds on the horizon gradually dimmed, and the faint rosy light reflected on his soft and beautiful face.

Truly a beauty. I sincerely admired him.

That night, I lost sleep. Tossing and turning, I kept feeling unsettled, but I could not say why. I only felt faintly irritated. When I closed my eyes, many images surfaced in my mind: Master teaching me swordsmanship when I was young, the bloody red spreading across the ground the first time I killed someone, the sunset glow reflected on Shanzhong’s face during our walk earlier… There was even the princess’s lazy and enchanting expression.

Right, the princess.

My eyes opened, and I sat up in bed. Although I did not know the source of my irritation tonight, I suddenly did not want to wait any longer. The princess and Dafang did not sleep in the same room. If I took this chance to make a move, with my qinggong, avoiding the guards would not be difficult!

So I got up and took a jug of wine from the box. The moon was dark on a night fit for murder, and wine strengthened a coward’s courage. I boldly drank several cups, hid a small dagger at my waist, and snuck out the door. But just as I turned past a flower trellis, I was horrified to discover Dafang sitting in the center of the courtyard in front of the princess’s room, sharpening her sword.

I hurriedly hid behind the wisteria flowers and looked carefully by the faint light.

That was right. Dafang was sharpening her sword. The clouds parted and the moon appeared. A sinister silver light fell on her expressionless, pale face, casting a strange shadow. Along with the low, eerie, rhythmic scraping sound, the long sword in her hand reflected a cold light, making the scene especially chilling.

Suddenly, she stopped moving and stiffly raised her head, looking toward the place where I was hiding. My entire body froze. I immediately did not dare move in the slightest, and I nearly held my breath. Recalling the instant when my eyes had met hers just now, I felt waves of numbness run over my scalp.

What a wicked feeling. She was so cold and eerie that she hardly seemed alive!

The courage I had gained from wine instantly cowered. My heart was beating so fast it felt as though it would leap out of my chest. After a very long time, only when my legs had almost gone weak did she finally withdraw her gaze.

When the rhythmic scraping sound rang out again, I bent low and retreated like a cat, silently returning to my room. I fastened the door with trembling hands, only then realizing that a layer of sweat had already formed on my palms. Lying back down on the bed, the effects of the wine happened to rise a little, and I fell into a deep, sweet sleep.

The next day was almost entirely spent in the carriage. Along the way, facing Dafang’s cold and unchanged face, I secretly shuddered, always feeling a chill rising from beneath my feet.

Before nightfall, we finally arrived at Maple Leaf Temple.

Maple Leaf Temple had originally been an ancient royal temple with more than a hundred years of history. However, the imperial family through the generations had not often come here, instead offering sacrifices and prayers at the larger Guangnan Temple in the imperial capital. Now, this place could receive Dowager Consort Shu’s favor only because of Princess Jin’an.

The abbot and the temple elders came out in brown treasure-bright kasayas to welcome us. The scene was quite solemn and grand. Standing in the back, I unintentionally caught a glimpse of the abbot’s face and was startled. I had not expected this abbot to be so young, looking only a little over twenty. Moreover, he had a slender figure, fair and delicate features, and an elegant, refined temperament, just like a gentle young beauty from a modest family. This kind of abbot could become a male favorite!

Wait, could it be that the princess often came to Maple Leaf Temple because of…

Very possible! The princess must have an unknown flirtatious and lustful side!