Although they lived in the same courtyard,
they could avoid each other so deliberately that they exchanged not a single word.
After that day at the Lake Heart Pavilion, she hadn’t spoken another word to Zhao Huaijin. Even when they occasionally crossed paths, she merely nodded—no basic greetings at all.
By all rights, she should have felt relieved.
After all, she no longer had to keep reminding herself that the person before her wasn’t Huairen, nor would she make those strange moves anymore.
Yet, for some inexplicable reason, her heart felt off.
Yan Yiqing stood alone in the courtyard, extending her hand to catch a wisteria petal.
The petal’s edges were slightly curled.
Mid-May, the pale purple hue remained vibrant, but the wisteria blossoms had reached their end.
Clenching the petal in her palm, a shadow flitted across her peach-blossom eyes. Yan Yiqing ceased her overthinking. She had come to Yanjing for more important matters and shouldn’t waste thoughts on someone irrelevant. This was for the best.
Zhichun, who had originally been following behind Zhao Huairen, suddenly trotted a few steps and stopped at the entrance to Linzhu Courtyard. She straightened her skirt and twisted her fingers as she asked, “Heir Apparent~ Does Zhichun look good in this outfit?”
Zhao Huairen halted her steps and looked her over from head to toe seriously, then tugged at her lips. “You look good. The goose yellow suits your complexion perfectly—delicate and translucent.”
Hearing the voices from outside the courtyard,
Yan Yiqing inexplicably sidestepped behind the door.
“Hee hee~” Zhichun smiled shyly and blinked. “It’s all thanks to the Heir Apparent’s good eye for picking skirts.”
“As long as you like it.” Zhao Huairen stepped into the courtyard.
Hiding behind the door, Yan Yiqing watched the pair chat and laugh silently, pursing her lips: This Heir Apparent truly knew how to cherish the fairer sex. She had finally gotten her wedding leave, yet she spent it accompanying her maid to buy clothes.
“Heir Apparent, have you noticed something very strange?” Zhichun spun a few circles in the courtyard, realized Yan Yiqing wasn’t there, and couldn’t help complaining, “Lord Yan always wears only red clothes.”
Zhao Huairen hadn’t paid particular attention before.
But after Zhichun mentioned it, she thought carefully and realized it was true.
The red silk cape at Zhaixiang Tower, the deep red plain robes at Myriad Treasures Pavilion, the scarlet official robes at Dali Temple, the wedding gown on their marriage day—if the cape, robes, and gown were coincidences, her recent daily attire was also all red.
“Don’t you think it’s odd, Heir Apparent? Who wears only one color?”
What a tasteless country bumpkin. What did she know?
Huairen had once said—
“Red suits her very well,” Zhao Huairen said.
Her pupils contracted slightly, a flash of bewilderment crossing Yan Yiqing’s face.
“Crack.” In her panic, the little cat accidentally stepped on a dry yellow fallen leaf, the faint sound exceptionally clear in the courtyard.
“Hmph, I knew you were hiding here!” Zhichun bounced to the door, pulled open the panel, but the words “Aqin” stuck in her throat. “L-Lord Yan…”
As Zhichun had just said, Yan Yiqing favored red that day as well. The beauty wore a rouge satin brocade skirt, the hem fluttering lightly like the most dazzling peony in spring light—vivid yet sharp-edged.
Her dark, glossy eyes were slightly stunned.
Lacking sharpness, they held a touch more innocent simplicity.
A radiant, resplendent beauty.
She was truly captivating, impossible to look away from.
Her fingers tightened in her sleeves, her heartbeat skipping uncontrollably. Zhao Huairen lowered her long lashes in some self-annoyance.
Her own appearance was so despised by her.
Yet she was the one whose mind wavered at this woman’s looks.
Though she stood right in the middle of the two, Zhichun felt utterly ignored.
No one broke the silence first.
Zhichun glanced left and right, quickly noticing something amiss.
Damn it!! The Heir Apparent hadn’t shown this expression when complimenting her earlier. Sourness bubbled up atop her head, and the little maid subtly shifted her legs, trying to block the enchantress behind her.
A gentle breeze wafted over the flower branches.
In the snap of fingers, the ripples in her heart were quietly smoothed by their owner.
Tucking away this hidden moment of admiration, Zhao Huairen pursed her thin lips and said indifferently, “I didn’t know Vice Minister Yan was here too. Zhichun, apologize to Vice Minister Yan.”
Why… did she say the same thing as Huairen?
Yan Yiqing clenched her palm, frowning at Zhao Huairen under the tree, her gaze complex and wary.
Sensing the clear rejection in her eyes, a baseless displeasure rose in Zhao Huairen’s heart. She hooked her lips. “I suddenly remembered an appointment at Zhaixiang Tower. I’ll take my leave first.”
“Zhichun, let’s go.”
What appointment did the Heir Apparent have?
Hadn’t they just returned from outside?
Though full of questions, Zhichun obediently followed Zhao Huairen without saying a word.
Yan Yiqing didn’t know how long she stood there.
Until her shoulders were covered in falling petals.
She took out the brocade pouch from her sleeve, bewilderment filling her bright, proud brows and eyes. Yan Yiqing didn’t know how to suppress her wild thoughts—he wasn’t Huairen.
“Ding… ding ding ding.” The clear, familiar copper bell sound pulled her thoughts back.
She carefully stowed the important pouch, took a deep breath, and buried her surging emotions.
Entering the main room, Yan Yiqing closed the door behind her.
“Jia Lan.”
Emerging from behind the bookshelf, Jia Lan took a booklet from her chest and presented it with both hands. “Palm Mirror Envoy, this is the recent whereabouts of the Duke Rui Heir Apparent.”
After learning Zhao Huaijin suffered from impotence and understanding Wang Jinlan’s motive for poisoning, she actually cared little about Zhao Huaijin’s movements anymore but had forgotten to tell Jia Lan.
“Palm Mirror Envoy?”
Yan Yiqing pursed her lips and took the palm-sized booklet.
April 12th, rose at mao hour, left the mansion at si hour, two hours at Zhaixiang Tower; April 13th, rose at early mao, left at chen hour, one hour at Lin Family Bookstore, returned at shen hour, left at xu hour, at Zhaixiang Tower until hai hour; April 14th, rose at mao hour, left at you hour, first to Tian’an Restaurant, then Zhaixiang Tower…
“Why does she go to Zhaixiang Tower every day?” Yan Yiqing pinched the booklet, her fine brows furrowing.
“The Heir Apparent has a close relationship with the top courtesan at Zhaixiang Tower,” Jia Lan paused, then reported truthfully. “There’s more afterward. The Heir Apparent booked a private room at Tian’an Restaurant and specially invited Lady Murong to meet…
“Also, the Heir Apparent seems to have some past connection with the second lady of the Chen family.”
“Enough!” Yan Yiqing tossed the booklet to the corner of the desk.
Seeing her displeased expression, Jia Lan quickly bowed in apology. “This subordinate was incompetent and failed to uncover key information.”
What a lecherous debauchee.
Impotent, yet still so fond of philandering.
Her lips pressed into a straight line, Yan Yiqing sat at the desk and said coldly, “No need to follow her anymore.”
“This subordinate failed in my duties. Please give me another chance, Palm Mirror Envoy. I will definitely investigate Zhao Huaijin—”
“Don’t mention her name.”
A flash of astonishment in her eyes, Jia Lan looked up at her.
“I mean, don’t waste energy on irrelevant people.” Her fingers unconsciously tapped the desk corner, Yan Yiqing’s lashes fluttering. “Go watch the Ministry of War. His Highness may act by month’s end.”
“Yes.” Jia Lan acknowledged.
–
The next day, just past wei hour.
“Heir Consort.” Aqin knocked on the door.
Hearing the title, the words on the book instantly made her dizzy. Yan Yiqing frowned tightly, rose, and opened the door. “I’ve said, don’t call me that in this courtyard.”
“Yes, Heir…” Aqin’s heart jumped, and she quickly changed. “Lord Vice Minister Yan.”
That Zhao Huaijin was clearly a sly fox.
Why had she raised all the maids in the courtyard to be so naive?
“What do you want to tell me?” Seeing her trembling like a sieve, Yan Yiqing asked proactively.
Aqin’s fingers clutched her skirt hem, and she said softly, “The Heir Apparent is waiting outside the courtyard for Lord Yan, saying to go to the private storehouse. She also needs to enter the palace for a banquet at shen hour.”
Yan Yiqing wanted to refuse upon hearing private storehouse, but at “enter the palace for a banquet,” she wrinkled her nose and agreed. “Mm, I’ll go change.”
“Yes, this servant will go report back.” Aqin darted off like smoke.
Her dark hair simply pinned into a bun.
A scarlet skirt, her full lips naturally red without rouge.
Zhao Huairen’s gaze lingered on Yan Yiqing for a moment before she lowered her eyes, withdrawing her look impassively. “Let’s go.”
“Mm.” Yan Yiqing frowned in response.
“I know Vice Minister Yan doesn’t wish to have much to do with me,” Zhao Huairen’s thin lips curved slightly, her voice emotionless. “We’ll do both at once—storehouse first, then palace. Vice Minister Yan needn’t speak to me.”
She couldn’t quite name the feeling in her heart, only that it was a mess. Yan Yiqing walked silently at her side.
Rounding the winding corridors.
At the back gate of Duke Mansion, Qin Flower Dock.
“Qin An.” Zhao Huairen said softly. “Go open the storehouse door.”
Qin An took the storeroom key from her waist, stepped forward, and pushed open the door.
“No need to feel burdened. Consider it compensation to call it even.” Zhao Huairen stood at the door. “Vice Minister Yan, please.”
The door frame left a white mark on her palm.
Pursing her lips, Yan Yiqing stepped into the private storehouse alone.
“Why is the Heir Apparent so generous to her?” Qin An glanced at the figure in the storeroom and asked Zhao Huairen in the courtyard.
Her mother’s actions had truly gone too far.
No matter what, she owed Yan Yiqing this time.
“If we really tally it up, she’s the generous one.” Zhao Huairen’s eyes darkened slightly.
Qin An didn’t understand where Zhao Huairen’s words came from but wouldn’t question her judgment. She narrowed her eyes, inwardly aching.
General Yan loved gold so much.
This time, she might just take that small golden Buddha statue.
Or she recalled, there seemed to be an emerald violet jade bracelet in the storeroom—that was valuable too…
“So soon?” The storeroom held countless treasures; Qin An had thought Yan Yiqing would take at least a quarter-hour.
Yet it had been only half a cup of tea.
Clenching the cool touch in her palm.
Her eyes flickering, Yan Yiqing walked out against the light.
Seeing what Yan Yiqing held, Zhao Huairen’s sword brows furrowed slightly, her gaze at her hesitant to speak.
She hadn’t expected that jade from back then to be here.
The jade pendant lost and found.
But its owner had perished like scattered fragrance and shattered jade.
Yan Yiqing snapped out of past memories, lifted her eyes, and found Zhao Huairen’s expression off. Her breathing slowed suddenly, and without warning, she blurted, “Do you recognize this jade pendant?”
“No impression.” Zhao Huairen shook her head.
“Impossible. If you don’t recognize it, why look at it like that? Are you—”
Unsure why she suddenly grew agitated, Zhao Huairen’s brows lifted as she interrupted. “The private storehouse has many priceless treasures. I just didn’t expect you’d choose a jade pendant in the end.”
“You’re lying…” Yan Yiqing’s voice was soft.
“What does Lord Yan mean by that?”
Gazing into the other’s eyes, she searched intently but found no flaws.
It was clearly the warming spring month.
Yet facing the sunlight, she felt endless chill.
The force in her palm nearly crushed the jade pendant. Closing her eyes, Yan Yiqing forced words through her teeth. “Sorry, I was rude.”
