VBNWDW - Chapter 110
Chapter 110
As night fell once more, the clamorous sounds of the day faded with it.
For some reason, many pilgrims had arrived too late to ascend the mountain today and had to stay overnight at the temple. Fortunately, Xuanmiao Temple always kept plenty of guest rooms prepared, so there was no shortage of space or difficulty in making arrangements.
However, out of consideration for the Grand Princess, the pilgrims were all assigned rooms in a more distant part of the temple.
Thus, the small courtyard remained as quiet as ever. A tall Michelia tree grew to the side, its petals drifting down from time to time.
Candlelight flickered within the room. The hushed sounds of conversation were indistinct, and only two elongated shadows could be seen on the floor.
"…Osmanthus cake, candied fruit, pea flour cake, pineapple shortcake," the woman dressed in practical riding attire repeated the list, then couldn't help but add, "You might as well have me buy one of everything from the capital."
She appeared to be about twenty-one or twenty-two years old, with a graceful figure. Though her features were plain, she possessed a rare, heroic air.
She then asked, "I've never seen Your Highness crave these things before."
Zhong Jueyu glanced up at her and said simply, "I suddenly feel like trying them."
Li Shigui had been personally chosen by the late Empress and had followed Zhong Jueyu since childhood, from the imperial palace to the military barracks. She was one of the few people in the world whom Zhong Jueyu trusted completely.
Though technically a subordinate, their interactions, aside from the necessary formalities, were more like those of close friends.
"Does this temple have the power to change one's tastes?" Li Shigui scratched her head, her face full of confusion.
She had never seen Her Highness show such a fondness for sweets before. In the past, any snacks sent from the imperial kitchen were always left for her and another person to finish.
"Just go if I tell you to. Why all the nonsense!" Zhong Jueyu, flustered into anger, grabbed a book from the table and tossed it at her. "Are you that idle?"
Li Shigui caught the book with one hand and grinned. "Alright, alright. Since our Highness has a craving, this humble servant will certainly buy up every treat in the city. I'll be extra careful riding up the mountain to ensure they arrive without the slightest jolt."
Before Zhong Jueyu could get truly angry, she quickly changed the subject, her voice lowering. "The Crown Prince has already led his troops to the front."
As her words fell, the atmosphere in the room grew heavy.
Zhong Jueyu sat on a low couch, her beautifully slender hand resting on the table. Her knuckles were slightly bent, her fingertips pinching a black game piece. The smile in her eyes faded, leaving only a suppressed silence.
Li Shigui stood beside her without a word. Her earlier teasing had been an attempt to cheer Her Highness up, but it couldn't dispel the helpless frustration this matter brought.
Having grown up with Zhong Jueyu, she knew better than anyone what she had been through. The title "Grand Princess" sounded grand, but the hardships it entailed were beyond what an ordinary person could endure.
Whatever she and Ruan He had to learn, Zhong Jueyu had to learn as well. And what they didn't have to learn, Zhong Jueyu still had to. She rose before dawn and rested late into the night, braving wind and rain. Her only day of rest all year was the anniversary of the late Empress's death.
To put it bluntly, not even the Crown Prince, the future emperor, had it as hard as she did.
So, in Li Shigui's opinion, Her Highness completely deserved all her current achievements. It was just that His Majesty was muddled, choosing to suspect his own daughter, worrying that her prominence would threaten him and his precious Crown Prince.
And so, he had hastily issued a decree recalling them. If they had stayed just two more days, they might have already conquered three more prefectures.
At this thought, Li Shigui felt a surge of indignation. The credit was rightfully theirs, yet it was about to be stolen by the Crown Prince, who was now on his way with his troops.
She looked up. Zhong Jueyu was still sitting by the window, her upturned phoenix eyes seemingly frozen as she stared blankly at the floor, lost in a rare trance.
"Your Highness…" Li Shigui couldn't help but worry, calling out to her.
Zhong Jueyu waved a hand, indicating she was fine.
Outside, the moonlight was bright. A small insect carried a decaying leaf from under the tree, heading to some unknown destination. It made the fallen blossoms nearby seem pitiful, ignored by all.
Li Shigui recalled a previous argument she'd had with Ruan He. Ruan He had said that Her Highness understood everything but was simply unwilling to cross a certain line, and that they needed to give her time.
But how long would that be?
Li Shigui couldn't guess. She could only watch as their Highness silently suffered one setback after another.
She sighed and, as if the previous conversation had never happened, said abruptly, "I remember the Ruyi Cakes from The Blissful Pavilion are excellent. Your Highness even tried them a couple of times before. I'll buy extra this time."
Zhong Jueyu caught the key phrase, surprised. "The Blissful Pavilion?"
If she remembered correctly…
Li Shigui nodded nonchalantly, confirming, "Yes, the brothel."
She then added, bewildered, "What's wrong with a brothel? Can't you eat pastries from a brothel?"
Zhong Jueyu thought for a moment and had to agree she had a point. "You may," she consented.
As if something occurred to her, she suddenly said, "The Crown Prince…"
Li Shigui's eyes lit up, thinking Zhong Jueyu was about to say something important. She eagerly took a step forward. "What is it?"
Zhong Jueyu seemed to hesitate before finally speaking. "Look into the matter of the Crown Prince's engagement to the Luo family. Find out what happened after we left the capital."
Li Shigui blinked. "Why the sudden interest in this?"
Zhong Jueyu didn't explain. She just shook her head and said, "You may go down the mountain."
Li Shigui scratched her head. Knowing the other woman was unwilling to say more, she could only bow and take her leave.
The sound of footsteps faded from the courtyard. A cool breeze swept away all traces, even the withered leaves under the tree disappearing from sight.
She sat quietly where she was, her unfocused eyes staring ahead, seemingly lost in thought, or perhaps just in a daze.
Her shadow stretched long across the floor. An ancient stone tile was chipped in one corner, leaving a noticeable depression in the floor.
It wasn't until the game piece she was holding slipped from her fingers and clattered against the wooden table that she was jolted back to her senses.
Zhong Jueyu turned to look at the table. The black and white game pieces were sorted into two small bamboo baskets, and the game board, tossed to the side, was completely empty.
For some reason, she let out a sudden sigh of relief. She was about to return the pieces she had taken out, but as her hand hovered over the basket's opening, she suddenly grabbed a handful.
The stone pieces clinked together, the clear sound unleashing a flood of memories from that afternoon.
She didn't know who had taught Luo Yueqing to be so shameless. At first, she had been well-behaved, but after losing a few rounds, she started acting up.
First, she claimed she was sick and needed a one-piece handicap. When she still couldn't win with one, she whined for a two-piece handicap. But even then, she lost spectacularly, which made her so angry she flopped back onto the bed, declaring she was done playing.
But the moment Zhong Jueyu started putting the pieces away, she shot back up, accusing Zhong Jueyu of looking down on her poor skills and refusing to play with her.
The Grand Princess had never met such a shameless person. A terrible player through and through, yet she blamed everything and everyone else. In the end, Zhong Jueyu had to take the pieces out again.
But Luo Yueqing, far from reining it in, became even more outrageous. One moment she was claiming a piece wasn't placed in the correct position, causing her to misjudge, the next she was insisting she hadn't misplaced her last piece and wanted a do-over.
In short, she resorted to all sorts of shameless tactics.
Zhong Jueyu gave in again and again, even agreeing to the tyrannical rule of letting Luo Yueqing play three moves first. Yet, her opponent still failed to win a single game and even told Zhong Jueyu through gritted teeth not to go easy on her.
She had no idea how the Luo family had raised her. Weren't they supposed to be proficient in the four arts of zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting?
Zhong Jueyu suddenly let out a soft laugh, then shook her head helplessly.
It was a good thing she hadn't listened and agreed to play for stakes. Otherwise, the little Daoist would have been deep in debt after just one afternoon.
As her thoughts reached this point, Zhong Jueyu suddenly remembered that it had been quiet next door for a long time. She wondered if Luo Yueqing had drunk her bowl of medicinal soup before bed…
Without much thought, she stood up and walked toward the adjacent room.
Xuanmiao Temple was a bit noisy tonight. The Daoist priests, having lived on the mountain for a long time, were accustomed to the scenery, but the pilgrims found it novel. Even after nightfall, they didn't return to their rooms, instead wandering about, their voices chattering incessantly.
Zhong Jueyu saw that the door to the neighboring courtyard was ajar. She thought the restless girl had snuck out and a flash of annoyance rose in her heart as she strode inside.
But when she pushed the door open, she found the girl had fallen asleep at some point. An empty, finished bowl sat on the table.
Perhaps the person who delivered the medicine had forgotten to close the door.
Zhong Jueyu's expression softened. She had intended to turn and leave, but then she saw the person inside suddenly turn over, pulling the quilt down to her waist.
Whether it was intentional or not, she didn't know.
Zhong Jueyu froze for a second, her departing footsteps halting abruptly.
The night air was cold, and the girl was sick. What if…
Zhong Jueyu hesitated for a moment before stepping inside, her footsteps light.
The person in the bed was completely unaware. Perhaps the evening medicine contained a sleep aid, as she was sleeping very soundly.
The quilt rustled softly as it was pulled up. Luo Yueqing let out a dissatisfied murmur but obediently made no move to push it away.
Her sleeping posture wasn't bad; she lay properly on her back. It was just her clothes that were a bit messy. Perhaps she had felt hot earlier and had unconsciously pulled her collar open, revealing half of her collarbone, which bore a few faint scratch marks.
This was the only thing about her that resembled a delicately raised young lady from a noble family. Her skin was fair and tender, and even the slightest pressure could leave a deep red mark.
Zhong Jueyu subconsciously glanced at her wrist. The marks from her own grip had not yet faded. Anyone who didn't know better would think the girl had suffered some terrible abuse.
The culprit couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. If only she had been gentler then…
Never mind. She would just go easier on her in chess tomorrow.
Zhong Jueyu shook her head. Just as she was about to leave, she heard the girl make a muffled sound, as if calling out "Your Highness."
She couldn't help but lean down to listen.
The drowsy mumbling continued, but it was too indistinct to make out.
What was she saying?
The more Zhong Jueyu listened, the more confused she became, and so she leaned closer and closer. A lock of hair falling beside her temple swayed, brushed aside by a warm breath.
"You cheated…"
"…unfair."
Was she still playing chess in her dreams?
Zhong Jueyu didn't know whether to laugh or cry. It was just a game of Gomoku. How could she fixate on it all night?
Before she could straighten up, her trembling cheek brushed against thin lips. It was as brief as a dragonfly skimming the water's surface, a mere, insignificant accident. But when the two completely different textures touched, it sent a jolt like an electric shock through her.
Zhong Jueyu shuddered. Her hand, braced on the edge of the bed, tightened abruptly, wrinkling the fabric.
Only the person in the bed knew nothing, still muttering indistinctly.
The shadow on the floor froze, remaining motionless for a long time.
The room was insulated from the noise outside, leaving only the sound of breathing, sometimes light, sometimes heavy.
After an unknown amount of time, the person frozen by the bed suddenly came to her senses. She shot up and hurried out of the room, her frantic footsteps shattering the shadow on the floor. The door was finally pulled shut with a resounding bang.
Luo Yueqing seemed to sense something, but she couldn't fight off the grip of drowsiness. She rolled over and fell back into a deep sleep.
But tonight, the one tossing and turning, unable to sleep a wink, was the person next door.
The moonlight remained the same. In the distance, green mountains stood layered against the sky. The noise had finally dissipated, but it still vexed one to the point of sleeplessness.
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