Princess Xiangsi - Chapter 17
"Wuhen's wife, the essence of pear blossoms, in the prime of her youth, if she had not yet appeared, her beauty would have faded away." Jun Wuhen said softly, his blue eyes filled with sorrow.
"She...hasn't shown up yet?"
Jun Wuhen nodded.
Suddenly, Qingyun remembered a legend in the Li Palace: there was a pear-shaped mirror in the Li Palace. On the day the new martial arts master ascended the throne, the appearance of the master's wife would be shown in the mirror, and a hint would be given: if the woman could not become the master's wife before the age of twenty, she would disappear from this world forever.
Qingyun pursed her lips tightly, and after a long while, she finally managed to utter two words through her clenched teeth in shock—"Li Jing?!"
His blue eyes suddenly deepened, and Jun Wuhen abruptly stood up, a dangerous killing intent emanating from him. Only two kinds of people knew of Li Jing's existence: those who had left the palace and members of the royal family.
Before Fengxi was established, the "Pear Mirror" wasn't called the "Pear Mirror," but rather the "Combined Mirror." Formed on the night of a full moon, the Combined Mirror gathered the essence of the sun and moon, allowing one to know life and death and predict the future. After Fengxi was established, the Combined Mirror was split in two. One piece became the imperial palace's national treasure, protecting all living beings, and was called the "Separated Mirror." The other piece, located in the Separated Palace, could reveal the identity of the emperor's wife and was called the "Pear Mirror." This was what Fengxue was told to her by her father when she was old enough to understand.
"Don't I look like someone from the palace?" As if she hadn't sensed the oppressive killing intent, Qingyun smiled, her clear eyes looking at him innocently.
His murderous aura lessened slightly, but his blue eyes remained sharp. "How can you prove it?"
“The Mirror of Separation and the Mirror of Pear are a combined mirror.” He lowered his voice and said in a tone that only Jun Wuhen could hear.
The murderous aura dissipated. Jun Wuhen sat back down, picked up his teacup, took a sip of pear blossom tea, and said in a low voice, "Rose people are known for their exceptional lightness skills. People in the palace..." He looked at Qingyun carefully, "...it can't be Princess Fengxue...Although Princess Duoduo is a member of the royal family, she has long since married and moved to the borderlands, so it's impossible for her to appear...There aren't many royal women in Fengxi, so the only remaining possibility is Princess Ningxiang...But Princess Ningxiang doesn't know lightness skills...Who exactly are you?"
"Hehe..." A laugh like a silver bell. "That's for Young Master Jun to guess." Blinking, Qingyun returned to the main topic. "So, these pear blossom earrings were prepared by Young Master Jun for his future wife. Young Master Jun is truly devoted to his future wife!" There was a hint of sourness in her tone that Qingyun had never expected.
Sensing the underlying meaning in his tone, Jun Wuhen gave a wry smile, "Those who leave the palace shall only marry one wife and be eternally loyal to her."
As if she had been exposed, Qingyun bit her lip slightly, a faint blush rising on her face as if she had been found out. "I know."
Qingyun turned her head away and looked out the window, not wanting to reveal her emotions, a bittersweet feeling slowly washing over her. Suddenly, a magnificent carriage slowly drove past Yunlou.
Qingyun was startled.
That was the carriage of the Prince of Pingyan.
I looked up at the sky; the sun had already set, the sky was dim, and the stars were faintly visible.
Turning back, Qingyun said to Jun Wuhen, "Since Young Master Jun intends to give these to Madam, then this humble woman would not dare to take what belongs to another. These pear blossom earrings belong to Young Master Jun. It is getting late, so this humble woman will take her leave. Farewell." Qingyun clasped her hands in a fist salute to Jun Wuhen.
"Wait," Jun Wuhen called out, then took a piece of black jade from his body. One side was engraved with a fiery red petal, and the other side was engraved with the words "Wuhen". "This is a token of the Li Palace. If you ever encounter any difficulties in the future, just show this jade, and all the major gangs will definitely lend a helping hand."
Qingyun accepted the black jade, a slight smile playing on her lips. "It seems that Young Master Jun is truly in love with a lady he has never met..." Suddenly realizing the sourness in her words, Qingyun was startled and quickly stuck out her tongue. Her eyes were full of smiles, and her voice was light and cheerful. "Thank you for your help, Young Master Jun."
With another fist salute, Qingyun leaped out of the window and flew away swiftly.
Staring at her departing figure for a long time, Jun Wuhen carefully savored the remaining pear blossom tea. Suddenly, he felt that the cold pear blossom tea seemed to have a sour taste, and looking at the reflection in the tea, he seemed to see a pair of smiling eyes.
At the tender age of twenty, if she doesn't appear, her beauty will fade away...
The smiling eyes vanished abruptly, while the pear blossom earrings in her warm hands turned as cold as pear blossom tea, chilling to the bone.
"Master, the matter has been settled." As Jun Wuhen put down his teacup, a man in plain clothes appeared beside him. There was also a fiery red petal on his clothes. He was none other than Wu Si, the disciple of the Venerable Master who had appeared at the banquet in the Prince's Mansion that day.
Jun Wuhen nodded, but offered no further praise.
Suddenly, Jun Wuhen spoke up: "Wu Si, did you see Princess Fengxue at the banquet at the Prince's Mansion that day?"
Wu Si was slightly taken aback, but then replied, "Yes. Princess Fengxue's face was disfigured, but..." A pair of clear eyes suddenly appeared in his mind, "Princess Fengxue has a pair of very beautiful eyes, as clear as a river and as bright as a mirror. After looking into her eyes, it seems that all secrets can no longer be hidden."
Jun Wuhen raised an eyebrow, waved his hand, and Wu Si immediately retreated silently.
"Heh...is it disguise?"
Volume One: A Female Actor Named Qingyun in Folklore 1
Before Situ Xingyun could get there, Feng Xue leaped into the Snow Pavilion. She quickly removed the grass-colored hairpin from her hair and the pair of small green beads from her earlobes. After taking off her grass-green silk cotton dress, she grabbed a white silk dress with silver trim and immediately changed into it.
When her eyes fell upon the black jade on the green dress, a wave of bitterness welled up from the bottom of her heart.
His hands trembled as he touched the warm black jade, but his heart was ice-cold, like the deep chill of the twelfth lunar month.
He... he actually exchanged such an important token for that pair of pear blossom earrings for his future wife... An unprecedented emotion surged forth in her eyes...
She didn't care that Situ Xingyun had many wives and concubines; she didn't care that Situ Xingyun disliked her; she wasn't jealous of Situ Xingyun's affection for his wives and concubines; but—she cared a lot about Jun Wuhen's affection for his future wife, his devotion to her, and his concern for her! She cared a lot about it! She cared a lot about it! Even—she was jealous!
Suddenly, Feng Xue felt the coldness on her face, and she immediately became much more awake.
Under the dim light, the glass bead bracelet shone with a crystal-clear brilliance.
Her heart skipped a beat, and she immediately came to her senses, quickly wiping the wetness from the corner of her eye with the back of her hand.
She is Feng Xue, she is Situ Xingyun's wife, she is the princess of Pingyan Prince's Mansion, and she is Fengxi's only princess.
Even if she cares, even if she's concerned, even if she's jealous, there's nothing she can do.
It's fate...
Suddenly, a voice in green came from outside: "Qingyi greets Your Highness."
Feng Xue was startled and quickly got up from the ground. When she saw the person in the bronze mirror, she was startled again.
In the bronze mirror.
Her face was ordinary, without any scars, still wearing the disguise she wore today.
"Your Highness, Qingyi will go in and inform them immediately."