Do not lean against the west railing to lock in the clear autumn

Chapter 65

Yin Yan was busy serving food to Shen Haoyu, and I looked around and realized I was the only one with nothing to do. I squatted down beside Shen Haoyu and asked, "Young Prince, is there anything you need me to do?"

Shen Haoyu leaned down and asked me, "Are you hungry?"

I then realized I'd forgotten to eat breakfast, and his question made me realize I was actually a little hungry. So I honestly nodded. Shen Haoyu glanced at the table, moved a plate of pastries to his left, held chopsticks in his right hand, and casually covered the pastry plate with his left, quietly picking up a pastry and slipping it into my hand, not forgetting to whisper, "Be careful, don't let anyone see."

I glanced around and saw that people were either enjoying the singing and dancing or chatting in small groups, and no one seemed to notice me. Reassured, I continued squatting at Shen Haoyu's feet, swallowing the pastries in a few bites. They weren't particularly delicious, not even as good as Yu Ying's. Wiping my mouth clean, I stood up, but accidentally met Shen Zexuan's gaze again, his eyes and brows full of laughter. Had I not wiped my mouth properly? Feeling guilty, I wiped my mouth again, but Shen Zexuan laughed even harder.

I was about to glare at him as a warning when I noticed Shen Tingxuan looking at me thoughtfully, then at Shen Zexuan, so I gave up.

Beneath me, Shen Haoyu gently tugged at my sleeve and winked at the plate of pastries. I shook my head, indicating that I didn't want any. Shen Haoyu asked softly, "Why?" I replied softly, "They're not as good as Yu Ying's."

Yin Yan, who was pouring tea for Shen Haoyu, heard this, looked up at me, winked, and chuckled, "I've tried it too, and it's definitely not as good as Yu Ying's."

Shen Haoyu shook his head and sighed, "You guys are really not destined to enjoy good fortune." After saying that, the three of them huddled under the table and chuckled softly.

This side of Shen Haoyu was something I had never seen before. It made me feel very comfortable and warm. That lonely and helpless Shen Haoyu from that night seemed as distant as a dream.

After the banquet, Emperor Youjing invited the delegation from the Golden Sparrow Kingdom to tour the imperial garden. Ultimately, this was simply a way to showcase Youjing's power and strength from various angles. But how could they know that the Golden Sparrow Kingdom's garden art was inferior to Youjing's if they had never been there?

Despite my thoughts, I was still very excited to have a garden to visit; it should be much more comfortable than being in the Chongde Hall. When I visited the Imperial Garden, many court officials had already left, leaving only a few high-ranking officials and members of the imperial family to accompany me, as it was, after all, the inner court.

The palace of the Youjing Dynasty was built around Xiyu Lake. So, although it was located in the north, the palace was dominated by water features. Each palace and hall had pavilions and terraces by the water, and the imperial garden was even more so, with water surrounding the scenery.

As they strolled through the Imperial Garden, the two siblings from the Golden Sparrow Kingdom remained largely silent, occasionally exchanging a few quiet words or gesturing with a slight smile towards a certain spot. Emperor Youjing seemed unconcerned. The outcome of this alliance between the Golden Sparrow Kingdom and the Youjing Dynasty was truly unpredictable.

Princess Qing, having walked halfway, excused herself, saying she was unwell, and returned to her palace with Consort Wei. Yin Yan and I stayed close behind Shen Haoyu the whole time. At some point, Shen Zexuan slowed down and fell behind us. Shen Haoyu glanced at him but neither greeted him nor spoke.

Shen Zexuan leaned close to my ear and asked, "Aren't the palace snacks good?"

He did see it. I replied, "It looks nice but doesn't taste good."

Shen Zexuan was slightly taken aback, then chuckled softly. Did he realize it? Hmph, it's best if he did.

I felt extremely uncomfortable walking with Shen Zexuan. Yin Yan would occasionally glance at Shen Zexuan with an unfriendly expression, then look at Shen Haoyu. When did he offend Yin Yan?

Knowing Shen Zexuan was right behind him, Shen Haoyu didn't turn around, but quickened his pace. Yin Yan and I had no choice but to hurry to keep up, and Shen Zexuan fell behind again. I could hear his low laughter behind me, and I felt a little annoyed. When I caught up with Shen Haoyu, I asked softly, "Young Prince, when are we going back?"

"Want to go back?" Shen Haoyu asked, a hint of a smile in his eyes.

I nodded, and Yin Yan added, "Now that we've seen Princess Luo Li, there's no point in staying any longer."

Shen Haoyu then turned and walked towards a fork in the road, saying, "Let's go to the Imperial Concubine's palace to fetch the Princess. Tell her that the Princess is unwell and we'll accompany her back to her residence."

After following Shen Haoyu, I couldn't help but look back one last time. I saw Shen Zexuan standing at the fork in the road, neither following Emperor Youjing nor going with us to his mother's palace. His smile had vanished, and he stood facing the path we had taken. My heart felt a pang of pain, as if something had tugged at it.

Do not lean against the west railing to lock in the clear autumn. Chapter 50

Chapter word count: 3461 Update time: 09-08-09 18:56

After returning from the palace with the princess, Shen Haoyu didn't stay at the palace for long before going back to the palace for a banquet that evening. Neither Yin Yan nor I mentioned going to the palace again. If it weren't for wanting to see the legendary Princess Luoli's stunning beauty, I don't think I would ever go to such a place in my life.

Emperor Youjing spared no expense in receiving the envoys from the Golden Sparrow Kingdom. That evening, fireworks lit up the sky for nearly an hour, their vibrant colors bursting against the night sky, visible even from the Prince Qing's residence, and perhaps even to the entire city. Zi Nuo and I sat side-by-side on a sycamore tree in Qiufeng Garden, watching the dazzling fireworks fade away in an instant.

Finally, the night sky quieted down, leaving only a few cold stars and a crescent moon to silently observe the myriad aspects of the world under the darkness. I leaned quietly against the tree trunk, pondering the uncertain future between Zinuo and me.

"Sister, I want to go and see the Golden Sparrow Envoy's post station," Zi Nuo whispered in my ear.

Upon hearing this, I immediately laughed and said, "You wouldn't be thinking of spying on Princess Luoli since you haven't seen her, would you?"

Zinuo glared at me and said irritably, "Do you think everyone is the same as you?"

"Then why do you ask?" I asked humbly.

"I don't know how long the envoy from the Golden Sparrow Kingdom will stay; I'm just curious and want to see."

Zinuo clearly didn't want to say it outright, but it's rare for him to be so interested in something. What should I do?

Going to the guesthouse where the Jinque Kingdom's envoys are staying is not as easy as going to the Qiyun Villa. If we are caught, it will be a big problem involving the relations between the two countries. Moreover, the Jinque Kingdom has a tough attitude towards the marriage alliance. Who knows if they will find an excuse to break the peace that has been rare in the southwest border for decades?

Thinking of this, I had to say to Zinuo, "If you really want to go, we must plan carefully and not act rashly. If we cause trouble for no reason, it is not something we can afford to bear."

Zi Nuo looked at me and said, "I know what's important, but sister, you shouldn't get involved in this."

I tapped him on the head and laughed, "You'll follow me when I go out to do 'bad things,' so how can you go out without me?" I paused and then said, "This matter needs to be taken slowly, but there is one thing we can do immediately."

Zi Nuo asked suspiciously, "What is it?"

"I'm paying respects to my aunt," I said softly, turning my head towards the direction of Wangcang Mountain. "I said I would wear women's clothing to visit my aunt after I came of age."

Upon hearing this, Zinuo fell silent.

After returning to our respective rooms, Zinuo and I threw ourselves heavily onto the bed, causing the wooden plank to bounce slightly. I closed my eyes, amused, but the faces of Shen Haoyu and Shen Zexuan kept flashing through my mind. Their strange behavior lately had made me truly uneasy. It seemed to me that Shen Zexuan was deliberately being affectionate with me in front of Shen Haoyu to provoke him. But could I be so presumptuous as to believe that Shen Haoyu, that proud and awkward guy, had feelings for me? If he did, his treatment of me since he learned I was a girl hadn't changed much, just a little bit better than others. Thinking about it that way, it was more likely that the two of them were always trying to outdo each other, and I unfortunately became one of their targets.

Shen Zexuan is truly incomprehensible.

Thinking about some trivial matters, I fell into a deep sleep without realizing it. When I woke up again, it was already broad daylight.

I quickly got up to wash up, and then I heard Zinuo's voice outside: "Sis, are you up yet?"

I opened the door, and Zi Nuo stood outside, beaming. When she saw me, she smiled and said, "Sister, I've already spoken to the young prince. Let's go visit Mother today."

Zinuo is so efficient; she must really want to see her mother. I quickly finished getting ready and then went out with Zinuo.

Wangcang Mountain is not as famous as Qifeng Mountain, so the mountain path is much narrower and more rugged. Fortunately, Zinuo and I come here two or three times a year, so we don't find it too difficult to walk. The green mountains on both sides are layered and there is a babbling stream. The scenery is serene and the birdsong is constant along the way. It is quite different from the last time we came. It is still a good place.

Arriving at the cemetery behind Yinyin Temple, Zinuo and I carefully pulled out the newly grown weeds from my aunt's grave, and meticulously trimmed the small pine tree that had been planted a few years earlier before lighting incense and candles. Zinuo knelt before my aunt's tombstone, his expression somewhat lost and sorrowful, choking back soft sobs. It had been many years since I'd seen Zinuo like this. The last time seemed to be when Jiang Ming brought us here for the first time to pay our respects; Zinuo ran to the tombstone and hugged it, crying. Since then, he'd always acted like a little adult. What could have caused Zinuo such grief now? I stood there, bewildered and at a loss for words. Despite spending almost every day with Zinuo, I suddenly realized I knew very little about his thoughts; he always did whatever I asked.

After kneeling for a while, Zinuo turned to me and said, "Sister, I want to talk to Mother alone for a while."