The princess was dressed in magnificent attire. Her black hair was styled into a misty bun, adorned with a pink silk vine. A golden necklace hung around her fair neck, its ornaments jingling.
I stared at the flower hairpin in her hair for a long time, secretly longing for it.
Before leaving Medicine King Valley, I never had any thoughts of vying for attention or showing off. Back then, I was as pure and simple as the blue sky above the valley. Every day, I wore a long gown and a mask, walking around without ever stopping for those with fancy clothes or makeup. During my adolescence, I was far less youthful than other girls. I didn't have any fancy jewelry; the most valuable thing I owned was the luminous pearl my master had given me, and the second most valuable thing was the brocade pouch that held the pearl.
But when I saw Zi Mo, I was younger, more passionate, and healthier than her. I deeply believed that the biggest difference between us was that she was more feminine than me. In other words, I desperately needed to put a pink silk flower in my hair to show my maturity.
As I was lost in thought, I heard the princess ask the palace servants who were prostrate on the ground beside her, "I just heard voices. Who was speaking over there?"
The palace servant replied, "Your Highness, there is no one here."
She thought for a moment, "I clearly heard someone."
The palace attendant replied nervously, "Your Highness, it is time for the sacrificial ceremony. Lord Zi Mo is ill, and Your Highness should not leave the altar, as it will bring misfortune."
The princess was slightly displeased. "I came to see what illness Zi Mo has while the Emperor was asleep."
"This servant does not know."
The princess clapped her hands. "I'm going to go see her."
She strode forward, and palace servants rose to light palace lanterns and accompanied her. When she reached the lush locust tree where we were hiding, she stopped and glanced behind the tree, seemingly casually.
Lou Xiyue concealed me in the shadows; the atmosphere was tense, so tense that if the princess took just two more steps forward, it would inevitably ignite a brawl, and in severe cases, bloodshed. Although I couldn't see clearly from behind Lou Xiyue, my womanly intuition told me she had discovered us. I was so nervous that I accidentally knocked the fan behind Lou Xiyue off, and it fell to the ground with a "thud."
The palace servant alerted, "Someone's here."
I must say, Lou Xiyue's fan, besides attracting bees and butterflies, is nothing but a source of trouble.
I held my breath and thought to myself that if a fight broke out, my side would inevitably be no match for the overwhelming enemy force, and I would definitely get injured. According to the rules of events in the play, my master would surely descend from the sky to save me, hold me and spin me around in the air a few times before slowly falling down, with the fallen leaves of the big locust tree dancing alongside us.
A leaf did indeed flutter down, and Lou Xiyue flicked it on my forehead, "Xiao Xiang."
I saw him standing in front of me, fanning himself, as if nothing had happened.
I couldn't help but wonder, "Was there a princess from the East here just now?"
Lou Xiyue nodded, "Mm."
I said, "Did your fan fall to the ground just now?"
Lou Xiyue tilted her head. "You slipped down there, didn't you know?"
I asked him, "With such a commotion, how could the princess not have noticed us? That can't be..."
He suddenly fell silent and remained so for a long time.
This question was so profound that Lou Xiyue had to think about it for so long. I nudged him and said, "Let's go. If we wait any longer, Dafeng will find out that the roast chicken is dead, and he'll be heartbroken."
Lou Xiyue nodded thoughtfully, then bent down and picked something up in his hand. I couldn't see it clearly, only a corner of purple with gold trim was visible, somewhat like a young woman's purse.
We returned to the restaurant and caught a strong wind, then found an inn to stay the night.
Since the princess had returned to her palace, the princess's couch was occupied, and I felt too embarrassed to go and roll around on it again.
It was already dawn; the roosters had crowed several times, and the sky was gradually clearing, with a faint crescent moon visible in the hazy light.
I agreed that Lou Xiyue would set off back to the Central Plains at dawn.
Right now, I'm leaning on the windowsill, watching the sky gradually lighten, and I'm reminded of the golden fragrance of osmanthus and bamboo in Medicine King Valley, swaying in the wind in clusters.
I want to heal Lou Sanjian and then return to the valley to stay with my master, year after year.
Lou Xiyue was playing the flute, her voice tinged with a faint sadness.
I haven't heard him play a tune in a long time. He leaned against a tree trunk in the yard, his brow slightly furrowed, and his black robe made his face even clearer.
Lou Xiyue glanced at me through the carved window frame. He quietly finished playing a tune, then walked to my window, his expression still bearing his usual ambiguous smile. He said, "Girl, I've fallen in love with you."
Through the intricately designed wooden window frame, Lou Xiyue's eyes twitched slightly.
I don't know why Lou Xiyue would say that so abruptly, but it really startled me. My startled reaction was to smash the teacup in my hand at him.
Lou Xiyue stepped aside to avoid my teacup, spilling tea on his clothes. He looked at me, both amused and exasperated, and asked, "What do you mean by this?"
I turned my back. "The wind was too strong, I didn't hear anything."
He said from behind me, "Okay, I'll say it again."
I walked into the house. "No, I'm so sleepy, I'm going to sleep." I collapsed onto the low couch and covered my head with the blanket.
People in the East love to use incense, and the fragrance of catnip permeates the house, making people exceptionally alert.
There was a noise inside the house, as if the door had been pushed open, and then I heard footsteps.
Someone sat down beside my bed. He reached out to pull down my blankets, but I was inside, clutching them tightly.
After a short while of this back and forth, he let go. Lou Xiyue said in a low voice, "Qi Xiang, I've fallen in love with you. Do you understand now?"
I rolled around in the blanket and snuggled closer to the tatami mat, wrapping myself up even more tightly.
I hummed twice through my nose to indicate that I had fallen asleep.
He remained seated, but made no further move.
I murmured as if in a dream, "Master..."
The room was completely silent, like a vast and deep valley, where only the sound of one's own breathing could be heard.