CXD - 26

At the hour of Xu that night, in the eastern courtyard of the Shen residence.

Qing Song stood outside the bathhouse holding a clean set of casual clothes. His arms were beginning to ache from holding them for so long, and still, there was no sign of his master emerging.

Unlike the previous eldest master, the current master had grown up at the frontier and wasn’t accustomed to the finer things in life. Even now, in the bustling city of Chang’an, he didn’t feel comfortable being waited on for bathing and changing. Every time, he did it alone, and every time, it was done quickly.

So quick that Qing Song thought if the war horn were to sound during his bath, his master could don his armor and sword in an instant to join the battle.

However, tonight, after returning from the academy, his master had already been inside the bathhouse for three quarters of an hour.

Initially, his master had planned that since he was attending Tian Chong Academy, he would stay in the dormitory there and only return to the mansion on holidays.

Unfortunately, human plans are subject to change, especially when the Princess is involved. With her relentless pursuit, staying in the dormitory was no longer suitable—

What if the Princess decided to move in as well? That would give her the perfect opportunity to be around them day and night.

After waiting a little longer, Qing Song couldn’t help but listen closely to any sounds coming from inside the bathhouse.

There hadn’t been any sound of water being added for a while; surely the water must have cooled by now...

“Master—” Qing Song cautiously called out, “There’s always a solution to everything. Please don’t do anything rash.”

“I think that if we can’t delay or avoid this marriage proposal... Since the Princess currently has no doubts about your identity, why not find an opportune moment to give a plausible reason and sever ties with her?”

“You see, you don’t like the Princess, and she doesn’t truly like you either. In my humble opinion, if the late eldest master were watching from above, he wouldn’t want to see you tormented or the Princess living in a lie with false happiness...”

“Rather than prolonging the pain, it’s better to end it swiftly. The late eldest master would probably prefer you to be the one who breaks her heart—”

A sharp sound echoed as the partition was abruptly pulled open. Qing Song quickly looked up.

The person before him was only dressed in a simple robe, yet he exuded the presence of someone fully armored, standing there with an aura of cold severity.

Yuan Ce: “My elder brother, if he were looking down, would probably also not want his personal attendant to talk too much and bother him incessantly. What do you think should be done?”

Qing Song immediately closed his mouth, said no more, and lowered his head to offer the clothes.

...He was only trying to help by offering suggestions. He had only spoken a few sentences, whereas the Princess talks ten times as much.

Life was so difficult. Why was he named Qing Song? He might as well change his name to Chen Zhong!

Yuan Ce took the robe and quickly put it on, then handed over the clothes he had just changed out of.

Qing Song dutifully accepted them. Just as he turned around, something silky slipped from his palm.

Turning back, he saw a black hair ribbon floating down gracefully.

Qing Song hastily reached out to catch it, but another hand was quicker, grabbing the ribbon mid-air.

“Forgive me, Master. I’ll take this ribbon to be washed...” Qing Song quickly reached out to take it.

But after waiting for a long time, nothing came.

Looking up, he saw Yuan Ce standing still, his eyes lowered, staring somewhat stiffly at the ribbon in his palm.

Qing Song wanted to ask what was wrong with the ribbon, but upon closer inspection, he noticed a cut on Yuan Ce’s slender middle finger. Originally a small wound, it had swollen from soaking in water and now looked rather unsettling.

“Master, how did you hurt your hand!”

Yuan Ce’s gaze slowly moved from the ribbon to the cut on his finger, caused by a bowstring.

When was the last time he had injured himself like this when the string slipped? Was it when he was seven? Or eight?

“No matter,” Yuan Ce lowered his hand and walked out. After taking a few steps, he suddenly paused, turned his head back after a moment of silence, and asked, “What did you just say?”

“I asked how your hand got hurt...”

“The sentence before that.”

“Uh... Forgive me, Master?”

“The one before that.”

Qing Song thought hard for a moment: “Oh, I said that it’s better to endure short-term pain than prolonged suffering. The late eldest master would probably rather you be the one to break her heart...”

“Do you really think she would accept being abandoned so easily?”

“...”

After a long pause, Qing Song realized that even someone as quick-witted as his master wouldn’t spend so long thinking of a comeback...

After a brief pause, Qing Song gently acknowledged with an “Oh.”

Well, finding a reason acceptable to the Princess to sever ties with her was indeed difficult.

Moreover, today his master had impressed everyone at the academy, even captivating those aristocratic youths. It was needless to say about the Princess, who was currently deeply in love. Now wasn’t the right time to part ways...

Thinking of this, Qing Song suddenly exclaimed as if struck by inspiration: “I have a brilliant idea! What if... instead of you abandoning the Princess, we make it so that the Princess abandons you?”

An hour later, in the study, Yuan Ce looked at the stack of portraits nearly half his height, perplexed, crossed his arms, and lifted an eyebrow: “This is the brilliant idea you spoke of?”

These portraits were of all the noble sons at Tian Chong Academy, each annotated with their identities, personalities, strengths, weaknesses, and their relationship with his older brother.

In assuming his brother’s identity and navigating Chang’an, he naturally understood all of his brother’s interpersonal relationships, including these young men who would now be under the same roof.

Qing Song had hauled in the stack of portraits, saying that the idea lay within them.

“Yes, I think there’s no need for you to go to great lengths to drive the Princess away. This academy is both a challenge and an opportunity—look, it’s not just you here, but other noble sons. Now that the Princess shares the same roof with you, she also shares it with them. Perhaps over time, she’ll develop feelings for someone else and abandon you?”

Yuan Ce pointed at the stack of portraits and laughed incredulously: “Is there anyone here capable of making her fall in love and abandon me?”

“Uh... Don’t get mad, but to be precise, it would be abandoning the late eldest master, not you. She hasn’t started with you, so how can she abandon you?”

“...”

Qing Song: “As for these noble sons, have you forgotten? Didn’t the Princess receive birthday gifts from many of them? At the very least, she doesn’t hate them as much as she dislikes that eldest cousin of hers!”

“Of course, if you continue to steal the spotlight like you did today, it will be hard for the Princess to notice anyone else. Why don’t you tone down your brilliance a bit and let them shine?”

“With these people, even if I give them a hand...” Yuan Ce raised his left hand, paused, then added his right, “two hands, it’s still hard to make them shine.”

Qing Song flipped through the portraits and picked one up: “If not in martial arts, then in appearance. This man is quite handsome; perhaps he has a chance to win the Princess’s heart?”

Yuan Ce glanced at it and shook his head: “I met him today. He doesn’t look as good as in the portrait—I almost didn’t recognize him.”

“Such carelessness from General Mu’s investigation! Isn’t this setting you up to be exposed...” Qing Song continued flipping through the portraits and picked up another: “What about this one? He looks gentle and obedient. The Princess often gets upset with you; maybe she’d find someone gentle and obedient appealing?”

Yuan Ce remained expressionless: “Someone who asks if all Northern Jie people have green faces and fangs clearly doesn’t have much sense.”

“That’s true. One must have intelligence to match the Princess...” Qing Song nodded earnestly and continued searching, brightening up as he found another: “This one has intellect! He’s one of the rare literary talents in the academy. The Princess speaks eloquently; perhaps she can chat with him?”

Yuan Ce: “A show-off, pedantic scholar. If she doesn’t glare at him, that’s already good.”

“This one...”

“He wears perfume that can be smelled from a zhang away. She can’t stand that.”

“This one...”

“He frequents pleasure quarters daily, just like her cousin.”

...

The candlelight flickered, and Qing Song’s vision began to blur. Rubbing his tired eyes, he reached out for the last unopened scroll.

“Enough,” Yuan Ce pinched the bridge of his nose, “Take your bad ideas and return to your quarters.”

The next afternoon, at the entrance of Tian Chong Academy, Gu Yu helped Jiang Zhiyi, dressed in men’s clothing, down from the carriage.

The distance between the Marquis’s residence and the academy was considerable. Yesterday, the Princess had risen early to make it to class on time, and today she simply couldn’t get up.

Gu Yu suggested that since the person was already there and wouldn’t run away, they could come at noon instead, which would also allow them to bring a warm lunch to General Shen.

The Princess praised her for being thoughtful and slept soundly until late morning, feeling refreshed and energetic. She then brought the lunch box and headed over.

Gu Yu carried the lunch box in one hand and supported Jiang Zhiyi with the other as they walked in: “I’ve already sent word to Qing Song, telling him not to come today. General Shen must be waiting hungrily for you.”

“Then let’s hurry!” Jiang Zhiyi eagerly quickened her pace and entered the classroom, only to see the last row completely empty.

Looking around, she noticed there was only one person in the entire classroom—the young master sitting in front of her seat.

Seemingly catching sight of her entering from the corner of his eye, he lifted his head from his book, glanced at her face, gave a slight nod, and returned to reading.

Contemplating how to casually inquire about Yuan Ce’s whereabouts, Jiang Zhiyi sat down at her seat and exchanged glances with Gu Yu. She then asked curiously: “It’s just after dismissal time; how did everyone leave so quickly?”

As expected, the person in front didn’t turn around but answered her question: “Today, the teacher dismissed us fifteen minutes early.”

Jiang Zhiyi remarked: “The servants bringing meals from these families sure arrived quickly.”

The person ahead responded warmly: “To avoid their masters getting scolded for being hungry, they usually arrive early.”

“And what about those whose servants haven’t arrived yet? Where would they go?”

“That’s up to each individual.”

After three questions and answers, Jiang Zhiyi fell silent.

She couldn’t be too obvious, fearing she wouldn’t get much information. Perhaps she should wait a while.

Thinking this, Jiang Zhiyi rested her chin on her hand and glanced at the scholarly figure in front of her: “Why aren’t you having lunch?”

“My younger sister is bringing lunch today. She walks slower, so I’m waiting for her here.”

Seeing how others knew their sisters were coming and quietly waited, she glanced at the empty seat to her right and mentally scoffed. Turning her gaze, she saw a slender figure wearing a veil hat carrying a lunch box walk into the classroom.

“Brother, I encountered an elderly person with a sudden illness along the way and took them to the clinic, which delayed me. Are you starving?” The girl lifted her veil and approached.

At first glance, Jiang Zhiyi recognized the newcomer—it was Pei Xueqing, the daughter of Prime Minister Pei, whom she had briefly met during the opening of Baojia Sister’s restaurant.

...So, the person sitting in front of her was the son of the Prime Minister.

The eldest legitimate son of the Pei family wasn’t diligently studying the Four Books and Five Classics but was idling away his time in this insignificant academy?

The thought flashed by, and Pei Xueqing was already walking towards her brother with small steps. Noticing someone sitting behind the bead curtain, she hurriedly bowed to Jiang Zhiyi.

Jiang Zhiyi nodded at her and listened as the siblings conversed. She took a sip from the warm tea Gu Yu had just poured.

When she looked up again, she noticed Pei Xueqing occasionally glancing towards Yuan Ce’s seat while talking to her brother.

Following her gaze to the seat on her right, Jiang Zhiyi watched as Pei Xueqing quickly lowered her head after realizing she was being observed.

“Brother, eat slowly. I’ll wash my hands first...” After a moment, Pei Xueqing quietly excused herself from her brother, bowed to Jiang Zhiyi, dropped her veil, and hurriedly walked out.

Jiang Zhiyi frowned slightly while holding her teacup.

She remembered that Pei Xueqing had overheard her private conversation with Brother Ce at the restaurant last time. Later, at Baojia Sister’s banquet, she kept stealing glances at her.

Pei Xueqing’s glance towards Brother Ce’s seat earlier felt strangely peculiar.

That look... was just like when she secretly glanced at Brother Ce’s seat...

An uncomfortable premonition lingered around Jiang Zhiyi, making her feel restless.

Looking at the specially prepared lunch box beside her, Jiang Zhiyi thought for a moment, then stood up and walked out of the classroom.

Crossing the threshold, she looked around and saw at the end of the corridor a veiled figure standing opposite Yuan Ce, engaged in conversation.

Her suspicion was confirmed...

Since Brother Ce returned to the capital, had he ever paid attention to another woman? Had he ever stood so close to another woman and talked?

Jiang Zhiyi felt a lump in her chest and walked forward with suppressed anger.

Yuan Ce keenly sensed someone approaching. He signaled Mu Xin Hong behind him with a glance and turned to look at her.

After a single glance, his attention was drawn back to Pei Xueqing, who was speaking:

“Xueqing knows a bit of medicine and can dress the general’s wound...”

Jiang Zhiyi didn’t hear what needed dressing; her ears were focused solely on the word “Xueqing.”

...She referred to herself as “I” in front of her own brother, but used her intimate name in front of a stranger?

She had never addressed herself so intimately to Brother Ce face-to-face!

Jiang Zhiyi took a deep breath, trembling slightly, and briskly walked behind Pei Xueqing. With an air of determination, she sharply tilted her chin at Yuan Ce: “Zhiyi also knows a bit of medicine. Let Zhiyi dress the general’s wound!”

Mu Xin Hong quickly stepped forward, sword in hand, protecting Yuan Ce’s injured hand.