Chapter 56: Try It

Shao Yuan, not because the young man was knowledgeable.

But because he fell into the abyss and walked in the dark night at a young age.

Zhao Yan recalled the information about the important ministers of the court that Liu Ying had collected when she first returned to the Eastern Palace. The information about Wen Renlin’s background was only a thin page.

But this page was shocking and heart-wrenching.

In the tenth year of Tianyou, the isolated city was besieged. Wen Ren’s father and his three sons led 100,000 soldiers to fight to the death, building walls with their flesh and blood to protect the peace of the thirteen cities behind them. Under the rolling dark clouds, swords were broken, flags were tattered, and corpses were everywhere.

It was said that General Wen Ren died standing with his sword, deterring the Northern Barbarian army from advancing until Huo Feng led the reinforcements. With tears, he took the broken sword from General Wen Ren’s hand, and the tall, broken body fell like a statue.

Wen Ren’s eldest son, Wen Ren Cang, and second son, Wen Ren Mu, died in battle one after another. The sixteen-year-old youngest son, Wen Renlin, was found barely alive among the corpses.

Why the court’s reinforcements were delayed is now unknown.

At the end of last year, Zhao Yan had also secretly investigated the details of the Battle of Yanluo Pass, trying to understand Wen Renlin’s intentions for self-protection. Strangely, the supervisors and censors involved in the battle had all passed away, making it impossible to verify.

No one knew what Wen Renlin experienced during the two months of the siege. His heart was as deep and unfathomable as the name he gave himself.

Her heart seemed to be slightly tugged.

Zhao Yan unconsciously turned her head, her lips almost brushing Wen Renlin’s cheek.

She wanted to ask more about the Battle of Yanluo Pass and Wen Renlin’s past.

She parted her lips, thinking about how to phrase her question, but Wen Renlin released her hand holding the brush, placing his distinct hand on the desk, half-enveloping her.

It was a posture that seemed to bow and ask, yet was slightly intimate and oppressive.

“Now, it’s my turn to ask Your Highness.”

He lightly tapped the edge of the desk with his index finger, “Have you finished studying the books?”

The topic circled back, and Zhao Yan felt guilty, stammering to delay, “Let’s ask back in the Eastern Palace. The Chongwen Hall is a place for the Crown Prince to study statecraft, asking such questions might be disrespectful.”

Wen Renlin glanced at her, lightly saying, “Your Highness has already been disrespected, still care about propriety?”

The slight sorrow and hidden pain in Zhao Yan’s heart instantly dissipated, and she angrily dropped the brush, leaving a crooked ink mark on the rice paper.

Recently, she had been so busy that she just wanted to sleep when she returned to the Eastern Palace, not reading at all. Naturally, she couldn’t answer most of Wen Renlin’s questions about health preservation.

Wen Renlin then demonstrated the acupoints for warming the palace on her body.

He was serious, his knuckles touching and leaving through the fabric, his actions not frivolous, but Zhao Yan was still blushing.

After all, this was the Chongwen Hall, not the Eastern Palace bedroom.

Almost done, Wen Renlin smiled, casually picking up “He Zong” to continue explaining.

…

On a summer night, a sudden thunder roared, and a torrential rain swept in without warning.

For half a month, the sun was not seen, and reports of floods from various places poured in, filling the long desk in the Taiji Hall.

The court was in an uproar over the disaster relief funds, even the Empress voluntarily reduced the specifications of her birthday banquet, simplifying everything. The palace was so frugal that they wished to split a tael of silver into two, only the construction of the Zhaixing Observatory was still in full swing, aiming to be topped off by the end of the year.

Due to the torrential rain and floods, the journey of Princess Shoukang and her family was delayed, and they did not arrive in the capital until early July. Once they were settled in the Princess’s residence, they were to enter the palace to pay respects to the Emperor and Empress.

Outside the palace gates, puddles reflected the flowing clouds in the sky.

Zhao Yan, dressed in the purple robe and golden crown of the Crown Prince, personally welcomed her aunt, Princess Shoukang, as she got off the carriage.

The copper bells jingled, and before the luxurious carriage had come to a complete stop, a delicate hand lifted the curtain.

“Crown Prince Brother!”

Princess Changle, Huo Zhenzhen jumped out of the carriage, her light golden gauze shawl fluttering, and quickly stepped through the puddles, the golden bells at her waist jingling with her brisk steps, and she joyfully threw herself into Zhao Yan’s arms.

The soft fragrance of the young girl filled Zhao Yan’s embrace, and she was pushed back a step, barely managing to stand firm.

She was surprised: the little girl who used to bicker with her and pull her hair had grown into such a lovely and charming young lady?

The gold and jade bracelets on Huo Zhenzhen’s wrists clinked as she stepped back slightly and spoke rapidly, “There were floods everywhere in the Luozhou area, I almost thought we wouldn’t make it to the capital! By the way, I heard that the fox spirit by the Crown Prince’s side is gone, is it true? Hmph, she dared to steal my Crown Prince Brother, it must be karma!”

She then put her hands on her hips and said proudly, “Crown Prince Brother, I came of age last month, why didn’t you write to me? I also want a golden hairpin made by you, just like Zhao Yan has!”

Zhao Yan smiled as she listened to her cousin’s complaints, trying to keep her eyelids from twitching, when she heard a clear and cold female voice from behind, “Zhenzhen, you are already a grown-up young lady, don’t be so unruly like when you were a child.”

Zhao Yan turned to see a noble and beautiful woman, adorned with hairpins and rings, getting off the carriage with the help of a maid, followed closely by General Huo, who was carefully protecting her.

Zhao Yan composed herself and respectfully greeted, “Nephew Zhao Yan greets Aunt and Uncle.”

The beautiful woman only nodded slightly before turning her attention to Huo Zhenzhen gently tidying her hair that had come loose from running.

Huo Feng clasped his fists in salute, breaking the awkwardness, “Minister Huo Feng greets the Crown Prince.”

Princess Shoukang was to meet the Emperor and Empress first upon entering the palace, and Zhao Yan personally led her aunt and uncle to the Ziyun Pavilion where they would be received. The couple remained silent along the way, but fortunately, the chirping Huo Zhenzhen kept the atmosphere from becoming too heavy.

Zhao Yan glanced at the slightly aloof Princess Shoukang ahead and whispered to Liu Ying, “Did I do something wrong just now to upset Aunt?”

Liu Ying quickly whispered back, “Last spring, the Crown Prince insisted on bringing back Lady Liu, and Princess Changle cried and made a fuss in the Eastern Palace. She left the capital in a fit of anger afterward.”

Zhao Yan understood that her aunt was standing up for her daughter.

As for whether Huo Zhenzhen had deep feelings for Zhao Yan, it was unlikely. It was more about their childhood friendship and her jealousy of Zhao Yan having a kind and gentle brother, which she did not. She wanted to have that gentleness for herself.

And Zhao Yan, who had always envied her aunt and uncle’s deep affection and the love they poured into Huo Zhenzhen saw them as the perfect parents.

The two children were jealous of each other and couldn’t get along, with Zhao Yan caught in the middle as the prize they both wanted.

Looking back now, it seems both amusing and poignant.

After dining in the palace, Huo Zhenzhen pestered the “Crown Prince” to visit the cherry orchard in the Western Garden.

Zhao Yan, looking for an excuse to approach the Shenguang Sect, smiled and said, “The cherry season is over, there’s nothing much to see in the Western Garden. But the Northern Garden is spacious and scenic, shall I take the Princess for a walk there?”

Huo Zhenzhen suspecting nothing, happily agreed.

The evening glow dyed half the sky like rouge, and unknown birds flapped their wings as they flew by. The palace buildings in the Northern Garden, destroyed by wind and thunder, had been rebuilt, with the foundations expanded several times. The erected beams stood like the bones of a giant beast, making the craftsmen and palace servants moving about seem as small as ants.

“Crown Prince, the stone and timber piled up ahead are quite dangerous, please stop here.”

The supervising official from the Ministry of Works bowed and smiled apologetically, “It’s not just about someone bumping into you, even a small stone falling could be too much for me to bear.”

Zhao Yan responded good-naturedly, “Alright, we’ll just take a look from a distance.”

As she spoke, she covered her mouth and coughed lightly, giving a signal to Li Fu behind her.

A team of carts carrying timber rumbled past, and when they left, Li Fu was nowhere to be seen. No one noticed that an inconspicuous little eunuch was missing from the “Crown Prince’s” side.

When it was completely dark, Li Fu returned hurriedly with mud on his shoes, silently rejoining the palace servants behind Zhao Yan.

After escorting Princess Shoukang and her entourage out of the palace, Zhao Yan boarded the sedan chair back to the Eastern Palace.

Having worked up a sweat today, Zhao Yan enjoyed a refreshing bath, loosely tying her half-dry long hair on top of her head. She returned to her bedroom, where Li Fu was already waiting outside, having cleaned up.

Zhao Yan dismissed the others and asked, “Did you find anything?”

“Your Highness, the Tongtian Platform is guarded by Taoists at all times. Judging by their movements and demeanor, they are all trained experts, making it impossible for me to get close and search for evidence. However…”

Li Fu stepped forward cautiously, “However, I heard them mention something about ‘the timber not being right,’ so I sneaked into the timber shed at the Zhaixing Platform to take a look and indeed found a problem.”

As he spoke, Li Fu presented a palm-sized piece of camphor wood to Zhao Yan.

Zhao Yan examined the wood but didn’t notice anything at first. It wasn’t until Li Fu pointed it out that she realized the smell and color were off.

Upon closer inspection, she could detect a faint musty odor.

It was old wood, soaked by the continuous rain, now rendered useless. Yet the funds allocated by the court were enough to buy the finest new wood. The large discrepancy in cost was obvious.

This was a good breakthrough point, but Zhao Yan knew how difficult it was to challenge her father’s trusted aides. One misstep could lead to total failure.

Careful planning was needed for a decisive strike.

Zhao Yan lowered her eyes in contemplation, slowly turning the cold, damp wood in her hand. The Eastern Palace currently had no real power in court politics. To bring down the Shenguang Sect, the right time and place were crucial.

Looking at recent events, there was only one suitable opportunity…

Thinking of something, Zhao Yan glanced at the unfinished lotus-patterned jade pendant on the desk, a struggle evident in her peach blossom eyes.

If she really did this, her mother would be disappointed.

Time flowed quietly as Zhao Yan and Li Fu waited with bated breath for the next instruction.

After a long while, Zhao Yan clenched the camphor wood in her hand, as if she had gone through an internal battle, and tiredly said, “Take my personal letter to Censor He and Assistant Minister Cen of the Ministry of War. You don’t need to explain, they will understand after reading it.”

Now she could only gamble on the favors she had accumulated from the Jinyun Villa case.

In the study of the Prince Su’s residence.

Cai Tian stepped through the puddles in front of the steps and said to the man leaning by the crane-head lamp, “Your Highness, the spies report that those people are desperate and have indeed started to act.”

Wen Renlin put down the book in his hand, his face pale but his lips flushed, adding a touch of color compared to usual.

A dangerous color.

Cai Tian calculated the days and lowered his voice, “Your Highness, should you visit the Yuquan Palace?”

But Cai Tian knew very well that the prince had already visited Yuquan Palace for two consecutive months. A third visit might give others something to use against him.

Wen Renlin did not respond, his cold, white fingers lightly tapping as he stood up and said, “Prepare the carriage, to the Eastern Palace.”

Half a moon hid behind the clouds, and the lights in the Eastern Palace’s sleeping quarters were bright.

Wen Renlin walked to the door with his hands behind his back, hearing the sound of someone hurriedly searching for something inside.

When he stepped into the hall, he saw the young prince with her slightly damp hair loosely tied, sitting upright at the desk, reading late into the night. Her slender white neck was bowed, showing a serious demeanor of burning the midnight oil.

Wen Renlin glanced at her rapidly rising and falling chest, knowing she was cramming at the last minute, and couldn’t help but smile.

He walked over, gently moved Zhao Yan’s fingers, and pulled out a polished lotus-patterned jade pendant from under the open book.

“Your Highness has been lazy lately, busy with this?” Wen Renlin asked.

Since she was caught, Zhao Yan stopped pretending and said, “Yes. I am not as talented as the Crown Prince, so I thought of giving this as a birthday gift for my mother.”

Wen Renlin stroked the slightly rough carvings on the jade pendant and after a while, said, “It’s acceptable.”

Why did he look so reluctant?

Annoyed, Zhao Yan stood up, snatched the jade pendant from Wen Renlin’s hand, and put it back in the brocade box. Just as she was about to close it, Wen Renlin’s sharp eyes caught something, and he pressed his hand on the box.

“This is also… a birthday gift for the Empress?”

His distinct fingers pinched Zhao Yan’s fingertips, and he took out another piece of white jade from the box.

Seeing the jade in Wen Renlin’s hand, Zhao Yan quickly reached out to grab it, but Wen Renlin, being taller, raised his hand, and she couldn’t reach it, almost falling into his arms.

Wen Renlin loosely circled Zhao Yan’s waist with one hand to prevent her from falling, while holding the jade above his head with the other, examining it in the light. The jade pendant was carved with a four-clawed beast, looking odd and not like something a woman would wear.

Wen Renlin rarely frowned and clicked his tongue, “What is this carving? A dog?”

Zhao Yan, eyes wide with anger, retorted, “What dog? It’s clearly a raccoon!”

This strange pattern was actually a cat?

The word “cat” sounds like “longevity” in Chinese, and Wen Renlin tightened his arm, gently pressing, “Who is this jade for, Your Highness?”

“……”

Zhao Yan broke free from his grip, sat back at the desk, and said dejectedly, “You say it’s a dog, then it’s a dog. Anyway, it’s for a dog.”

The playful smile in Wen Renlin’s eyes froze, as if he was stunned.

“Just consider it as being bitten by a dog.”

“I’m just a dog, Your Highness, why be angry with a mere dog?”

The conversation from the night the young prince returned the jade strip still echoed in their ears.

Wen Renlin looked at the jade pendant with its immature carvings in his hand and immediately understood that it was meant for him.

The young prince had spent countless nights under the lamp, meticulously carving it bit by bit.

The jade was of high quality, and giving it to someone like him, a wicked person, was truly a waste.

The innocent girl had poured all her energy into preparing for this birthday banquet, full of expectations, completely unaware that the banquet she had organized was a trap, a fuse.

It was truly pitiable.

Wen Renlin’s eyes were filled with waves of emotion as he pressed his hand against his aching chest.

“I am not someone who doesn’t understand gratitude… Last time, the Grand Tutor gave me a rouge horse, so I carved this piece of jade as a return gift.”

As she spoke, Zhao Yan’s voice grew softer.

She really didn’t want to see Wen Renlin wearing that jade ring and jade hook everywhere, as it always reminded her of those ambiguous feelings she shouldn’t have.

Zhao Yan knew that the jade wasn’t well-carved and had planned to carve a new one and give it at an appropriate time. She didn’t expect Wen Renlin’s sharp eyes to catch her off guard.

She lowered her eyes, flipping through a few pages of the book to cover her embarrassment, and finally realized—

The hall was too quiet.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Wen Renlin holding the jade pendant in the shadows, his expression unreadable.

Did he think the carving was too poor? She should have carved a new one.

Zhao Yan couldn’t bear the silence, her back gradually stiffening, feeling both annoyed and uncomfortable.

She cleared her throat and pointed to a line in the book, trying to break the ice, “I don’t understand this sentence, what is ‘red pearl’?”

Wen Renlin finally moved his gaze from the jade pendant to the line Zhao Yan pointed to.

Under her slender white fingertip, the words “扣其赤珠” (press its red pearl) were clearly visible.

Her face was delicate under the lamp, her eyes so pure that it made one want to hold her and cherish her.

Wen Renlin did just that.

He naturally hung the jade pendant on his belt, carefully smoothing the dark green tassels, then leaned over from behind Zhao Yan, enveloping her in his arms.

He undid Zhao Yan’s jade belt buckle, his long, frost-white fingers moving down, showing her the answer through his actions.

The man’s fingers were cool and firm, with a slight roughness.

Zhao Yan was first stunned, then her whole body trembled, the tear mole at the corner of her eye turning red, like a startled fawn ready to jump up.

Wen Renlin pressed her shoulder with one hand, his half-lowered eyelashes opening, his gaze captivating.

“I told you, there are ways in this world that don’t require medicine or harm the body.”

His face was bathed in the soft light of the lamp, his expression devout and focused, “Would Your Highness like to try?”

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