Chapter 23: Dragon Boat Festival

 

It was only April, but the weather was already getting hotter every day.

Old Bao specially set up firewood in the yard and roasted a sheep, saying he wouldn't roast any more when the weather got too hot—he'd wait until the beginning of autumn. Since recovering from his illness, Li Yi seemed as carefree and lively as before, but he also seemed different. He was a little too happy and would often drag Xie Chang'er, Old Bao, Huang Youyi, Zhao Youde and others to Fengyinglou for drinks.

Old Bao found the drinking quite enjoyable, and at first he was happy. But as he gradually came to his senses, he privately asked Xie Chang'er, "What's wrong with Seventeenth Prince?"

Xie Chang'er, being honest and straightforward, replied, "I don't know. Taozi said he had a huge fight with Miss Cui. Last time His Highness was so ill, Miss Cui didn't even come to see him, or even write a letter."

"No wonder," Old Bao said. "I've been wondering about this for a long time too. But didn't Miss Cui write some memorial to the Emperor saying she wanted to marry the Prince of Qin?"

"No, no." Xie Chang'er patiently explained. "It was the military governor who submitted a memorial saying Miss Cui wanted to choose one of His Majesty's sons to marry."

"Then why would she need to choose?" Old Bao said. "If she doesn't marry Seventeenth Prince, who else could she marry?"

"I don't understand either," Xie Chang'er said awkwardly. "Anyway, Taozi said that the two of them had a falling out, and maybe they won't see each other anymore."

This was what Taozi told him in her letter. She also said that if the Prince of Qin and the young lady really stopped seeing each other, she probably wouldn't be able to see him either. He was so scared that he wrote her a three-page letter and even took leave to make a special trip to Luoyang.

Taozi was quite happy to see him. She took him to eat the best flatbread in Luoyang, mended his clothes, and bought him new socks. He'd never been taken care of like this before, and he was so moved that he immediately gave Taozi all the money he'd saved recently. Taozi didn't refuse and accepted it all, telling him she would save it for their future.

The thought of the future filled him with joy. She would still save money for him in the future, so she wouldn't stop seeing him.

But the moment she mentioned the Prince of Qin and Miss Cui, Taozi's face fell. First, she berated Li Yi for being stupid, questioning why Xie Chang'er knew to come to Luoyang to see her while the Prince of Qin didn't. Then, with a sullen expression, she said, "Our young lady is truly heartbroken this time. I've never seen her like this before. She couldn't sleep at night, just sitting there, lost in thought. She's even lost weight..."

Xie Chang'er couldn't help but say, "Didn't you say when you were eating the flatbread that you couldn't eat anymore, that a young lady needs to lose some weight..."

Enraged, she poked his forehead with her finger. "What do you know!" She added, "When you get back, the Prince of Qin will probably ask you. You absolutely must remember to say that our young lady can't sleep, and that she's lost a lot of weight. Don't forget."

He nodded quickly, making sure he remembered. But when he returned to Xichangjing from Luoyang and met the Prince of Qin—who knew he'd gone to Luoyang, since Seventeen Lang never needed to ask where he was going—he simply didn't ask about Miss Cui. Xie Chang'er was practically bursting with frustration. He walked back and forth in front of Li Yi several times, but Li Yi acted as if he hadn't seen him, neither asking if he'd gone to Luoyang nor about Miss Cui.

Xie Chang'er had no choice but to write to Taozi again, asking if he should tell the Prince of Qin that Miss Cui wasn't doing well lately and had lost weight if he didn't ask. Taozi's reply was only three furious words: "You big fool!" It was unclear whether she was cursing him or the Prince of Qin.

"He's probably cursing himself," Xie Chang'er thought anxiously.

Leaving aside Xie Chang'er and Taozi's predicament, even Pei Yuan found it highly unusual. Li Yi had never been so prone to wandering around. One minute he was out hunting, the next he was drinking at Fengying Tower, and then he was at a temple outside the city looking at calligraphy rubbings.

Looking at calligraphy rubbings? He remembered that when Li Yi was a child, he'd hated copying calligraphy. Every time calligraphy rubbings were mentioned, he would say his head hurt, preferring to wield swords and spears for three hours rather than spend half an hour practicing calligraphy.

If this continued, even His Highness the Prince of Qin might start composing poetry, which would be truly terrifying. Pei Yuan couldn't help but shudder.

Pei Yuan finally seized an opportunity, using the pretext of bidding farewell to his elder brother Pei Bo, and thoroughly plied Li Yi with several jars of wine. Li Yi, however, wasn't drunk—his eyes were bright and alert. He said to Pei Yuan, "Yuan, how about we go horseback riding outside the city tomorrow?"

Pei Yuan was almost in tears. He grabbed Li Yi's hand. "Your Highness, why don't we ask Physician Fan to take your pulse?" He felt Li Yi must be seriously ill again.

Li Yi, bewildered, pulled his hand away. "Physician Fan just took my pulse a couple of days ago and said I'm all better."

Pei Yuan was on the verge of tears. After drinking for a while longer, Pei Bo was completely drunk. Li Yi drank two more jars of wine with him before finally riding back.

Night had fallen. Li Yi rode his horse, seemingly in high spirits, humming his little tune: "The Laolan River has eighteen bends, the first bend is the Silver Pine Beach..."

Pei Yuan followed behind him, watching his back. Perhaps due to his recent illness, he'd lost weight, making his broad shoulders and narrow waist appear even more pronounced. Even in a simple, plain-colored round-necked robe, he exuded a carefree and unrestrained air. Yet as he rode, swaying his head and singing, his back seemed so lonely and desolate.

"Your Highness," he couldn't help but call out.

Li Yi turned to look at him, a grin on his face. "Ah Yuan, why are you looking so worried?"

He didn't answer that question, but instead asked, "Your Highness, are you feeling down?"

"I'm not feeling down." In the darkness, his eyes still shone brightly, as if starlight flowed within them, his tone cheerful. "Ah Yuan, summer is coming soon, don't worry. Look at you, always frowning—you'll end up with deep wrinkles." Seeing his bewilderment, he smiled again. "Ah Yuan, don't worry, I'm not feeling down, really." He emphasized the word "really," as if squeezing it out from his heart, as if repeating it would make it true.

Pei Yuan's heart skipped a beat, knowing he was actually extremely distressed, but simply unwilling to say it.

After returning home, Pei Yuan couldn't help but sigh deeply. Normally, if he was unsure about something in official matters, he could consult his father and brothers, but this matter was truly inappropriate to tell others. So he kept his worries to himself, tossing and turning until almost dawn before finally falling asleep.

The next day was a half-day rest day—no need to attend court. But according to Pei family rules, one had to get up early to practice swordsmanship. Even though Pei Yuan had barely slept all night, he still got up with bruised eyes, took his sword, and went to the backyard. The Pei family's backyard had a large open space, usually used as a training ground, with targets, stone weights, and other equipment for the family's children to practice on. As Pei Yuan entered the training ground, Pei Zhan arrived with his sword. Although he'd been a civil official for many years, his swordsmanship hadn't diminished in the slightest. Seeing Pei Yuan looking dejected so early in the morning, he couldn't help but ask, "Yuan, what's wrong?"

Pei Yuan was conflicted and hadn't yet figured out how to answer when a servant came running into the training ground, panting. "Eleventh Brother, Twenty-Sixth Brother, hurry—the General summons you." The Pei family had many cousins, so in the family hierarchy, Pei Zhan was eleventh and Pei Yuan was twenty-sixth. The two exchanged a glance, knowing that something important must have happened.

Sure enough, when they hurried into the inner hall, they saw Pei Xian sitting on the couch with a grim face. Upon seeing them, Pei Xian said, "Jie Shuo has broken through Baishui Pass."

Pei Yuan was shocked and almost blurted out, "How could this be?"

Indeed, how could this be?

The emperor in the palace was also woken from his bed early in the morning and learned of this news. The emperor was actually not fully awake yet, but the eunuch told him this was an extremely urgent military report, sent by fast horse from the border without stopping for a moment. He couldn't help but panic and hurriedly dressed with the eunuch's help. He then sent someone to summon Pei Xian, Prime Minister Gu, and others to the palace to discuss the matter.

Even after several trusted ministers gathered in the Zichen Hall, the emperor was still somewhat bewildered. He asked, "Where is Baishui Pass?"

Pei Xian knew that His Majesty had no concept of the nation's territory or border fortresses, so he explained, "Your Majesty, Baishui Pass is a crucial point in Lianzhou and the most important gateway to the north for the nation. Beyond Baishui Pass are Yanzhou and Zhuozhou, which are indefensible. They can only defend against the enemy by relying on the Zhuo River. Jie Shuo's iron cavalry can even penetrate directly into the heart of Shuozhou."

Hearing this, the emperor became even more confused and could only turn his gaze to Gu Xi.

Gu Xi thought for a moment before bowing. "Your Majesty, may I ask how Baishui Pass was breached? It was a crucial pass defending against Jieshuo, and Cui Yi, the military governor of Lulong, should have stationed a large force there."

The emperor naturally looked at Pei Xian, who, as Grand Marshal, continued, "We have only received urgent reports that the general guarding Baishui Pass was personally persuaded to surrender to Jieshuo by Cui Yi's adopted son, Liu Chengfeng. Now that Baishui Pass has fallen, the cities south of it are engulfed in flames, trampled and ravaged by Jieshuo's iron cavalry. More detailed military reports will likely reach the court in a few days."

Gu Xi couldn't help but show a worried expression. "Cui Yi controls several towns, and Luoyang, the eastern capital, is also under his control. The eastern capital is only a few hundred miles from here, and he can bring his troops to the gates of Xichangjing in three to five days. Since it was his adopted son who broke through Baishui Pass, if Cui Yi had been colluding with Jie Shuo all along, wouldn't the country be in grave danger now?"

Pei Xian wanted to explain, but then thought that as a military general, according to dynasty custom, civil officials always prioritized controlling military generals. If he defended Cui Yi now, he was afraid the court would become even more suspicious, so he kept silent.

Upon hearing Gu Xi's words, the Emperor was immediately alarmed and broke out in a cold sweat. He truly didn't know where Baishui Pass was, but he knew Cui Yi very well—he was so close. He hurriedly asked, "Where is the Prince of Qin? Quickly summon the Prince of Qin to the palace!"

The eunuch sent to summon the Prince rushed to the Prince's residence, only to find that it was a day of rest, and early that morning, His Highness the Prince of Qin had said he was going fishing and had left the city alone with his fishing rod. The eunuch was extremely anxious and immediately ordered a search party to search everywhere.

This time, everyone searched extensively inside and outside the city. Several hours later, they finally found the Prince of Qin by the Wei River outside the city. Upon hearing there was an important military report, he didn't hesitate to ride back immediately. By the time he entered the palace, the urgent report from Luoyang had just arrived.

Cui Yi received news of the fall of Baishui Pass two days earlier than Xichangjing. Without hesitation, he immediately set off with his troops northward. At the same time, he sent an urgent message to Xichangjing, stating that the border had been attacked suddenly, and he had no time to request imperial approval before leading his troops north. The message was as perfunctory and polite as ever, and it was unclear which advisor had written it, since, in principle, a military governor's troop movements required the court's approval.

When the emperor received this urgent message from Luoyang and heard that the Prince of Qin had arrived at the palace by imperial decree, he breathed a sigh of relief.

After Li Yi entered the Zichen Hall, he and Pei Xian reviewed the urgent reports from Baishui Pass and Luoyang. Pei Xian then briefly explained Cui Yi's troop deployment and possible defensive positions to the emperor and several close ministers. Li Yi spoke frankly, "General Cui has fought Jie Shuo for many years and has won every battle. Jie Shuo considers him his nemesis. Moreover, Dingsheng Army has a large force stationed south of the Zhuo River. Jie Shuo is not a threat."

Hearing this, the emperor felt relieved, thinking that although his son had a difficult temper, he'd always been a skilled warrior. If he said there was no problem, then there was no problem. Gu Xi then said to the emperor, "Since Cui Yi has immediately led his troops north, it shows he prioritizes the affairs of the country and has a strong sense of loyalty to the emperor and defense of the territory." The emperor nodded in agreement.

Upon exiting the palace gates, Li Yi saw lush willows lining both sides of the long street. Under the bright sun, the snow-white willow catkins, like flying snowflakes or fine cotton, were blown about in clumps by the wind. Piles of fluffy catkins had also accumulated on the bluestone steps along the street, only to be scattered again by the wind. Little Black, who disliked these fluffy things, kept snorting and pacing restlessly. He patted Little Black reassuringly before mounting his horse. He'd ridden straight back from outside the city, a fishing rod still tied to the side of his saddle. Touching the rod, he suddenly remembered telling A-Ying on the Lingnan Road that he would catch fish and grill them for her. A pang of sadness struck him. He wondered what A-Ying was doing now that Cui Yi had led his troops north. He hesitated for a moment, then finally turned his horse around and rode back to his residence.

The fall of Baishui Pass, Jie Shuo's invasion, and Cui Yi's northward march—these events naturally became major topics of discussion in the court. Suddenly, someone suggested that since Cui Yi had already gone north, leaving his only daughter, Cui Lin, to defend Luoyang with less than ten thousand troops, it would be a good opportunity for the court to send troops to recapture Luoyang.

The emperor was delighted and praised this idea highly, and several civil officials also felt it was indeed an excellent opportunity. Li Yi strongly opposed it, arguing that Cui Yi's hasty northward march was to resist Jie Shuo and defend the country for the court. If Luoyang were besieged now, wouldn't Cui Yi be caught between two enemies? Furthermore, this move would essentially be cutting off Cui Yi's retreat and undermining his morale—how could the court betray its general like that?

The emperor, finding his words unpleasant, immediately rebuked him. "Luoyang is the eastern capital of the court! Cui Yi, shameless and brazen, has occupied it for so long. Shouldn't we attack by surprise and seize the opportunity to recapture it?"

Li Yi argued logically. "Your Majesty, Cui Yi is fighting the enemy at the front lines. We should not send troops now, disrupting his rear. It will only bring harm and no benefit."

The emperor flew into a rage. "Cui Yi's son sold Baishui Pass, and I haven't even punished him yet! The military reports clearly state how Baishui Pass was lost. Cui Yi's son went to persuade the general to surrender, and the general, out of consideration for past relations, couldn't bear to kill him. But he led Jie Shuo's henchmen to kill the garrison commander! Cui Yi raised such a son, a traitor who betrayed the country! All the court officials said he should be punished, but Prime Minister Gu advised me to let Cui Yi redeem himself through meritorious service! What? I have been so lenient and kind, and yet I have raised a thankless wretch?!"

Li Yi said, "Cui Yi's last memorial clearly stated that he had long since severed ties with his adopted son, Liu Chengfeng. It is only because Liu Chengfeng colluded with Jie Shuo that the Cui family and Jie Shuo have a blood feud spanning generations. No matter who Your Majesty suspects, you should not suspect the Cui family of colluding with Jie Shuo."

Seeing he couldn't win the argument with his son, the emperor became even angrier and pointed at Li Yi's nose, cursing him. This time, Li Yi didn't argue back but simply knelt there silently. Seeing this, the emperor became even angrier and seized the opportunity to question Pei Xian, as the Minister of War, about his alleged dereliction of duty in the Baishui Pass incident. Gu Xi, knowing the emperor's temper well, understood he was prone to saying inappropriate things in public when angry. Gu Xi quickly tried to persuade him, and the emperor reluctantly gave up.

The court debated this for several days without reaching a conclusion. Although the emperor wanted to send troops to recapture Luoyang, Luoyang was, after all, the eastern capital, a fortified city. While the garrison was less than ten thousand, it was said that Cui Yi's daughter was also skilled in warfare. To attack the city, they would need to send elite troops, and the only capable force in the court was the Zhenxi Army. Pei Xian, since his old wounds flared up, appeared increasingly ill and unfit for further campaigns—a tacit understanding within the court. The only capable person was the Prince of Qin, but the Prince clearly opposed the campaign. The emperor knew his son's temperament—if forced to attack Luoyang, the Prince would likely storm off again, showing no respect for his father.

Just as he was struggling with this dilemma, he suddenly received a report that Cui Lin, daughter of Cui Yi, the military governor of Lulong, the protector-general of Shuobei, and the general, had arrived in Xichangjing and wished to go to the palace in place of her father to pay homage to His Majesty.

The court was in an uproar again.

Li Yi, upon hearing of this, was even more furious. He slammed his fist on the table and said to Pei Yuan, "What exactly is she trying to do? The court is wary of the Cui family, and the discussions are incessant, like a boiling pot of oil. Any slight spill will cause an uproar, and she just happens to be adding fuel to the fire. Besides, she keeps saying she's representing General Cui to see His Majesty, which is simply absurd. Even a military governor cannot enter the capital without an imperial edict, and she is the daughter of a military governor. How can she be allowed to enter the court? The spittle of those civil officials could drown a person."

Pei Yuan saw that the veins on his forehead were bulging with anger, something he'd never seen before. He suddenly asked, "Your Highness, are you angry that she disregarded etiquette and entered the capital without permission, or are you afraid that she will be detained in the capital and unable to be rescued?"

It turned out that some people in the court advocated that since Cui Lin had arrived, she should be detained immediately so she could be used to control Luoyang. Some even suggested using her to control Cui Yi, since Cui Yi only had one daughter and was so arrogant as to petition to choose a prince as his son-in-law—he needed to be severely punished as a warning to others.

Therefore, Li Yi was taken aback when Pei Yuan asked this.

Pei Yuan continued, "If Your Highness is merely angry, Miss Cui is currently residing at the Pinglu Residence in Jingliang Ward. Your Highness can simply leave the residence, mount your horse, and within half an incense stick's time, personally confront Miss Cui. At the very least, you can draw your sword and have a fight. If Your Highness is worried about Miss Cui, then I am powerless to help Your Highness."

Li Yi hesitated, falling silent—a rare occurrence. Since they'd known each other, Pei Yuan had never gained the upper hand in a verbal exchange like this, but he felt no joy. Instead, he sighed silently.

Since Cui Lin entered Xichangjing, the court had remained silent on her request for an audience, but she remained calm and composed, seemingly oblivious to the awkward situation.

Taozi, however, privately met Xie Chang'er and couldn't help but complain, "What's wrong with the Prince of Qin? Our young lady has come all the way to Xichangjing, and he hasn't even come to see her!"

Xie Chang'er, sweating profusely, held a handful of cherries he'd just picked for Taozi. "Taozi, don't be angry. Why don't you eat some cherries first? These are the most famous cherries in the capital—they're incredibly sweet."

Taozi looked at the cherries, each one like agate or coral beads, bright red and translucent, extremely lovely. She took one and ate it—indeed, it was very sweet. Her anger subsided, and she thought she could buy some more to take back for her mistress. When she told Xie Chang'er about this, he said, "These weren't bought—I picked them myself. There are several cherry trees in the Prince of Qin's residence, laden with fruit. Why don't I go back and pick some more, and you can give them to Miss Cui?"

Taozi immediately thought it was a good idea, but should she lie and say the Prince of Qin had specially sent them to her mistress? She was conflicted again.

Li Yi had no idea that two other people were worrying about him so much. The cherry trees in the Prince of Qin's residence were truly famous—extremely large and sweet. Every late spring, the trees were laden with thousands upon thousands of fruits. In the capital, there was a custom of cherry blossom viewing—not for the blossoms, but for when the cherries ripened. A feast was held under the trees to entertain relatives and friends with cherry-topped cheese.

Li Yi had specially sent an invitation to Prime Minister Gu, inviting him to view the cherry blossoms. Gu Xi gladly accepted. Upon entering the Prince of Qin's residence and walking into the backyard, he saw a row of seven or eight cherry trees along the pink wall, their branches like umbrellas, their red fruit sparkling. There seemed to be thousands upon thousands of them—a truly delightful sight.

After taking their seats, a bowl of cherry-topped cheese was served first. Gu Xi took a bite and found the aroma incredibly enticing. "Delicious!" Li Yi then laughed. "This is the method for making cheese at Laolan Pass, mixed with camel milk. I was worried that Prime Minister Gu wouldn't be used to it."

Gu Xi replied, "No wonder it has such a unique flavor."

The two then chatted about the local customs and culture of Laolan Pass. Gu Xi listened with longing. "Everyone says to read ten thousand books and travel ten thousand miles. I'm not afraid Your Highness will laugh at me, but since I started my education at six, I've certainly read ten thousand books, but traveling ten thousand miles is something I wouldn't even dare to dream of!"

Li Yi smiled. "Sun's rebellion has just been quelled, and the affairs of the court are numerous and complicated, all of which have been handled by Prime Minister Gu. After some more time, when peace has lasted longer, perhaps Prime Minister Gu can be appointed as a Grand Commander-in-Chief, traveling thousands of miles."

Gu Xi was already the head of the civil officials, and his official position was already at the top level. However, according to the old rules of the dynasty, the Prime Minister could be appointed as a Grand Commander-in-Chief, and after returning, his rank would be promoted by half a rank and one grade, and he might even be granted the title of Duke. Generally, only ministers who were particularly trusted by the emperor received such an honor. Gu Xi smiled. "Your Highness's words are auspicious. If I can travel thousands of miles, that would naturally be a great joy in life."

The two smiled at each other, and Gu Xi lowered his head to eat cherries with cheese sauce, thinking to himself that others only said the Prince of Qin was aloof and arrogant, and because of his outstanding military achievements, he had a rather disdainful attitude. He'd never associated with civil officials, but the Prince of Qin was very clear about these intricacies of officialdom.

He thought that since the Prince of Qin had invited him today, there must be something to discuss, or something to say to him. Sure enough, after a while, Li Yi ordered someone to bring out two pots of orchids. Gu Xi saw that the orchids had elegant branches and leaves, with buds just beginning to bloom, emitting a delicate fragrance. Upon closer inspection of the petals and leaves, he realized they were a variety he'd never seen before.

Li Yi said, "These two pots of orchids were sent to me by Pei Bo after he arrived in Bizhou. He said he dug them up from the mountains in Bizhou. Although they are not valuable, they are quite interesting. I am a rough man and do not understand these matters of flowers and the moon, but I have heard that Prime Minister Gu's orchid paintings are unparalleled in the capital. It would be a pity to leave these two pots of orchids in my residence. I will send them to Prime Minister Gu's residence later."

Upon hearing this, Prime Minister Gu thought to himself, "So the Prince of Qin invited me today to change Pei Bo to a better prefecture. After all, the Prince of Qin has always been very close to the young master of the Pei family, and Bizhou is indeed not a very good place." He was naturally happy to do His Highness the Prince of Qin this favor, so he smiled. "I am very grateful for Your Highness's kindness. It would be impolite to refuse, so I will accept these orchids." He paused, then asked, "How is Prefect Pei doing in Bizhou?"

He was just waiting for the Prince of Qin to say that everything was fine, except that Bizhou was too remote, so he would immediately understand and order the Ministry of Personnel to find a better prefecture for Pei Bo the next day, giving him a more lucrative post.

But the Prince of Qin only said, "He's doing quite well," and then changed the subject, talking about the mutton at Laolan Pass.

Gu Xi realized he'd completely misunderstood, so he ate a few more bites of the custard, then, changing his mind, smiled. "These past few days, court affairs have been numerous and the various departments have been locked in disputes. We, as ministers, feel deeply ashamed that we cannot share His Majesty's burdens. To be able to steal half a day of leisure today to enjoy a bowl of cherry-topped custard with Your Highness is truly delightful."

Sure enough, Li Yi seemed completely unconcerned, but asked, "Has the Ministry of Rites still not reached a conclusion on whether Cui Yi's daughter may have an audience with His Majesty?"

Gu Xi's heart skipped a beat, knowing he was probably right. He smiled. "Now it's not just the Ministry of Rites that's arguing—the Ministry of War has also gotten involved, saying that since the Cui family's Dingsheng Army is fighting the enemy at the front, Cui Lin can be considered the son of a military governor when paying homage. There have been instances of military governors' sons paying homage to His Majesty before—why can't we follow that precedent? The Ministry of Rites refutes this, saying it's absolutely unacceptable. The Ministry of Revenue then says that the Dingsheng Army's provisions and pay haven't been allocated from the Ministry of Revenue since the taxes from Pinglu and Fanyang were deducted. Now that Lady Cui has arrived, this messy account can't be left unresolved... If this continues, before Lady Cui even sees His Majesty, the Six Ministries will be embroiled in a bitter dispute."

Li Yi stirred the cherries in his bowl with a spoon, his eyelids slightly lowered, and casually said, "Actually, isn't the Ministry of Rites insisting on precedent? Lady Cui's mother, Lady He, was bestowed the title of Lady Wulie by imperial decree. I remember during the Ruijing era, to honor the Lady of the Assisting Emperor, the court specially ordered her daughter to appear in court on the day of the Grand Court Ceremony, and Emperor Zhongzong personally bestowed upon her a golden tablet."

Prime Minister Gu was taken aback. "Your Highness is truly enlightened—there is indeed such a precedent. Since that's the case, the Ministry of Rites has a precedent to follow and can certainly allow Lady Cui to appear in court to see His Majesty." He then smiled. "The Ministry of Rites has been arguing for so many days, and Your Highness has resolved the crux of the matter with just one sentence. Your Highness is truly wise and insightful."

Li Yi merely smiled slightly. "The Cui family's Dingsheng Army is currently resisting Jie Shuo in Shuozhou. Since Cui Yi has ordered his daughter to come to court for an audience, he naturally has important matters to report to His Majesty. To appease the military governor and share the burden of the emperor and father is what a son and a subject should do."

These words were spoken in a grand and dignified manner, and Gu Xi nodded and smiled. "Your Highness is right."

After leaving the Prince of Qin's residence, Gu Xi got into his carriage and seemed to be deep in thought. He lifted the curtain and gave an instruction to his trusted servant, who then left to carry out the order.

When Gu Xi returned to the Gu residence, the orchids sent by the Prince of Qin had just arrived. He ordered servants to place them next to his bookshelf. Not long after, the servant he'd sent out earlier returned to report. Gu Xi pondered for a moment, then sent someone to summon Gu Wan Niang.

When Gu Wanniang entered the study, Gu Xi was holding a cup of tea, gazing absently at the two pots of orchids. He only came to his senses when Gu Wanniang gracefully approached and called out "Father."

Gu Xi pointed to the orchids. "Today, the Prince of Qin invited me to his residence to admire the cherry blossoms and also presented me with these two pots of orchids."

Gu Wan Niang was slightly surprised, but quickly replied, "His Highness must have heard that Father is skilled at painting orchids, so he gifted them."

Gu Xi sighed. "Indeed. The Prince of Qin paints with effortless grace—he is truly a master. Can you guess why he invited me to eat cherry-topped cheese?"

Gu Wan Niang thought for a moment. "Since His Highness invited Father, it must be for matters of the court. Could it be related to the Zhenxi Army or Grand Marshal Pei?"

Gu Xi couldn't help but sigh. "That's what I initially thought too. But then the Prince of Qin said he'd heard the Ministry of Rites had been arguing for so many days and still hadn't decided whether Lady Cui could meet His Majesty. Isn't it just because they're fixated on precedent? Cui's daughter's mother, Lady He, was bestowed the title of Lady of Martial Valor by imperial decree. During the Ruijing era, the court, to honor the Lady of the Assisting Emperor, specially ordered her daughter to attend the court on the day of the grand assembly."

Gu Wan Niang's expression was shocked, seemingly incredulous. After a long while, she murmured, "So that's how it is." After a pause, she said, "The Prince of Qin is indeed in love with Commandant He, who is now Cui Yi's daughter, Cui Lin."

Gu Xi was silent for a moment, then said, "Sixth Sister, you are my smartest child. When you returned from Bingzhou, what you said in this study was truly impressive. I cannot let you down. Later, you went out of the city to contact the Prince of Qin for me, making a great contribution. I have been thinking about your future."

Gu Wan Niang simply hummed in agreement.

Gu Xi said, "I've always felt that you and His Highness Prince Qin are destined for each other, and since you met, he has shown you much kindness. Wan Niang, do you want to marry His Highness Prince Qin?"

His words were quite direct, but Gu Wan Niang didn't hesitate and immediately nodded. "Of course I do."

Gu Xi seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, or perhaps a long sigh. "This path is likely fraught with peril."

Gu Wan Niang said, "Wan Niang is not afraid of hardship. Father, how hard you studied! Later, you entered officialdom, facing countless trials and tribulations. If Father were to help me secure my future, and I were to fear hardship, then Wan Niang would not be worthy of being your daughter."

Gu Xi nodded. "I have always understood your aspirations." He then changed the subject. "However, I just ordered someone to check the files, and sure enough, Prince Qin had looked through that file a few days ago. The matter of the Empress Dowager's daughter being granted special access to the court dates back more than sixty years. Only long-serving officials in the Ministry of Rites could find these files. For the sake of Lady Cui, Prince Qin used the excuse of checking other matters to personally stay in the Ministry of Rites' archives for several days before finally finding this old file. And because he was afraid of arousing suspicion, he asked me to come to his residence and told me about this old precedent so I could explain the matter to the Ministry of Rites. This shows how sincere and deep his feelings are for Lady Cui. He has gone to great lengths and tried every means to make her wish come true."

Gu Wan Niang bit her lip, her white teeth trembling. She listened intently, and with each sentence Gu Xi spoke, her face grew paler.

Gu Xi said, "Wan Niang, you are a clever child, so I must ask you another question. If your opponent is Lady Cui, I think it's worth a try. But if your opponent is not Lady Cui, but the Prince of Qin's deep affection for her, what are your chances of winning?"

Gu Wan Niang pondered for a moment, then smiled. "To admit defeat without even trying would be unworthy of being my daughter. Besides, the Prince of Qin's feelings and his marriage are two separate matters. His marriage is subject to His Majesty's decree. I have only ever heard of monarchs being suspicious of powerful regional officials, but I have never heard of a monarch being wary of a powerless civil official."

Upon hearing this, Prime Minister Gu smiled and nodded repeatedly.

PART 3

SEO Title (60 characters): "Twelve Hours on Leyouyuan: Just Be Seventeen Lang | Ch. 13"

145-Character Meta Description: "'Catch me 100 fireflies and I'll grant your wish.' But there are no fireflies, no shooting stars. Just twelve hours where they forget the world"

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Chapter Thirteen: Dragon Boat Festival (Part Three)

Meanwhile, Tao Zi hesitated for a long time, but finally had Xie Chang'er pick a basket of fresh cherries and bring them to her early the next morning. Xie Chang'er was meticulous. The basket was made of finely woven bamboo strips, extremely exquisite, and the cherries were all perfectly round and plump, covered with a bright green paulownia leaf, making it very beautiful.

Taozi nodded in satisfaction. "You did a good job this time."

Xie Chang'er didn't dare to reply. Early that morning, when he was carrying the cherries out of the manor, he'd happened to bump into His Highness Prince Qin. Immediately, he'd guiltily tried to hide the small basket of cherries behind his back, but Li Yi, who was always sharp-eyed, had already seen it, yet seemed to have seen nothing, didn't ask him anything, and turned and left.

Xie Chang'er didn't dare to breathe, struggling all the way, wondering whether he should tell Taozi about it. Later, he thought it was better not to say anything—after all, His Highness hadn't asked or said anything else.

Upon seeing the basket of cherries, Cui Lin was indeed slightly taken aback. Taozi pretended to be nonchalant. "The Prince of Qin specially sent these—they're very sweet. Try some."

Cui Lin didn't even glance at them again. "Since Xie Chang'er sent them to you, you can eat them. I don't like cherries."

Taozi was almost furious. She grabbed Xie Chang'er's ear and demanded to know where he'd slipped up. Xie Chang'er had never had his ear pulled before. Although she was only pretending and hadn't used any force, Taozi's fingers were warm and fragrant, and he couldn't help but blush. He stammered out what had happened that morning.

"But His Highness didn't say anything. He didn't even glance at it. How did Miss Cui know he didn't ask me to deliver it?"

Taozi was discouraged and muttered, "She said she didn't like cherries, but she clearly loves them."

Just as the two were arguing, someone from the Ministry of Rites arrived, saying they could now have an audience with the Emperor and providing the etiquette and protocol for the daughter of the Empress Dowager to attend court, following precedent. Taozi was overjoyed and quickly turned back to tell Cui Lin.

Upon hearing this news, Cui Lin didn't show any particular expression or seem surprised. However, after a moment, she suddenly asked, "You said a few days ago that Xie Chang'er was busy with something, always covered in dust, his clothes dirty that he couldn't shake off."

"Yes," Taozi replied without much thought, "they said the Prince of Qin was investigating something, and Xie Chang'er had been with His Highness in the Ministry of Rites' storeroom for several days, going through old files every day. Those files hadn't been touched for years, and they were covered in dust, making him look like he was covered in dirt."

Cui Lin gave an "Oh," but said nothing more. She simply turned her gaze to the window, seemingly looking at the sunlight and clouds reflected in the courtyard. Taozi thought her expression was normal, but for some reason, there seemed to be a faint trace of melancholy in her eyes. Taozi wondered—what's wrong now? Xie Chang'er is covered in dust and dirt, so what? Why is Miss showing this expression again? She seems a little happy, yet also extremely unhappy.

So annoying, Taozi thought. She really couldn't understand. Anyway, it's all Prince Qin's fault, she thought bitterly.

The 28th was the day of the grand court assembly.

Late spring approaching summer, the civil and military officials, dressed in their spring court robes, stood on the street, already feeling somewhat hot. The emperor treated such a grand court assembly with great solemnity, sitting on his throne with a dignified expression. When the eunuch drawled out, "Summon Cui Lin, daughter of Cui Yi, the Military Governor of Lulong, Protector-General of Shuobei, and General of the Left Guard, to the palace for an audience," everyone's spirits lifted.

Many officials in the court had never met Cui Yi, let alone his daughter. It was more extraordinary than any folk tale. Raised as a boy from childhood and later serving in the army, she was said to be quite knowledgeable in military affairs and possess the talent of a general. Her previous petition to choose a prince as her husband was already astonishing enough, and now she'd requested to appear in court in her father's place. What kind of person was she?

Everyone was curious, including Prince Qi, Li Lai, who stood at the front of the hall. He felt a mix of curiosity and unease, thinking that the court officials always described Cui Yi as a fierce and imposing man. He wondered what his daughter looked like. Even if she were ugly, he'd probably still marry her. However... he was anxious and kept trying to steal glances at the hall's entrance, but doing so during the grand court assembly was inappropriate. His heart was itching with desire.

Gradually, they heard the sound of footsteps approaching from afar, slow but steady—the sound of military boots on the gleaming brick floor. Then, everyone in the hall was startled to see Cui Lin slowly enter.

She was already slender and tall, clad in armor and wearing the helmet of the Dingsheng Army, its red tassels framing her face, which appeared as bright as the moon. Her long eyebrows reached her temples, and her eyes were like rippling waves—she was strikingly beautiful, yet also possessed a strikingly heroic air. Upon entering the hall, she removed her helmet as required by etiquette, holding it to her chest. She had her hair tied up like a man's, the black strands perfectly styled, further emphasizing her bright eyes and white teeth. Yet her gait was composed, her bearing extraordinary, as if she were born to wear such armor and walk in such a magnificent hall. The civil and military officials lined up on both sides—everyone who saw her was utterly astonished. They never expected Cui Yi's daughter to enter the hall in armor, nor did they expect that Cui Yi's daughter would be such a stunning beauty.

The moment Li Lai saw her, he felt his mouth go dry, and only one thought crossed his mind: Such a beauty!

Cui Lin paid no heed to the gazes of anyone in the hall. She walked to the ninth square brick in front of the throne, the spot designated by the Ministry of Rites in the ceremonial protocol. There, she stopped and bowed, but in a military salute. The officials had never seen a woman perform a military salute before, yet her gesture was composed and graceful, possessing a unique charm. Her voice was clear and resonant, neither too loud nor too soft, yet heard clearly by everyone in the hall. "Your subject Cui Lin greets Your Majesty."

Faced with such a young and beautiful woman, yet one who wore armor and entered the hall—a sight never before seen—even the emperor was stunned. After a moment, only when signaled by the eunuch did he come to his senses. He gestured for Cui Lin to rise and asked, "You say you came to see me in place of your father. If so, what is it?"

Cui Lin bowed. "Cui Lin is here in place of my father to pay homage to you. Luoyang, the Eastern Capital, was temporarily administered by the Cui family's Dingsheng Army during Sun Jing's rebellion. Now that the world is at peace and Your Majesty has ascended the throne, ruling with grace and benevolence throughout the land, it is only right that our Cui family's Dingsheng Army withdraw from Luoyang immediately and return the Eastern Capital to the court."

The hall fell silent for a moment, then suddenly a buzzing sound arose as the officials couldn't help but murmur and discuss among themselves.

The Emperor was overjoyed. "You mean, you want to return Luoyang, the Eastern Capital, to me?"

Cui Lin, poised and graceful, smiled. "Luoyang is the Eastern Capital of our dynasty, and naturally, it is also Your Majesty's Eastern Capital. The Cui family's Dingsheng Army was merely acting as its deputy. Now that the rebellion has been quelled, the Dingsheng Army should naturally withdraw from Luoyang and return the Eastern Capital to the court."

The Emperor couldn't help but slap his thigh, praising repeatedly, overjoyed. "Good! Good! So that's what you came to the court to discuss. You should have said so earlier! I love straightforward children like you. Very good!" He was so pleased that he felt Cui Yi was a loyal minister, even finding Cui Lin's defiant act of wearing armor to the court acceptable. He glanced at her, thinking that although Cui Lin was somewhat arrogant, she was at least sensible, and besides, she was quite good-looking. He suddenly remembered that Cui Yi had once said he would choose a prince as his son-in-law. This Cui Lin was so beautiful and so pragmatic—she was a good match for Prince Qi. So he said, "I will tell the Empress to prepare a banquet to entertain you properly." He added, "Don't be afraid or worried about your father going to war. Now that you're in the capital, stay in Xichangjing for a while. There are many delicious and fun things to do here." He hoped she wouldn't go back on her word and that he would keep her until the handover of Luoyang was complete.

Cui Lin seemed completely unaware of the Emperor's ulterior motives. She simply clasped her hands in greeting. "Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty!"

Cui Lin's appearance in armor before the Emperor caused a sensation and became a popular topic of conversation. Everyone felt that this young woman was extraordinary, worthy of being Cui Yi's daughter, and even surpassing her father. With just a few words, she'd immediately manipulated the court and regained the Emperor's favor and respect. As a reward for meritorious military officers, the Emperor granted her permission to ride a horse when leaving the palace. So, after the court session, a group of military officers waiting outside the palace gates to mount their horses watched as a charming young girl—Taozi—led over an extremely fine white horse. This Miss Cui, fully armored, easily and gracefully mounted the horse, clearly demonstrating her superb riding skills and years of military experience.

"Heretical!" some couldn't help but mutter to themselves, while others couldn't help but admire. "Only such a fine horse is worthy of such a person." Still others pondered, "Cui Yi has raised such a good daughter—no wonder he openly tells the world, 'I have no son, only a daughter.' This young lady is indeed far superior to many spoiled brats of noble families."

While the crowd glanced sideways, His Highness the Prince of Qin remained unmoved. Today was a grand court assembly, and everyone was dressed in formal court attire. Li Yi, too, wore a Liang crown and the Prince of Qin's purple silk robes, with a jade belt hook at his waist. Outside the palace gates, the full regalia of the Prince of Qin awaited. After mounting their horses, the music began, with six men leading the procession, followed by ceremonial staffs, spears, flags, ceremonial swords, and other regalia, along with eighty mounted guards. Surrounded by attendants, they rode off in a grand procession.

He was usually low-key, but this time he displayed the full regalia of the Prince of Qin, an unprecedented display that drew the attention of the court officials. Some even secretly remarked, "His Highness the Prince of Qin is indeed thoughtful and far-sighted—otherwise, that young lady from the Cui family would have stolen the show at today's court assembly." Such regalia was indeed impressive! Fortunately, His Highness the Prince of Qin was there, his dashing figure and imposing presence overshadowing that Cui lady.

Meanwhile, Empress Lu, having received the Emperor's personal instruction to prepare a grand banquet for Cui Lin, was facing a dilemma. She'd heard of Cui Lin's armored entrance to the court and was said to be a remarkable woman, not inferior to any man. Such a woman wouldn't be delicate, but she might be arrogant, and a slight misstep could damage the royal dignity. Therefore, she pondered for several days and finally devised a foolproof plan.

It turns out the palace places great importance on festivals such as the Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, and Double Ninth Festival. Coincidentally, the Dragon Boat Festival was approaching, so a banquet would be held on Taiye Pond by boat. It was also arranged for princesses, county princesses, and other young ladies to attend. Even so, the emperor still felt it wasn't enough. "Make it more lively! Find more ladies from noble families to come, so that Cui Lin can see what real ladies from prominent families in the capital are like, and also to curb her arrogance."

The Empress nodded in agreement, thinking this matter wasn't difficult—she could simply select elegant young ladies from the families of officials in the capital to attend the palace banquet. The Emperor pondered for a moment. "Didn't Cui Yi say that Cui Lin wanted to choose a husband from among the princes? Invite Prince Qi to join us." After the court assembly that day, Prince Qi stayed in the palace, persistently trying to persuade the Emperor to grant him a marriage alliance with Cui Lin. However, the Emperor knew that Cui Yi wasn't someone to be trifled with—if he said he wanted to choose, then Cui Lin would truly have to choose for herself. Therefore, he wanted to take advantage of the banquet to allow Prince Qi and Cui Lin to spend more time together. Who wouldn't like a young man like Prince Qi? Perhaps after just one more meeting, Cui Lin would immediately want to marry him!

Hearing the Emperor's words, the Empress smiled. "Simply summoning Prince Qi isn't appropriate—why not have Prince Qin come to the palace as well?"

The Emperor thought it made sense, and then immediately came up with another idea. "The festival is almost here. Jun'er has been imprisoned for so long and knows he was wrong. Let's lift his confinement and let him come out to celebrate." It turned out that although Li Jun had been demoted to Prince Anyang and confined to his residence, the Emperor truly cared for him and would frequently send eunuchs to visit. The eunuchs would return saying that His Highness Prince Anyang was depressed and aggrieved, regretting that he'd been framed by villains and lost the Emperor's favor. The Emperor was deeply saddened to hear this. Another day, the weather turned cold, and Li Jun fell ill again, refusing to eat or drink for several days. Upon hearing this, the Emperor hurriedly disguised himself and went to visit him. Li Jun appeared to be on his deathbed, unable to rise from his bed. Upon seeing the emperor, he struggled to get up and pay his respects, but the emperor quickly stopped him. Li Jun then burst into tears. "Father, I am so fortunate to see you again in this life! Even if I die, I can die in peace..."

The emperor was saddened by his weeping and comforted him, saying such ominous things shouldn't be spoken.

He'd always relied heavily on this eldest son. When he was the Prince of Liang, he lacked the ability to manage affairs, and Li Jun was the son of the principal wife. As Li Jun grew older, he took charge of all matters in the Prince of Liang's household. At that time, Li Fu, as the Prince of Liang, merely enjoyed wealth and privilege. Therefore, hearing Li Jun's words now, and remembering how capable and filial his son had been in the past, he couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness. Moreover, Li Jun clung to his arm, crying. "Father, I'm innocent! I really didn't kill the Princess Consort! It was all those villains who framed me!" He repeatedly said, "Only Father believes me in this world. If even Father doesn't believe me now, I'll just kill myself." After saying this, he made a move to smash his head against a pillar again, but fortunately, he was stopped in time. Li Jun burst into tears again. "Those people framed me, wronged me, but Father believed them and has kept me locked up like this. I'd rather be dead."

The emperor was so frightened that he comforted him repeatedly, saying he would definitely find an opportunity to lift his confinement and give him freedom immediately. As the emperor was about to return to the palace, Li Jun, with tears in his eyes, clung to his sleeve. "Father, please have pity on me, for I am on the verge of death."

The emperor, naturally softened, immediately instructed the guards to allow Li Jun unrestricted access. "Once you recover, you can easily go out for some fresh air if you wish."

Li Jun, still dissatisfied, said, "This sneaking around makes it seem as if I am truly guilty. I was framed by a villain. When will Father openly and fairly lift my confinement?" He also harbored resentment, exclaiming, "It must be Li Yi! He coerced Father Emperor like this. He has long resented Father Emperor's affection for me. Not only did he bribe someone to frame me, but he also forced Father Emperor to demote my title. He is truly a treacherous villain!"

The Emperor was indeed wary of Li Yi, but on the surface, he still comforted Li Jun with a few words, saying after some time, he would definitely find an opportunity to release him.

Therefore, the Emperor thought of the Dragon Boat Festival, when the Empress would be hosting a banquet for Cui Lin, the princesses, and the county princesses—a day for family reunion. So he proposed in the court assembly to lift the confinement of Prince Anyang, Li Jun.

Before anyone else could speak, Prince Qin was the first to object. "To murder one's wife is an act of utter depravity, and to pardon someone after only a short period of confinement—where will the laws of the court be placed in the future?"

The emperor wanted to slam his fist on the table and reprimand Li Yi, but this time all the officials sided with Li Yi. Even Gu Xi advised, "Your Majesty's grace is boundless—you have already shown extraordinary mercy to Prince Anyang. It is not appropriate to grant a pardon so easily now."

Helpless, the emperor had no choice but to give up. Upon hearing this, Li Jun hated Li Yi even more. "Prince Qin is only trying to kill me with this." He believed Li Yi was trying to force him to his death.

Although the emperor could not pardon Li Jun, he still bestowed countless gifts such as zongzi, longevity silk, brocade clothing, and various trinkets upon Prince Anyang's residence before the festival, and only then did he stop.

Then, following the empress's advice, in addition to inviting many young ladies, he also selected many eligible young men from noble families to attend the palace banquet. Thus, the Dragon Boat Festival banquet was truly a grand and lively affair. Almost every noble family scion of the third rank or above, or a lady of high birth, in the capital received the imperial favor of being invited. Young men and beautiful young ladies gathered together.

The Empress sat in the center, with princes, princesses, county princesses, and other noble ladies arranged on either side. Below them were the young men and ladies of high birth. It was still early, but since everyone had entered the palace, they naturally arrived early. Gradually, about 80-90% of the guests had arrived, and the atmosphere was lively. Suddenly, a palace maid came to report. "Reporting to the Empress, Miss Cui has come to pay her respects."

The Empress hurriedly said, "Quickly, invite her in!"

She was actually quite curious, wondering if this Miss Cui would come in wearing armor again, which would be a rare sight indeed. A beautiful woman gracefully entered through the door, adorned with gold and jade hairpins and wearing a flowing, rosy dress. She seemed to radiate precious light, and although the room was filled with seventeen or eighteen-year-old girls, everyone was amazed by her beauty.

The Empress was taken aback by the unexpected beauty of the young woman, and remained stunned until Cui Lin approached and bowed respectfully. "This humble woman, Cui Lin, greets Your Majesty."

The Empress, momentarily stunned, quickly dismissed the formalities and smiled. "The other day, Miss Cui appeared in court in full armor, reportedly displaying remarkable courage and prowess, not inferior to any man. I was expecting to see a female general today, but instead, Miss Cui, dressed as a young lady, is so graceful and charming."

Cui Lin smiled, her beauty even more radiant and captivating. "Your Majesty flatters me."

She'd never been so adorned before. Prince Qi was already mesmerized, and the young men in the hall held their breath, as if afraid this fairy-like beauty's gaze would fall upon them. Only Prince Qin, Li Yi, calmly raised his cup.

The Empress laughed. "No need to be so formal—please take a seat. The scenery by Taiye Pond is beautiful, so we've prepared a fine banquet to invite you to enjoy the lake view."

A palace maid led Cui Lin to sit opposite Prince Qi—an arrangement carefully made by the Empress.

The Empress continued, "Today's grand gathering is twofold: first, to welcome Miss Cui, and second, to celebrate this rare and beautiful scene. Miss Cui has long resided in Yingzhou and rarely visits the capital. Today, let Prince Qi and Prince Qin, these young men, entertain you to your heart's content."

Prince Qi seized the opportunity to stand up, smiling as he raised his cup. "Today, let's drink this cup to the fullest to celebrate Her Majesty the Empress's birthday and to welcome Miss Cui."

Hearing this, everyone rose and raised their cups. Li Yi, left with no choice, also rose and raised his golden cup.

Cui Lin smiled. "Thank you, Your Majesty the Empress, thank you, Prince Qi." She then drank her cup to the fullest.

Seeing her drink with such hearty abandon, the Empress grew even more fond of her. Amidst the singing, dancing, and feasting, and after several rounds of drinks, the group boarded a large boat and sailed on Taiye Lake.

The Dragon Boat Festival customs include not only dragon boat racing, but also various games such as water swings and shooting rice balls. Among them, the water swings are the most exciting. Two teams of performers wrestle on the water swings, and the one who can grab the colorful ball tied to the bow of the boat wins, while the one who falls into the water is eliminated. Because the swing is suspended at the bow while the boat moves on the water, it is extremely thrilling and breathtaking. This kind of competition requires participants to be clever, quick-witted, skilled in fighting, adept at swinging, and good at swimming. The two teams of performers chosen by the Queen today were very skilled, and therefore their competition was exciting, which made everyone on the boat admire them repeatedly.

Although it was a royal boat, it wasn't as spacious as a palace, so the banquet inside was more compact. The Empress sat in the center, with Prince Qi and Cui Lin still seated opposite each other below her, though now only about ten feet apart. Seeing Cui Lin gazing at the water swing, Prince Qi smiled. "Miss Cui, would you like to place a bet and try your luck?"

It turned out that betting was possible on the water swing, simply betting on which team would win. Cui Lin smiled sweetly at Prince Qi's words. "Then, Your Highness, which team do you think I should bet on?"

Prince Qi looked around and saw one team dressed in red and the other in blue on the water swing. "I think the red team will win."

Cui Lin nodded. "In that case, as Your Highness says, I bet on the red team." With that, she took a gold pendant from her wrist as the betting amount.

A palace maid immediately came forward and took the gold pendant. Seeing her charming smile, the Prince of Qi felt his heart melt and exclaimed, "Then I'll bet on the red team to win with Miss Cui! I'll bet ten thousand coins!"

Such generosity naturally drew cheers from the imperial boat, and even the entertainers on the water swings thanked him for the prize, as the winnings would go to them if they lost.

Hearing the Prince of Qi's loud voice and the exclamations of admiration from the crowd, Li Yi felt a surge of unease. Just then, he heard a soft voice beside him ask, "Your Highness, which team do you wish to bet on?"

Li Yi turned around and saw it was Gu Wan Niang. She'd also come to the palace for the banquet that day, and her seat wasn't far from Li Yi's, though he hadn't noticed her.

Seeing her ask, he said, "I'm betting on the blue team to win."

Gu Wan Niang nodded. "Then I'll bet on the blue team to win, just like Your Highness!"

Li Yi took off a jade fish from his clothes as a betting token, and Gu Wan Niang also took out a gold hairpin and placed it in the tray held by the palace maid as a betting token.

Because the Prince of Qi had offered the most betting tokens, he was responsible for opening the betting, which meant that before the start of each round, he would throw a piece of colored silk towards the bow of the boat. However, the Prince of Qi gave this opening betting opportunity to Cui Lin, who readily agreed. Standing at the bow, she threw a piece of colored silk, which shot out like a rainbow—a beautiful sight. The Prince of Qi couldn't help but clap and cheer.

At the end of the round, the red team won, and the blue team lost. Prince Qi grew increasingly smug and glanced at Li Yi, laughing. "Third brother, you're good at fighting, but when it comes to gambling, you're no good."

He then triumphantly awarded the ten thousand coins to the courtesans, eliciting thunderous cheers. Prince Qi, however, said, "This was won by Miss Cui—we should thank Miss Cui." The courtesans then bowed to thank Cui Lin, who merely smiled slightly. Prince Qi, having achieved such success in front of the beautiful woman, was filled with pride and unbridled joy.

Just then, a new game was about to begin, and Prince Qi asked Cui Lin, "Miss Cui, which team do you think will win this game?"

Before Cui Lin could answer, Li Yi suddenly said, "Second Brother, this kind of gambling is quite boring. Why don't we take to the game ourselves and try our luck on the water swing?"

Prince Qi was taken aback upon hearing this. He knew Li Yi had been agile since childhood and was particularly good at playing on the water swing when he was eleven or twelve years old, and he was quite famous in the capital. He couldn't help but feel hesitant. Suddenly, Cui Lin laughed. "Your Highness, if you were to fight against the Prince of Qin, I would be willing to be on your team."

The Prince of Qi was overjoyed upon hearing this and said to Li Yi, "How about it? Why don't you choose another performer from among the entertainers to be your partner?"

Li Yi was annoyed, but he remained calm on the surface and smiled. "It's alright, I can fight two against one."

Before he finished speaking, Gu Wan Niang had already stood up from her seat. "If Your Highness does not mind, Wan Niang is willing to be on your team."

Although she was a young lady from a respectable family, she was very good at playing on the swing. Her half-sister had once teased her, saying that if a young lady had such a tricky skill, she might as well go to the streets to perform. Seeing Li Yi's reaction, she naturally stepped forward. Sure enough, Li Yi hesitated upon seeing her. "A water swing is more dangerous than a regular swing—it's not something to be taken lightly."

She replied, "It's alright, I've done it before, and I can swim too."

Another young lady laughed. "Your Highness, don't worry about her. She's always so good at swinging—she practically flies!"

It turned out that seven or eight out of ten of the young ladies secretly admired this Prince Qin. After all, when Prince Qin led his army back to the capital, presenting the captives at the ancestral temple, he was awe-inspiring and dashing, drawing huge crowds. Which young lady hadn't dreamt of him in her sleep? Seeing Gu Wan Niang about to go swinging on the water with Prince Qin, they were naturally extremely envious. Therefore, they boldly spoke up, and sure enough, Prince Qin was very amiable, smiling and nodding in acknowledgment. The young lady felt a sweet warmth in her heart, only regretting that she couldn't swing, let alone a water swing.

Seeing their enthusiasm, the Empress had a pair of dragon and phoenix hairpins brought out, and said with a smile, "Let these dragon and phoenix hairpins be the prize." She then beckoned to Li Yi, who had no choice but to step forward.

The Empress whispered, "Be careful. Miss Cui is a guest, and a young lady, unlike you who are constantly wielding swords in the army. Please take good care of her." Coming from a noble family, she was adept at reading people. She noticed that Cui Lin treated Prince Qi quite warmly, but she couldn't discern any romantic feelings between them, likely due to their recent acquaintance. However, Prince Qin seemed to have a past grudge against this Miss Cui, the reason for which was unknown. It was probably because the Zhenxi Army and the Dingsheng Army had fought each other before, or perhaps some other grudge remained. As the person in charge of today's palace banquet, she feared something unpleasant might happen and be difficult to handle, hence this instruction.

Li Yi thought to himself that the Empress was unaware that Cui Lin, despite her current refined and quiet appearance, seemingly indistinguishable from the other ladies of high society on the boat, was actually a thousand times more formidable than those brutes wielding swords and spears in the army. Who knew what cunning schemes she would devise later? Nevertheless, he had no choice but to agree.

Seeing the Empress had singled him out and was giving him instructions, Prince Qi glanced at Li Yi, thinking that if he were with Miss Cui later, they could kick Li Yi into the water first—that would be truly amusing.

After the gangplank was set up, the Prince of Qi greeted them politely with a smile. "Third brother, please."

Li Yi replied, "Of course, second brother, please go first."

The two brothers were very respectful and courteous to each other. After crossing the gangplank to another boat, Gu Wanniang and Cui Lin also changed into neat clothes and were escorted across the gangplank by the eunuchs. Li Yi kept his eyes fixed on the huge flower ball suspended between the two swings at the bow of the boat. He thought to himself that he should make the first move and grab the flower ball to board the imperial boat. He must not fall into Cui Lin's trap.

The music troupe began playing the Jie drums, one beat after another, creating a series of patterns. All four of them got on the swings. When the music suddenly stopped, the Empress herself threw a piece of colorful silk from the imperial boat. It unfurled in the wind, like a rainbow. Before the rainbow silk even hit the water, the music resumed. Prince Qi couldn't wait any longer and kicked out, aiming straight for Li Yi's face. Li Yi grabbed the swing rope with one hand and used his fingers to skillfully swing the swing up, making a sharp half-turn in mid-air to avoid the kick. Gu Wan Niang, on the other end of the swing, was overjoyed to see the swing approaching the flower ball. Before she could even pick the flower ball, Cui Lin on the other side had already arrived first and kicked the swing board next to Gu Wan Niang's foot. The swing swung sideways, and Gu Wan Niang stumbled and almost fell into the water. Fortunately, Li Yi was quick-witted and grabbed her. Before Gu Wan Niang could even cry out in surprise, Li Yi had already supported her arm and helped her stand on the swing.

Gu Wan Niang, feeling sweet inside, hadn't even had a chance to thank him when she suddenly saw Prince Qi aggressively urging the swing on again. She cried out, "Watch out!" and clung tightly to the swing rope, trying to avoid him. Unexpectedly, Prince Qi's swing slowed slightly, and Cui Lin twisted her body, grabbed the swing rope, and pulled Gu Wan Niang over. Li Yi, not wanting to fight back, frowned and reached out to grab the swing rope beside Prince Qi, attempting a diversionary tactic. However, Cui Lin ignored her and pushed Gu Wan Niang off the swing with a single blow.

Li Yi quickly stopped, reaching out to grab Gu Wan Niang's arm. His force was too great, and the swing swung violently, but fortunately, this pull brought Gu Wan Niang back onto the swing. At this moment, Prince Qi also realized what was happening and, together with Cui Lin, worked in perfect harmony, only wanting to knock Gu Wan Niang off the swing.

The four of them tumbled and tumbled on the swing, a thrilling and spectacular sight. On the imperial boat, everyone from the Empress down watched with awe and exclamations of surprise. A moment later, Prince Qi finally seized the opportunity to push Gu Wan Niang off the swing. Li Yi was unable to save her in time and was forced to fight two against one on the swing, yet he held his own. Gu Wan Niang, now in the water, was rescued by a skilled Imperial Guard in a small boat. Wearing the cloak offered by the guard, Gu Wan Niang looked up at the three tumbling and tumbling on the swing, and felt a pang of self-reproach for her inability to help Prince Qin.

After boarding the imperial boat and finishing changing and dressing in the aft cabin, Gu Wanniang had just stepped out when she suddenly heard cheers and exclamations. She rushed to the ship's side and saw that Li Yi had knocked Prince Qi into the water. Although Cui Lin had also taken the opportunity to kick Li Yi in the back, Li Yi, despite falling, managed to hook his toes onto the swing board hanging upside down. He reached into the blue water and just happened to retrieve the colorful silk that had been thrown into the water earlier.

Seeing he was about to fall into the water, Cui Lin ignored him and reached for the flower ball. Li Yi leaped up, grabbed the swing rope again, and like a great eagle, flipped onto the swing board. The colorful silk in his hand was wet and heavy, and he flung it out like a stick, sweeping towards Cui Lin. Cui Lin quickly spun the swing, like a nimble swallow, and dodged the attack. The two exchanged twenty or thirty moves in a flash, their speed as fast as lightning and the wind as swift, dazzling the eye. The people on the imperial boat were already cheering and applauding, drowning out even the drums and music of the music troupe.

This contest between the two was different from the previous four—Cui Lin was agile, quick-witted, and extremely resourceful. Li Yi was fully focused on his exchanges with her, but in this real fight, after several dozen moves, her strength gradually waned, and her attacks slowed. Li Yi thought to himself, "The Empress specifically instructed me not to kick her into the water and embarrass her. I'll just grab the ball and win." His mind raced. Seeing Cui Lin swing the swing—this swing lacked a bit of power, the angle slightly off—it was the perfect opportunity. He swung out his colorful ribbon, intending to slow her down, grab the ball, and run away. Unexpectedly, after the colorful ribbon was unfurled, Cui Lin used the momentum to perform a "Wild Goose Landing on Sand" move on the swing, casually tossing the ribbon across the sky. The ribbon swirled like a rainbow, or a soaring dragon, before descending in a spiral.

Ignoring the ribbon, his fingers had already grasped the silk cord tying the flower ball. Just as he was about to exert force, he felt a chill on the back of his hand. It was her two slender fingers, like onion stalks, already resting on the back of his hand. Startled, he saw her other hand grab his collar and pull him closer.

At that moment, the ribbon, like a rainbow, slowly descended, enveloping the two of them like a dragon, also blocking the view of everyone on the imperial boat. Her face was incredibly close, so close that he could clearly see even her slightly trembling eyelashes. He suddenly remembered how he used to love kissing her eyes—her eyelashes were like fluttering butterfly wings, always tickling his lips. He was lost in thought when she smiled sweetly, revealing a small dimple at the corner of her lips. He was instantly breathless and startled. She had already gently kissed his lips. He felt a buzzing in his head, his blood rushing. In his shock, he loosened his grip, and the flower ball was snatched away. She held the flower ball in her jade-like fingers, smiling at him.

Li Yi was furious. "You... how could you do this! How could you..."

Before he could finish his rebuke, she had already kicked him and the colored silk into the water. Li Yi, instantly sobered by the lake water, swam to his feet and saw her sitting on a swing. The swing swayed gently, her toes lightly touching the shimmering water, reflecting her snow-white face, making her look like a fairy on the water. She held a flower ball and looked at him with a grin, saying flauntingly, "Your Highness, have you forgotten? I, Cui, am just this kind of person."

Li Yi gave a wry smile.

Only then did the people on the imperial boat see clearly, and cheers erupted. "Your Highness, the Prince of Qin, has fallen into the water!" "Miss Cui has won the flower ball!" "Miss Cui has won!"

The imperial guards rowed the small boat, pulling Li Yi aboard with their hands and feet. Cui Lin stood on the swing, holding the flower ball, and gracefully bowed to the Empress. The small boat was very fast, and in no time it was alongside the imperial boat. Li Yi boarded the boat and went to the rear cabin to change his wet clothes. His steps were heavy, and he couldn't help but sigh deeply.

Suddenly, someone beside him said, "Why does Your Highness sigh?"

Li Yi turned his head and saw it was Pei Yuan. Today, he wasn't wearing the leather armor of a military officer, but a brocade robe for the festival, and he was holding dry clothes in his hand.

Li Yi couldn't help but ask, "Why are you here?"

Pei Yuan was also among those summoned to the palace to attend the banquet today, but he wasn't on this boat when he boarded the imperial boat earlier. Pei Yuan said, "I heard you were going to compete with Miss Cui on the water swing, so I knew you were going to lose. That's why I quickly prepared your clothes and sent them over."

Li Yi was speechless for a moment, then sneered. "Since you're so clever, why don't I transfer you to Luoyang to handle the handover with the Dingsheng Army?"

Pei Yuan didn't care. "Your Highness's orders are my absolute command. Not to mention transferring me to Luoyang, even if Your Highness wanted to go to Luoyang in person, I would certainly follow." He then said seriously, "I have long advised you that if you marry Miss Cui, she will be your mistress. If you lose to your mistress, it's only natural that you're afraid of your wife, not a disgrace."

Li Yi said angrily, "Who said that my loss today is a disgrace?" He took the clothes from him and went to change out of his wet clothes in a huff.

After he finished dressing and returned to the Empress's seat, Cui Lin had also returned. She'd changed her clothes again, her hair piled high in a magnificent gown, her gold hairpins swaying, her robes fluttering. She looked as serene and elegant as a fairy, a truly dignified and beautiful young lady from a noble family. There was not a trace of the fierce demeanor she'd displayed on the swing earlier. When Li Yi saw her smiling at him, her lips still freshly painted red, his heart fluttered. He quickly avoided her gaze and bowed before the Empress. "Your subject is incompetent—I have indeed lost."

The Empress smiled. "Everyone says that the Prince of Qin's water swing is unparalleled in the world, a rare sight indeed. Today you know that there are always people more skilled than you, and heavens beyond heavens."

Li Yi could not accuse Cui Lin of cheating, so he could only silently bow, looking very ashamed.

The Empress said, "This dragon and phoenix hairpin, being the prize, naturally belongs to Miss Cui."

Immediately, a palace maid presented the dragon and phoenix hairpin to Cui Lin.

Cui Lin asked with a smile, "Your Majesty, now that this hairpin is mine, may I also give it to someone else?"

The Empress was taken aback, then smiled. "Of course."

Cui Lin picked up the dragon hairpin from the plate. "The craftsmanship of this hairpin is truly worthy of the Imperial Household Department's finest workmanship—it is exquisite and rarely seen in the world. Such a fine item should naturally be given to His Highness Prince Qin."

The Empress's eyes widened as she looked at Cui Lin, then at Li Yi. Gu Wan Niang's heart was in turmoil, but she still maintained a composed demeanor.

Li Yi said, "I am unworthy of such praise. Since it is such a fine item, Miss Cui should keep it for herself."

Cui Lin smiled enigmatically, but glanced at Li Yi. "Oh, Your Highness Prince Qin doesn't want this item to have passed through my hands?"

Seeing the veiled meaning in their words, and recalling the earlier struggle on the swing, the Empress guessed a thing or two. She thought that these two had once led troops separately, indicating a past grudge. Fearing that the stalemate would not end well, she smiled. "Seventeenth Prince, you can keep it."

This was the Empress's decree. Li Yi had no choice but to pretend to accept it, but Cui Lin turned and gave the dragon hairpin to a palace maid, who then presented it to Li Yi. Cui Lin picked up the phoenix hairpin, examined it carefully, and then, holding the hairpin, strolled over to Gu Wan Niang. She placed the hairpin in Gu Wan Niang's hair. "Only someone as beautiful as you, Miss Gu, is worthy of this hairpin!"

Gu Wan Niang was startled, her face flushed, and a thousand thoughts raced through her mind. She gracefully bowed. "Thank you, Miss Cui."

Cui Lin smiled. "This is a gift from the Empress. Sister Gu should thank the Empress together with His Highness Prince Qin."

Li Yi had no choice but to bow and thank the Empress along with Gu Wan Niang.

Prince Qi had initially been suspicious when he saw her give the dragon hairpin to Li Yi, but then she gave the phoenix hairpin to Gu Wan Niang, which made him happy. He thought to himself that this was truly a wonderful person, and he was even more delighted. Cui Lin, however, remained smiling, letting the Prince of Qi fawn over her like a swarm of bees and butterflies, showering her with attention.

The palace banquet lasted a long time, until dusk when it finally ended, and Cui Lin took her leave.

Back at her residence, she removed her heavy jeweled hairpins and ornaments, washed and changed her clothes. The new moon had already risen, and she felt somewhat weary. She leaned against the soft couch, chatting idly with Tao Zi.

Tao Zi said, "The whole capital is buzzing with rumors that you kicked the Prince of Qin into the water. You really did?"

Cui Lin stretched. "He kicked me into the river back then too—it's just tit for tat."

Tao Zi became agitated. "What? When did he kick you into the river? Was the water cold? Were there any bloodsucking insects in it?"

"I want to eat Eight Treasure Gourd Duck, the kind that's stewed until it's very tender."

"Don't change the subject!"

"I was starving in the palace all day," Cui Lin pouted. "There wasn't much interesting food at the palace banquet. Even the zongzi were cold. You only seemed interested in that frivolous man surnamed Li."

Tao Zi immediately looked ashamed. "Then I'll make you Eight Treasure Gourd Duck." She got up to go to the kitchen, but then turned around and asked, "This dish is very time-consuming. I'm afraid it will take at least two hours to make. Should I bring you some snacks to tide you over?"

Cui Lin shook her head. "No need. I only want to eat that."

Tao Zi knew her temperament well, so she hurried to the kitchen and personally made this elaborate and time-consuming dish. After she left, Cui Lin lowered the bed curtains, stuffed the pillow into the quilt, tidied herself up, and pretended that someone was sleeping with the quilt rolled up. Then she changed into her night clothes and quietly climbed out the window.

She carefully sneaked around, avoiding the city's night patrol guards. In the time it took to drink a cup of tea, she'd already reached the high walls of the Prince of Qin's mansion. Knowing that this place, seemingly ordinary, was actually heavily guarded, she took a deep breath, identified the location of the back garden, and silently slipped in.

Even though she was extremely meticulous and made no sound, just as she climbed over the low garden wall, a cold sword was suddenly pointed at her throat. By the moonlight, Cui Lin looked at the face of the swordsman. Upon seeing her, the man's hand trembled, and he stammered, "His Highness Prince Qin is in the Pine Breeze and Water Moon Pavilion in the west of the garden."

Cui Lin smiled. "Thank you for the guidance, General Pei."

Pei Yuan hastily shoved a gold token into her hand. "I will redeploy the guards from all directions. Take this token to avoid being mistakenly injured."

Cui Lin chuckled and, like a nimble swallow, leaped back into the darkness. With the gold token in hand and Pei Yuan's assistance, she entered the depths of Prince Qin's mansion as if it were empty. Upon reaching the Songfeng Shuiyue Pavilion, looking through the latticed window, she saw the courtyard bathed in moonlight, with rustling pines in the breeze. A table was set up in the courtyard, displaying a vegetarian feast.

Cui Lin hesitated for a moment, then climbed over the high wall. From the top, she peered down. In that split second, a gust of wind struck. Without thinking, she pressed her hand against the wall and spun around. Sure enough, a cold glint grazed her hair as it pierced past. Missing its mark, the sword was immediately withdrawn, then aimed for her ankle. Cui Lin dodged, but the moss on the wall was extremely slippery. She lost her footing and swayed, falling towards the ground. The person reacted quickly, leaping down as soon as she fell, catching her without hesitation and carrying her to the ground.

A gentle breeze rustled through the pines, cool and refreshing. Cui Lin chuckled softly. "Thank you."

Li Yi, taken aback by her gratitude, suddenly felt his catching her was utterly inexplicable. He immediately threw her away with force, but worried she might not react in time and crash into the wall—a bluestone wall that would likely cause excruciating pain. So he reduced the force of the throw by seven or eight tenths, allowing her to land gracefully and steadily. Using the moonlight, she glanced at Li Yi's face and smiled. "Why are you angry again?"

Li Yi sneered. "Why am I angry? You came to my residence in the middle of the night like an assassin, yet you weren't killed on the spot. I was just about to ask Pei Yuan what a crime it is!" Seeing the gold medal tucked into Cui Lin's waist, he grew even angrier. "How could Pei Yuan give you this gold medal?"

Cui Lin smiled. "Aren't you so angry because I gave the phoenix hairpin to Gu Wan Niang this morning?"

Li Yi, momentarily exasperated, laughed instead. "What's there to be angry about? Gu Wan Niang and I are on the same team, and you and Prince Qi are on the same team. Even though you won, you gave the prize to us. Shouldn't I be very happy?"

Cui Lin smiled at his delighted expression. "Since you are happy, then I have accomplished my mission."

Li Yi felt as if he was choking on his own breath, almost spitting blood. He knew that arguing with her would only make him angry, but he couldn't help but keep responding.

Cui Lin's bright eyes darted around, and she suddenly noticed a vegetarian feast set up in the courtyard. Remembering that today was not only his birthday but also the anniversary of his deceased mother's death, she knew this feast must be a memorial service. She immediately suppressed her laughter, walked to the altar, and solemnly bowed three times to the moonlight.

For a moment, the pine breeze rustled through the valleys, the clear moon was silent, and only the chirping of a few insects could be heard in the courtyard.

After a long while, Li Yi sat on a stone bench in the courtyard, tilting his head back and gazing at the crescent moon in the pine breeze. Cui Lin sat down on another stone bench. "Today is your birthday. What is your wish? Perhaps I can help you fulfill it."

Li Yi turned around and glared at her. "If you angered me less often, perhaps I could live a little longer."

Cui Lin smiled and leaned over. "I told you you were angry, but you just wouldn't admit it. It was just a kiss, and you're already holding such a grudge. Why don't you kiss me back?" Her eyes were deep and calm, and she touched her crimson lips with her jade-like fingers, then glanced at Li Yi again.

Li Yi jumped up in anger. "Can't you, a young lady, at least have a little self-respect..."

Before he could finish, Cui Lin leaned over and kissed him on the lips again. This time, Li Yi was speechless. Just as her cheeks flushed slightly and she tried to pull away, he suddenly pulled her into his arms and kissed her passionately.

Their separation hadn't been long, but he still longed for her intensely. After a long while, he finally released her, lingeringly stroking her face with his fingers. "Aying, can't you just listen to me this once? Are you really going to abandon me?"

She just smiled at him. "And what about you? Can't you just do as I say this once?"

He felt utterly discouraged, his shoulders slumping involuntarily. Suddenly, her heart softened, and she called out to him, "Seventeen Lang."

He looked up at her with hopeful eyes, and she said softly, "Right now, neither of us can convince the other. You're sad, and so am I. How about we forget about this tomorrow, and pretend this argument never happened? We once promised to travel to Leyouyuan together, but since the recapture of Xichangjing, too many things and conflicts have been interfering. You're busy, and I'm always busy. Tomorrow, for those twelve hours, you just need to be Seventeen Lang, not some Prince Qin, and I just need to be Aying, not some governor's daughter. Let's forget all our troubles and not think about those court affairs. After the twelve hours are over, we can think about other things. Let's go to Leyouyuan together, okay?"

He stared at her blankly for a long time before finally nodding gently.

The moon hung high in the sky, and half an acre of newly blossoming lotus flowers floated gracefully on the lake. Pei Yuan, sword in hand, stood guard by a burner of incense to repel mosquitoes. Occasionally, a frog would croak in the lake, then leap into the water with a "plop" and disappear. Old Bao, carrying a palm-leaf fan, approached, swatting at mosquitoes as he did so. Upon seeing Pei Yuan, Old Bao asked, "Isn't this General Pei? Why are you feeding mosquitoes here?"

Pei Yuan sighed. "Perhaps I didn't do good deeds in my past life, that's why I have to feed mosquitoes here in the middle of the night."

Seeing his troubled expression, Old Bao put his arm around his shoulder. "Come on, let's go have some wine."

"Not today, I'm on duty tonight," Pei Yuan said. Actually, there were guards in the mansion, but the rules of the Zhenxi Army stipulated that during festivals, higher-ranking officers would be on duty, allowing lower-ranking officers and soldiers more rest.

Old Bao looked regretful when he suddenly saw a figure appear across the lake. The figure then vanished in a flash. Old Bao was startled and wondered if he'd seen it wrong. He instinctively turned to look at Pei Yuan while holding his palm-leaf fan, but Pei Yuan seemed to have seen nothing at all.

Old Bao, unusually alarmed, pointed across the lake at the still swaying shadows of the trees beneath the high wall and exclaimed, "Did someone just climb over the wall? Was it an assassin?"

Pei Yuan sighed. "What assassin? Just bad karma from a past life!"

Meanwhile, Cui Lin returned to the residence. Upon entering, she saw Tao Zi glaring at her, carrying a steaming plate of Eight Treasure Gourd Duck. Seeing her return, Tao Zi placed the duck on the table and asked through gritted teeth, "Miss said she was hungry, yet she climbed out the window. Where did she go?"

Cui Lin sat down, smiling, and picked up her chopsticks to unpack the Eight Treasure Gourd Duck, praising as she ate. "Tao Zi, your cooking is excellent! This Eight Treasure Gourd Duck is delicious. Would you like to try some?"

Tao Zi, furious, ignored her and went straight to the side to open the cabinet door. A clattering sound followed as Tao Zi gathered up all the bottles and jars.

Cui Lin feigned ignorance. "What are you doing with all that poison in the middle of the night?"

Taozi retorted irritably, "Poisoning! I'm going to the Prince of Qin's mansion to poison him!"

Cui Lin chuckled. "Alright, alright, I'll apologize. Don't stay cooped up in your room tomorrow—go out and stroll around with Xie Chang'er."

Taozi said, "Hmph, don't think I'll stop being angry just because you say that!"

Despite saying that, the next morning, Taozi still happily went out with Xie Chang'er. Because Cui Lin had left even earlier, Taozi had just gotten up and was still washing up when Cui Lin said, "Taozi, I'm leaving now."

At that time, Taozi's face was covered in water, and when she hurriedly wiped her face with a cloth and looked up, Cui Lin's figure had already disappeared.

Li Yi, leading Xiao Hei, waited for her outside the Liu residence. Upon seeing him with a horse, Cui Lin asked, "Want to ride?"

"Didn't we say we were going to Leyouyuan?" she said, looking up at the rising sun in the east. "It's still so early. Come with me to the West Market for breakfast."

Li Yi agreed, straightened the reins, draped them over Xiao Hei's back, patted its neck, and said, "Wait here for me." Xiao Hei neighed loudly, and then, from the stables behind the Liu residence, came the distant neighing of Xiao Bai. Without needing to be called, Xiao Hei swaggered straight in through the main gate and went to the stables to find Xiao Bai. Seeing this, Cui Lin was both amused and annoyed. "It's never been here before, yet it's so unceremonious."

"It hasn't seen Xiao Bai in so long," Li Yi said, his voice filled with melancholy.

It wasn't a long time, but it was still poignant. She took his hand. "Didn't we agree to spend these twelve hours happily?"

He nodded, then took her hand in return, holding it tightly, and led her all the way to the West Market without letting go for a moment.

They ate breakfast in the West Market, and the vast city of Xichangjing slowly awoke, gradually coming to life and becoming more lively. The shops of the foreign merchants began to hawk their wares, offering all sorts of novel and interesting trinkets: glass wine jugs from Arabia, gold-inlaid jade cups, exquisite little boxes carved from walnut wood, crystal chess pieces, daggers inlaid with tiny gemstones and gold, steaming hot flatbreads, sweet tea sprinkled with sesame seeds, and camel meat cooked on the street—the list went on and on.

The two strolled from one end of the market to the other. Li Yi had never explored a market so thoroughly before—he stopped to look at and taste everything he saw. Later, they encountered the willow-shooting game, which was held in a small, fenced-off area. Bet items were displayed nearby, including money and silk, and a parrot. This parrot was twice the size of an ordinary parrot, with beautiful plumage, almost like a peacock, shimmering in the sunlight. Its eyes were lively, and it perched on a branch, not chained up. When someone approached, it would dart its eyes around and call out, "Guests have arrived!" and then, "Young man, quickly take me home!" Remarkably, it spoke fluent and clear Xichangjing Mandarin, attracting many curious onlookers. Many were eager to try their luck, since it only cost ten coins for an arrow, and even ten arrows would only cost a hundred coins. Quite a few people tried, some missing every shot, others winning small amounts of money, but no one managed to hit the jackpot and win the parrot.

Li Yi and Cui Lin arrived together. The parrot rolled its eyes, tilted its head, and examined them for a moment. Then, like a human, it sighed. "What a beautiful pair! I'm so envious!"

Cui Lin couldn't help but chuckle. Seeing her laugh, Li Yi said to the owner of the archery range, "I'd like to buy an arrow to shoot."

The owner waved his hand repeatedly. "We don't sell arrows for just one shot—you need at least three." Hearing this, Li Yi took out thirty coins and bought three arrows. He first selected an arrow, nocked it, and aimed. Judging from the way he drew the bow, the owner didn't think he was an expert. But when Li Yi shot the arrow, the thinnest willow branch stuck in the farthest part of the field snapped in two with a "crack!" The onlookers cheered. Seeing that he'd hit the first prize, the owner's expression changed slightly. Li Yi picked up another arrow and hit the second prize, which drew more cheers. Li Yi then picked up his last arrow and hit the second prize again. Besides the parrot, he also won the two most valuable bolts of silk.

The owner immediately looked distressed, thinking, "Where did this expert come from? He doesn't look very old, yet he has such excellent archery skills." But with so many onlookers, there was nothing he could do. He could only bring over the cage, put the parrot in it, and hold up the two bolts of silk, forcing a smile. "Young master, this is the prize you won."

Li Yi took the parrot and laughed. "I asked you to sell me an arrow earlier, but you wouldn't."

Upon hearing this, the owner was truly on the verge of tears. Suddenly, Li Yi said, "I won this parrot, so I'll take it. These two bolts of silk are yours."

The owner was overjoyed and thanked him profusely. Seeing the intimate expressions between Li Yi and Cui Lin, he mistakenly assumed they were a couple and hurriedly uttered auspicious words. "Young master, you are so kind-hearted. You and your wife will surely enjoy wealth and longevity, and have many children. In the future, your sons will all become high-ranking officials, and your daughters will all marry into noble families. I'm afraid your house will be overflowing with official tablets!"

Li Yi couldn't help but laugh and cry at his absurd words. Cui Lin, however, smiled sweetly. "Thank you for your kind words. I also wish you great wealth." After saying this, she tugged at Li Yi's sleeve, and the two of them, carrying the parrot cage, turned and left together.

After leaving the crowd and walking quite a distance, Cui Lin suddenly chuckled again. Li Yi asked, "What are you laughing at?"

Cui Lin slowly replied, "Although this person is a cunning little man, when it comes to auspicious words, they're incredibly lucky."

Li Yi asked, "He honestly gave the prize, so why do you call him a cunning little man?"

She gestured with her lip and pointed to the parrot cage. "What's this?"

Li Yi said, "A parrot."

She said leisurely, "Believe it or not, by tonight, this parrot will open its cage by itself and fly back."

Li Yi was taken aback. She continued, "Look, just now when this parrot was standing on the horizontal branch at the edge of the field, it wasn't chained to its feet. It must have been trained by the owner of that archery range. This parrot is very clever—it must have a way of opening the cage door. Maybe someone else won it before, but it always escaped and quietly flew back. You think you won the prize, but this parrot is hard to train and worth a hundred gold pieces. Do you think they'd just let it go so easily?"

The parrot, which had been tilting its head in the cage as if listening intently to her words, suddenly became nonchalant when Li Yi looked over, glancing left and right. Li Yi was initially skeptical, but seeing its eyes darting around, he, being naturally clever, quickly understood the situation. He realized why the owner of the archery range wasn't distressed about losing the parrot, only the silk. He nodded. "You're right."

"However, since you won it and gave it to me, I'll never let it run away again." Cui Lin extended her index finger, teasing the parrot through the cage. The parrot remained motionless, letting her stroke it without uttering a sound.

Cui Lin immediately bought a new cage and returned the parrot and cage to the Liu residence. Only then did she and Li Yi take their horses and ride to Leyou Plain.

It was early summer, yet Leyou Plain was covered with countless wildflowers, like a vast brocade carpet stretching to the horizon. The grass was shallow, the horses' hooves moved swiftly, and Xiao Bai and Xiao Hei galloped with great enthusiasm, side by side, faster and faster, almost as if riding the wind.

Cui Lin felt the wind rushing past her ears, as if she were floating in the vast heavens and earth, as if only the two of them remained in the world. Everything became clear, yet everything also became distant. She couldn't help but laugh out loud with joy. "Seventeen Lang!"

He turned to look at her, and couldn't help but laugh as well, calling out to her. "A Ying!"

Leyouyuan was truly wonderful! Like a carefree fairyland. He was simply her Seventeen Lang, and she was simply his A Ying. All the troubles of the world were gone, all the conflicts of the world were gone. She lightly cast aside her sorrows, like a cicada shedding its skin, like a butterfly about to take flight.

They passed through the woods, circled the lake, and came to a quiet meadow. Xiao Bai and Xiao Hei finally slowed their hooves. They smiled at each other and dismounted.

"This place is wonderful," she couldn't help but exclaim. Although Leyouyuan had always been a popular spot for pleasure-seeking in the capital, this place was quite secluded and rarely visited.

Xiaobai and Xiaohei went off to drink water and graze, while Li Yi took her hand and led her to a tree. This tree was so large that it took half a person to encircle it, and it was covered in pink and white blossoms, like clusters of small fans or delicate red tassels. She looked up at it for a while, and then she saw him take a small box out of a hollow in the tree and open it for her.

Inside the box was a crudely made slingshot—the rubber band had long since rotted away. There were also several clay pellets inside, all cracked and broken, some completely reduced to dust. He said, "This is something I hid here when I was little. There wasn't much for me to play with in the palace. My older brother had a slingshot made of rhinoceros bone, which I envied. It wasn't that I envied the precious material, but that the slingshot was really useful. So I found a tree branch and carved it myself. But I was small then, and I couldn't find a suitable knife. When I was carving the slingshot, the knife accidentally pierced the back of my hand, and blood gushed out. My wet nurse was terrified, afraid that I had pierced my palm and become crippled. Fortunately, it healed later." He pointed to the faint mark on the back of his hand to show her.

She gently stroked the scar, asking with concern, "Did it hurt a lot?"

He replied nonchalantly, "I've forgotten."

In truth, he hadn't forgotten, but simply didn't want to talk about it. She opened her arms and hugged him. He said, "After the recapture of Xichangjing, I sent many people to search for my wet nurse. When I was demoted to Laolan Pass, everyone in the palace was overjoyed, feeling they'd rid themselves of a menace. Only my wet nurse truly cared for me and felt sorry for me. She secretly slipped all her saved monthly allowance into my luggage. I knew she would do this, so I took it out and hid it under her pillow, hoping she would be extremely surprised when she found it... But unexpectedly, not long after I left, my wet nurse, due to old age and illness, was expelled from the palace... She told me about leaving home, so when I returned to Xichangjing, I sent many people to search for her, but my wet nurse was already dead..." He seemed to choke up for a moment. "Those who are good to me in this world will always leave me."

She knew what he was afraid of, so she hugged him tightly. The two stood quietly under the tree, and he said, "Aying, I am truly happy to have met you in this life." He emphasized the word "truly," but when he said "happy," his voice was very soft, like a murmur in a dream, as if afraid of waking something.

She said, "Me too."

He swallowed the rest of his words. In fact, she still liked him, just as he couldn't help but like her. That's why they made a promise for these twelve hours, to cast aside all worldly concerns and just enjoy themselves together.

The two of them sat under the tree, and she started talking about her childhood. He listened intently. She talked about how she learned to ride a horse, how she practiced swordsmanship, how she marched in the army, how she fought her first battle, and how she became the "secret weapon girl" of the Dingsheng Army through her own abilities. When she spoke of her triumphs, he couldn't help but clap and cheer. When she spoke of her disappointments, he couldn't help but reach out and hug her tightly.

At dusk, he went to the lake and caught some fish to grill for her. Although there was no salt, the fresh fish, grilled without salt, had a sweet and delicious flavor, and the two of them ate with great relish. She ate the fish just like a cat, her eyes slightly narrowed, carefully removing each bone, eating the fish meat clean, her lips curved in a smile, as if she were eating the most delicious thing in the world.

Because he'd caught the fish for her and grilled it, the skin was slightly charred, and she ate it like a little kitten. He tried to wipe it with his fingers, but the more he wiped, the dirtier it became.

The two squatted by the lake washing their faces. The sun set, the stars rose, and the moon had vanished, perhaps hidden by the treetops. They nestled together by the fire, the flickering flames illuminating their faces. She looked up at the stars. "It's so beautiful here! So many stars, so bright, twinkling like fireflies in the sky." She said, "When I was little, Yingzhou was bitterly cold, and fireflies were extremely rare. Finding even one on an autumn evening was incredibly precious. When I was born, it was already late autumn, but that year the weather was warm, like early autumn. On the night of my birth, a firefly suddenly flew in through the window and landed beside my swaddling clothes, twinkling brightly. My mother gave me the nickname 'A-Ying' (Firefly)."

He couldn't help but say, "So that's how your nickname came about."

"Later, my mother told me the story of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl. She said they could only meet once a year, and when they did, magpies would build a bridge for them. I often thought, what's so beautiful about a bridge built by magpies? If fireflies could build a bridge, that would be worthy of the gods in heaven."

Her eyes shimmered in the darkness, reflecting the firelight like countless stars or fireflies. He was mesmerized and, after a long while, said, "Our Ah Ying is worthy of all the gods."

She smiled slightly, her words carrying a hidden meaning. "I don't like gods. I just like a stubborn rock, a rock from the mountains, hard and rough. I don't know what's so good about it."

"I think my rock is quite nice." He'd been agreeing with her, but then his expression suddenly turned somber. "However, my name was given by the Imperial Clan Court. The literal meaning is quite good—they hoped I would be intelligent, hence the name Yi. But in the end, no one gave me a childhood name. Only my wet nurse called me Seventeen Lang from a young age, and that's how it stuck."

His voice remained calm, yet beneath it lingered a trace of loneliness—soft, restrained, and difficult to detect unless one listened carefully.

She reached out without hesitation and gently took his hand.

“Whenever I think of Seventeen Lang, I actually think those three words are wonderful. I have many worries, but as long as I think of you—I don’t even need to see you, just thinking of you calms my heart, as if you are right beside me.”

Her fingers were warm, steady, and sincere. The quiet sincerity in her words lingered in the air like the fading glow of the campfire.

He tightened his grip slightly and returned her gesture, holding her hand in both of his. Neither of them spoke for a moment. The silence between them was not empty—it was soft, fragile, and filled with unspoken emotion.

After a while, she spoke again, her voice gentler than before.

“There are so few fireflies in Yingzhou. In the summer, we live in Youzhou, which is much warmer than Yingzhou, but there are still very few fireflies there. Father sees that I like fireflies, and sometimes at night he goes out to try to catch one for me. Every time, he says, ‘Ah Ying, I caught a firefly for you. Will you promise me something?’”

Her lips curved faintly, but the smile carried the quiet nostalgia of distant childhood memories.

"Whether it was making me write or recite, I always cheated, saying that catching one firefly wasn't enough; I had to catch a hundred fireflies before I could grant him one request. But Father was too busy; he had no time to do these little things for me, so in the end, I never saw a hundred fireflies together..."

The final words softened, dissolving into a trace of regret and melancholy that drifted like smoke into the night air.

He listened quietly. Seeing the faint sadness in her expression, he spoke almost instinctively, his tone gentle yet earnest.

"In the summer, there are many fireflies here. Let's come back to see them then."

She softly hummed in agreement.

He knew—even as the words left his mouth—that he did not know whether she would truly return in the summer. The realization tightened around his chest, slow and heavy.

After a brief silence, he suddenly spoke again, unable to restrain himself.

"Ah Ying, if I catch a hundred fireflies for you, can you grant me one request?"

She turned toward him.

The firelight flickered in her eyes, reflecting like trembling stars, as if a thin veil of mist had quietly formed within them. Almost immediately, she looked away again, as though afraid to linger in that moment.

After a pause, she said softly,

"I wanted to say yes, but Seventeen, you know I can't."

A deep sorrow rose within him, silent yet overwhelming.

He lifted his gaze toward the vast sky.

From this night forward, he knew, every star he would ever see would remind him of this very moment.

The night was breathtakingly beautiful—yet painfully fleeting.

For a fleeting instant, he wished that a shooting star would streak across the sky. At Laolan Pass, it was said that if one tied a knot in their sash upon seeing a shooting star, their wish would surely come true.

But the stars remained still, shining quietly in the endless dark.

There was no shooting star.

There were no fireflies.

Heaven had not granted his wish.