The north wind blew, striking the window paper with a whistling sound.
Snow on the eaves was blown down, rustling and whispering softly.
Yu Jun’s hand paused, her long lashes fluttering.
Zhou Jin leaned against the small table, watching her. He said softly, “I know my mother consort and the Empress don’t get along. But they are them, and we are us. Can’t we still be the same as before, good to each other?”
He was injured, and it was for her sake. He had also come regardless of everything to reassure her.
In this situation, Yu Jun should not have said anything to spoil the mood.
But a voice in her heart reminded her: it was useless.
Playing dumb might ease things for a while, but in the long run, it was utterly pointless.
Yu Jun stared at the peony petal, just a corner of it embroidered on the handkerchief, and said, “If… your mother consort made you choose between her and me, who would you choose?”
Zhou Jin inhaled sharply.
Yu Jun continued, “That question is hard to answer, isn’t it? Just as if the Empress asked me to choose between you and her, who would I choose?”
She sighed slowly, then raised her eyes to look at Zhou Jin. “Third Brother, neither of us can answer. But perhaps we both already have our answers in our hearts. Some things cannot be balanced, and we can’t go back to our childhood.”
Her calmness was like a basin of cold water, splashing Zhou Jin awake.
His mouth half-open, he stiffly turned his neck to look at the white window lattice paper. “You really aren’t a child anymore. Can’t you even tell me a little lie to comfort me? Even just for this moment?”
Yu Jun looked at his face, as beautiful as peach and plum blossoms. He was Consort De’s treasured Qilin child. No one in the entire palace, not even the Empress, would make things difficult for him. Yet he came to her only to suffer this grievance.
She finally smiled. “Good medicine tastes bitter but cures the disease. Loyal advice is harsh to the ear but benefits conduct. I merely spoke the truth. Whether I say it or not, you know it in your heart. Why be angry? After all, you still have injuries. Calm down. It was my mistake to speak so. I apologize to Third Brother. Alright?”
Zhou Jin’s heart had turned cold as water, the rims of his eyes reddening. Suddenly hearing her gentle, soft words, he couldn’t help but turn his head back to look at her. “You clearly knew it would anger me, yet you insisted on saying it. Weren’t you deliberately trying to make me upset?”
Yu Jun said, “Yes, I was being too clever for my own good. What else do you want? Should I formally bow and apologize to Third Highness?”
She made a move as if to put down the bamboo embroidery frame in her hand and stand up.
Zhou Jin hurriedly pressed down her hand. His palm landed on her soft, small hand, and it felt as if a warm current passed through his heart, tingling and numb.
Yu Jun felt somewhat uncomfortable and slowly moved her hand back, saying, “I have needles here. Don’t be so forward. Aren’t you afraid of being pricked again?”
Zhou Jin withdrew his hand. He seemed to catch a sweet fragrance at the tip of his nose, and the smile in his eyes almost overflowed. He coughed, looking at the embroidery frame in her hand. “What are you embroidering? It’s rare for you to have such refined taste. Let me see.”
Yu Jun said, “It’s nothing, just practice. Very rough… you use only the finest things. Something like mine wouldn’t catch your eye.”
“Nonsense,” Zhou Jin snorted, leaning over to look. He saw a splash of brilliant red on the snow-white silk handkerchief and couldn’t help clicking his tongue. “Though it’s only a corner, its excellence is already evident. It must be extraordinary. Is this meant as a gift?”
“Gift to whom? How could I give away something so clumsy?” Yu Jun laughed. “Don’t just flatter me. I know exactly what I’m worth.”
“Best if it’s not a gift. I’ll claim it in advance.” Zhou Jin was overjoyed and spoke without allowing refusal. “This must be for me.”
“Are you a tyrant? Demanding things the moment you arrive.”
“So will you give it or not? If not, I really will become a tyrant.” Even as he spoke, he was still misbehaving, waving his arms like a dancing lion, making Yu Jun unable to hold back her laughter.
Ru Cui was standing by attending to them and, seeing this, also pursed her lips in a smile.
Outside, Aunt Baohua was sitting opposite Ru Ning. Hearing the sounds from within, Ru Ning said quietly, “Earlier, Her Highness came back fuming angrily… now she’s laughing again. It has to be Third Highness. He knows how to cheer people up.”
Baohua said, “Did you not see that Third Highness also had a dark, unsettled expression when he first entered? Yet now he’s all sweetness and honey?”
Ru Ning smiled. “No matter what, it’s best when both masters are harmonious and happy. Not like that other young highness before…” Her voice dropped even lower, still shaken. “I’m scared the moment I see him. He looks thin and small, seemingly well-behaved, but I can never forget that earlier expression of his, as if he wanted to devour someone…”
Baohua hesitated, then said only, “I think that young highness is no ordinary character.”
The next day, Yu Jun went to the Central Palace. The Empress actually asked about Zhou Zhi’s injury.
Yu Jun explained that Zhou Zhi had gone to apologize, and on his way out, he slipped on the snow and fell.
She did not mention Zhou Jin.
In truth, Yu Jun knew the Empress must be aware that Zhou Jin was also there and must have been involved. But since she didn’t mention it, the Empress didn’t bring it up either. Instead, the Empress asked her, “This child is also sensible, knowing to come and apologize to you… What do you think of him?”
Yu Jun felt the Empress’s question seemed to have deeper meaning, so she said, “In my view, he seems like a good child. After falling, he ignored his own injury and only explained to me that it was his own carelessness, saying he had caused me more trouble and such.”
The Empress raised an eyebrow. “Indeed, one who knows when to advance and retreat. Ah, originally I wanted to register him under my name, but he insisted on staying with his birth mother… All these years, his resolve hasn’t changed. Though he suffered hardship, it’s clear he has a filial heart.”
Yu Jun said, “Imperial Mother, after so long, does Imperial Father simply plan to keep ignoring him?”
The Empress smiled. “Are you going to champion someone else’s cause again?”
Yu Jun tugged at her arm. “You didn’t see him—so thin, what was he like? His hands were covered in injuries, all ten fingers frostbitten, and when he fell, he got such a large gash… So pitiful.”
The Empress looked thoughtful. After a moment, she said, “That’s true. No matter how displeasing, he is still royal blood. If word gets out, people won’t necessarily say His Majesty was at fault. Most would blame me for being harsh. Very well, I will think on it further.”
Hearing the Empress say this, Yu Jun knew she would certainly make arrangements.
She just didn’t expect the Empress to act so quickly.
That day, Yu Jun arrived at the Imperial Study in a sedan chair. Just as she reached the entrance, she saw a figure walking towards her, solitary and alone, trudging along like a young tiger that had been starving for days in snowy mountain wilderness. Yet the figure looked somewhat familiar.
Before her palanquin had even been lowered, the person stepped forward, cupped his hands in salute, and said, “Fifth Older Sister.”
Yu Jun saw the thick gauze wrapped around his hand and only then recognized him. “It’s you?” She quickly told the eunuch to lower the palanquin.
Zhou Zhi stepped forward and reached out to help her down.
Yu Jun carefully held his wrist. “How did you come to be here?”
The youth’s face was very pale, having probably stood in the snow for a long time, tinged slightly blue from cold. “I originally wanted to go to Jade Splendor Palace… but was afraid of being presumptuous. Hearing that Imperial Elder Sister was coming to the Study, I waited here specifically.”
“What important business? You could have just sent word.” Yu Jun walked with him to stand near the door, remembering she had earlier said she would visit him but broke her word, causing him to remember to come find her instead. She felt slightly uneasy.
Zhou Zhi looked at her and said, “It’s a happy matter. I… I had no one to tell, and I wanted to be the first to inform Imperial Elder Sister.”
“Happy matter?” Yu Jun blinked, vaguely guessing it had something to do with the Empress.
Zhou Zhi said, “Just now, His Majesty issued an edict. My mother and I are to move to Nurturing Harmony Pavilion. And… I’ve been given a place in the birth order, granted a courtesy name, and permitted to study at the Imperial Study with the others.”
Yu Jun had previously spoken on his behalf before the Empress precisely to improve his situation, but she hadn’t expected it to exceed expectations. Her face immediately lit up with joy. “Indeed countless joys! This is wonderful. Bitterness has ended and sweetness begins.”
Zhou Zhi watched her genuine happiness from the heart. A trace of dazedness flickered through his eyes, and his smile carried a touch of shyness. “I know it’s largely thanks to Imperial Elder Sister. That’s why I wanted to be the first to tell you.”
Yu Jun smiled and asked, “What is your birth rank, and what courtesy name were you granted?”
“Fifth,” Zhou Zhi lowered his eyes slightly. “Imperial Father granted two characters: Shu Zhi.”
He was ranked below the Fourth Prince Zhou Xiang, which was within Yu Jun’s expectations.
But hearing “Shu Zhi,” her heart paused again.
Zhou Zhi’s name was already different from the other princes. Now receiving such an imperially bestowed courtesy name, His Majesty’s displeasure was practically proclaimed to the world.
Though she understood in her heart, Yu Jun’s face revealed nothing. She still smiled warmly. “I recall a Tang poem: ‘Before the hall, cold air binds fragrant clouds. Morning prayers, evening invocations to the Mysterious Lord.’ And there’s Meng Jiao’s poem: ‘If youth is not cultivated, how can one be restrained?’ His Majesty must be encouraging you to diligently cultivate your character. From now on, you must strive upward and not fail the imperial grace.”
A cold sneer flickered at the corner of Zhou Zhi’s lips, but it vanished instantly. He lowered his head. “Many thanks for Imperial Elder Sister’s instruction. I will surely engrave it in my heart.”
Just then, several people came out from inside. The Second Prince Zhou Xiao, Third Prince Zhou Jin, Fourth Highness Zhou Xiang, and Princess Yu Fang. Seeing the two of them entering together, everyone was surprised.
They rushed over and surrounded Yu Jun, escorting her inside.
Zhou Zhi was again left at the very back.
He watched the princes fussing over Yu Jun, asking after her well-being, saw her smiling like a flower among them. The wound that was healing suddenly itched terribly.
That itchiness seeped directly into his heart. Zhou Zhi couldn’t suppress it.
He desperately wanted to rush over immediately, directly, and pull Yu Jun out from the crowd.
Not let her be watched or touched by anyone, just like…
That day, he donned armor and wielded sharp weapons, stepping through blood and fire to enter the Princess Manor.
In the bedchamber, Yu Jun’s eyes were drunkenly blurry, her cheeks flushed red. Several people surrounded her, playing intimately and frivolously.
Zhou Zhi drew his sword. In the lush, enchanting chamber, heads suddenly rolled. He bent down and approached Yu Jun on the floor, like a fierce tiger lowering its head to gently smell a rare flower.
It was the first time in his life he held her in his arms.
And he could finally look directly at this peony blossom he had coveted for so very long—from head to toe, inside and out—doing as he pleased.