Prince Yan was filled with anger, with no outlet to vent his frustration.
After some thought, he decided to head to Liu Ruyan's Qixue Pavilion, hoping to find some solace in the tranquility of her courtyard.
Upon receiving the news, Liu Ruyan, accompanied by her maids, greeted him at the entrance. The summer night was stifling, and as Prince Yan gazed at the snow-white Qixue Pavilion from a distance, along with Liu Ruyan standing there in her white robes, he suddenly felt reluctant to enter.
Every visit to Qixue Pavilion felt like attending a funeral.
If only Liu Ruyan would spruce up her courtyard or wear something other than white, perhaps Prince Yan wouldn't have gradually lost interest in her.
"Your Highness, welcome," Liu Ruyan said with a calm expression, neither joyful nor sorrowful, as cold as the snow atop a mountain peak.
Prince Yan stepped into Qixue Pavilion.
Liu Ruyan quietly served him plum tea, her watery eyes studying Prince Yan as if reminiscing about her lost love.
Just as Prince Yan picked up the teacup, a buzzing mosquito landed on the back of his hand.
It left a large, itchy bump.
Prince Yan frowned, his handsome brows knitting together. "Did the palace not send mosquito repellent incense to Qixue Pavilion?"
The garden of Qixue Pavilion was overgrown with trees, and a nearby pond attracted swarms of mosquitoes. In the summer, the cacophony of frogs croaking, insects chirping, and mosquitoes buzzing made the courtyard particularly noisy.
Prince Yan began to miss Shen Wei's Liuli Pavilion.
At least there were no mosquitoes there!
Liu Ruyan replied indifferently, "The smell of mosquito repellent incense is unpleasant. I prefer not to use it."
Liu Ruyan had a naturally cold constitution, which made her less attractive to mosquitoes. Instead, the insects feasted on her maids and eunuchs.
Prince Yan took a few sips of the plum tea. He didn't care for its slightly bitter taste, but every time he visited Liu Ruyan, she insisted on brewing a pot for him.
Irritated, Prince Yan set down the tea and strolled with Liu Ruyan in the courtyard.
The summer night was humid, and the moonlight cast a soft glow over the garden. Fireflies flickered with green light as they danced in the air. Prince Yan remarked casually, "The fireflies are quite beautiful."
Liu Ruyan, moved by the scene, sighed mournfully, "In dreams, I sometimes become a crane, while countless grasses turn into fireflies in the mortal world. Sometimes, I wish I could become a firefly and escape the troubles of this world."
As she spoke, Liu Ruyan sighed in disappointment, her eyes brimming with tears.
Prince Yan: ...
This conversation was going nowhere!
The mosquitoes were relentless, avoiding Liu Ruyan but relentlessly biting Prince Yan. In his haste to leave earlier, he had forgotten to bring the mosquito-repelling sachet Shen Wei had given him...
The thought of Shen Wei only worsened Prince Yan's mood.
He didn't linger in Qixue Pavilion and left in a huff.
Liu Ruyan stood at the courtyard gate, watching Prince Yan's imposing figure disappear into the distance. A bitter smile crossed her face. "Men have always been fickle. Shen Wei and I are both pitiful souls."
Xue Mei, her maid, silently pinched her own philtrum in frustration.
Prince Yan had finally visited, only to leave in a foul mood without even staying long enough to warm the ground!
"Madam, the mosquitoes in our courtyard are unbearable. Should I light some mosquito repellent incense?" Xue Mei suggested.
Liu Ruyan shook her head faintly. "I dislike the smell of mosquito repellent incense. The fragrance of plum blossoms is far more pleasing."
Xue Mei rolled her eyes discreetly, glancing at her hands covered in mosquito bites. When would this miserable life ever end...
Prince Yan returned to his study, still seething with anger, intending to read for a while.
The study was stifling, and despite the ice basin filled with ice, beads of sweat formed on Prince Yan's forehead.
His mind was restless.
Fu Gui, ever observant, fanned Prince Yan while cautiously speaking up. "Your Highness, may I offer a thought, though I'm not sure if it's appropriate."
Prince Yan glanced up. "Speak."
Fu Gui hesitated before saying, "Your Highness, Lady Shen has always been devoted to you. It's highly unlikely she would resort to witchcraft. Moreover, when I secretly glanced at the wooden figurine earlier, it didn't seem like a tool for curses. There were no malicious words or needles piercing its heart. Instead, it bore the birthdates of both you and Lady Shen. It's quite peculiar."
Prompted by Fu Gui, Prince Yan opened the wooden box and took out the figurine.
The figurine was intricately crafted, with names and birthdates engraved on it, and two red threads wrapped around it.
After a moment of contemplation, Prince Yan instructed Fu Gui, "Take this box to Yuqing Taoist Temple and have a respected Taoist priest examine it. I want to know what exactly Shen Wei intended with this figurine."
Fu Gui held the box respectfully. "I'll see to it immediately."
Late into the night, Prince Yan returned to his chambers to rest alone. He lay on the soft bed, his pillow stuffed with mugwort, a gift from Shen Wei.
Hanging from the bed canopy was a sachet Shen Wei had made.
By the bedside were the black, gold-embroidered boots Shen Wei had crafted herself.
Even the white silk nightgown Prince Yan wore was Shen Wei's handiwork...
Prince Yan's heart was heavy with mixed emotions. Without realizing it, Shen Wei had quietly woven herself into every aspect of his life. He thought again of the mysterious wooden figurine and sighed deeply.
...
In the Rose Courtyard, Zhang Yue set down her teacup, a smug smile playing on her lips. "Who would have thought Shen Wei would be such a fool? She didn't even try to defend herself and just kept saying, 'I can't explain.' How laughable."
The thought of Shen Wei's foolishness sent Zhang Yue into another fit of triumphant laughter.
Fang Er, her maid, stood by with her head bowed, her lips pressed together to hide her disdain.
Once Zhang Yue had laughed her fill, she began selecting her outfit for the next day. "Quick, open my wardrobe. I need to pick a beautiful dress to wear when I serve His Highness tomorrow."
With Shen Wei confined and out of favor, Zhang Yue was determined to seize the opportunity to win Prince Yan's affection.
...
Under the same moonlit sky, a luxurious carriage traveled along the official road, stopping at a quiet inn.
The silk curtain was drawn aside, and a veiled woman stepped out, assisted by her maid. Her graceful figure exuded the elegance of a Jiangnan beauty, even with her face hidden behind the white veil.
"How much longer until we reach Yanjing?" the woman asked softly.
The maid replied, "Miss, if we hurry, it will take about ten more days."
The woman sighed with a hint of resignation. "My family has been in business for generations, but our fortunes have declined. Marrying into Prince Yan's household as a concubine might help restore our family's standing."
She touched her delicate face, her heart heavy with uncertainty.
Competing for favor, vying for love, and seeking benefits for her family—this was the path she could not escape. She would use every skill at her disposal to win Prince Yan's affection. No one would stand in her way!
She could only hope that Prince Yan would prove to be a good man, granting her a lifetime of peace and prosperity.
...
The next morning, the sky was just beginning to lighten. It was a day of rest for the officials of Qing State, and no court session was held.
A lavish breakfast was served, but Prince Yan had no appetite. He only sipped a few mouthfuls of porridge. Just then, Fu Gui returned with the information he had gathered.
Prince Yan set down his jade chopsticks and asked calmly, "Tell me, what kind of witchcraft is this figurine associated with?"
He wanted to know how Shen Wei had supposedly cursed him.
Fu Gui placed the wooden figurine on the table, his expression filled with regret. "Your Highness, you've misunderstood Lady Shen. I consulted Qing Feng, a respected Taoist priest from Yuqing Taoist Temple, last night. He immediately recognized it as a protective charm from the Lingnan region."
Prince Yan's eyes widened in surprise.
A protective charm?
Fu Gui continued, "In Lingnan, where bandits are rampant, wives often carve these charms when their husbands leave home to seek work. They engrave the husband's name and birthdate on the figurine's chest and the wife's name and birthdate on its back. Then, they use blood and red thread as conduits and bury the figurine under a tree.
If the husband encounters danger while away, the wife will bear the misfortune in his place. So, this charm is actually a wife's way of shielding her husband from harm. Lady Shen is from the south. She made this charm to protect you, Your Highness..."
Prince Yan's hand clenched involuntarily, his heart flooded with a mix of sorrow and guilt.
No wonder Shen Wei had looked so wronged when he confronted her in Liuli Pavilion the previous day.
He had been wrong!
Shen Wei had risked her life to shield him from a sword during the Spring Banquet. She had waited under the eaves in the scorching summer heat for his return.
And yet, he had doubted her devotion.
Prince Yan closed his eyes, his heart aching as if bitten by ants. He had nearly destroyed a woman who loved him with all her heart.
"Take me to Liuli Pavilion."
Fu Gui bowed respectfully and led the way.
As he walked, Fu Gui tightened his grip on the expensive snuff bottle in his hand, marveling at Shen Wei's resilience.
Time and again, she turned dire situations to her advantage, deepening Prince Yan's affection for her.
Fu Gui had been in the Prince's mansion for decades, but he had never seen a concubine as skilled at winning favor as Shen Wei. Even during the most brutal years of infighting in the inner courtyard, when wives and concubines employed every trick in the book to gain the Prince's attention, no one had been as formidable as Shen Wei.
...
Early in the morning, Zhang Yue dressed herself in her finest attire, adorned with all the valuable dresses and jewelry from her wardrobe.
She left her residence early, intending to first "visit" Shen Wei at the Liuli Pavilion before making her way to the Prince's study to offer her services.
At the entrance of the Liuli Pavilion, two fully armed black-clad guards stood watch.
Zhang Yue stepped forward to enter, but the guards politely stopped her. "The Prince has sealed off the Liuli Pavilion. Please return, my lady."
Zhang Yue rolled her eyes and retorted sharply, "The Prince may have sealed off the Liuli Pavilion and forbidden Shen Wei from leaving, but he never said outsiders couldn't visit."
The guards remained silent.
Seeing this, Zhang Yue pushed past the guards and strode confidently into the Liuli Pavilion.
This was Zhang Yue's first time entering the Liuli Pavilion. The spacious and bright rooms, the lush and vibrant gardens, the emerald-green lawns, and the glistening pond made it seem like a small paradise.
It was far superior to her own withered Rose Garden.
Zhang Yue gazed enviously at the Liuli Pavilion, thinking to herself that once she won Prince Yan's favor, she would move into this place.
The area was eerily quiet, with none of Shen Wei's maids or eunuchs in sight. Shen Wei sat by the waterside pavilion, her slender figure partially obscured by the morning breeze gently lifting the white curtains. She looked lonely and pitiful.
The more miserable Shen Wei appeared, the more pleased Zhang Yue felt.
Zhang Yue walked triumphantly to the pavilion, taking in the exquisitely carved structure, and said with a tinge of jealousy,
"Shen Wei, who would have thought you'd come to this? Performing witchcraft to curse the Prince—I imagine today will be the day they bring you the white silk and poisoned wine."
