The room was eerily quiet.
Xue Chi was still there, but he had already fallen asleep, lying on the brocade-covered kang warmed by the charcoal brazier, with only a thin quilt covering him due to the warmth of the room.
Qingque stood nearby, her expression unusually solemn.
The medicine jar on the carved lacquer side table had been put away, replaced by an opened letter. To the left sat an older woman, dressed in luxurious attire, exuding an air of authority.
She was still wearing her sandalwood-colored palace robes, the golden threads embroidered with auspicious clouds and phoenixes still striking. Her hair was styled in a high bun adorned with gold hairpins and jade ornaments, paired with a pair of peacock-shaped earrings that added to her regal presence.
Despite the fine lines at the corners of her eyes from age, her features were delicate, carrying a hint of sharpness and grace.
Her demeanor and poise were unmistakably those of someone who had long held a position of power.
When Lu Jinxi entered, Princess Yongning was idly stirring the ashes in a small hand warmer with a slender silver poker, as if she had been waiting for some time.
Hearing the footsteps, she didn’t look up, as if she already knew Lu Jinxi was about to bow, and simply said in a calm voice, "Sit down."
Lu Jinxi paused mid-bow.
The voice was cool yet dignified, and the tone seemed familiar.
But for some reason, it made her feel uneasy. She couldn’t shake the feeling that Princess Yongning’s visit wasn’t for something ordinary...
The fact that she was still in her palace attire suggested she had come straight here after returning to the palace.
As a junior of low status, why would the esteemed Princess Yongning wait for her?
With these doubts in mind, Lu Jinxi complied and sat down.
However, she didn’t dare sit directly across from Princess Yongning on the kang. Instead, she chose a rosewood chair to her right, sitting upright with perfect posture.
Only then did Princess Yongning glance at her.
Her gaze swept over Lu Jinxi from head to toe, a piercing and unapologetic scrutiny, as if she were trying to dissect her with her eyes.
Lu Jinxi’s gentle and refined features, her modest makeup, and her hands neatly folded in her lap—everything about her appearance was impeccable, with nothing out of place.
Princess Yongning was well-versed in the affairs of the palace and the court.
She was also an excellent judge of character.
Upon returning to the mansion today, she had already heard quite a bit of gossip, including how the arrogant Wei Xian had finally been humbled by Lu Jinxi.
Not only had Wei Xian been embarrassed, but her maid had also been beaten to a pulp.
Princess Yongning had scolded Lu Jinxi countless times for her meekness, but to no avail.
Now, she had suddenly changed.
Was it a sign that life is unpredictable, or that people are hard to read? Sometimes even she, with her sharp judgment, could be wrong.
She hadn’t anticipated Lu Jinxi’s transformation, nor had she expected her to have the audacity to do such a thing...
At this thought, a surge of anger rose within her.
But her eyes flicked to the sleeping Xue Chi beside her, and she suppressed it, frowning slightly as she instructed Qingque, "Take Xue Chi to his room to sleep."
She didn’t want the upcoming conversation to disturb him.
Qingque instinctively glanced at Lu Jinxi.
Lu Jinxi gave a nearly imperceptible nod, saying nothing.
Xue Chi was sound asleep, his usual brash and domineering demeanor nowhere to be seen.
Though his face bore some injuries, his complexion was rosy, and he looked peaceful. Qingque carried him out gently, making no noise.
Now, only a few maids remained in the room.
Princess Yongning waved her hand, dismissing them as well, leaving only her own attendants.
At this point, Lu Jinxi understood that something serious was about to be discussed.
She furrowed her brows slightly and adopted a more respectful tone. "Your Highness, I was delayed handling matters at the Duke of Ying's Mansion and did not know you had arrived. Please forgive my tardiness."
"I’ve already heard about the matter," Princess Yongning said, twirling the silver poker in her hand as if it were of little concern. "How did it go? Nothing major, I hope?"
"It was just a childish quarrel. The Duchess was understanding and did not pursue it further. I’ve already consulted Physician Zhang for both children. They only suffered minor injuries and will recover in a few days," Lu Jinxi replied carefully, not daring to ask further questions.
Outside, the cold wind howled, rattling the paper windows.
In the nearly empty room, the sound felt particularly chilling and unsettling.
"It seems your illness has done you some good. You’ve made progress by consulting Physician Zhang and handling the situation decently," Princess Yongning said, her tone inscrutable as she glanced out the window. Then she turned back to Lu Jinxi, who sat with her head slightly bowed, looking cautious. Princess Yongning chuckled softly.
"To be honest, back then, you insisted that Xue Kuang give you control of the household. I knew the circumstances, but your temperament was too soft to manage them. I never expected to see this side of you today..."
Lu Jinxi was momentarily speechless.
The relationship between Xue Kuang and the original Lu Jinxi was complicated.
Emperor Qing'an had arranged their marriage by decree, but Xue Kuang had returned to the capital with a concubine and child, showing little affection for Lu Jinxi.
Without love, wasn’t it natural to seek power?
Lu Jinxi speculated that the original Lu Jinxi had demanded control of the household to maintain her dignity as Xue Kuang’s wife.
Lady Sun, having lost her husband, had withdrawn from managing the household despite her good health.
So, it was said that Xue Kuang had agreed to the demand easily.
However, over the years, Lu Jinxi’s performance had been less than impressive.
Now, hearing Princess Yongning bring it up, Lu Jinxi realized that her aunt-in-law had been supporting and guiding her, likely out of respect for Xue Kuang’s promise.
What couldn’t be given would never be given; what could be given was protection.
Lu Jinxi found it somewhat ironic, though she wasn’t sure whether to direct that irony at the emperor who had arranged the marriage or at the couple themselves.
She composed herself and replied slowly, "Your Highness, after recovering from my illness, I’ve come to many realizations. I no longer wish to live as aimlessly as before."
"If you’ve truly had an awakening, that’s a good thing," Princess Yongning said with a graceful smile, though her words were cryptic.
"A few days ago, while you were still unwell, we didn’t want to burden you with household affairs. But now, we can’t wait any longer. Since you’ve recovered, I’ve come to discuss a matter with you."
Instinctively, Lu Jinxi thought of what Lady Ye had mentioned.
After a moment of hesitation, she ventured to ask, "Your Highness, is this about Grand Tutor Gu’s Mansion?"
"You know about it?" Princess Yongning was visibly surprised and looked at her with renewed interest.
Lu Jinxi smiled faintly and replied, "I didn’t know at first, but just now when I visited the Duke of Ying's Mansion next door, the wife of the heir mentioned it to me and even asked about Young Master Gu. So we chatted for a bit, and I learned a thing or two. However, no one seems to know why Grand Tutor Gu went up the mountain last night..."
So that was how it was.
She had thought Lu Jinxi had taken an interest in outside affairs on her own, but it turned out to be a coincidence.
Still, it was good that she knew something, saving her the trouble of explaining too much.
Princess Yongning, holding a hand warmer, recalled the gossip she had heard in the palace earlier that day and the news from the Gu family as she left the palace gates.
"Grand Tutor Gu went up the mountain last night to visit Abbot Jueyuan, who is Gu Juefei's senior brother."
Abbot Jueyuan was a renowned monk, though he had only inherited the mantle of his master, Ascetic Monk Kuxing, a few years ago.
Over twenty years ago, when Gu Juefei was just born, he was frail and fell seriously ill.
At the time, Monk Kuxing was traveling and happened to have some knowledge of medicine. By chance, he encountered the child and used his skills to cure him.
Back then, Gu Juefei had not yet been given a name.
Grateful for Monk Kuxing's kindness and feeling it was fate, Grand Tutor Gu asked the monk to accept Gu Juefei as a nominal disciple, hoping it would ward off misfortune.
Thus, the name "Juefei" was given by Monk Kuxing, following the Buddhist naming tradition.
The current Abbot Jueyuan was also a disciple of Monk Kuxing.
In terms of seniority, though Gu Juefei was a layman, he was Abbot Jueyuan's junior brother. If one were to rank him at Dazhao Temple, many young monks would have to address him as "Uncle" or "Grand Uncle."
"Abbot Jueyuan is on good terms with Gu Juefei and is a man of great wisdom."
Princess Yongning pondered this, then slowly smiled, as if envisioning the stirring winds and clouds soon to sweep through the capital.
"Gu Juefei is indeed ruthless, with a cunning and unpredictable nature. But when it comes to his father, he might not be so heartless. Besides, the current situation in the capital is at a critical juncture. How could he possibly stay away?"
Her words carried a hint of sharp sarcasm.
Lu Jinxi, however, was somewhat confused—
From the maids, she had heard that Gu Juefei was often entangled with Wei Yi, a man deeply in love;
From Lady Ye, she had heard that Gu Juefei had achieved the rank of Tanhua at twenty-three, a talented and refined gentleman;
But now, Princess Yongning described him as "ruthless," "cunning," and "unpredictable," painting him as a chillingly calculating figure?
Yet Princess Yongning offered no further explanation.
"An hour ago, news came from Dazhao Temple that Gu Juefei would return, though the timing is still uncertain..."
Here, she paused, looking at Lu Jinxi with a playful smile.
"They say he’s waiting for the snow on the mountain to melt completely before he comes down."
Lu Jinxi was taken aback—what an air he had!
Princess Yongning, however, sighed. Grand Tutor Gu, a cunning old fox who had enjoyed a lifetime of glory without much hardship, now had to rely on the whims of nature just to see his son in his old age.
She said to Lu Jinxi, "Not many in the capital know of this news yet. If it doesn’t snow continuously in the next ten days, the snow will eventually melt. As the managing lady of the general’s household, you’ll inevitably have to visit Grand Tutor Gu's Mansion in ten days. The gifts need not be too lavish, but they should be thoughtful. This is of utmost importance, so don’t take it lightly. Do you understand?"
"Thank you for the advice, Aunt. I’ll keep it in mind."
It seemed that in ten days, at Grand Tutor Gu's birthday banquet, there would be quite a show to watch.
Having confirmed the news about Grand Tutor Gu's trip up the mountain, Lu Jinxi felt her heart slowly settle.
What Lady Ye had said was indeed true.
The influence of Grand Tutor Gu's Mansion in the court was solid; otherwise, the return of a single young master wouldn’t cause such a stir.
Princess Yongning, too, was clearly close to Grand Tutor Gu's Mansion. What others struggled to learn, she knew effortlessly, as if it were nothing.
And yet...
Her assessment of Gu Juefei was completely different from others.
Either she held a bias against him, or she knew far more than anyone could imagine.
Lu Jinxi's thoughts raced, and she fell into a brief contemplation.
But soon, she felt someone’s gaze on her. Looking up, she realized Princess Yongning was scrutinizing her again.
After a moment of hesitation, she asked, "Aunt, is there something on your mind?"
"When I left the palace today, I ran into Song Zhiyan, the Lecturer of the Hanlin Academy, at the palace gates."
This was a straightforward statement, almost devoid of emotion.
Even her eyes were cold, hinting at hidden storms.
Lu Jinxi, however, was completely baffled.
Song Zhiyan?
She had never heard of him, nor did she know what connection he had to her past self.
On the surface, Lu Jinxi showed no emotional fluctuation.
She was no ordinary woman, having navigated the business world with ease, and even in front of Princess Yongning, she revealed no cracks in her composure.
This unshakable calmness only deepened Princess Yongning’s appraisal of her.
Had she underestimated her all along?
Even upon hearing Song Zhiyan’s name, she remained so composed.
Recalling what she had stumbled upon earlier that day, Princess Yongning’s emotions churned. Yet, seeing Lu Jinxi’s demeanor, she was reminded of the messy history between her and Xue Kuang.
Who owed whom?
Their marriage had been arranged by imperial decree, a forced match from the start.
On the lacquered table, an opened letter had been lying there for some time.
"You are the managing lady of the general’s household, a first-rank noblewoman. I know Xue Kuang wronged you, and you have no obligation to remain a widow for him. I’ve always hoped you would remarry, but you..." Princess Yongning picked up the letter, stood up, and sneered, "But what have you done instead?"
By now, Lu Jinxi had sensed something was wrong and furrowed her brows.
Princess Yongning, however, tossed the letter directly into her lap. Her noble face showed no trace of a smile, only deep disappointment.
"A mere fifth-rank Lecturer of the Hanlin Academy, and a married man at that—how could he possibly be worthy of a first-rank noblewoman from our general’s household?"
"Couldn’t you have found someone more suitable?"
"Even if you were childhood sweethearts, why must you degrade yourself like this?!"
Lu Jinxi was stunned.
This turn of events was completely unexpected, as thrilling as a rollercoaster ride, leaving her speechless for a long while.
She roughly understood what had happened, but...
Was this Princess Yongning truly so open-minded?
For a moment, she didn’t know what to say, only staring at Princess Yongning with a strange expression.
Seeing this, Princess Yongning was furious. "You might as well stay confused and be done with it!"
With that, she didn’t want to stay a moment longer and stormed out in a huff.
