The day I returned the hairpin to the Empress, she was overjoyed and instructed someone to reward me with two cloaks of Shu brocade.
Those cloaks were bright in color and exquisitely made. As soon as I saw them, I knew they were not cheap, so I hastened to decline.
But the Empress said, "My reward is for you and the Ning Family. You deserve it, and the Ning Family deserves it."
Initially, I did not understand the deeper meaning behind the Empress's words. It was not until later, as I was on my way home with the gifts, that Ying Xiang commented,
"I've compared the measurements, and these robes fit the Young Miss perfectly. It seems that even if the Young Miss had not found the Empress's hairpin today, the Empress would still have gifted these robes to her."
"Why is that?"
"The Master won a great victory in the previous dynasty and was a renowned hero before the Emperor. The Emperor values the Master, so naturally the Empress values the Young Miss."
"Values me for what? The Fourth Prince passed away a couple of years ago due to sudden illness. With the Empress having no son, it's unlikely she intends for me to become her daughter-in-law."
"Who says the Empress has no son?"
Ying Xiang suppressed a mischievous grin and produced the handkerchief Xiao Jingheng had given me, waving it in front of my face.
"The Third Prince is the Empress's adopted son. If the Young Miss were to match with the Third Prince, it would be quite a romantic tale~"
"Nonsense!" I rebuked Ying Xiang, and she immediately stuck her tongue out playfully before changing the subject:
"In my opinion, the Third Prince is not worthy of the Young Miss. Although he is handsome, the Emperor does not favor him. Not only does he have no chance of inheriting the throne, but his household also lives in poverty, lacking the dignity of a prince. The Young Miss is a precious gem and deserves a lofty marriage."
I listened silently, not responding to her words.
In truth, a lofty marriage was unimportant to me. My family's wealth was already sufficient for me to live a life of luxury. Material possessions held little interest for me.
If I were to marry, I would seek a compatible husband with whom I could share mutual affection and happiness, growing old together day by day.
Just like Father and Mother.
A few days later, Father and Elder Brother led troops to suppress the rebellion in Zhu Yin. With the disparity in military strength between the two nations, this battle was almost a foregone victory. Nevertheless, Mother and I still saw them off outside the city gates, offering endless reminders and advice.
The following day, Mother went to stay with Aunt for a while, leaving me alone at home to enjoy my freedom.
With no one watching over me, I hardly studied at all.
Instead, I spent my days strolling the streets with Ying Xiang and her companions, listening to music and leading a leisurely, carefree life.
One day, as I passed by Xiao Jingheng's residence, I suddenly remembered that I still had his handkerchief in my possession.
It was improper for me to keep his personal belongings for so long, so I hurried home and instructed Ying Xiang to return the washed handkerchief to Xiao Jingheng after lunch.
In the afternoon, I saw Ying Xiang trimming branches in the courtyard and inquired, "Have you returned the item?"
Ying Xiang replied, "Ruo Lan was planning to go out for errands, so I asked her to deliver it."
Ruo Lan was young and loved to play, so it was already night by the time she returned to the residence.
As she came back humming a tune, seeming in good spirits, I was sitting in the courtyard enjoying the cool evening air. I teased her, "I asked you to return something, but you managed to dawdle half the day. Now you're back, whistling happily?"
I never scolded my servants harshly, and Ruo Lan knew I wasn't truly angry. She first laughed shyly, promising not to repeat her tardiness. Then she told me, "Young Miss, you wouldn't believe what I saw today when I went to the Third Prince's residence to deliver the handkerchief. In his chambers, I encountered an extremely beautiful and charming maid. The Third Prince asked her to see me off after I delivered the item. She was very talkative, and we hit it off, losing track of time as we chatted..."
I didn't care to listen to her explanation and casually replied that I wouldn't reprimand her, dismissing her to rest.
However, the next day at dawn, I was awakened by a shrill scream.
I got up and went outside to investigate, finding Ying Xiang and several maids standing disheveled outside the servants' quarters, pale and trembling.
As I hurried over, I asked from a distance what had happened.
But just as I was about to enter the servants' quarters, Ying Xiang stopped me, tearfully saying, "Young Miss... Ruo Lan has passed away..."
