Si Que didn’t answer immediately. He slowly rubbed his thumb and forefinger together, spreading the bead of blood across his fingertips, leaving a sticky, metallic-smelling residue.
Footsteps sounded outside the door as Tingyun carried tea for the guests.
You Yuji straightened up and walked towards the brazier on one side of the room. She took off her fur cloak, damp with snow, and hung it on the double-headed yellow pear wood coat rack. Then she sat on a small stool by the fire.
Tingyun placed the tea on the table, glanced at You Yuji, and said, “Madam, your hair is wet from the snow. Shall I fetch a cotton towel for you to dry it?”
“Thank you,” You Yuji smiled.
Tingyun quickly brought a soft cotton towel. You Yuji reached out to take it herself, not needing Tingyun’s assistance. Tingyun didn’t linger, lifting the bead curtain as she exited. The curtain’s collision made a clear, crisp sound that gradually faded into silence.
“Why do you suddenly want a child?” Si Que finally spoke, looking at You Yuji who was seated by the wall.
You Yuji placed the white cotton towel on her lap, not yet drying her hair. She looked at Si Que behind the zither table, her voice gentle, “My mother is gravely ill and needs the umbilical cord blood of my child for treatment. I have no regard for Chen Anzhi and do not want my child to resemble him in the slightest. Upon reflection, if my child could inherit your talents, it would be ideal.”
She looked at Si Que, smiling slightly. Her gentle tone clearly and concisely explained the situation, leaving no room for misunderstanding.
The room was square and the two sat against opposite walls, gazing at each other.
After a moment, You Yuji looked away first. She lowered her eyes and saw the cotton towel in her hand, reminding her that her hair was still wet. She slightly tilted her head, removed the purple jade hairpin and jade clasp from her cloud-like hair, and placed them on the small table beside her. The soft hair fell, and she gathered it to one side with her slender fingers, tilting her head slightly to dry the moisture with the cotton towel.
She had a slender, jade-like neck, her skin as white as piled snow. Against the dark mass of her hair, her jade-like skin appeared even more luminous, hidden within the pale purple cross-collar.
It was unclear if it was because her long hair had been previously tied up or if it was naturally so, but the ends of her soft hair curled slightly, brushing against her cheek, adding a breathtaking allure to her beauty.
You Yuji was always aware of her own beauty. She usually wore light makeup to tone down this charm. But now, she arched her eyes, the corners of her lips lifting slightly higher than usual. Her usual gentleness now carried an added hint of seduction.
Si Que quietly watched You Yuji dry her hair. His face was expressionless, his deep black eyes revealing no emotion, concealing all his feelings.
The flames in the brazier burned softly, gradually driving away the cold from You Yuji’s body.
“Big sister doesn’t want to make things difficult for you. If you are unwilling, we can forget about it.”
Si Que slowly blinked, his calm eyes seeming to finally show a flicker of emotion.
You Yuji raised her hand and slowly gathered her now-dry hair. The light purple sleeves slipped down, gathering in the crook of her arm. She casually arranged her hair, securing it with a long purple jade hairpin. A strand of slightly curled hair was left behind, hanging loosely by her cheek.
Having finished speaking, You Yuji stood up and reached for her cloak. The cloak had been warmed by the brazier, its furry texture now infused with a layer of warmth.
You Yuji did not put it on but held it in her arms.
“Consider it, will you?” She looked at Si Que, smiling faintly. The allure faded, replaced by her usual gentle expression.
Si Que’s hand, resting on the zither table, slowly clenched, his middle and ring fingers pressing into his palm.
You Yuji did not linger. She turned and walked out. As she reached the bead curtain, she heard the sound of pouring tea. She turned back and saw that Si Que was not pouring tea but opening the brocade box she had brought, taking out the red plum wine and pouring a cup.
Si Que took a sip of the red plum wine, the spicy taste burning his throat and igniting his heart.
“Your snow-white feet are indeed beautiful, sister,” he looked up at You Yuji.
You Yuji’s red lips parted slightly, then she bit her lip lightly. The soft red lips showed a fleeting crescent mark, making her lip color even more vivid.
You Yuji turned back, facing away from Si Que. She looked at the translucent bead curtain in front of her, her voice soft, “I am indeed anxious. I hope you can give me an answer soon.”
As she spoke, she lifted the bead curtain with her slender fingers, the latter part of her sentence accompanied by the curtain’s clear sound.
Holding her cloak tightly, she walked slowly downstairs. Her steps were still light and steady, but her heart pounded uncontrollably. She thought, thankfully, the brazier’s fire was warm enough to hide her flushed cheeks.
After You Yuji left, Si Que remained seated behind the zither table for a long time, only then noticing the blood stains in the grooves of his fingers. He repeatedly wiped the blood clean with a snow-white handkerchief.
He opened the small drawer beneath the zither table, which was filled with copper coins. He randomly picked one and tossed it high, catching it again.
Tails.
Si Que frowned and tossed it again.
Still tails.
Si Que gazed at the copper coin on the back of his hand, lost in thought for a long time.
Not long after, Tingyun came up to report, “Your Highness, everything is packed.”
“Wait a bit longer,” Si Que said, looking at the small table by the brazier where the purple jade hairpin lay.
Tingyun was momentarily stunned but asked no more questions and withdrew. As she descended the stairs, she frowned, regretful that she couldn’t have fun with Chen Anzhi tonight, having already prepared her poison tools.
Si Que bent over and picked up the purple jade hairpin from the small table. Holding the jade handle with his long fingers, he gently shook it, the attached small jade beads swaying and reflecting a dreamy light.
This hairpin was deliberately left behind by You Yuji.
Si Que knew it was left intentionally.
That night, You Yuji tossed and turned, unable to sleep, waking up Baisui. Baisui walked over and curled up into a ball in her arms.
She said she would wait for Si Que to consider, to wait for his reply.
These words were half true, half false.
Before thinking of Si Que, You Yuji had considered picking from the young actors in the pear garden, or even poor scholars. But once she thought of Si Que, she knew in her heart that she couldn’t find anyone more suitable than him for now.
Si Que was her chosen candidate.
He would agree.
Within three days.
You Yuji hugged Baisui and turned over, facing the inside of the bed, and slowly fell asleep.
While You Yuji slept soundly holding the soft Baisui, Si Que didn’t sleep. He didn’t even lie down. He stripped off all his clothes and stood before the bronze mirror. Since childhood, as long as he could remember, he had worn women’s clothes. When he was very young, he even confused himself as a girl. Later, as he grew older, he would stand naked in front of the bronze mirror after every bath, clearly examining his male characteristics, reminding himself why he could never live as a man.
Si Que rubbed the back of his curled fingers hard against the front of his neck where an Adam’s apple should have been.
Suddenly, he laughed.
The laugh was innocent and harmless.
The next day, Tingyun brought medicine upstairs for Si Que. Si Que was in the middle of restringing his cherished zither.
Many people knew that Si Que loved his zither immensely. He always cleaned and restrung it himself, never allowing anyone else to touch it. Back when he was in the palace of Si Kingdom, the first thing the newly assigned servants were told was to never touch his zither.
“Your Highness, it’s time to take your medicine,” Tingyun said.
“Pour it out,” Si Que replied.
Tingyun hesitated for a moment, holding the bowl of medicine, but then swallowed her words of protest and turned to leave.
As he continued restringing his zither, Si Que added, “Stop the medicine for the next few days.”
Tingyun felt compelled to intervene, “Your Highness, why do you suddenly want to stop the medicine? Your body can’t withstand this.”
Si Que slowly wiped the strings with a cloth and asked, “What’s that noise from a distance? It seems to have been going on for most of the day.”
“It’s Madam. She has invited an opera troupe today.”
Si Que paused briefly in his actions before resuming.
Tingyun continued, “Madam seems to have developed a keen interest in opera lately. She also invited a troupe to the mansion yesterday. I heard that today’s troupe is different, and she has booked another one for tomorrow. Despite everything that’s been happening in the mansion lately, Madam certainly knows how to enjoy herself…”
Si Que stopped listening to Tingyun’s words.
You Yuji likes opera?
No.
“I am indeed anxious, hoping you will reply to me soon.”
— The words You Yuji had said before leaving yesterday suddenly echoed in Si Que’s ears.
Si Que forcefully threw the cloth onto the zither table.
Tingyun looked up in surprise at Si Que’s expression, noticing his dark, brooding face.
Having served Si Que for many years and even learning medicine from him, Tingyun knew him well. Though Si Que wasn’t a benevolent person and was quite temperamental, caring little for the lives of others or his own, it was rare for him to display such a dark and intense aura openly on his face.
In the back garden of Prince Jinnan’s mansion, You Yuji sat in a round-backed armchair, watching the opera on stage with great interest. Along with Cuiyu, Lin Yingying, and Chunxing, You Yuji had also invited Chen Shunzhi’s wife, Lady Lin, to join them in watching the opera.
Today, You Yuji’s mood while watching the opera was completely different from yesterday’s.
Yesterday, she hadn’t listened to a single word of the opera, her mind preoccupied with anxious thoughts. But today, she was genuinely there to enjoy the performance.
Lady Lin glanced at You Yuji several times. Seeing her constantly smiling, with a gentle demeanor when speaking with others, Lady Lin found it remarkable that she wasn’t troubled by the recent events in the mansion.
Lady Lin secretly marveled at this. She asked herself if she could remain so composed and carefree if she were in You Yuji’s place and concluded that she couldn’t.
During the short intermission between the two acts, Lin Yingying leaned close to You Yuji and said with a smile, “Sister, the cousin girl is just a concubine now; she can’t bother you. I also heard that the princess scolded her mother and forbade her from coming to the mansion again!”
You Yuji responded with a simple “Hmm” and didn’t say much else.
She didn’t care how many women Chen Anzhi took as long as they didn’t come to her to cause trouble.
There were established rules for concubines, and the day after tomorrow was Chen Anzhi’s coming-of-age ceremony. It had been decided that the day after his ceremony, Fang Qingyi would be brought into the mansion.
The opera’s singing continued until dusk.
You Yuji returned to her quarters, Tanxiang Yingyue, and comfortably soaked in a milk bath. She then changed into a loose, light purple dress and lounged lazily on a chaise by the window, feeding goat milk to Baisui with a small spoon.
Baisui could already eat small pieces of meat but still preferred goat milk.
Baohe came in to report that Si Que had arrived.
You Yuji’s hand trembled, spilling a little goat milk. Baisui meowed in displeasure. You Yuji let out a gentle sigh, steadied her heartbeat, and scooped more goat milk to feed Baisui. She had Si Que brought in and dismissed the servants.
Si Que entered the warm, spring-like room and looked toward You Yuji by the window. She reclined on the chaise, her clothes loose, her waistline graceful, and a snow-white foot peeking out from the hem of her light purple dress.
Si Que’s gaze traveled slowly from her exposed foot up to her delicate face. He walked towards You Yuji, stopping in front of her, and slowly revealed a compliant smile, whispering, “Sister forgot to bind her chest.”
You Yuji slowly lifted her enchanting eyes to look at Si Que. Her fair wrist tilted slightly, causing the slender fingers holding the silver spoon to tip, and the goat milk in the spoon dropped back into the bowl with a soft plop, creating a milky ripple.
