Ye Yunyue walked a long distance before finally slowing down. She frowned, letting out a frustrated sigh.
It seemed that things were turning out worse than she had expected. She had no chance of getting close to Wujing, and Wujing himself was incredibly difficult to deal with.
Ye Yunyue had considered other options. She even thought about Ji Xuanke on her way to the capital. After all, Ji Xuanke was the most promising person in the Guangping Marquis’s household. However, she had once been Wujing’s fiancée, which made her a generation lower in rank, and she had also been married before. Naturally, she knew her place and couldn’t climb up to Ji Xuanke.
Isn’t it said that men are more desirous of what they cannot have, treating it as their unattainable white moonlight? She had initially thought that by refusing Wujing’s marriage proposal, he would hate her, perhaps even become infuriated and more eager to possess her, treating her as his white moonlight. But… Wujing didn’t even remember her.
Ye Yunyue still couldn’t be sure whether Wujing truly didn’t remember her. How could he forget? Being rejected for marriage… such a huge humiliation, how could he not remember?
Could it be that he was being insincere?
Ye Yunyue couldn’t figure it out.
Suddenly, Ye Yunyue became very irritated, blaming herself for being reborn too late. If only she had come back earlier, before she had actively broken off the engagement. Then, she could have married Wujing smoothly. She wouldn’t have to engage in these underhanded schemes to entangle herself with Wujing and then find a way to eliminate Gu Jianli to ascend to the position of the legitimate wife.
Staring at the snow accumulated on the withered branches, Ye Yunyue made a secret decision. She should adopt other methods, like persuading the old madam to speak up. Of course, she also decided to keep a backup plan. She walked back slowly, recalling what had happened at this time in her previous life. During this Lantern Festival, a major event occurred, and afterward, the second prince was sent to the border as punishment and was saved by Ji Xuanke. When Ji Xuanke returned to the capital…
Ye Yunyue sighed, the more she thought about it, the angrier she got, blaming herself for being reborn too late. If she had been reborn before she got married, even if she couldn’t marry Wujing, she could still aim for Ji Xuanke!
On the morning of the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, Gu Jianli woke up early. In fact, she had tossed and turned all night without sleeping well. After washing and dressing, she went to the kitchen twice to ensure that breakfast was ready, before returning to the room to wake up Wujing.
No one likes to be woken up from a sweet sleep, and she knew well that Wujing, being a night owl, always got up very late.
Should she let him sleep a bit longer?
Gu Jianli waited for a while before gently shaking Wujing’s wrist and softly calling him, “It’s time to get up, we need to enter the palace today.”
Wujing frowned.
Gu Jianli softened her voice even more, “The palace is not close, and there’s snow on the road, so the carriage can’t go too fast. We should set off early.”
“I had Jixia make fish soup for you!”
Wujing finally opened his eyes slightly, squinting at Gu Jianli.
Gu Jianli immediately shut her mouth obediently.
Wujing’s eyes, narrowed to slits, slowly opened and looked at Gu Jianli’s face with slight surprise.
—So this is what she looks like when she’s made up.
Wujing’s gaze lingered for a moment on the earrings swaying lightly from Gu Jianli’s ears, then he extended his hand to her.
Gu Jianli immediately beamed with a bright smile.
Wujing took another look at her smiling face.
After Wujing had washed up, Gu Jianli came in holding two sets of his clothes and asked, “Do you want to wear your Xuanjing attire or your regular clothes?”
Wujing, sitting on the edge of the bed, yawned and then leaned back lazily, saying, “I don’t have the energy to dress myself.”
Gu Jianli stood there holding the clothes for a long moment before walking to the bed. She lowered her eyes and, somewhat dejectedly, said, “Fifth Master, if you really don’t want to go, then let’s not go…”
Wujing looked at her pitiful expression and smiled, “I meant for you to dress me.”
“Oh!” Gu Jianli’s eyes lit up instantly, and she happily bent down to help Wujing out of his nightclothes.
Watching her mouth curl up in delight, Wujing asked with amusement, “Oh? You’re not shy about undressing me today?”
Gu Jianli quietly replied, “I’ve done it several times already…”
Suddenly, Wujing sat up, a serious expression on his face, and said, “But I haven’t seen you undressed. It’s not fair.”
Gu Jianli was taken aback, dropping the pants she was holding. She steadied herself, picked up the pants, and placed them aside, then casually said, “We’re in a hurry today. Maybe next time…”
Her tone was casual, as if she were talking about where to eat next time. But the blush rising on her face betrayed her.
Wujing leaned closer to her face and asked earnestly, “When is ‘next time’?”
“Next time is next time…” Gu Jianli’s voice finally wavered with a hint of panic.
Not wanting to push it too far, Wujing backed off a little and, half-serious, half-joking, said, “Next time, I’ll undress you, change your clothes, and give you a bath.”
He left out the part about nibbling on a peach.
Silently, Gu Jianli responded in her heart—I’ve never given you a bath before.
She only dared to say that to herself.
Wujing turned slightly, his hand gliding over his Xuanjing attire. He hadn’t worn this Xuanjing Sect leader’s outfit for four years.
When Wujing was fully dressed, Gu Jianli looked at him in surprise, feeling as though he had transformed into a different person.
Lately, Wujing had been wearing loose robes, sometimes not even bothering to tie his belt, always appearing lazy. When he wore red, he looked like an extraordinarily beautiful yet frail man.
In this crimson Xuanjing attire, with its narrow sleeves and tight fit, Wujing looked strikingly different. The smooth satin fabric concealed a layer of soft armor underneath. The outfit accentuated his tall and slender frame, broad shoulders, narrow waist, and long, straight legs. He bowed his head, expertly tying the cuffs. When he switched to the other hand, Gu Jianli hurriedly stepped in to help him tie it.
Wujing looked up at her and asked, “Can you tie my hair?”
Gu Jianli’s gaze wavered with a bit of guilt. “I can try…”
Feeling ashamed, Gu Jianli remembered that before the troubles at home, she wasn’t even adept at tying her own hair.
However, tying hair wasn’t that difficult. Standing behind Wujing, Gu Jianli carefully gathered his long hair and tied it with a red ribbon. The silky strands slid over the back of her hand.
Facing the bronze mirror, Wujing pinched the embroidered pattern on his collar, his expression cold.
As they stepped outside and walked through the courtyard, Gu Jianli suddenly stopped and said, “Fifth Master, wait for me a moment.”
She quickly walked back to retrieve Wujing’s cloak, worried about his health and the cold. Holding the cloak, she walked through the snow towards Wujing.
Standing in the snow in his red attire, Wujing looked like a striking flame, yet his expression was cold, colder than the snow-covered world around him.
As Gu Jianli drew closer, she felt a moment of confusion. This version of Wujing, standing here, seemed entirely different from the one who would wear women’s clothes and act playfully.
When she reached him, she suddenly remembered something Wujing had once said in passing, almost like a joke: “If you were trapped in a room for four years, you’d find ways to amuse yourself too.”
“Fifth Master, please get better soon,” Gu Jianli blurted out.
Wujing raised an eyebrow in surprise and smiled, “Aren’t you hoping I die soon so you can return to your father?”
“No, I’ve never wished that,” Gu Jianli shook her head, a bit unhappy, and walked ahead. She had longed to escape and reunite with her family, but she had never wished for Wujing’s death. She wasn’t that cruel.
Wujing was even more surprised. So, this little girl could get angry too?
Inside the carriage, Gu Jianli acted as if nothing had happened, repeatedly asking Wujing if he was cold, uncomfortable, or if he needed water.
Wujing almost doubted his earlier impression that she had been unhappy.
The journey passed uneventfully, and they arrived at the palace gates. Gu Jianli helped Wujing down from the carriage.
The Lantern Festival banquet was an occasion for the Emperor of Great Ji to entertain all the civil and military officials, consisting of a midday feast and an evening banquet with various performances and games. Only officials attended the midday feast, while the Emperor and his consorts joined the evening banquet.
Walking along the long path beneath the red walls, Gu Jianli said, “Fifth Master, I’ll go to Yongli Palace for a bit and then come back to find you.”
Wujing casually replied, “Be careful not to become a lost cat.”
“I won’t. I used to come to the palace often when I was little, so I’m very familiar with it,” Gu Jianli explained.
At the banquet hall, after ensuring Wujing was settled, Gu Jianli hurried to Yongli Palace.
As she walked, the smile on her lips gradually faded, and a heaviness settled in her heart.
She didn’t have to come this time, and if it were for anyone else, she certainly wouldn’t have. But this person was her aunt, who cherished her like a mother. While she trusted her father, she needed to ask her aunt if she knew anything.
Yongli Palace was built by the Emperor in the style of the Li people’s architecture for her aunt. Consort Li’s favor had once made countless women inside and outside the palace envious.
When she arrived at Yongli Palace, the palace maids, seemingly unsurprised by Gu Jianli’s arrival, led her inside.
Gu Jianli faintly heard the melodious sound of silk and bamboo instruments. She walked up to the second floor and stood at the doorway, watching her aunt dance alone.
Since she was a child, she had loved watching her aunt dance. Her aunt had told her that this was the dance of the Li people. She couldn’t fully understand it, but she always felt that her aunt’s dance was excessively beautiful and exceedingly lonely. Her aunt rarely smiled, but whenever she saw Gu Jianli, she always smiled gently. Having lost her mother at a young age, and often hearing people say that her aunt resembled her mother, Gu Jianli called her Consort Li, but in her heart, she saw her as a mother.
As the music ceased, Consort Li flicked her long sleeves. She smiled charmingly, the passing years only adding to her grace.
“You’re here.”
Gu Jianli walked over, as she used to, picking up her aunt’s long sleeves and folding them as she walked towards Consort Li. When she finally stood before her aunt, she was shocked to realize that in the few months they hadn’t seen each other, her aunt had aged significantly, the weariness in her eyes growing deeper.
Gu Jianli bit her lip and finally asked, “Aunt, have you been well lately?”
Consort Li removed her long-sleeved dance dress and smiled self-deprecatingly, saying, “The same as always.”
The world said that the Emperor truly favored Consort Li; even though she had lost her innocence, he kept her in Yongli Palace without any punishment.
“I know what you want to ask, child. Your father is a hero, my brother-in-law. I never intended to harm your father.”
Relieved, Gu Jianli’s eyes reddened. She nodded, her voice choked, “With your words, I believe you, just as I believe my father.”
“Silly child.” Consort Li wiped away the tears at the corner of Gu Jianli’s eyes. Looking at this face so similar to her sister’s, she couldn’t help but say, “You are becoming more and more like your mother.”
“Father says that too.”
Consort Li’s expression suddenly changed, becoming serious and stern. “Do not come to the palace anymore. Do not let the Emperor see you.”
Gu Jianli didn’t quite understand, something flashed in her mind but she couldn’t grasp it.
A palace maid hurriedly came upstairs to report, “Your Majesty, the Emperor is coming!”
