The beauty stopped in front of her, turned her head to look at her, and suddenly spoke, bringing Xie Tao back to her senses.
It was then that she realized that both the noble sons behind the curtain across from her and the women in brocade dresses who had been sitting by her side had all stood up and slightly bowed.
Realizing this, Xie Tao quickly stood up and, following their lead, performed a bow, and with pursed lips, said, “Greetings to the princess.”
Feeling somewhat apprehensive inside, she didn’t dare to lift her head to look at the princess in front of her.
This situation had come too suddenly.
Last night, Wei Yun told her to come here today because Qi Ji had arranged a banquet in the Hou Mansion’s garden and invited her to go with him.
But this morning, after Wei Yun lit the incense, telling her to go to Qi Ji’s garden, Wei Jing seemed to have brought some news. Upon hearing it, Wei Yun asked her to take a carriage to Qi Ji’s garden first, while he needed to enter the palace first.
Who would have thought that not long after Xie Tao got on the carriage, it was stopped by someone in the bustling market.
When Xie Tao was brought here, she was still in a fog.
“What is your name?”
Zhao Shuwei looked at the girl in front of her, with her head down, wearing a veil, revealing only a pair of apricot eyes, her lips always carrying a bit of a gentle smile.
“Xie Tao.”
Xie Tao replied softly.
As a girl who grew up in modern society, Xie Tao was not yet accustomed to the so-called etiquette and rules of the feudal era.
But at this moment, she was doing her best to play the role of the visiting cousin from Yecheng.
Fortunately, before this, Shao Liyin had also taught her some basic etiquette.
She instinctively remained cautious around everyone here, constantly reminding herself to appear as calm as possible, so as not to cause any unnecessary trouble for Wei Yun.
“Xie Tao…”
Zhao Shuwei gently played with the name, then suddenly smiled and asked, “Miss Xie, why do you always wear a veil?”
Before Xie Tao could reply, a woman’s voice suddenly said beside her, “Perhaps she’s ugly and doesn’t want to show her face.”
The remark sounded somewhat sarcastic.
Then, a faint laughter began to rise, even the young men behind the curtain couldn’t help but quietly discuss it.
When Xie Tao turned to look, she saw a young woman wearing a water-blue embroidered dress, her beauty fresh and bright, glancing at her with a somewhat unfriendly look.
Xie Tao was a bit confused.
It wasn’t until she saw Zhao Shuwei, the Princess Heyu, giving her a glance, still smiling but with a hint of helplessness, “Youyi, Miss Xie hasn’t been in Yingdu for long and it’s her first visit to Mei Garden. Please, don’t offend people with your sharp tongue.”
After speaking, Zhao Shuwei then said to Xie Tao, “This is Youyi, surname Sun, the legitimate daughter of the Sun Imperial Censor. She’s always been straightforward. She’s not a bad person at heart, so please don’t take it to heart.”
Hearing this, Xie Tao suddenly remembered what Qi Ji had told her about that day.
The legitimate daughter of the Sun Imperial Censor?
That must be…
Xie Tao abruptly turned her head to look at Sun Youyi.
Sun Youyi, hearing some whispering nearby mentioning something about a “Imperial Advisor,” immediately looked worse. When she met Xie Tao’s gaze, she didn’t hide her hostility.
“The common woman understands.” Under the gentle and smiling gaze of Princess Heyu in front of her, Xie Tao gently nodded.
But perhaps because she now knew Sun Youyi’s identity, she subconsciously straightened her back and glared back when Sun Youyi glared at her.
Sun Youyi was clearly startled for a moment, then snorted coldly.
At that moment, Zhao Shuwei spoke again, with a hint of apology, “Stopping Miss today was abrupt on my part, but since you’ve been in Yingdu for a while and yet have never been seen, I was genuinely curious. But since you’ve been ill, I haven’t had the chance to see you… It was also by chance that I encountered your carriage today, so I invited you over. Please don’t mind it.”
Zhao Shuwei’s voice was always soft and graceful, like a gentle stream, her tone always tender and melodious. Despite being a royal, she was approachable, always greeting people with a smile.
She treated Xie Tao in the same manner.
At that moment, Xie Tao could only lower her eyes and say she didn’t mind.
Hearing this, Zhao Shuwei smiled slightly, her face radiant as the spring blossoms outside the pavilion, and even more striking.
She then gently patted Xie Tao’s shoulder, “Sit down, Miss Xie, have some hot tea to warm yourself.”
Then she turned to the others and raised her voice slightly, “Everyone, please take a seat.”
After speaking, she withdrew her hand, supported by a maid, and slowly walked to the stairs to sit down on a chair to the left of the main seat.
Seeing the main seat and another seat to the right still empty, Zhao Shuwei beckoned to a maid nearby.
The maid immediately bowed and came close, whispering, “Princess?”
“Have Princess Helan and Princess Heyue not arrived yet?” Zhao Shuwei asked in a low voice.
The maid replied softly, “The carriages of both princesses have just arrived at the eastern market.”
Zhao Shuwei responded with a light “Hmm,” seemingly indifferent, her expression somewhat lazy, but her lips, painted with lipstick, always carried a faint smile.
Among the low chatter of the crowd, Zhao Shuwei leaned back in her chair, one hand on the armrest, her eyes casually sweeping over Xie Tao among the female guests, her expression inexplicably deepening.
In the Plum Garden, there seemed to be a group of people chatting and laughing joyously, with Xie Tao caught in the middle, her nerves stretched taut, not daring to relax for even a moment.
At that time, as Wei Yun’s carriage made its way to the outside of the palace, reaching Youmeng Street, it was suddenly stopped by someone.
The person who stopped them was Qi Ji’s bodyguard—Qi Jianbai.
“Master Imperial Advisor, the Crown Prince invites you to a gathering at Songhe Tower,” Qi Jianbai greeted with a bow.
Wei Yun lifted the curtain, his cold, jade-like face revealing a hint of irritation, his voice chilly, “Move aside.”
“Sir, the Crown Prince has instructed me to inform you that going to Plum Garden now would mean putting Miss Xie in a very precarious position,” Qi Jianbai said, bowing his head and continuing.
Upon hearing this, Wei Yun’s grip on the curtain tightened.
Moments later, Wei Yun alighted from the carriage, ordering his easygoing bodyguard to drive the carriage back to the Imperial Advisor’s residence, and then proceeded to Songhe Tower with Wei Jing.
Songhe Tower was always a place for drinking tea. As soon as one stepped into the building, a faint aroma of tea greeted them.
In the Tianzi number room on the second floor, Wei Yun met Qi Ji, who was drinking tea inside.
“You’re here.”
Upon seeing him, Qi Ji put down his teacup and lifted his chin, “Come and sit.”
“Qi Mingxu,”
At this moment, Wei Yun’s expression was as calm as water. He did not move, merely standing there, “What do you want to do?”
Qi Ji heard this, but said, “It should be me asking what Wei Yanchen wants to do.”
He stared at Wei Yun for a moment, then stood up, straightened his slightly wrinkled sleeve, walked up to Wei Yun, and said, “You can’t go to Plum Garden today,”
“So it has to be me taking action.”
His eyes and eyebrows slightly raised, he then sighed.
Wei Yun was slightly startled, his eyes flickering.
Qi Ji reached out and patted his shoulder, “Tao Tao, my sister, was intercepted along with Princess Yu because of my invitation. As the host, if the guest hasn’t arrived for a long time, shouldn’t I go and look for her?”
“Alright, just sit here and drink tea. I’ll make sure to bring Tao Tao sister back, don’t worry.”
Saying this, Qi Ji walked past Wei Yun, about to push the door open.
But he paused for a moment, suddenly turned back, and when he looked at Wei Yun’s profile again, the smile in his eyes grew thicker, his voice carrying a bit of exclamation, “You know, this is the first time in many years I’ve seen you act so impulsively.”
From the year he knew Wei Yun, this man had always been like a dead pool of calm water, like a thousand-foot deep cold pond, unfathomable, cold, and detached.
This was the first time Qi Ji had seen him act like a teenager who hadn’t been exposed to the ways of the world, reckless and disorderly.
But it seemed, at last, that Wei Yun was touched by the mundane world’s spark.
Becoming more and more like a person of flesh and blood.
Thinking this, Qi Ji smiled, shook his head, and walked out the door.
For a time, only Wei Yun was left in the room.
Outside the window, the different cries of the market vendors and the sound of people talking and walking by filled the air, bustling and noisy.
He stood there for a long time, his palm hidden under his wide sleeve clutching a cold, cold copper pendant.
Several hours remained before she would leave this place.
Thinking of this, Wei Yun’s heart still could not relax for a moment.
She is ultimately not from here, he doesn’t know if she can handle all the variables here on her own.
Thinking of this, Wei Yun’s fingers tightened around the bronze talisman.
But he was clear, just as Qi Ji had said, if he went to the plum garden now, not only would he not be able to extricate her from the whirlpool, but he would also drag her further into it, making her a pawn that many wished to use.
To ensure Xie Tao’s safety, she could only appear to others as the cousin from Yecheng.
He stayed in Yingdu to look after her, a distant relative’s daughter, out of gratitude for past favors.
Beyond that, there was nothing else.
He must not show too much concern for her in public.
Because that, for her, was not a good thing.
So, this task could only be undertaken by Qi Ji.
But Wei Yun sat at the table, holding the teacup for a long time, his lips slightly pursed, his knuckles white from gripping, and suddenly the teacup in his hand shattered with a sound.
The warm tea flowed down through his fingers, along with the crimson blood from the cuts.
When he loosened his grip, the broken pieces of porcelain fell to the ground, making a crisp sound.
No matter who had set up this situation at today’s plum garden poetry meeting, or what role the Princess Yu played in it…
He had taken note of all of it.
He had been alone all his life, and there was nothing in this world that could scare him anymore.
But then Xie Tao appeared,
She became his weakness, making him, who had forgotten the word “fear”, revisit the gray and defeated feelings of losing everything as a youth, after many years.
He didn’t want her to suffer any harm, nor did he want her to be tainted by the slightest filth of this world.
Now, there was only a deep abyss behind him, with no room for retreat.
So, he could only force himself to become stronger.
He had to climb upwards, step by step, on the edge of a knife.
And one day,
He would surely let her stand upright and openly before all under heaven,
And that day would not be far off.
