Not long after, Tingyun came over with a medicine box to change Si Que’s dressing.
You Yuji put down the red dress in her hands, stood up, and walked out of the room to avoid seeing Si Que’s wound being treated. It wasn’t that she intentionally avoided it; Si Que just didn’t want her to see the wound on his leg.
He said it was ugly. He said he didn’t want his sister to see his ugly wound.
You Yuji glanced around the room and noticed a vase of winter chrysanthemums that were wilting. She instructed the maid to replace them with fresh ones. She always loved flowers and plants. Even in the cold winter of the northern land where greenery was scarce, she insisted on having greenery everywhere. Coincidentally, Baohe was carrying a large bundle of freshly picked flowers and plants. You Yuji sat at the square table and began to trim and arrange the flowers with great interest.
When she was young, she wasn’t particularly fond of flower arranging; it was her mother who loved it more. Her mother’s hometown was in the land of perpetual spring, Su Kingdom, where flowers bloomed brightly. After marrying into Si Kingdom, her mother never gave up this hobby, personally planting flowers and often spending long afternoons in her own garden.
As a child, You Yuji would either run outside with her father or sit quietly beside her mother, watching her tend to the flowers. Her mother would also teach her how to prune and arrange flowers.
Sometimes her mother would lament that many flowers couldn’t grow in Si Kingdom.
As she grew older, You Yuji understood that her mother missed her homeland.
Sitting on her father’s knee, she asked, “Mother, don’t you want to go back?”
Her mother gently placed a purple iris in her hair and shook her head softly.
You Yuji sighed lightly. Growing up, she realized that her mother missed Su Kingdom but loved Si Kingdom more because of her father and her. But now, her father was gone, and even Si Kingdom had become an unreachable homeland.
She wondered if her mother’s garden had already withered and fallen into disarray during the two years she had been gone.
When Tingyun finished changing Si Que’s dressing and left, You Yuji was still tending to the flowers.
Later, Si Que came out from the inner room and sat quietly beside her, watching her trim the flowers.
You Yuji turned her gaze to him and smiled.
Baohe nudged Zhenxu with her elbow, and Zhenxu gave a barely noticeable nod.
“Scissors.”
Baohe snapped back to reality and immediately went to fetch the scissors, but Si Que was quicker, handing the scissors to You Yuji.
Baohe’s bright eyes darted around, and she vigorously signaled Zhaohe with her eyes.
Taking advantage of You Yuji and Si Que talking, Zhaohe silently mouthed to Baohe, “Behave!”
You Yuji continued trimming for another hour, replacing all the vases in the inner and outer sleeping quarters and the flower hall. She instructed the maids to place the vases properly, then wheeled Si Que back to the inner room. She sat on the bed and continued altering her red dress, working until dusk without stopping.
·
“Lushu, the vase of green plum blossoms on the windowsill has withered,” Fang Qingyi said.
Lushu, who was organizing the antique shelf, immediately responded, “I’ll change it right away, my lady.”
Fang Qingyi didn’t blame Lushu. She knew that Lushu wasn’t good at these things. These matters used to be handled by Hongzan, but now Hongzan had become a concubine and was no longer her personal maid, having moved to the opposite residence.
From the open window, Fang Qingyi could see Hongzan’s current place.
Before long, she saw Chen Anzhi.
For the past few days, Chen Anzhi had been coming to Anxiang Courtyard daily, first to talk with her and have dinner, and then spending the night with Hongzan after it got dark.
But today, Chen Anzhi did not come. Fang Qingyi watched through the open window as Chen Anzhi went directly to Hongzan’s place.
Lushu saw it too. She wanted to console her but didn’t know how to start.
“Is Hongzan still drinking the contraception soup?” Fang Qingyi asked.
“Of course. There’s no news from Tanxiang Yingyue, so all the concubines are still drinking the contraception soup. The princess herself instructed this.”
Fang Qingyi placed her hand on her lower abdomen. She was well aware of the rules in the mansion, but recently, she had become uneasy. She once wanted to be the heir’s consort wholeheartedly, thinking of how to eliminate You Yuji. Recently, however, she began to doubt whether, even if she succeeded in getting rid of You Yuji, she could really rise from concubine to wife.
The person in Yunxiao Courtyard was the one in the heir’s heart.
The only comfort Fang Qingyi had was that Si Que’s identity destined him never to be the legitimate wife. But this comfort was very shallow. Even if Si Que couldn’t become the legitimate wife, what about others?
If her aunt asked her cousin to marry another wife, would her cousin refuse?
He had such a weak personality.
Fang Qingyi closed her eyes, waves of regret crashing over her, causing suffocating pain. She regretted betting on her weak cousin and even more regretted being pregnant out of wedlock.
“Master, you haven’t played the qin for several days. The heir loves listening to you play,” Lushu suggested.
But Fang Qingyi didn’t want to touch the qin strings anymore.
She only felt humiliated.
She lowered her eyes to her still-flat abdomen. This child was her only bargaining chip. She once thought that having this child meant having everything.
But now she was afraid.
The rules in the mansion were strict, and none of the concubines could conceive. But outside the mansion? Since her cousin could get her pregnant before marriage, would he continue to keep mistresses outside in the future?
Fang Qingyi suddenly felt a chill.
Perhaps he already had a woman outside, already had a child?
When Tanxiang Yingyue gave birth to a child, the child in her belly would no longer be a bargaining chip. Even if Tanxiang Yingyue couldn’t give birth, the contraception soup would stop in three to five years at most. By then, Chen Anzhi would have many children, and the child in her belly would be nothing…
How could she make the child in her belly Chen Anzhi’s only offspring?
What if…
What if Chen Anzhi died?
Fang Qingyi’s lifeless eyes were tinged with a strange color, and her hand on her lower abdomen trembled violently.
•
The next morning, You Yuji woke up and gently nudged Si Que.
“You haven’t been to the Flower Hall for a while. Would you like to go today?” Her voice was soft, with the usual gentle tone, tinged with a hint of sleepiness.
Si Que opened his eyes, quietly listening to her, watching her delicate lips move slowly, occasionally catching a glimpse of her tongue.
Si Que coughed lightly before saying, “Alright, I’ll accompany you, Sister.”
You Yuji yawned as she lifted the quilt and sat up, the collar of her robe slipping off one shoulder. It was Si Que’s night robe. She pulled the collar back up and looked back at Si Que.
Si Que raised a hand, casually placing it on his forehead, his injured leg stretched out on the bed while the other leg was bent. He looked down, lost in thought.
His body was only partially covered by the quilt, highlighting his jade-like pale skin against the dark purple bedding.
Suddenly, Si Que looked up, his eyes slowly filling with a smile. He softly called her “Sister,” lowering his voice, making it deeper and more magnetic: “Sure.”
You Yuji quickly averted her gaze, holding the robe closed with one hand and pulling the quilt up with the other to cover him before getting up and hurriedly going to the side room to change.
While changing, You Yuji found her mind wandering.
She couldn’t help but wonder if this kind of exertion was too much for Si Que’s health. He was already frail, and now his leg was injured too. Maybe she should let him rest well tonight?
After washing up, You Yuji returned to the inner room to find Si Que already up, putting on the white clothes laid on the small table by the bed.
“Wait,” You Yuji stopped him.
Si Que put down the outer garment and turned to look at her, obediently asking, “Now?”
It took You Yuji a moment to realize what he meant, her face flushing red as she hurriedly explained, “No!”
Then she brought over the dress she had altered late last night. Bending down to meet Si Que’s gaze, she smiled, “I think this outfit would look better on you. Will you try it?”
Si Que lowered his eyes, looking at the red dress in her arms, not responding immediately.
You Yuji waited patiently. If he really didn’t like it, she wouldn’t force him.
“Okay,” Si Que smiled, “As long as you like it, I’m fine with it.”
Hearing this, You Yuji paused for a moment before continuing to help him put on the dress, then helped him with the skirt.
Si Que stood up, holding onto the high stool beside him.
You Yuji bent over in front of him, carefully adjusting the ties at the waist of the skirt, then slowly squatted down to smooth the hem.
“The length is just right,” You Yuji smiled, satisfied with her alteration.
She stood up and took a few steps back, looking at Si Que in surprise.
“What’s wrong?” Si Que asked.
“Nothing,” You Yuji said, helping Si Que sit in the wheelchair before pushing him to the dressing table. She picked up a wooden comb and gently combed his long hair.
His black hair wasn’t as soft as You Yuji’s, but it had its own sleek, raven-like smoothness. Although Si Que had been dressing as a woman since childhood, his attire and accessories were always kept as simple as possible. You Yuji combed his long hair, as usual, pulling a strand from each side and fastening them at the back with a jade clasp. However, she replaced his usual white jade clasp with a red one.
When Liufeng entered, she found You Yuji carefully arranging Si Que’s hair. She looked Si Que up and down curiously, noting his red dress. After standing by for a while with nothing to do, she scratched her face and left.
Liufeng felt that ever since the princess had moved here, she had almost nothing to do.
She looked through the open window at the two inside, where You Yuji was focused on drawing Si Que’s eyebrows.
Liufeng smiled, happy for the princess who had gotten what she wanted.
·
Chunxing, Lin Yingying, and Cuiyu arrived together. By the time they came, You Yuji and Si Que were already in the Flower Hall, drinking tea and chatting.
The three of them stared at Si Que in surprise for a while.
The princess, who was always dressed in white and cold as ice, was wearing a bright red dress today. The colder a person’s usual demeanor, the more striking they appeared in vibrant colors. Sitting there, Si Que made everything around him look dull; only he had color, drawing everyone’s gaze.
They finally understood why some would pay any price to win a beauty’s smile.
You Yuji turned her head and said something to Si Que, making his cold face suddenly break into a smile. In that moment, the striking red became a burning flame.
“What are you all standing there for? Come and sit,” You Yuji said with a smile, looking at Chunxing, Cuiyu, and Lin Yingying.
The three of them snapped out of their daze, their gazes falling on You Yuji. She was the same as ever, her gentle smile always present, her light purple dress not too dazzling but drawing the eye and calming the heart.
The three of them and their maids all thought the same thing at that moment—
Indeed, they were the twin jewels of the Si Kingdom.
The three sat down gradually, silent for a while, before Lin Yingying spoke first, “Princess, you look so beautiful today.”
Si Que lifted his eyes, glancing at Lin Yingying.
Just a moment ago, he had been smiling while talking to You Yuji. But when he looked at someone else, his face returned to its cold, aloof expression.
Lin Yingying felt awkward.
You Yuji spoke gently, “I chose it for her. She usually wears such plain colors, it gets dull after a while. It’s nice to change it up occasionally.”
The three concubines exchanged glances.
—All three of them were dressed in white.
You Yuji looked at Lin Yingying and smiled, “Yingying, I always thought you’d look good in pink. You should try a more lively hairstyle too.”
“Do you really think so, Sister? I love pink!” Lin Yingying’s eyes curved with her smile.
“What about me, what about me? Sister, what color do you think would look good on me?” Cuiyu asked eagerly. Girls always loved to look beautiful.
