Seducing the Heart - Chapter 25

The willow branches drooped low, and sparrows huddling together on the tree chirped with a lively spirit. A few rowdy children held wooden slingshots, idly considering knocking a few birds down to take home as pets. Ying Xi caught sight of them and immediately issued a soft but firm scolding. She traded a few pieces of malt candy she had just bought from a stall for the children’s repeated promises never to strike the sparrows again before distributing the sweets.

Back in Northern Chu, Qin Zhanluo had spent almost all her time within the palace, rarely getting the chance to wander outside. Ying Xi, who always accompanied and cared for her, was no different. Now that they finally had such a free-spirited opportunity, Ying Xi was loath to miss it. Yet, she felt a bit self-conscious about going out alone, so she found various ways to persuade her mistress to take more walks, allowing her to tag along.

Qin Zhanluo was always understanding. When she had no pressing matters, she indulged her maid’s small whims, leading Ying Xi out of the manor to experience civilian life beyond the palace walls. The streets were filled with fresh trinkets that were both high in quality and low in price; Ying Xi was almost dazzled by the choices, wanting to buy everything. The other maidservants on duty in the Prince’s manor had to wait for their scheduled leave to go out, but since Ying Xi’s daily routine involved assisting the Princess Consort, her outings were quite official. Consequently, the other girls were incredibly envious of her, often secretly entreating her to bring back some tasty treats or fun toys if she encountered any. Ying Xi, of course, agreed readily; the small embroidered pouches she had brought back the other day had been a massive hit.

Initially, every trip out of the manor felt like a joyous occasion, but recently, the people on the streets seemed a bit strange. Ying Xi turned her head to look slightly behind them, and immediately heard cries of “Cakes for sale!” and “Candied haws!” The cakes were ordinary, and the candied haws were plump and coated in sugar frost. She watched with her own eyes as a dark-faced man skillfully picked out a few cakes for a woman, smiling as he accepted a few copper coins. The transaction was clean; the woman left satisfied with her basket, muttering that she would return. It looked perfectly normal, yet Ying Xi felt a subconscious sense of unease, a lingering feeling of discord.

Having fallen behind a few steps due to her hesitation and reflection, Ying Xi quickened her pace to return to Qin Zhanluo’s side. She got straight to the point, whispering a reminder, “Mistress, do you not feel that the streets have been a bit strange lately?”

Qin Zhanluo casually picked up a decorative hand-braided cord, a spark of interest in her eyes as she asked pointedly, “Oh? Where does Ying Xi find things amiss?”

For four or five days straight, whenever the two of them stepped out, a few people had been following them. Ying Xi thought her mistress hadn’t noticed, but Qin Zhanluo’s perceptions were sharp; she had been aware of it long ago and had already made guesses regarding the identity of their pursuers.

“It seems someone is always following us. This servant’s ability to recognize faces is quite good; for instance, that dark-faced uncle selling cakes back there,” Ying Xi said, her body not turning toward the man but her peripheral vision signaling his location to Qin Zhanluo. “Many times when I have turned back inadvertently, I see him right there selling his cakes.”

There were no such coincidences in the world. She and her mistress had visited different places over these few days; there was no reason for this man to be selling cakes directly behind them every single time.

Qin Zhanluo set down the cord she had been examining, her tone carrying a note of approving teasing. “Meticulous and logical. It seems Ying Xi has become much more clever recently. Stay here for a moment; I shall go meet them.”

Qin Zhanluo took a few steps, using the sparse crowd as cover, and soon vanished from sight. At the same time, the disguised men on the street lost their target and began to panic. They quickly exchanged glances. Normally, they only needed to keep a death grip on the lady-in-waiting’s location to follow Qin Zhanluo. They had habitually focused their attention on Ying Xi, never expecting that she would suddenly stop following her mistress. The group decided immediately to ignore Ying Xi and split up to continue the search. The target couldn’t have gone far.

“Your Excellency seems in quite a hurry. Are you looking for me?” Just as Er Bing turned into an alley, someone pressed a sharp object against his carotid artery from behind. With his life in another’s hands, he naturally did not dare move.

“What is the lady saying? This humble one is just a cake seller,” Er Bing said, clutching his wooden basket and refusing to confess. “Two coins for one, five coins for three. Would the lady like to buy some cakes?”

Qin Zhanluo lowered the hairpin she had just bought on the street to use as a weapon and tossed it onto the ground. “A cake seller?”

Er Bing thought she had believed him and breathed a silent sigh of relief. He turned around, offering Qin Zhanluo a fawning smile. “Yes, the lady must have misunderstood. I truly am just a cake seller. It is an ancestral craft.” Er Bing lifted the white cloth covering the basket, pointing things out to her. “Look, these are the sweet ones, and these are a bit saltier. I have almost every flavor you might want.” To prove himself, he even picked up a cake and began eating it, saying unclearly, “Truly, the cakes I make are delicious. Would you like some?”

Qin Zhanluo was not fooled. She only let out a cold laugh, her gaze becoming dangerous. “Did your master never teach you that acting should be more convincing? A normal cake seller would not be this calm when encountering danger; they would likely have been scared witless by now.”

Er Bing knew he was exposed and had no further rebuttal. In his desperation, he found a way out. He skillfully flicked the cakes from the basket toward Qin Zhanluo like spinning discs, only to see her easily dodge them one by one and use her internal energy to send them all back. Er Bing was caught off guard and struck several times on the head while dodging, but he dared not stop. He threw the entire wooden basket out and fled for his life.

“Mistress, did you catch him?” Ying Xi finally reunited with Qin Zhanluo after a short delay.

Qin Zhanluo’s eyes darkened slightly. She brushed off a bit of dust from her clothes and replied calmly, “I let him go.” Fortunately, she had already confirmed exactly who was sending people to follow her.

“Then where shall we go next, Mistress?” Ying Xi asked with some hesitation. She didn’t want to return to the manor yet, given they had only been out for a short while.

Qin Zhanluo easily saw through her maid’s thoughts and smiled silently. “It does not matter. They likely will not dare to follow us anymore. Come, I will take you to a teahouse to see the storytellers.”

Qin Zhanluo had suddenly remembered a conversation she overheard last night between the manor girls and Ying Xi. They had been asking if she had ever heard a storyteller with a folding fan perform live scripts. Ying Xi had replied “no” with a trace of regret. She might as well take her to hear one today so they could discuss it later; the manor would be more lively that way. Qin Zhanluo took a few steps and noticed Ying Xi was still stunned in place, so she urged her with a clever remark. “What, do you not want to tell the story to your sisters back at the manor after you’ve heard it?”

Ying Xi’s eyes lit up at this, and she hurried to catch up.

Inside a side hall of the Eastern Palace, the subordinates sent out by Yun Siji a few days ago returned to report.

“Useless! What have you all been doing? It has only been a few days, and you were so easily discovered by that Princess?” Yun Siji smashed a teacup in his hand. “How impressive, you almost allowed yourselves to be captured by a woman!”

“Your Highness, please calm your anger! Who could have known that woman, who looks so refined and frail, actually knows martial arts?” The subordinates knelt on the floor, their hearts filled with trepidation at the Crown Prince’s rage.

Yun Siji turned the jade ring on his thumb and looked coldly at the group. “I do not wish to hear these useless excuses. I only wish to know: did she perceive your true identities?”

“Reporting to Your Highness, absolutely not! She only exchanged a few moves with Er Bing. When the rest of us arrived, we immediately covered Er Bing’s escape under the chaos.”

Their identities weren’t discovered. Yun Siji pondered for a moment, his anger dissipating. “Get up. Be sure to be more clever next time.”

“Then, Your Highness… do we need to continue following her?”

“No need. We must not let matters spiral further.” They had nearly exposed their identities this time; Qin Zhanluo would surely be on her guard. Going back would be like rushing to tell her these people belonged to the Eastern Palace. Yun Siji had sent them simply because he couldn’t discern her true nature last time and wanted a more detailed observation. But if this were exposed and Yun Jin found out, it would be difficult for Yun Siji to explain. It might even affect their brotherly bond, which was not worth the risk.

Yun Siji waved them away. He tapped his finger slowly on the armrest of his sandalwood chair, lost in thought. Perhaps I have been stuck in a misunderstanding from the start. While the Emperor told him to watch for the Princess Consort’s influence, the true focus was always on Yun Jin. Having thought it through, after a few more days, Yun Siji personally visited the Prince Jin manor.

“Royal Brother, I have been busy lately and have not seen you for a long time. I hope you do not take offense.”

Yun Jin smiled and signaled Nangong Ning to refill the guest’s wine. “What are you saying, Royal Brother? I know you are always thinking of me.” After pouring for Yun Siji, Nangong Ning added wine to Yun Jin’s cup, but stopped at exactly two-fifths, refusing to add more.

As he drank, Yun Siji looked up at Nangong Ning and couldn’t help but offer praise. “It has been a long time, yet Miss A-Ning is still so upright and dutiful. Royal Brother, you have chosen a fine attendant.”

Yun Jin knew the hidden meaning in his words and simply smiled, dismissing Nangong Ning for the moment. Yun Siji set down his wine cup and probed gently. “Brother Jin, have you heard any recent word regarding the Prince of Shen?”

“I know nothing.”

“I have a hold over my Third Brother. Currently, I do not know whether to continue suppressing it for him or take the opportunity to give him a lesson. After all, he has not been very settled lately.” Yun Siji paused and looked at Yun Jin. “In your view, what should I do?”

Yun Siji had pondered this for a long time. His close confidants all urged him to seize the chance, but he still hesitated.

Yun Jin lowered her eyes and thought. “In my view, Royal Brother should continue to wait. The Prince of Shen acts in a high-profile manner; surely Royal Brother is not the only one holding such a piece of evidence. It is better not to move.”

After Yun Jin spoke, she watched as Yun Siji reflected and then suddenly looked enlightened. It was clear he understood the meaning. In the struggle between these factions, the Prince of Shen was not Yun Siji’s only rival, but he was the most evenly matched. If Yun Siji tried to impeach Yun Shen without absolute certainty, any chance of the other surviving would lead to a merciless counterattack. A battle where both suffer while a third party benefits would be the most unwise outcome. Yun Siji approved of this answer, which was contrary to what others had told him; the trip was not in vain.

“Come, I toast to you.”

With his doubts resolved, the atmosphere became more relaxed. Yun Jin and Yun Siji touched cups and drank. But when Yun Siji intended to pour her a fourth cup, she reached out and shook her head. “Royal Brother, I can only drink these three cups, no more.”

This wine was made with a special method and had just been unearthed. It tasted sweet at first, but the aftereffects were strong. Yun Siji knew his brother was frail and likely taking medicine, so out of concern for his health, he did not insist. The conversation shifted to Qin Zhanluo.

“The other day, I happened to see the Princess Consort on the street. As a Princess, she truly has an imperial aura and suits you well. I only wonder when I shall get to drink the celebratory wine for your child’s first month.”

Then you will likely never drink it, Yun Jin thought, her smile remaining unchanged. “There is no rush. My health is weak and needs nurturing. Therefore, the Princess Consort and I have no such plans yet; we shall let nature take its course.”

Yun Siji nodded with some regret, though he understood. He added a tip. “My people once saw the Princess Consort chatting harmoniously with Scholar Su.”

Yun Jin simply smiled and defended her. “I am aware of this. In truth, the Princess Consort was not clear on the interpretation of a certain political essay. I happened to recall that Scholar Su had researched it, so I introduced the two of them.” She showed no guilt whatsoever while telling this harmless lie.

Yun Siji remained noncommittal about her answer. He swirled his wine cup and drained it. “Royal Brother should pay more attention himself.” The implication was that he didn’t want Yun Jin to be a cuckold without knowing it. Yun Jin disliked the subtle slights against her Princess Consort and quietly frowned before steering the conversation elsewhere. She patiently accompanied him until he decided to leave.

Once he left the manor, Nangong Ning emerged from the shadows and asked, “Shall I follow?”

Yun Jin shook her head. “No need. Go and rest early, A-Ning.” Yun Siji’s sudden attention on the Princess Consort was likely at the Emperor’s behest after their talk in the palace. She calculated the dates and realized it was almost time to return to Northern Chu with Qin Zhanluo. It would likely cost some energy before they left.

In the evening, when Yun Jin entered the room, she found the beauty drinking alone at the table. Qin Zhanluo was pouring and drinking with a steady face, having already consumed an unknown number of cups.

“The aftereffects of this wine are strong; the Princess Consort should drink less.” Yun Jin took the cup from her hand and advised her gently. Qin Zhanluo looked up at her without resistance. This person had drunk quite a bit; it was unclear if she was intoxicated. Her eyes held a misty haze as she looked at Yun Jin, appearing to hide an endless tenderness. Yun Jin felt a sudden stir in her heart.

“Is the sweetheart you once spoke of… Scholar Su?”

Qin Zhanluo’s eyes flickered. She slowly pressed her hands against the table and stood up.

“I feel Scholar Su is a very good man. He is handsome and has excellent character. If he were with the Princess Consort, they would be well-matched.”

“Why does the Prince always believe Scholar Su is the one in my heart? I feel that the Prince is actually closer to Scholar Su’s sister.”

She was too close; Yun Jin could feel the other’s breath almost enveloping her. Yet, she kept approaching. As Qin Zhanluo stepped forward, Yun Jin stepped back until there was finally no room left.

“Princess Consort, you are drunk.”

Qin Zhanluo smiled, her eyes unreadable. “Perhaps.” She suddenly leaned in, pressed against Yun Jin’s shoulders, closed her eyes, and kissed her.

Yun Jin was stunned by the softness against her lips. It was a strange sensation she had never experienced before, so much so that she temporarily forgot to push her away. The kiss was brief and light.

“Why has the Prince never considered that the person in my heart might have been the Prince all along?” Qin Zhanluo pulled away before Yun Jin could react and said calmly, “I am drunk.”

Yun Jin stood in place, her mind a complete blank. Her nose was filled with the faint scent of wine. She suddenly wondered, without reason, if it was she herself who was drunk.

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