Seducing the Heart - Chapter 29

From the first day Yun Jin and Qin Zhanluo entered the imperial palace, Xie Lianjing had vanished from sight. She had her own business to attend to and knew that no danger would be encountered here, so she felt no need to accompany Yun Jin. Xie Lianjing was a free spirit. On the night they arrived in the imperial city, she found a luxurious inn to stay in and began inquiring about the whereabouts of the person she longed to see.

In the territory of Northern Chu, she had an old acquaintance. That woman was even more heartless than she was; they had once agreed to exchange one letter per year. The other party was indeed true to her word, only sending a letter in early March and never a moment sooner, refusing to send more. Xie Lianjing would secretly sulk over this, her expression none too happy as she read those three pages of sparsely written ink. After all, no matter how she felt, there was only this one letter, and once read, it was gone.

There had been only one exception. The year before last, Xie Lianjing had received the letter after drinking. In a hazy, drunken state, she read it and found the same old content, devoid of anything new. Most importantly, she flipped the pages over and over, searching multiple times, only to find that the other party still had not mentioned a single word in response to her own inquiries.

Xie Lianjing felt an inexplicable sense of grievance surface in her heart, accompanied by an inevitable flash of annoyance. She ground her own ink, picked up her brush, and boldly wrote two large characters on the paper: “Acknowledged.” This served as her reply for that year. After sending someone to deliver the letter, she fell into a deep sleep. Since she rarely drank and had intentionally avoided taking any sobriety pills, she slept until noon the following day. When she woke up and saw the letter on the desk, she remembered her actions from the night before and could not help but feel a twinge of regret.

She picked up the pages, her mood turning somber. One letter a year; if the other party saw such a reply, how would she feel? Her heart fluttered with anxiety as she fell into a self-tug-of-war. Eventually, she convinced herself that given that woman’s personality, she probably would not care. If it were not for the fear that Bai Yueli would never send another reply, Xie Lianjing would have done this long ago.

To her surprise, as soon as she stepped out, a young maid walking toward her handed a letter into her arms. “Miss Xie, there is a letter for you.”

Xie Lianjing was bewildered but opened it casually, only to find the handwriting most familiar. Bai Yueli had, quite rarely, sent a second letter within the same year. That day, Xie Lianjing was in a marvelous mood. Even when she brewed Yun Jin’s medicine and sent it over via a young maid, she threw an extra candied fruit into the bowl, leaving others puzzled by her sudden change in temperament.

Just as Xie Lianjing thought, Bai Yueli’s residence was not difficult to find. One only had to pull aside a few elderly citizens on the street and ask where to find the doctor who could treat chronic ailments that ordinary physicians could not cure, specifically the kind who charged no silver. While the request sounded somewhat rude, such a person truly existed in the collective memory of the people.

This was Bai Yueli’s consistent habit. During her less busy months, she would open a free clinic at her current location, specifically helping poor civilians who could not afford medical care. Most of her patients were elderly people with no one to rely on. Still, an auntie carrying a vegetable basket looked Xie Lianjing up and down with suspicion. “Young lady, do you have a chronic ailment? You look quite pretty and do not seem to have any illness.”

Xie Lianjing nodded and replied composedly, “Yes, I am ill.” Her tone was quite self-assured. The auntie fell silent for a moment before giving the address to the girl, a hint of sympathy appearing in her eyes. Since nothing was visible on the outside, she assumed the girl’s head was not working right. It was a shame for someone so young.

Ignoring the auntie’s thoughts, Xie Lianjing followed the address and successfully saw that woman. Bai Yueli was looking down, flipping through a copy of the Classic of Herbal Medicine. Her expression was exceptionally focused, and she occasionally picked up a brush to make annotations or marks. Her features looked exactly the same as before.

Xie Lianjing discreetly pinched out some medicinal powder and scattered it on her own wrist before walking toward the other party with a calm stride. She said nothing, simply sitting quietly opposite Bai Yueli and resting her hand on the pulse pillow. Just as Xie Lianjing expected, Bai Yueli reached out to take her pulse while still reading her book, not looking up at first. However, the moment her fingers touched the wrist, she sensed the other’s identity. She looked up to confirm, and indeed, she was right.

“You, why have you come here?” Her voice was steady, and not a single ripple surfaced in her eyes.

But Xie Lianjing was long accustomed to this. Seeing each other again after so much time, she even felt a bit of warmth. Her tone relaxed as she spoke. “Why? Is Senior Sister Bai unwilling to see me?”

Within the span of a few sentences, Bai Yueli sensed a strange sensation spreading from her palm to her entire body. In an instant, she drew the silver needles she always kept in her sleeve and pierced several of her own acupoints. At the same time, silver light flashed as she flicked a few needles toward the other party. Xie Lianjing had anticipated this and dodged immediately. She pulled back to a safe distance, looking quite smug, thinking the other party could do nothing to her. However, looking down, she realized she had inadvertently fallen into a trap.

Within a few breaths, Xie Lianjing’s entire body became numb and tingly; she was unable to move. She found it difficult even to grit her teeth, so she could only watch the woman opposite her, who had already neutralized the poison and was calmly drinking tea, waiting for her to unseal the needles. Bai Yueli lifted her teacup and tilted her head slightly to take a sip, perfectly hiding the flash of a smile in her eyes. The right hand hidden in her sleeve was actually still somewhat stiff even after the needles.

But her tone was as light as a breeze, as if she had not been affected at all. “Junior Sister should wait a moment. In half an hour at most, the needles will lose their effect on their own.” Having said that, she took advantage of the fact that Xie Lianjing could not speak and rose to return to the house. Xie Lianjing stared at her back, still feeling unconvinced. How was it possible? Could her medicine really have zero effect on Bai Yueli? She did not believe it; that woman was definitely faking it.

The palace willow branches swayed in the wind, their fragrance attracting butterflies. Yun Jin had been slightly worried about the stability of this trip earlier, but now she felt she had been overthinking. The attitudes of the Emperor and Empress toward her were quite friendly. Especially the Empress, who frequently sent the milk tea Yun Jin had praised before.

Even traveling was no concern. The Emperor had long ago issued an order: as long as someone could prove they were Yun Jin’s confidant, they were free to enter and leave the palace to find her. Furthermore, Qin Zhanluo had given Yun Jin a token to signify her status as the Imperial Consort. When she saw the medicine Xie Lianjing personally brought over, Yun Jin remembered that she had not seen a shadow of her during the day for several days since entering the palace.

“Senior Sister, why haven’t I seen you during the day for the past few days?” Yun Jin asked casually, though she already had a vague answer in her heart.

“Why? Do you want to not see me at night either?” Xie Lianjing rolled her eyes, knowing the intent behind the question.

Yun Jin pondered solemnly for a moment, then blinked mischievously. “That would not be impossible.”

“Get away from me! Can’t you guess where I went?” Xie Lianjing’s face darkened. “Fine, you’ve started teasing your Senior Sister now. Is it because the medicine I’ve been brewing for you lately isn’t bitter enough?”

“Aya, Senior Sister, don’t be angry.” Yun Jin remained unfazed by the threat. “A healer knows themselves; anger harms the body.” She used a porcelain spoon to probe the medicine, then took a small sip to test the temperature. “Yun Jin truly does not know. Did Senior Sister go to see someone?”

Xie Lianjing knew she was playing dumb but had no choice but to play along. “Yes, yes, I went to see someone.” She took an empty teacup from the table and poured some tea for herself. Yun Jin tilted her head slightly and drank more than half of the medicine in one go, then looked at Xie Lianjing. “A sweetheart?”

“Cough, cough, cough!” Xie Lianjing’s emotions flared, and the tea she just sipped was sprayed onto the ground as she choked.

“Yun Jin!” Xie Lianjing was fuming, rolling up her sleeves as if to give this smooth-talking little rascal a lesson. Yun Jin looked at her innocently and made a gesture to remind her: if she accidentally vomited at this moment, all the effort Xie Lianjing put into brewing the medicine would go to waste.

The method worked. Xie Lianjing suppressed her feigned anger, watching Yun Jin finish the rest of the medicine before letting out a cold snort. She realized belatedly that she should not have been so agitated; it made it look like she had a guilty conscience.

“What sweetheart? The one I saw was your Senior Sister Bai. We were just exchanging medical skills and catching up,” Xie Lianjing said, her tone returning to composure as she refilled her tea. “You’re acting as if you’ve forgotten her.”

Yun Jin knew when to stop; if she continued to tease, her medicine for the next few days would likely be several times more bitter. She did not fear bitterness, but she was not eager to suffer.

“Naturally, I remember Senior Sister Bai.” Yun Jin placed the empty bowl on the wicker table. “Has she been faring well lately?”

“Very well. It has been a few years, yet her needle technique is still just a tiny bit better than mine.” Xie Lianjing set down her cup, her tone becoming slightly proud. “But as for medicine, she should not even dream of it; she will not match me in another ten years.” Regardless, in that harmless little contest, she did not consider herself the loser.

“Does Jin’er know anyone else in Northern Chu?” Before leaving, Xie Lianjing remembered Yun Jin’s earlier teasing and wanted to save some face. “You could also go catch up with someone, just like your Senior Sister.”

Speaking of a casual word leading to a deep impression, within Northern Chu, Yun Jin truly did have someone she wished to see again. Thus, that very night, she dispatched a trusted confidant.

“Find an old acquaintance for me, named Li Luo,” Yun Jin said, her eyes brimming with a smile as she recalled the silhouette of a certain young girl from years ago. She remembered clearly that the other party was a local residing in the Northern Chu imperial city; she only hoped they had not relocated in the intervening years. After so many years apart, she wondered what that person had become. After all, when they met and accompanied one another, they were both still in their youth.

In the ordinary marketplace, the vendor with the best business was a man selling candied haws. The sugar-frosted treats were skewered onto a wooden post, tempting the passing children to pick and buy. His variety was not limited to the usual hawthorn berries; there were other fresh fruits as well.

“Candied haws! Two coins a string! If it is not sweet, you do not pay!” the vendor cried out energetically, drawing a crowd of children. They even began to scuffle over a string that looked slightly larger than the rest.

“Hey, what is this? I clearly saw this one first!” “Move aside! Who says seeing it first makes it yours? I paid first!”

A young girl dressed in expensive silk stood by. Her demeanor carried a maturity uncharacteristic of her age; she did not look particularly “cute” and lacked a certain liveliness. She stood near the stall, watching the candied haws. Though she remained silent, a desire to eat them was clearly hidden in her eyes.

“Miss, these candied haws are worthless trifles. Eating them would be a breach of decorum. If you wish for something sweet, I shall go and buy you pastries from Zhenxiang Pavilion.”

“Mhm. I was just looking,” the girl said, lowering her gaze and looking at the stall no longer. She had to go to the temple to pray for blessings; she could not allow her gaze to be drawn by such worldly things on the road.

When the moon reached the treetops, the girl found she could not truly sleep. After tossing and turning for a long while, she finally decided to rise. She walked out of the temple’s guest wing and wandered aimlessly around the grounds. A light evening breeze picked up, but it was not particularly cold; it was the perfect time to come out for some air.

Clack. The sound of a small pebble hitting the ground echoed.

“Who is it?” The girl, having heard the sound early, dodged the “ambush” of the pebble, her heart growing wary.

“Hey, do not shout… cough, cough.” Another girl’s voice drifted over as she revealed herself from behind a hidden tree.

“Who are you? Why did you think to ambush me?” The girl observed Yun Jin calmly, noting the other’s silken black hair, elegant nose, and exquisite features. The stranger looked so well-behaved yet somewhat sickly, causing the girl’s guardedness to vanish by more than half.

“I did not ambush you. I just wanted to say hello,” the young Yun Jin said, offering a soft smile. “Hey, follow me.”

I must be a bit dazed, the girl thought belatedly as she stood outside a secluded guest room. Otherwise, why would I follow a stranger I have never met before so easily and without any defense?

“Here, these are for you.” What the young Yun Jin produced were the very same variety of candied haws the girl had seen the vendor selling that day. Somehow, the sugar frost had been preserved and had not yet melted.

The girl instinctively swallowed, a gesture that was nearly imperceptible but was caught nonetheless, bringing a flash of amusement to Yun Jin’s eyes.

“I do not want them.” After a cold refusal, the girl turned to leave.

“Hey, do not go… cough, cough, cough!” Young Yun Jin began to cough violently.

The girl ultimately could not bear it and walked back, her tone still flat: “Are you alright?” Why does this person always cough so? What if she damages her lungs?

A cunning glint flashed in Yun Jin’s eyes. She knew she looked well-behaved, and when dealing with someone who was “hard of mouth but soft of heart,” a little bit of effort would easily achieve the goal.

“I… I am too weak to eat these candied haws, but I want to know their taste. Could you…” Yun Jin covered her mouth with her fist again and coughed twice. “Could you taste them for me?”

That was the first time in the girl’s life she had tasted candied haws. The sweet and sour flavor would linger in her memory for a long time. But after eating only two, she saw the person who had just claimed to be unable to eat them biting into one quite happily. Realizing she had been tricked, the girl’s face turned cold, and she swept her sleeves and departed.

Yun Jin watched her walk away, calling out twice but failing to bring her back. She could only sigh softly: “What a boring person.”

At that time, Yun Jin had happened to see this girl of similar age on the street. One could tell at a glance she was a daughter of a wealthy family; she was constrained in everything she did, appearing utterly dull. Later, hearing she would come to Jia Zhu Temple, Yun Jin personally bought the candied haws to try and “wait for the rabbit.” There are many people in this world bound by various etiquettes and teachings. She was only a child, after all. Yun Jin intended to guide her away from such pedantry.

The girl prayed at the temple for two days and did not see Yun Jin again, yet she felt an inexplicable urge to see her. After returning to her room that day, she had thought it through: that person’s goal from the start was to help her eat the candied haws she wanted but couldn’t have. She could not describe the feeling in her heart. This was the first time someone had actively encouraged her to step outside the rules.

Clack. The sound of a pebble hitting the ground.

The girl turned around and looked at Yun Jin, who was picking up another stone.

“Hey? Why did you not shout this time?” Young Yun Jin asked, a bit sheepishly as she casually dropped the pebble in her hand.

“Did you want me to shout?” the girl asked, as cold as ever.

“Naturally not.” Yun Jin walked toward her with a smile in her eyes.

The girl remained where she was but could not help but ask the question in her heart: “Why do you always throw pebbles at me?”

“It is just my way of saying hello,” Yun Jin defended herself solemnly. “Besides, I did not want to hit you just now. Every time, I specifically aim for your feet.”

“Your way of saying hello… is quite unique.” The girl remained noncommittal, turning her gaze elsewhere. “Why have you come to find me?”

“I want to take you out to play,” Yun Jin said, circling to stand in front of the girl so they were eye-to-eye. “The streets at night are very lively. There are dragon and lion dances, plays, and even more things to eat that are better than candied haws. Are you willing to go with me?”

“But…” Though the girl was moved, she still had reservations. For a moment, she became hesitant.

But the other’s hand had already reached out: “No ‘buts’. Come with me.”

It was the first time the girl had been led by the hand. As she followed behind, a look of wonder flashed in her eyes. Later, she thought that she could have easily broken free with just a little strength, so why did she choose not to let go? Perhaps it was because the other person’s hand was soft and warm; or perhaps it was because she herself was not firm enough and wanted to follow all along. In short, the true reason was likely something she could never figure out. But the only thing she knew was that she never regretted the decision she made that night.

The two were like the most ordinary playmates, sneaking out at night to play in the streets. Security in the imperial city was good, there was no curfew, and the night markets that had recently emerged were at their most boisterous. They tasted the most common snacks and experienced toys that were ordinary to children of commoners but appeared entirely novel to the girl. Many nights were spent this way. Those were rare moments of happiness for her in those years.

Sometimes Yun Jin appeared as a quiet and dignified lady, and other times she dressed as a handsome young lad. This led several shopkeepers who liked children to tease: These two little ones, I wonder which families these childhood sweethearts belong to.

By unspoken agreement, neither had asked for the other’s identity. Only when they were about to part did they hurriedly remember to exchange names.

“My name is Yun Jin. I have not yet asked, Miss, what is your name?”

The girl paused slightly before turning back to tell her: “Li Luo.”

She was called Li Luo. Taken from her mother’s surname and her own given name.

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