Chapter 162: Rui He
The twilight, like ink, spread and quietly swallowed the last rays of the setting sun in Tan Qiu Courtyard.
Xue Sui’s wolf-hair brush hovered over the snow-white paper slips, the ink seeming to form a bead, trembling as if about to fall.
“Young Lady…” Xiao Zhao, her eyes weary, whispered, pushing the candlestick closer to the desk.
“The ink is about to drip.”
Xue Sui then came back to her senses, her brush tip lightly touching the paper, and wrote the two characters “Rui He.”
The ink instantly bloomed on the paper.
The clapper of the night watchman echoed faintly in her ears.
The window lattice was not fully closed, the light gauze fluttering, and Spirit Feather flapped its wings.
The muggy July wind rustled the paper slips covered with names on the desk.
Xiao Zhao asked, “Young Lady, who is this Rui He? It seems her name isn’t in the picture album?”
Silence filled the room for a moment before Xue Sui’s voice rang out.
“There were two reading companions by Princess Ping Le’s side in those days.”
She gently traced the paper with her fingertips, paused slightly, and a faint smile touched her lips.
“One was Xiao Qing’er from the Prime Minister’s mansion, and the other was Rui He…”
Xiao Qing’er was in the picture album as a result of her and Ping Le’s collusion and reckless behavior. As for Rui He, she rarely appeared in the circles of noble young ladies in Shangjing back then. Later, she withdrew from society for many years, never participating in any public affairs, until she married and moved to Longyou…
Wen Jia’s words at Misty Rain Tower resurfaced in her mind today.
“County Princess Rui He’s given name is Li Yuning. Her birth father was the orphan of the Former Emperor’s cousin, who died on the battlefield in his early years. Her mother also passed away from illness when she was five. His Majesty, taking pity, brought her into the palace and raised her under the Empress Dowager, as a reading companion for Princess Ping Le.”
“On the day Rui He entered the palace, she carried a gold-inlaid saber left by her birth father, which she treasured dearly. I heard from the nannies in the palace that she had to hold that saber every night to fall asleep…”
“At that time, the Second Imperial Brother had not yet been enfeoffed as a prince and was studying and practicing martial arts in the palace. He was very close to Rui He, and Rui He was also extremely dependent on him, like a shadow… Later, when the Second Imperial Brother married and established his mansion, the two gradually grew distant…”
“It’s rather strange. They were so close before, but Rui He didn’t come to offer congratulations when the Second Imperial Brother got married. She only said she was devoted to the Dao and was already half a nun, with no attachment to worldly affairs…”
A breeze swept past the gauze curtain, and the smoke from the carved incense burner on the desk swirled and dissipated…
Xue Sui suddenly stood up and took out the phoenix-and-gem hairpin from the bottom of her cosmetic box.
The phoenix hairpin gleamed coldly under the candlelight. The gemstone inlaid at the tail of the hairpin seemed to have flowing dark patterns—this was the prize she had won in a game of “shooting arrows at a hidden object” at the Duke of Zheng’s mansion that day.
Xue Sui signaled Xiao Zhao to trim the wick, examining it closely.
Under the candlelight, the phoenix hairpin shone brilliantly.
Ru Yi entered with steaming tea and snacks. Seeing her young lady using the tip of the hairpin to trace an old scar on her wrist, she was so startled she almost dropped the teacup.
“What are you doing, Young Lady?”
Ru Yi rushed over and snatched the hairpin, but Xue Sui stopped her.
“When I won the hairpin in the ‘shooting arrows at a hidden object’ game that day, what was said?”
“I vaguely recall someone saying that when County Princess Rui He got married, the palace bestowed an identical one?”
Ru Yi nodded, “Young Lady has a good memory.”
As she spoke, Ru Yi brought the tea and snacks to Xue Sui, smiling and saying, “When this maid entered the mansion, I heard people say that County Princess Rui He had been of age for many years but remained unmarried, saying she would never marry and would serve the Empress Dowager in the palace, earning a reputation for filial piety and virtue…”
Her words suddenly caught in her throat.
Sensing her young lady’s unusual expression, she exchanged a glance with Xiao Zhao and remained silent.
The sound of Spirit Feather flapping its wings came from the windowsill. Xue Sui put the phoenix hairpin back into her cosmetic box.
“It’s getting late, tidy up and go to sleep.”
Xue Sui gently took the paper from the desk and threw it into the brazier. Only after it had completely burned did she stretch her body and slowly wash up and get into bed.
The window lattice was tightly shut.
Li Huan did not come today. Li Zhao…
She suddenly thought that she hadn’t seen this person for many days. She imagined that all the trivial matters of Prince Duan’s Mansion had reached his ears, and knowing his temperament, she wondered what trouble he would stir up.
At this moment, she shouldn’t be trying to guess Li Zhao’s thoughts.
Therefore, Xue Sui only had a brief moment of distraction before closing her eyes again, recalling the densely written names on the paper slips from earlier…
After an unknown amount of time, she finally drifted into a dream.
The next morning, Xue Sui was awakened by hushed conversations in the corridor.
Fei Cui’s laughter, accompanied by light footsteps, approached from a distance.
“Has Madam Ping’an not woken up yet?”
Ru Yi replied, “Aunt Fei Cui, my Madam slept late last night and has not yet woken up.”
Fei Cui said, “Please inform her that the Princess Consort requests Madam to move to the main hall. County Princess Rui He will be here soon.”
Hearing this, Xue Sui quickly sat up, recalled the hazy and beautiful dream from last night, and rubbed her face fiercely, calling for Xiao Zhao to come and help her wash.
In the bronze mirror, her eyelids were dark and slightly swollen, clearly indicating a lack of sleep.
Xiao Zhao said with concern, “Young Lady, please take care of yourself…”
Xue Sui remained silent, picked up the phoenix-and-gem hairpin, and handed it to Xiao Zhao.
“This one.”
Xiao Zhao hesitated for a moment, looking somewhat uncertain.
“Young Lady’s usual clothes are simple and plain; this hairpin is too ornate and doesn’t quite match.”
Xue Sui said, “Then change into a brighter colored outfit.”
–
When Xue Sui arrived at the main hall of Prince Duan’s Mansion, Xue Yuechen was already waiting there.
She looked Xue Sui up and down, a hint of surprise in her expression.
“Sixth Sister is dressed so brightly today.”
Xue Sui smiled faintly and gently adjusted her hairpin, “County Princess Rui He is coming, so we should receive her with due respect.”
Xue Yuechen nodded and said with a smile, “You look beautiful. This outfit suits you perfectly. You are in the prime of your youth, you should dress brightly and not waste this wonderful time…”
The two walked out together. As they descended the steps, they saw County Princess Rui He approaching slowly with a few maids.
Xue Yuechen turned her head and whispered to Xue Sui, “Although she is not a Princess, she is the young lady most doted upon by the Empress Dowager…”
Xue Sui nodded and said nothing, then heard a soft voice.
“It’s been many years since I last set foot in Prince Duan’s Mansion. The Begonia trees in front of the side hall are even more luxuriant.”
County Princess Rui He, leaning on a maidservant, walked slowly. She wore a plain white jacket and skirt, with a white jade hairpin holding her hair. She was completely unadorned, her face pale and appearing quite pitiable.
Xue Yuechen smiled and stepped forward, “County Princess, you’ve finally arrived. Please come inside and sit.”
Rui He glanced at Xue Yuechen’s meticulously made-up face, smiled faintly, and bowed.
“It has been a long time since I last visited the Capital City. I apologize for intruding upon the Princess Consort’s residence today…”
Xue Yuechen quickly reached out to support her but was startled by the coolness of her fingertips—in this weather, was this temperature even human?
“What are you saying? Your Highness’s visit brings honor to our mansion.”
After saying this, she thought of Rui He’s past experiences and paused slightly.
“You look much thinner since returning to the capital. In faraway Longyou, I wonder if your life has been comfortable. Have you suffered much?”
Li Yuning shook her head slightly, smiled, and did not answer. She then turned to look at Xue Sui, her gaze full of scrutiny.
“This must be Madam Ping’an?”
“Greetings to the County Princess,” Xue Sui bowed her head, her gaze falling on her clasped hands in front of her abdomen.
“As soon as I returned to the Capital City, I heard that Prince Duan’s Mansion has a Madam Ping’an who is very favored by Second Brother.” Li Yuning’s voice was like bamboo leaves steeped in frost and snow, cold yet low and hoarse. “Seeing you today, you are indeed graceful and charming, more dazzling than all the splendor of this garden…”
She suddenly paused, her gaze fixed on the phoenix hairpin in Xue Sui’s hair.
Xue Yuechen noticed Rui He’s subtle change and stepped forward at the opportune moment, smiling and beckoning, “County Princess, you must be tired from your journey. Please come inside and tell us about the customs of Longyou…”
“This hairpin…” Li Yuning seemed not to hear Xue Yuechen and suddenly interrupted her, a strange blush appearing on her pale cheeks. “May Madam Ping’an lend it to me for a look?”
Xue Sui calmly removed the phoenix hairpin and handed it over. Watching the other woman’s trembling fingertips trace the gemstone at the tail of the hairpin, rubbing it repeatedly, she couldn’t help but smile faintly.
“This phoenix hairpin was the prize I won in a game of ‘shooting arrows at a hidden object’ at the Duke of Zheng’s mansion. If you like it, County Princess, I will give it to you.”
“I originally had one too…”
Li Yuning suddenly murmured.
The past seemed to be torn open by the phoenix hairpin. The corners of her eyes reddened as if about to bleed—at the Lantern Festival banquet, His Majesty had publicly bestowed a marriage and a phoenix hairpin. Before that, she had repeatedly refused marriage, displeasing His Majesty. Now that she was older, even with the Empress Dowager’s protection, she could not be completely safe.
She loosened her hair bun, her expression frenzied, and took out the gold-inlaid saber, intending to commit suicide.
A stone, shot from an unknown direction, struck her wrist, and the gold-inlaid saber fell heavily to the ground.
She reached out with trembling hands to pick it up and saw a pair of black brocade boots flash past without stopping…
“Thank you for your kindness, Madam Ping’an,” Li Yuning said softly, handing the phoenix hairpin back. Her low voice sounded as if it had been scraped by sandpaper. “I lost my hairpin on the way to my wedding… Even if it were returned to me, it wouldn’t be the same one.”
Xue Yuechen’s expression changed slightly, her smile tinged with a hint of forced politeness.
“Then I will respectfully accept your offer,” Xue Sui observed her expression and smiled as she took back the phoenix hairpin.
Her peripheral vision caught Li Yuning’s right hand trembling slightly within her sleeve.
