The So-Called First Encounter

Mingyue was momentarily taken aback. Following Chu Xuan’s gaze, she spotted Wenyen sitting on the riverbank. The embankment was higher than before, and Wenyen sat swinging her legs, her eyes fixed on Chu Xuan at the bow of the boat, her brilliant smile as radiant and warm as the sunlight itself.

Radiant and warm? Mingyue tugged at her collar, belatedly realizing the change in weather. Irritated, she yanked at her winter clothes and muttered, “What on earth! In this heat, that Chu Xuan is still wearing a fox-fur cloak—has he lost his mind?”

“I think he’s probably still not recovered from that last illness,” Qin Shi replied calmly. Mingyue, having shed her winter coat, glanced over at Chu Xuan again and, sure enough, saw him suppressing a cough, an unnatural flush coloring his cheeks. Mingyue huffed, “He looks like a young master from a wealthy family—why hasn’t he recovered yet? He looked about this age before, and now years have passed already.”

“Chu Xuan, Chu Xuan, I like that name. Are you new to Yinzou?” Wenyen asked, but Chu Xuan had already stepped into the cabin and did not reappear.

Standing behind Wenyen, Mingyue suddenly realized something: Wenyen did not know it had been Chu Xuan who saved her back then. So after all this time, what was Chu Xuan’s purpose in appearing before Wenyen again? Yet, as it turned out, Mingyue was overthinking things. Chu Xuan did nothing—nothing directed at Wenyen anyway. He simply lived quietly, never bothering anyone.

Chu Xuan lived in a quiet little courtyard on the outskirts of the city, with only an old nursemaid to care for him. The first time Wenyen appeared outside Chu Xuan’s courtyard, his shock was as if he’d seen a ghost, which in turn made the following Mingyue a little puzzled.

“Chu Xuan, do you remember me? My name is Wenyen, I’m nine years old, my family’s in the north of the city, and I like sweet and sour things. We met three days ago by the Luo River.”

At the last sentence, Chu Xuan finally relaxed his brow, as if recalling something. He nodded, “I remember. Is there something I can do for you?”

Wenyen shook her head. “Nothing in particular, I just wanted to see you. It’s almost summer and you’re still wrapped in fox fur—aren’t you hot?”

“Chu Xuan’s constitution is rather cold. Even in the height of summer, he wears more than others.” Chu Xuan’s surprise flickered and was gone, and then, with his usual good temper, he answered Wenyen’s every question.

Not far away, Mingyue listened to several of Wenyen’s questions in a row, half amused and half exasperated, and said to Qin Shi, “Is the girl investigating Chu Xuan’s background? She’s digging so thoroughly.”

But Chu Xuan’s health was truly fragile. Just standing at the door for about an hour left him paler than before, with cold sweat beading on his forehead. He suppressed a cough and said to Wenyen, “Forgive me, if there’s nothing important, I’d like to rest now.”

“Ah?” Only then did Wenyen notice Chu Xuan’s discomfort. She hurriedly shook her head, “No—nothing important…”

Chu Xuan nodded and immediately turned to go inside. Wenyen wanted to follow, but the door was closed with a bang. Wenyen pouted, glanced at the sky, her face suddenly changing. She quickly gathered her skirt and ran back into the city, finally reaching the Wen residence, out of breath, before night fell. As if expecting a room check, Wenyen first washed her face in cold water, changed her clothes, calmed her breathing, and then sat with a book open across her knees.

Before long, Lady Wang entered with a group of servants.

Wenyen put down her book and greeted her mother with a proper bow, “Daughter greets Mother.”

Lady Wang scrutinized Wenyen, then said, “Come have supper with me. I’ve found you a music tutor. From tomorrow on, you’ll learn the zither with your teacher.”

Wenyen nodded obediently. But when she actually met the teacher, she started negotiating. Gifted as she was, Wenyen could master a day’s lesson in an hour. Once done, she would slip out again to find Chu Xuan. She seemed indifferent to Chu Xuan’s attitude—seeing him was happiness enough. If he prepared to play the zither, she would rush to tune it; if he wanted to paint, she would grind the ink.

Chu Xuan never refused, but he never proactively accepted her kindness either. Over time, their acquaintance deepened. Four years passed in a blink. Wenyen grew from a naive girl into a graceful young lady, while Chu Xuan matured into a tall, slender youth. What remained unchanged was her persistent closeness and his persistent frailty, forever reliant on medicine.

Mingyue squatted on Chu Xuan’s rooftop, watching the pair in the courtyard below, and asked coolly, “Tell me, when Wenyen first met Chu Xuan, she was just a clueless child—how did she become so attached to him? She’s spent nearly half her time with him this past year. If Lady Wang doesn’t know, I’d be shocked.”

“Perhaps Miss Wen only envies the freedom of Chu Xuan’s life. And in Yinzou, only Chu Xuan doesn’t treat her as the Wen family’s precious jewel.”

Mingyue paused in surprise. Over time, the heavy copper block she carried had become a much lighter copper ball. She weighed it in her hand and said, “I never thought you’d see through things so clearly, Qin Shi. With Lady Wang’s strictness, it’s a miracle Wenyen is still so lively.” She shook her head, “Wait, these days, Wenyen only seems at ease here with Chu Xuan.”

What Mingyue did not expect was that after Wenyen left this time, Lady Wang appeared once more before Chu Xuan, accompanied by a young servant carrying a nanmu chest. At her signal, the servant opened the chest, revealing a trove of dazzling jewels. Mingyue, still on the rooftop, was nearly blinded by the luster and had to steady herself against Qin Shi.

“No wonder the Wen family is so renowned for its wealth,” Mingyue murmured. Though she and Qin Shi were outsiders in this Canglan Illusion, if they got too close or made too much noise, those inside could sense their presence. Worse, if anyone other than the client or the one for whom they pined formed memories of them, it would cause a certain degree of chaos in the real world—a confusion Mingyue had to avoid.

Mingyue, copper ball in hand, stared unblinkingly at the chest of jewels.

Lady Wang fixed her cold gaze on Chu Xuan and said, “Boy, I know you’re the child from back then, and I know Wenyen has been sneaking off to see you. To think you survived those icy waters—you have a resilient life indeed. I don’t care why you’re getting close to Wenyen, but this wealth should be enough to send you on your way.”

The nursemaid behind Chu Xuan wanted to speak, but he raised a hand to stop her. Chu Xuan looked up at Lady Wang’s exquisitely made-up face and smiled, “The most precious is a princess, the fairest is an outlander—pray tell, which of these does Wenyen possess, that I should pursue her so shamelessly and relentlessly? Madam, I do not lack for money.”

Lady Wang’s brows pinched for a moment, then her tense expression relaxed into a smile. “You truly don’t lack for money, Chu Xuan—what you lack is status. If your background were spotless, I wouldn’t oppose you so. My husband has investigated you for years and found nothing—how can I let Wenyen be with you?”

Chu Xuan’s hand paused on the zither. When the melody resumed, he said, “In that case, I must trouble you to watch over Wenyen. I’ll be glad for the peace.”

With a flick of her sleeve, Lady Wang departed, leaving the chest of jewels behind.

“Your Highness, why do you have to endure this? His Majesty and Her Majesty only sent you here for your safety until the court stabilizes, and then you’ll be recalled to the palace. By then, you could have any woman you desire. Why entangle yourself with Wenyen and let Lady Wang flaunt her authority? If Her Majesty knew how you were treated here, she would never allow the Wen family to remain in Yinzou.”

“Nanny, that’s enough. I understand my parents’ intentions. But now, I am Chu Xuan, not Luo Yanke, so don’t mention this again. And you are not to mention my circumstances here to either of them. As for Wenyen, she’s merely someone like me.”

At these words, Mingyue’s eyes widened, and the copper ball in her hand cracked with a sharp sound. Luo Yanke… Mingyue had never imagined that the frail youth Chu Xuan was none other than the “early-deceased” Fourth Prince! No wonder the Wen couple’s investigations turned up nothing at all.