Shen Muzhou, wrapped in a luxurious dark blue cloak, strode forward. A gust of wind swept through the hall, lifting the dark strands of his hair behind him, accentuating his noble and detached demeanor, as if he were untouched by worldly dust.
His eyes were deep and sharp, his features exquisitely carved, and an aura of intimidating ferocity emanated from him. He hadn't glanced at her, yet it felt as though every step he took landed on her heart. Seeing him, she knew a turning point was imminent.
A slender hand reached out before Lin Yanxi. Following the direction of the hand, her gaze met Shen Muzhou's stunningly beautiful peach blossom eyes.
He pulled Lin Yanxi up from the ground, unhurriedly, and first greeted them, "Esteemed Grand Tutor, Esteemed Grand Tutor's wife."
Lin Ze glared, stiffly turning his head to look at Jiang Wan, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
What had this Ninth Prince gotten into today? He usually wouldn't even lift an eyelid when they met, yet today he was greeting them. Could it be that he was truly infatuated with Zhaozhao?
Jiang Wan reacted first, curtsying, "This humble wife greets Ninth Prince."
Shen Muzhou replied, "No need for such formalities."
He met Shen Qingyun's eyes, his expression grim, and stepped forward, placing Lin Yanxi behind him. "Imperial brother's actions are becoming increasingly overbearing. He's forcing marriage even upon the Grand Tutor's mansion. Is this also at the Emperor's behest?"
Shen Qingyun's face was as cold as ice, displeased. "My marriage with the Grand Tutor's family was personally decided by Father Emperor. Where does coercion come into play? Must I be accused if I seek to marry the one I love?"
"You're quick to bring up Father Emperor, mentioning 'personally decided by Father Emperor' every other sentence. Then I must ask Imperial brother, did Father Emperor issue a decree for this marriage? Or did the Empress preside over the betrothal?"
Shen Qingyun's face turned ashen, wishing he had killed the other man long ago, yet he had to admit, "No, but..."
Shen Muzhou raised his hand, cutting him off without mercy. "Exactly. Since neither happened, such talk of 'personally decided by Father Emperor' should not be mentioned again. Otherwise, it would be spreading false imperial edicts!"
He bit down heavily on the phrase "spreading false imperial edicts," his gaze filled with ruthless ferocity, causing everyone present to gasp.
He glanced at Lin Yanxi's hair ornament. With a slight tilt of his chin, his thin lips curved into a clear, detached smile. "As for seeking to marry the one you love, Imperial brother, I fear it is wishful thinking. Lin Yanxi and I were already betrothed at the hairpin ceremony. Did Imperial brother forget?"
Lin Yanxi's hair still held the little rabbit wooden hairpin. Hearing Shen Muzhou's words, her legs went weak, and she looked timidly at Jiang Wan.
No, feelings blossoming in secret? How was she supposed to explain this to her mother!
She thought of the flattering and placating words she had spoken to save her life and retrieve her ring, and for a moment, she was unable to refute him.
Alas, one truly reaps what they sow.
"Nonsense!" Lin Ze's voice boomed, and with a frown, he stepped forward, pulling Lin Yanxi behind him.
He sighed deeply, his face stern. "The decree of parents and the words of the matchmaker. My Grand Tutor's mansion's daughter will not marry anyone unless I deem them worthy!
"Ninth Prince, Crown Prince, please forgive this old minister's rudeness. My beloved daughter has only recently regained her senses and cannot distinguish between affection for men and women, nor can she discuss marriage. Yu Gu, please see them out!"
Shen Muzhou let out a cold laugh, his eyes softening as he glanced at Lin Yanxi, raising an eyebrow at her and touching his little finger.
Lin Yanxi furrowed her brow, looking at him suspiciously. She then noticed he wasn't wearing a soul ring on his little finger. Was he implying that if she didn't go with him to find the twin flowers, he wouldn't return her ring?
A threat, a naked threat!
It was clear she understood his meaning. A hint of a smile appeared in Shen Muzhou's eyes. Without a word, he turned and left.
"Crown Prince, please."
Shen Qingyun was still standing in the main hall, unwilling to leave. Yu Gu stepped forward, curtsied, and began to escort them out.
After seeing off these two "plague gods," Lin Ze finally breathed a sigh of relief. He then earnestly instructed Lin Yanxi not to associate with Shen Muzhou.
Lin Yanxi lowered her small head, swaying listlessly.
Jiang Wan let out a warning cough, and Lin Yanxi finally straightened up. Jiang Wan glanced at her and said, "I have hired a female tutor for you. From today onwards, she will come to the mansion daily to teach you etiquette, the Four Books, needlework, music, and other arts."
"Stop running outside and causing trouble. If I find you associating with that Ninth Prince again, you won't have any hands left!"
Lin Yanxi's delicate brows furrowed, and she looked bitterly at Lin Ze for help. He averted his gaze. "Enough, Madam. I will escort you back to your room to rest. Lizi, attend to the young lady well. Zhaozhao, study diligently with the female tutor and don't make your mother worry anymore."
Needlework and playing the zither, what kind of skills were these? Besides, who wanted to associate with Shen Muzhou.
She couldn't voice her troubles. Seeing Jiang Wan's suppressed anger, she immediately hid the disdain on her face and dejectedly lowered her head. "Okay."
Seeing that she was no longer arguing, Jiang Wan was satisfied and returned to her room with peace of mind.
A short while later, Tang Chao brought a female tutor. After waiting for about the time it takes an incense stick to burn, Lin Yanxi emerged from her room.
She wore a veiled hat and a scarf to cover her face, her head bowed. She stood before the female tutor and said in a hoarse voice, "Greetings, esteemed teacher."
The female tutor, around thirty years old, had her hair haphazardly styled. She frowned and asked, "Second Miss, there's no need for such formality. What is the matter?"
Lin Yanxi feigned a few coughs and continued to lower her gaze. "Esteemed teacher, ever since I was young, I break out in rashes and my throat tightens when exposed to pollen. This morning, I might have accidentally consumed peach blossom cake. I've already taken medicine, but... *cough, cough, cough*, it gets worse in the wind."
The female tutor discreetly observed Lin Yanxi. She had been a female instructor for nearly a decade and had occasionally encountered young ladies who used illness to evade their studies.
A gust of wind blew, rustling Lin Yanxi's veil. Through the gap, half of her fair face was revealed, with a few clearly visible red rashes.
The female tutor's heart eased. "Mm, then lessons will be held in the study today."
"Thank you for your understanding, Teacher. Tang Chao, please lead the way quickly."
Tang Chao walked ahead, occasionally explaining the mansion's layout and rules to the female tutor, drawing her attention.
Lin Yanxi followed behind. As they reached a rockery, Lizi, already dressed in identical attire and wearing a veiled hat, was waiting. Seeing them approach, she quietly followed, while Lin Yanxi hid behind the rockery.
After they entered the study, she crouched outside the door and listened for a while, confirming that the female tutor had not discovered Lizi impersonating her, before leaving.
---
Shen Muzhou's carriage waited at the end of the alley. He sat inside, the carriage curtain pulled aside. From afar, he saw a young girl in a light pink silk blouse, wearing a veiled hat, peeking her head out from behind a wall, looking left and right.
Once Lin Yanxi confirmed there were no mansion guards in the alley, she furtively boarded the carriage.
"You... why are you wearing a veiled hat?" Shen Muzhou's expression was unusual, and a hint of anticipation flickered in his eyes as he looked at her.
The woman he had repeatedly seen in his dreams was dressed just like this. It seemed she had been wearing a veiled hat to evade certain pursuers. The veil styles were slightly different, but they bore a strong resemblance to Lin Yanxi's figure.
Lin Yanxi gave him a bewildered look and removed her veiled hat. "And you! Isn't it to skip class and find some 'twin heart flowers' with you?"
"Oh, don't look at me like that. Are you so moved that I skipped class for you?"
Seeing Shen Muzhou's tense expression and his strange gaze towards her, she was afraid of offending him further and quickly tried to appease him. "But it's for Your Highness, I'd go through fire and water, so skipping class is nothing."
Shen Muzhou scoffed at her words. "I think the female teacher's lessons are extremely boring. If she taught you how to place wet grass on a fire to create dense smoke and a false impression of a large blaze, you would surely study diligently."
Wasn't that the method she used at the restaurant to deal with the Crown Prince?
It seemed Shen Muzhou had informants everywhere in the capital.
She chuckled guiltily. "What are you talking about? I don't understand a word. It's true that I don't like learning what the female teachers teach. Your Highness is indeed wise; nothing can be hidden from you."
"Tell me, then, what do you like to learn?"
"I... I don't know. But if there's something I want to do, it's to keep the Grand Tutor's mansion safe." She observed Shen Muzhou's expression as she spoke, trying to glean something from his face.
After all, in her past life, he had suffered a severed arm, imprisonment, disfigurement, and loss of voice, largely due to her father. Their resentment had festered, leading Shen Muzhou to retaliate with the massacre of the city.
However, before he could act, all one hundred and sixteen members of the Grand Tutor's household, except for Lin Yuan, died at the hands of the Crown Prince.
Shen Muzhou's expression was calm, his eyes showing almost no fluctuation. She still couldn't fathom his thoughts.
As if sensing Lin Yanxi's probing gaze, he turned to look at her and reached out to adjust the wooden hairpin on her head. "I will protect you and grant your wish."
As he spoke, sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating his profile. His deep eyes shimmered with a gentle light, portraying a youthful figure like a gentle breeze and bright moon, utterly devoid of the bloodthirsty ferocity of his past life during the city's massacre.
Thinking of what he would soon endure, her heart suddenly felt an inexplicable ache, and she turned her head away awkwardly.
With both of them preoccupied with their own thoughts, the atmosphere became quiet, and the carriage traveled outside the city.
"Giddy up—"
Xiao Liu suddenly reined in the horse. With a neigh from the horse, the carriage came to a temporary halt.
"Please, kind sirs, help us. We kowtow to you here."
Young women's pleading voices drifted from outside.
"Go away, go away quickly. How dare you block Ninth Prince's carriage!"
Xiao Liu was about to chase them away when Lin Yanxi suddenly lifted the curtain and asked in a sweet voice, "What is it?"
The woman seemed to see a glimmer of hope and quickly knelt, kowtowing. "My son was bitten by a snake. The doctors in the city say he needs to drink mountain spring water from the West Suburbs Spring Well Village before dark to be cured."
"But I am a woman with a child, struggling to find food. I cannot afford a carriage, and walking to the west suburbs would take two days. Please, kind sirs, be merciful and give us a ride."
The woman held a sleeping child in her arms, dressed in ragged clothes.
Seeing Lin Yanxi hesitate, the woman took a few steps forward and tremblingly took out a piece of floral cloth from her embrace. "I have a few copper coins here. I borrowed them from the villagers. My child's father is dead, and our land has been sold. It's just the two of us. If something happens to my child, I won't be able to live either."
"Please give us a ride, give my child a chance to live."
A few copper coins were wrapped in a worn piece of floral cloth, which the woman carefully held in her hands. She must have kowtowed many times here, and her body was covered in scratches. She clutched the child in her arms tightly.
Lin Yanxi's heart softened for a moment. She looked at Shen Muzhou, seeking his consent.