"I'm not going to see him," Lin Yanxi said, tossing on the bed. "He doesn't want to see me anyway."
Seeing her listless demeanor, Li Zi offered a suggestion: "Miss, tomorrow is the grand hunt. We have a fine bow among the old things brought from the Grand Tutor's mansion."
"It was from Madam's dowry. A few days ago, when you wanted to learn martial arts, His Highness gifted you a short sword. You can use this fine bow as a return gift."
"A fine bow?" She pondered for a moment. It seemed there was indeed such a thing, and her interest was piqued.
She didn't care about reconciling with Shen Muzhou. The primary reason was that her master needed the Scarlet Deer, and she had to proactively mend their relationship for her master's sake.
Yes, it was all for her master.
She ordered Li Zi to fetch the bow and arrows.
"Indeed, it is a good bow," Lin Yanxi exclaimed with genuine admiration as her delicate white hand caressed the bow.
The bow's body was crafted from the finest Dongyang elm wood, a material that was light, water-resistant, and sufficiently tough for a good rebound. A dragon carved from pure gold coiled around the wooden body, lifelike, and auspicious clouds were also carved on the handle.
It was a pity that the bow had been left unmaintained for too long, and the bowstring had lost some of its resilience. It might snap under stress.
She felt a pang of regret upon seeing the bowstring but quickly thought of a solution. "Let's go. We'll make a new bowstring and replace it."
In her past life, when she was foolish, she used to read many books. Though she didn't understand their contents, she had a photographic memory. She recalled seeing that silkworms mixed with fish glue could be used to make bowstrings.
Lin Yanxi and Li Zi spent the entire afternoon working diligently before finally managing to make a bowstring and replace the old one.
The bow and arrows were adorned with gold and silver decorations, adding considerable weight. Lin Yanxi, with her petite frame, struggled to carry the heavy bow, taking slow steps from the small kitchen to Shen Muzhou's courtyard.
She would rest after every two steps. Many servants in the mansion saw her and wanted to help carry the bow and arrows back, but she refused them all.
By the time she reached his courtyard, she was already breathing in small gasps, her hair slightly disheveled and clinging to her forehead. She reached up with her small hand to smooth her hair before continuing forward.
"Second Miss."
The guard outside Shen Muzhou's courtyard stopped her, a look of difficulty on his face.
"I have something to give him," Lin Yanxi said, her voice soft and sweet. Her fair face was flushed from carrying the heavy bow all the way, making her cheeks rosy and exceptionally attractive.
This wasn't the first time the guard had seen her, but speaking to such a lovely beauty still made him a little flustered. He dared not meet her gaze.
He said stiffly, "Then please wait outside, Miss. I will inform His Highness for you."
Ever since Shen Muzhou had heard her words, their relationship had become like this. His courtyard was no longer a place she could enter freely.
"Alright, I'll trouble you then." Lin Yanxi's eyes curved into a smile, polite and proper. She never made things difficult for the servants, and the people of the Dark Night Guard were very fond of her.
She waited outside for a short while before the guard returned. "Second Miss, His Highness is attending to matters of great importance and has no time to see you. Perhaps you could leave the bow and arrows, and I will present them to His Highness for you."
Lin Yanxi had originally intended to use this gift to see Shen Muzhou and mend their relationship, and then to speak about her master.
But he clearly didn't want to see her, or perhaps he was truly busy. Thinking this, she said, "No, I'll come back later."
As she was about to leave with the bow on her back, a figure in a pure white moon-white dress appeared within the manor.
Luo Jingxin wore a pearl hairpin in her bun, which clinked rhythmically with her unhurried, graceful steps.
She paused for a moment upon seeing Lin Yanxi, her lips painted with vibrant lipstick, exuding an unparalleled beauty.
"Sister, why are you standing outside the courtyard and not going in?"
Lin Yanxi's hand holding the bow tightened uncomfortably.
Luo Jingxin took her arm and pulled her towards the courtyard. "Since you're here, let's go in together. His Highness personally welcomed me back to the manor early this morning and invited me to dine with him tonight."
As Lin Yanxi was pulled along by her for a few steps, the guard let Luo Jingxin in and again blocked Lin Yanxi.
He extended his arm stiffly, unsure of what to say to Lin Yanxi.
Lin Yanxi gave a wry smile. "I won't go in then."
Luo Jingxin stared at her for a moment, then let out a disdainful laugh. "It seems that's the only way."
"Princess Chaoyang."
A familiar voice rang out, its tone calm and devoid of emotion.
Shen Muzhou stood on the blue-white stone steps, his gaze sweeping over Lin Yanxi and the bow and arrows behind her without lingering.
Luo Jingxin swayed her slender waist and walked inside, entering the house together with Shen Muzhou.
Lin Yanxi looked inside and was momentarily stunned. The guard, unable to bear seeing the young lady looking so dejected, reminded her, "Second Miss, it is late and the autumn air is cold. You should go back. I will help you deliver this bow and arrows. His Highness will surely understand Second Miss's intentions when he sees the bow."
Her slender frame had already been painfully bruised by the bow during her long journey. She nodded, removed the items from her person, and handed them to the guard.
She didn't forget to say thank you before leaving.
Shen Muzhou and Luo Jingxin sat at the same table for dinner. Luo Jingxin served him dishes and occasionally shared amusing anecdotes from court, giggling charmingly after each one, while Shen Muzhou sat opposite her with a cold expression.
"Try this, it's quite good," Luo Jingxin placed a piece of chicken on Shen Muzhou's plate.
He furrowed his brow slightly, recalling Lin Yanxi's words about the manor's cooks being bad and the scene of her roasting chicken in the courtyard.
Her soft, tender cheeks were stuffed with chicken, like a little rabbit nibbling on a radish.
Thinking of this, he smiled.
Seeing him smile, Luo Jingxin quickly placed another piece of chicken on his plate, her eyes filled with cautious flattery.
The smile on his face vanished in an instant. He didn't touch either piece of chicken, instead picking up a dish and eating it himself.
Luo Jingxin immediately understood that his smile was not because of her. All his joys and sorrows were tied to another person.
"This dinner must have been quite unpalatable, wasn't it?" Luo Jingxin placed her chopsticks on the table, her voice trembling slightly.
Shen Muzhou's face remained impassive. He picked up a cup of warm wine and took a sip.
His gaze towards her was exceptionally cold. "If you don't like it, I'll have the chef prepare other dishes next time."
"I'm not talking about that. You know what I mean."
Shen Muzhou put down the porcelain cup with a crisp "clang." He said, "Princess Chaoyang, if you've had a change of heart, you can leave the manor anytime. I will speak to Father Emperor."
Luo Jingxin's eyes instantly reddened, tears welling up in the corners. She walked to Shen Muzhou's side, sat down, and leaned on his lap, crying, "I don't want to. I'm not going anywhere. I'll stay by your side."
"I was wrong. I shouldn't have been like this."
Shen Muzhou remained unresponsive.
Late at night, Shen Muzhou sat alone in his study. Darkness enveloped him. He had been accustomed to sitting in the dark like this until dawn since he was young.
His mind wandered to many things. He remembered when he was young and liked a canary. That bird was delicate and beautiful, kept in a cage made of pure gold. Every day, the first thing Shen Muzhou did after returning from the Imperial Academy was to feed it, giving it the best of everything without any stinginess.
Yet, it remained restless, flapping its wings in the cage. One day, he accidentally opened the cage door, and the canary flew out. It left without any regard for their bond, flying out the window. No matter how he chased, it wouldn't stop, flying higher and higher.
Eventually, palace attendants caught it and brought it back. He locked it up again and even broke its wings. From then on, even if the birdcage was opened, it wouldn't fly away. But after a few days, that fragile, beautiful canary died in the cage.
Later, he understood that birds unwilling to be confined would die if their wings were gone. Yet, in the depths of his heart, he never regretted what he had done to that canary.
The more he thought about it, the colder he became, a coldness that seeped into his very core.
"Your Highness, why haven't you lit a candle?" Xiao Liu entered with a lantern.
Shen Muzhou looked at the faint candlelight and asked, "What was she trying to give me this afternoon?"
"A bow and arrows. I heard from the servants that she brought that bow and arrows from the Grand Tutor's mansion. It was carved with dragons and clouds in gold, lifelike. Second Miss spent the entire afternoon replacing the bowstring. In fact... Your Highness, I think Second Miss is not a heartless person."
"Take that bow. We'll depart a quarter of an hour earlier tomorrow."
"Yes, Your Highness. Do you need to inform Second Miss?"
Shen Muzhou thought for a moment. "No need. Shen Qingyun has just been deposed as Crown Prince, and the Empress will not give up. I fear they might make a move on the way to the hunting grounds, and it would be difficult to guard against. You stay and protect her; let her depart later, alone."
"Yes, Your Highness."
***
Early in the morning, a clamor erupted outside the courtyard, a chaotic hubbub.
Lin Yanxi had barely slept the previous night. She had just drifted off into a daze when dawn broke, only to be awakened shortly thereafter.
She groggily called out, "Li Zi, Li Zi!"
Hearing her, Li Zi hurried in and then turned to close the door. "Miss, you're awake?"
"Hurry and get up to wash and dress. We'll be staying at the hunting grounds for two nights. They're packing things outside."
By the time Lin Yanxi finished her meticulous washing and dressing and walked to the manor gate, only Xiao Liu and a carriage remained.
Xiao Liu said, "Second Miss, His Highness and the Princess have already left for the hunting grounds. I will escort you there."
Li Zi said, "We weren't late coming out, were we? It's still early."
"His Highness had an urgent matter and decided to leave earlier. They left in such a hurry that they didn't have time to inform Second Miss."
Lin Yanxi nodded, saying nothing more. She got into the carriage with Xiao Liu, and Li Zi accompanied her.
Royal Hunting Grounds.
This was Lin Yanxi's first time entering. She witnessed the scene of a royal hunt.
Many tents had been set up in the open space. The most magnificent tent belonged to His Majesty. From afar, she could see a woman with a bulging belly accompanying the Emperor. It was her aunt, Consort Yu.
Two layers of guards stood outside the Emperor's tent. In addition to them, Jin Wu guards with knives at their waists patrolled back and forth with their escorts.
A line of horses, about a dozen in number, were tethered outside the tent. They were all purebred Arabians.
Such horses would sell for thousands of taels of gold in the civilian world, yet here, they were merely horses tethered outside for people to enjoy.
"Yanxi!"
Luo Wanwan saw Lin Yanxi and Li Zi approaching from a distance and excitedly greeted them.
Lin Yanxi happily walked over and smiled, "Wanwan!"
The two girls hadn't seen each other for a long time since their last meeting, and they held onto each other, reluctant to let go.
Shen Yu also came over, looking past Lin Yanxi and asking, "Did Little Jiu and... Princess Chaoyang not come together?"
Lin Yanxi shook her head. "They left before me. Haven't they arrived yet?"
Shen Yu didn't think much of it. "Perhaps they were delayed on the way."
Just as she finished speaking, they saw Xiao Liu leading a team of Dark Night Guard escorts hurrying to mount their horses and ride towards the outskirts of the hunting grounds.