Lin Yanxi felt the gesture was a mere trifle, a side task. Yet, his earnest response made it seem like a vow, leaving her unsure what to say.
The carriage stopped not far from Prince Mu’s mansion. Lin Yanxi leaped down lightly, but a sudden pang of pain in her chest made her pause.
Shen Muzhou, clad in a dark cyan robe, waited by the mansion gates. He saw Lin Yanxi alight from the carriage and hesitate, then a man followed her out and took her arm.
"Are you alright?" Luo Qizhe asked.
The ache in her chest lasted only a moment before subsiding. "I'm fine, I sustained a minor injury a few days ago."
Luo Qizhe took out a small sachet from his person and offered it to her. "This is for you."
Lin Yanxi took the sachet and smelled it. It was the Mu Bai flower from Dongyang she had seen earlier, its fragrance unique.
He said, "Consider this my thank you for you helping me look after the South Street courtyard."
Lin Yanxi lowered her gaze slightly, then clasped the sachet in her hand. "Thank you."
"Then I shall take my leave. Thank you, Your Highness, for your help with the disaster relief funds."
With that, she turned to walk towards Prince Mu's mansion. From Luo Qizhe's vantage point, he could see a tall, imposing man standing at the gates, looking in their direction.
Luo Qizhe curved his lips and suddenly pulled Lin Yanxi’s hand, turning her back towards him. "Oh, right, about today's courtyard matters..."
Lin Yanxi didn’t understand what he meant. Luo Qizhe drew closer, lowering his voice as if whispering in her ear.
"This involves matters of state between two nations. Let’s just keep it between us."
From Shen Muzhou’s perspective, it looked as though Lin Yanxi and Luo Qizhe were embracing.
His face darkened, and he roared, "Lin Yanxi!"
Amidst the stillness, her name suddenly exploded, startling Lin Yanxi. She was then grabbed by the scruff of her neck, like a kitten, and pulled several steps back, creating distance between her and Luo Qizhe.
She turned and saw Shen Muzhou’s face contorted in rage. His jawline, already sharp, became even more defined and handsome as he tensed with anger.
Luo Qizhe's smile faded, and he looked innocently at Lin Yanxi, concern in his voice. "Yanxi, you stayed out so late playing with me. The Prince won't be angry, will he?"
Shen Muzhou stared at him wordlessly, too annoyed to exchange another word. He directly pulled Lin Yanxi towards the mansion.
Lin Yanxi, still confused about what was happening, looked back as she walked. "It's nothing, it's nothing. Thank you so much, Your Highness, for today—"
Her words were cut short as she was pulled back into the mansion, the gates closing behind her.
"Lin Yanxi, you've got some nerve," he said, his voice laced with sarcasm.
Lin Yanxi asked, "What are you going crazy about? Today was thanks to Luo Qizhe, look!"
She opened the small wooden box as if presenting a treasure. Inside lay a thick stack of silver notes. "Disaster relief funds!"
Seeing Shen Muzhou's still grim expression, devoid of any joy, her smile faltered. "Isn't this enough? Luo Qizhe is a very kind person. If it's not enough, I'll ask him for more help."
Shen Muzhou's brows furrowed even tighter. He didn't know what he was angry about, but the moment he saw them embracing, he had exploded. He had never experienced such an uncontrolled outburst of emotion.
In a fit of rage, he knocked over the wooden box she held.
The silver notes fluttered into the air.
Silver notes danced in the wind, and the wooden box hit the ground with a "bang."
"Shen Muzhou! What are you doing!" Lin Yanxi's eyes burned and pricked, her vision blurring with tears.
Xiao Liu, who had followed behind, quickly knelt and began gathering the silver notes scattered on the ground back into the box.
Shen Muzhou realized his actions had been excessive. The sight of Luo Qizhe holding her had ignited an unbearable jealousy within him.
He said, somewhat awkwardly, "I saw him holding you."
This was the first time Xiao Liu had seen his master so awkward and jealous, like a wronged young bride. He couldn't help but chuckle.
Shen Muzhou shot him a glare, and Xiao Liu immediately covered his mouth, lowering his head, daring not to say another word.
Lin Yanxi found him utterly baffling and retorted angrily, "What nonsense are you talking? I ran for two days to get these disaster relief funds. And this is how you talk to me?"
"Yanxi, I..." He took a step forward and gently grasped Lin Yanxi's arm. "I'm sorry, it was me, I..."
He wanted to explain, but he found himself even more unable to articulate his emotions than anyone else.
"You what! You're being unreasonable. From now on, I won't concern myself with your affairs, and you should mind your own business. Who I am with has nothing to do with you."
Lin Yanxi glared at him, shrugged off his arm, and stormed off towards her Moonfall Pavilion, breathing heavily.
Shen Muzhou followed behind her, calling her name, "Yanxi, do we have to be like this? You know I can't possibly ignore your affairs."
Why did his affairs have to be concerning her?
He had said it in a way that was so easily misunderstood.
Lin Yanxi continued to walk forward, not looking back, not even glancing at him.
"Miss is back!" Li Zi, sitting at the stone table, saw Lin Yanxi return and immediately went to meet her.
"Greetings, Your Highness." Seeing Shen Muzhou following their young lady with grim expressions, both Li Zi and Chestnut stood stiffly.
Lin Yanxi walked into the room and closed the door. Shen Muzhou was shut out. He knocked again. "Yanxi, I didn't mean to. Open the door, let me explain."
Lin Yanxi shut herself in the room, still seething. She refused to listen to his explanations. "Go, I don't want to see you anymore."
Shen Muzhou's shadow fell on the window paper, half a silhouette on the white cotton gauze. He lingered by her door for a long time.
He spoke softly, patiently, "It was my mistake. I shouldn't have said that. Open the door first. Even if you're angry, let's talk things through."
Lin Yanxi's temper flared quickly but also subsided just as fast. After calming down a little, she felt they should clear the air.
She suddenly stood up from her chair, intending to open the door, when a sharp pain shot through her chest. She clutched her heart, breathing in short gasps.
It hurt so much...
The pain spread to her limbs, making it difficult to breathe.
Shen Muzhou waited outside the door for a while longer. Seeing no movement from within, he assumed she was still angry.
"Then I'll be leaving. Rest well, and we can talk tomorrow."
He sighed, his brows still knitted in worry.
Li Zi watched from the courtyard, not daring to speak. As Shen Muzhou walked past her, he instructed, "Take good care of your young lady."
She nodded and bowed. "Your Highness, travel safely."
Xiao Liu followed behind the Prince, carrying the wooden box. "Your Highness, what was the point? Waiting outside the door from dawn till dusk, standing for two hours, and then seeing the Second Miss and upsetting her."
The Prince walked ahead in silence, asking coldly, "How much disaster relief fund was there?"
Xiao Liu replied, "Ten thousand taels."
He glanced dismissively at the wooden box. "Quite a sum."
Shen Muzhou's steps quickened unconsciously, his face clouded over.
Xiao Liu hurried to keep pace. "Master, what should we do with this money?"
"What do you think we should do? Throw it away!" he roared.
Xiao Liu exclaimed in surprise, "Ah? Throw it away?"
Shen Muzhou stopped, his eyes sharp and menacing. "What do you think? With so much money, should we really throw it away?! Nan Min is in dire need of funds right now."
Xiao Liu finally understood and quickly said, "Your, Your Highness, rest assured, I'll handle it right away."
Shen Muzhou walked ahead in silence, Xiao Liu following behind with a pained expression. The Prince's moods and the meanings behind his words were becoming increasingly unfathomable.
The commotion they caused had not gone unnoticed.
Luo Jingxin reclined on a divan, attended by a maid who gently massaged her temples.
The maid said, "That Second Miss Lin locked the Prince out of his courtyard and refused to open the door, despite him pleading softly."
Luo Jingxin gritted her teeth. "That slut! I don't know what tricks she used. The Prince has always been cold and aloof, but he's so infatuated with that slut that he's disregarding his status and the rules."
The maid responded, "Indeed, this Second Miss Lin clearly has no regard for propriety."
"I heard the Prince was furious because he saw the Second Miss Lin embracing and kissing that hostage, and then he saw a thick stack of silver notes, which he scattered all over the courtyard in his anger."
The incense smoke from the eight-cornered brazier curled around Luo Jingxin’s slender fingers. She withdrew her hand, her pale wrist releasing a faint, sweet, feminine fragrance.
Her eyes were filled with malicious intent. She lowered her voice and cursed, "Hmph, these useless good-for-nothings. Lin Yanxi still managed to get the disaster relief funds."
"Never mind, it's probably the Crown Prince's arrangement."
The maid, noticing the sudden sharpness in her voice, dared not reply casually. She placed her hands on Luo Jingxin's shoulders and slowly massaged them. "My Lady, please calm your anger."
"The Crown Prince can be informed now."
Luo Jingxin closed her eyes, rotating her neck. "Mm, she can only blame her bad luck."
"Speaking of which, Lin Yanxi is strange. She likes the Prince, but she constantly quarrels with him and refuses to rely on him. She didn't react at all when I entered the mansion. What kind of love is this for a man?"
The maid replied, "What can Lin Yanxi compete with my Lady for? She can only withdraw herself and save face."
"Tomorrow is the day we enter the palace. Why don't you bring that Second Miss Lin along? Once we're at the palace, you can teach her a good lesson."
A rare smile flickered across Luo Jingxin's stern face, as if anticipating Lin Yanxi's public humiliation. She chuckled, "That's the only way. Go inform the Crown Prince that we'll be entering the palace tomorrow for fish."
The maid withdrew her hands and lowered her gaze to receive the order. "Yes."
Luo Jingxin stopped her. "Go later tonight. We don't want anyone to see you."
The maid replied, "My Lady, rest assured."
With that, she left Luo Jingxin's room and disappeared into the darkness.
---
At dawn, streaks of golden sunlight filtered through the windowpanes. The mansion doctor waited outside the door.
Lin Yanxi's complexion was slightly pale. She had deliberately applied a very light blush to her cheeks to make her appearance seem better.
"Go and call the mansion doctor in."
"Yes, Miss."
Li Zi brought the mansion doctor in. He felt her pulse, his brow furrowing. "Hiss—"
"Second Miss, have you been feeling unwell these past few days?"