129 Nimble-footed

The days were gradually growing hotter; the arrival of summer was palpable, and by noon, the sweltering heat was enough to stir up an inexplicable sense of irritability. Zhang Bitong, having just finished her midday meal, felt the stifling heat so acutely that she hurried Lan Yan to bring her a bowl of mung bean soup to cool off.

Yunqing stood by, fanning Zhang Bitong, and remarked, "Your Highness, you are so sensitive to the heat. We haven't even reached the height of summer, and you are already finding it hard to bear."

Zhang Bitong replied, "I would rather endure the bitter winter than this summer. Once it gets hot, I feel as though every part of me is out of sorts. Don't you agree, Yunqing?"

Yunqing nodded and said, "Indeed, that is true."

I took up a fan from the side and said, "Your Highness, allow this servant to fan you as well."

"Good. With one on each side, I might feel a bit more comfortable. We haven't even entered the peak of summer, so the ice hasn't been delivered to the palace yet, and the Emperor certainly won't be sending us to the summer retreats. I can only suffer through it."

"Your Highness suffers unfairly."

Zhang Bitong leaned back and asked, "Have you finished checking into that man, Lian Fei?"

Yunqing replied, "This servant made some inquiries. Lian Fei is the son of Lian Qi, the Minister of Rites. He currently holds an idle post within the Ministry of Rites."

Hearing those two names struck a chord of familiarity. I suddenly recalled that one day in the palace, I had bumped into someone accompanying Jiang Yun. Long Zhan had told me then that the man was Lian Fei, the son of Lian Qi. I wondered why Zhang Bitong was suddenly asking about him.

Zhang Bitong mused, "It is no wonder. I was wondering why the Crown Prince would suddenly want to promote a nobody. It turns out he has his eye on the influence Lian Qi wields behind this Lian Fei. It seems Jiang Yun has already begun recruiting his own faction. There is such an advantage to being able to participate in court affairs. Poor Xuan’er—I suspect many of those ministers don't even know who he is."

So this was what worried Zhang Bitong. No wonder Jiang Yun and Lian Fei had appeared together last time. Jiang Yun was clearly grooming him; once Lian Fei was promoted, he would undoubtedly become one of Jiang Yun’s men.

Although the Crown Prince’s position was temporarily unshakeable, the work of gathering talent and building a party had already begun.

"Xiao Xiaozi, take some of the rose-flavored mung bean cakes that Yunqing made this morning to Xuan’er. The child takes after me; he is also sensitive to the heat."

"At once, Your Highness. This servant will go immediately."

"Oh, and the Imperial Household Department should have the new fabrics for summer gowns by now. Go and collect some for me. If you go early, you can get the best materials; if you go late, you’ll only be left with what others have discarded."

"Understood, Your Highness."

I carried a platter of rose mung bean cakes in a food box and headed to Jiang Xuan’s quarters. When I knocked on the door, I saw Jiang Xuan inside practicing his calligraphy. The surrounding windows were all open, suggesting he was indeed feeling the heat.

Jiang Xuan merely glanced up when I entered, then returned his focus to his writing.

"Ninth Prince, this is the rose mung bean cake that Her Highness asked me to bring to help you cool off. Please, enjoy."

"Mm." He gave a faint acknowledgment without looking up.

"Then this servant will take his leave." I looked at Jiang Xuan, figuring there was nothing else to do.

"Mm."

Jiang Xuan responded again. I retreated quickly, reaching the doorway.

"Wait."

Could you not have called sooner?

I turned back and asked respectfully, "Does the Ninth Prince have any other instructions?"

Jiang Xuan set down his brush, walked over, and asked, "Did you say this was a rose mung bean cake?"

I nodded. "That is correct. Did the Ninth Prince not hear clearly earlier?"

"It is hard to pay attention to what is being said while practicing calligraphy."

No wonder he waited until I was at the door to call me back; he clearly hadn't heard me say I was leaving.

"Is there anything else, Ninth Prince?"

"You should have some too. Isn't this supposed to be cooling?"

"This servant wouldn't dare. This was meant for the Ninth Prince." Besides, I was a mere servant; if others in the palace saw this, it would be improper.

"Since it is cooling, are you not hot?"

I shook my head. "This servant is not afraid of the heat."

"Then are you afraid of the cold?"

I said, "Yes, this servant is afraid of the cold."

"Then what is that?" The Ninth Prince pointed at my neck.

I touched it and discovered it was covered in sweat. I hurriedly explained, "Actually, that is..."

Before I could finish, a piece of the cake was shoved into my mouth.

*Actually, it was because I hurried to find you, which is why I sweated.* I couldn't say that, of course. The cake was delicious, and I swallowed it after a few chews, still wanting more.

"Is it good? Have another."

Although I wanted more, how could I dare consume so much of a master's share? I shook my head. "This servant will not have any more. I still have to go to the Imperial Household Department."

"Xiao Xiaozi."

"Yes?"

"Have you finished all those little snacks I gave you last time?"

Snacks? I thought for a moment. He must have meant the multi-compartment brocade box he gave me when I was taking medicine. Where would that be now?

"They are finished."

"Mm, I see. You may go."

"Yes, this servant takes his leave."

Upon leaving the Ninth Prince’s quarters, I headed toward the Imperial Household Department. There, I bumped into a palace maid. She looked unfamiliar, but she recognized me at a glance. She must have been serving in another palace; I saw she was also collecting new fabrics.

As we both exited with our materials, the maid said to me, "You are Xiao Xiaozi from the Cuiwei Palace, aren't you?"

I replied hurriedly, "Do you know me, sister? Which palace are you from?"

"I am from the Nanxun Hall."

"Are you with Lady Jun?"

"No, I am with Lady Ruo."

So, she was a maid serving Xiao Ruo.

"You may not have seen me before, but I saw you twice when I was by my mistress's side. Knowing she is close to you, I remembered your face."

I smiled sheepishly.

"I don't know your name, sister?"

"My name is Adi."

"Lady Adi."

Adi blushed at my address and suddenly said, "My mistress mentioned you a few days ago. If you happen to be free, you should pay a visit to the Nanxun Hall. She seems to have something to tell you."

Xiao Ruo had something to tell me? It must be about the robe. Long Zhan had handed it to me, and after I spoke to Xiao Ruo, I had chosen a time to deliver it to her. But I had been so busy these past few days that I hadn't found the time to visit. Xiao Ruo probably wanted to tell me something, which is why she mentioned it to Adi. It seemed Adi was someone Xiao Ruo trusted.

Since I was already out, returning to the Cuiwei Palace a bit later wouldn't matter. This was a perfect opportunity to visit the Nanxun Hall. Even if someone asked, since Xiao Ruo had once worked in the Bureau of Clothing, I could simply say I was asking for her advice on the fabrics.

Thinking this, I said, "I have time now, and I could indeed use some advice on which styles these fabrics suit. Sister Adi, let us go together."

"Good."

As I chatted with Adi, we arrived at the Nanxun Hall. Halfway there, I could already hear the melodious sound of a zither, which grew clearer as we approached.

"That is Lady Jun playing the zither! We are lucky to hear it; few in the palace can compare to her skill," Adi remarked. She clearly had a high opinion of Meng Pingjun.

As we passed by Meng Pingjun’s room, I saw her sitting before a zither, her slender fingers plucking the strings. She was so focused that I didn't dare disturb her with a bow, so I continued with Adi to Xiao Ruo’s quarters.

Adi entered first and said cheerfully, "Mistress, I am back. I didn't just pick out the best fabrics, I also brought someone to see you."

"Is that so?" Hearing this, a graceful woman emerged from the inner room. Xiao Ruo was wearing a peach-pink, translucent silk gown embroidered with large lotus flowers. The lotus, usually pure and elegant, looked vibrant and enchanting on her.

"This servant pays his respects to you, Mistress." I bowed, holding the fabrics.

"So it is Xiao Xiaozi. Rise quickly!" Xiao Ruo looked pleased, and as she walked toward me, I caught the scent of a pleasant floral fragrance.

"Thank you, Mistress."

Xiao Ruo glanced at Adi and said, "Adi, go check on the lotus seed and white fungus soup in the kitchen."

"Yes!"

Once Adi left, Xiao Ruo looked outside, then beckoned for me to follow her into the inner room. Once inside, with no one else around, I asked, "Did you find anything from the robe?"

Xiao Ruo took the robe from a cabinet and said, "The material is indeed of the highest quality, but I have seen plenty of it in the Bureau of Clothing. Both consorts and princes have used it. It is impossible to tell who it belongs to just by the fabric."

The fabric was, of course, high-end. The Empress claiming that Han Feiyue was having an affair with a man wearing such fine clothes was absurd—would someone of Han Feiyue’s status even look at such a man?

I asked, "If there are no clues in the fabric, what about the stitching?"

Xiao Ruo examined it, pulling at the seams. "The stitching is standard, but the threads are secure and the edges are finished with extreme care. While I cannot tell who made it, it was clearly someone very skilled. In the Bureau of Clothing, a maid would need at least five years of experience to reach this level of proficiency. I spent time there, and there are very few maids with over five years of experience, mostly just the head maids. If this truly came from within the palace, it must have come from one of them."

Xiao Ruo was right. The Empress and Gong Wue would not have trusted a novice maid with such a scheme. Only the seasoned head maids, who understood the risks and knew how to stay silent, would have been capable of such meticulous work. This meant the trail was effectively cold.

Xiao Ruo said, "There is too little time for me to find out who did this. Perhaps you should leave the robe with me for a while longer. I can study it more closely and compare it with other garments; I might find something."

I thought of Han Feiyue’s situation and said, "Mistress, it is too dangerous to leave this here. The Emperor often visits; if he finds a man's robe, it will cause you trouble. I must take it back. In the inner palace, there should be nothing belonging to a man other than the Emperor."

"Ah Zhi, you think of me in everything. I am truly moved."

"Mistress, please don't say that. I must return now. I still need to deliver these fabrics to Her Highness."

"Very well, go quickly."

I was clutching the fabrics and just about to step into the Cuiwei Palace when I saw a flurry of maids and eunuchs rushing past on the palace path. It looked like something serious had happened.

I grabbed a passing maid and asked, "Sister, what has happened?"

"The Crown Princess has fainted."

The Crown Princess—was it Han Feiyue or Gong Wue?