“Your Highness? You’re here too,” Wei Linxia said, trying to stay calm, while secretly tearing a page from a thin bamboo book without making a sound.
“Mm,” Xi Linxuan replied, curious about her actions.
After a moment of silence, Wei Linxia lowered her voice: “I accidentally tore a page from my father’s book and am afraid he’ll scold me, so I’m here to fix it.” She walked to the desk with the book and tools for repair, slowly pasting the page while hoping he would leave quickly.
She was worried, and so was Xi Linxuan. His thick book and narrow-sleeved outfit made it hard to conceal things. He couldn’t let anyone know his situation, so he felt anxious. Soon, he thought of a solution and softly called Wei Linxia over. She approached and saw a thick “Imperial Dynasty Mirror” on his lap, looking puzzled.
Xi Linxuan pointed to the top shelf, adding, “I thought the Grand Tutor or a servant might be here, so I didn’t bring an attendant.” Meaning he couldn’t return the book.
Wei Linxia nodded in understanding, took the book from his lap, and explained, “It’s almost a festival, and with fewer staff, the steward sent them to help in the front yard.” She thought to herself that the prince wasn’t telling the truth, as she had seen her father using this book yesterday.
After Xi Linxuan left, Wei Linxia opened the windows and doors to ensure no one was present, then pretended to organize the bookshelf. She moved books from the third row’s bottom shelf to the fourth row. Her father wrapped rarely-used books in thick scrolls and placed them horizontally, so switching the horizontal books would go unnoticed.
After completing this, she sat down and later took a genuine “Music” book and left during twilight.
Later, Xi Linxuan checked the third shelf but found nothing, thinking perhaps Wei Linxia had damaged a book and was afraid of her father’s scolding. When Wei Linxia next visited the study, she measured the shelf’s height, realizing Xi Linxuan could reach the book if standing straight. Thus, every time she saw him, she would subtly glance at his legs, and being sensitive, he noticed.
