She didn’t have anything specific in mind, as she had put away her childhood trinkets. Now married, she felt the need to be more restrained. They had already eaten dinner, so more food could cause indigestion. Still, Wei Linxia made an effort to look excited. At the end of the night market street, they reached a performance spot where sounds of clashing weapons echoed. Wei Linxia enjoyed this but, being short, couldn’t see over the crowd.
“Let’s go, we’ll squeeze in to see,” Xi Linxuan said, waving his hand. The guards cleared a path, pushing through the crowd to escort them to the front.
Two performers engaged in an intense battle with spear and sword, the crowd applauding and cheering. Once the performance ended, the crowd dispersed, having only come to watch the excitement.
“How can these people be so lacking in principle,” Wei Linxia muttered, reaching into her sleeve for coins before realizing she had changed clothes earlier.
A small piece of silver was handed before her, and Wei Linxia lowered her head to look. She took the silver without ceremony and placed it in the shallow copper plate of the street performer.
On the way back to the Eastern Palace, the young couple rode in a horse-drawn carriage, and Wei Linxia was still savoring the street performer’s elegant sword technique.
“Such a big night market and there’s nothing to buy,” Xi Linxuan said.
“Hmm? What do you want to buy? Why didn’t you say so earlier?” Wei Linxia asked.
“Buy a few bells; their sound is quite nice,” Xi Linxuan replied.
When he mentioned this, Wei Linxia felt uncomfortable, remembering that it was a foolish matter that had embarrassed her for a long time. “Did you bring any this time?” Xi Linxuan pressed.
“No,” Wei Linxia firmly refused.
“Hehe, of course, you gave all of yours to me. This little invention of your Huo people is quite interesting…”
“It’s just two ceramic bells,” Wei Linxia retorted weakly.
“Oh? The palace eunuch told me these are also called ceramic embroidery balls, and young Huo people love to give them to their loved ones,” Xi Linxuan said.
“No way, it’s just a bell… just a bell.” Her head drooped.
Fortunately, Xi Linxuan didn’t say anything more to embarrass her.
The next day, he was busy and didn’t spend much time with Wei Linxia. She didn’t mind and had her ways of coping. Several prince consorts visited her, and their conversations revealed that the kind-hearted spoke less while the gossip-mongers spoke more.
Li Weiheng also sought an audience, still dressed as a woman and seemingly unhappy. Wei Linxia thought she was homesick and offered comfort, to which Li Weiheng smiled helplessly. Later, she invited Wei Linxia to a temple outside the city to burn incense. With nothing to do in the Eastern Palace and wanting to avoid the gossip, they went to the temple in disguise with guards.
The temple Li Weiheng mentioned, claimed to be spiritually efficacious, was unremarkable, with only two halls dedicated to Rulai and Guanyin. There weren’t many pilgrims. After paying their respects and as they descended the mountain, they encountered a ragged vagrant with wild hair sitting on the stone steps, blocking the path.
The guard stepped forward to grab the vagrant’s collar, but Wei Linxia quickly stopped him: “Let’s go around.”
The guards protected them as they passed, and they heard a man muttering, “Geese fly north in autumn, returning in three springs. Ice melts in spring, geese transform into phoenixes.”
Li Weiheng commented that the man was nonsensical, as geese fly south in autumn. Wei Linxia found him strange but dismissed it; odd characters were not uncommon in the vast world.
Upon returning to the Eastern Palace, Xi Linxuan unexpectedly appeared in the inner palace, holding two pure white jade bells.
“Went to burn incense? What did you pray for?” Xi Linxuan asked, presenting the bells. “The jade craftsman took two months to make them. Take them.”
Wei Linxia hesitated, suspicious of his intentions. Xi Linxuan continued, “When the Emperor celebrated his birthday, I received a piece of jade from the longevity elder. These two pieces were left over, so I had the craftsman make them into bells.”
The white jade felt warm in her hand, and Wei Linxia examined them, noting their exquisite craftsmanship.
“This concubine thanks the Prince. It’s rare that amid your busy days, you still remember to cheer me up,” Wei Linxia said with a smile.
“I originally planned to put them on those two black cats outside, but afraid someone might catch them for their value, I thought it better to give them to you,” Xi Linxuan shook the bells. “Go make the bed, I’m tired.”
Wei Linxia prepared the bed and helped him sit down, looking at his leg with confusion: “Have you been lazy and not treating it?”
Xi Linxuan wrapped his arm around her shoulder and lay down, pulling the blanket over them: “Sleep.” He didn’t answer her question.
He seemed to be asleep, but Wei Linxia couldn’t sleep. She gently nudged him, and seeing no response, carefully got up to search for needles in the chest. The maids from the Wei household and palace women had left her things in disarray, making her search difficult.
While rummaging, she spotted a familiar red wooden box – the one Xu Zhen had given her that Xi Linxuan had mysteriously prevented her from opening. She took it out and carefully opened it, her heart racing, wondering what secret it contained.
Inside the box was a wax figure, different from before – no longer plain red, but intricately carved in red and white. It featured white skin, red clothing, a lifelike flower on the head, and delicate earrings. The face was vivid, unlike any simple drawing.
Wei Linxia felt like she was looking into a miniature mirror.
Tracing the statue with her finger, she recalled how Xi Linxuan had treasured this box. She wondered if he had been carving her all along, and her heart filled with sweetness.
The black-faced guy actually does this and still claims he doesn’t want to marry her?
Glancing at the bed, her eyes curved with laughter, her face turning red. She closed the box and put it back, then continued searching for her acupuncture needles. Lost in thought, she accidentally knocked over a nearby stool.
“Wei Linxia, do not make noise,” the person on the bed said, seemingly displeased.
“Oh, I know,” Wei Linxia replied. After rummaging through several boxes, she found her precious needles, clutched them to her chest, and returned to Xi Linxuan’s side.
“I don’t believe you won’t wake up.”
“Wei Linxia, do not stare at me with that predatory gaze. Otherwise, I will punish you,” Xi Linxuan said with closed eyes and slightly furrowed brows.
“Your servant is so scared. Won’t you please not punish your servant?” Wei Linxia said, her voice devoid of fear. When you discover a lion in sheep’s clothing, would you be afraid? Of course not.
Xi Linxuan finally opened his eyes, staring wide-eyed at Wei Linxia before frowning: “What are you holding?”
Wei Linxia smiled: “Your Highness, don’t be afraid. It won’t hurt. I’ll be very precise and gentle.” She sat down by the bed, smiling brightly at Xi Linxuan. Although she typically maintained a gentle demeanor, today felt different, and her smile made Xi Linxuan uneasy.
After a quarter of an hour, voices emerged from behind the bed curtains.
“I told you not to move. It won’t hurt.”
“I said no.”
“Your Highness, you must be obedient. Look, I’m much gentler than you.”
“Wei Linxia!” Somewhat fierce.
“There, isn’t it comfortable?”
Inside the curtains, Wei Linxia sat cross-legged beside Xi Linxuan, his trouser legs rolled up to his thighs, with black needles inserted in his legs. Wei Linxia focused on his legs.
“Do not look,” Xi Linxuan warned her again.
