I came to my senses, cleared my throat, and asked, “Your Majesty’s informants reach quite far. Even I didn’t know about this, yet you’ve already heard about it. May I ask from where?”
Yan Huo was stunned, slightly embarrassed, and downed the wine in his cup. I felt a slight victory.
Chapter Sixty: My Choice
I never imagined that Xia Zhichun was hiding in Yan Huo’s inner palace, leading me to speculate about their relationship.
A hostage sent to an enemy country, an ambitious monarch—their love was complicated and deeply entangled, emerging from collaboration into endless complications.
I seemed to be overthinking Xia Zhichun’s actions. Why he pretended to have died from a cliff fall but was actually hiding in Xi Liang’s inner palace was unclear, but the answer would come soon enough.
Strictly speaking, Xia Zhichun lived in a remote and cold side hall in the inner palace, similar to a cold palace, making it a safe hiding place.
Moqu led me inside, and a palace maid reported that the young master was harvesting vegetables. I thought I had misheard, but Moqu confirmed it and guided me to the backyard garden.
The garden had no flowers or trees, only tilled land with vibrant green onions, tomatoes, and other plants. In the distance, I saw two figures, one tall and one short.
After several years, seeing Xia Zhichun again was unexpected; he was not writing poetry or enjoying tea but wearing a gray cloth garment, rolling up his sleeves, and harvesting small white cabbage. Beside him was a simple, unadorned woman gently wiping his sweat with a smile—Su Hui, someone I knew.
I closed my eyes, steadied myself, and then opened them again.
Moqu was looking at me, seemingly puzzled by my reaction.
The vegetable plot, Xia Zhichun, and Su Hui—people and things I could never connect—were suddenly placed in one scene, seemingly harmonious. The Eastern Palace was ethereal and otherworldly, Yan Huo’s words had double meanings, Xia Zhichun was farming, and Su Hui appeared virtuous and plain. What kind of place was Xiliang that could make everyone seem so strange?
“He—” I pointed in Xia Zhichun’s direction, struggling to decide which question to ask first. “Is this really Xia Zhichun?”
“Absolutely true,” Moqu nodded. “Princess, please follow me.”
