“No. Such vulgar things must not sully the lady’s painting skills,” Xia Zhiyuan said with a solemn expression.
I looked at him pitifully. “This servant is not afraid of vulgarity.”
He smiled slightly. “It’s sunset now. The Ministry of Personnel office should be closing soon.”
“Very well.” He paused briefly. “Shall I escort you?”
“No need.”
At this moment, the gray cranes around us rose, spreading their wings to the sky, almost obscuring the sunset. Xia Zhiyuan pulled me close to him amid the gray fog.
“Be careful, my lady.”
Several gray crane wings brushed past my back, not painful. Xia Zhiyuan leaned close to my ear and chuckled softly:
“He won’t be able to protect you for long. It’s better to come to my side.”
As the gray mist dispersed, he released me, a subtle smile playing on his face. “Please consider carefully.”
The Eastern Palace and I walked in opposite directions, each harboring our own schemes.
After passing a grove of trees, I looked around to ensure no one was following, then pulled out a white silk cloth and waved it toward a nearby small hill.
A distant dog bark came from the hill. I felt relieved and walked along the water puddles by the forest toward the hill. I had barely gone far when the dog bark suddenly became panicked and urgent.
I stopped. Could something be wrong?
A chaotic sound of horse hooves came from the forest. I instinctively turned back, sighing at the saying “enemies often cross paths.”
Princess Xia Zhiqian, dressed in red, rode a blue horse, looking down at me with a smile. Several maids followed her, all out of breath and pale, looking like they had been running after her for a while.
“It’s indeed you,” she seemed to be waiting for me to bow, but when I didn’t respond for a long time, she spoke impatiently.
From such a distance, even in men’s clothing, she could recognize me. I smiled politely at her and bowed. “This servant greets the princess.”
Xia Zhiqian, holding a silver-handled whip, struck at me without a word. I dodged back, and the whip hit the grass, sending leaves flying.
“You dare to dodge?” she frowned.
I kept my hand behind my back, frantically waving the white silk toward the hill.
