The slender, graceful fingers, even their pads were soft and delicate from a life of luxury. They were cool to the touch, yet they easily ignited him. Her fingertips trailed down his brow and eyes, brushed over his throat, and finally rested on his shoulder, casually giving it a squeeze.
“A little chubbier now,” in the darkness, Feng Lezhen’s voice came slowly, “Seems you’ve been living quite well lately.”
“…Thanks to Your Highness.” Chen Jinan’s whole body was stiff, and so was his voice.
Feng Lezhen gave a soundless laugh. “It’s better to be a little chubby, you were too thin before.”
“Yes.”
“But just getting fat isn’t enough—you have to train to be solid, then clothes will look good on you.” Feng Lezhen added.
Chen Jinan: “Understood.”
Feng Lezhen stretched lazily. “I’m hungry.”
“I’ll go call for food.” Chen Jinan got up to leave but was quickly grabbed by Feng Lezhen.
“Let’s eat in the kitchen.” Through the darkness, her bright eyes looked at him.
Chen Jinan didn’t understand what she meant but still nodded in agreement.
Fifteen minutes later, Feng Lezhen, carrying her robes, sneakily appeared in the imperial kitchen. When she turned back, she saw Chen Jinan silently staring at her, which instantly ruined her mood. She straightened up and once again became the dignified Eldest Princess.
“Light the lamp.” She lifted her chin proudly.
Chen Jinan glanced at the aloof Eldest Princess and a fleeting smile flashed across his lips before he obediently lit the candle.
The kitchen was large, but one candle was enough to light the space. Feng Lezhen busily searched through the cabinets while Chen Jinan followed behind her, holding the candle. Soon she found a pile of food and ordered Chen Jinan to carry it to a low table. Just as she picked up her chopsticks to eat, she looked up and saw Chen Jinan still standing there, frozen.
“…Come eat,” she said helplessly.
“It’s not proper,” Chen Jinan hesitated, “I should just hold the lamp for Your Highness.”
Feng Lezhen raised her brows slightly. “What did I teach you before?”
“When the master asks a question, you must answer,” Chen Jinan said.
Feng Lezhen put down her chopsticks. “Then let me teach you another rule: the master’s orders must be obeyed.”
Chen Jinan paused for a moment and eventually sat down across from her.
A few drops of wax fell on the table, and before they solidified, Chen Jinan stuck the candle to the surface. Master and servant ate quietly by the dim candlelight.
“Before I officially established my own residence, I used to sneak into the imperial kitchen with Fu Zhixian,” Feng Lezhen suddenly said.
Chen Jinan silently put down his chopsticks and quietly looked at her.
“Unfortunately, the food we found was either cold or soggy, it tasted terrible. Later on, Fu Zhixian started cooking himself. His cooking wasn’t just bad, it was often undercooked. I ended up bedridden for three days because of his food. The late emperor was so furious he banned Fu Zhixian from ever entering the imperial kitchen again.” Thinking of the past, a faint smile surfaced in Feng Lezhen’s eyes.
Chen Jinan frowned. “If his cooking was that bad, why did he keep making food for Your Highness?”
Feng Lezhen paused. “How did you know he often cooked for me?”
Before Chen Jinan could answer, she had already figured it out. “Oh, the place you used to stay was close to the kitchen. It makes sense you’d know.”
Chen Jinan’s gaze flickered but he didn’t deny it.
“That man always seemed carefree on the surface, but he was actually very stubborn. After that incident, he hired palace chefs to teach him, and his cooking gradually improved,” Feng Lezhen chuckled, “Who would have thought that the most talented scholar in the capital would one day be just as skilled in the kitchen as he was with words.”
“Lord Fu treats Your Highness very well,” Chen Jinan lowered his gaze.
The smile faded from Feng Lezhen’s eyes. “Yes, very well.”
Noticing her mood darkening, Chen Jinan thought for a moment, put down his chopsticks, and reached into his robes.
“Instead of writing in this kind of place, why don’t you pass me the osmanthus cake in front of you?” Feng Lezhen said coolly.
Chen Jinan promptly withdrew his hand and picked up the small plate of cake.
Osmanthus cake is best when fresh and soft right out of the steamer. After sitting for a while, it had become a bit hard and the surface was too slippery. Feng Lezhen tried twice but couldn’t pick it up with her chopsticks, growing frustrated and slamming them down. The next moment, the cake was steadily presented in front of her.
She paused, glanced at Chen Jinan who was holding out the osmanthus cake, and couldn’t be bothered to pick up her chopsticks again. She simply leaned forward and took a bite. Her breath brushed against the back of his hand, sending a shiver through him. Chen Jinan stiffly held the cake, about to say something when a noise suddenly came from the door.
“Who’s there?!” He sprang to his feet.
The doorway quieted for a moment before Shen Suifeng appeared, looking completely innocent. “I couldn’t sleep, so I was wandering around. I saw a light here and came to check it out…”
“Would Mr. Shen like to join us for some food?” Feng Lezhen calmly offered.
Shen Suifeng glanced at the osmanthus cake with a bite already taken from Chen Jinan’s chopsticks, smiled, and quickly took a step back. “I wouldn’t dare disturb you.”
Sensible enough to leave, Shen Suifeng departed, and Feng Lezhen also lost her appetite, choosing instead to return to her room to rest. Chen Jinan stayed behind alone, thoroughly cleaning the kitchen and carefully putting away the untouched dishes. By the time he finished tidying everything, it was already past midnight.
Perhaps because she had gone to bed so late, Feng Lezhen slept all the way until noon the next day. When she finally woke up, her mood had completely settled.
“Your Highness, are you feeling better today?” Ah Ye asked worriedly as she brushed Feng Lezhen’s hair. She didn’t care what had happened the night before, only concerned about the Eldest Princess’s mood.
Feng Lezhen raised her gaze and looked at her through the mirror. “When was this princess ever in a bad mood?”
“Yes, yes, always in good spirits,” Ah Ye quickly agreed, then laughed. “I didn’t expect Chen Jinan to be so capable, coaxing Your Highness back to a good mood so quickly. No wonder Steward Qin allowed him into your room last night.”
Feng Lezhen thought of Chen Jinan’s earnest expression as he wrote and a faint smile touched her eyes. “Where’s Wanwan?”
“I’m here,” Qin Wan just happened to enter and immediately stepped forward upon hearing her name.
Ah Ye glanced at the two of them and tactfully led the other servants out.
Once the doors and windows were tightly shut, Qin Wan lowered her voice, “Fan Gonggong’s old house caught fire last night. The old man was too slow to escape and burned to ashes along with his home.”
Feng Lezhen lowered her eyes and remained silent for a long time.
“Your Highness,” Qin Wan called softly, “there’s one more thing.”
“Speak.”
“The spies stationed outside the Fu residence reported that after curfew the day before yesterday, a carriage arrived at the Fu family’s back entrance. It stayed for half an hour and then left. After leaving… it went to the palace.” Qin Wan’s voice grew colder.
Although they had long suspected something was wrong with Fu Zhixian, seeing solid evidence now still made her feel angry and resentful for her Eldest Princess.
Feng Lezhen remained composed. “If you calculate carefully, it’s about time.”
“Time for what?” Qin Wan didn’t understand.
“Where is Fu Zhixian?” Feng Lezhen asked.
“He has not left his house since.” Qin Wan replied.
Feng Lezhen rubbed her temples. “I understand. Withdraw the spies. There’s no need to watch him any longer.”
“Yes.” Qin Wan never questioned her orders and immediately turned to leave.
“One more thing.” Feng Lezhen spoke again, and Qin Wan paused.
Feng Lezhen turned and met her gaze. “Isn’t Mid-Autumn Festival in half a month?”
Qin Wan: “Yes.”
“Tell the craftsmen in the manor to start preparations. This year’s Mid-Autumn fireworks must surpass those of every previous year.” Feng Lezhen said slowly.
Qin Wan hesitated briefly before agreeing and left.
The room was now quiet, with only Feng Lezhen remaining. She looked at her neatly arranged hair in the mirror, thought for a moment, then took out her hairpin and went back to bed for another nap.
She waited patiently in her residence. Two more days passed before Fu Zhixian finally arrived on the evening of the third day.
After not seeing him for days, Fu Zhixian had grown noticeably thinner. His once well-fitted robes now hung loosely on his frame, and his usually bright, flirtatious eyes were now bloodshot—who knew how long it had been since he last slept properly.
“Have you been out stealing these past few days?” Feng Lezhen mocked.
Fu Zhixian did not play along. He simply stared at her steadily.
After a long silence, he slowly said, “Your Highness, I’m hungry.”
Feng Lezhen’s smile faded. “Then let’s eat.”
It was already dinner time, and the meal had long been prepared. As soon as the Eldest Princess gave the order, it was brought to the main residence. Feng Lezhen turned to go inside, but Fu Zhixian grabbed her hand.
“The moonlight is nice tonight. Let’s eat in the courtyard,” he said.
Feng Lezhen studied him for a while, then smiled, “As you wish.”
The servants carrying the trays changed direction and brought the food to the pavilion in the courtyard. Fu Zhixian led Feng Lezhen to sit inside and then dismissed everyone.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve had a meal together,” Fu Zhixian said as he brushed his sleeve and poured them each a cup of alcohol.
“Has your wound healed enough for you to drink?” Feng Lezhen asked.
“If it hadn’t, how would I dare come see Your Highness?” Fu Zhixian raised his cup to her.
Feng Lezhen smiled, picked up her cup, and drank with him in one go.
After three cups, Fu Zhixian rose to serve the dishes. Feng Lezhen lazily leaned against the table, watching him bustle about, and couldn’t help but chuckle.
“What’s so funny, Your Highness?” Fu Zhixian was puzzled.
Feng Lezhen’s lips curved slightly. “I just suddenly remembered when we first met. I said I would help you move your mother’s grave back to the Fu family’s ancestral tomb, but you refused. You said you wanted to rely on yourself and that one day you would make the entire Fu family bow every three steps and kowtow every nine steps, placing your mother’s memorial tablet in the very center of the ancestral hall.”
Fu Zhixian smiled faintly. “Ah, the foolish words of youth. It’s surprising that Your Highness still remembers.”
Feng Lezhen’s smile deepened slightly. “When you first learned you would become my princess consort, did you ever feel unwilling?”
“Why do you ask?” Fu Zhixian sat down beside her.
“At thirteen, you were already a renowned prodigy in the capital. Without the title of princess consort, you should have long since soared to great heights. Yet here you are, serving me dishes in the Eldest Princess’s residence, none of your youthful ambitions fulfilled. Shouldn’t you feel some resentment?”
“Your Highness is a true dragon. Even though you lie low today, one day you will rise to the heavens. Compared to that, what is ‘soaring to great heights’?” Fu Zhixian looked into her eyes. “To be Your Highness’s husband is my greatest fortune. I have never resented it, not even a little.”
“A true dragon…” Feng Lezhen laughed. “You really dare to say that.”
“Isn’t it so?” Fu Zhixian countered.
Feng Lezhen lifted her gaze, unexpectedly meeting the redness in his eyes. She was silent for a moment, then reached out to gently brush his brows and eyes. “If you truly see me as a true dragon…”
Then why would you become the blade hanging above my head?
She didn’t say the second half, just quietly looked at him.
“What’s with you today, Your Highness?” They had known each other too long. It was hard for Feng Lezhen’s emotions to escape Fu Zhixian’s eyes.
Feng Lezhen lowered her gaze. “Just remembered some past events.”
“What past events?” Fu Zhixian held her hand, which had been resting on his face, and gently brought it to his knee.
Feng Lezhen looked toward the moon’s reflection in the pond. “I remembered the Hongmen Banquet the late emperor arranged especially for me before his passing.”
Fu Zhixian paused.
“Do you still remember?” Feng Lezhen asked.
Fu Zhixian lowered his eyes. “I will never forget.”
Feng Lezhen smiled faintly. “Before that day, Royal Father was gravely ill, and two-thirds of the court obeyed me. I truly thought that all of Great Qian was destined to be mine.”
Until that day, when the late emperor summoned all her people to his chambers and announced he would name her as the imperial eldest daughter, making her the first female ruler of Great Qian. Yet, those so-called trusted aides of hers suddenly objected—including her most respected grandfather.
“The Eldest Princess, no matter how capable, is still a woman.”
“Throughout history, no woman has ever been an emperor.”
“If Your Highness becomes emperor and one day marries Lord Fu and bears children, wouldn’t that make a Fu heir the crown prince? How is that different from changing dynasties? Rather than that, it is better to make Qing Wang the heir. At least Great Qian will forever remain the Feng family’s bloodline.”
She had stood behind the screen, hearing every word with perfect clarity. It wasn’t until everyone left and the late emperor looked at her calmly that she realized she had utterly lost.
“If not for that day, I probably would have seized the palace and Feng Ji the moment before the late emperor’s death, destroyed the edict, and ascended the throne directly,” Feng Lezhen said slowly.
Fu Zhixian lowered his eyes. “If not for that day, after Your Highness took the throne, Qing Wang would have used the excuse of a hen crowing at dawn to replace you.”
“By that logic, I should thank the late emperor for making me give up early.” Feng Lezhen smiled faintly as she looked at him. “Strange, isn’t it? At that time, the late emperor was so ill he could no longer review memorials, yet he was so well-informed about me. And those summoned to that Hongmen Banquet were all my most trusted people.”
“The late emperor was a sage. It’s no surprise he knew.” Fu Zhixian raised his cup.
Feng Lezhen also picked up her cup and watched as he lowered his slightly to clink it against hers.
“True.” She smiled.
Fu Zhixian downed his drink in one go, but suddenly seemed distracted as he fiddled with his empty cup.
“Ran into trouble?” Feng Lezhen asked.
Fu Zhixian looked at her.
“You’ve been strange since you arrived. Do you really think I wouldn’t notice?” Feng Lezhen poured herself another cup. “Speak. What’s going on?”
“I’d like to borrow Your Highness’s private seal,” Fu Zhixian said.
Feng Lezhen paused, silent for a long time before asking, “What do you need the private seal for?”
“There are some accounts to settle. Your Highness’s seal makes things more convenient.” Fu Zhixian’s expression was calm. It was the same reason he gave in their previous life.
Living this life again, Feng Lezhen realized just how clumsy that excuse really was. Unfortunately, in their past life, she had trusted him far too much and never suspected anything. After all, after so many years together, they had practically become as one, using each other’s private seals countless times—how could she suddenly have doubted him?
They stared at each other in silence, as if engaged in a wordless standoff.
After a long while, Feng Lezhen said, “Fine.”
Fu Zhixian smiled faintly and refilled her cup.
Neither of them held their liquor well—Feng Lezhen was particularly bad. After finishing the whole pot of alcohol, she grew drowsy and slumped onto the table.
“Your Highness, go back to your room or you’ll catch cold,” Fu Zhixian whispered.
“Don’t move…” she mumbled a refusal.
Fu Zhixian sighed, bent down to help her up, but was suddenly grabbed by the collar.
“Fu Zhixian,” her lips parted softly.
“I’m here,” Fu Zhixian’s gaze softened.
Don’t let me down. The words were at the tip of her tongue, but Feng Lezhen didn’t say them. After a long silence, she simply said, “I’ve already arranged for fireworks. This year, we’ll celebrate your birthday together.”
“Alright.” Fu Zhixian was quiet for a moment, then softly agreed.
The two of them, each holding their own secrets, quietly stared at each other. After a while, Feng Lezhen suddenly straightened up and kissed the corner of his lips. Fu Zhixian’s gaze flickered, and his hand slid around her waist. Just as he was about to move further, a cough interrupted them.
They both turned their heads to see Shen Suifeng standing innocently outside the pavilion.
“I really was just passing by. I didn’t mean to disturb you. But even if you aren’t doctors, surely you know that coughing is impossible to hold back,” Shen Suifeng said seriously.
“Get out,” Feng Lezhen said, lips barely parting.
“Alright.” Shen Suifeng turned and left, but after a few steps, he circled back, tactfully reminding them, “Your Highness, indulging too much in desires is also harmful to one’s health…”
Before he could finish, an empty alcohol cup came flying toward him.
