“Give… to whom?” Ah Ye finally managed to ask.
Feng Lezhen just smiled and didn’t explain further.
Ah Ye stayed silent for a moment, then asked seriously, “Your Highness… does Lord Fu know the person who nearly killed him back then was me?”
“He does,” Feng Lezhen answered.
Ah Ye: “…Then I think it’s best not to send anything.”
Though she didn’t know what exactly had transpired between Lord Fu and Her Highness, it was clear their fate was severed, and possibly marred by resentment. Sending a birthday gift now would only stir up old wounds.
Feng Lezhen heard her sincere advice and raised an eyebrow without replying.
Back home, Chen Jinan brought over a letter. Just by seeing the wax seal, Feng Lezhen knew who it was from and took it straight to the study.
Watching her retreating back, Ah Ye nudged Chen Jinan with her elbow. “Her Highness has been exchanging letters quite frequently lately. Who is she corresponding with?”
“Don’t meddle in the master’s affairs,” Chen Jinan replied indifferently.
Ah Ye rolled her eyes and kept chatting. “Her Highness is getting harder and harder to read these days. Do you know what she just said to me? She wants to send Lord Fu a birthday present!”
Chen Jinan paused, glancing toward the direction where Feng Lezhen had gone.
“You tell me what’s going through Her Highness’s head. She hasn’t contacted him in so long—it’s obvious she had no intention to. And now she suddenly brings up sending a gift, three whole months in advance. Speaking of birthdays, everyone in the residence celebrates theirs. How come I’ve never seen you celebrate yours? When is your birthday anyway… hey! Why are you walking away!”
Ah Ye watched him walk farther and farther off, nearly stomping her feet in frustration.
Feng Lezhen said she wanted to send Fu Zhixian a birthday gift, but she didn’t start preparing one right away. Instead, after reading the letter, she suddenly became excited and began pulling Hu Wensheng and the other officials together to brainstorm all the fun and tasty things that could be made with Yingguan rice.
At this point, Hu Wensheng was completely numb to her unpredictable ideas—or perhaps he’d figured it out:
If the sky falls, someone with higher status will hold it up. He’d just follow orders, and if something went wrong, he’d blame it all on her.
It wasn’t a very noble way of thinking, but what else could he do? Her Highness simply wouldn’t listen to reason. Hu Wensheng exchanged glances with the other officials, and all of them sighed.
They stayed at the government office for several sleepless days, and surprisingly did come up with some new uses for the rice—one of which was papermaking.
Yingguan rice was soft in color and fragrant in flavor. The paper made from it was thin yet evenly weighted, absorbed ink well, and was highly durable. It was called “Cloud Paper,” but due to its complicated production process and low awareness, only a few families produced it each year.
Feng Lezhen pondered for a long while before finally deciding what to give Fu Zhixian.
“How much old rice do we still have left over?” she asked Hu Wensheng.
The moment he saw her expression, Hu Wensheng knew she was about to cause trouble again, but he had no way to refuse. “Your Highness, there are ten storehouses in total. In this lean season, five are still full.”
“Set aside one. Use it to make paper,” Feng Lezhen decided.
Hu Wensheng’s face instantly turned sour. “Your Highness! Yingguan’s Cloud Paper isn’t well-known, and it costs a fortune to produce. Almost no one wants to buy it. If you use an entire storehouse of rice for it, it’ll all end up rotting in your hands!”
“Just do as you’re told. Why all the nonsense?” Feng Lezhen frowned.
“But…”
“Starting tomorrow, gather all the commoners who can make paper. Their pay will be ten percent more than what they’d get selling to merchants. Try to finish everything within a month.”
Another ten percent—always ten percent! Buying the rice was ten percent more, now papermaking too! Hu Wensheng finally couldn’t hold it in: “Your Highness, is your silver blown in by the wind?”
“I’m not paying for it,” Feng Lezhen said with an innocent look.
Hu Wensheng froze, a sense of dread rising in his chest.
“The funds will come from the prefecture treasury,” Feng Lezhen said with a warm smile.
Hu Wensheng: “…”
By the time everything else was arranged, it was already deep into the night. Feng Lezhen rubbed her sore shoulders and returned to the Eldest Princess’s residence under the starlit sky.
The light in the room was still on. She wearily pinched the bridge of her nose and called over a servant who usually attended to his room. “What has Mr. Shen been doing these past few days?”
“Replying to Your Highness, he spends most of his time reading under the tree in the front courtyard,” the servant answered respectfully.
That tree in the front courtyard faced the main gate of the Eldest Princess’s residence. If she returned, he would be the first to see her.
Just the thought of him waiting for her every day made Feng Lezhen pause in silence, then she said, “I see.”
After the servant left, she gently pushed open the door and saw Shen Suifeng fast asleep, slumped over the desk.
The unruly-faced man looked obedient when asleep. Feng Lezhen tiptoed to his side, and as soon as Shen Suifeng heard the movement, he sat up. “Your Highness…”
“Why didn’t you go to bed?” Her voice was gentle.
“I wanted to wait for Your Highness, but I accidentally fell asleep,” Shen Suifeng replied with a sleepy smile.
“I’ve been very busy lately. If you’re going to wait, do it in bed next time. That way, if you fall asleep, I won’t need to wake you,” she said softly.
Shen Suifeng wanted to say the reason he stayed up was so that he could speak with her when she returned. If he waited in bed, he probably wouldn’t even get to talk to her.
But seeing the exhaustion between her brows, he only smiled and nodded.
The next morning, when Shen Suifeng woke, Feng Lezhen was no longer at his side. He was already used to this kind of life. After getting up, he grabbed a book and headed to the front courtyard, but the moment he stepped outside, he saw Ah Ye eating pastries in the yard.
Shen Suifeng paused. “Why didn’t you go with Her Highness today?”
“She’s in the study. Why would I go with her?” Ah Ye asked, confused.
Shen Suifeng blinked. “Her Highness didn’t go out today?”
“No, she’s not going anywhere today…” Before Ah Ye finished her sentence, she saw Shen Suifeng already heading toward the study. Watching his relaxed steps, she suddenly felt that Mr. Shen probably missed Her Highness a lot.
Strange. The two of them had moved into the same room two months ago and saw each other every day. What was there to miss?
Shen Suifeng, unaware of Ah Ye’s doubts, walked into the study in good spirits. Feng Lezhen was intently examining a sheet of cloud paper while holding a brush. Hearing the door open, she asked, “You’re awake?”
“How did Your Highness know it was me?” Shen Suifeng asked.
Feng Lezhen smiled. “In the entire Eldest Princess’s residence, you’re the only one who would walk in without knocking.”
Shen Suifeng chuckled. Walking over, he saw two characters written on the paper. He paused slightly and asked, “What do they mean?”
“It’s the new name I’ve chosen for the cloud paper. What do you think?” Feng Lezhen asked.
Shen Suifeng stared at the two characters. The smile on his face slowly faded. Feng Lezhen waited but didn’t hear a response. Looking up, she saw him still gazing at the words.
“Are you mad?” she asked with a small laugh.
Shen Suifeng raised an eyebrow. “Whatever Your Highness does must have a reason. How would I dare be mad?”
Feng Lezhen laughed more happily and cupped his face to kiss him. “It’s just to get things done—don’t feel wronged.”
Shen Suifeng smiled, wrapped his arm around her waist, and kissed her back.
After a while of laughter and teasing, Feng Lezhen finally asked with spring in her eyes, “So what do you think of these two characters?”
“I don’t know,” Shen Suifeng replied. “But if those two characters are meant for me, I think my bones are about to melt.” As he spoke, he bit her lips lightly in a playful punishment.
The smile in Feng Lezhen’s eyes deepened. She let him be.
In the blink of an eye, nearly a month passed. While the citizens of the capital were already dressed in light summer clothes, Yingguan had only just started to warm up.
Between Yingguan and the capital lay not only a long road but also a full season’s delay.
Fu Zhixian, reeking of alcohol, was helped into a carriage by his guards. As the curtain closed, his drunken eyes cleared and his back straightened.
It was the busiest time of night. The flickering lights of lanterns and moonlight spilled into the window, casting shifting shadows on his face.
The carriage returned smoothly to the Fu residence. His eldest uncle, who had been waiting at the gate, hurried forward. “Zhixian, you’re back. Why did you drink so much again? You’re favored by the Emperor now—even if you must socialize, you should show some restraint…”
Fu Zhixian ignored the chatter and walked forward without pause.
“Zhixian, listen to me,” his uncle chased after him in a rush. “Your brother really didn’t mean any harm—he was egged on by his friends and just teased that girl a bit. Who knew she’d jump into the lake! A courtesan playing the virtuous martyr…”
Fu Zhixian suddenly stopped. His uncle nearly bumped into him.
“Uncle seems to have forgotten—I was also born of a courtesan.” His pair of affectionate peach blossom eyes showed an uncharacteristic warmth.
The uncle froze, then panicked. “I—I didn’t mean it like that. I just forgot…”
Fu Zhixian gave a soft laugh and cut him off. “I’ll handle my brother’s matter.”
“…Really?” His uncle was visibly uneasy.
Fu Zhixian nodded. “After all, we share the same bloodline. I can’t just stand by and do nothing.”
“Good, good, very good…” His uncle finally let out a sigh of relief. “Zhixian, you’ve always been sensible—your uncle knows that well.”
“It’s getting late. Uncle should rest.”
Fu Zhixian watched him leave. The trace of warmth in his eyes vanished in an instant, leaving only calm indifference.
“My lord,” a hidden guard quietly stepped out, “when Fu Cong humiliated that girl that day, he also mentioned the late Madame in his words. Are you truly going to save him?”
“Of course I am,” Fu Zhixian said blandly. “We are cousins. At the very least, I’ll make sure he keeps his body intact.”
“Understood.”
A light breeze stirred the air, carrying a trace of summer’s stifling heat. The alcohol in Fu Zhixian’s body started to rise, bringing with it a wave of restlessness.
He walked alone through the deep and ancient courtyards of the Fu family estate—his figure solitary and cold.
After some time, he finally reached his private courtyard. As soon as he stepped in, he saw a sandalwood box tied with a red silk ribbon sitting on the stone table.
It was just an ordinary box, with an ordinary knot. No inscription, no token to indicate who had sent it. Yet the moment he saw it, he slowly came to a stop.
The agitation in his chest receded like a tide, replaced by a subtle, hidden joy. He stood in silence for a long time, then summoned the hidden guard stationed in the courtyard.
“Did this come from Yingguan?” he asked.
The guard replied, “Yes, my lord.”
Fu Zhixian let out a quiet laugh, as if life had suddenly returned to him.
Though another year older, Lord Fu, for once, lost his composure. Like an eager boy, he hurried to the table—but when he reached out for the box, he hesitated.
After a long pause, he finally untied the ribbon and held his breath as he opened the box—
There wasn’t a single item he had ever given her.
Good. She hadn’t sent back anything he had given her. Fu Zhixian finally let out a breath of relief, braced himself on the table, and slowly sat down on the stone stool. It took a long moment before he placed the box on his lap and began taking out its contents, one by one.
It was the Four Treasures of the Study—brush, ink, paper, and inkstone—all bearing the seal of Wenmo Zhai, the Shen family’s specialized shop for scholarly tools. Their goods were high-priced but of superior quality, with over a dozen branches throughout the Great Qian, including two in the capital.
Everything she sent was what he normally used—except for the stack of paper. It wasn’t the Wenhe Paper he typically favored. There was also a letter enclosed.
When he opened it, he immediately recognized her handwriting—
“The Shen family’s new Wenya Paper is little known but of excellent quality. I hope you will use it often.”
He knew about her connection with Shen Suinian’s younger brother, but didn’t believe she’d reach out to him just over a piece of paper. The Shen family didn’t need his help anyway.
To hear music and understand the elegance it conveys—Wenya… Fu Zhixian chuckled and tapped the letter. “You certainly know how to make use of people.”
After laughing, he looked up at the unusually clear moonlight and calmly asked the guard, “Is the Great Heat nearly here?”
“Yes, my lord—five days away.”
“In this hot weather, how about we hold an Ice Banquet and invite the finest scholars to discuss poetry and philosophy?”
“Yes, sir.”
Fu Zhixian pinched the bridge of his nose, carefully packed the scholarly tools back into the box, and carried them into his room.
Though the announcement said it would be a grand literary gathering open to all talented scholars, in truth, only those with real standing—rising scholar-officials and nobles—had any chance of attending. To avoid embarrassment, even the imprisoned Fu Cong was granted a few more days to live—at least until after the Great Heat.
Since the event centered on literature, paper and ink were essential. Fu Zhixian had every guest prepared with a set identical to the one Feng Lezhen had sent him. Most of the invitees came from prestigious families and were familiar with Wenmo Zhai’s products—except for the paper, which was relatively unknown.
“Lord Fu, I am a shallow student, but I can see this paper has a beautiful sheen. What kind is it?” someone asked.
Fu Zhixian smiled gently. “It’s a new release from Wenmo Zhai, called Wenya Paper. Supposedly a limited edition. I came across it by chance and thought it was quite good, so I had it prepared for everyone. If you like it, feel free to take some home.”
“I know this paper!” someone suddenly exclaimed. “I went to Wenmo Zhai a few days ago and saw the shopkeeper preparing stock—they were packing this exact Wenya Paper. I wanted to buy some, but the shopkeeper said the paper is difficult to produce and requires pre-ordering. You can only buy one box at a time. Who would’ve thought Lord Fu already got his hands on it!”
Fu Zhixian glanced over and saw it was the youngest son of Minister Li. He chuckled. “Then Young Master Li must not have shown them your fine calligraphy.”
“…You need to show calligraphy just to buy paper?”
Fu Zhixian smiled deeper. “This paper is rare. The shopkeeper doesn’t want it wasted, so he imposes restrictions. If you want to buy more, just prove your talent—once he knows it won’t be wasted in your hands, he’ll keep more ready for you.”
The guests had all seen fine goods before, but now, hearing this, they were instantly stirred with a sense of competition. Fu Zhixian lowered his gaze, took a calm sip of alcohol, and changed the subject.
After the banquet, Wenya Paper became a trend among the nobility. The more you owned, the more talented you were perceived to be. Those who lacked poetic, calligraphic, or artistic skill would buy it off the black market. For a time, the price of Wenya Paper skyrocketed several-fold—even alarming Feng Ji.
“This paper looks fine, but it’s hardly worth a tael of silver per sheet,” he commented bluntly. “These people really have nothing better to do—competing over something so trivial. That money would be better off handed to the national treasury. At least that would be a true act of patriotism.”
Lately, he had been engaged in major construction projects, leaving the national treasury increasingly empty. So whenever he saw people wasting money, he felt such rage his teeth nearly cracked.
Fu Zhixian lowered his gaze. “Indeed, it was this minister’s fault. At that banquet, I merely wished to show something novel, never expecting it to cause such a stir.”
Feng Ji only knew there was someone new by Feng Lezhen’s side, and like others in Yingguan, believed him to be a wandering doctor. He had no idea of Shen Suifeng’s true identity, so he didn’t associate any of this with Feng Lezhen. Instead—
He suspected that Fu Zhixian and Shen Suinian had conspired to drive up the price of Wenya Paper.
Fu Zhixian didn’t mind him suspecting—after all, Shen Suifeng could be considered his romantic rival—
That is, if Feng Ji believed Fu Zhixian still carried a torch for the princess.
And if they were rivals, why would he go to such lengths to help the Shen family?
Feng Ji hadn’t thought that far. Seeing Fu Zhixian so calm and composed, his doubts faded. “It’s their nature to compete endlessly. What does that have to do with you?”
Fu Zhixian lowered his eyes and said nothing more. After discussing a few state matters, he turned to leave.
“Have you heard about Li Tong contacting court officials frequently as of late?” Feng Ji suddenly asked.
Fu Zhixian replied, “Your Majesty, I’ve heard some rumors.”
“Then why didn’t you tell me?” Feng Ji frowned.
“They were mere hearsay, so I didn’t speak of them,” Fu Zhixian explained.
Feng Ji let out a cold laugh. “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. I think Li Tong’s behavior is growing more outrageous by the day.”
“Perhaps it’s just a misunderstanding,” Fu Zhixian murmured.
Feng Ji waved his hand. “Enough. You don’t need to defend him. I already have my judgment.”
Seeing this, Fu Zhixian said no more and turned to leave.
The capital, the most prosperous city in Great Qian, saw new fads rise every day. Wenya Paper only lasted half a month before it was swept away by newer, more amusing trends.
But half a month was enough.
As the imperial city, the capital set the tone for every other town and city. Once news spread that Wenya Paper was popular in the capital, aristocrats in other regions couldn’t stay still. Thus, away from Feng Ji’s watchful eye, a new wave of fashion quietly began.
The warehouse full of aged rice used to make the paper had already been mostly consumed during its popularity in the capital. Now, with nobles across the country submitting orders, Yingguan’s craftsmen were no longer enough.
But Feng Lezhen had prepared for this. When Yun Paper was rebranded as Wenya Paper and sent to the capital, she had already gathered a group of eager young locals, paid them and fed them, and had them learn this centuries-old craft.
Because of their numbers, even just feeding them daily was a large expense—plus, wages were paid every three days. Looking over the account books, Hu Wensheng was so worried his hair was turning white.
Fortunately, the news from the capital arrived just in time—Wenya Paper was a massive hit. Overjoyed, Hu Wensheng’s eyes turned red with excitement, and he immediately suggested using the remaining warehouse rice.
“Are you insane? That rice is for emergency use by the people,” Feng Lezhen shot him a glance. “We can’t use the warehouse rice anymore. Send someone to collect grain from households—if people have rice they won’t finish this year, they can sell it to us. The price…”
“Ten percent higher than the market rate!” Hu Wensheng picked up.
Feng Lezhen smiled. “We’re enriching the treasury, so the people should earn something too. Only then will Yingguan truly prosper.”
“Your Highness is wise,” Hu Wensheng saluted respectfully, then hesitated.
Feng Lezhen glanced at him. “If you’ve got a question, ask it.”
“…Your Highness, ‘Yun Paper’ already sounds elegant. Why change the name?” He finally voiced the question.
Because I needed to coax that man in the capital into selling it for us. Seated upright in the hall, Feng Lezhen answered calmly, “Yingguan is now my fiefdom. And His Majesty is deeply wary of me.”
Hu Wensheng: “?”
“The paper comes from my fief, and the top merchant in the realm is selling it—and it’s selling so well. If His Majesty finds out, do you think he’ll suspect I’m up to something?” she asked.
Hu Wensheng suddenly understood, then couldn’t help but grumble, “His Majesty is really too much. Your Highness is just a woman—what could you possibly do that would endanger the empire? If he keeps doubting and second-guessing like this… forgive me for speaking out of turn, but won’t this just make Your Highness bitterly disappointed?”
“Exactly. I’m very disappointed,” Feng Lezhen sighed.
Hu Wensheng became even more sympathetic. “If Your Highness faces any difficulties in the future, just tell me—I will do all I can to help!”
“Well then, the military pay I promised the Qi family army—”
“…Except for that. Even though Wenya Paper earned a good amount, compared to military pay, it’s a mere drop in the bucket. I really can’t help there,” Hu Wensheng said, face full of bitterness.
Feng Lezhen gave him a look. “Relax. I wasn’t counting on you.”
Hu Wensheng instantly brightened.
Indeed, she wasn’t counting on him. She was counting on someone else—someone who understood how to sell things even better—
Shen Suinian.
Unfortunately, his stance was never firm. Though he agreed to help sell Wenya Paper, he refused to do anything more. Feng Lezhen wasn’t in a hurry. She simply waited for news from the capital.
By late July, there were fewer than two months left until the rice harvest. The purchase agreements for rice, stacked taller than a person, still sat in the yamen. Hu Wensheng and over a dozen civil officials worked day and night, crunching numbers—only to realize the profits from selling Wenya Paper weren’t even enough to cover the cost of buying rice. Their joy evaporated instantly, and panic set in once again.
Feng Lezhen, however, made no further moves. Each day she either did the accounts, went to the fields, or waited for word from Shen Suinian. Even though she wasn’t terribly busy, she still had to leave early and return late.
Shen Suifeng had finally agreed to wait for her in bed like she asked.
At first, every time she came home, he was still awake, and they could talk for a while. On nights she returned too late, he’d fall asleep first, then wake when she arrived, pulling her close and whispering softly.
One such night, Feng Lezhen returned just after midnight. Shen Suifeng was already asleep. Seeing his peaceful, sleeping face, all her exhaustion from the day instantly vanished.
She stood silently by the bed for a long while. Just as she was about to climb in, Shen Suifeng, half-asleep, seemed to sense something and let out a faint murmur as if about to wake. Feng Lezhen quickly froze, not moving again until he had drifted fully back into sleep, only then allowing herself to relax.
Not wanting to disturb him, she hesitated for a moment, then turned and went to rest in the outer room.
Shen Suifeng, having waited for Feng Lezhen in his sleep in vain, even felt restless in his dreams. At last, he woke at dawn.
The spot beside him was empty. He frowned and got up to ask the guards what was going on, but as he stepped into the outer room, he abruptly froze. After standing still for a long while, he turned and saw Feng Lezhen fast asleep.
He was silent for a long time before gently lifting her and carrying her back to bed. Feng Lezhen barely opened her eyes, and upon seeing it was him, drifted peacefully back to sleep.
The next morning, Feng Lezhen was momentarily surprised to find herself in bed. Looking over, she saw Shen Suifeng already dressed, preparing to visit the Marquis’ estate to treat Qi Jingqing.
“You carried me back here?” she asked with a smile.
Shen Suifeng gave a faint smile. “The bed outside is hard. Why didn’t Your Highness come back to sleep in the room?”
“I was afraid of waking you,” Feng Lezhen said, rubbing her sore arm.
Shen Suifeng replied, “Then I’ll just wait for you at the table again.”
“No, no. You should keep waiting on the bed. I don’t want to disturb your rest,” Feng Lezhen said, pausing for a moment. “From now on, if I come home late, I’ll just sleep in the side room so I won’t wake you.”
Shen Suifeng had a hard time falling back asleep once awakened—he’d toss and turn for over an hour, then be sluggish the whole next day. She didn’t want to trouble him.
Shen Suifeng paused, then nodded. “Alright.”
Feng Lezhen smiled. She wanted to tell him about her ongoing contact with Shen Suinian, but remembering that he disliked such matters, she said nothing.
She received Shen Suinian’s letter late that same night. Her first thought was that the matter she had been planning was finally falling into place. Her second thought was to tell Shen Suifeng—his older brother was coming to see him. So she abandoned her unfinished work and left the whole roomful of yamen clerks behind, hurrying back to the residence.
As she entered, she saw Shen Suifeng sleeping soundly on the daybed in the outer room. The bed inside was neatly made, soft and tidy, but with only one blanket—hers.
