Chapter 36: Autumn Moon Pale, Autumn Osmanthus Immortal

The twilight sky hung thin and hazy, with a crescent moon veiled in darkness. The atmosphere, a palette of muted whites, grays, and blacks, felt heavy with the weight of an impending storm.

Cuihua, as was her custom, brought bird's nest soup to Yue Liuxi. Sensing the Princess’s foul mood, a chill ran through her. She moved with heightened caution, terrified that a single misstep might lead to her own ruin.

Yue Liuxi watched her movements, her gaze cold. Having been slighted earlier, she had no intention of suffering in silence, nor did she plan to let Cuihua off easily. "How did the matter with that maid go?"

Cuihua’s hands trembled, knowing she could not dodge the question. She bowed her head and replied, "It has been handled properly, Princess. Please rest assured, everything is ready for your further instructions."

The maid had initially resisted with tears and cries, but the moment her father was dragged before her and beaten, she had immediately capitulated. Cuihua had even offered a few words of false comfort, promising that serving the Princess would bring her great rewards. The maid had glared at her through tear-filled eyes, a look of such utter violation and defiance that Cuihua found it immensely amusing. She finally understood why her mistress took pleasure in tormenting others when she was displeased.

Realizing that playing along was her best chance for a reward, Cuihua summoned her courage. Glancing cautiously at Yue Liuxi, she asked, "Princess, you visited the General’s estate today—was your grand plan successful?"

Yue Liuxi leaned back languidly onto her chaise longue. "Has any plan of mine ever failed?"

Her confidence was a rare, unshakable arrogance. Curious as to why her mistress remained unhappy, Cuihua played to her vanity. "Forgive my clumsy tongue, Princess. Your plans are always flawless; how could they possibly fail?"

Before Cuihua could fathom the reason for the Princess’s mood, Yue Liuxi sighed softly, a sound filled with a calculated, pity-seeking sorrow. "I was a move short, it seems."

Cuihua knew better than to pry; she had suffered enough for her curiosity in the past. She put on a look of bewildered innocence, her eyes filled with exaggerated adoration.

Seemingly mollified by the display, Yue Liuxi’s expression softened, though her tone turned bitter. "I miscalculated the wind. I never expected that little wench to bewitch the Crown Prince as well."

Assuming the Crown Prince had suppressed the incident, Cuihua quickly chimed in, "That Minister Luo is truly cunning and utterly shameless." She added, "Had we known, you should have bypassed the middleman and petitioned the Emperor directly. No one could have protected her then. You are simply too kind-hearted, Princess."

Yue Liuxi glanced at her with a cryptic smile. "Do you think the Emperor is so easily petitioned? Unless General Qin makes some unusual move, the Son of Heaven is far too busy with state affairs to concern himself with the petty squabbles of us common folk."

Just as Cuihua prepared to agree, Yue Liuxi looked up at the thin line where the sky met the dark horizon, where a sliver of moon hung suspended. She softly contradicted herself. "However, a meeting between the Minister of War and General Qin should be enough to stir the Emperor to intervene." It was rare to hear this girl, usually so self-assured, contradict herself, and even rarer to see her expression soften like moonlight.

Yue Liuxi’s gaze turned tender, almost as if she were looking at a lover. "I only worry about bringing more trouble upon Brother Qin. After all, there are very few people in this world who can truly threaten him, and unfortunately, the Emperor happens to be one of them." She laughed, a gentle, moving sound, yet laced with self-mockery and self-pity. "Isn't it laughable? Even though his heart has been invaded by another woman, here I am, foolishly worrying about him."

Cuihua understood her mistress well; Yue Liuxi was not one to truly doubt herself. Often, Cuihua wanted to ask why someone as brilliant as the Princess would obsess over a man who looked right through her, when there were so many fine men in the world. But as a mere maid, she lacked the courage.

She could only offer comfort: "General Qin has merely been momentarily blinded. He remembers everything you have done for him over the years. Minister Luo has only been here a few days; it is just a passing novelty. Men are all the same. One day, his heart will return to you."

Yue Liuxi glared at her, full of murderous intent. "Is it your place to speak ill of him?"

Terrified, Cuihua collapsed to her knees, begging for mercy.

Abruptly, Yue Liuxi laughed, her murderous aura vanishing as quickly as it had appeared. Her voice remained soft, like a lover’s murmur. "I am the foolish one. You meant no harm."

Cuihua was stunned, not daring to look up. The tone Yue Liuxi had just used was the same one she had used to lecture her earlier. Such a tone clearly betrayed a love that had seeped into her very bones.

*She loves General Qin that much,* Cuihua mused, suddenly recalling how Yue Liuxi had previously referred to Qin Jinghao as if he were merely an object. She felt a wave of confusion: what exactly was the nature of Yue Liuxi’s love? Was it truly Qin Jinghao she loved, or merely her own projection of him?

The clear white of the sky vanished with the sunset, and the moonlight deepened. Yue Liuxi returned to her role as the calculating, ruthless Princess. "Since Xiao Limo wants to suppress this matter, I cannot let him ruin my game." Her tone remained slow and gentle, in stark contrast to her intentions.

"As you command, Princess," Cuihua replied.

Yue Liuxi lay flat on the chaise longue, her gaze fixed on nothingness. "Have the family of the dead maid file a complaint. We must solidify the fact in the capital that Luo Yunyao killed a maid from the General’s estate."

Cuihua immediately understood. "So that is why you had me bribe the family beforehand—you were worried that if things changed, those trying to suppress the matter would get to them first. You are brilliant, Princess."

Since Luo Yunyao and Xiao Limo wanted to handle the murder privately, Yue Liuxi would drag it into the light. Once the public opinion turned, the innocent would never be able to wash the blood from their hands.

"I will arrange it," Cuihua said. "And I will have the story spread through the teahouses and the gossip of the commoners. But what about the rumors concerning Minister Luo and the son of the Minister of Revenue?"

Yue Liuxi seemed exhausted. Without opening her eyes, she instructed, "Do you know what kind of rumor catches the eye? Once the news of Luo Yunyao’s murder charge settles, we will reveal that she committed the crime because of an illicit affair with the Minister of Revenue’s son."

Cuihua agreed, offered a few more words of praise, and was dismissed. Wiping the cold sweat from her brow, she thought, *Three men make a tiger; Minister Luo will have a hard time surviving the public's wrath.* The Princess was truly terrifying.

*And as for the commoners,* Cuihua thought, *they love to twist everything into tales of romance and scandal. They will only make the charges against Luo Yunyao even worse.*

*The Princess truly thinks of everything for the General.*

***

Pale yellow osmanthus flowers hid beneath dark green leaves, yet under the moonlight, they emitted a faint white glow, clustered like glowing sprites.

Luo Yunyao lay on a rocking chair, which swayed back and forth in a gentle, rhythmic motion. The scent of osmanthus, the curved eaves of the house, the beautiful scenery, the cool breeze—it was all so serene.

When Qin Jinghao arrived, Luo Yunyao’s hair, still damp from her bath, was spread across the chair. Her white inner robes were draped loosely, some trailing onto the floor. As the breeze passed, osmanthus petals drifted down, some catching in her hair, others settling on her white robes.

Qin Jinghao gently covered her with a heavy fur cloak, watching her silently, unwilling to wake her.

Yet, the moment he draped the cloak, Luo Yunyao opened her eyes.

Qin Jinghao looked down at her, his usual cold, jade-like expression softened by the moonlight. He asked softly, "Why are you sleeping out here?"

Luo Yunyao met his gaze, her long lashes fluttering. She turned her eyes toward the crescent moon in the sky. "I was waiting for you."

Since they had become close, Luo Yunyao had always been talkative; this brevity was uncharacteristic.

Qin Jinghao’s expression remained unchanged, his voice as gentle as the breeze, carrying a faint scent of flowers. "Are you angry?"

Luo Yunyao closed her eyes, refusing to look at him. "I am not."

Qin Jinghao fell silent, watching her trembling lashes.

*Does my jade-like lover not know how to console someone?* Luo Yunyao wondered. *Is he fumbling for words, trying to think of how to apologize? How to win me back?*

The moonlight was serene. Qin Jinghao looked at Luo Yunyao’s face, half-bathed in moonlight, giving her pale features an ethereal, fairy-like quality. The other half was covered by his shadow.

Qin Jinghao braced his hands on the rocking chair, steadying it so it no longer swayed. Luo Yunyao felt the weight of his shadow against her nose, her lips, and her chin. It felt almost tangible.

She felt no pressure or suffocation, though she was slightly uncomfortable. Her mind drifted back to the events of the day, and the look on that person’s face.