Chapter Ten: A Stirring Thought

As soon as they entered the side chamber, they saw the Crown Prince standing by the window with his hands behind his back, gazing outside.

Jing Hu, having offended him with a careless remark earlier, dared not act rashly now. She simply stood silently behind Ke Mingxu, watching their conversation.

The Crown Prince's mood seemed to have improved, and he even joked with Jing Hu, pointing at the pouch hanging from Ke Mingxu’s waist. "Jing Hu, your needlework is so exquisite, why have you never made anything for your elder brother?"

No wonder when she called out to Ke Mingxu earlier, the Crown Prince followed with interest.

Jing Hu replied confidently, “You are the Crown Prince. With so many embroiderers in the Eastern Palace, surely you wouldn’t lack a pouch made by me.”

She thought for a moment. “Besides, I heard from Sister Qing that she has a cousin surnamed Min who became a consort in the Eastern Palace. Her needlework surpasses even mine. Why don’t you have her make something for you?”

The Crown Prince hesitated briefly, as if he couldn’t quite recall the person.

After a moment, he said, “No matter how good her work is, she’s just a concubine, not a sister. I’ve never received anything made by my sister. Princess Zhenjing is rather inept at such things.”

Princess Zhenjing was his own younger sister.

“Jingling, perhaps sometime you could make one for me?” Although they all shared the surname “Jing,” the Crown Prince was still royalty. It was only because her father was close to him that Jing Hu was somewhat familiar with the Crown Prince. Still, it felt a bit odd for her to ask for something she had made herself.

As he spoke, the Crown Prince’s eyes were fixed on Ke Mingxu.

Jing Hu quickly understood—he was teasing Ke Mingxu. Ke Mingxu, however, did not respond to the bait, maintaining his serene and noble demeanor.

Jing Hu said, “This time I only made one. The next one will have to wait until I’m confined again.”

“I’ve already decided to heed my father and mother’s wishes, so I won’t be confined anymore. Crown Prince, you’ll have to find someone else.”

The Crown Prince, of course, wasn’t really after the pouch, just teasing her. “What if I think you’re disobedient and have your father confine you again?”

“Then there will be none at all. You wouldn’t bully me like that.”

The Crown Prince laughed. “You made only this one, while others have none. Why give it to Mingxu?”

Had Ke Mingxu not explained the reason when he spoke to the Crown Prince about the pouch?

---

The young county lady found it odd and answered truthfully, “Because I almost slipped, and Brother Ke helped steady me. That’s why I gave him this pouch.”

The Crown Prince’s expression became strange, but then Ke Mingxu said to him, “I never tell lies.”

What riddle was this?

The Crown Prince simply smiled and didn’t press further about the pouch. He was about to focus on the dragon boat race on the Ba River when a man who looked like an aide came over and invited the Crown Prince out.

Only the young county lady and Ke Mingxu remained in the chamber, which suited her perfectly.

She asked, “Brother Ke, which family do you think will win the dragon boat race today?”

Without hesitation, Ke Mingxu replied, “The House of Marquis Chengyi, the Qi family.”

The House of Marquis Chengyi? There was indeed such a family in Yanjing City, though she seldom heard news about them. She vaguely recalled hearing something recently but couldn’t quite place it.

If even they had no news, it could only mean the family had long since declined.

Since the founding of Yanliang, it was already the third emperor. Titles granted at the founding inevitably declined over time—nothing surprising about that.

The young county lady pressed on, “Brother Ke, why do you think their family will win? The House of Marquis Wuning, the Zhang family, and the House of Marquis Zhongwu, the Li family, usually take first and second place every year.”

Ke Mingxu’s smile was faint as he stood by the window, bright sunlight casting a glow on his cheek, making him seem almost unreal.

“Because the dragon boat for the House of Marquis Chengyi is led by my junior disciple. He always strives to do his best in everything—whether in studies and imperial examinations or in horseback riding and archery—everything is the same.”

Did noble families’ sons also take the imperial exams? And he was his junior disciple? Ke Mingxu was the top scorer of this exam, apprenticed to one of Yanliang’s great scholars. Then his junior disciple must be just as outstanding.

The young county lady asked again, “Did your junior disciple place in this exam?”

Ke Mingxu nodded. “He was ranked fourth and received the official proclamation—a rare feat since the founding of Yanliang.”

The young county lady smiled, “Then Brother Ke must have misspoken. You said he strives to be the best, so why are you the top scorer this time?”

Ke Mingxu turned back, his gaze resting on her face, his smile gentle. “Among the scholars who reach the Golden Hall for the final examination, whose knowledge is not excellent? I was named top scorer simply because my essay happened to please the current emperor.”

He then turned his gaze back to the distant dragon boats, where a youth wore a deep blue headband.

---

“Yuan Fang is formidable too,” Ke Mingxu said. “He earned the emperor’s favor at the Qionglin Banquet and is now an official in the Ministry of Works.”

Jing Hu did not look that way, only smiled. “In my heart, Brother Ke is still the most remarkable.”

Most of the time before, she only thought about playing with her bone tiles, and the maid who served her said that sometimes even in her sleep she was playing games.

But after meeting him, in these dozen or so days, she barely thought about touching her collection of bone tiles. Seeing them, one might think she was ill.

Perhaps she truly was sick—she had become utterly enchanted by this handsome, godlike man before her.

Just one glance from the Zhengyang Gate tower—it seemed as if a peony petal had fallen onto his robe, but in truth, it was he who had fallen into her heart.

Ke Mingxu was the dream of nine thousand maidens in Yanjing, but not hers.

She had already decided—she would turn things around and become the woman in his dreams.

Ke Mingxu smiled as if he regarded her words as childish play. People naturally preferred those close to them. She did not know Qi Yuanfang at all, so naturally, in her heart, he was more impressive.

Yet in the heart of the woman Ke Mingxu admired, he was outdone by Qi Yuanfang.

At this moment, Ke Mingxu suddenly recalled the Crown Prince’s words before they arrived at Panyue Pavilion.

“My little county sister is always a bit sharp-tongued, but after meeting you only a few times, she actually gave you her cherished possession. Could it be…”

He understood the Crown Prince’s meaning. “She’s still a child, not yet thinking of such matters. She’s just a bit curious.”

“Who says children can’t understand such things? When I and Lady Guan were attuned to each other’s hearts, we were quite young too. But as time passed, I was unable to keep my promises, and she gradually changed.”

His voice lowered, then he smiled again. “Perhaps at first it was just novelty, but over time it becomes more than that. I can only watch quietly.”

Novelty or not, he cared little. Thoughts and feelings are human nature—this truth he had long understood.

Whatever fate there is, let it be as much as it may.