Chapter Twenty: Fate

“Brother Ke.” The young county lady steadied herself and turned to look at the person she had longed to see. Their last meeting had been during the Dragon Boat Festival, and it had been thirty-five days since they last met.

Her eyes were bright, even more so under the sunlight. Seeing him, she forgot the embarrassment of the accidental encounter and smiled first, revealing two shallow dimples.

He knew she was beautiful—among the girls of their generation, she was unmatched. Standing so close to her now, he seemed to notice for the first time a small cinnabar mole beneath her left eye.

Her skin was as white as fine jade, and this small mark did not mar her beauty; rather, it added a unique charm.

Hearing her slightly childish voice, he was pulled out of his reverie. He smiled gently—after all, she was still just a little girl.

“Young lady, be careful when you walk; if you fall, you might start crying,” he said, unable to resist using a tone that soothed a child.

The young county lady smiled again. “With Brother Ke here, I won’t get hurt.”

How coincidental—last time she almost stumbled, it was right beside Ke Mingxu. Could this be a kind of destiny?

Perhaps, gathering all these various fated moments, they might one day be together.

Before Ke Mingxu could speak, the prince who had accompanied him opened his mouth teasingly, “Jingling, it seems you have eyes in the back of your head too, knowing to head straight into Mingxu’s arms?”

She denied it, only hoping to make Ke Mingxu see this as a rare fate and to pay more attention to her.

She could tell from Ke Mingxu’s earlier tone that he was coaxing a child.

Still, she felt a bit glad to be a child; otherwise, he might have avoided her from afar the moment he saw her coming. “Boys and girls don’t sit together after the age of seven,” was a principle they scholar-officials upheld.

It was also the world’s demand for a woman’s chastity. Even if she defied convention scornfully, Ke Mingxu would certainly abide by it.

She had heard from Ke Mingbi on the carriage when entering the palace about the prince and the favored consort Xu. Now, seeing the prince, Jinghu felt something strange.

“The prince is my cousin. Since you saw me coming, why didn’t you support me? Are you afraid I’ll hurt you and deliberately avoid me?”

“Brother Ke is better; his heart is righteous and his character noble. No wonder some people can only be students—they should learn from Brother Ke.”

The young county lady was always adept at twisting logic; as long as she found a reason, she wouldn't care who was on the other side.

The prince smiled and retorted, “You were just around the corner. How could I see you through the palace walls and then go out of my way to avoid you?”

Jinghu added, “Brother Ke walked on the outside because he saw me and feared I’d accidentally bump into you and cause trouble for the prince’s precious daughter, leading to my father confining me. So he was the first to support me.”

She looked at Ke Mingxu with an expectant, innocent gaze. “Brother Ke, isn’t that so?”

This trick she had mastered to perfection. Even the strictest older brother, Jing Shen, would grant her requests half the time with such a look.

That was considered quite good. Her elder brother was always somewhat cold, even in front of the mother consort and her, only following their father’s words.

He had married a new sister-in-law but was never particularly kind to her, always busy.

Sure enough, Ke Mingxu smiled, folding his fan. “Exactly so. After all, the prince is heir to the nation, and the young county lady is lively by nature. If she were confined for injuring the prince, she might not leave the house for a year or more.”

“But it was just a small favor; why not help?”

“Lively by nature.” It seemed this was the first time he described someone that way in front of others. Did Ke Mingxu like lively girls?

Jinghu smiled sweetly at him.

The prince said, “Mingxu, you really don’t have to be so considerate. Just one Jingling, I am already no match for her; why speak up for her yourself?”

Jinghu then said earnestly, “Brother Ke has always been upright and fair, only speaking the truth. Why does Your Highness say he is taking my side?”

The prince was about to reply when his gaze shifted past Jinghu to the crown princess and Princess Zhenjing. They were walking slowly and had only just caught up.

Zhenning had somehow joined them as well.

The prince smiled and waved to the crown princess. “Jianiang, Zhenjing, come quickly. How did you manage to bring this sharp-tongued little girl to the Eastern Palace and even bully the family here?”

The crown princess’s smile was gentle as she quickened her pace to his side.

The prince naturally took her hand and turned to her. “It’s hot today, and after walking so far, why are your hands still a bit cold?”

The crown princess smiled faintly. “It doesn’t matter. The imperial physician advised more movement. Zhenjing has accompanied me every day recently, and I have recovered much.”

It had not always been this way before. The prince’s affection had once belonged to Sister Guannan.

How much had things changed in Yanjing since she had stayed in Jiangnan for half a year?

Before she could collect her thoughts, the crown princess gently asked, “What were you all talking about? Lord Ke is here too; why so lively?”

Ke Mingxu, hearing his name, cupped his hands in salute to the crown princess and the two princesses.

“In response to Your Highness, we were just exchanging a few words after a chance meeting with the young county lady here.”

They had indeed been talking nonsense, so his vague reply was understandable.

Yet she suddenly felt inexplicably dissatisfied and wanted to spread the story.

“Just now, Zhenning and I were playing in the palace path. I almost fell, and Brother Ke helped me up.”

The crown princess remained gentle. “Oh? I didn’t know the young county lady knew Lord Ke. Of course, Lord Ke’s sister is the young county lady’s sister-in-law, so you are related by marriage.”

Jinghu was even more displeased. Why did everyone think it was because their families were connected? It wasn’t true.

She put on an innocent expression and refuted the crown princess, “That’s not so, Your Highness. Brother Ke and I met when he was named top scholar. We paraded on horseback through Zhengyang Gate.”

“At that time, one of my peonies fell accidentally, and Brother Ke caught it and pinned it on his lapel. Later, I went to ask for the flower, and that’s how we got to know each other.”

She wished everyone would know this story. Such coincidence and fate were not something everyone could encounter.