On the seventh day of the first lunar month, Sheying delivered two bottles of blood.
"Greetings to my lord."
Sheying knelt, holding the blood bottles in both hands, presenting them respectfully.
Ji Jinmo grunted, gesturing for her to rise and speak. After standing, Sheying placed the blood bottles on the table and took a step back, her eyes lowered, daring not to meet Ji Jinmo's gaze.
Ji Jinmo pointed to a red porcelain bottle beside him and said, "The Consort made blood-replenishing pills for you."
Sheying was slightly stunned. Her gaze flickered to the porcelain bottle. Her?
Even now, Sheying still felt that Nan Shiying was not worthy of her lord. However, Sheying had to admit that there was likely no other woman in the world like her.
If it couldn't be her, then it being Nan Shiying was better than it being someone else.
Sheying stepped forward, picked up the porcelain bottle, and carefully tucked it into her embrace. She knelt again. "Thank you, my lord, for your generous gift."
There was no mention of Nan Shiying at all.
Nan Shiying pushed the door open and walked in. She placed the food box on the table. She had taken her medicine but said nothing about her. Very good, this was very Sheying.
Seeing Nan Shiying, Ji Jinmo's cold eyes were tinged with a smile. But witnessing his genuine joy, Sheying suddenly felt a sense of release. Her chest felt tight and sore, yet she still felt happy for the smile on his face.
Sheying turned and knelt before Nan Shiying. "Your subordinate thanks you, Your Highness."
Nan Shiying raised her eyebrows slightly, clearly not expecting someone as proud as Sheying to so readily offer her thanks. She was happy, not because of a rival's defeat, but because she felt she hadn't misjudged her.
"Would you like to stay in the manor?"
Nan Shiying sincerely wished to keep Sheying in the manor.
Why would she let such a blood bank undertake dangerous missions?
Sheying suddenly looked up, gazing at Nan Shiying in disbelief. Ji Jinmo frowned, a hint of displeasure appearing on his face. Did she not feel a bit of jealousy?
"Since Your Highness bestowed Green Grace and the others upon me, you have not had a personal maid. You are good; I want you to stay and take care of His Highness."
If Ji Jinmo had only shown displeasure before, his face was now completely darkened, and a layer of anger simmered in his eyes. Sheying's back tensed, and the little flame of hope in her heart was completely extinguished by this anger, leaving only ashes.
A bitter smile curved her lips.
"I do not need a personal maid!"
Ji Jinmo's voice was low, and he gritted out these words as if Nan Shiying wasn't arranging a personal maid for him, but a male consort.
The anger and jealousy, in Nan Shiying's view, seemed inexplicable.
Nan Shiying truly felt that keeping Sheying by her side was the best option. However, seeing the anger clouding Ji Jinmo's brow, Nan Shiying didn't say anything further.
If he didn't need one, he didn't need one!
After Sheying withdrew, Ji Jinmo stood up and walked towards Nan Shiying, his expression cold, his sleeves billowing like the wind. He was clearly coming with ill intent!
"Why did you want to make Sheying my personal maid? Are you that confident? Are you truly not jealous at all?"
Nan Shiying's mind went blank. Before she could dodge, Ji Jinmo pulled her into his arms.
She stared blankly, looking up at the man who was both angry and wronged, and couldn't help but let out a giggle. "You're angry because of this?"
"Don't laugh!"
Ji Jinmo gritted his teeth fiercely.
Nan Shiying found his demeanor utterly adorable. Ji Jinmo probably never imagined that someone would describe him as adorable in his entire life.
Nan Shiying tiptoed, her nose brushing against Ji Jinmo's chin. She didn't directly answer his question but instead asked, "Why should I be jealous?"
"You..."
Ji Jinmo looked as if he were about to devour her.
Nan Shiying pressed her hand to his mouth, stopping him from speaking. She looked into his eyes, serious and sincere. "I trust you... I trust that you will do nothing to harm me, and I also believe that I have not misjudged anyone."
"That's why I'm at ease, and that's why I'm not jealous!"
Ji Jinmo's throat moved. He kissed the palm of Nan Shiying's hand, then lowered her hand and kissed her lips.
...
Yu Chengxuan stood beneath the bright red pillars, gazing at the Lin Yuan Imperial Palace shrouded in the sunset's afterglow.
The bloodstains on the palace walls were hidden deep within the crevices. Occasionally, palace maids would hurry past with their heads down. The vibrant people and the towering city walls, like colossal beasts ready to swallow them whole, created a suffocating sense of oppression.
"Your Highness!"
Ji Wuluo followed a step behind, standing behind Yu Chengxuan. "What are you looking at?"
"Ji Wu, I might have taken the wrong direction."
Yu Chengxuan's voice was still sharp, but faintly, it seemed to carry a weariness that could break one's back.
Ji Wu was slightly taken aback.
"Are you referring to... what happened before?"
Ji Wu asked cautiously. The explosion of civilian houses around the post station, the fire at the post station, the demise of officials – Ji Wu had thought about it for a long time. He harbored a terrible suspicion, one he dared not even probe. Ji Wu didn't know what His Highness was lamenting, but if he were to guess wrongly, this was the first thing that came to mind.
Yu Chengxuan let out a cold laugh. Even without seeing His Highness's expression, Ji Wu knew that His Highness was not lamenting what he had thought.
Then what was His Highness referring to?
Yu Chengxuan didn't say anything more. He wasn't asking Ji Wu to participate in this conversation, nor did he truly want to hear his opinion. He was asking him, but in reality, he was asking himself.
Was it wrong?
Perhaps!
But it wasn't the current him who was wrong, but the him of the past.
It was his balancing act and his cowardice that, despite being the earlier arriver, had now rendered him the later one.
The sun completely set, and darkness consumed the sky and earth. Even the temperature seemed to chill. Today was Frost Descent, and mist rose, enveloping the vast palace city.
The lights within the stone pillars on either side of the palace walls were lit, casting the shadows of passersby onto the walls. Yu Chengxuan turned and entered the room. Palace maids, carrying food boxes, hurried past one after another from the direction of the Imperial Kitchen.
Nan Residence.
Madam Wang began to cough violently. She covered her mouth with her hand, her throat burning as if scoured by sand and stones. A maid hurried into the room, bringing tea to Madam Wang and helping her to catch her breath. "Madam, this servant will have the small kitchen steam a Fritillary Bulb and Snow Pear to moisten your throat."
Madam Wang waved her hand. This was an old ailment; she would be fine after coughing.
The maid saw the scarlet staining Madam Wang's palm, and her pupils constricted. She exclaimed, "Madam, why are you coughing blood? This servant will go fetch Young Master."
"Stop!"
Madam Wang called out to the maid who was rushing to leave. She lowered her head to look at the blood on her palm, took out a handkerchief, and wiped it away.
"There's no need to alarm Jin'er with such a small matter."
"But..."
"I know my body well enough. Alright, go to the small kitchen and have them make a bowl of Fritillary Bulb and Snow Pear!"
"Yes!"
The maid gritted her teeth, ultimately not daring to disobey her mistress, but a hint of worry secretly arose in her heart.