Chapter 2

After that farewell on the pleasure boat, Qin Xiyi left without a trace of lingering, and never saw Cheng Muzhi again.

But in the quiet of the night, when she was drinking and singing, the image of Cheng Muzhi, with a serious face, proposing to marry her with all the proper rites, always came to mind, making her feel increasingly amused.

But as she laughed, she would suddenly drive all the musicians and male companions out of the room, close the door by herself, and drink glass after glass of wine.

The people in the mansion whispered, “The Grand Princess is becoming more and more unpredictable.”

In the morning, the servants were chatting about how the top scholar, Hanlin Cheng, had rejected the marriage proposal from Minister Li of the Ministry of War, saying he had a prior engagement and could not betray it. His devoted demeanor made all the noble ladies in the capital, who were eagerly anticipating a match, incredibly jealous.

Qin Xiyi, overhearing this as she passed by, happily rewarded the servant with several hundred taels of silver.

But in the afternoon, an imperial envoy arrived with an edict. Qin Xiyi gave the palace attendant no face at all, hastily accepted the decree, and then sent the person away. The servants who had led the envoy into the mansion were also reprimanded.

In fact, in her previous life, when Qin Xiyi was infatuated with the top scholar, Cheng Muzhi was just a scholar who had recently arrived in the capital.

It was on a similar Qingming Festival, with rain falling, that Qin Xiyi saw the handsome young man studying diligently by the window. He was dressed in a white scholar’s robe, his black hair casually tied with a ribbon, falling down his straight back.

“To look elegant, wear mourning.” This simple act of filial piety struck a chord in Qin Xiyi’s heart.

Thus, with a stumble, Qin Xiyi was separated from her beloved young man, as if by fate.

Returning in this life, Qin Xiyi was determined to have Cheng Muzhi. After all, she had died for him once, so it was only fair to claim some interest.

However, although Qin Xiyi was willful, she was not foolish. This was a crucial period for the imperial examinations, and she restrained herself, holding back from trying to seduce him.

Thus, after waiting for a year, when Qin Xiyi saw Cheng Muzhi, adorned with a red flower and riding a tall horse through the long streets of the capital, she could no longer hold back.

Alas, though the spring night was beautiful, it was ultimately too short.

Only a small purple clay lamp was lit in the bedroom. The bright yellow imperial edict was casually tossed on the floor. Qin Xiyi sat before the lamp, picked up a wolf-hair brush, and added the final stroke to the Xuan paper before her.

A lifelike portrait of Cheng Muzhi, with a smile, was completed.

Qin Xiyi laughed through her tears, “Alas, you were always destined for a grand future.”

With that, she threw down the brush and stood up. Seeing that dawn had broken, she said softly, “Help me wash and change. I must attend today’s palace banquet.”