“Miss, don’t be sad,” she consoled softly.
Chu Zhao opened her eyes and smiled. “I’m not sad.” She reached out to gently stroke A’Le’s cheek. “I was just thinking—it turns out many things are only important if you care about them. If you don’t care, they’re nothing at all.”
What things? A’Le blinked in confusion but didn’t ask, only nodding vigorously. “That’s right.”
Yes, that’s right. In this life, she would never again be troubled or bound by others’ greed, anger, foolishness, resentment, or hatred.
Some people only break free from their constraints after dying once. Others are born never bound at all.
Xie Yanfang walked slowly into the Eastern Palace.
This was his second time coming to the Eastern Palace. The first time was when the Crown Princess married, when he had escorted his elder sister as her brother.
But he had been even more bashful than the bride herself, hiding behind others the entire time without conversing with anyone.
However, his brief appearance had left many people with unforgettable impressions.
Along the way, the people of the Eastern Palace—whether officials, palace maids, or eunuchs—all stopped in their tracks. Some greeted him warmly, while others watched quietly. Xie Yanfang passed through calmly and fearlessly.
The Crown Princess wore a palace gown that was neither new nor old, sitting on a brocade couch in the Eastern Palace garden pavilion, laying out half-bloomed spring flowers that the palace maids had picked.
“Elder Sister, are you making flower preserves?” Xie Yanfang asked, reaching out to help arrange the spring flowers. “With Elder Sister not at home, I can’t eat delicious flower cakes anymore.”
The Crown Princess raised her head, revealing features similar to Xie Yanfang’s but not as fine as his.
She smiled gently. “That’s just you being picky. Which of our sisters at home can’t make them?”
“Elder Sister is unique,” Xie Yanfang said. “Each sister’s flower preserves are different.”
The Crown Princess sighed softly. “All our sisters will eventually marry.” She looked up at him again with a half-smile. “If you want to eat flower preserves that never change in flavor, then take a wife and have her learn to make them.”
Xie Yanfang smiled, picking up a flower petal and putting it in his mouth. “Why go through all that trouble? I’ll just learn from Elder Sister and make them myself.”
The Crown Princess made a sound of dismissal and didn’t continue this topic.
“Uncle can’t control you, and I won’t either. I know you have your own ideas,” she said, having the palace maids carry away the flower racks. She asked, “Are you determined to decline the assignment the Crown Prince gave you?”
Xie Yanfang nodded. “To express my sincerity, I came in person.”
The Crown Princess frowned. “I selected this assignment beforehand. It won’t interfere with the Yang clan’s interests and would actually help them. Even this won’t do?”
Xie Yanfang shook his head. “It won’t do. Anyone in the world can help the Yang clan, except us.” He looked at the Crown Princess and said softly, “The Yang clan are the Crown Prince’s relatives, not ours.”
The Crown Princess understood. They couldn’t offend the Yang clan, but they also couldn’t get close to them. Either would displease the Crown Prince.
She held her hands and murmured, “Because I became Crown Princess, our Xie clan has no prospects for advancement?”
Xie Yanfang smiled. “Elder Sister, when has the Xie clan ever needed official positions or noble titles to rise to prominence?”