In the room, Wei Yi was seated on the ground. A bright ray of light abruptly shone through the door, making him squint. After a moment, he finally opened his weary eyes to see the person who just entered the room.
It’s the unruly Princess Jing Xuan? Whenever Wei Yi had met the princess, he had always been bullied badly.
Carrying a lantern in her hand, Jing Xuan strolled toward Wei Yi, and looked him in the eye. A few seconds later, she averted her gaze and fixed it on the bamboo strips he was weaving. She laid the paper, ink and brush prepared by Sui’er right next to him.
“Why are you here?” Jing Xuan asked.
Wei Yi lowered his gaze, shook his head, and continued making the Kongming lantern, all the while acting as if Jing Xuan was non-existent.
If this happened back then, Jing Xuan would definitely snatch whatever he was holding. However, she was no longer the brainless fool like before.
Getting no reply from Wei Yi, she squatted beside the latter, and placed her lantern on the ground. “Wei Yi?”
Wei Yi remained silent.
“Haven't you left the capital already? Why are you in the capital again? What brought you here of all places?”
Wei Yi paused what he was doing, and lifted his gaze to look at her. “I don't know.”
“You don't know? Then, what about Teacher Ji? Where's my Seventh Imperial Brother?”
“I don't know.” His gaze did not waver a bit. He had completely no idea where they were.
On top of that, he understood that none of them from the imperial palace was worthy of his trust, not even this woman who was standing before him.
Jing Xuan was left floundering. What actually happened? Does it have anything to do with Wei Yi? Or my Imperial Mother?
She pondered the situation, and all of a sudden, she jolted as if she finally understood what was going on. If Wei Yi is involved in this, it must be related to Ji Yunshu too. And if Ji Yunshu is in this, it must have something to do with Jing Rong.
Similarly, if my Imperial Mother is involved, Jing Yi must be part of this as well!
The only thing that involved both Jing Rong and Jing Yi… were the court factions.
The realization hit her hard.
Besides feeling shocked, she was disgusted by her Imperial Mother and her Imperial Brother's shameless acts.
She comforted Wei Yi, “Don't be afraid. I'll get you out of this place.”
“Where will I go then?” Wei Yi tilted his head as he asked.
Yes. Where can he go?
“Whatever happens, I'll not allow them to use you as their pawn. It was wrong of me to bully you the last time we met, so just think of it as my apology towards you.”
“Sure,” he agreed without a second thought. His gaze, despite his weariness, was no longer thoughtless like before.
Jing Xuan seemed to have noticed something. Her expression darkened as she mumbled, “You…” The words never left her throat.
On the other hand, Wei Yi seemed rather indifferent as he asked, “Can you help me make this Kongming lantern?”
The sudden question woke Jing Xuan up from her reverie. She merely nodded as she answered, “Sure, I'll help.”
It was as if she had returned to her childhood. She sat beside Wei Yi, and began weaving the bamboo strips and gluing the papers together.
It had been a really long time since she last felt like this. She truly wished she could freeze this moment.
When the Kongming lantern was about half done, Jing Xuan rose to her feet. “I've got to go now. I'll come and help you again tomorrow night.”
Wei Yi was immersed in his work, and did not reply.
Jing Xuan relighted the candle in the room, and placed it beside Wei Yi.
She muttered a few more instructions to Wei Yi. Then, she left with her lantern in her hand. Before she closed the door, she touched the cold padlock. After contemplating for a long while, she eventually locked the door behind her and left.
The next day, Jing Xuan summoned Sui'er to her room, and passed the latter two bags. “There are fruits in these bags. One is for you, and the other one is for Wei Yi. He likes them.”
Despite not knowing the reason, Sui’er promptly ran the errand. When she handed the bag to Wei Yi, she said, “The princess told me to pass this to you.”
Wei Yi did not even bother to look at it.
“You don't like it?”
He shook his head.
“Do you like it?”
Again, he shook his head.
Sui’er was puzzled. “The princess is really nice to you. Also, I don't think the princess is a mean person! But they told me that the princess used to bully you.”
Hehe. Wei Yi flashed a smile at her. “Do you like her that much?”
Sui’er nodded. “Yes. The princess has been really nice to me. She gave me a lot of gifts. Look at these fruits. They are from the princess too. She even said that she will bring me along to Huyi when she moves to Huyi for her marriage later. It’ll be much better for me to be her dowry than stay here.” What a foolish girl!
Wei Yi was taken aback. “She is getting married?”
“Yes. She’s marrying the third prince of Huyi. Later, when the third prince succeeds the throne, our princess will become their Empress. It’s such an honour to be able to serve an Empress.” Sui’er’s eyes were sparkling in excitement.
Wei Yi lowered his gaze to look at the Kongming lantern Jing Xuan helped make yesterday. Not only was it half done, but it was also hideous.
Seeing that Wei Yi was not answering, Sui’er called out his name. “Wei Yi?”
He lifted his gaze and said, “I don't like these fruits. You can have it.”
“But, the princess said that you love it.”
“Not anymore.”