Alliance

Zhao Huiluan waved her hand. Recalling how Tao Xuanzhi had clasped his hands in salute, she thought, Perhaps I've already planted a seed.

"They've gone far away. Let's head back too."

Zhao Huiluan rose to leave, only to see Zhang Yunchi bow to her with great solemnity.

"Jianjian, all these years, I've never once thanked you. Thank you for protecting Grandfather and Father back then, and for protecting Marquis Jingwu's Residence."

Zhang Yunchi remembered how Zhao Huiluan had said to him, word by word, "Brother Yanli, I'm afraid you won't be able to return to the Northern Frontier."

He had been furious at the time and grabbed a pillow to throw at her.

The pillow missed.

Zhao Huiluan had crouched in front of him, hugging the pillow, a tiny figure as pretty as a doll. But the words she spoke were fierce and firm.

"Zhang Yanli, think carefully. Will you stay in Yan Capital, or will Uncle and Grandfather be thrown into the Imperial Prison? There are two paths, and you can choose only one."

He had thought Zhao Huiluan was simply being overbearing and unreasonable, threatening him.

But as he grew older and saw more of the fortunes in the imperial capital that rose by morning and fell by evening, he gradually came to understand how perilous his family's situation had been. Even with the Imperial Astronomical Bureau's divination of the stars, it had fallen to his younger cousin to hold up a mansion on the verge of collapse.

Smiling, Zhao Huiluan bent down to meet her cousin's earnest gaze.

"Brother Yanli, such a grand gesture is enough to make Jianjian feel embarrassed."

"Jianjian, if you ever need my help with anything, just say so. You don't have to shoulder everything alone."

Zhao Huiluan grinned, her eyes curving into crescents.

She straightened up, clasped her hands behind her back, and shook her head from side to side as she headed down the mountain in the moonlight.

The mountain breeze carried her clear voice back to him.

"You just focus on your path through the imperial examinations! The academy examination this year, the provincial examination next year, and the metropolitan examination the year after that. I'll be waiting for your name to appear on the golden list."

Zhang Yunchi trotted after her, unable to resist looking back at the place where they had just stood.

"There's no need to look. It was Rong An."

"You already knew Vice Director Rong was there? And you still dared... speak like that?"

"He's such a conscientious and responsible person. How could he leave a student on the mountain and go back first? Especially when that student was me!"

"Jianjian, do you really trust Vice Director Rong that much?"

Zhao Huiluan thought for a moment but said nothing.

The two returned to the student quarters together. Only after they parted did she murmur, "Maybe I don't trust him that much after all."

Her imperial father and mother had been a devoted couple praised throughout the empire, yet hadn't they fallen out just like that?

Besides, there was nothing between her and Rong An.

The most secure bond between people was still one forged by mutual interests.

It ought to be the same between her and Rong An.

Chapter 27: Alliance

Zhao Huiluan heard that Wen Yan had arranged to meet Shen Zhiyao in the pavilion in front of the Hall of Exalted Literature.

She hurried over, eager to sneak a look, only to discover that she had been tricked.

Wen Yan bowed to her. "Everything is ready; all that's missing is the east wind. Sorry to trouble Your Highness, but would you arrange a meeting with Miss Shen for me?"

Zhao Huiluan turned to leave.

Wen Yan shamelessly circled around in front of her and bowed again.

"Your Highness said before that you would lend me a hand. Now that hand is all I'm missing!"

"I'll treat Your Highness to the lily and crispy-skinned chicken at Between Water and Clouds another day."

Zhao Huiluan's eyelids twitched.

"And wine from the Red Sleeve House."

Zhao Huiluan smiled. "You said it!"

Wen Yan hid behind the rockery and watched her head straight for the Hall of Exalted Literature.

"Miss Shen, you're working so hard. Do you truly wish to take the imperial examinations? It's getting late. Take care not to strain your eyes by candlelight."

Shen Zhiyao looked up at her words and saw Zhao Huiluan approaching gracefully, her smiling face a delight to behold.

"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness."

Yet her words were as cool and detached as ever.

"I happened to run into Vice Director Rong just now. He needs to see you and said he'd wait in the pavilion over there."

Zhao Huiluan pointed behind her. "I believe he has something to say to you."

Shen Zhiyao's cool eyes met Zhao Huiluan's directly. After a moment, she nodded.

"Thank you for letting me know, Your Highness."

Zhao Huiluan watched Shen Zhiyao walk toward the pavilion, then went behind the rockery and spoke to Wen Yan.

"Don't forget what you promised: wine from the Red Sleeve House!"

Wen Yan clasped his hands and bowed deeply to her. Then he straightened his clothes and hat and stepped out from behind the rockery.

The rockery was too far away for Zhao Huiluan to see clearly what was happening in the pavilion, so she crouched low and slowly crept closer, using the flowers for cover.

"What is Your Highness doing?"

Rong An's voice suddenly sounded behind her, giving Zhao Huiluan a fright.

"Shh!"

She beckoned him closer behind the flowers, so they would not disturb the two people in the pavilion.

Rong An moved to stand behind her and followed her gaze, taking in everything happening in the pavilion.

"Does Your Highness know where this is?"

"The Imperial College."

"And what kind of place is the Imperial College?"

Zhao Huiluan smiled.

Paying no further attention to the two in the pavilion, she stood up.

She was not short among women her age, but Rong An was so tall that she barely reached his chest.

She tilted her head up at Rong An's displeased expression and asked with a smile, "Sir, do you dislike me doing things unrelated to my studies at the Imperial College? Or do you dislike me bringing those two together?"

Rong An's expression grew a little more composed.

Zhao Huiluan raised her brows as if in challenge and raised her voice. "Wen Qingyu, listen! If you truly wish to marry Shen Zhiyao, I'll act as your matchmaker!"

But she had chosen the wrong moment to say it.

Just as she opened her mouth, fireworks burst across the sky, drowning out her voice completely.

Rong An, however, was close enough to hear her.

"Your Highness, I have something to say to you."

As soon as Rong An finished speaking, he noticed something was wrong with Zhao Huiluan's expression. In the flickering light and shadow, her face looked hollow and terrifying.

"Your Highness, you..."

"R-Rong An, I... I'm scared."