At that moment, Yunxiu, trembling on the side, cautiously spoke up: “Marquis, Madam took the old biscuit from the study.”

  “Are you insane?” The Marquis of Chengping grabbed Chen Luoyan’s wrist. “You used a favor from the Commander of the Dragon Guard—just to coerce a merchant girl into the residence and vent your jealousy? Do you even understand what you’ve done? That’s the Commander of the Dragon Guard! Xie Wuyu—he’s risen three ranks in a single year and has a boundless future ahead of him! This was a favor repaying biscuit given in time of need—it’s something no amount of silver or connections could ever repce!”

  Seeing that Chengping Marquis looked ready to kill someone, Yunxiu rushed over and pleaded, “My lord, Madam only did it out of love for the Third Miss. She was afraid regur servants wouldn’t be able to fetch Ji Ping’an, since the girl relies on the Princess to back her. Please forgive Madam! I beg you!”

  Yunxiu kowtowed repeatedly.

  “Shut up!” The Marquis roared irritably, yanking open his colr to scratch furiously.

  While Chen Luoyan had only broken out in a red rash, the Marquis’s chest was already covered in pus-filled sores. The itching was unbearable—he scratched until the pustules burst, and the foul-smelling fluid oozed out.

  He shoved Chen Luoyan to the ground. “How can you be even dumber than me?!”

  Tormented by the burning itch and searing pain, the Marquis completely lost control. He stormed toward the rear courtyard, yelling for his servants to prepare a bath and ointment.

  Chen Luoyan y crumpled on the ground, tears falling down her beautiful face, delicate and fragile, like a gardenia battered by wind and rain.

  ____

  That night was cold and murky. Most of the household was already asleep except for those on night watch.

  Ji Ping’an, still frail, got up and patted the bed. “Dongchun, come sleep with me.”

  Dongchun had grown up with Ji Ping’an. As children, they’d snuck out together to catch crickets—both of them had plenty of undylike moments. So when Ji Ping’an invited her into bed, she didn’t fuss, just took off her shoes and climbed under the covers. The two of them curled up together under one thick bnket, warm and snug.

  The next morning at dawn, Ji Ping’an went to check the Princess’s pulse. Seeing how sickly Ji Ping’an still looked and knowing she insisted on coming despite her illness, the Princess felt a fresh wave of sympathy. “Doctor Yan told me—your condition can’t be rushed. Today, just take my pulse and leave the rest to the servants and Doctor Yan. Go get some rest.”

  “Thank you, Your Highness.”

  Once Ji Ping’an left, the Princess sighed. “What a good girl... how did someone so young end up with such a terminal illness?”

  She couldn’t help recalling what Ji Ping’an had said at the Kaifeng Prefecture.

  That being sick was painful, truly and deeply painful. The Princess had experienced it herself. So had Ji Ping’an. Even the Emperor suffered from chronic migraines that fred up when dealing with state affairs.

  Illness... was too cruel.

  The Princess turned to Cuiyun and said, “Take good care of that child from now on. She really is pitiful.”

  “Yes, Your Highness. I understand.”

  After checking the Princess’s pulse, Ji Ping’an came out and was immediately met by a maid holding a tray. “Miss Ji, someone came at dawn ciming to be an Officer from Kaifeng Prefecture. He heard your illness had repsed and, since he happened to be passing by, he dropped this off for you.”

  “Happened to be passing by?”

  Ji Ping’an blinked. That didn’t add up. Unless he was off-duty, Song Huaiyu would be expected at the Prefecture by dawn every day. It was only three streets from the Song estate to Kaifeng Prefecture—and four from the Song estate to the Princess’s residence. Detouring to the Princess’s residence before going to work would make no sense. “Happened to be passing by”? Yeah right.

  Dongchun took the tray, and Ji Ping’an opened the oil-paper wrapping. Inside were candies—some rge, some small, in various shapes and fvors.

  Candies? Why candy?

  Ah. It must be because st time she’d had low blood sugar. Song Huaiyu probably thought she needed sweets every time she was ill.

  Ji Ping’an popped one into her mouth. Pear-fvored. Lightly sweet, crisp and refreshing.

  She extended the bundle toward Dongchun. “It’s really good. Try one.”

  Dongchun picked one and popped it in her mouth. “Mm! So sweet.”

  “Mine’s pear. What fvor’s yours?” Ji Ping’an asked curiously.

  “Peach,” Dongchun said, her shes fluttering.

  Ji Ping’an grabbed a purple one; it was grape-fvored, sweet and tangy. Curious, the two of them began sampling each color: orange, lychee, green plum, mint, peach, lotus blossom...

  All sorts of fvors.

  Fortunately, each candy was small and delicate. Sampling every fvor didn’t amount to overindulging.

  Ji Ping’an divided the sweets evenly—half for herself, half for Dongchun. Dongchun tucked her share away like a treasure. “Since you like them so much, Miss, once we finish these, I’ll ask Second Young Master where he got them and keep them stocked for you.”

  Ji Ping’an teased, “You like them that much?”

  Dongchun beamed. “I love them just as much as you do.”

  Ji Ping’an smiled. “Alright, then let’s keep them on hand from now on.”

  Half a month passed. The Princess’s treatment had come to an end, and Ji Ping’an and Dongchun packed up their things to return to the Song residence.

  The day before their departure, they bought fresh flower petals to make scented sachets. Sitting in the courtyard, they carefully selected the most intact and fragrant petals for the task.

  The young maidservants assigned to Ji Ping’an by the Princess also joined in. Soon, with five pairs of hands, they had gathered quite a lot of petals.

  Ji Ping’an and Dongchun first crafted a sachet specifically for the Princess, setting it aside. Seeing that there were still plenty of materials left, they used ordinary cloth to make a dozen more, which they gifted to the young maids who had helped.

  Ji Ping’an pced the most exquisite sachet on a tray and brought it to the Princess.

  Cuiyun happened to pass by and noticed. “What’s this?” she asked.

  Ji Ping’an smiled. “A scented sachet. Since the calming tonic the Princess used to take contained lead and is no longer safe for consumption, I thought of using something else to aid her sleep. The Princess has always been a light sleeper. So Dongchun and I made sachets filled with vender, arborvitae seed, polyga, albizia flower, and peony root. Please have a sniff—it’s a light, natural fragrance, beneficial to health and soothing for sleep.”

  Cuiyun picked one up and brought it to her nose. As an experienced senior pace maid who had followed the Princess when she first left the pace to establish her own residence, she had the knowledge to tell quality from mediocrity at a gnce or a whiff.

  The two sachets Ji Ping’an had prepared were clearly made with the finest ingredients.

  Cuiyun nodded. “In the past, Her Highness adored fragrance. Every garment she wore had to be gently perfumed before it was chosen. But ever since she fell ill, she began to avoid scents and sachets altogether. Now that she’s recovered, her mindset has changed. Some things, after all, must come full circle—rise and fall, beginning and end—that’s the natural way of things.”

  “Yes, you’re absolutely right, Momo,” Ji Ping’an replied with a smile. She then took out two more sachets and handed them to Cuiyun. “After selecting the best ingredients for Her Highness, Dongchun and I still had plenty left. We made about seventeen more sachets, and from those, I picked the finest two for you, Momo. I hope you won’t mind accepting them.”

  “You made them with those gifted hands of yours—why would I mind? I’d be lucky to have them.”

  Cuiyun took the sachets, gave them a careful sniff, and could tell right away: while Ji Ping’an had cimed they were made from leftover ingredients, in truth they were only slightly inferior to the Princess’s—still top-quality materials.

  “You’ve looked after Her Highness with such care these past few weeks. She sees everything,” Cuiyun said. “And as for what you’ve gone through, the Princess feels for you—she truly does.”

  “I understand,” Ji Ping’an replied sincerely.

  Cuiyun gave Ji Ping’an’s hand a gentle pat, sighed, and said, “Some people are just born with good fortune.” Then she picked up the sachets and carried them off to present them to the Princess.

  —

  The next morning, Ji Ping’an and Dongchun bid farewell to the Princess and left the residence. Their carriage was already waiting at the gate.

  When they arrived, it had been just one carriage with Mu Sheng driving. Now, thanks to the Princess’s generous rewards, two carts were required to carry everything back.

  By the afternoon, the trees were in bloom, and the flowers bzed with color.

  Song Huaiyu was already waiting at the entrance, holding the reins of a tall, handsome horse. He nodded at Ji Ping’an and said, “The household heard you were returning. Mother asked me to come pick you up.”

  Ji Ping’an responded with a smile.

  No matter what ulterior motives the Song family might be hiding behind closed doors, they were always impeccable when it came to appearances.

  With Dongchun’s help, Ji Ping’an climbed into the carriage. The curtain was lifted and fastened to the brass hook.

  As the carriage rolled forward and Ji Ping’an took in the bustling beauty of Bianjing, she turned and asked, “Cousin Huaiyu, on our way home, will we pass through Gongsan Street?”

  Between the Princess’s residence and the Song estate, there was a fork in the road. Either path would lead to their destination.