The autumn equinox had passed, and the weather was gradually turning cooler.
In Weiyang Palace, the tall osmanthus tree was laden with clusters of golden blossoms hidden among its lush foliage. Every day, Jiang Yunshu awoke to the sweet fragrance of osmanthus, taking a deep breath before her mouth began to water.
"Let's have osmanthus cakes today," Jiang Yunshu said.
"Yes!" Xiaoman replied cheerfully, eagerly rushing off to the kitchen to relay the order.
Osmanthus cakes, osmanthus pastries, osmanthus candies, osmanthus porridge… Jiang Yunshu always came up with all sorts of osmanthus-based dishes, having the kitchen prepare them and send them over. Some were familiar to Xiazhi and Xiaoman, while others they had never even heard of… No one knew how Jiang Yunshu had learned about so many strange yet delicious delicacies!
Xiaoman had a sweet tooth, and most osmanthus dishes were sweet. These days, she had been indulging alongside Jiang Yunshu, climbing a ladder every morning to pick fresh osmanthus blossoms. The moment Jiang Yunshu mentioned a craving, Xiaoman would immediately dash to the kitchen with the freshly picked flowers!
Jiang Yunshu treated the palace maids around her with great kindness, always sharing the delicious treats with them.
After indulging for several days, Xiaoman looked down at her belly and felt as though it had grown rounder.
Hearing Xiaoman’s remark, Jiang Yunshu took out a measuring tape to check her own waistline—only to be struck by a bolt of despair. Her waist had thickened by over an inch!
"No more! We can’t keep eating like this!" Jiang Yunshu lamented in distress.
"Should this servant inform the kitchen to remove the osmanthus-glazed lotus root from tonight’s dinner?" Taoye asked.
At the mention of osmanthus-glazed lotus root, Jiang Yunshu could already taste its exquisite flavor in her mouth. She opened and closed her lips several times, still unable to bring herself to give up the dish.
After all, osmanthus was only in season for such a short time!
If she missed these few days, she would have to wait until next year to savor such delicacies again!
Jiang Yunshu couldn’t bear the thought. In the end, she said, "Have the kitchen prepare it as usual."
"Starting tomorrow, I’ll dance every day!"
Since moving into Weiyang Palace, Jiang Yunshu hadn’t danced properly. At first, she had no mood for it, and later, she lacked the courage—unsure of what might provoke Xie Lin’s displeasure. Better to do less and avoid mistakes.
But lately, Xie Lin had been leaving early and returning late, seemingly very busy. Jiang Yunshu had roughly figured out his schedule. She would dance after he left and finish bathing before he returned… Surely, dancing wouldn’t bother him then?
Unexpectedly, after only a few days, Xie Lin caught her in the act.
Jiang Yunshu had just finished a full dance when she turned around and saw Xie Lin standing beneath a tree, watching her.
"Ah—!" She jumped in fright. When had Xie Lin arrived? She had been so absorbed in dancing that she hadn’t noticed at all.
Xie Lin’s gaze was deep and unreadable. This was the first time he had seen Jiang Yunshu dance, and he hadn’t expected her to be so skilled—easily rivaling the dancers of the imperial troupe who had trained for a decade.
No wonder her body wasn’t merely soft but also possessed a hidden resilience.
The thought made his throat tighten slightly, and his slender fingers idly twisted the white jade prayer beads around his wrist.
He had never seen Jiang Yunshu dance before, nor had she ever mentioned being skilled in it…
So why was she suddenly dancing in Weiyang Palace today—and performing such a sorrowful, mournful dance?
A thought crossed Xie Lin’s mind. Yesterday, the provincial exam results had been announced, and Duan Jinxing had taken first place.
Had Jiang Yunshu heard the news and was now lamenting her fate?
Xie Lin knew that originally, Jiang Yunshu was supposed to marry Duan Jinxing, while her elder sister was to enter the palace as a consort. But her sister had insisted on switching, forcing the two to exchange their destinies.
Now that Jiang Yunshu had learned of Duan Jinxing’s success, it was only natural for her to grieve. After all, she had nearly become the wife of the top scholar—instead of serving a eunuch like him in Weiyang Palace.
Seeing Xie Lin’s icy expression, Jiang Yunshu hurriedly knelt to beg forgiveness. "This humble one begs the Nine Thousand-Year-Old Lord’s mercy. If my lord dislikes my dancing, I… I will never dare to do so again…"
She forced the words out with difficulty. To her, never dancing again would be as unbearable as never eating meat!
Back in the marquis’ household, the marquis, his wife, and her elder sister had all disapproved of her dancing, yet she had persisted.
But now, if Xie Lin forbade it, she truly would never dance again…
Xie Lin watched as Jiang Yunshu’s eyes welled with unshed tears, her fair face resembling a shattered piece of jade. He reached out, pinching her chin and leaving a faint red mark.
"Just a little more, and you would have been the wife of the top scholar. Do you despise fate for its unfairness?"
Jiang Yunshu had no idea Duan Jinxing had achieved first place. It took her a moment to even recall that the top scholar was the highest-ranking candidate in the provincial exams.
Bewildered, she blinked. "Wh-what?"
Under Xie Lin’s cold scrutiny, Jiang Yunshu was too nervous to remember her almost-betrothal to Duan Jinxing. Her mind was filled only with thoughts of the deceased emperor and the Nine Thousand-Year-Old Lord before her.
Neither the emperor nor the Nine Thousand-Year-Old Lord had anything to do with the provincial exams… How could she have nearly become the top scholar’s wife?
Xie Lin studied her reaction and, after a pause, realized his mistake. Jiang Yunshu wasn’t skilled enough to deceive him—she genuinely hadn’t heard about Duan Jinxing’s success.
"Duan Jinxing took first place in the provincial exams," he told her flatly.
"Oh… oh." Jiang Yunshu watched him cautiously, as if trying to gauge what response he wanted.
Xie Lin saw no sorrow in her eyes. "Then why were you dancing so mournfully just now?"
Jiang Yunshu quickly explained, "It was just a coincidence. Did my lord only see the last dance? The one before it was lively and joyful."
"If my lord dislikes mournful dances, I can perform cheerful ones instead…" She tentatively probed, hoping to confirm whether she could still dance in the future.
Xie Lin narrowed his eyes. "Then why were you about to cry earlier?"
Jiang Yunshu immediately touched her cheeks—they were dry. "I wasn’t crying…"
Xie Lin scoffed impatiently. "You were clearly on the verge of tears."
Jiang Yunshu hesitated. "I misunderstood. I thought my lord would forbid me from dancing from now on."
Xie Lin gave her a strange look, as if he could never quite understand her. "You don’t care that Duan Jinxing became the top scholar, but the thought of me forbidding your dancing made you that upset?"
Jiang Yunshu didn’t dare admit it. "My lord saved my life. Even if he forbade me from dancing, I would never dare to—"
Xie Lin cut her off. "Then don’t dance."
Jiang Yunshu froze. Her words died in her throat, her lips parting slightly as she stared at him in stunned silence.
A flicker of amusement passed through Xie Lin’s eyes.
"If you can dance ten pieces for me now, and I’m satisfied with all of them, I’ll permit you to dance in Weiyang Palace," he said.
Jiang Yunshu took a deep breath, immediately sorting through her repertoire to select ten of her best dances. With a solemn nod, she agreed. "Yes."
She poured her all into each of the ten dances.
By the time she finished the last one, her legs gave out, and she collapsed—only to land not on the ground, but in Xie Lin’s arms.
Too exhausted to take another step, Jiang Yunshu let Xie Lin carry her to the bathhouse. Half an hour later, he brought her back to the bedchamber.
Another half-hour passed, and Xie Lin carried Jiang Yunshu into the bathing pool once more.
This time, Jiang Yunshu didn’t even have the strength to lift a finger.
She couldn’t even open her eyelids.
Before sinking into slumber, one final thought flickered through her mind:
Good news—Xie Lin loved watching her dance.
Bad news—he might have loved it a little too much…
