On a spring day, the trees in the courtyard of Weiyang Palace sprouted fresh branches. Jiang Yunshu lounged on a rocking chair beneath the shade, a small table beside her laden with plates of washed and sliced fruits, chilled by ice beneath the dishes, accompanied by delicate silver forks.
So the Great Qi Dynasty already had such refined fruit forks!
The silver fork Jiang Yunshu currently used was even adorned with translucent agate beads. She didn’t care whether the fork was ornate—only whether it was practical. Eating fruit this way was truly convenient!
Reclining on the rocking chair, she could effortlessly spear the fruits within reach. The plate of cherries was already half-empty; the freshly picked spring cherries, sweet yet tart, were impossible to resist.
There was also a crisp melon called "white melon," which Jiang Yunshu had never encountered before her transmigration—likely lost to time. The white melon had an exceptionally crisp texture and a unique fragrance, though its flavor was disappointingly bland.
But drizzled with honey, it became absolutely perfect.
Jiang Yunshu indulged in both melon and gossip, doubling her joy.
One plate held the fruit, while the other "plate" was served by her personal spy, Wen Shiqi, who vividly narrated the latest scandal: "The Duan household is a den of drama—did the young mistress nearly perish in childbirth because her husband became a horse official, or because her mother-in-law stole the ginseng from her tonic?"
The Eastern Depot’s intelligence was always top-tier.
The details of the gossip Jiang Yunshu heard were far juicier than the celebrity scandals she’d encountered in her past life. She half-suspected the Eastern Depot had actually planted spies under the bed!
Because Jiang Yunshu adored gossip so much, Wen Shiqi had become her dedicated "scandal correspondent."
There were two main reasons for choosing Wen Shiqi: first, she was one of the few female spies, making interactions with Jiang Yunshu more comfortable; second, her storytelling was superb—every tale was spun with such drama that Jiang Yunshu listened with rapt attention.
In the Great Qi Dynasty, women had "handkerchief friends." Wen Shiqi was her "gossip friend"!
As their bond deepened, Jiang Yunshu felt awkward lounging alone while Wen Shiqi stood, or eating fruit while the other merely watched.
Pointing to a second rocking chair beside her, she warmly invited Wen Shiqi, "Lie down, enjoy some fruit while you tell me the latest."
"This way, you won’t tire, and I’ll feel more at ease."
Wen Shiqi stood stiffly at her side, as if reporting official business to a superior—just watching her made Jiang Yunshu exhausted on her behalf.
Yet no matter how Jiang Yunshu coaxed her, Wen Shiqi refused to recline on the rocking chair today, nor would she share the fruit.
In the end, Jiang Yunshu had Taoye bring over a stool, placing it by the small table and pouring Wen Shiqi a cup of tea.
Jiang Yunshu frowned. "Why so rigid all of a sudden? Last time, you lay right beside me on the rocking chair while sharing gossip—wasn’t that nice?"
Wen Shiqi nearly wept. Last time, she had reluctantly agreed to Jiang Yunshu’s insistence and reclined beside her.
Who could have guessed that very moment would be witnessed by the Chief Eunuch?
The Chief Eunuch’s gaze had been as sharp as a blade, slicing across Wen Shiqi’s face.
Jiang Yunshu hadn’t noticed, but Wen Shiqi had felt her heart sink.
That day, before leaving Weiyang Palace, Wen Shiqi had gone to the Chief Eunuch to beg forgiveness: "This lowly one acted improperly. I beg Your Excellency’s mercy."
Xie Lin had smiled thinly. "It’s nothing."
Yet the following month had been pure torment for Wen Shiqi.
Her usual intelligence drop-off location had suddenly been changed to a pigsty. Holding her nose, she waited for two hours, only to be knocked over twice by a sow before her contact finally arrived—somehow, the scheduled time had mysteriously been moved two hours earlier.
One incident after another made it painfully clear what was happening.
Wen Shiqi pleaded with Xie Lin: "This lowly one is clumsy and dull-tongued. Please appoint someone more capable to entertain Jiang Yunshu with gossip."
Xie Lin slowly twirled his white jade prayer beads. Of course, he had already considered this.
Among his twenty-eight most trusted spies, twenty-four were eunuchs, and only four were women.
The twenty-four eunuchs were out of the question.
Of the four women, two were beauties—Jiang Yunshu adored beautiful people, so that wouldn’t do.
One had fair, flawless skin—Jiang Yunshu also favored those with fair complexions, so she was also unsuitable.
That left Wen Shiqi: average height, plain features, slightly tanned skin, the kind of person who blended into a crowd effortlessly. Perfect for a spy.
Her unremarkable appearance should have made her safe—she wasn’t Jiang Yunshu’s type.
Yet the memory of Jiang Yunshu and Wen Shiqi lounging side by side, laughing over fruit and gossip, made Xie Lin’s chest burn.
The two rocking chairs had been set up in the courtyard since March. Now, nearing the end of April, Jiang Yunshu had never once invited Xie Lin to join her.
Of course, Wen Shiqi and Jiang Yunshu were both women—such closeness between women was ordinary.
Jiang Yunshu was even more intimate with her maids, Taozi and Guizhi—she had once been willing to gouge out her own eyes to save their lives.
But Taozi and Guizhi had grown up with Jiang Yunshu; their bond was sisterly.
She also doted on Xiazhi and Xiaoman, but they were still children—her affection for them was merely protective.
Wen Shiqi was the one who rankled Xie Lin the most!
They had only recently met, yet they clicked instantly.
When Wen Shiqi spun her tales, Jiang Yunshu’s eyes sparkled with fascination, fixed on her…
Xie Lin knew he shouldn’t care. Wen Shiqi was plain, and she was a woman.
But… he wasn’t a real man either.
Everything he could do for Jiang Yunshu, a woman could do just as well.
The sight of Jiang Yunshu and Wen Shiqi laughing together had laid bare the dark desire churning inside him.
He wanted to lock Jiang Yunshu away, ensuring she never saw another soul—man, eunuch, or woman—except him.
In truth, this impulse had lurked in his heart since he deceived her about losing her eyes. He just hadn’t recognized it then.
Those three days and nights, when Jiang Yunshu had relied on him completely, had made him feel whole in a way he’d never known.
He had seriously considered imprisoning her but ultimately relented.
If he locked her away, the light in her eyes would dim—just like plucked-out eyeballs, dull and lifeless.
Xie Lin adored Jiang Yunshu’s radiant eyes most of all. They sparkled when she tasted delicious food, when she heard juicy gossip…
With no better alternative, Xie Lin allowed Wen Shiqi to continue her role—after subjecting her to a few more "missions" in pigsties, sheep pens, and chicken coops to vent his frustration.
Having learned her lesson, Wen Shiqi wouldn’t dare lie on that rocking chair again.
If not for Jiang Yunshu disliking her standing, she wouldn’t even have taken the stool.
She was willing to keep standing to talk, no—kneeling to talk!
