At night, Xie Lin returned to Weiyang Palace, where Jiang Yunshu was softly humming a tune from the opera she had listened to earlier that day.
Xie Lin never had to ask—Lichun would always report to him daily about what Jiang Yunshu had done.
Xie Lin didn’t think he particularly cared to know.
As for why Lichun assumed he wanted to know, or why he had never stopped Lichun from doing so…
Xie Lin had never bothered to consider either question.
Jiang Yunshu’s humming was wildly off-key, and Xie Lin couldn’t make out what she was trying to sing at all. Yet from her voice alone, he could tell she was genuinely happy.
"Did you enjoy listening to the opera with Empress Dowager Wu today?"
Jiang Yunshu nodded enthusiastically. "Yes!"
She eagerly recounted the day’s events: "The pavilion was draped with silk curtains all around—it was so comfortable sitting inside while watching the performance…"
Xie Lin wasn’t interested in such details. Instead, he asked, "What did Empress Dowager Wu discuss with you?"
He didn’t believe for a second that Empress Dowager Wu genuinely wanted to befriend Jiang Yunshu. Only a fool like her would think so.
Even back in the Marquis's Mansion, where she was a legitimate daughter of the household, her own elder sister had looked down on her.
How could Jiang Yunshu possibly believe that Empress Dowager Wu would hold her in any regard?
Such was the way of the world—just like those civil and military officials who trembled in fear of him yet secretly scorned him for being a eunuch.
Empress Dowager Wu might fear Jiang Yunshu’s favor with him, but deep down, she surely despised her all the same.
Yet, Xie Lin couldn’t quite discern Empress Dowager Wu’s true intentions.
Even the spies he had planted by her side hadn’t reported anything useful.
For this reason, Xie Lin hadn’t stopped Jiang Yunshu from associating with Empress Dowager Wu—he needed to uncover her schemes.
He figured that by listening to their conversations, he might catch a glimpse of what she was plotting.
And then, Xie Lin was treated to Jiang Yunshu’s lengthy critique of the opera’s plot—point one, two, three, four…
His expression turned complicated. "That’s all you talked about?"
Seeing the look in Xie Lin’s eyes, Jiang Yunshu misunderstood. Empress Dowager Wu had invited her to the opera, and she had spent the whole time picking apart the story—she supposed that did sound a bit odd.
Hastily, she clarified, "It was always Empress Dowager Wu who asked me first before I said anything!"
"And I didn’t just criticize the opera—I praised plenty too! The actors’ voices, the beautiful scenery of the pavilion… I complimented everything!"
When Xie Lin heard that Empress Dowager Wu had been the one prompting Jiang Yunshu’s responses, he had an inkling of what she might have been trying to uncover.
To receive such a jumble of unrelated opinions in return—he wondered what Empress Dowager Wu must have thought.
Suppressing a laugh, Xie Lin cleared his throat.
"You spent all that time pointing out flaws in the script—do you want to write one yourself?"
Jiang Yunshu’s eyes widened in surprise. "Lord Xie, you read my mind!"
Xie Lin had only been joking, but her reaction caught him off guard. He frowned. "You’re serious?"
Jiang Yunshu peered at him cautiously. "Would that be… allowed?"
"Write if you want." Then, a thought occurred to him. "Are you asking because you want to use the study?"
"You may use the ink, brushes, and paper there, but don’t touch anything of mine."
Jiang Yunshu blinked in astonishment. No, that wasn’t what she meant at all—how had Xie Lin jumped to the study?
If Weiyang Palace was Xie Lin’s zone of fastidiousness, his study was practically a sterile chamber!
No one was ever allowed inside unless absolutely necessary. Even the maids who cleaned had to do so under his watchful eye, and he personally handled the arrangement or disposal of his belongings.
And now, he was permitting her to use it?
Jiang Yunshu didn’t dare admit… she hadn’t even considered the study.
Tentatively, she asked, "Should I… bathe and burn incense before entering?"
Xie Lin shot her a cold glare.
Jiang Yunshu tried to decipher the meaning behind that look—was that a yes or a no?
Seeing her clueless expression, Xie Lin felt a mix of exasperation and amusement. When she annoyed others, he found it funny—but when she annoyed him, he didn’t know what to say.
With a frosty tone, he replied, "No. Just change your shoes."
Jiang Yunshu nodded immediately—ah, like wearing shoe covers before entering a computer lab back in school.
"Would Lord Xie show me the study now?" she asked, thinking it best to have him accompany her on her first visit, given how private the space was.
When Xie Lin led Jiang Yunshu into the study, Lichun’s jaw nearly hit the floor.
This… this… was he dreaming? The Nine Thousand-Year-Old Lord was actually bringing Jiang Yunshu into his study?
From now on, he would have to treat her with the utmost respect—no, he would have to flatter and fawn over her as much as possible. There was no such thing as being too deferential.
Jiang Yunshu stepped inside, fully prepared to marvel at the grandeur—but the words of admiration died in her throat.
Everywhere else in Weiyang Palace was lavishly decorated, so she had expected Xie Lin’s study to be the same.
Instead, she was met with stark simplicity.
In modern terms, one might call it minimalist.
A single bookshelf lined the wall, packed with volumes. The wood was undoubtedly expensive, yet it bore no carvings or embellishments.
A long desk, a single chair—nothing more.
Jiang Yunshu glanced around. Where was she supposed to sit?
Xie Lin noticed her dilemma and ordered Lichun, "Find another chair to make a pair."
Lichun inwardly groaned. When the craftsmen had made Xie Lin’s chair, it had been one of a kind—who would dare replicate the Nine Thousand-Year-Old Lord’s seat?
But if the lord wanted a matching pair now, then a matching pair he would get. Lichun promptly agreed, already planning to drag a carpenter out of bed that very night.
If he wasn’t sleeping, neither would the carpenter.
After giving the order, Xie Lin pointed to one side of the desk. "Your chair will go here."
The next day, Jiang Yunshu’s new chair arrived, still faintly smelling of fresh wood.
Now she had no excuse to slack off. She had claimed she wanted to write a script as a pastime—how had it turned into a daily obligation?
Once she actually started writing, she realized how much easier it was to criticize others’ work than to create her own.
After a full day in the study, she had scrapped five different openings—none of them longer than three lines.
Fine. Today was not a good day for writing.
Tomorrow… tomorrow, maybe she could invite Empress Dowager Wu instead?
Jiang Yunshu immediately seized on the idea as a perfect excuse to avoid writing.
As for what to do, she already had a plan. The weather was lovely—why not host a small banquet in the garden? They could admire the flowers while dining, then play a popular game afterward—perhaps arrow tossing.
Jiang Yunshu extended the invitation, and Empress Dowager Wu accepted.
The empress dowager praised the food enthusiastically, just as Jiang Yunshu had praised the opera troupe before.
Another day of harmonious enjoyment.
Jiang Yunshu thought to herself—Empress Dowager Wu was right. They really did get along well.
After digesting their meal for a while, Jiang Yunshu, Empress Dowager Wu, and a group of palace maids played a game of pitch-pot together.
Jiang Yunshu thought to herself that since Empress Dowager Wu was skilled at kicking shuttlecocks, she must be good at pitch-pot as well.
Sure enough, Empress Dowager Wu hit eight out of ten throws.
When it was Jiang Yunshu’s turn, she first warmed up, stretching her arms.
Xie Lin passed by the pavilion and spotted Jiang Yunshu surrounded by a crowd of palace maids from afar.
Was she here to kick shuttlecocks again?
Xie Lin had left early that morning and didn’t know what color robes Jiang Yunshu was wearing. Yet the moment he caught sight of that familiar silhouette in the distance, he recognized her instantly.
That peculiar set of "warm-up" movements—she always performed them before dancing.
Without realizing it, Xie Lin’s feet changed direction, leading him toward the pavilion. The palace maids immediately bowed in greeting.
Jiang Yunshu looked surprised. "Chief Steward?"
Xie Lin’s gaze swept over the pitch-pot set in the center. "So now you’re playing pitch-pot with the maids?"
Empress Dowager Wu stood to the side, watching Xie Lin and Jiang Yunshu converse as if no one else were present. Her face flushed with anger, then paled.
Did Xie Lin truly intend to strip her, the Empress Dowager, of even the slightest semblance of respect?
Had Xie Lin offered even a perfunctory bow, Empress Dowager Wu would have excused him—yet he showed not the slightest inclination to do so...
Just then, Xie Lin’s eyes finally landed on Empress Dowager Wu, and a faint look of surprise crossed his face. "My apologies, Your Majesty. I only just noticed your presence."
Empress Dowager Wu swallowed her fury. "You are excused, Chief Steward."
At first, she assumed Xie Lin was feigning ignorance to humiliate her.
But after carefully studying his expression, she realized with despair that he truly hadn’t seen her earlier.
She had been standing right beside Jiang Yunshu. The palace maids had all bowed in deference—how could she possibly have gone unnoticed?
Had Xie Lin really failed to see her, a living, breathing person standing right there?
