A piece of Japanese incense

"We still don't know why father kept those two wooden boxes..." Aban's voice was soft and compassionate.

"Maybe... they are some old things he treasured."

"Crown Princess, she abandoned me in the past, and now, she has imprisoned me within these four palace walls!" Ah Ban's eyes were filled with anger, and the whites of his eyes were bloodshot due to his emotional excitement.

"What's going on? Where's Feng Zhixu?"

"He's dead." Ah Ban's words were as cold as ice.

"Dead? Was he... scared?" I covered my mouth unconsciously with my hands, trying to stop the scream that was about to burst out of my throat.

My brain seemed to be swept by a gust of wind, and all my thoughts were blown into pieces.

Dead? Did the noble grandson lose his life just because he accidentally fell beside the corpse?

"I took a quick glance at him and he and I really look alike."

"Aban, let me help you escape from the palace."

"No! I, I want to stay here! These, originally, belonged to me!"

"Aban?" His eyes used to be so clear and transparent, like a mountain spring, but now, the spring water seemed to flow into the sea of ​​people, becoming deep and elusive.

"Aban..." I grabbed his hand. The unspeakable anxiety in my heart was like a huge rock pressing on me, making it hard for me to breathe, or like an invisible fishbone stuck in my throat.

"Ah He! Crown Princess, I know it's you! Also, Brother Nian, I can't leave. If I leave, you will be in danger."

My heartbeat slowed down a little: "I thought you... Ah Ban, thank you for protecting me and Brother Nian."

"Crown Princess, I have an old grudge against you. I can't let her hurt you again!"

A warm feeling rushed to his heart, and he paused and said, "Aban, I will try to free you from the shackles of the Crown Princess. We will take it step by step. At least we are in the palace together, and you are not alone."

Ah Ban hugged me tightly and whispered, "Ah He, I must find out whether my father was really killed by her. A woman like her is not worthy of being my mother!"

I reminded him urgently: "Don't do anything stupid, you just need to play the role of the crown prince well, those conspiracies and tricks have nothing to do with you!"

Aban bit his lower lip and remained silent.

I comforted him: "Don't think too much, let's work together to find a way to live well. We will go to see the mountains and the sea and eat all the food in the world together in the future!"

Aban slowly put on a smile.

I suddenly thought: "Hey! Does Princess Tingzhu also know all this?"

"Yes! Feng Zhiyu, before he died, the three of us met."

"No wonder she acted so strange yesterday..."

Aban pondered for a while and commented: "Although she looks docile and easily bullied, she is actually sincere, honest and persistent."

"It seems that Xiao Banban and this sister get along well. Since I am the tutor of Princess Tingzhu, I naturally have to establish a good relationship with her."

"Oh right! Ah He, do you know why the Crown Princess wants to kill you?"

Aban's sudden question stunned me. Indeed, I had never thought deeply about this question. I was only five years old at that time. Why did she do such a cruel thing to me?

I suddenly recalled my father's meaningful words during the Mid-Autumn Festival. At that time, A-Ban must have been in the Eastern Palace. Could it be that my father had already seen through the Crown Princess's intentions and brought me into the palace? Could it be that there was an irreconcilable feud between them, and I just happened to become a victim?

I couldn't help but start peeling the dead skin off my lips again, staring at the motionless wooden floor, lost in thought.

"Ahe?"

My consciousness gradually returned. I helplessly spread my hands and said to A-Ban, "I don't know either..."

"I can only check it slowly."

"Your Highness, it's getting late. You have a horse riding and archery lesson at 3 pm..."

Aban stood up vigilantly, straightened his clothes, and strode out.

I waited for a long time until everything around me was quiet again, and then I planned to quietly climb through the window and return to the girls' school.

"crunch"

The door opened slightly, making a slight sound.

I looked around and found a slightly narrow corner of the bookshelf, hid there, and waited for the opportunity.

The bookshelves were filled with the smell of old papers. There was a faint sound of footsteps, far away and light, hardly noticeable.

They began as barely audible scrapes on the floor, then gradually became more pronounced as time went on, each step firmer and more powerful than the one before.

They walked through the long corridor, passing countless book spines, their footsteps carrying a rhythm, sometimes fast, sometimes slow.

Soon, the footsteps became so loud that even the deepest library area could feel their approach.

Every footstep was like a drumbeat hitting my heart. I began to think of response words in my mind, ready to be discovered at any time.

When the footsteps were almost close to the corner where I was hiding, I closed my eyes tightly, and before the person came closer, I opened my mouth hurriedly, with a trembling voice:

"Please forgive my intrusion! I am only seeking the ocean of knowledge and have no intention of disturbing the tranquility here. I promise to leave immediately and never set foot here again in the future!"

A slight and sharp sneer broke through the calm air, like a needle piercing silk. Although the sound was not loud, it was extremely harsh. The laughter seemed to come from a hidden corner, with a bit of sarcasm and disdain, making people look around, trying to find the source of this sudden discordant sound.

Between the stacked bookshelves, a figure is reflected.

He stood quietly in the sea of ​​books not far from me, as if isolated from the world, with only the sound of his fingers turning pages.

I was anxious and walked towards him hurriedly.

"Uncle...cousin?"

He burst into laughter again and put down the heavy book in his hand: "Is my niece always so startled?"

I was a little at a loss: "Can my cousin come in to this library?"

"That's natural!"

"Oh... then I'll go first!"

"Hey——" He put his arm around my shoulders.

"Let me see, what book did you sneak into Wenyuan Pavilion to read?"

The corners of my mouth twitched, and I made up something: "Notes from the Thatched Cottage! I've finished reading it, and I was about to leave when you came in."

"As far as I know, the book is upstairs." My cousin pointed upward and looked at me as if he was watching a good show, as if to say, "Hehe! I want to see how you can make it up."

Although he felt guilty, he still refuted confidently: "Cousin, has he read all the books in the pavilion? How can you be sure? I..."

"Don't hide it! When I came here, I saw His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's procession. You two..."