The Legend of Zhen Huan: Year after year, we share the spring breeze

In the courtyard of Xinghuachun Pavilion.

The rising sun, with a gentle touch, filtered through the branches of a century-old apricot tree, casting tiny specks of light on the desk. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, and the golden specks of light swayed gently, like a natural ink painting.

A young girl was sitting on a chair. She had beautiful features and elegant temperament. The light pink palace dress made her skin look even smoother. The apricot blossom pattern embroidered on her sleeves was faintly visible in the morning light, as if a few petals of apricot blossoms had really fallen on her.

She held a purple-hair brush in her hand, and the tassels of the emerald jade hairpin on her head swayed slightly as she lowered her head to write.

It was Yongzheng's second daughter, Princess Wen Yi.

She concentrated her mind and wrote with the tip of the purple brush moving slowly across the paper, copying the four characters "惠风和畅" from Wang Xizhi's "Preface to the Lanting Collection".

Qi Yuebin stood half a step away from her, holding a kesi round fan in his hand, but forgot to wave it. He looked at Wen Yi with a focused and gentle gaze, as if he was looking at his most proud masterpiece in his life.

"Mother, do you think this is worthwhile?" Wen Yi suddenly raised his eyes and asked.

Qi Yuebin finally came back to his senses, raised a gentle smile, took a step forward, lowered his head to carefully examine the handwriting on the rice paper, and said softly: "The beginning of this stroke is okay, but the end needs to be stretched a little more to show the elegant and agile posture."

As she spoke, she gently held Wen Yi's hand and guided her wrist to draw an arc in the air. "Like this, your wrist must be flexible so that the strokes can flow smoothly."

Wen Yi nodded seriously, dipped her brush in ink again, and followed Qi Yuebin's instructions. This time, her handwriting was indeed more beautiful, soft yet firm.

"My daughter will remember my mother's teachings." She put down her pen, raised her eyes and smiled sweetly at Qi Yuebin, with scattered sunlight reflected in her eyes, as clear as a spring.

Qi Yuebin looked at her, a warm feeling welling up in his heart, and said softly: "Your handwriting has improved a lot. With time, you will be able to write even better."

Wen Yi's smile deepened. She held Qi Yuebin's arm and said coquettishly, "The Emperor said that my handwriting is the best among all my brothers and sisters. It's all thanks to my mother's guidance."

Qi Yuebin smiled and gently tapped her nose: "You are smart."

After writing for a while, Wen Yi helped Qi Yuebin sit on a chair beside him and handed her a cup of tea.

Qi Yuebin took a sip and then spoke softly, "Wen Yi, you'll be fourteen soon, and it's time to discuss marriage. Mother has found a suitable match for you: the youngest son of the Zhongyi Marquis. He's seventeen years old and already enrolled in the Imperial Academy. He's both virtuous and handsome. Mother has also asked someone to inquire about the Zhongyi Marquis's family, and they say the family tradition is upright, and the backyard is quiet."

Wen Yi blushed upon hearing this, twisting the handkerchief tightly in her hand. "Mother, why are you bringing this up again? Didn't I say I'd stay with you for a few more years?"

Qi Yuebin sighed softly, took her hand and rubbed it carefully, "Silly child, how could mother be willing to let you go? It's just that a girl should marry when she reaches the age of marriage, this is the natural thing. Only when you marry a good man can mother feel at ease and feel worthy..."

At this point, she paused slightly and said, "I must live up to the trust of my old friend."

Wen Yi felt a warm feeling in her heart. She had known since she was a child that she was not her biological mother's child. At this moment, she just thought that what she said was her biological mother's instructions.

She stood up and walked to Qi Yuebin's side, putting her arm around her shoulders affectionately: "Mother, you treat me better than your own daughter. I often think that it must be a blessing from my past life that I can be your daughter in this life."

Qi Yuebin's eyes shone with kindness, and he reached out to gather the scattered hair from her temples. "For all these years, thanks to you, otherwise, my mother would have had no hope at all."

Wen Yi leaned on Qi Yuebin's shoulder, smelling the familiar scent of agarwood on her mother's body, and suddenly felt her eyes getting hot.

But she didn't want the atmosphere to be too heavy, so she deliberately put on a bright smile: "So, mother, you should keep your daughter for a few more years. If your daughter really gets married, mother will be so bored!"

Qi Yuebin stroked her cheek, said nothing, and just sighed slowly.

At this time, Jixiang came over and said, "Your Majesty, the eunuch Xiao Yunzi who is beside the Imperial Noble Consort is here."

"pass."

Soon, Xiao Yunzi came up and bowed politely: "Your servant pays respects to Concubine Duan and the princess. Concubine Huang invites you to come over."

Although his voice was respectful, it contained a hint of unwillingness to be rejected.

Qi Yuebin's eyes suddenly focused, and she glanced at the four eunuchs behind Xiao Yunzi, who were lowering their brows and looking submissive. Although they were all hunched over in a proper manner, the straight lines of their backs and the faint outlines of their muscles hidden under their wide sleeves could not escape her eyes.

She grew up in a military camp and could always tell the smell of a soldier.

She calmly smoothed the wrinkles on her sleeves and said, "Wait a moment. I'll come after I change my clothes."

"Yes." Although Xiao Yunzi agreed, he followed her to the main hall step by step. The four eunuchs followed her closely and stood guard at the door of the hall.

Arriving in the inner room, Qi Yuebin took out a red sandalwood box from the deepest part of the Treasure Pavilion. When the box was opened, an exquisite boxwood carved carp was revealed inside.

"When you were little, you always wanted to play with this, but mother never gave it to you." Qi Yuebin placed the wooden carp in Wen Yi's palm and tapped the back of her hand three times with her fingertips. "Remember, if you encounter..." She paused and changed her words, "If you miss mother, give this to your royal father."

Wen Yi happily took the wooden carp, and suddenly found an almost imperceptible crack in the belly of the fish.

She was about to take a closer look when Qi Yuebin grabbed her wrist and said, "Put it away carefully, don't break it."

After saying that, he personally hid the wooden carved carp into Wen Yi's purse and tied the golden rope at the mouth of the bag for her.

Suddenly, a few crows cried outside the window, and Qi Yuebin's hand trembled almost imperceptibly.

After changing clothes, she followed Xiao Yunzi out of Xinghuachun Pavilion.

The sun has risen and the air is filled with a hot smell.

As they walked along the path behind the lake, Qi Yuebin gradually frowned.

This was neither the east road leading to Louyue Kaiyun Pavilion nor the west road to Shangxia Tianguang. Little Yunzi, leading the way, walked hurriedly, and the four eunuchs followed closely behind, their boots clacking on the bluestone slabs.