Floating life reflects two lotuses

In the dead of night, under the pale moonlight, the princess's residence was so quiet that only the occasional rustle of wind could be heard through the eaves. Xiao Jinlian sat at her desk, her fingertips gently tracing the white jade bracelet. The runes no longer glowed, but the faint warmth they emitted stirred her emotions. The shock of the ritual had left her body still weak, yet at this moment, her mind was frighteningly clear.

"Why are you staring at it again?" Chu Wanlian's voice rang in his mind, tinged with impatience. "Can't you rest a little longer?"

"It's alright," Xiao Jinlian said casually, but her hand unconsciously tightened. "It's just that I feel there are too many problems with this bracelet, and I can't ignore them."

"No matter how many problems there are, do you think you can find anything by just staring at it?" Chu Wanlian said calmly, with a hint of concern in her voice. "Don't forget, it almost broke our souls on the day of the sacrifice."

"But what other clues are there besides this to get closer to the truth?" Xiao Jinlian looked up at the candlelight, her mind a fog.

Just as she was deep in thought, there was a soft knock on the door.

"Princess, this is a tonic prescribed by the imperial physician. Please drink it while it's hot." Silan carefully pushed open the door and came in, carrying a bowl of medicinal soup, her expression as usual.

Xiao Jinlian took the medicine bowl and said softly, "Thank you for your trouble, Silan."

Silan lowered her head slightly, her tone respectful: "It is my duty." After saying that, she withdrew, her movements as respectful and composed as ever.

Watching Silan's departing figure, Xiao Jinlian frowned slightly, Chu Wanlian's whisper echoing in her mind: "She seems to be hiding something."

“I think so too.” Xiao Jinlian put down the medicine bowl thoughtfully, a hint of wariness flashing in her eyes.

The next morning, Xiao Jinlian, dressed in an elegant palace gown, prepared to go to the Empress Dowager's palace to pay her respects. However, along the way, she clearly felt that the gazes cast upon her from all around were more unusual than usual.

"I heard there were unusual phenomena during last night's sacrificial ceremony. Is this... a bad omen for the Princess?"

"Shh! Keep your voice down. The Princess is of noble status; how can such things be discussed so casually?"

"But things have been really strange at the Princess's residence lately. I heard even the Emperor has become suspicious..."

Although they spoke in hushed tones, every whisper reached Xiao Jinlian's ears.

"It seems that Consort Yan's conspiracy has already begun." Chu Wanlian sneered, her tone revealing a hint of contempt. "Using rumors to slander this princess is quite in line with her despicable behavior."

"What should we do? These rumors will only make the situation worse." Xiao Jinlian replied nervously, her pace quickening involuntarily.

"Don't worry, this is just her little trick," Chu Wanlian said calmly. "However, you need to be more careful."

Upon returning to the princess's residence, Xiao Jinlian had just changed out of her outdoor clothes when she heard an announcement from outside: "Princess, the young general requests an audience."

"Brother Liheng?" Xiao Jinlian was stunned for a moment, and Chu Wanlian's voice immediately rang in her mind: "Remember, don't let him see through your disguise!"

Xiao Jinlian calmed herself down and said softly, "Quickly invite him in."

A moment later, Li Heng stepped in. His dark battle robe accentuated his imposing figure, and a serious expression crossed his brow. He looked at Xiao Jinlian, his gaze deep: "Lian'er, were you frightened by the strange phenomena during last night's ritual?"

"It's just a minor incident, nothing to worry about." Xiao Jinlian gave a faint smile, trying to hide her inner unease.

Li Heng stared at her, seemingly trying to see through her disguise: "But I heard that Consort Yan spread rumors in the palace that the strange occurrences during the sacrifice were related to you. Although the Emperor did not say it explicitly, he may have already begun to waver."

"It seems Consort Yan has been planning this carefully, and has been prepared for this for a long time," Chu Wanlian's voice rang out coldly.

Xiao Jinlian lowered her head and pondered for a moment, then looked up at Li Heng: "Father does have some suspicions about me, but I will find a way to prove my innocence."

Upon hearing this, Li Heng frowned, his tone filled with worry: "Lian'er, there have been many rumors circulating in the palace lately, and I'm worried that you might be implicated. If there is any danger, you might as well ask the Empress Dowager for permission to stay at Jingxin Pavilion for the time being. It's a quiet place far away from the palace."

"Temporary stay?" Xiao Jinlian was slightly taken aback, and Chu Wanlian's voice immediately echoed in her mind: "This is clearly an attempt to make me avoid the limelight, but this is exactly the result that Consort Yan hopes to see!"

“Brother Liheng, thank you for your concern.” Xiao Jinlian composed herself, her tone calm yet firm. “But I cannot leave. Consort Yan is pressing me relentlessly; if I were to retreat now, wouldn’t that be playing right into her hands?”

Li Heng looked at her, his brows furrowing even more, his gaze complex and tinged with helplessness. He pondered for a moment, then finally sighed, "You've always been so stubborn, but I know you have your own sense of propriety. If you need anything, remember to send someone to deliver a message, and I will come immediately."

"Thank you, Brother Liheng." Xiao Jinlian smiled slightly, but her eyes held a hint of weariness and gratitude. "I will be careful."

Li Heng looked at the "Chu Wanlian" before him, his brows furrowing slightly. She still had that familiar face, but for some reason, he felt something was different. Was it her eyes? Or perhaps, the tacit understanding they had shared over the years seemed to have vanished without a trace.

"Lian'er," Li Heng said softly, his tone tinged with inquiry, "A lot has happened recently. Do you have something on your mind? I feel... you're not quite the same as before."

Xiao Jinlian's heart skipped a beat, but she remained calm on the surface. She placed the teacup back on the table and smiled gently: "What's different? Could it be... that you've become more mature?"

Li Heng shook his head, his eyes still deep: "It's not a matter of maturity, but... you don't seem as close to me anymore. You used to always tell me first when something happened, but now..."

Xiao Jinlian was slightly taken aback, lowered her head to hide her inner panic, and said with a hint of helplessness in her voice: "Brother Liheng, so much has happened these days. I've been thinking that I should try to be more independent and not always make you worry about me."

Li Heng was silent for a moment, then raised his eyes, a hint of inquiry in them: "Independence is a good thing, but I hope you can still believe in me, just like before."

Xiao Jinlian felt as if those affectionate eyes could see right through her disguise, and her chest tightened. She quickly forced a smile: "Of course I trust you, Brother Liheng. It's just that there are some things... I just don't want you to worry about me anymore."

Li Heng stepped forward and said in a low voice, "If there's anything, please don't hide it from me. I'm here to watch you suffer alone."

Xiao Jinlian's breath hitched, a wave of bitterness washing over her. Those words brought her a long-lost warmth, yet also filled her with immense guilt.

"I understand," she replied softly, a faint smile on her lips, but she never dared to look up into Li Heng's eyes.

Li Heng looked at her, his gaze complex. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end he only sighed: "Get some rest. I'll come see you again tomorrow."

He turned and left, his steps steady and slow, as if he were still waiting for her to ask him to stay.

Xiao Jinlian watched his figure disappear through the door, her shoulders relaxing slightly, yet a tightness settled in her chest. She touched the bracelet on her wrist and murmured to herself, "Li Heng, if you knew the truth... would you still care about me at all?"

Xiao Jinlian stood by the window, gazing at the starry sky. The runes on her bracelet glowed faintly again, emitting a strange warmth, as if responding to some unseen call.

"It's started acting strangely again," Xiao Jinlian murmured.

"Could it be related to what happened last night?" Chu Wanlian's voice became more serious.

Just then, a soft footstep sound came from the courtyard. Xiao Jinlian quickly extinguished the candle, hid behind the curtain, and peered out through the gap.

A familiar figure quietly stepped out of the courtyard gate; it was Silan. She looked nervous, glancing cautiously around before quickly disappearing at the end of the path.

"Where is she going?" Xiao Jinlian asked in a low voice.

"Follow them," Chu Wanlian calmly instructed. "We can't overlook any clues."

Xiao Jinlian quickly put on her cloak and followed Silan through the palace paths. Finally, Silan stopped in a secluded grove of trees and spoke in hushed tones with a dark figure.

"What exactly is she doing?" Xiao Jinlian held her breath, trying to get closer to hear the conversation.

“You handled things well tonight,” the shadowy figure whispered. “But you must be more careful. The princess’s identity… is not simple.”

“I understand,” Silan said, her tone tinged with complexity, “but I need more time.”

"Time... may be running out," the shadowy figure said coldly, then turned and disappeared into the darkness.

Hiding in the shadows, Xiao Jinlian heard Chu Wanlian's voice whisper in her mind: "It seems that Silan knows more than we thought."

"Who exactly is she? And what is she hiding?" Xiao Jinlian's eyes were complicated as she tightly gripped the cloak in her hand.

Silan turned and returned to the princess's residence, walking back to her room with a normal expression. Xiao Jinlian stood at a distance, motionless for a long time, her mind filled with questions.

Xiao Jinlian sat on the edge of the bed, a gentle breeze blowing in through the half-open window, ruffling the hair around her ears. She looked down at the bracelet; the runes appeared dim and indistinct in the night, as if waiting for some opportunity to awaken again.

In her mind, Chu Wanlian's voice rang out thoughtfully: "What exactly is Silan hiding? And who is that person?"

Xiao Jinlian did not answer, but simply held the bracelet tightly in her palm. The coolness spread along her palm, making her unable to tell whether it was the coldness of the bracelet or her own unease.

The shadows of the trees outside the window swayed, and something gently brushed across the rooftop, accompanied by a barely audible rustling sound. Xiao Jinlian looked up at the window, her eyes deep and sharp.

"Perhaps the answer lies just outside these palace walls," she murmured, her gaze piercing the darkness like a sword.