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A team led by Madom Su arrived, specifically tasked with cleaning up the palace's internal affairs, claiming they were preparing for tomorrow's Buddhist Ceremony.
Xiao Yu lowered her voice, "But I had someone keep an eye on them, and discovered they were all wearing soft armor, along with the mechanism experts from Tianji Pavilion."
The fire at Luo Mansion eight years ago had originated from a group of "Cleaning Internal Affairs" personnel. A sense of foreboding washed over me.
"Keep watch on the movements of the royal guards," I instructed, gently stroking the Duan Hun sword in my hand, my thoughts drifting back to eight years ago.
That night of the great fire, I distinctly saw a figure in a purple robe flickering in and out of the flames, wielding a sword strikingly similar to my Duan Hun sword. At that time, I thought it was Lord Xiao, but now that I reflect on it... that silhouette bore a resemblance to Xiao Yuyang today. The sword in his hand must be the Zhenhun Sword currently at his waist.
"As for the Empress Dowager's people..." I let out a cold laugh, "Let them think they are well-hidden."
Once Xiao Yu had withdrawn, I took out the Tianji Jade Pendant that I kept hidden close to me. It was something my father had pressed into my hands before he passed away, engraved with a peculiar pattern resembling half of a fragmented map, subtly aligning with the legendary Shuijing Chessboard. My father's last words echoed in my ears: "Qing Yu, you must... believe... Xiao..."
Was it Xiao Yuyang? But...
I raised my gaze towards the twin moons outside the window, recalling that first night of the Lunar Year eight years ago. That night was filled with flickering lights; I should have been enjoying the lanterns at Luo Mansion but instead sneaked out to attend the lantern festival in the imperial city. It was there that I met a young boy.
He said his surname was Xiao,
a typical young master from a noble family.
He wiped away the smudge on my forehead,
and mentioned he wanted to take me to see the Shan Ying in Luoyang.
When he handed me a jade hairpin,
I clearly saw a jade pendant in his hand,
identical to the one my father had given me.
At that moment, I had no idea he was Prince Xiao Yuyang,
nor did I know that the next day would mark the beginning of the Luo Mansion massacre.
"A Yu..."
His gentle call seemed to echo in my ears.
Back then, his voice was as soft as jade,
unlike today, which concealed too many unspoken thoughts.
The Tianji Jade Pendant warmed slightly under the moonlight.
As night deepened,
the lights of Huaqing Pavilion were already lit.
I changed out of my male attire and donned a long green silk dress.
Since that night eight years ago, I had not revealed my true self to anyone.
In my hair remained only a White Jade Hairpin,
a gift from him that night, said to be a protective charm.
At the time, I thought it was just an ordinary hairpin,
only later did I learn it was connected to the royal family.
As my fingertips brushed over the cool jade, another question arose:
Why would he give such a token to a stranger on the eve of the lantern festival?
Could he have known my identity all along...?
"Your Highness..."
I gazed at my reflection in the bronze mirror,
softly uttering this title that had troubled me for eight years,
"Are you an enemy or a friend?"
As I ascended the stairs of Huaqing Pavilion,
I couldn't help but touch the Duan Hun Sword at my waist. The old crack on the scabbard was a remnant from the fire eight years ago. In my memory, my father's voice faintly echoed: "Qing Yu, you are a sword at heart, yet you bear the appearance of a zither. This Duan Hun Sword should not have been given to you so soon, but time waits for no one..."
Back then, I didn't understand why my father sighed. Now, reflecting on it, I realize he must have had an inkling of what was to come.
As I pushed open the door, a waft of Dragon's Blood Incense enveloped me. Xiao Yuyang was already there, his figure elongated by the moonlight, casting shadows on the intricately carved window panes. He resembled the silhouette I remembered from that fiery night.
He wasn't wearing his usual ceremonial robes but instead donned a dark brocade robe. Yet, he still had the Zhenhun Sword at his waist, its hilt adorned with subtle patterns that flickered in the moonlight. Upon closer inspection, those patterns bore a striking resemblance to the ones on my Duan Hun Sword. A chill ran through me. Could there be hidden connections between these two swords?
"A Yu," he said without turning around, his voice unusually gentle. "Do you still remember that year during the First Night of the Lunar Year when you said you wanted to see the Shan Ying in Luoyang?"
My heart jolted, and I nearly dropped the fan in my hand. That was the last thing I had said to him eight years ago. Back then, I was still naive, believing he was just an ordinary young man.
"That jade hairpin..."
He finally turned to face me, his gaze landing on the White Jade Hairpin in my hair. "Do you remember I told you it was a protective talisman?"
Instinctively, I reached up to touch the hairpin, but he grasped my wrist first. His palm was scorching hot, reminding me of that night in the fire when he held my hand just like this and pushed me out of danger.
"What do you mean by this, Your Highness?" I forced myself to remain calm, but I could hear a tremor in my voice.
"Do you know the origin of this hairpin?"
He slowly released my hand and took out a token. The token was pure white, and the patterns on it were identical to the jade hairpin in my hair.
"This is a personal item of the Empress Dowager," he said, his gaze deepening. "It was left to me by my mother before she passed away."
"When my mother died, everyone said it was due to illness, but I found a letter on her dressing table..." His voice grew quieter. "The letter said that the Empress Dowager had discovered a secret. She was searching for a child, one who should have died sixteen years ago."
My heart nearly stopped. Sixteen years ago... that was my birth year.
"So that night at the lantern festival," I stared at him intently, "you came specifically to test me? You already knew everything?"
"No!" He smiled bitterly. "That night, I intended to tell you everything, but the Empress Dowager got to it before I could..."
Before he could finish his sentence, hurried footsteps suddenly echoed from downstairs. Almost simultaneously, a cold arrow shot through the window!
Xiao Yuyang swiftly shielded me behind him, a streak of blood appearing on his dark robe.
"Well done!" he sneered. "Finally, I've caught you all."
What? I was about to speak when I saw him pull something from his sleeve—a wax seal.
It bore the unmistakable mark of Tianji Pavilion!
"Your Highness..." I instinctively took a step back. "You are with Tianji Pavilion..."
"Don't be afraid," his voice was more serious than ever. "I have been undercover in Tianji Pavilion for eight years, just to uncover the truth behind the massacre of the Luo Family."
Before the words had left his mouth, several dark figures had already broken through the window. The leader, dressed in red and wearing a Golden Silk Mask, moved with a grace that felt oddly familiar under the moonlight.
"Your Highness, what a skillful maneuver," the figure said with a sinister smile. "You have hidden your pieces in Tianji Pavilion for eight years."
"But do you know what task the Empress Dowager has given me?" Xiao Yuyang's pupils constricted. "Could it be... you are the Governing Lord?"
"Indeed," came a cold laugh from beneath the Golden Silk Mask. "The person the Empress Dowager is looking for is right behind you. She has waited for this day for a full sixteen years."
In that moment, all the doubts connected: Father had urged me to trust Xiao Yuyang before his death; this jade hairpin would align with the token of Tianji Pavilion; and the Empress Dowager had chosen to set this trap on the night of Double Moons on the Same Night...
"You lied to me! You knew my identity all along!" I gazed at Xiao Yuyang's back, my voice thick with emotion.
"A Yu," he did not turn around, but his voice was gentler than ever. "Do you remember I promised to take you to see the Luoyang Mountain Cherry?"
"That was because..."
"That was because your mother’s only wish was to take you to see the Shan Ying in Luoyang just once."
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