Chapter 111

Chapter 111

When Gu Wanyun asked her this, Ji Hanyi nodded truthfully. Her father had once taken her to Her Majesty the Empress Dowager’s Imperial Birthday Banquet. At the time, he had held a fairly high-ranking position at court, so her mother had also been permitted to enter the palace.

Looking back now, though, it all seemed like a lifetime ago. She lowered her voice and said, “There are indeed many rules in the palace, but as long as we follow the etiquette we learned before and make no mistakes, there shouldn’t be any trouble.”

“His Majesty the Emperor is also benevolent and lenient. Don’t be too nervous.”

Gu Wanyun nodded, tightening her hold on Ji Hanyi’s sleeve. “Elder Sister, you must stay by my side tomorrow. As long as you’re with me, I won’t be nervous.”

Ji Hanyi smiled. “Don’t worry.”

As everyone was about to part, Gu Wanyun linked arms with Ji Hanyi and wanted to accompany her back to her courtyard to talk. Ji Hanyi watched as Gu Wanyun hesitantly continued asking about Shen Si. Ever since they had come out, she had been cautiously probing for information about him.

Was he always so aloof?

Had there ever been any other women by his side?

She asked her questions in a roundabout way, her eyes bashful and her cheeks flushed.

Although Ji Hanyi had met Shen Si several times when they were children, she truly knew very little about him. When it came to Shen Si, there was hardly anything she could tell Gu Wanyun.

Still, she understood that it was only natural for Gu Wanyun to be curious.

Old Madam Shen had only just met her last time, and now they had been summoned by Her Majesty the Empress. Perhaps there was some deeper meaning behind it.

Could the Shen Family truly have taken a liking to Third Younger Sister? But then she recalled Shen Si saying that he had no interest in Third Younger Sister. Looking at Gu Wanyun’s hopeful, bashful expression, Ji Hanyi found herself overwhelmed by complicated emotions.

She was just about to speak when she saw Eldest Maternal Aunt approaching.

The moment Eldest Maternal Aunt arrived, she seized Gu Wanyun’s hand and frowned. “How can you still be in the mood to chat? You’re entering the palace to meet Her Majesty the Empress tomorrow. Shouldn’t you be thinking about how to prepare yourself properly?”

“I asked someone to find a former palace attendant. I heard she once served at the side of an imperial consort. Come with me to meet her now and have her teach you the proper etiquette, lest you lose your manners before Her Majesty the Empress tomorrow.”

“It wasn’t easy to arrange a meeting with her. It cost a hundred taels!”

Gu Wanyun had wanted to talk to Ji Hanyi a little longer, but Madam Zhang dragged her away with considerable force. Ji Hanyi remained where she was, watching how anxious and invested Eldest Maternal Aunt seemed, then silently turned away.

Beside her, Rongchun could not help whispering, “From the looks of it, it really does seem like the Shen Family has taken a liking to Third Young Lady. But I just can’t understand it. Why would they suddenly choose Third Young Lady?”

Ji Hanyi shook her head. She could not understand it either, and it did not seem to be Shen Si’s intention.

But there was no need for her to dwell on it. She had Rongchun accompany her out so that she could finish everything today. Once they had met Her Majesty the Empress tomorrow, they could leave early the morning after.

She had planned to leave the day after tomorrow in any case.

What Ji Hanyi had not expected was to run into Shen Si at the shop while buying an inkstone for her older cousin.

Ji Hanyi had visited the shop that morning. In the afternoon, she met with a broker and entrusted him with reselling it. Only then did she head to Wenyuan Studio to select an inkstone.

At that moment, Rongchun pointed to a purple-stone inkstone displayed inside a box and whispered, “This one looks beautiful. It must cost a great deal of silver, doesn’t it?”

Ji Hanyi took it out and examined it in her hands. She tapped it lightly with her fingernail, producing a deep, solid sound reminiscent of wood. She could tell it was made of Duanxi stone and was an exceptionally fine inkstone.

Yet she shook her head and said softly, “The cost isn’t the issue. If it’s for my older cousin, it has to be an excellent inkstone. This one still isn’t good enough.”

Ji Hanyi often painted, and her father had once enjoyed collecting renowned inkstones, so she knew quite a bit about them. Her gaze shifted to another inkstone beside it.

Faint blue-green markings shimmered across its surface. It was a qinghua inkstone, one of the finest varieties of Duan inkstone. It produced ink as smooth and rich as oil without damaging the brush. It was exceedingly rare to find such a fine inkstone here.

Delighted, Ji Hanyi was just reaching for it when a long, slender hand extended past her from behind and picked it up first.

Ji Hanyi froze. When she turned around, she found Shen Si standing behind her.

He wore a blue robe embroidered with gold patterns and held the inkstone she had chosen in one hand. He looked down at her with dark, fathomless eyes, his face devoid of expression. He remained as cool and dignified as ever.

Ji Hanyi had never expected to encounter Shen Si here. She hurriedly dipped into a curtsy and greeted him.

Shen Si glanced at the inkstone in his hand, then at Ji Hanyi’s face beneath the white gauze of her veiled hat. Even through that thin veil, there was a misty, waterlike softness about her, enough for him to sense at a glance how delicately supple she was, as though she had no bones.

An emotion flickered almost imperceptibly in his eyes. He asked, “Are you buying an inkstone for your older cousin?”

Ji Hanyi assumed Shen Si must have overheard her conversation with Rongchun. She could not help wondering how long he had been listening and whether she had said anything else. Her thoughts ran wild, leaving her distracted even as she answered with a quiet, “Mm.”

Hearing that casual, matter-of-fact response, Shen Si recalled how she had just said that the cost did not matter and that she wanted only the best for her older cousin.

She had left the Xie Family without taking a single thing. She wore old clothes, and the last time he had seen her, she had not been wearing any jewelry. Yet she said money was no concern.
Did she really care that much about that cousin of hers?

Shen Si recalled how, outside the Censorate that day, she had taken her cousin’s hand as he helped her into the carriage.

He fixed Ji Hanyi with a long, intent look.

His gaze inexplicably unsettled her. He was tall and carried an imposing air of authority. His face was always solemn, and his sharp eyes were impossible to read. Whenever she stood before him, she could not help feeling as though she had done something guilty.

Could it be that Shen Si had also taken a liking to this inkstone and was waiting to hear what she thought?

She was about to tell him that he could have it if he liked and that she would simply choose another one when Shen Si spoke again. “I happen to need an inkstone. Would you give this one to me?”

Ji Hanyi froze, unable to react for a moment. She almost thought she had misheard him.

Once she recovered, she remembered that Shen Si’s study held any number of inkstones finer than this one, whether a top-quality Duck-Head Green Zhaohe Inkstone or a Yishui Inkstone. They were all better than this.

Judging by Shen Si’s usual tastes, an inkstone like this should have been beneath his notice.

Ji Hanyi had limited funds and had not gone to one of the finest shops. She had merely hoped she might find something good here. After looking over every inkstone in the store, this was the only one that stood out. She was momentarily baffled, unable to understand why Shen Si would want it.

But when she looked up, she met Shen Si’s placid gaze. There seemed to be a trace of mockery in his expression, as though he thought she could not bear to part with it.

Ji Hanyi’s heart lurched. She owed Shen Si more than she could ever repay. She had only hesitated because she had not expected him to like it; she did not want him to misunderstand. She hurriedly said, “Since Lord Shen likes it, I would naturally be more than happy to give it to you.”

With that, Ji Hanyi quickly moved to pay.

She had taken only two steps when a hand closed around her wrist. Startled, she turned back. Her gaze first fell on Shen Si’s fingers encircling her wrist, then rose to his face.

His hand was slightly cool, but its touch against her skin sent fine tremors through her, stirring an indescribable pounding in her chest.

In a daze, she wondered: Shen Si had always been proper and restrained. Would he consider this inappropriate? Or had that touch meant nothing at all?

She could not help remembering how he had taken her hand at Mr. Zhang’s residence that day as well.

As her heart hammered, Shen Si’s deep voice came from above her. “If you give this one to me, what about your cousin?”

“Aren’t you buying one for him?”

He had already released her wrist by the time he spoke. Ji Hanyi forced down her wildly racing heartbeat and answered with perfect composure, “What matters most is that Lord Shen likes it. I can choose another one for my cousin.”

Shen Si stared at her with his dark, fathomless eyes. Her upturned face was as fresh as spring water, with red lips, pearly teeth, and delicately arched brows. Every trace of her expression was sincere.

The jealousy that had flared in him a moment ago abruptly subsided. Perhaps the cousin she spoke of was not actually that important to her.

The look in his eyes softened little by little, and a rare hint of a smile appeared on his face.

Ji Hanyi stared at that faint smile in a daze, almost spellbound. She had hardly ever seen Shen Si smile.

Ever since she was young, he had always seemed aloof and cold. Yet now, this inkstone – hardly an expensive treasure – had made him smile.

His ordinarily distant features looked unexpectedly handsome and gentle when touched by a smile. Even the chill between his brows faded considerably.

Did he truly like this inkstone so much?

She had always wanted to show Shen Si her gratitude. Since he liked this inkstone, she was happy as well. At long last, she could give him something he genuinely wanted.

Shen Si stood beside Ji Hanyi as she paid. This inkstone was one of the finest in the shop and cost one hundred and fifty taels. Together with the purple inkstone she had chosen earlier, the total came to two hundred and fifty taels.

Ji Hanyi did not begrudge the expense in the slightest, but Rongchun looked utterly pained as she reluctantly took out the silver.

Ji Hanyi quickly nudged Rongchun’s foot with her own, warning her not to embarrass them now. She could not let Shen Si think she was reluctant to spend the money again.

Shen Si glanced sidelong at Ji Hanyi’s furtive little movement. The petite, softly rounded young woman had her head slightly lowered, and every small motion she made looked exceptionally endearing. Another silent smile crossed his face.

When they stepped back onto the street, there was still some light left in the afternoon sky. Shen Si stood before Ji Hanyi, looking at the side of her face beneath the veiled hat. Her ear, faintly visible through the gauze, was still unadorned.

He asked quietly, “Did you look at the painting?”

Ji Hanyi paused. After returning from the Shen Residence yesterday, she had not had a moment to spare. She had planned to look at it when she finally had some free time last night, but her maternal grandmother summoned her again. By the time she returned, it was too late, so she had not seen it.

Now that Shen Si had asked, guilt filled Ji Hanyi’s eyes. “I haven’t had the chance yet.”

Shen Si silently watched her, her luminous pale face only faintly visible behind the thin gauze. People streamed endlessly past them, but he suddenly reached out and lifted the veil hanging from her hat.

Ji Hanyi jumped at the unexpected gesture and instinctively stepped back. Yet with the white gauze raised, she found Shen Si’s unusually deep eyes fixed intently on her. Dark currents surged within them, filled with emotions she could not begin to understand.

Her mind went blank as she heard Shen Si’s deep voice, almost a murmur.

“Remember to look at it when you get back.”