Spring Remains the Same - Chapter 23

Puyang had personally selected this residence. The construction of its various pavilions and terraces all adhered to regulations; there was nothing improper. The gate was no exception.

Puyang watched for a while longer, her brow slightly furrowed. Wei Xiu had already walked far ahead, and it was not proper for Puyang to linger. She thought for a moment; since there was no flaw with the gate, the only thing that could have made Sir lose her composure was the residence itself.

The surrounding palace attendants were all trusted aides she had brought from the palace. She called out, “Qin Kun.”

A eunuch immediately trotted forward, bowing. “Your Highness?”

Puyang gestured for him to lean closer and whispered a few instructions in his ear.

Qin Kun listened attentively. Seeing that the princess had no other orders, he performed a salute. “This servant will go and investigate at once.”

Puyang nodded.

Being out of the palace was indeed more liberating than being within its walls. Puyang escorted Wei Xiu to a courtyard specially built for her. The furnishings and decorations inside were elegant and refined, possessing a graceful charm.

The thresholds had been leveled, the steps replaced with ramps, the bed was level with the wheelchair, and the height of all the cabinets was within Wei Xiu’s reach. As far as the eye could see, everything was of a simple, low style, which harmonized well with Wei Xiu’s gentle, scholarly demeanor.

To have gone to such lengths, one could not but say that a great deal of effort had been expended.

Puyang secretly hoped to see Wei Xiu’s face light up with a smile because of her thoughtfulness.

Wei Xiu did indeed smile, a smile both gentle and sincere. However, her face was still pale, and a deep weariness was hidden between her brows, which made the smile on her lips seem almost illusory.

Puyang was slightly disappointed. Seeing that Wei Xiu was truly tired, she set aside the matter of a welcome banquet and simply urged her to rest well, saying they could discuss matters in detail tomorrow.

Wei Xiu thought for a moment and said, “Very well. Your Highness must also be tired today. And this place,” Wei Xiu paused briefly, her gaze sweeping over the surroundings before settling on Puyang, “must have cost Your Highness a great deal of effort. Your Highness should also rest early.”

The slight disappointment from a moment ago vanished at her words. Puyang gave a light laugh. “As long as Sir likes it.”

Puyang did not linger and soon took her leave.

In the eyes of the world, Wei Xiu was, after all, a man. Given the distinction between men and women, Puyang’s sleeping quarters were some distance from Wei Xiu’s courtyard. She walked back, changed her clothes, and a young maid in green robes served her evening meal.

“Has Qin Kun returned?” Puyang asked.

The young maid replied, “Eunuch Qin has not returned.”

Puyang waved her hand, dismissing her. A sense of unease lingered in her heart. Sir’s recent abnormality made her particularly concerned. She had a feeling that Sir’s loss of composure was definitely related to her family background.

As for the so-called Wei clan of Qiao Commandery, perhaps it was merely a cover, not the truth at all.

Puyang ate a little of her evening meal absentmindedly, then lay on her side on the chaise longue, waiting for Qin Kun’s return while recalling every minute change in Wei Xiu’s expression from the evening.

The strength of her grip on her arm, her limp body collapsing against her, and the seemingly placid explanation in her words. Nothing seemed out of place; her body was already weak, and it was only natural to feel exhausted after a long journey. But the more Puyang recalled, the more she felt that Wei Xiu was deliberately hiding something.

Meanwhile, Wei Xiu had also finished her evening meal. Seeing that the food had been barely touched, her attendant could not help but urge, “Young Master, won’t you eat a little more?”

Wei Xiu waved her hand. “Take me to the bamboo grove out back.”

The attendant fell silent at once, a look of sorrow appearing in her eyes. She stopped trying to persuade her, fetched a fox-fur cloak, and draped it over Wei Xiu’s shoulders. Just as she was about to bend down to tie it, Wei Xiu had already fastened the cloak herself, adjusted the edges, and said, “Let’s go.”

The bamboo grove was nearby, visible as soon as one stepped outside. The grove had been tended to, with weeds and stray branches cleared away, thus revealing its original appearance in perfect detail.

Wei Xiu did not enter the grove. She merely watched quietly from the outside. As the wind blew, the leaves rustled. A flush slowly spread across her pale face, followed by a series of coughs that sounded as if they would tear her heart and lungs from her body.

The attendant was frantic, quickly patting her back.

Wei Xiu coughed until tears streamed down her face. She shook her head, and when she finally stopped, her lips were as red as if they were about to drip bl00d. “Don’t be afraid. Since I have set out on this path, this day was bound to come.”

At her nonchalant words, the attendant’s eyes instantly turned red. Wei Xiu could not see it; her own eyes were filled only with the sight of the bamboo grove. This had been her father’s favorite place. Every single bamboo stalk in this garden had been planted by her father’s own hands.

Wei Xiu moved her wheelchair closer to the grove. The bamboo had grown lush and leafy, still green and upright even in late autumn. But to her eyes, it seemed stained with the bl00d of her family. A tear fell from the corner of Wei Xiu’s eye. She reached out and touched a bamboo stalk. The coolness seeped from her palm, penetrating her entire body and chilling her to the bone.

So many years had passed. Her parents and elder brother were already buried in a foreign land, while she alone lived on, like a lonely ghost wandering the world.

Wei Xiu stared blankly. This place, which had once brought her so much joy, now brought her so much pain upon her return. Heads had rolled, bl00d had washed the ground. Every inch her wheelchair rolled felt like rolling over the bodies of her family!

That year had truly concentrated all the bl00d and tears of her entire life.

“Young Master!” the attendant cried, hurrying forward in alarm.

Seeing only panic on her face, Wei Xiu gave a desolate, cold smile. “A Rong, are you not happy? Although this place is completely changed, it was once our home. We’ve come home.”

Puyang sat up, restless. The more she thought, the more uneasy she became. She paced back and forth in her room. Seeing that the sky outside was already dark, she knew the curfew would soon begin. After the curfew, no pedestrians were allowed on the streets. Whether he had found anything or not, Qin Kun should be back by now.

Puyang paced to the eaves and saw the light of a lantern approaching from a distance. Her expression lifted.

Wei Xiu returned to her room, chilled to the bone. The attendant quickly poured a cup of hot tea.

Wei Xiu took it and sipped, and warmth gradually spread through her stomach. Her expression was peaceful, as if the person outside, grieving to the core, was not her.

Seeing her like this, the attendant grew even more worried. She had originally been Wei Xiu’s grandmother’s handmaiden. When the family met with disaster, she was only eight years old. It was thanks to her youth that she did not attract attention and managed to escape with her life. But what could an eight-year-old do? She had intended to flee the capital and deliver the news of her family’s tragedy to Wei Xiu’s father, who was then a Grand General. Who would have known that as soon as she left the capital, she would be abducted and nearly lose her life. Fortunately, by a twist of fate, she encountered Wei Xiu, who saved her.

Wei Xiu had never been one for many words, even as a child. She had her own deep thoughts, which was a good thing. But if she kept sorrowful matters bottled up, it would inevitably harm her body and mind. A Rong, considering her own status, was about to offer a word of advice when she heard Wei Xiu ask, “This evening, outside the residence, did the Princess notice anything?”

A Rong recalled, “It seemed she was suspicious. This servant followed you inside, Young Master, and the Princess fell behind.”

“Mm,” Wei Xiu murmured, asking no more.

A Rong, however, was worried. If the Princess became suspicious and investigated the origins of this residence, she might discover the truth.

“If the Princess sends someone to investigate…”

“She won’t find anything,” Wei Xiu said faintly, her eyes growing deep. “I knew long ago that she was building her residence here, but I didn’t expect that actually coming here would still cause me to reveal my feelings. My self-control is insufficient. It’s fine to let her investigate. If she doesn’t investigate personally, how can she ever trust me completely?”

A Rong frowned, her worry undiminished.

Meanwhile, outside the Princess’s chambers, Qin Kun walked up quickly. He first knelt and kowtowed in greeting. Puyang waited patiently for him to finish his salutations, then said, “Dispense with the ceremony.” Seeing the courtyard full of eunuchs and maids, she added, “Come inside to report.”

Turning and entering the hall, Puyang knelt on a sitting mat and asked, “Did you find out?”

“Yes.” Qin Kun reported in detail. “This servant went to investigate. This place was originally the residence of the former Grand General. Four years ago, Grand General Xu Luan was convicted of treason. The men of his clan were beheaded, and all the female relatives were confiscated and sent to the Yeting as maids.”

Three years ago. Puyang calculated the time. Three years ago, Wei Xiu was eighteen. A surname could be changed, and an age could be slightly increased or decreased, but it would be roughly the same.

A young lady around eighteen years of age…

Puyang asked again, “Did any escape?”

Qin Kun was perplexed. “Everyone was arrested according to the roster. If there were any omissions, it would have been noted, and the Ministry of Justice would have issued a warrant for their capture—I have not heard of any omissions.”

No omissions during the arrest, so could she have escaped from the Yeting? Puyang did not want to entertain the thought, but her intuition compelled her to consider that direction. Not only that, but she felt she was getting closer and closer to the truth.

Puyang could not describe the feeling. If Sir was truly the descendant of a criminal, what was she doing by approaching her? Could it be that everything she had said was a lie, and all her plans for her were just a means of using her?

If that were the truth, it would be too humiliating. Puyang closed her eyes, her hands hidden in her sleeves trembling. Setting aside her past life, in this life, she had been completely sincere with Wei Xiu.

Puyang suddenly recalled Wei Xiu’s strategy for Xiao Dewen to make the princes leave the capital. If she was truly a descendant of the Xu family, then everything would have an explanation. Puyang’s heart clenched tightly. She felt a chill all over, an indescribable disappointment. There was even a faint sense of resentment—resentment that she had betrayed her trust, resentment that she had not reciprocated her sincere treatment! But after this wave of resentment passed, Puyang felt so helpless.

She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. A moment later, she snapped her eyes open. True or not, she had to see the evidence! She would not wrong Sir, and Sir had better not let her guess be correct. Puyang said in a cold voice, “Tomorrow, you will make a trip to the Yeting. Investigate the female relatives of the Xu family and see if they are still alive. For those who are alive, find out which palace they are in. For those who are not, find out when they died, where they are buried, and who examined the body. Investigate everything clearly.” She paused, then added, “Within three days, I want to see the results.”

In recent years, the Xu family was not the only one whose female relatives had been sent to the Yeting. No matter how noble and pampered they were before their conviction, once in the Yeting, they were all lowly servants. It was not strange for one or two to be killed. Furthermore, the maids used in the palace all came from the Yeting. Personnel transfers were frequent, and the rosters were constantly changing. Xu Luan had been a Grand General, so the female relatives in his family probably numbered over a hundred. With such a large number of people, it was not that it could not be investigated, but it would likely take a great deal of effort.

A look of difficulty appeared on Qin Kun’s face, and he wanted to ask the Princess for a couple more days.

Regarding the assassination attempt, Puyang had purged the Hall of Containing Light, not only removing the spies planted by the princes in her palace but also bringing all the palace staff under her control. She had also brought in a few from the Department of Palace Eunuchs to fill the vacancies. Qin Kun was one of those promoted.

He had originally held the post of eunuch in the palace, in charge of female slaves and maids, and had frequent dealings with the Yeting Director. It was perfect to have him handle this matter.

Puyang glanced at him and said, “Just go. No one in the Yeting will give you trouble.”

The implication was that someone in the Yeting would help him. Qin Kun’s spirits lifted, and he immediately knelt and accepted the order.