34 Results in the "Uncategorized" category

The Third Prince was a figure known to all. From the imperial court to the civil and military officials, and among the high dignitaries, there was simply no one who had not heard of him; his notorious reputation preceded him like a clap of thunder. Logically speaking, such a character should have become the subject of everyone’s idle gossip after meals. Yet, from top…

It was the third month in the capital, and the first spring thunder had just rumbled. By dawn, the gentle morning rain had ceased. Golden threads of sunlight filtered through the eaves and tiles, softly enveloping the entire imperial city in a tender spring glow. “Quick, look! Is that the top scholar (Tanhualang) of this year?” In the garden of the Vice Minister of…

At the Princess Royal’s Manor, the midday sun felt warm and mellow. Ye Mian lay half-propped on the rain-listening daybed set right by the window. The daybed was piled high with brocade soft pillows. He wore only a loose, moon-white silk under-robe with its sash tied carelessly; his jet-black hair scattered across the pillows like ink bleeding into water. Outside the window, a few…

The Huawu Gate is the west gate of the Imperial Palace. The plaza in front of it is heavily guarded by the Imperial Guards, and ordinary citizens are usually forbidden from approaching it. Today, however, being the day of the internal military examination, the guards in the plaza were withdrawn, making it exceptionally lively. Apart from the military examinees, there were also commoners here…

On the specific calendar days of each month, the entire Ye household was required to accompany the Old Great-Madam for a vegetarian feast. The moment the welcoming ceremony for the Third Prince concluded, Ye Mian rushed back home in a flurry. Vice-Minister Ye arrived half an hour later than Ye Mian. Once he was back, Old Great-Madam Ye instructed the maids to layout the…

The next morning at dawn. The sun rose, and the morning drums on the Chengtian Gate struck right on time. As the ninth beat faded, the echoes, wrapped in golden morning light, slowly drifted down. Carriages and merchants waiting outside the city poured in one after another. Inside the inner city, the breakfast stalls were already bustling with steam and the sound of vendors…

The night was as dark as spilled ink. The capital remained under a strict curfew, casting a profound silence over the four wildernesses, broken only by the sporadic, distant barking of dogs. Overhead, the stars were exceptionally sparse, flickering feebly in the void. The carriage from the Bihua Pavilion traveled along the cobblestone road at an unhurried pace, the rhythmic crunch of its wheels…

The hour of Yin (3:00 to 5:00 AM) had just begun, and the sky was still dark. Inside Yaohui Pavilion, however, the lanterns were already ablaze. A houseful of maidservants and matrons were busy helping Ye Mian wash his face, change his robes, attach his pouches, and pack his snack boxes. The scene was bustling and vibrant. Ye Mian himself was full of spirit.…

Ye Mian sat astride Zhuang Xu’s lap, mischievously pinching the soft flesh of his cheeks and pulling outward. He sounded sour and sarcastic: “The Prince of Rongnan is quite high and mighty! Barely back in the capital and you already have me kowtowing to you!” “Hiss, you little scoundrel!” Zhuang Xu shook his head, hugging him with one arm while using the other to…

Wen Xun’s teasing that the two of them were like “newlyweds enjoying a brief separation” was not entirely wrong. Whenever the two of them exchanged a glance, their eyes seemed to trail with threads of longing. Wen Xun’s round face flushed a deep red; he buried his head to finish dinner with them, refused to even drink his tea, and then fled as if…