Naluo watched as Fu Zhao's figure gradually disappeared into the distance. She lowered her gaze to the black jade ring in her hand, noticing a small character engraved on the inside—"Jie."
"Hmm? Isn't his name Fu Zhao? Why is there a 'Jie' character?" she muttered to herself.
"He is known by the courtesy name Jiezi, so he's also called Fu Jiezi," Istah explained calmly, as if he had already learned all about these emissaries.
"Fu Jiezi, Fu Ring?" Naluo suddenly burst into laughter. "No wonder he gave me a ring."
Even Istah couldn't help but soften his expression slightly, his lips curving ever so faintly. Noticing his relaxed demeanor, Naluo seized the moment to complain, "Master, why were you so cold to him? Fu Zhao is my friend, someone I've gone through thick and thin with. We've been apart for so long, and now he's leaving again."
"Are you reluctant to see him go?" Istah glanced at her.
"Of course!" Naluo answered without hesitation. "When I saw him appear before me, I couldn't believe my eyes! I never thought I'd meet him again. Seeing him doing so well now, I'm overjoyed!"
"Enough." Istah's expression grew complicated. He suddenly asked, "Naluo, tell me the truth. Do you really want to go to Chang'an with him?"
Naluo thought for a moment. "I've heard that Chang'an has the most magnificent palaces, the finest food, the most beautiful clothes, and the most bustling streets. If I had the chance, of course, I'd want to see it for myself."
"You're not allowed to go!" Istah interrupted her abruptly, his tone filled with urgency. "You can't go to Chang'an!"
"Master, you're the one who asked, so I answered honestly…"
"I don't care! You're not allowed to go anywhere, not allowed to leave me, and especially not allowed to go off with another man!" Istah's face darkened, his voice tinged with agitation. "Do you know how dangerous this world is? Those men only covet your beauty—they won't cherish you. When I see the way they look at you, it makes my blood boil. I want to gouge their eyes out! And that Fu Zhao—what right does he have to think he can take away the girl I've cherished for so long? I won't let anyone take you from me. No one!"
Naluo stood there, stunned, her heart pounding in her chest. She stared wide-eyed at him, her mind blank. Her heart beat so fiercely that the sound seemed to fill the quiet air. She looked at the young man before her, their gazes locked, as if countless unspoken words were swirling between them. In his eyes, she could see deep emotions flowing—emotions he seemed desperate to convey…
The girl he had cherished for so long… Could he be talking about her?
Naluo watched, dazed, as his hand reached out to gently brush aside the stray strands of hair on her forehead. His fingers lingered there, tracing the contour of her face slowly. From her smooth brow to her glassy, deer-like eyes, and then down to her delicate temples. His hand glided over her flushed cheeks and along the graceful line of her jaw, inch by inch, as if he were pouring all the emotions he had held back for years into this single, tender gesture.
Isthar had never realized that Naluo was like air to him—something so essential, so seamlessly woven into his life that he never truly noticed how vital she was. It wasn't until Fu Zhao's appearance that he understood: without her, his world would collapse entirely.
Now, he wanted to hold on tightly to this "air" that belonged only to him.
"Naluo... my Naluo..." His voice was as soft and clear as a string of pearls. "Stay by my side. No matter what happens, never leave me, alright?"
Hearing him call her name so tenderly, Naluo's heart pounded wildly. She could barely speak. "I... I..." Dazed, she blurted out, "And you? Will you stay by my side?"
Isthar chuckled softly, without answering. Instead, he gently lowered his head and placed a delicate kiss on her palm, as if silently pledging his lifelong commitment.
In that moment, time seemed to freeze. Everything around them stood still—the breeze paused, the sounds of flowers blooming halted. All she could sense was the faint fragrance lingering around him, like threads weaving through her heart, awakening the tender emotions of her young soul.
The setting sun cast a gentle light, enveloping their figures in a warm glow.
After a while, Isthar broke the spell. "Naluo, that black jade ring is too valuable. If you lose it, it would be a shame. How about this—I'll keep it safe for you."
"Master, you just don't want me wearing it, right..."
"I'm doing it for your own good... Anyway, let me take care of it!"
Still in a daze, Naluo walked back, her mind swirling with the events that had just unfolded. What had the prince said to her? What had he done? She looked down at her palm, still feeling the warmth of his lips, a reminder that everything had indeed been real.
As for Chang'an, she had already made up her mind. There was a time when she longed to follow someone there because she had nothing else. But now, things had changed. Here, she had someone more important than life itself to protect. She didn't want to go anywhere. She only wanted to stay by his side.
The sky darkened, and stars began to shimmer in the deep blue. As she passed the western garden, Naluo caught sight of a figure standing beneath a tree. Her heart skipped a beat, a sense of unease rising within her.
It was the second prince, Angui, standing there, his red robes shimmering like a demonic flame in the night. His dark golden hair, slightly damp with evening dew, partially veiled his face, and his long eyelashes cast shadows under his eyes. His lips, perfectly shaped, were curled into an enticing smile—too perfect, almost unnervingly so.
He was beautiful, but in a way that made one's heart tremble with fear.
Because the more beautiful the surface, the darker the shadows behind it.
Suppressing the unease in her heart, Naluo bowed politely, intending to leave this dangerous place as quickly as possible.
"Naruo, you've really outdone yourself this time." Under the starlight, Angui's sharp gaze bore into her, a chilling glint hidden in his eyes.
Naruo's heart skipped a beat, as if thunder had exploded in her mind, nearly causing her legs to give out. A deep fear, like an invisible hand, gripped her heart tightly, making it difficult to breathe.
So, it's finally come to this? He must be referring to that incident, right? She should have been prepared—once they discovered she hadn't returned that night, all suspicion would point toward her. Yet, for some reason, she had clung to a sliver of false hope.
She forced herself to remain calm, pulling a faint smile across her lips. "Your Highness, are you complimenting me on my flute playing? Thank you for your praise."
Angui flashed a dangerous smile that quickly faded. "Did you really think you could hide something from me?"
Naruo continued playing dumb. "This servant is ignorant, Your Highness. I don't understand what you mean."
"Where were you that night?" His next question struck like another bolt of lightning.
Naruo fell silent, feeling cold sweat almost break out on her forehead. He already knew? What should she do? Should she keep playing dumb, or…
No. She absolutely couldn't admit it. If she confessed, it would confirm that this was a plot connected to the Crown Prince. Angui would be able to accuse the Crown Prince of deliberately framing his brother, something the king would never tolerate. In that case, the entire situation could flip on its head, with the framed prince receiving public sympathy and the Crown Prince falling into a precarious position.
How should she respond?
Taking a deep breath, Naruo lifted her head, meeting Angui's eyes with a calm and resolute gaze. "Your Highness, you're aware of the palace rules—without a proper pass, no servant is allowed to leave. You can ask the gate guards. I was in the palace every night."
"Oh? And what have you been doing during those nights?" Angui's tone softened slightly, as though they were merely chatting.
Naruo suddenly recalled how Usma had wanted to teach her embroidery. Now, she had no choice but to gamble on that.
"There's always so much to do, I don't clearly remember everything. But if I finished my tasks early, I would chat with Usma. Sometimes, she'd even teach me embroidery."
"Is that so?" Angui's expression remained unchanged, but Naruo could still feel the oppressive pressure radiating from him. The next moment, he shoved her forcefully against a tree. A heavy pain spread across her back.
"I don't believe a single word you're saying."
"Naluo, I really can't stand stubborn children," An Gui said, gently caressing her face. His hand slid down to her neck, and suddenly, he tightened his grip.
Naluo instantly lost her breath, her vision darkening. It felt as though a venomous serpent was coiling around her throat, squeezing tighter and tighter.
"Where did you go that night?" His hand loosened just a little, forcing her to answer. His voice was so soft, as if he were whispering sweet nothings to a lover.
Fighting through the pain of suffocation, Naluo barely managed to force out a few words between clenched teeth, "I... went nowhere!"
An Gui suddenly released his hold, a faint, inscrutable smile tugging at his lips. "Stubborn children always get hurt in the end."
Naluo coughed violently, gulping in air like someone who had just escaped the clutches of death.
"Second Prince, may I leave now?" she asked, her voice trembling with suppressed rage.
He simply waved his hand, signaling her to go.
Naluo quickly fled, not daring to look back. It wasn't until she returned to the safety of her quarters that she finally felt a sliver of relief, though the heavy weight in her heart remained. She may have dodged a bullet today, but what about tomorrow? An Gui already suspected her, and there would surely be more trouble ahead.
"Naluo, what's wrong? You look terrible," Usma said, putting down her embroidery and handing her a cup of water with concern.
Naluo forced a smile. "It's nothing. I'm just feeling a little unwell."
Usma's eyes suddenly widened as she noticed the marks on Naluo's neck. "Naluo... did the Second Prince...?"
Naluo's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly denied it. "Who told you that? Don't jump to conclusions!"
With a sigh, Usma said, "The Second Prince came by earlier. He asked me where you were the night you didn't return."
Naluo froze, her heart pounding, cold sweat dripping from her brow.
"I told him you were here with me, learning embroidery. I even showed him this." Usma pulled out a piece of poorly stitched embroidery from beneath her pillow.
"But... I never embroidered..." Naluo said, astonished.
Usma gave her a small, knowing smile. "I started working on this the night you didn't return, intentionally making it look clumsy, just in case. I had a feeling it might come in handy one day. It seems I was right. The Second Prince is suspicious by nature, but after seeing my response and the embroidery, it seems he was partially convinced."
"But what if he thinks we're conspiring together?" Naluo asked, still filled with worry.
"Who in the palace doesn't know that I, Usma, never lie? This time, my acting was quite good too," Usma winked, a touch of pride in his voice. "But you should thank someone else."
"Who?" Naro asked, puzzled, unable to think of anyone else who might have helped her.
"Guli. Just as the Second Prince was about to finish questioning me, she suddenly showed up. She mentioned borrowing something of mine that night and casually spoke ill of you, which inadvertently cleared your name."
"Guli? Isn't she usually the one who likes to make things difficult for me?"
"Yes, she often crosses paths with you, but this time she unintentionally helped you," Usma said with a knowing smile. "I didn't expect it either."
"Why would she do that?" Naro frowned, sensing there was more to it.
"Don't be hasty, let me explain," Usma lowered his voice. "When you returned that morning, she happened to see it. When she saw the Second Prince coming to question me, she figured things out and deliberately played her part. She said it was just a way to return a favor, so don't think too much about it."
"A favor?" Naro was taken aback, recalling the incident from years ago when Guli had deliberately spilled tea on her, and she hadn't reported it. It seemed Guli had always remembered that.
"So you've escaped this trouble, but don't engage in such risky behavior again. If you lose your life, nothing else matters," Usma's tone turned serious.
Naro bit her lip and couldn't help but ask, "Usma, aren't you afraid of being dragged down by me?"
Usma chuckled softly, "When I was young, I heard a story about a man named Ji Bu from the end of the Qin Dynasty. He was known for keeping his promises to friends, and even when he was wanted, his friends risked everything to protect him. I've always admired him and wanted to be someone who values loyalty. Naro, we're friends. I'm willing to trust and help you."
Naro felt a surge of emotion, her eyes welling up slightly. "Usma... If you ever find yourself in trouble, I would never stand by idly."
Usma shot her a look, "Oh, you're cursing me now!"
"Not at all, not at all," Naro stammered, "That's not what I meant…"
Usma chuckled softly and gave her a gentle tap on the forehead. "Alright, alright, let's get back to learning embroidery!"
Naro glanced at the atrocious sample and hesitantly asked, "Is my embroidery really that bad?"
"With your current skills, you can't even manage something like this. Come on over!"
"Alright, alright…"