Chapter 20 — From Silk Flowers to Real Blossoms - The Regent Forced Me to Become Empress and Marry Her

She didn't see me, she didn't see me, she didn't see me.

Shen Changyin nodded toward Xie Yu.

She saw me.

Don't come over, don't come over, don't come over.

Shen Changyin walked toward them with her subordinates.

She's coming.

Don't steal my candy, don't steal my candy, don't steal my candy.

Xie Yu swiftly tossed all the candies into her money pouch, leaving only one in her palm.

"Third Highness," Shen Changyin greeted as she stopped before her, faintly carrying the scent of ink and paper. "Long time no see."

Xie Yu forced a smile and turned her palm outward.

"Master Shen, want a candy?"

"One?"

Xie Yu nodded.

"Mm. I only managed to catch one. I'm giving it all to you."

Shen Changyin's gaze swept briefly across the money pouch at Xie Yu's waist. She did not comment. She simply reached out and took the candy from Xie Yu's palm.

Her fingertips grazed Xie Yu's hand lightly, leaving a faint ticklish feeling. When Xie Yu pulled her hand back, she hid it behind her awkwardly, opening and closing her fist.

Shen Changyin put the candy away. "It is not far from here to Central Avenue. It is within walking distance. Let's go."

She began walking along the side of the road, and Xie Yu instinctively followed.

Then suddenly she felt something was wrong. How did this turn into them going shopping together?

She looked back. Both Little Wan and Shen Changyin's subordinates were gone.

"They would feel more at ease not following us." Shen Changyin said this without turning her head.

But Xie Yu knew perfectly well that was not the real reason. These people were obviously trying to create alone time between her and Shen Changyin.

Damn CP fans.

I will purify all of you.

She could only accept her fate. She sped up and caught up to Shen Changyin.

She remained silent as they walked toward Central Avenue. Even before they entered it, the street edges were already full of small vendors.

Shen Changyin finally spoke.

"The investigation into the secret owner behind Mingyan House is almost complete."

Xie Yu instantly pulled her attention away from the vendors. "Who is it?"

"The Fifth Princess."

"The Fifth Princess?" Xie Yu repeated in disbelief.

Shen Changyin said, "Yes."

Xie Yu shook her head. "Do you really think it sounds like her?"

She thought of her sisters, all of whom were now living like obsessed health fanatics.

"If the boss behind Mingyan House really were one of the princesses, don't you think a sensual place like that is far more in line with the Second Princess's style?"

Among the six sisters, all the others had inherited the emperor's devotion to Daoist practices. They used food therapy or herbal medicine. Only the Second Princess practiced… other kinds of 'supplements'.

Shen Changyin said, "But based on the flow of funds, the boss behind the scenes is indeed the Fifth Princess. That is why we are investigating another angle."

Xie Yu said, "The source of the love-bewitching drug."

Shen Changyin replied, "Yes. According to the interrogation of the manager, the drug is distributed in fixed amounts. On the seventh day of each month, someone delivers it to the top floor of Mingyan House. No one has ever seen who the delivery person is."

"The person who produces the drug is very likely someone working for the Second Princess. Anyone capable of making such a formula must be extremely talented. The Second Princess would not kill such a person lightly."

Xie Yu made a guess. "So you want to find the evidence and witnesses behind all this, and at the same time take down both my second sister and my fifth sister?"

She pretended to sigh in mock indignation. "Wow, what a terrible political-marriage wife you are."

Shen Changyin looked at her, then at Xie Yu's money pouch. "Right back at you."

As they spoke, they passed under the archway of Central Avenue. Instantly, light, color, fragrance, and the loud cheerful crowd surged toward them. The view opened wide.

Countless lanterns hung from branches, from balconies, from vendor stalls, from the hands of passing women. Even at night, the street shone as bright as day.

Everywhere, women were beautifully dressed, strolling with their lovers. Under the shifting lights, their expressions glowed with joy.

Singers and musicians stood on the balconies of the buildings on both sides. They sang boldly, voicing passionate confessions, or shy and tender love songs. Now and then, they grabbed handfuls of flower petals and flung them into the air, sending showers of blossoms drifting onto passersby.

There was no danger here. No need to worry about tomorrow. One only needed to enjoy the spring night.

In this moment, it felt like a paradise had descended to earth.

"This is wonderful." Xie Yu murmured.

Far ahead, at the center of the street, stood an enormous wooden dragon frame, coiling upward into the sky. Its tail reached the rooftops on both sides. Fire burned inside the hollows of its eyes.

"Is that the Flower Dragon? Why is it only a frame?" she asked without being able to stop herself.

Shen Changyin turned her head slightly toward her. A barely noticeable crease appeared between her brows, quickly smoothed away. She then explained patiently.

"The scales of the Flower Dragon are made by the common folk together. Artisans attach them afterward."

She pointed toward a small building on the side of the road. The doors were wide open. Inside were countless wooden buckets woven from bamboo.

Shen Changyin led Xie Yu inside and casually picked up something from one of the buckets. Only then did Xie Yu realize it was a petal-shaped piece made of curved bamboo strips, covered with sheer gauze.

"The dragon's scales are these petals. Passersby may take one, then attach real flowers to the gauze. They can also hide a slip of paper with their wish beneath the flower. After finishing, they hand the petal to the artisans waiting outside, and the artisans attach it to the Flower Dragon."

Xie Yu's eyes lit up. "So we should go make one now?"

"No need to rush." Shen Changyin said, "The artisans begin attaching petals only at the fourth quarter of the Dog Hour, and continue until midnight. The lamps inside the dragon will be lit only after that. We can make our petals when they begin their work."

Xie Yu understood. It meant the artisans would work from around eight at night until midnight, so there was plenty of time.

Shen Changyin guided her out of the building. "We can buy something first. All craftspeople enter the city tonight. The Flower Moon Festival lasts a long time. There will be many rituals along the way, and the items for them can all be bought here."

Xie Yu looked around excitedly. She indeed found many things she liked. She had no idea what they were for or whether she needed them, but if she liked it, she wanted it.

She picked up a small lotus lantern, more delicate than the usual lotus lamps, with more petals and finer details.

"Eighty coins," the vendor said.

"Forty," she countered.

"Ah, customer, I run a small business. I barely make any profit. Eighty is already very low." The vendor sized up her clothes and continued, "I truly do not want to sell it at a loss, but you are elegant and refined. This red lotus lamp suits you perfectly. How about seventy? Take it for seventy."

"Forty."

"I already lose money at that. Sixty-five."

"Fifty."

"I really earn nothing at that price."

"Fifty-five."

The vendor clicked her tongue. "You look so young. How are you this good at bargaining? Sixty. Let us settle at sixty."

"Deal." Xie Yu paid, took the little red lotus lamp, and admired it with satisfaction.

Behind her, Shen Changyin picked up a matching lotus lamp with white petals tipped in pale yellow. She looked at the vendor. "The same price as hers."

She handed over sixty coins.

The vendor happily pocketed the money.

Xie Yu glanced at her and puffed her cheeks. This woman had used the result of her bargaining.

They bought many more things. Xie Yu bargained smoothly at every stall. Shen Changyin sometimes followed her purchases, sometimes did not.

After buying two wreaths made of real flowers, Xie Yu walked forward. After a while, she noticed Shen Changyin was no longer beside her. She turned and found her stopped in front of a velvet-flower stall, holding a purple iris-shaped velvet flower and examining it.

"You want a velvet flower?" Xie Yu returned to her side. "This one really does suit you."

The vendor grinned widely. "Customer, this is high-quality velvet flowerwork from Gusu. The colors are lifelike and the craftsmanship is exquisite enough to fool bees and butterflies."

"It is also the most expensive one on my stall, but I promise you it is worth the price. Six hundred coins."

Xie Yu said, "Why don't you just start robbing people?"

Shen Changyin did not respond. She only continued to examine the flower.

Truthfully, this velvet flower was the best Xie Yu had seen tonight. The shape of an iris was complicated, yet this piece looked astonishingly realistic. Even the folds and curves of the petals were perfectly crafted.

Most velvet flowers looked heavy because the petals were too thick, unlike real flowers. But this one avoided that flaw entirely.

Still, it was not worth six hundred coins.

Xie Yu was still haggling when she heard Shen Changyin say first, "I will take it."

Xie Yu's eyes widened. She grabbed Shen Changyin's sleeve and pulled her aside, very close, whispering, "Have some restraint. We can bargain!"

Shen Changyin said, "But I like it."

"But six hundred coins!" Xie Yu whispered fiercely. "Aren't you supposed to be a self-made rebel leader? How can you be so extravagant? Weren't you supposed to be poor?"

A flicker passed through Shen Changyin's eyes.

Yes.

In her past life, when she studied, she had been painfully poor, bullied even by beggars, so poor she did not even have a ruined temple to sleep in, so poor she stole offerings from graves.

Even after placing third in the imperial exam, she was still poor.

But after marrying you, and after you left a farewell letter and died, she became rich. Eating the best, drinking the finest tea, wearing the finest silk, wealthy in a way that a dead spouse could never protest.

At least until she became a living medicine vessel.

But when Xie Yu said "Have some restraint, do not look too eager, let me bargain for you", Shen Changyin still nodded.

Xie Yu was pleased.

But when she turned around, the purple iris velvet flower had already been sold. The vendor was packaging it for someone else.

Seeing them turn back, the vendor put on a guilty smile. "Sorry, customer, the velvet flower has already been sold."

Xie Yu froze. She felt she had ruined it. She knew Shen Changyin truly liked it and had no idea how to comfort her.

She fell back into old habits and repeated the dry scolding her grandmother used when she bought useless toys. "It is just an ornamental thing. It is not actually useful, right?"

The vendor smirked wickedly. "Customer, where are you from? Everyone knows that from the day the Flower Dragon is lit until the Flower Moon Festival ends, flowers carry good fortune. Everyone must keep flower ornaments near them, even in the bedroom."

Superstition, all superstition—!

Xie Yu thought angrily but did not dare say it aloud. She slowly turned toward Shen Changyin, guilty.

"You… someone like you who defies fate, you definitely do not believe in that, right?"

Shen Changyin blinked once.

"I believe that."

Aaaaahhh—!

She messed up again!

Xie Yu gritted her teeth.

"Wait for me."

She took off in a half-run and quickly disappeared into the crowd, mentally reviewing the map of the capital. If she remembered correctly, the Second Princess's residence was nearby.

After finding the place, she saw magnolia flowers blooming beautifully over the wall. The ones on the branches were fully open, elegant and stretched wide. Elsewhere, most magnolia buds were still upright like tiny lanterns.

She chose a spot the guards couldn't see, rubbed her hands together, and began climbing the wall.

Meanwhile, Shen Changyin stayed exactly where she was, standing beside the small stall.

The stall owner tried to recommend another velvet blossom ornament, but Shen Changyin cast her a cool glance. The woman shivered and shut her mouth instantly.

About the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, she heard someone calling her. Shen Changyin lifted her eyes.

Xie Yu was carrying a slim, narrow bamboo basket. Inside were branches of pink magnolia blossoms, graceful and full with plump buds. Her eyes sparkled as she stumbled her way through the crowd.

When she saw Shen Changyin looking her way, she waved excitedly.

"Here." She stopped in front of her and handed over the basket. "Pretty, right? And it smells good."

Shen Changyin looked at her, noticing how breathless she was from running, the strands of hair dampened with sweat on her forehead. For a moment, she didn't take the basket.

"Why aren't you taking it?" Xie Yu paused, then seemed to realize something. She pulled out a handkerchief and wrapped it twice around the handle. "The handle really is a bit rough. Your skin's delicate."

"Go on, take it." She offered it again.

Shen Changyin looked deeply at her, then finally accepted the basket.

Xie Yu let out a relieved smile.

From the side, the vendor said.

"Miss, do you know why everyone uses velvet flowers for blessings? Real flowers wilt in just two days."

Xie Yu instantly spun around, baring her teeth.

"Mind your business!"

"If they wilt, I'll get her more! I'll bring them every day for a month!"

Behind her, Shen Changyin let out the softest laugh. Seeing Xie Yu turn around, she hid the smile again.

"In that case, I am truly grateful."

"Let's keep walking." Xie Yu couldn't wait to drag Shen Changyin away from the stall.

Ahead was the entertainment square little Wan had mentioned. There were lantern riddles, but more importantly, all kinds of small physical competitions.

In the center of the street was a platform—low but very wide, so everyone could clearly see what happened on it.

A circus troupe was performing. When they finished, the troupe leader doubled as the host, standing in the middle with a booming voice.

"Spring brings early blessings, and flowers bring good fate. Folks, you all know the rules of our yearly Flower Moon festival!"

The crowd let out a wave of knowing, teasing noises.

"Anyone who wants to join the competition can register with my assistant down at the front. But this is the festival of fate, so one person can't register alone. You must bring your wife, or your future wife, to sign up!"

Xie Yu, who had been about to rush forward, stopped immediately.

"I'm not playing anymore." She was crushed.

"Didn't Your Highness have great ambitions tonight?" Shen Changyin said with a soft smile.

"You didn't hear her? We have to register together." Xie Yu shook her head. "And I'm sure that's not the only requirement. There will definitely be traps to push couples together."

She wasn't stupid. She wasn't jumping into a pit she dug for herself.

She turned to leave, but Shen Changyin suddenly tugged her sleeve.

"Your Highness, I'm afraid you must participate in this contest."

"Why?"

Xie Yu turned back and saw a woman in deep red robes, striking and gorgeous, walking up the platform with her lover in her arms.

It was the Second Princess.

No wonder Xie Yu had wanted to commit two murders within a month. Their auras naturally clashed. And to make it worse, they were wearing matching outfits—same hue, same style.

The Second Princess stepped onto the stage, spotted Xie Yu below, and smiled with serene arrogance, tossing over a challenging look.

Her lips moved silently: "Coward, afraid to lose."

Xie Yu immediately grabbed Shen Changyin by the wrist and bulldozed her way toward the registration desk.

Her teeth clenched.

"I'm going to destroy her."