Chapter 6: C6. Guilty.

Chapter 6

Zhao Heng returned to her room, sat down by the bed, and took out the money pouch tucked under the pillow. She poured out the silver coins, counted them, and poured out more than half.

Working in the laundry, she didn't have much income, just a meager amount of wages. She was frugal with her money, not picky about food or clothing, and most of her wages were sent back home to her grandmother by Bai Yu.

Her grandmother was old and in poor health, living alone. Without money to rely on, life would be even harder for her.

Fortunately, Bai Yu would visit her grandmother in Xuejia village every now and then.

In these years, with his support, Zhao Xiang could finally relax.

Initially, Zhao Heng had indeed thought about leaving the palace and living with Bai Yu.

But now, she couldn't entertain such thoughts anymore.

She didn't even know if she would have a tomorrow, if she would be able to leave the palace alive.

It had been two days since the incident at Jing'an Cottage, and the Crown Prince had not questioned her yet. She didn't know what his intentions were regarding her. A sword of uncertainty hung over her head, tied with a single hair that could snap at any moment and shatter her into pieces.

A touch of sorrow glinted in Zhao Heng's picturesque eyes. After a while, she snapped out of her thoughts.

What will come will come, there's no need to worry until it happens.

She remembered her grandmother's words and let out a long sigh.

Well, if he wanted to sentence her to death, she had no power to resist. All she could do was make the best of the present.

She decided to make a pair of shoes for Bai Yu.

The only person she owed in the palace was Bai Yu. He had shown her many kindnesses, but she had never repaid him.

She had long wanted to make him a pair of good shoes, but she couldn't find the right material in the palace and had to ask him to help buy the fabric. Every time she asked him to buy something, he refused to take payment.

So, the idea was put on hold.

Now, she could ask Housekeeper Hui-ning from the Duke's Mansion for help in purchasing the fabric.

After making up her mind, she got up to look for Hui-ning.

Hui-ning was kind-hearted and readily agreed, promising to buy the best cloud brocade fabric in the capital for Zhao Heng.

With a gentle smile, Zhao Heng thanked her and returned to her room.

On her way, she bumped into Yun Feng in the corridor.

"You're back," Yun Feng greeted her with joy. "I've been waiting for you."

Surprised, Zhao Heng asked, "Do you need something, sister?"

Yun Feng inquired, "I remember you work in the laundry, right?"

She nodded, confirming it.

Yun Feng said, "Come with me, I need your help with something.

Zhao Heng looked at Yun Feng's expression, seeing her furrowed brows and sighed, “His Highness' prized Junque Ling robe was burned with a hole by a spark. It was a gift from the Empress Dowager, and His Highness treasures it greatly. Now that it's damaged, I thought since you work in the laundry, you must be skilled with needles and thread, so I hoped you could help.”

Zhao Heng was momentarily stunned, and the hair that held the sword of uncertainty abruptly snapped, and the sharp tip of the sword finally fell down.

She knew that Li Wenjian would seek retribution sooner or later, and when this moment arrived, she was calmer than she had imagined.

“Sister, please go back first. I'll tidy up and come over.” she said softly.

The palace maids in the laundry were adept at needlework.

Zhao Heng's hands were nimble, and she did exquisite embroidery work. In her childhood, when the family's circumstances were poor, she had learned almost everything to make a living - washing clothes, cooking, foraging for wild vegetables, gathering herbs, planting sweet potatoes...

She was willing to learn anything because one day she might need it to survive.

Before, they had specifically taught them needlework in the laundry, and Zhao Heng had learned it diligently.

She had nothing to tidy, so she grabbed her needle and thread and headed to Yan Shan Ju.

If it was a Junque Ling robe that the Empress had given him and treasured so much, why would he trust her to mend it?

Sending Yun Feng to find her was his way of wanting to see her.

Zhao Heng lightly touched her simple needle and thread pouch, comforting herself that there was no avoiding this, and it was better to face it early on.

*

Li Wenjian took a brief nap on the couch, still feeling a bit sleepy upon waking.

In recent years, with the burdens of state affairs as his regent duties, he was constantly under pressure, rarely having such leisurely moments.

The maids were brewing tea in the courtyard, and in the hazy smoke, he saw Zhao Heng appearing in front of the courtyard door.

It had been a while since Zhao Heng had arrived, and the maids informed Li Wenjian was napping, suggesting her to wait inside. She shook her head and stood outside the door.

After not long, as he woke up, one of the maids came out, glanced at her, and said, “His Highness is awake, please come in.”

Suppressing the fear in her eyes, clutching the needle and thread pouch tightly in her hand, Zhao Heng pretended to be calm as she stepped inside. Every step felt like walking on a sharp blade, each one as slow as an old woman.

The distance from the door to the courtyard felt unusually long as she walked, with each footfall echoing clearly in her ears.

Li Wenjian sat on the veranda.

As Zhao Heng reached the steps, she timidly raised her eyes to the figure with their back facing her. Her steps hesitated briefly before she gathered the courage to continue forward.

“I, Zhao Heng, pay my respects to His Highness the Crown Prince.”

Kneeling before him, Zhao Heng performed the respectful bow, pressing her forehead against the cold floor, trying to restrain the fear in her heart as she greeted him in a calm and soothing tone.

"Arise." Li Wenjian raised his chin slightly, giving her a casual glance.

Zhao Heng thanked and stood up.

Even though she stood, she dare not raise her eyes, keeping her gaze downward, her snow-white, slender neck showing a graceful curve, exuding an inherent sense of respect and humility.

"Sister Yunfeng said Your Highness's brocade robe is damaged, Your Highness, where is the clothing?" Zhao Heng lowered her head even further.

Li Wenjian picked up the cloak casually draped over the chair back and handed it to her.

Zhao Heng nervously took the clothing, carefully searching for any damage.

From the sleeve to the hem, and then from the hem to the neckline, she checked the garment meticulously twice, ensuring that it was intact.

Zhao Heng raised her eyes slightly to look at him, her eyes watery.

She understood that he was waiting for her to speak first.

Zhao Heng bit her lip lightly and apologized softly, "This servant deserves death, please punish Your Highness."

The fragmented sunlight filtered through the carved window lattice and fell on her, making her snow-white skin seem to glow, impeccably clean.

Even her voice was soft and gentle, like a stream of spring water flowing slowly, tickling the ears and heart.

Jiang Jin pursued the most exquisite beauty, seeking out beauties everywhere.

Such beauty, falling into his hands, surviving would indeed be a miracle.

And this miracle happened to meet him, who was already poisoned, adding to the intrigue.

After a moment, Li Wenjian shifted his gaze, picked up the tea cup from the nearby table.

There was only a cup of cold tea in the cup.

Zhao Heng stood quietly aside, her eyes filled with apprehension, like a startled deer, feeling restless. She did not know how Li Wenjian would deal with her, having deceived and injured him, which was a great offense to the esteemed prince, even if it meant facing death.

She hesitated for a moment, then went to the stove to add hot water for him.

Li Wenjian picked up the tea cup again, sniffed it, and then added hot water to the cold tea, but the flavor had dissipated.

He took a sip reluctantly, found it tasteless, and set the cup down.

Zhao Heng watched his movements, blinked her eyelashes lightly, then turned to put the copper pot back on the stove.

The stove door was not properly closed, and a piece of charcoal suddenly burst, sparks flying and landing on Zhao Heng's hand, causing her to jerk and the hot copper pot to tilt onto her hand, pouring out a large amount of scalding water.

She hurriedly let go of the copper pot, stepping back half a step, but still could not avoid it, as a stream of hot water flowed over her hand.

Her hand, exposed to cold water from washing clothes for years, often suffered frostbite, leaving many scars. This year's frostbite had already begun to heal, but the hot water ripped open the scab, causing fresh blood to flow. Blood streamed down her hand, even staining her clothing.

Li Wenjian had never seen such clumsiness in a person.

"Fei Yu."

As soon as the last word fell, Feiyu seemed to appear out of nowhere, and in the blink of an eye, he was by the corridor.

He noticed the blood on Zhao Heng's hand and immediately understood Li Wenjian's intention, pulling out a bottle of ointment from his pocket to give to Zhao Heng.

"Thank you, Young General." Zhao Heng winced in pain as she accepted the ointment.

The prince rarely interacted alone with women, and Fei Yu, with a puzzled look, glanced at Zhao Heng's eyes, then caught Li Wenjian's displeased gaze, smiling sheepishly before quickly disappearing.

Zhao Heng opened the ointment, applied it to the wound, and the piercing pain exploded instantly, causing her to inhale sharply and let out a hiss. She reached to her side, intending to find a handkerchief to cover the wound, but her hand came up empty.

She then remembered that she had given her handkerchief to Yun Feng in the morning.

She peeked at Li Wenjian quietly, seeing his brow furrowed high, seeming on the verge of exploding with displeasure.

She lowered her head, lifted a corner of her robe, and quickly wiped a few times.

Li Wenjian noticed her actions and casually grabbed a silk handkerchief from the table, "Can you do it yourself?"

Zhao Heng hesitated, subconsciously nodding at first, then shaking her head.

"Extend your hand."

She tremblingly extended her unsightly hand.

Li Wenjian held the silk handkerchief through her palm, wrapped it around the bleeding wound. His movements were gentle and swift, his fingers dancing like butterflies in flight.

The red mark on her palm fluttered like butterfly wings, bringing back unpleasant memories.

Zhao Heng stiffened, a sense of resistance rising from her heart, forcing her to straighten her spine.

Li Wenjian looked at her with a hint of confusion, "Don't move."

They were close, facing each other, breathing in each other's air. His scent, a mix of deep water and sandalwood, sprayed on her face, the heat rising from her ears, spreading down to her neck and small face.

Li Wenjian gazed at her face, the fragile and broken beauty shattered, like jasmine buds after rain, shrouded in misty fragrance, only detectable when close.

Li Wenjian neatly bandaged the wound but did not remove his hand, his gaze sharp as he stared at her. Subconsciously, Zhao Heng took a step back, her heel against the pillar, with no way back.

His presence loomed over her, like an invisible mountain crashing down, filling her with fear and causing her to tighten her breath, looking up at him.

"I, I..." Zhao Heng felt her breath hitch, mustered her courage and raised her head, "I did not know it was Your Highness... that's why I dared to... to hit... you."

He asked, "If you had known it was me, what would you have done?"

Zhao Heng's hand curled tightly at her side, a sense of helplessness rising in her heart. After a long silence, she bit her lip gently, shaking her head slowly, "I don't know."

Her fate had always been out of her control, like a floating leaf, going wherever the wind blew.

"How did you manage to survive under Jiang Jin?" Li Wenjian suddenly asked.

Zhao Heng's cheeks went as white as paper, turning to look at Li Wenjian in astonishment, fear and panic filling her eyes like deep pools.

"Your... Your Highness, how do you know?" She asked, feeling foolish after speaking, realizing that nothing could be hidden from him.

She thought that with Jiang Jin's death, this matter would be forever buried, never to hear that nauseating name again in her lifetime.

Blood from her wound clung to Li Wenjian's hands, the sticky sensation making him uncomfortable. He walked over to a basin nearby and washed his hands, the gurgling water providing a background to Zhao Heng's ruminations about the purpose behind Li Wenjian's question.

As everyone knew, the first major act Li Wenjian undertook after assuming his role as advisor to the emperor was to eliminate the corrupt eunuch Jiang Jin.

That night, after drinking heavily, Zhao Heng had...

If she were in Li Wenjian's shoes, how would he interpret this incident?

He would undoubtedly conclude that Zhao Heng had ulterior motives and was conspiring with the deceased Jiang Jin.