Echoes of My Heart Throughout the Court-Chapter 332: You’re Such a Good Person!
Xu Yanmiao: [I get it now!]
The Crown Prince nodded: I get it too!
Princess Xiangyang, eager to jump in: I-I get it too!
The old emperor clenched his fists.
You get it, my ass!
“Bang bang—”
“Oww—”
The old emperor withdrew his fists. Xu Yanmiao and the Crown Prince were clutching the big bumps on their heads, grimacing in pain.
But it was fine. Even if he couldn’t speak, Xu Yanmiao still had his inner monologue! Terrifyingly effective!
[Too much!]
Xu Yanmiao complained inwardly:
[This was Lord Quan who taught me! If you’ve got the guts, hit him instead! You’re just picking on me because I can get smacked without consequences. If you hit Lord Quan, he might get osteoporosis and drop straight to the ground!]
The old emperor let out a cold “heh.”
I’m the emperor. I’ll hit whoever I want. Deal with it!
[And honestly, if you’ve got the energy, why not go beat up that punk who’s about to confess to your daughter?]
“???”
Who?!
The old emperor’s brows immediately knit together.
He did want his daughter to find her ideal partner, and was happy for her to choose her own love.
But if anyone dared to sneak around and seduce his daughter behind his back—then don’t blame him for being ruthless.
—Such is the tyranny of the Great Emperor!
Princess Xiangyang poked her head out from the crowd.
Yes, she’d run fast earlier, so only Xu Yanmiao and the Crown Prince got smacked.
At the moment, Her Highness was peering around, eyes sharp and eager.
Who is it?! Which of my sisters?!
[Oh no! Bad timing! Where’s Gao Xiang?! I was gonna warn her!]
A sudden jolt of animal instinct shot through Princess Xiangyang. She stiffly turned her head—only to see a scholar holding a huge bunch of rapeseed flowers, eyes sparkling with emotion.
The scholar took two steps forward: “Your Highness, may I have a word with you in private?”
Princess Xiangyang: “……”
She felt the weight of countless eyes falling on her, her brain spinning with dizziness.
But—if she didn’t deal with this now, who knew what else Lin Zhi might do?!
Princess Xiangyang forced herself to suppress her temper, expressionless: “Fine. Somewhere private.”
They went to a boat on the stream.
The stream gently carried the boat. A boy and girl stood at the bow, clothes fluttering in the breeze—it was an undeniably romantic scene.
Lin Zhi’s eyes were full of pure joy.
At first, he hadn’t known Princess Xiangyang’s identity. When he found out by accident, he’d been genuinely overjoyed.
Everyone knew: Princess Xiangyang and Xu Shentong had no feelings for each other. If they did, the Emperor would’ve granted them marriage ages ago—there would’ve been no room for other suitors.
So, emboldened, he wrote a poem—and by luck, it became popular in the capital…
“Your Highness,” Lin Zhi spoke with what he thought was calm composure, though his voice trembled with shy excitement. “I’ve written a poem—may I have the honor of your appreciation?”
Princess Xiangyang kept her expression cold, her attitude crystal clear—leaving absolutely no room for misunderstanding. “Why do you insist on giving me your poems?”
Lin Zhi’s eyes lit up with enthusiasm. “The other day, I happened to overhear Your Highness speaking with Lord Xu. You said you wished for someone to watch the snow, the stars, and the moon with you, someone to talk with about poetry and philosophy. I…”
His face flushed red again. “I have some knowledge of poetry…”
Princess Xiangyang found it utterly baffling. “When did I ever…”
Her words trailed off, as if her throat had suddenly been coated in syrup. For a moment, she couldn’t continue, her expression turning odd.
She remembered now. She had said that. But those were words she’d learned from Xu Yanmiao—she’d just wanted to use them to gross out her father. This guy overheard it and actually thought it was her romantic ideal.
Princess Xiangyang raised a hand to her head, hiding the twitching corner of her mouth. Her tone remained mostly composed. “You want to be my Prince Consort?”
Lin Zhi nodded. Then, realizing she might not see the gesture, he quickly added aloud, “Yes! I am deeply fond of Your Highness.”
Xiangyang lowered her hand, fixing her gaze on him. She was like the blazing sun—radiant and bold. Even when discussing her own marriage, she was never shy nor evasive.
She lifted her chin slightly. “Then what can you do for me?”
So Lin Zhi told her.
He knew he couldn’t compete with the prestige of the royal family. The only thing he could offer was sincerity.
“Your Highness seems fond of rapeseed flowers, so I learned how to grow them—how to turn them into honey, grind them into rouge, weave them into flower crowns… So each day, you could receive a gift that’s thoughtful and unique.”
“Your Highness has ambitions. If you choose a consort, I imagine you’d want someone capable and considerate, someone who can care for you when you return home and manage the household on your behalf. May I… may I be that person?”
“I’ll pay close attention to your preferences. If Your Highness lingers on a dress, a piece of jewelry, a box of rouge—I’ll remember and make sure it ends up in your hands.”
“If Your Highness enjoys fine food, I’ll scout the markets while you’re at court—searching for new restaurants or delicacies praised by many—and have it ready for you the moment you return.”
There was more he didn’t say—because he didn’t want to sound like he was trying to earn credit.
If this were to happen, he’d gladly accommodate the princess’s every whim.
He’d been in the habit of drinking a little every evening for five or six years—but if the princess disliked the smell of alcohol, he’d quit as soon as possible.
He usually stayed up past midnight—but if she preferred otherwise, he’d be in bed, eyes closed, by 11 p.m. sharp.
And countless other little things…
“No matter what Your Highness asks—if it’s something I can do, I will do it.”
Lin Zhi’s voice was firm with resolve.
As he spoke, he raised the bouquet of rapeseed flowers in his hands, offering them to Princess Xiangyang with both warmth and sincerity.
“The gentleman and the lady, teasing and laughing—he gifts her a peony.”
Since ancient times, when a man confesses his feelings to a woman, he presents her with a peony. Lin Zhi didn’t bring peonies—he brought the rapeseed flowers the princess loved.
Princess Xiangyang didn’t take the flowers.
She made a gesture, and the boatman began slowly steering the boat toward the shore.
“Then stop liking me. I will never like you. Don’t come bother me again.”
As she nimbly leapt ashore, her face turned slightly, a beam of sunlight slanting across her cheek, landing right on the rapeseed flowers.
Lin Zhi asked anxiously, “Is it because of Xu Shentong?!”
Princess Xiangyang looked back at him. “It has nothing to do with him.”
Lin Zhi pressed on, still desperate, “Then is it because I’m not good enough? I can learn! I can treat you well!”
Princess Xiangyang said, “You’re a good person.”
Lin Zhi: “Then…”
Princess Xiangyang looked him in the eye and said seriously, firmly, “I don’t want to get married. Whether you’re good or not—what does that have to do with me?”
Lin Zhi stood there, stunned on the boat, watching as Princess Xiangyang said those words and then cheerfully walked away in the sunlight.
He looked down at the bouquet of “rapeseed flowers” in his hands.
In the seventh month, where in the capital would you even find rapeseed flowers?
This bouquet—its petals carved from gold foil, its stems made of polished jade—never did reach its intended recipient.
Lin Zhi stepped off the boat, heartbroken, and passed through a village. By then, lanterns had begun to glow in the dusk, and the village was still buzzing with life. Vendors called out from their stalls; villagers strolled the streets holding their chubby babies, admiring toys and trinkets, unable to part with their money.
Someone spotted Lin Zhi and called out in a panic, “Young Master Lin! Thank goodness you’re here! My pig’s not doing well—can you come take a look?”
Lin Zhi instantly came to his senses. “What’s wrong? Quick, take me there!”
To these poor villagers, a pig was practically half their livelihood.
Upon examining the pig, he saw crust in its eyes and red bumps on its tongue. “It’s a heat-related condition!”
After thinking for a moment, Lin Zhi said, “No need to worry. Just mix some fish mint and plantain seeds into its feed.”
The villager thanked him profusely, bowing repeatedly—so much that Lin Zhi couldn’t stop him even if he tried.
“Young Master Lin, you’re truly a good person!”
At those words, Lin Zhi sniffled—and suddenly felt like crying.
—Why is it always ‘a good person’?
A Jinyiwei officer surfaced from the water, gasping for air.
He spat out the bamboo tube he’d been using to breathe and took in huge gulps of air before rushing to the palace to report to the emperor everything that had happened between Princess Xiangyang and Lin Zhi.
—Mainly because Lord Xu, out of respect for his friend, hadn’t gone to spy on the princess. Otherwise, there’d have been no need for the Jinyiwei at all.
When the emperor heard the officer’s report, he was genuinely surprised. “She really said that?”
The Jinyiwei gave a small bow. “This subject speaks only the truth.”
The old emperor waved his hand. “You’re dismissed.”
Ah, that girl! How can a woman not get married?
Men take wives, women marry husbands—that’s the proper order of things… The old emperor paused, suddenly recalling the words, “Your Majesty, your entire family, including yourself, is terribly lacking in propriety.” His eyelid twitched. He deftly skipped past the topic of “propriety” and continued grumbling to himself: Shengxian is getting way too bold. From the way she talked, it sounds like she doesn’t ever want to get married!
How could that be acceptable?!
The old emperor ordered someone, “Summon Xiangyang here.” But just as the servant accepted the order and was about to step out of the hall, he hesitated and quickly changed his mind. “Wait! Forget it.”
He knew his daughter better than anyone—Shengxian had inherited his own temperament. Once she made up her mind, nothing could change it.
Was he really going to push his daughter to her death?
Better to wait and see.
“So the problem’s resolved?”
“Mm! Perfectly resolved!”
The two little conspirators met up again.
Xu Yanmiao clapped for Princess Xiangyang. “You’re amazing!”
Princess Xiangyang crossed her arms and leaned against the wall, chin raised proudly. “Of course! Once this princess makes a move, success is guaranteed!”
Xu Yanmiao kept clapping. “Then, Your Highness, would you like to go see how Zhu Bailu is doing now?”
Princess Xiangyang’s eyes lit up. “Yes!”
So off they went to enjoy the aftermath.
When they arrived at the temporary residence of Zhu Bailu in the capital, they saw a large crowd already gathered. Heads bobbed in the sea of people—jade-colored silk, pale blue cotton, dark green robes, all kinds of garments. At some point, a dozen or so scholars had appeared, now sitting in a neat row outside Zhu Bailu’s door, all with heads held high, radiating self-righteous energy.
Xu Yanmiao and Princess Xiangyang squeezed closer. “What are you all doing?”
It was dark, and none of the scholars had ever met Xu Yanmiao up close, so they didn’t recognize him as Xu Shentong. One of them politely stood up and gave a cupped-hand salute. “Greetings, brother.”
Xu Yanmiao hurried to return the courtesy.
Then the scholar explained—they had come to debate scriptures with Zhu Bailu.
“He enjoys scriptural debates, doesn’t he? We enjoy them too, so we’ve queued up to debate with him.”
“Queued up?”
“Yes. We’ve been at it since the hour of Wei (around 1–3 PM) and it’s been three hours already. The ones ahead of us just finished—it’s almost our turn.”
As he spoke, the scholar massaged his legs.
Sitting cross-legged for that long, and one starts to fall apart.
Xu Yanmiao and Princess Xiangyang exchanged a glance.
Xu Yanmiao decisively opened his system.
[Tsk tsk…]
Sure enough, he saw Zhu Bailu’s current state.
[So pitiful. He’s an old man already, and for six straight hours he’s done nothing but talk. The guy’s about to pass out from sheer exhaustion.]
Princess Xiangyang whispered, “Serves him right.”
[Nothing else to see here, then.]
Xu Yanmiao had no desire to kick a man while he was down. It was getting late anyway. He said goodbye to Princess Xiangyang and leisurely headed home.
When he arrived at his gate, he saw someone standing by the mailbox nailed to the wall, slipping something into it.
Xu Yanmiao called out, “Excuse me, can I help you?”
The person jumped in surprise. Seeing clearly that it was Xu Yanmiao, they sighed in relief. Then, clutching the hem of their robe nervously, they said softly, “Young master… Do you remember the courtesan you saved a year and a half ago?”
Xu Yanmiao immediately remembered—it was that woman who had nearly been sacrificed to the River God, the one he had rescued.
He had disguised himself as a woman to pull off that rescue. Definitely an unforgettable experience.
“It’s you? Did you come looking for me for something?”
The woman kept her head lowered. She looked a little shy, but still mustered her courage and said, “Young master, you saved me from misery that day. Now I’ve come across something that might help your career, and I’ve come to repay your kindness!”
As she spoke, she lifted both hands and offered Xu Yanmiao a scroll.
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