Wen Shiqing glanced around casually, then quickly lost interest.
With the crowd ahead surging restlessly, she had no desire to join the chaos. She kept close to the street corner as she walked; after all, now that she was back at the estate, she needed to deal with Lu Xuechi's situation as quickly as possible. Otherwise, in a couple of days, she would have to head to the outskirts of the Capital to begin pre-inspection preparations for the upcoming prayer ceremony. Once things got busy, it would be far too disruptive to her plans.
Lost in thought, she was suddenly slammed hard on the shoulder. Staggering, she nearly fell to the ground. Just as she managed to steady herself, she heard someone shouting at the top of their lungs:
"The imperial guards are coming!"
"Make way, make way!"
"Get out of the way, move aside!"
The crowd instantly erupted like a boiling pot, and the already chaotic scene spiraled further out of control. Swept along by the human tide, Wen Shiqing was pushed forward involuntarily. Just as she managed to regain her footing, her ankle twisted, and she pitched backward.
At that exact moment, only one thought flashed through her mind: *If I’d known this would happen, I wouldn’t have stuffed height-increasing insoles into my shoes!*
The very second she closed her eyes, a strong arm reached out from behind her at an angle, catching her waist firmly. With a single fluid motion, the person effortlessly hoisted her up.
The anticipated pain never came. Instead, her arm collided solidly against a hard chest.
Heart still pounding with lingering fear, Wen Shiqing slowly opened her eyes. The first thing that came into view was the intricate pattern embroidered in gold thread on dark fabric, gleaming brilliantly in the sunlight. When she lifted her chin and recognized the person who had caught her, she gasped sharply.
It was none other than the owner of the luxurious carriage—Prince Jiu of the current dynasty.
Wen Shiqing’s mind went entirely blank. Her first instinct was to back away and drop to her knees in a full kowtow. But the moment she took a step backward, a piercing pain shot through her sprained ankle. Her body swayed uncontrollably, and she nearly fell again.
Quick-witted and agile, Shen Heting extended a long arm once more to steady her by the arm. "Censor Wen, don't force it."
As soon as Wen Shiqing was standing firmly, a guard standing nearby stepped forward to take over supporting her. In no time, two rows of imperial guards cleared away the dense crowd blocking the middle of the street.
Supported by the guard, Wen Shiqing raised her hands, cupped her fists in a respectful bow, and said in a clear voice: "This humble official pays respects to Prince Jiu."
Shen Heting gave a casual wave of his hand and asked the guard kneeling on one knee ahead of him, "Where is the culprit?"
From Wen Shiqing's angle, she could only see his sharply defined profile. His features were firm yet handsome, with a high bridge of the nose and deep-set eyes—an impeccably striking profile.
The guard hurriedly reported, "Reporting to the Prince, the troublemaker has been apprehended and taken away."
Shen Heting gave a slight nod, turned around, and unexpectedly met Wen Shiqing's assessing gaze. Wen Shiqing had simply been mentally praising him a few times, never expecting him to turn around so suddenly. In a flash, her heart gave a violent jolt; she instinctively lowered her gaze and quickly looked away.
Shen Heting raised an eyebrow slightly, his gaze shifting from her embarrassed face down to her ankle. "Is Censor Wen returning to her residence after court?"
This was only the second time he had laid eyes on Wen Shiqing in person—or the third, if he counted seeing her portrait. Yet lately, that girl Qingli hadn't stopped chattering about Wen Shiqing in his ear. One moment she was insisting Lord Wen truly seemed like a fine person, and the next lamenting what a terrible pity it was. If not for...
Shen Heting's gaze swept over Wen Shiqing's lower body with casual indifference. If not for her hidden affliction, he would have suspected Qingli had taken a fancy to him as a prospective imperial son-in-law.
Composing herself, Wen Shiqing offered a slight bow. "Replying to Prince Jiu, indeed I am on my way back from court."
Shen Heting gave a slight nod. "Young Master Yun, Censor Wen's foot is injured. Escort her back to her manor."
"There is no need to trouble Young Master Yun, Your Highness. My home is just ahead, I can manage..."
Shen Heting raised a hand to cut her off. Though his expression remained calm, it carried an undeniable finality. "No need to refuse."
Young Master Yun bowed slightly. "Understood, Your Highness."
With no other choice, Wen Shiqing could only brace herself and express her gratitude: "Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness. I am deeply grateful. Apologies for the trouble, Young Master Yun."
Shen Heting shot her another ambiguous glance before signaling for Young Master Yun to escort Wen Shiqing away.
No sooner had they left than Yun Xi hurried over. "Your Highness, I've cleared the road. We can depart."
Watching the direction in which Wen Shiqing had departed, Shen Heting suddenly reached out, mused for a moment, and asked out of the blue, "Tell me, what is the official salary of a Palace Censor?"
Yun Xi was slightly startled, clearly not expecting the Prince to ask such a question, but he quickly recovered and respectfully replied, "Reporting to the Prince, a Palace Censor receives an annual salary of about sixty shi of grain, along with monthly stipends and other allowances."
"Only sixty?" Shen Heting clearly had never encountered a salary so meager, and couldn't help but look surprised.
"Your Highness, officials of the lower seventh rank all receive that much."
"No wonder she's so thin." The image of her waist—slim enough to be spanned by a single hand beneath those billowing robes—flashed unbidden through his mind.
The next second, realizing what he was thinking, Shen Heting frowned and cast the stray thought aside. "Let's go. We need to reach the estate before dark."
With that, he lifted his foot and walked toward the carriage.
***
Once Wen Shiqing was escorted back to her manor, her mother immediately stepped forward to examine her ankle. Fortunately, no bones or tendons were broken; a couple of days of rest would suffice.
"Mother, did you repeat what was said in the main hall to anyone else?" Her mother should have been the primary source of gossip.
Madam Wen shook her head. "I didn't tell a soul. If word got out, how would outsiders view you? You're just starting out in officialdom, and those people... those people would only mock you."
"You should have," Wen Shiqing said, looking at her mother's pained and perplexed expression as she explained, "Mother, by settling it once and for all this way, no one will ever seek my hand in marriage again, and I can focus entirely on my official career."
Madam Wen froze slightly, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes. "But Qingr'er, how can your mother bear to let people point fingers at you?"
"When I first placed high in the imperial examinations, ministers' daughters and aristocratic young ladies all sent people to inquire about my marriage prospects with Mother. Back then, you only told them I was already betrothed."
"Yet now that I am breaking off the engagement, they will inevitably find out sooner or later. It is better to shatter their hopes completely once and for all."
Madam Wen gently patted her shoulder. "But you will surely be..."
"Mother, I am not afraid. Compared to that, I am far more terrified of dragging other innocent young ladies into this and letting them misplace their affections."
"What a noble sentiment—'misplacing their affections.'"
Having finished reassuring Madam Wen, Wen Shiqing turned and summoned Lu Xuechi to the main hall. After a thorough explanation, Lu Xuechi's eyes turned red once again. "Since My Lord already knows my feelings are genuine, why not..."
"No."
This time, Wen Shiqing's refusal was swift. Her peach-blossom eyes were chillingly distant when devoid of a smile. "Miss Lu, I am not calling off the marriage solely because of my hidden affliction. I have always thought of you only as a younger sister."
Without waiting for her tears to fall, she hurriedly handed the sachet back. "Miss Lu, if you don't mind, you may call me Elder Brother Wen. From now on in the Capital, the Wen family is your home."
Lu Xuechi's face instantly paled.
Unable to bear the sight, Wen Shiqing averted her gaze.
The next moment, as if all her support had been instantly drained away, Lu Xuechi sank down to the ground and burst into heavy, broken sobs.