The late spring drizzle, laden with the faint, elusive scent of locust blossoms, seeped into every corner of the Capital, dyeing the entire city into a hazy, long-scrolling ink wash painting. Shen Mingyue stood under the winding corridor of the Shen Estate, her fingertips slowly tracing the mottled vermilion lacquer on the pillars; the peeling marks seemed to recount the former glory and current desolation of the Shen Family. She watched quietly as raindrops formed a continuous curtain along the green tiles, dripping into the lotus vat in the courtyard and tapping out dense, chaotic ripples—much like her own unsettled state of mind.
Ever since that sensational war of public opinion in the Capital, everything had appeared calm on the surface, but she knew better than anyone that beneath this tranquility, various factions had already woven a massive, intricate web in the shadows. The Second Prince’s invitation was like a boulder thrown into a deep pool, destined to stir up a thousand waves. A copper bell at the corner of the eaves suddenly chimed, its crisp sound echoing through the silent corridor.
Chuntao came scurrying over in her wooden clogs, the hem of her cloak already darkened by the rain, crystal drops hanging from the tips of her hair. Strands of hair were stuck to her flushed cheeks, and her chest heaved violently. "Miss, someone from the Second Prince’s camp sent this."
Chapter 18