Liuliu has traveled through time again?

Life was truly full of surprises! Today alone had been eventful enough, Lingran mused quietly to herself. At the very least, she now had five thousand taels of silver tucked securely in her sleeve. Even if she left this place, there would be no need to worry about food or clothing. Yet, by some lapse, she had absentmindedly sung several songs from her previous life in front of Chu Yu. Would he go and report her to Chu Liuxiang?

Ah! How vexing! If only she had known that the bronze-faced man was Chu Yu, she would never have sung those songs, not even if her life depended on it.

Lost in thought, her eyelids grew heavy, and she soon drifted into slumber.

At Dhanhuai Hall, in the rear garden, there was a small square bath, its exterior enclosed by large glass windows. Chu Yu had been soaking within for a full two hours. Lu Zigao and Qin Ziling, the two young eunuchs, had peeked in countless times, only to find the Prince of Xiang leaning against the edge with arms outstretched, his head tilted back slightly, as if he had fallen asleep. Lu Zigao nudged Qin Ziling, signaling for him to go over and ask.

"Why don’t you go yourself?" Qin Ziling grumbled, but in the end, he tiptoed over.

"My lord, the water’s grown cold. Will you rise—or shall I add more hot water?"

Chu Yu shifted slightly, then suddenly stood up straight in the water, startling Ziling so much that he stumbled backwards, landing on his rear. He scrambled up in a panic, fumbling to fetch a silk robe.

"What time is it?" Chu Yu asked.

Zigao shone a lantern onto the copper clock by the door, then hurried forward. "My lord, it’s just past the first quarter of the hour of the Ox. Would you like a late-night snack, or shall I prepare your bed?"

"Neither," Chu Yu replied irritably, waving his hand. Then, remembering that the girl had complained of nowhere to bathe and intended to visit Fangyue Pavilion, he wondered if she had gone there after all. His mind unsettled, he strode out.

Zigao and Ziling exchanged a glance, intending to follow, but he brushed his sleeve and said, "Don’t come after me."

The two could only watch as their master, hair unbound and robe billowing, floated up onto his own rooftop, apparently too impatient even to walk. They stared at each other in bewilderment.

"This is the second time tonight," Zigao said. "Last time, it made sense, since there was a cry for help and he dashed out in a rush. But now it’s the middle of the night, all’s quiet outside—where could he possibly be going?"

Qin Ziling thought for a moment. "His lordship knows his own mind. We’d best stay out of it and wait."

Riding the wind, Chu Yu vaulted from roof to roof, crossing courtyard after courtyard. In truth, he had no idea where he was headed, but before he realized it, he found himself above Chunze Nook. Running a wild circuit inside, he found the world silent, the wind drying his hair and cooling his body. At last, he felt a bit more clear-headed and privately lamented the absurdity of his actions that day. He was about to return to his chamber when, leaping over the wall, he saw—under the emerald glow of two lanterns—a person dozing peacefully against the main gate.

His heart stirred, and he couldn’t help but approach.

Sure enough, it was that infuriating little maid, wrapped in the uniform of a low-ranking servant, her small face calm and serene in sleep. Her porcelain skin glowed with a pearly luster—rather enchanting, in fact.

To sleep so soundly in such circumstances—was she simply thick-skinned, or did she possess an extraordinary ability to adapt!

Chu Yu stared at her for a while, then snorted softly. He recalled how, at the Temple of White Clouds, she had rushed to defend Lord Hongxiao, anxious lest he suffer indignity. He grew irritated: Look how fond she is of that wretch! Refusing to be my thirteenth consort—surely it's for him! Am I not better than Hongxiao? No! I’ll see that she begs to enter my house, desperate to marry into the princely estate.

With this self-justification, he finally felt at peace. Bending down, he scooped Lingran into his arms and, thoroughly satisfied, carried her back to Dhanhuai Hall.

***

Lingran woke with a long, luxurious stretch. As she opened her eyes, layers of gilded ceiling came into view, each brick adorned with exquisite floral patterns. In the center of the ceiling, a grand caisson hosted a coiling dragon, leisurely extending its head and a single claw. Before its mouth hovered a golden orb, resplendent and majestic.

She froze mid-stretch, recalling that she had fallen asleep outside Chunze Nook’s gate. How had she ended up here? Could she have traveled through time again?

The thought jolted her into sitting upright. Surveying her surroundings, she saw gold and jade in abundance. She was lying on an enormous purple sandalwood bed, a plush violet lambswool rug beneath her, a thin blanket with intricate weaving and silk trim draped over her. The fabric’s smoothness was so luxurious she hated to leave its embrace.

Looking around further, she marveled at the sheer scale of the hall.

Before the bed stood a pair of golden incense burners shaped like budding flowers, curling aromatic smoke into the air. Several floor-standing jade trees and crystalline blossoms adorned the chamber. On the opposite wall, a massive silk screen bore an embroidered scene of Tang dynasty court ladies; sunlight filtered through, illuminating the room and its grand purple sandalwood furnishings—pieces both stately and delicate. The partitions were display cabinets of sandalwood, each item upon them of obvious worth. The screens themselves allowed her to see the half-open windows draped in pale green gauze, the breeze endlessly stirring the delicate curtains, brushing against a guqin and coaxing from it the faintest hum...

What a stroke of fortune! To wake from sleep and find herself transported! Delighted, Lingran nearly leapt up. Judging by these surroundings, surely she’d become some empress or princess! The Tang-style screen in particular made her grin from ear to ear. Perhaps she’d landed in the Tang dynasty—how marvelous! Women then were bold and free, not as constrained as in the cautious, restrictive Ming!

She hopped to the floor and glanced down at herself.

Wait—what was this? She’d traveled in body as well? Her clothes hadn’t changed at all!

She quickly fumbled in her breast pocket—the banknotes were still there, safe and sound, though they probably weren’t much use now.

With such a noble status, surely there’d be an all-knowing maidservant at her beck and call? She decided to test the waters, settling into a comfortable armchair and calling out, "Someone, come here!"

No sooner had she called than someone appeared.

Lingran was dumbstruck. The person entering was someone she recognized—Lu Zigao, the personal young eunuch attendant to Prince Xiang, Chu Yu.

So she hadn’t traveled through time at all? Then how had she ended up here? She rose awkwardly to her feet. Though only a low-ranked eunuch, Lu Zigao was the prince’s close attendant and held a relatively high standing within the residence.

"Awake, miss?" Zigao strolled in unhurriedly.

"I… um, how did I get here?" Lingran was still half in a daze.

Zigao glanced around the chamber as he replied, "His lordship brought you back, of course."

His curt answer left Lingran no closer to the truth, and she stared at him blankly.

Lu Zigao simply circled to the screen and shouted, "She’s awake in there! Why are you all dawdling? Get in here and tidy up!"

At his call, a team of eunuchs streamed in, each carrying tools—some dusting, some sweeping, others entering the inner rooms. A few changed out the blankets and bedding on the sandalwood bed, replacing them with fresh ones.

Lingran was thoroughly perplexed. Seeing Zigao idly twirling his flywhisk, she approached him with a smile. "Sir Lu, what on earth is going on here?"