Early in the morning, when night had not yet retreated from its domain and still loomed over the sky with its heavy blue clouds, she sat before a massive, hastily washed mirror, examining her reflection. Dark shadows filled the entire room, barely allowing the outlines of furniture and walls to be distinguished. Only the wild flashes of lightning, occasionally striking the nearby forests, illuminated her face, giving it a sinister appearance. She slowly moved a rough brush made of horsehair over the thin skin of her face, applying great effort to create the desired image. Her goal was to create a mask on her face—frightening, unsettling, but terrifyingly realistic. Thick eyebrows, bright red lips contrasting with the sickly pale tone of her skin, and wild eyes surrounded by black shadow—a completely new face.
The witnesses of her gruesome experimentー the pavilion's maids ー crowded at the entrance, fearfully whispering and rustling their clothes. They knew something was coming, something frightening and interesting, and they couldn't ignore it.
«Do you think she's up to something again? Last time she almost killed a man. Shouldn't we do something to protect ourselves?»
«Who knows. She disappeared for a while; I thought she was dead, but here she's back, and now she's getting ready for something. This doesn't bode well.»
«You fools! Haven't you heard? The Northern Princess – Her Highness Shin Zuzhou – is moving in with us. I bet our crazy lady is preparing to welcome her.»
«Holy goddess! She'll frighten her to death with just her appearance. I don't understand what she's trying to achieve.»
«We need to be on our guard. Otherwise, more blood will be spilled.»
«Ahem, ahem.»
Chu Qi stood behind the curious onlookers and ordered them to let her through.
«Bossing us around again?» the maids complained. No one moved. Chu Qi crossed her arms over her chest.
«That's right. And let me remind you, you have no choice. Go complain to the head steward, he'll take my side – unless, of course, he wants to lose his position soon.»
At this, the crowd fell silent and hastened to obey her order. No one wanted to become a target of the mad princess.
«Your Highness.»
Yang Yulan turned at the sound, and the maid froze in horror.
«Do you think this is enough to make Shin Zuzhou believe I'm insane and leave me alone?»
Chu Qi hesitated and nodded slightly.
«Her Highness will be here very soon. We need to prepare everything else.»
«You're right,» Yang Yulan replied seriously, hiding the cuts on her hands under the long sleeves of her robes. «Our plan must go flawlessly.»
Chu Qi saw her charge's confidence but still felt anxious. She approached the old carved chair where the princess sat and embraced the girl.
«If something goes wrong, I'll cover for you.»
Yang Yulan hesitated and didn't dare hug the maid back. She felt ashamed again. She knew she should be the one protecting others. Yet because of her mistakes, the people close to her kept suffering. She couldn't let this continue. It was time to pull herself together.
***
Shin Zuzhou gathered her closest servants and headed to the White Lotus Pavilion. Today, she had put great effort into her makeup and clothing. Although her image remained strict, with its dark red shades and covered neck, the intricate hairstyle and gold-embroidered sleeves betrayed her true intentions. She very much wanted to make a strong impression on that interesting person about whom absurd rumors were spreading throughout the palace.
«I'm probably even too happy about this meeting,» Shin Zuzhou thought to herself. «But what can I do? The company of these palace sycophants is too tiresome. Soon I'll have to build relationships with representatives of the local clergy. Southern Nan is a fairly religious country; connections with the clergy won't hurt me. I also need to strengthen my power in the palace, otherwise these old men led by my father won't let me live. And then there's that prince...»
«Haa,» the princess sighed heavily. «I really need to diversify my social circle.»
Shin Zuzhou was crossing the large palace garden when she heard footsteps behind her. It was her bodyguard. This morning, Xin had been busy with an important task and had just returned from her mission.
«Did you find the information?»
«Yes, Your Highness,» Xin bowed low, awaiting the next order.
«Tell me everything you managed to find out.»
«Yes, Your Highness. I questioned several servants and found out that from his marriage to the Empress, the Emperor had only two sons – Yang Yusheng and Yang Jinlong. There are no missing children or exiles.»
«The masked boy can't be Yang Yusheng,» Shin Zuzhou thought. «He and the prince were together at the hunt and in the pavilion.»
«How many illegitimate sons does the Emperor have?»
«Quite a few, Your Highness. This is a list of those who best fit the description.»
Shin Zuzhou turned her gaze to the papers Xin handed her. They contained the names of boys born to the Emperor's concubines, their approximate height, weight, build, and influence at court.
«There are too many. It could be anyone. Are there any other leads?»
Xin thought for a moment.
«On my way to the palace, I ran into the servants of Princess Yang Shifei – Yang Jinlong's younger sister, the Empress's daughter. She hasn't left her chambers for a long time and, they say, often complains about her younger sister. This has become commonplace, as they have a bad relationship with each other. But that's not what's interesting. The thing is, the princess has been mentioning a person in a fish mask for some time now. She seems very angry at him. Information about him appeared quite recently, right after the hunt.»
«So this person is friends with the First Prince and in conflict with the younger princess. Excellent. That means we need to investigate in that direction. Tomorrow, question people and find out which of the names on the list have similar relationships with the Empress's children.»
«Yes, Your Highness.»
When Shin Zuzhou entered the hall, the court servants immediately rushed to her. They bowed their heads, greeted her, and awaited further orders. A maid in a blue dress stepped forward. Her face was quite pretty, but her manners and calm tone revealed a mature, confident woman.
Shin Zuzhou swept her cold, contemptuous gaze over the servants and asked:
«Where is your mistress? Why is she not greeting me?»
Chu Qi immediately stepped forward, and having received permission to speak, explained that their princess was gravely ill and unable to think clearly.
«What do I care? She must come out and greet her guest. This is outrageous neglect.»
«Your Highness, she often does terrible things. I'm afraid it would be even more disrespectful if she came and did something foolish.»
«Ha,» Shin Zuzhou chuckled to herself. She involuntarily recalled the rumors about the man whose manhood had been struck by this princess's arrow.
«How dare you call your mistress foolish?» Shin Zuzhou raised her voice. «Aren't you afraid of being executed?»
She looked into the eyes of the unfortunate maid and noticed her flinch with fear. Feeling satisfied with such a reaction, she continued in a calmer tone.
«Bring her here now.»
Chu Qi bowed again and headed to the princess's quarters.
Just as Princess Yang Yulan had anticipated, the backup plan had failed.
Shin Zuzhou continued to stand in place and did not utter another word. However, her gaze continued to wander over the unfortunate souls. The servants had already begun praying to the goddess when she finally appeared in the hall.
With her head lowered to the floor and hunched over, she shuffled to the middle of the hall. Her gait looked ridiculous, as her feet constantly got tangled in her long hem. She approached Shin Zuzhou, almost standing flush against her, and stopped in place, saying nothing.
«She won't even greet her?» flashed through the maids' minds.
Shin Zuzhou tilted her head and curiously examined the newcomer's appearance.
«Raise your head!» she commanded, but Yang Yulan didn't budge.
«Didn't you hear what I just said?!»
Yang Yulan continued to stand, head lowered. Then, losing patience, Shin Zuzhou roughly grabbed the girl by the chin and lifted her face. Her pupils immediately shrank, and her eyebrows rose. Shin Zuzhou had to use all her patience to keep from falling to the floor and bursting into loud laughter.
Nevertheless, Yang Yulan's face remained calm and expressionless. Nothing in her behavior indicated that she was scared.
Shin Zuzhou pinched herself to concentrate and asked:
«I heard you are ill, but your gaze is surprisingly clear.»
Yang Yulan continued to remain silent. Then Shin Zuzhou looked at Chu Qi.
«She doesn't speak, Your Highness.»
«How so? She was shouting quite loudly across the entire banquet hall not so long ago.»
«She has occasional fits. You see, that day she was proposed to, and the princess is afraid of men.»
«Is that so.»
Shin Zuzhou felt that gaze on her again. Hard as a stone wall and calm as an ancient tree. The feeling was quite familiar. In contrast to her expression, Yang Yulan's ridiculous appearance only evoked a desire to burst out laughing. This made Shin Zuzhou feel somewhat calmer.
This is just regular makeup, isn't it? But why create such a foolish image? the Northern Princess thought. She's playing some kind of game and trying to deceive me. How interesting.
«In any case, I wanted to apologize in advance for taking your loyal servant,» she said in a deliberately sad voice. «I hope the First Prince explained everything to you, and you don't hold a grudge against me.»
Yang Yulan pretended not to hear her words at all, but Shin Zuzhou hadn't expected an answer anyway.
Thus ended their meeting. It went much more calmly than Yang Yulan had expected. The girl was sure that the villainess would change her mind about meeting her in the future just from seeing her appearance, and that she would be able to hide quietly in her room until the end of the story. However, an unpleasant surprise awaited her. For several days after their first meeting, Shin Zuzhou didn't leave her alone for a second. At breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, on walks, even when she went to the bath.
Yang Yulan persistently tried to avoid her. She was terribly afraid of suddenly saying something and thus exposing herself, since the effect of the voice-changing herb hadn't worn off yet.
A couple of times, when Yang Yulan had just decided she had bored the princess, they would suddenly run into each other in the corridor.
«Why is she chasing after me?» Yang Yulan thought when she left her room and ran into the villainess's face again. «She has so many affairs at the palace. How does she even find the time?»
«Well, it's fine. The plan is still feasible. The main thing is to be careful.»
«What an unexpected place to meet you,» Shin Zuzhou said with a slight smile on her face.
Yang Yulan stood still, devising an escape plan, when her nose suddenly began to tickle. She barely held back and sneezed into her robe sleeve. The sound was muffled, but Shin Zuzhou still heard it. Yang Yulan involuntarily sniffled. The flu she'd caught after getting soaked in the rain was still bothering her. The medicine wasn't very effective, and the original princess's immunity, after years of self-abuse, left much to be desired.
«Have you caught a cold?» Shin Zuzhou noticed, and as if suspecting something, narrowed her eyes.
Yang Yulan froze in fear. Time passed, and she was only revealing more about herself. This couldn't continue.
«To hell with it! I'm a comedic character anyway, and I've long since gone mad,» Yang Yulan concluded, and opening the nearest window, she jumped out at full speed. The landing wasn't very successful, as it was difficult to move in the long robe, and tearing her knees and hissing in pain, Yang Yulan barely managed to run away.
Shin Zuzhou didn't know how to react at first, then burst into loud laughter.
«She certainly knows how to surprise. What will this woman do next time?»
Mischievous sparks lit up in the princess's eyes.
Because of all this chasing, Yang Yulan didn't even have the opportunity to practice archery, which was slowly driving her mad. At the same time, Shin Zuzhou began to notice the servants' strange attitude towards her mistress. It seemed they didn't respect her much. This saddened her to some extent. Therefore, she occasionally accompanied the sick princess to meals and walks to show the servants her status. In fact, it seemed that Shin Zuzhou's entire daily routine revolved around the princess. In the mornings, they went to breakfast together. There, Yang Yulan showed herself in a bad light, devouring tons of food with her bare hands. It seemed she was doing it on purpose to get on her nerves and make it clear that they should no longer eat together. In this, she reminded Shin Zuzhou of a certain familiar person. Then they would walk along the quiet lake, where in complete silence they would contemplate the falling autumn leaves. After that, they would go to lunch, and Shin Zuzhou would return to work in her new study, where she would sit until six in the evening, after which she would go to dinner with her companion. Due to the pavilion's location and its dubious reputation, few came to visit; even the envoys from Northern Bei left her alone for a while. Shin Zuzhou felt like she had found heaven on earth, and even the constant chasing of Yang Yulan seemed like entertainment of sorts.
«Your Highness,» Xin addressed her mistress, returning to the pavilion with new information. Unfortunately, it wasn't very impressive this time.
«Report what you managed to find out,» Shin Zuzhou ordered, stretching out in the chair at her new workplace. She was beginning to get used to this pavilion and its rhythm.
«I questioned everyone even remotely connected to the imperial family and found out that none of the Emperor's offspring match the data we're looking for. None of them are close with the princes, nor are they at odds with Princess Yang Shifei.»
«Are you sure about this?»
«Yes, I double-checked everything several times.»
Shin Zuzhou fell into thought. She was sure she was close to uncovering the identity of her servant.
«So no one fits all the criteria?»
«Actually,» Xin hesitated, «there is someone.»
«Then why were you silent!» the princess grew angry.
«The thing is, this person, despite all the similarities, fails on one point and cannot be the masked boy.»
«Who is it?»
«The elder princess, Yang Yulan.»
Shin Zuzhou leaned forward when she heard that name. Goosebumps ran down her skin. She herself had suspected the princess of hiding some secret for a while now. Her behavior, her manners. What if it really was him? But then how to explain the masculine voice and mannerisms?
If she thought about it, the princess hadn't uttered a single word lately. Shin Zuzhou had only heard her voice at the banquet celebrating their arrival.
«She's at odds with her younger sister, and also, as the servants have noted, she has a close, trusting relationship with Yang Yusheng.»
«We need to test this,» Shin Zuzhou declared and jumped up from her seat. «And I know how to do it.»
Yang Yulan decided to lock herself in her room until better times. She hated the thought of sitting in one place for so long, but she couldn't put herself in danger again.
«If she comes here, I simply won't open the door for her. Let her break it down if she wants.»
That's what Yang Yulan thought, right up until her stomach growled. Then Yang Yulan called her maid.
«Chu Qi, can you bring me food to my quarters?»
The maid hesitated.
«Actually, Her Highness long ago ordered the cook not to give food to the servants. Only if you go to the dining room yourself and dine with her.»
«What a devil! She's already taken over my servants and dares to give them orders.»
«I could try to steal something for you. Or take some of my own food,» Chu Qi offered, but received a negative answer.
«No, I don't need you stealing for me. I'll handle it. I'm sure nothing bad will happen.»
Yang Yulan and Chu Qi headed to the dining room, and the former had a feeling of déjà vu. The last time she had risked leaving the house to get food, even despite the threat of death, it had ended badly. She really needed to do something about her love of food.
«Your Highness,» Chu Qi bowed when the girls, entering one of the rooms, ran into the princess.
«Here she is again. Soon she'll be appearing in my nightmares,» Yang Yulan complained.
«Leave us alone,» Shin Zuzhou ordered, addressing the maid.
Chu Qi was about to object, shielding the princess with her body, but Yang Yulan gently pushed her aside and whispered:
«Go. I'll handle it.»
Chu Qi resisted for a while but finally decided to let the princess solve the problem on her own.
Yang Yulan didn't know what to do. However, she didn't want to make Chu Qi defend her again, sacrificing herself. She glared at the villainess's face, as if to say: «Say what you wanted to say.»
Shin Zuzhou was somewhat moved by that expression. She smirked almost imperceptibly.
«Don't be angry, Your Highness. I just wanted to spend some time alone with you.»
«Actually, no. I won't lie. I had one important question for you. I hope you'll answer it honestly. Then I'll let you go quickly.»
She's just trying to provoke an emotional reaction, to let off steam. Are all blue-blooded people like this?
«At that banquet where we first met, you hinted in a rather ambiguous way that you prefer to share a bed with women.»
Look at that cunning smirk. What is she trying to achieve?
Yang Yulan remained silent, trying to keep an indifferent expression on her face. Meanwhile, Shin Zuzhou looked at her as if she were an amusing little animal, constantly smirking with her sly, beautiful smile and occasionally covering her lips with her hands.
«Have you had partners before? Do you have any particular preferences?» Shin Zuzhou drawled, stretching out each word. She approached closer and closer, slowly, like a tiger preparing to attack. Yang Yulan felt the growing tension in her very core.
She just likes tormenting me, doesn't she? We'll see who laughs last. Just let me get out of here, and you'll find out who's worth what.
«What do you think of me?» Shin Zuzhou cooed sweetly, approaching the princess and grabbing her by the hand.
I think you're a clingy wretch with uncontrollable rage, Yang Yulan thought with a smile, and pulled her hand from the villainess's clutches. But she didn't let go and grabbed her by the sleeve again.
«Perhaps I would suit you?»
Yeah, right. In your dreams.
Trying again to pull her hand away, Yang Yulan realized that this time the villainess wasn't going to let her go so easily. Pulling it towards herself again confirmed this.
If she sees my hands, I'm done, the princess worried. The villainess, noticing her sudden change in mood, hastened to lift her sleeves.
«Danger!»
Yang Yulan got scared and abruptly jerked her hand away, realizing Shin Zuzhou's intentions. The force applied was so great that Yang Yulan accidentally hit the princess in the face. The blow landed on her cheek, leaving a crimson scrape. The hairpin fell from her hair, and long locks came loose. The princess's eyes flashed with red fire.
«Ha, did you just hit me?»
Shin Zuzhou lunged at Yang Yulan, trying to grab her hair and throw her to the floor. Yang Yulan didn't have time to react, nearly crying out in pain as she dodged the princess's attacks. Shin Zuzhou didn't give her a second to rest, constantly trying to tear her sleeves or open her robe. Both girls became increasingly heated and disheveled from the intense struggle. Shin Zuzhou attacked Yang Yulan again, and she, stepping on her own hem, fell backward. Shin Zuzhou landed right on top of her, straddling her.
Their breathing became rapid, their clothes thoroughly wrinkled. Yang Yulan hid her hands, and Shin Zuzhou bent down to remove her clothes. At that moment, noise was heard outside, and the door opened. Yang Yusheng entered the room and froze in place, seeing the unexpected scene before him. The girls also looked back at him in shock.
Yang Yulan: «...»
Shin Zuzhou: «...»
Yang Yusheng: «Wow.»