Broken Jade - Chapter 121

Chapter 121

The spring hunt was scheduled for half a month later.

In previous years, the hunting grounds had usually been located within an imperial preserve not far from the capital. The terrain there was broad and flat, and the event was less a true hunt than an excuse to race horses and enjoy an outing.

This time, however, the borders were peaceful and the realm had only recently been stabilized. The emperor found himself dissatisfied with another simple hunt in the imperial preserve.

After discussing the matter, the officials of the Ministry of Rites sought the Emperor of Wei’s approval and settled on Yanzhou as the location.

Sheng Zhaoning was somewhat surprised when she heard the news.

Yanzhou was a long way from the capital, practically on the frontier of Great Wei.

Its vast forests and rivers were surrounded by mountain ranges. While it was an excellent place to hunt, it also held many unknown dangers and could not compare to the safety of the imperial preserve.

Several senior ministers of the Cabinet had taken turns trying to dissuade the Emperor of Wei, but his mind was made up, so they had no choice but to comply.

The Ministry of Rites and the Court of the Imperial Stud had already begun preparing for the journey.

After Sheng Zhaoning and Li Ji finished handling the old case, Tao Song waved a generous hand and granted them five days of leave.

She truly had been exhausted of late. After staying quietly at home for two days, she finally managed to recover some of her energy.

When Jin He entered, Sheng Zhaoning was reclining on an Imperial Consort couch by the window, leisurely reading a book.

Jin He brewed a cup of hot tea and handed it to her, then closed the window. “You’re sitting in the wind again, my lady. You never think to avoid the chill.”

Sheng Zhaoning blew across the steam rising from the cup and took a sip. Warmth flowed through her body.

“The sun is shining outside. It’s fine.”

Jin He turned and glared at her. “The spring chill is the worst. If you fall ill again, you’ll only dig in your heels and refuse to take your medicine.”

Knowing she was in the wrong, Sheng Zhaoning gave a quiet laugh and said nothing.

Seeing her like this, Jin He could not bring herself to continue scolding her. She merely said, “A message came from the Sheng Family’s main residence just now. They asked you to come over later today.”

Sheng Zhaoning set down her teacup and looked up at her. “Did they say what it was about?”

Jin He froze at the question.

“Have you forgotten, my lady? Today is your birthday.”

Sheng Zhaoning’s fingers stilled, halting in the middle of turning a page.

She lowered her gaze, closed the book, and casually set it aside.

So today was her birthday.

Sheng Zhaoning had never held any expectations for such a thing.

Besides, she herself had been born in the depths of winter.

The person born on this bright spring day had been “Sheng Zhaoning.”

She was merely borrowing the joy of that girl’s birth and enjoying a celebration from the Sheng Family that had never truly belonged to her.

“All right. I’ll go over shortly.”

She raised her eyes to Jin He. “Have the carriage prepared.”

“Yes.”

Jin He nodded and left the room.

Sheng Zhaoning rose, changed her clothes, and headed for Sheng Mansion.

The two residences were not far apart, separated by only two streets. The journey took less than fifteen minutes.

This was Sheng Zhaoning’s first time celebrating her birthday in the capital. This time last year, the results of the Spring Imperial Examination had just been announced. No one had brought up her birthday, and she had not remembered it herself.

Old Madam Sheng and Lady Lu had taken the occasion quite seriously, preparing an entire table of dishes while they waited for her arrival.

Among the family’s younger generation, Sheng Zhaoning alone enjoyed the honor of having the entire household celebrate her birthday. Everyone gathered around a large table in the main hall, while several smaller tables had been scattered nearby for the younger sons and daughters born to concubines from the Second Branch and Third Branch.

Old Madam Sheng had specially prepared a thick red envelope for her.

Lady Lu also quietly slipped her a jade pendant.

Seated at the corner of the table, Lady Liu watched the Eldest Branch bask in their current success, her eyes turning red with envy.

Lunch passed in a warm, lively atmosphere. By the time the banquet dispersed, it was nearly one in the afternoon.

Sheng Zhaoning remained at Sheng Mansion for most of the day and did not depart by carriage until dusk began to fall.

Lady Lu had wanted her to stay for dinner, but Sheng Zhaoning declined.

She had a vague feeling that someone else would want to see her tonight.

Sure enough, the carriage had barely stopped outside the Sheng Residence when someone approached from the side. Bowing to her, he said with a smile, “Lord Sheng, the Crown Prince invites you to the palace for a private meeting.”

Sheng Zhaoning’s brows stirred. The corners of her lips curved upward. “Very well.”

She promptly stepped down from her own carriage and climbed into the one sent by the Eastern Palace without the slightest hesitation.

Jin He stood in the wind, staring blankly after the carriage as it headed toward the palace.

She had left awfully fast.

……

The carriage passed through the palace gates.

Ordinary carriages were forbidden from entering the imperial palace, but Sheng Zhaoning was riding in Wei Heng’s crane carriage, so they were allowed to proceed unhindered.

The carriage followed the long, narrow palace road, gradually making its way deeper into the grounds.

Sheng Zhaoning lifted the curtain and glanced outside. This was not the road to the Eastern Palace.

It seemed more like they were heading toward… Mingluan Palace.

Sure enough, the carriage stopped before the familiar palace hall.

“Lord Sheng, we have arrived.”

The driver took down a wooden step and placed it on the ground.

Sheng Zhaoning stepped out of the carriage. The palace doors were tightly shut, concealing whatever lay within.

The driver bowed to her once more, then turned the carriage around and departed.

The moonlight rode upon the spring breeze, which gently tugged at the hem of her robes.

Sheng Zhaoning gazed at the doors before her. Remembering the shifting shadows of plum blossoms on New Year’s Eve, her eyes softened unconsciously, and she pushed the doors open.

The doors were heavy and dilapidated.

The red plum blossoms had long since withered. Mottled shadows from the trees covered the courtyard, and the surroundings were shrouded in darkness, illuminated only by scattered patches of cool moonlight.

She swept her gaze around but saw no sign of Wei Heng, so she walked farther inside.

Her footsteps echoed through the night.

Suddenly, a tiny point of light appeared from behind a corner of the main hall.

In the next instant, dazzling golden light burst forth throughout the courtyard. Countless sparks bloomed at once, illuminating the entire palace.

Brilliant golden fireworks reflected in her eyes, filling them with radiant light.

From behind that sea of splendor, Wei Heng slowly emerged. His crimson robes fluttered in the spring breeze, his features gentle and luminous as the moon. Standing beneath the shower of golden light, he gazed at her with quiet, unwavering focus, a faint smile on his lips.

“Ningning, happy birthday.”

In that instant, something seemed to strike Sheng Zhaoning’s heart, leaving it impossibly soft.

She had no attention to spare for the magnificent spectacle he had arranged all around them.

At that moment, he was the only thing she could see.

“Did Your Highness prepare all of this?” Sheng Zhaoning asked, fighting back the ache in her nose.

Preparing so many fireworks while keeping everything hidden from prying eyes could not have been easy.

He must have slipped back and forth to Mingluan Palace in secret, all by himself. She could not imagine how much time and effort he had spent to give her this courtyard filled with golden light.

Yet Wei Heng still felt it was not enough. He looked at her apologetically. “Today is your birthday. I should have prepared something far grander, but I could only ask you to come here. You deserved better.”

Because of their positions, he could not openly arrange a birthday celebration for Sheng Zhaoning.

As long as Sheng Zhaoning remained the honorable and irreproachable Lord Sheng, he could never display his affection without restraint and expose her to gossip and condemnation.

And so, Wei Heng could only celebrate her birthday in this abandoned palace that no one cared about, in the place he treasured most.

Sheng Zhaoning understood his reservations. She knew he was thinking of her in everything he did.

And it was precisely because she understood that her heart sank ever deeper, with no end in sight.

“Thank you. I love it.”