Spring in the Hall of Paintings

“This young lady, let go of my younger brother.”

In the sweltering summer heat, the noisy crowd’s temperature dropped a few degrees due to these words. Yun Wei completely hid behind Yun Lan, which coincidentally matched Yun Lan’s intention to protect her more tightly. “Younger brother? It should be younger sister.”

The boy being restrained by Yun Lan felt a bit embarrassed and shouted, “You dare! Let go of this young master! Let go!”

Yun Lan tightened her grip, twisting the boy’s arm. “It hurts, it hurts! Fourth Brother, help me!”

Upon hearing this, Yun Lan’s heart trembled, but she did not show any unusual expression. However, the attentive Yun Wei noticed the difference; Fourth Sister’s breath was unsettled. Was it because of the Fourth Brother the boy mentioned?

A shadow flashed in front of Yun Lan, and a man grabbed her wrist, saying, “Let go.”

“Who are you?” Yun Lan looked defiantly at the lean youth in front of her, who seemed to be around fifteen or sixteen years old. He was neat and clean, unlike the flashy sons of noble families in the capital. His deep, dark eyes glimmered with a coldness that felt as chilling as a cold pond, as if it could consume one’s soul.

Could it be him? Could he be the Fourth Prince she had been thinking about? Yun Lan carefully examined the youth’s features; he was not a handsome man, just conventionally good-looking. However, the aura radiating from him confirmed that she was not mistaken—he was the future Yongzheng Emperor, the current Fourth Prince, Yinzhen of the Qing Dynasty.

Yun Lan would not disappoint Heaven’s favor. Having read countless time-travel novels, she would not miss out on the heartbreaking Fourth Prince. Let her, as a time traveler, ignite the spark buried beneath the iceberg.

Yun Lan’s heart surged with excitement. Ever since she awakened to find herself in the Kangxi era, she had longed to meet the Fourth Prince. In order to become a woman worthy of him, she had been low-key and reserved, not daring to overstep boundaries set by the rigid customs of the feudal system. She tried her best to blend into the dull and impoverished world of Qing dynasty ladies, cautiously showcasing the grace and talents of a time-traveling woman. She avoided entanglements with other princes and noblemen, determined to focus solely on becoming Yinzhen’s woman.

Yun Lan had also doubted the origin of her obsession with Yinzhen. Was it because he was the ultimate victor? She didn’t want to deny that this was part of the reason. Yinzhen was a tragic emperor, known for having murdered his father and forced his mother. The severe misunderstandings and accusations against him weighed heavily on history, yet he was the most industrious ruler who inherited the prosperous reigns of Kangxi and Qianlong. This was unfair; Yinzhen needed a woman by his side who understood and cared for him.

She had fantasized about all sorts of unexpected encounters with Yinzhen, but she never expected that just from this brief meeting, she would already be moved. Yun Lan was willing to believe in love at first sight—that two destined individuals could share an inexplicable attraction. Because they were so close, she could smell the faint scent of sandalwood on Yinzhen, her face blushing like the evening glow, and her eyes twinkling like stars—truly captivating.

Yun Lan released the girl disguised as a boy, but Yinzhen grabbed her wrist. His palm was not hot, but she felt her wrist burning. She raised her gaze to meet Yinzhen’s eyes and softly said, “Let go of me.”

The young man was momentarily taken aback; the fragrance emanating from the girl before him was different from that of others—fresh and unique. He disliked heavy makeup, but he didn’t mind the subtle scent that lingered around this shy girl. The various fleeting thoughts reflected in her eyes seemed connected to him. Did she recognize him?

After releasing her, he took a step back. The girl before him was quite attractive, and his earlier distraction was not just an excuse. He uttered three words, “My apologies.”

Without waiting for Yun Lan to respond, he turned and said, “Let’s go.”

The young man led the girl disguised as a boy away, and his playful and flirtatious demeanor was evident as he turned back to Yun Lan, winking and mouthing, “Beauty, see you later.”

Yun Lan sighed softly, “You still don’t know who I am, yet you’re leaving.”

Yun Wei emerged from behind Yun Lan and quietly asked, staring at the group that was gradually merging into the crowd, “Fourth Sister, do you know them?”

“No, I don’t know them.”

“Then…”

Yun Lan grabbed Yun Wei and smiled, “I promised Sixth Sister that I would protect you, so you don’t have to be afraid. Just follow me. How about we go to Liulichang for a stroll?”

Yun Wei was a bit taken aback by Yun Lan’s sudden enthusiasm and closeness. She tried to break free, furrowing her brow as she said, “Aren’t we going to the temple fair? Why are we suddenly going to Liulichang?”

Could it be that they were going to Liulichang? For some reason, Yun Wei had this instinct.

Yun Lan paused for a moment before pulling Yun Wei toward Liulichang and explained, “We were actually going there. I know you like rare books, and I heard from your brother that a new shop has opened in Liulichang. They have a full range of books and many foreign curiosities. Let’s go find some delightful items.”

Fearing that Yun Wei might be reluctant to go, Yun Lan generously said, “You can choose whatever you like; I’ll treat you.”

Yun Wei couldn’t argue against it. Compared to the bustling temple fair, she preferred the idea of looking at books, especially if there were rare editions. Filled with anticipation, she followed Yun Lan’s lead and boarded the carriage heading toward Liulichang.

Inside the carriage, Yun Wei observed Yun Lan’s expression, which seemed to fluctuate between joy, shyness, anger, and pity. What was wrong with her? Ever since encountering that young man, she had not been her usual calm self. It seemed that the young man was not an ordinary person.

Yun Wei tilted her head, trying to recall the young man’s appearance. All she remembered was that he had a pair of pitch-black, cool eyes. She said, “Fourth Sister, you know him, right?”

Yun Lan looked at Yun Wei, who was leaning against the cushion, wearing a purple qipao adorned with intertwined patterns. The veil hat on her head rested on her folded legs, and her eyelashes fluttered, occasionally revealing her bright and clear gaze.

The phrase “the highest good is like water” applied perfectly to Yun Wei’s refined demeanor. She wore very little jewelry and her clothing was not extravagant, but everything highlighted her unique charm. With the right attire, Yun Wei had a graceful presence; if she lost the baby fat that made her face so adorable, she would become an unparalleled beauty.

“Sixth Sister is growing more beautiful every day.”

“Not as beautiful as Fourth Sister,” Yun Wei replied.

Yun Wei looked outside through the carriage curtain, reluctant to say that she still felt a bit inadequate. She murmured, “For the daughters of the Eight Banners, everything now seems like a mirage.”

The carriage stopped. “Miss Fourth, Miss Six, we have arrived.”

“If you don’t strive for it, how will you know if it’s a mirage?”

Yun Lan lifted the blue-and-white floral curtain of the carriage, assisted her maid down, and turned back to Yun Wei with a proud and confident smile. “Sixth Sister, if fate allows, we will meet again. If he is indeed him, I have the confidence to have him request a marriage proposal on my behalf. I…”

Yun Lan turned around and murmured, “I am the woman who understands him best in this world. I don’t want to give up easily.”

“Fourth Sister, I don’t know what will happen in the future, but today you truly had a fateful encounter.”

Right in front of her was the one she had unexpectedly met. The girl, now back in her female attire,Yun Wei lowered her head, letting the mask completely cover her face. She left Yun Lan alone and walked around them to go into the store to buy books. The surprise in his eyes was also noticed by the fourth sister. The fourth sister looked very beautiful when she was confident and proud just now.