The noble girl is beautiful.

Noting the favorable weather in the afternoon, Zhou Lanzhang urged his servant to bring a box of snacks and head to the garden. He claimed he wanted to find a quiet place to read, but the servant snickered, saying, “Isn’t it more likely you’re looking for a place to fish?”
“Get lost!” He scolded the servant, his face turning slightly red.
After wandering around the garden for a while, they finally arrived at the usual fishing hut used by Shen Yourong. Just as they were about to approach, they noticed that the hut contained only Prince Du Juan, with no sign of Shen Yourong.
He paused, hesitant, but Ji Zhuo had already looked up and noticed him.
He had no choice but to step forward and bow, “Greetings, Your Highness Prince Du Juan.”
Ji Zhuo gestured for him to dispense with formalities. His snow-white fur collar framed a jade-like face with an indifferent expression.
After the greeting, Zhou Lanzhang intended to leave but heard Ji Zhuo ask, “Are you here to see Miss Shen?”
He stopped, feeling a bit uneasy, “Fishing alone would be boring for Yourong. I just thought I’d come to keep her company.”
Ji Zhuo glanced at him and said, “The weather is getting colder. I told her not to come.”
“I see,” Zhou Lanzhang replied.
Just as he was about to find an excuse to leave, he heard Ji Zhuo’s gentle voice, “With your distinguished appearance, I dare to say you and Miss Shen make a fine match.”
Zhou Lanzhang’s face reddened slightly. “This…”
Ji Zhuo became even more affable and smiled, “You two are cousins. Miss Shen would probably feel more at ease in Jin Ling than in her own home if she marries you.”
Zhou Lanzhang’s eyes brightened, but before he could speak, Ji Zhuo suddenly sighed, “It’s just a pity…”
He couldn’t help but ask, “What’s the pity?”
Ji Zhuo looked at him with an ambiguous smile, “Your family had her fortune read, and it said she’s destined for great things, a life as brilliant as the full moon. Such a fate isn’t easily matched.”
As Zhou Lanzhang’s face drained of color, Ji Zhuo sipped his tea leisurely, a faint smile playing on his lips.
The weather quickly turned colder, with the wind howling and the trees stripped bare overnight.
Du Juan and Hua Mei opened the large wardrobe to select winter clothes. Shen Yourong had grown quite a bit since last year, and many of her clothes no longer fit. Hua Mei found two satin-embroidered jackets with silver mink fur and said regretfully, “The fur is excellent, but the sleeves are too short.”
Du Juan measured them against Shen Yourong and agreed, “They are a bit short.”
Shen Yourong, sitting by the south window doing embroidery, said, “Hua Mei is smaller than me. Let her have them.”
Hua Mei thanked her, and she and Du Juan picked out the clothes that no longer fit, totaling about twenty jackets and coats. All were of good quality, at least made of silk. Shen Yourong allowed them to choose what they could use and gave the rest to the maids in the courtyard.
Du Juan opened a lacquered wooden box filled with new winter clothes. Hua Mei took them out one by one, ironing them flat with a brass iron before putting them into the wardrobe.
On the sandalwood table lay a silver-gray short jacket with an embossed pattern. Hua Mei said, “It’s getting colder early this year. Why are there only these jackets and no fur ones?”
Du Juan replied, “The household spent a lot on renovating the east courtyard and hosting two important guests this year. The expenses have increased significantly. Since the Dragon Boat Festival to the Double Ninth Festival, the surplus is half of what it used to be. The madam is so anxious she nearly cut the monthly allowances.”
“The surplus is less but still there,” Hua Mei said, “I don’t understand why the madam is so cautious.”
“Being prepared is always good,” Shen Yourong said. “A lot of fur came from the manor. Send half to my eldest brother’s courtyard and use the rest to make clothes for yourselves. If sent out, it might be replaced with inferior materials. If given to the household seamstresses, it might cause gossip. We’ll do it ourselves.”
Du Juan agreed. Shen Yourong added, “Also keep an eye on Cousin Zhou’s courtyard, so they aren’t neglected.”
Hua Mei responded, “Speaking of which, it’s been days since we last saw Master Zhou. He used to visit frequently. Why not now?”
Du Juan scolded, “It’s improper to be too close.”
Shen Yourong stroked the silk under her hands, recalling Ji Zhuo’s words.
Ji Zhuo had bluntly said that Zhou Lanzhang and her were impossible. Not to mention the old lady and Duke Qi, if Zhou Lanzhang heard about her auspicious fortune, he might not dare to come anymore.
It seemed Ji Zhuo was right.
She didn’t feel disappointed. Zhou Lanzhang was just someone who appeared conveniently. If it worked out, fine. If not, so be it.
Putting the matter aside, she considered whether to allocate some fur to her sisters.
The next day at the academy, she found that none of her sisters lacked anything. Shen Qinghan had support from Lady Yang, Shen Sihui had the second household, and Shen Qingyan had the Fourth Prince looking out for her. She was surprised that the Fourth Prince could be so considerate.
After copying texts for a while, her hands became cold and stiff. Even the ink dried quickly. She sighed, put down her pen, and warmed her hands with a hand warmer.
Suddenly, someone shouted, “It’s snowing!”
Everyone in the academy, from the teacher to the students, stopped to look outside. Large snowflakes were falling, quickly covering the ground and leaves in white. The servants excitedly gathered under the leaves to watch.
Shen Qingyan, unable to sit still, ran out as soon as Ji Zhuo announced a break. Ji Chengyao followed closely, handing her a hand warmer.
Shen Qinghan approached Shen Yourong, “Big Sister, let’s go see the snow.”
Shen Yourong got up, set aside her blanket, and walked out with the hand warmer. She didn’t wear a cloak, so she stayed under the leaves, watching the snow.
The sky was dim, and the heavy snow blurred her vision, leaving only a vast expanse of white. The snow continued for three days and nights, accumulating ankle-deep, with icicles hanging from the leaves.
Every morning at dawn, Shen Yourong heard the servants sweeping snow. The days were so gloomy that candles were needed from morning till night.
She stood by the window in Hibiscus Pavilion, watching the endless snowfall. Under the dark sky, the snow seemed pure, as if only the snowflakes were free to dance.
Ji Zhuo, wrapped in a cloak and holding plum blossoms, walked slowly into the snowy night. For a moment, she thought he looked like a compassionate Bodhisattva, or a mysterious and sinister spirit.
When he came upstairs and stood under the lamplight, he returned to the familiar Ji Zhuo.
He placed the plum blossoms on the table, saying, “I saw the plum blossoms blooming on my way back and picked a few for you.”
Removing his cloak, he asked, “Why did you call me here?”
“To give you a birthday present,” Shen Yourong replied.
Today was Ji Zhuo’s birthday. He had gone to Donglin Temple early in the morning and just returned.
Ji Zhuo, slightly surprised, scrutinized her. She ignored his gaze and handed him a small package.
He opened it to find a finely crafted hand warmer made from a whole piece of deer skin, with soft light brown fur on both ends. The cover was embroidered with a simple bamboo leaf pattern, a design he had drawn for her. The snow-covered bamboo was lifelike.
Realizing that she had made it herself, he understood that it was an intimate and precious gift, significant for their relationship.
“Master was right,” She said, “Cousin Zhou really has distanced himself from me. Maybe he heard about my fortune.”
He paused and said, “I have always been good at judging people.”
She smiled, stroking the plum blossoms on the table.
He watched her and suddenly asked, “Have you ever thought that you might marry the future emperor?”
Shen Yourong, touching the plum blossoms, replied, “The Fourth Prince doesn’t like me and won’t marry me.”
Ji Zhuo remained silent.
Her hand stilled, her back suddenly cold. He said “future emperor,” not the almost certain Fourth Prince.
Retracting her hand, she instinctively clenched her sleeve, her voice tight, “It doesn’t matter. If the Fourth Prince wanted to marry me, it would only be for Duke Qi’s influence.
The imperial family would offer a throne as a dowry, and Duke Qi would offer military power. No matter who the future emperor is, it will be a transaction.”
Looking at him, she took a shallow breath.
He smiled and said, “You are wise. Regardless of who the future emperor is, it will be the same.”
Her heart sank, leaving her speechless. She realized that for both Ji Chengyao and Ji Zhuo, ambition was paramount.
Ji Zhuo put down the hand warmer and asked, “Miss Shen, do you still want to give me this gift?”
Lowering her eyes to the hand warmer in his hand, Shen Yourong said, “The snow weighs down the branches, but they don’t touch the ground. I wish Your Highness a bright future and success in all your endeavors.
I also hope, as my teacher, you will be lenient with me because of this gift.”
How clever she was, turning an overly intimate gift into a student’s plea for leniency. Ji Zhuo thought she was always so willing to discard anything she deemed inappropriate.
She stood, wrapped herself in a fox fur cloak, and left into the wind and snow.
Ji Zhuo stood by the window, watching her depart, his hands gripping the window frame tightly, his eyes revealing rare ferocity.
One day, one day.
Shen Yourong probed Ji Zhuo and discovered that he was also an ambitious person who had his eyes on the military power of the Duke of Qi’s household. This realization left her disappointed. Ji Zhuo, on his part, did not deceive her and candidly laid out the possible future for her. Shen Yourong, being someone who seeks advantage and avoids harm, immediately wanted to back out. He saw through her intention, which made him feel furious.