Chapter 5: A Borrowed Book and the Reputation Debate

Three days after that wrong turn, the Palace of Eternal Spring remained as peaceful as ever. I had grown steadily accustomed to the rhythm of palace life, serving tea in the morning, accompanying the Empress to the study at midday, learning to manage ledgers and belongings in the afternoon, and returning to rest with An Ninh at night.

Life passed by steadily like this, nothing out of the ordinary.

One morning, the Empress was reading a book. She closed it and called softly.

"Thư Đình."

Mama Tĩnh stepped forward to answer. The Empress held up a worn old book, explaining.

"This is a book Fuheng borrowed from this palace. He forgot to return it the other day. Since you'll be passing that way, take it back for me."

Mama Tĩnh took the book and handed it to me, instructing.

"You know the way this time. Come straight back once it's delivered."

I held the book close and walked at an easy pace toward the guards' barracks, no longer nervous the way I had been the first time, feeling almost as relaxed as though out for a stroll.

The guard on duty at the gate recognized the Palace of Eternal Spring badge on my sleeve at once and asked with a smile.

"You again, miss? Just hand it to me."

I had just started to offer the book when another young man stepped out from inside the barracks, not Fuheng, and seeing the book in my hand, spoke up.

"Ah, that belongs to Lord Fuheng. Let me..."

Before he could finish, a familiar voice rang out from behind.

"Give it to me."

Fuheng had just returned from the training ground, faint beads of sweat still on his brow. He took the book from my hands, flipped through it once, confirmed it was indeed the one he'd borrowed from the Empress, then closed it and said simply.

"Much obliged."

The guard standing nearby chuckled and remarked without thinking.

"My lord, seems like this young lady's been coming to the barracks quite often lately."

Fuheng answered evenly, his voice betraying nothing.

"She is from the Palace of Eternal Spring. Delivering things by the Empress's order. Don't gossip."

The guard cleared his throat awkwardly and mumbled that he understood. Fuheng turned to me and said.

"Shifts are changing on this road right now. Take the east gate on your way back. Fewer people there."

It was an entirely ordinary reminder, nothing special about it. I nodded my thanks and turned to leave. But glancing up at the sky, now tinged a pale orange, I suddenly remembered something.

"Actually... it's getting dark soon too."

Fuheng had just started to turn away when he heard my voice behind him and stopped. I stood there, hands folded neatly in front of me, my expression still as earnest as if reporting some matter of great importance.

"This servant was on her way back to her quarters. Her Majesty asked that I bring the book to you since it was on the way."

I hesitated a moment, then confessed honestly.

"...but it was actually out of my way."

The guard beside him nearly burst out laughing, but caught Fuheng's glance and quickly swallowed it back. I continued, my tone still perfectly composed.

"This servant has a flaw. The darker it gets, the more familiar paths turn strange to me."

I gave a small, helpless smile, looking straight at him.

"Running into you here must be fate, then. Since you're not on duty... would it be too much trouble to see this humble servant back to her quarters?"

The air around us went strangely quiet. The guard beside him stared wide eyed, no palace maid in this barracks had ever dared to ask Fuheng to escort her back.

He looked at me for a few seconds, not because of the boldness of the request, but because of how naturally I'd said it, without a trace of coyness or flattery. He answered calmly, two clipped words.

"Not convenient."

The guard beside him thought to himself, that's Lord Fuheng for you, never letting personal feelings interfere with duty. But right after, Fuheng continued.

"By the rules. Guards are not permitted to escort palace maids back on their own. If someone were to see, it would harm the young lady's reputation."

He turned to the guard standing beside him and called out.

"Triệu Vân. Escort Miss Thẩm back to the Palace of Eternal Spring."

Triệu Vân, startled, quickly acknowledged the order. Fuheng gave me a slight nod, said he begged leave to excuse himself, and turned to go, his back as straight as ever.

Triệu Vân scratched his head with an awkward laugh, gesturing for me to walk ahead, and added that Lord Fuheng wasn't being cold toward me, he simply valued the rules very highly.

I stood watching that retreating figure grow smaller, and a thought sprang into my mind that refused to let go, so I called out after him.

"Lord Fuheng, you said a guard escorting a palace maid back would harm this servant's reputation. But now you've had Guard Triệu Vân escort me instead... isn't that the very same thing? So it seems you're worried about your own reputation, not mine.

And besides, I only risked getting lost because I was delivering something to you. Handling it this way isn't quite right either... troubling Guard Triệu like this, this servant feels rather guilty about it."

The path in front of the barracks fell utterly silent. Triệu Vân, who had been about to step forward, froze halfway, looking from me to Fuheng. Clearly, this was not a question easily answered.

I crossed my arms and waited, privately quite pleased with myself, certain my reasoning was airtight.

Fuheng showed no sign of anger. He stood still for a few moments, his calm gaze fixed on me, then answered slowly.

"You're right."

A statement that even left Triệu Vân stunned, his eyes going wide as he looked over. Fuheng continued, his tone as composed as if nothing at all had happened.

"I hadn't thought it through carefully enough."

He turned to Triệu Vân and told him the escort was no longer necessary. Triệu Vân immediately acknowledged with a "yes sir," relieved yet utterly baffled as to what had just taken place.

Fuheng looked toward the path leading to the Palace of Eternal Spring, his voice still as calm as before.

"I'll walk about ten zhang ahead of you. Not beside you. No talking. If you lose your way, I'll point the direction.

If we encounter anyone else, I am a guard on patrol, and you are a palace maid returning to her quarters. The two of us have no connection."

He paused briefly, then concluded.

"That way. No one's reputation will be compromised."

With that, he didn't wait for my reply and turned to walk ahead. The distance between us was exactly as he'd said, about ten zhang, neither too close nor too far.

Triệu Vân stood behind watching, muttering to himself with obvious admiration, that this truly was Lord Fuheng, never doing anything without weighing every side of it.

I strolled along behind, keeping precisely to the distance he'd set. There was nothing in my heart resembling disappointment or hurt pride, quite the opposite, I found it rather amusing.

I walked along smiling faintly to myself, thinking that this lord was truly straightforward, quick to admit when he was wrong without any evasion or excuses. Only, his way of resolving things was every bit as endearing as it was rigid.

The road stretched on beneath the fading light of dusk, the two of us walking one ahead and one behind, neither saying a word to the other.

But I didn't mind in the least, simply walking along admiring the sunset painting the whole sky red. My heart felt light, as though I had just won some small little debate.