The next day, during breakfast, Xie Chong noticed that even when He Heng was eating plain steamed buns, a smile would unconsciously appear at the corner of his mouth. This piqued Xie Chong’s curiosity, prompting him to ask,
“Lord He, what’s making you so happy?”
In response, He Heng just pursed his lips and shook his head, maintaining a mysterious demeanor.
Seeing that he was unwilling to share, Xie Chong simply said, “Oh,” and refrained from further questioning, focusing on his breakfast instead.
Now, He Heng became a bit restless. He kept craning his neck, trying to catch Xie Chong’s attention.
“Why did you stop asking?”
Quickly continue and ask him why he’s so happy. This way, he might reveal the fact that Wen Liangyu secretly admires him.
After a moment, He Heng couldn’t hold back any longer. Suddenly putting down the steamed bun in his hand, he looked at Xie Chong and said, “I feel…”
“Hmm?” Xie Chong looked at him somewhat puzzled, waiting for him to continue.
“I feel…”
He Heng picked up the steamed bun and then put it down, his gaze wandering, and he spoke with a hesitant and stuttering manner. This made Xie Chong even more anxious, prompting him to urge the other person to continue:
“What do you feel?”
“I feel,” He Heng flashed a mysterious smile at him, “someone might like me.”
“Oh,” Xie Chong responded nonchalantly, stuffing a bun into his mouth, “who wouldn’t like you?”
If anyone dared to say they didn’t like the Prince Regent, wouldn’t that be asking for trouble?
He Heng: “…”
After a moment of silence, he fidgeted and said, “No, have you never liked any girls? I mean, in that way.”
“Oh, you mean that kind of liking,” Xie Chong suddenly realized. It turned out He Heng, with his evasive and hesitant appearance, indeed had someone he liked.
Xie Chong immediately reassured him, “Although I don’t have experience in that area, I understand a lot. If you have any concerns, feel free to talk to me, and I can give you some advice.”
“Since you say he likes you, how do you feel about it?”
“Well,” He Heng’s expression at this moment practically screamed “I’m head over heels for him,” but he expressed it in a much more subtle way, saying, “I, uh, I don’t dislike him, you know?”
“Oh,” Xie Chong nodded thoughtfully at his words, “I understand.”
“So, the current situation is that he secretly likes you? And you actually don’t dislike him, but neither of you intends to express your feelings actively. Thus, you’re both stuck in this awkward situation where no one can take a step further?”
Xie Chong’s remarks were truly incisive, hitting the nail on the head and delving right into He Heng’s heart.
Unexpectedly, the one who usually seemed a bit clueless was quite knowledgeable in this matter.
He Heng immediately abandoned the remaining piece of steamed bun in his bowl, draped his arm over Xie Chong’s shoulder, and leaned in, asking, “So, tell me, how can we break free from this awkward situation?”
“Lord He, it’s simple,” Xie Chong casually took a sip of water. “Right now, all you need to do is create an image of yourself being very popular and in demand. Send him a signal like, ‘If you don’t make a move soon, someone else might beat you to it.’ He won’t be able to resist and will surely take some action.”
These words sounded like they could only come from someone who truly understood the dynamics.
He Heng’s eyes immediately lit up, feeling more motivated. “So, tell me, how can I create the impression that I’m very popular?”
“It’s easy,” Xie Chong leaned back, scrutinizing He Heng from head to toe. With a confident tone, he said, “Lord He, with your looks and demeanor, who wouldn’t like you?”
“Mmm,” He Heng nodded naturally, finding some logic in what Xie Chong said.
Xie Chong continued, “In my opinion, the only thing you lack is exposure. All you need to do now is go out to crowded places, take a few laps, and grab their attention.”
He Heng readily agreed, saying, “Alright.”
Soon, the two of them began discussing the details of their plan.
In the end, they decided to take a stroll in the Imperial Garden around the late afternoon, a time when it was most crowded. Both palace maids and concubines from the harem would be there, enjoying the scenery.
Moreover, the crucial factor was that at this time, Wen Liangyu had finished handling official matters. Whether he was heading from Ganqing Palace to Yangxin Hall or returning to the Prince Jing’s Mansion, he would need to pass through the Imperial Garden.
In the Imperial Garden, the wintersweet blossoms were in full bloom.
Pure white snow fell on the bricks, contrasting with the crimson palace walls, enticing anyone passing by to stop and admire the scene.
Following the winding blue stone steps, one would reach the central pavilion in the Imperial Garden called “Fengya Pavilion”. Positioned at a high elevation, it offered a panoramic view of the beautiful scenery for miles around.
When He Heng and his entourage arrived, the Fengya Pavilion was already bustling with palace maids who had come to enjoy the fresh air. Laughter and chatter could be heard from a distance, creating a lively atmosphere.
Before He Heng could reach the pavilion, some palace maids in the Fengya Pavilion noticed him.
Walking on the stone steps covered with a thin layer of snow, his tall figure stood out in the vast whiteness, attracting considerable attention.
Excitedly, one of the maids pulled her companions and pointed towards him, saying, “Hey, look! Look! The person coming from afar looks quite handsome.”
At the mention of a handsome guy, the other maids immediately perked up, leaning against the railing of the pavilion to get a better look.
“Where? Where? Let me see.”
However, as they followed the direction pointed by their companion and saw He Heng’s face, their expressions changed from curiosity to shock in an instant.
The next moment, she quickly covered her companion’s mouth and whispered in a hushed tone, “Do you know who he is?”
“That’s Prince Jing.”
In the palace, everyone had heard about Prince Jing’s notorious reputation for cruelty and heartlessness.
Not long ago, they had been celebrating that the emperor sent people to besiege Prince Jing’s mansion, suppressing this notorious figure. However, to encounter him in the Imperial Garden today was unexpected. They scattered like mice encountering a cat.
As He Heng walked through, palace residents dispersed in a panic, avoiding his path like birds and beasts fleeing.
As he walked, He Heng began to sense that something was amiss.
Contrary to what Xie Chong suggested, it seemed that he wasn’t attracting admiration by merely standing in a spot. On the contrary, he felt like a moving magnet of the same pole, repelling everyone around him. In the end, he found himself “alone in a vast expanse of whiteness, truly clean”.
By the time He Heng reached the Fengya Pavilion, all the palace residents had fled, leaving behind only withered flower petals and scattered snow on the ground. Some items left behind by the palace residents were still on the stone bench.
Gazing at this desolate scene, he was momentarily speechless. He hadn’t expected to be particularly popular, but he also hadn’t anticipated being so thoroughly disliked.
At this moment, Xie Chong, standing beside him, continued to “add fuel to the fire”.
“Don’t be disheartened, Lord He. I think they’re just shy.”
Hearing this, He Heng’s mouth twitched: “…”
Really? Shy at a speed close to fleeing for their lives?
In the end, he sighed, sat down on a nearby stone bench, and prepared to enjoy the lonely beauty by himself.
Just as he took his seat, a gust of wind blew through, lifting a pile of paper-cut window decorations placed in the center of the stone table.
The colorful paper decorations fluttered to the ground with a “rustling” sound, immediately capturing He Heng’s attention.
He suddenly realized that the hardness and material of those papers seemed ideal for origami. His hands itching, he picked up the topmost sheet and effortlessly folded it into a paper crane.
In his free time, He Heng had bought several books on origami, which he kept on his bedroom desk.
Whenever he struggled with a mathematical proof, He Heng would open an origami book, learn a new folding technique, and then return to contemplating the proof. Over the years, this practice had accumulated, and he could confidently fold not only a paper crane but even the Taj Mahal with his eyes closed.
He Heng was deeply engrossed in folding the paper. His eyes were focused, and his slender fingers deftly manipulated the thin sheet, flipping and folding. In no time, a lifelike paper crane leaped into existence.
“Hey, Lord He, you’ve folded a nice duck,” Xie Chong approached him, carefully inspecting the origami masterpiece in He Heng’s hands.
“It’s not a duck,” He Heng sighed in resignation. He was already used to Xie Chong’s peculiar reactions.
“It’s a paper crane.”
Just then, a weathered voice spoke up, “Young man, you have quite the skillful hands.”
Upon hearing the voice, He Heng and Xie Chong immediately lifted their heads to see several elderly women with silver-streaked hair surrounding them.
Their attire and appearance marked them as seasoned individuals within the palace, likely consorts who had served the late emperor. Judging by their age and status, they might be the empress dowagers.
The matrons accompanying them were also advanced in years, with a mix of grey and white in their hair.
The leading woman’s eyes and brows were adorned with fine wrinkles, but from her warm and elegant demeanor, one could faintly sense that she must have been a stunning beauty in her youth.
Not expecting to be approached while folding paper, both He Heng and Xie Chong were momentarily stunned. Before they could say anything, the woman didn’t seem to mind at all. She smiled, pointed to the spot next to He Heng, silently asking if they minded her group sitting there.
He Heng immediately shook his head, shifting aside to make room for them.
The leading woman then briefly introduced themselves. They were consorts of the late emperor, and as they had aged, their mobility had decreased. They usually stayed within their residences, rarely moving around the palace.
Today, upon hearing that the plum blossoms near the Fengya Pavilion were in full bloom, they decided it was time to get some fresh air and enjoy the scenery. That’s when they coincidentally encountered He Heng folding paper cranes.
Seeing such a unique origami activity for the first time, they were immediately intrigued and gathered around He Heng, asking if he could teach them.
“Of course.”
He Heng nodded slightly and then picked up a sheet of colored paper to demonstrate.
Now, he felt a bit like being interrogated by elders at home, making him careful and cautious in his choice of words.
When Wen Liangyu returned from Ganqing Palace and passed through the Imperial Garden, this was the scene that greeted him.
He Heng was sitting in the center of the Fengya Pavilion, surrounded by a group of elderly consorts and maids. Next to him were piles of colored paper used for cutting window decorations, and in his hands was a half-folded paper crane.
“Hey, Xiao Heng, tell me again, how do you fold these wings?” The elderly ladies, witnessing such a novel activity for the first time, were genuinely curious.
“Oh, this.” He Heng’s tone sounded like that of a well-behaved child sitting straight in class. He reached over to take the half-finished crane from the elder’s hand and patiently demonstrated, “First, fold it in half here, then flip it up. After flipping it, just pull out the wings.”
As He Heng spoke, a few strands of hair fell onto his forehead, scattered along his temple. Another gust of wind swept through, and snowflakes danced like willow catkins, creating a picturesque scene with the winter-plum blossoms.
Wen Liangyu, watching from a distance, became somewhat enchanted. By the time he snapped out of it, He Heng had already finished folding a paper crane.
“Xiao Heng, you’re really skillful.” The elderly consorts praised him, “You’ve folded this paper crane so well.”
Feeling a bit embarrassed by their compliments, He Heng reached up to touch the back of his head, wearing a somewhat shy smile. “Actually, I can fold other animals too.”
With that statement, the crowd became lively once again.
“Can you teach me how to fold a monkey?”
“Can we fold mandarin ducks?”
“I want to learn!”
“Sure,” He Heng nodded, pulling out a few sheets of paper from the side. “Let’s take it step by step.”
With that, he began to fold in an organized manner.
Observing the scene before him, a faint smile appeared on Wen Liangyu’s lips unconsciously.
He Heng seemed to be quite popular.
Inside the pavilion,
Just as He Heng finished folding a monkey, a shadow suddenly fell over. When he looked up, he saw Wen Liangyu standing in front of him.
The young emperor was dressed in court attire, with a subtle smile on his lips.
Upon the emperor’s arrival, the elderly consorts respectfully greeted him.
Wen Liangyu nodded slightly, indicating that they need not be overly formal. He then picked up a penguin from the assortment of small animals He Heng had folded, and with genuine interest, he looked at He Heng and said, “Lord He, you’re quite skillful. Why not teach me as well?”
He Heng looked at the penguin in his hand, momentarily surprised. This seemed to deviate from their original plan—perhaps a bit embarrassing but not entirely so.
The elderly consorts on the side, hearing Wen Liangyu’s request, began praising He Heng for his extraordinary craftsmanship and skill.
He Heng, who usually exuded confidence when alone, now appeared quite awkward.
Listening to the excessive praises that made him feel increasingly embarrassed, he could feel his face heating up.
Wen Liangyu, observing He Heng’s uneasy demeanor amidst the flattery, found it particularly amusing. He instinctively lifted the corner of his mouth, leaned in close to He Heng’s ear, and whispered, “Forget it, I won’t embarrass you here. Teach me privately later.”
Author’s note: The position of Empress Heng Bao is being carefully handled.
