Return from the Festival

Yi Tian had no prior knowledge of the Lianhua Pagoda; merely the name suggested it was a structure of some sort. He mused over the proposition, eventually inclining towards acceptance. After all, his mere presence at the event could offer him insight into this world's workings.

He turned his gaze to Zhen Bao, who wore an expression of nervous anticipation, seemingly anxious about the potential rejection of his proposition. With an air of calm assertiveness, Yi Tian finally replied, "I accept your proposal. However, you must come to the palace to escort me."

A look of surprise flashed across Zhen Bao's face, quickly followed by a hasty bow that revealed his receding hairline. "Thank you, Young Master! And rest assured, I will personally escort you from the palace," Zhen Bao confirmed enthusiastically. This was an invaluable opportunity for his family. After expressing his gratitude, Zhen Bao shut the wooden box delicately and extended it towards Yi Tian, allowing the detailed carvings of mythical dragons to catch the light.

Yi Tian accepted the box with a composed demeanor, discreetly storing it in his robes beside the book he carried. Following the successful transaction, Zhen Bao took his leave hastily, eager to relay the news to Zhen Ling.

"Let us depart," Yi Tian announced, turning towards the group and motioning for them to continue on their way. Yi Hua acknowledged his suggestion with a nod and fell into step alongside him, with Liu Yue and Jun trailing behind them.

Yi Hua cast a curious glance towards Yi Tian, "Tian, would it be possible for me to accompany you to the auction?" She held a hopeful expectation that she might get to venture beyond the confines of the compound with Yi Tian, an opportunity she hadn't had in quite some time. Traditionally, young unmarried women of the main family were rarely seen beyond the palace gates, their activities largely confined to the palace itself. However, the world beyond intrigued her.

Yi Tian glanced at Yi Hua as they continued to walk, and he gifted her with a faint smile, "Of course, you're welcome to join me." Yi Hua responded with a modest smile and a nod to his affirmation.

They strolled through the expansive outer court of the River Mountain Hall until they reached a guarded carriage. They climbed aboard, then set off for their next destination: the Liu Branch Estate.

...

As they bid farewell to Liu Yue and Jun, the rest of the journey was marked by an almost ceremonial silence. Yi Tian settled back into the plush cushions of the carriage, his eyes drawn to the world outside as it slipped past the lattice-framed windows. Moonlight spilled over the landscape, casting an ethereal glow that seemed to transform the ordinary into something profoundly serene.

Beside him, Yi Hua stole glances at Yi Tian, her mind teetering on the edge of questions that remained unspoken, echoes of Liu Yue's words stirring in her thoughts. Fear kept the most pressing question at bay, so she chose to voice another of almost equal weight.

"Yi Tian," she began, her voice barely above a whisper.

His gaze pulled away from the enchanting tableau outside, turning to rest on Yi Hua. The glow from the intricately designed lamp hanging from the carriage ceiling cast an alluring light on her raven hair.

"Hm?" His monosyllabic reply was an invitation for her to continue.

"Why didn't you tell me that you were being sent to the battlefield in four months?" Her words carried a weight that belied her steady gaze.

His initial reaction was to question why he would share such information; it didn't directly involve her. But then he thought about the inherent ambiguity of their situation. Could it be that the original Yi Tian, being her betrothed, might have confided such things to her? Contemplating this possibility, he replied with measured calmness, "I was drafted only yesterday."

"Oh. I see," she murmured, the pacing of her words reflecting the slow churn of her thoughts. Internally, she felt a pang of regret for overreacting, for misinterpreting the circumstances. She had assumed Yi Tian was ordered to prepare for the battle long ago, but now that she understood the true state of affairs, she chided herself for her melodramatic assumptions. Nonetheless, an undercurrent of worry remained, the idea of Yi Tian leaving filled her with an unsettling sense of apprehension.

...

Upon their return to the palace and bidding a cordial farewell to Yi Hua, Yi Tian's path diverged from his usual course. He didn't head towards his own secluded courtyard but, instead, veered towards the more imposing main residence of his father, the heart of the palace complex.

The genesis of this detour could be traced back to the early hours of the festival, where he had an intriguing encounter with Li Wei and his father. That encounter, marked by an air of surreptitious tension, had left Yi Tian in possession of a small wooden tube he had yet to inspect.

Li Wei's father had imparted a single instruction, a name: Bai Lu. The wooden tube was a refill intended for this person, whoever they were. But this cryptic instruction had done nothing but puzzle Yi Tian further, leaving him with a sense that he was walking blindfolded through a field of unknowns. The connection suggested by the refill implied that this was a recurring task for his former self, yet his own ignorance of the situation hung over him like an unanswered question.

And so, Yi Tian had decided to take this curious matter to the patriarch of the family, his father. Despite any suspicion it might stir, he believed it was the wisest course of action. He'd rather brave the possibility of raising eyebrows than risk being bitten by unseen consequences that might lurk in the shadows of someone else's discovery.