That twilight, Li Jun returned with several confidential ledgers.
"Tonight, we must cross-reference these ledgers with the granary data overnight. There's something amiss with these accounts…"
"Go bathe in the bathhouse. You haven't slept well these past few days. Let me go through them first," I said.
Without another word, he took the clean clothes and turned to leave.
I was equally occupied, flipping through the ledgers while softly tallying the silver. Before long, a startled cry echoed from outside the door:
"Hey! You… why are you here too?!"
I froze, setting down the ledgers in my hands.
It was Li Jun's voice. Immediately after, I heard the sound of his rapid footsteps as he kicked the door open and burst in.
My heart sank. Having just finished bathing, I hadn't had time to fasten my inner garments properly and could only hastily shield my chest with my outer robe.
"Have you lost your mind?! Who allowed you—"
Before I could finish speaking, he stood frozen at the doorway, his gaze falling upon my slightly open inner robe and the untied sash at my waist.
The air seemed to solidify.
The shock in Li Jun's eyes gradually transformed into astonishment, finally settling upon the soft curve I hadn't managed to conceal. His breath hitched, as if struck by lightning.
"You… you really are…" he murmured, as if unable to believe what he saw.
Flustered, I tightened my clothes and said coldly, "Get out!"
He turned around, but didn't leave immediately. His voice was low and husky as he said:
"I thought… you were merely a bit refined in your demeanor."
"Never did I imagine…"
His tone suddenly held a hint of sorrow, "You've been carrying such a secret, living so arduously."
I remained silent, a thousand thoughts swirling within me.
Only after the door closed did I collapse onto the bed, my chest heaving violently.
He knew.
But… he didn't question, didn't report, even—
I bit my lip, recalling the emotion that had suddenly surged in his eyes. It wasn't shock; it was pity.
That night, I didn't write another letter to the Crown Prince. I simply watched the moonlight, letting it fall upon the lingering tremor in my heart.
And Li Jun never mentioned the incident.
He acted as if he had never discovered the truth, except—from that day onward, whenever he noticed my unintentional weariness, he would quietly drape his outer robe over my shoulders.
And the storm was quietly approaching.
Beyond the ledgers of the granary lay a deeper corruption of power and collusion between officials and merchants.
A storm to unveil the darkness was imminent.
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