落尘小说网

第 2 章（第1页）

BythetimeSuyuanandAyaoreturotheOrchidCourtyard，thesunalreadybegantosinktowardsthewesternmountain。Thehiddenpathbroughtthemdirectlytothesideoftheentranceofthecourtyard，Ayaoglancedaroundbeforeslippingihthefishinherhand。Suyuanfollowedherthroughthepath，thecourtyardwastooquietforaplacethatbelooaprincess。Therewereonlyfourpeoplelivingwithinthesewalls。PrincessShuranandNannyZhangoccupiedthemainhall，whileSuyuanandAyaolivedinthesmallersidehall。

Thecourtyardwaskeptdespiteitsage。Thewoodenpillarshadfaded，therooftileshadbeenrepairedmoretimesthananyoneremember，andtheoncebeautifulcarvingaroundthewindowshadlostitscolor。Therewasnothingluxuriousabouttheplacebutitwasstillahomeforthem。AtleastthatwaswhatSuyuantriedtotellherself。Thepalacekitrarelysentthemanythingfresh，mostofthedaysthefooddeliveredtoOrchidCourtyardsistedofleftoversthatothersdidntwant。

EveryonekheKhanhadlongsinceabandonedPrincessShuran。Nooneexpectedhimtocarewhethersheatewellorsleptwarmly。Mostoftheallowancesenttothecourtyardentonthemedie，whateverremainedhadtobestretchedcarefullyuntilmonth。Suyuanknowhermotherneverplainedandthaterhapsthethingfrightenedherthemost。Suyuanpushedopenthedoortoherroomaiogeherdress。Herdresswassimple，madeofpalecottonfabricthathadbeenwashedsomanytimesthatmadethefabriclostitssoftherewerenopearlssewnintothecollar，nojadeorshangingfromthewaistaainlynoelaborateembroideryfitforanimperialprincess。

Yetevendressedsoplainly，Suyuanpossessedabeautythatwasdifficulttooverlook。Herfeaturesweredelicate，herplexionpaleandhereyesclearandquietbehlonglashes。Herbodyhadbeenweakerthanirlsherage，havingbeenborurelyshetiredeasilyandoftenfellill。Asingleglancewasenoughtomakepeoplethinkshewasagirlwhoneededproteg，afragileflower。Foramoment，shealmostbelievedit。Thenhergazeslowlydarkened，aflower?No。Shehadlearnedlongagothatbeautifulflowersweretheeasiestthingstotrample。HermotherhadoncebeencalledthemostbeautifulfloweroftheXianEmpire，elegant，radiantandcherished。Aflowerthateveryoneadmiredahatbeautifulflowerhadbeenpluckedfromherhomeland，forcedtobloominfnsoiltheowither。

Suyuanwillneverbeeanotherflowerandwaitinghopelesslyforsomeooprotectit。Iftheworldinsistedoingherastheflowerthen，perhapsithadfottenthatsomeflowersarepoisonous。Suyuanturnedawayfromthemirror，shehadnoiinprovirengthtoanyone。Apoisonousflowerdidnothornstobedangerous，sometimesallitneededwasforsomeootouchit。

Wheeppedoutside，thesmelloffreshlyedfishgreetedher。Ayaowaswaitingbesidethesmallstove，proudlyholdingthecarp。

“Miss!it’sready”

“Thatswhatyoucallready?”Suyuanstaredatthefish。

Ayaolookedoffended，“ieditproperly”

“WellIbelieveyou”Suyuancrouchedbesidethestove。

“Gsomeginger，greenonionandsomesalt”

Ayaoimmediatelysighedandstooduptolookforthings。Sheknowshercookingisterrible，thatswhySuyuandidn’tlethercook。Suyuancouldn’thelpsmiling，shetooktheedcarpandmadeseveralshallowcutsalongitssidesbeforerinsingitoncemore。Sheplaceditintoapotofwaterandaddedseveralslicesofgingerandafewpiecesofgreenonion。Thefirebehthepotwaskeptlow，shewaitedpatientlyasthewaterslowlycametoasimmer。Steamrosefromthepot，carryingthefreshstoffishandgihroughthequietcourtyard。

Suyuancarefullyskimmedthefoamfromthesurfacebeforeaddingasmallamountofsalt。Theyhadnoexpensiveingredients，nopreedicalherbsandnodelicaciesfromtheKhan’skit，onlywarmbrothoffishbutthat’senoughforsomeonewhowasillenoughforhermother。Ayaocrouchedbesideher，“MisswillHerHighnesslikeit?”Suyuanglaowardthemainhall，“Ihopeso”。Hersmilewasfaint，hermotherhadeatenverylittlethesepastfewdays。Evenmedieseemeduostopherhealthfromdeing。Suyuanneverasksfortoomuch，onlyawarmmeal，saferoomandhermother。Yetsomehow，eventhesesimplethingsseemedsodifficulttokeep。Forjustamoment，shejustrememberedhermentleface