Fengyu and Mingzhu sat side by side on the jade steps. Wisps of white steam rose from the hot spring, and the evening breeze brushed through the forest, rustling the bamboo leaves. Fengyu herself had endured days of mockery, humiliation, and isolation due to her low status.
She could empathize with Mingzhu's unease and fear. Though Mingzhu now carried the title of Princess, she lacked the confidence befitting one. She wasn't like Ruyi—although Ruyi was young, she had grown up surrounded by an understanding of her noble identity. If anyone dared provoke him, the little child could summon quite the imposing presence, and even the palace maids and eunuchs were reluctant to fool him.
