A Precious Pearl in the Imperial City-Chapter 61

Night fell, the red candles flickered as Zheng Lanyin adjusted her accessories over and over again.

"Bai Shao, Hong Mei," she called out twice, but only Bai Shao entered. Preoccupied with her thoughts, she didn't even notice this. "Has the palace attendant who was supposed to escort me to the banquet not arrived yet?"

The Quiet Thoughts Pavilion was remote, situated near the three consorts' palaces in the western part of the palace. Even with all the windows and doors open, she couldn’t hear the music from the New Year’s banquet.

"In previous years, the banquet would have already begun by now. Is it because I live in such an out-of-the-way place that the attendants haven’t come for me yet?"

"Do you think this dress looks good on me? Or does it seem too shabby?"

"My lady." Bai Shao poured Zheng Lanyin a cup of hot tea, but the latter waved it away. "Take it away. I’ve just applied my lip color—I can’t ruin it. Go outside and see if the attendants have arrived yet."

Tea splashed from the cup onto Bai Shao’s hand, quickly reddening the skin. She wiped the water from her hand and bowed. "Yes, my lady. This servant will go check immediately."

As she stepped outside, Hong Mei, who was sitting in the courtyard cracking melon seeds, looked up with a mocking smile. "Punished again?"

Bai Shao pressed a hand to her reddened skin and said nothing.

"Since we’ve served together for so many years, I’ll give you some advice—find a new mistress as soon as you can and leave this place." Hong Mei spat out a melon seed shell. "Our mistress has already lost favor. Staying here is just wasting your life."

"Do we servants have a choice?" Bai Shao glanced at Hong Mei. "Don’t do anything that betrays our mistress."

"You’re so loyal to her—but how does she treat you?" Hong Mei stood up and brushed off her clothes. "Back then, she promised to release you from the palace when you turned twenty-five. And now? You’re already twenty-eight, following her to this wretched place, enduring beatings and curses, suffering the disdain of servants from other palaces."

"Just look at Bright Moon Palace—even the dog at their gate is treated better than we are."

"You’d love to serve at Bright Moon Palace, but would they take you?" Bai Shao tried to reason with her. "The palace has no tolerance for disloyal servants, Hong Mei. Don’t bring trouble upon yourself."

"If you want to be a loyal dog, don’t drag me into it." Hong Mei scoffed, pulling out two taels of silver from her sleeve. "After tonight, I won’t be serving here anymore. Take this money—use it as you please."

Bai Shao watched as Hong Mei swayed away, then picked up the two taels of silver from the stone table and clenched them in her palm. There were only a few noble consorts in the palace, and Hong Mei was a first-rank palace maid. Even if these consorts wanted to maintain a facade of kindness, none would dare take her in, lest they be accused of kicking someone when they’re down.

Other than the consorts, who else would dare employ Hong Mei?

Perhaps… she had secured a position in the Palace Administration Bureau—the offices of Imperial Wardrobe or Imperial Cuisine might still take her.

The silver was warm in her hand. Bai Shao tucked it into her sleeve and walked out of the Quiet Thoughts Pavilion, strolling through the palace corridors. On New Year’s Eve, even the maids were allowed to wear rouge and silk flowers, chatting and laughing in small groups.

Occasionally, laughter drifted over the palace walls. Bai Shao stopped, leaning against the wall to look up at the sky—nothing but darkness and a single red lantern hanging above.

She knew no one would come to invite her mistress to the banquet. She also knew that if she returned now, her mistress would only vent her anger on her.

The wind was cold. Pressing a hand to her aching stomach, she thought of that bright-eyed girl—the one who had draped a cloak over her shoulders.

Warm, soft, and lightly scented.

If this palace was an endless thicket of thorns, then that girl was a little magpie that had accidentally landed upon them.

She had wings of freedom, and a voice that was lively and enchanting.

"Little Pig Ming." Prince Chen took two steps, then turned to Jiuzhu, who was following behind him. "Tonight, keep Xiangjuan by your side no matter what. Don’t let her leave you for anything."

Jiuzhu nodded. "Alright."

"Then let’s go." He glanced toward the main doors of the grand hall, waiting for Jiuzhu to walk beside him before stepping inside.

"Prince Chen has arrived. County Princess Ming has arrived."

The hushed chatter in the hall ceased immediately as everyone rose to greet the pair at the entrance, bowing to Prince Chen.

A few discreetly observed the expressions of Ming Jingzhou and his wife. At the last grand banquet, their daughter had appeared alongside Consort Su. This time, she was entering with Prince Chen. What exactly was the Ming family’s stance toward the imperial princes?

Sun Caiyao set down her teacup, noticing that the seat Prince Chen had led Ming Jiuzhu to was the foremost position among the county princesses.

At imperial banquets, seating arrangements were dictated by strict protocol. Ming Jiuzhu, a county princess by imperial favor rather than royal blood, was placed above those with actual royal lineage. Yet, none of the Ministry of Rites officials stepped forward to correct this—instead, they bowed respectfully to the pair.

"Fourth Sister-in-law." Princess Consort Jing, seated nearest to her, smiled warmly. "Since this is your first palace banquet as a member of the imperial family, if there’s anything you’re unsure about, don’t hesitate to ask me."

"Thank you, Third Sister-in-law." Realizing she had been staring at Ming Jiuzhu for too long, Sun Caiyao quickly averted her gaze and nodded politely.

"See the elderly county princess sitting below County Princess Ming?" Princess Consort Jing’s voice was light and pleasant, her demeanor friendly. "Her great-grandmother was an imperial princess. By her generation, the women of her family should no longer have held any titles. But when His Majesty was in hardship, the old county princess secretly sent supplies to the estate. Later, after His Majesty ascended the throne, she grew close to Consort Su. In recognition of her past kindness, His Majesty granted her the title of county princess as an exception."

Close to Consort Su?

Sun Caiyao had some recollection of this elderly county princess. In previous years, she had always occupied the foremost seat among the county princesses. Yet today, she had unhesitatingly taken the second seat.

The people of the palace were all cunning foxes, masters of reading the winds.

After giving all necessary instructions—even peeling two pieces of fruit for Jiuzhu himself—Prince Chen finally stood to leave.

After two steps, he turned back. "If anyone upsets you, just throw a cup at their face. If it breaks, I’ll take responsibility."

"Your Highness." Xiangjuan couldn’t help laughing. "Don’t worry. This servant will make sure County Princess Ming is well taken care of."

Jiuzhu, however, seriously examined the cup in her hand. Such an exquisitely crafted cup—what a shame to use it for throwing.

Xiangjuan noticed her action and suspected that no matter what Prince Chen said, County Princess Ming might actually take it to heart.

Only after Prince Chen had turned back every few steps and finally walked away did Xiangjuan pour Jiuzhu a cup of tea. Noticing a small embroidered stool under the table, Jiuzhu pulled it out and placed it beside Xiangjuan. "Auntie, sit here."

"Thank you, County Princess." Xiangjuan sat behind Jiuzhu, her gaze sweeping over the assembled guests with a gentle smile.

These small stools were meant for the attendants of the nobility, but the strict hierarchies of aristocratic families meant most went unused. Fewer than two or three out of ten servants ever got to sit.

In a soft voice, Xiangjuan explained the identities of everyone present—men and women alike—their family connections, and their relationships with the imperial household, all laid out clearly.

Jiuzhu gazed at her with admiration: "Aunt, you're truly remarkable."

"As a fourth-rank stewardess of Bright Moon Palace, if I couldn't handle such matters, how could I have the face to serve Her Highness?" Xiangjuan was amused by Jiuzhu's worshipful look. A high-ranking palace stewardess like her would be honorably cared for by the imperial family in her old age, and even lower-ranking officials would bow to her.

Since Her Highness was an imperial consort, even her status as a palace maid was half a rank higher than those serving other concubines.

Senior palace maids were their mistress's right-hand women and spokespersons. Some stewardesses and eunuchs even exploited their mistress's name to secretly extort benefits from the mistress's family. Since family members couldn’t enter the inner palace freely, even if they were deceived, they remained unaware.

"His Majesty arrives!"

After the announcement was called out three times, the court officials and noblewomen rose, straightened their attire, and faced the entrance in unison, bowing deeply: "Long live His Majesty, long live, long, long live!"

After three bows, Jiuzhu heard the elderly county princess beside her add in a hoarse but firm voice: "Long live Her Highness, a thousand years, a thousand thousand years!"

"Long live Her Highness, a thousand years, a thousand thousand years!"

The elderly county princess glanced at Jiuzhu, and Jiuzhu returned the look. Their voices had harmonized perfectly in the chant.

The civil officials hesitated, their eyes flickering toward Consort Su, who stood beside the Emperor. The dazzling phoenix hairpin on her head made their eyes ache.

The imperial relatives had already chanted—should they follow or not?

In previous New Year banquets, though Consort Su accompanied the Emperor, the officials had only vaguely greeted her with "We pay respects to Consort Su." Who had set this troublesome precedent this year?

The hall fell into a brief silence until the Ming brothers, Vice Minister Wu, and the high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Rites all raised their hands in salute. Only then did the others snap out of their hesitation.

"Long live Her Highness, a thousand years, a thousand thousand years!"

This time, more than half of the officials and noblewomen in the hall bowed deeply.

Seeing the increasingly pleased smile on the Emperor’s face, everyone understood—this was exactly the outcome His Majesty desired.

He Tingyu sighed. During the third chant, ignoring Vice Minister Yang’s furious glare, he bowed and echoed: "Long live Her Highness, a thousand years, a thousand thousand years."

The third chant was thunderous and perfectly synchronized. Emperor Longfeng took Consort Su’s hand and led her to the high seat before addressing the assembly: "We are deeply moved that our ministers share Our sentiments."

Sentiments?

What sentiments?

"Consort Su and I met in our youth. Over the years, she has borne Our sons, managed the inner palace with diligence and humility, never once complaining..."

Managed the inner palace?

Since His Majesty’s ascension, when had any new concubines ever entered the harem?

As for "diligence and humility"—if His Majesty could say it without embarrassment, they could pretend it was true.

"All these years, Consort Su has stood by Our side, sharing Our burdens, yet We, preoccupied with state affairs, have neglected her."

The other concubines’ expressions twisted at this. Wasn’t His Majesty either in Taiyang Palace, Bright Moon Palace, or on his way to Bright Moon Palace? How was that neglect?

The civil officials grew increasingly uneasy. What was His Majesty planning?

What did he intend to do?

"Recently, a minister petitioned, stating that the palace cannot remain without an empress. We pondered day and night, unable to sleep, until We had to admit—this minister spoke wisely."

The officials exchanged glances, wondering who the meddler was.

When His Majesty first ascended the throne, he had wanted to enthrone Consort Su as empress, but the opposition had been too strong.

They had assumed His Majesty’s affection for Consort Su stemmed from their shared years in the princely estate. Once more women entered the palace, his feelings would naturally fade—as all men understood.

Yet, over a decade into his reign, not a single new concubine had entered the harem. When they blocked his attempt to make Consort Su empress, he simply left the position vacant, allowing her to reign unchallenged.

Now that His Majesty had consolidated power and controlled the military, none dared raise the issue again, fearing he would finally enthrone Consort Su and they’d be powerless to stop it.

So who had provoked this?

The ministers of the Six Ministries exchanged uneasy looks. Ming Jingzhou and Ming Jinghai shared a glance but remained silent.

His Majesty was clearly fabricating this "petition."

"Consort Su, virtuous and gracious, is worthy to be Our empress." Emperor Longfeng finally uttered the words the civil officials dreaded: "Tomorrow, We shall take Consort Su to the ancestral temple and proclaim her empress."

Consort Su’s lashes trembled slightly, but under the scrutiny of the court, she betrayed no emotion, maintaining a composed smile.

Though she didn’t know when His Majesty had begun planning this, she knew he must have schemed for a long, long time.

"Your Majesty..."

"What is it?" When Emperor Longfeng wasn’t smiling, the courtiers remembered—this was the man who had outmaneuvered all his brothers in the struggle for the throne.

"First, you forbade Us from naming an empress. Now, you demand We name one." His gaze turned icy. "Or do you believe Our harem must bow to your whims?"

"We dare not!"

"Dare not?" The Emperor fell silent, and the hall became deathly still. Many opposed Consort Su’s ascension, but under His Majesty’s imposing presence, none dared speak first.

Some stole glances at the Ming brothers, but at this critical moment, the two stood motionless, heads bowed as if in meditation.

Others looked to the fathers of the imperial princes, waiting for their reaction—only to find them even more deferential than the Mings.

Had they all gone mad? Once Consort Su became empress, Prince Chen would be the legitimate heir. If His Majesty wished to name him crown prince, it would be indisputable.

"Tonight is a celebration for ruler and subjects alike. Ministers, do not restrain yourselves." Just as the tension peaked, Emperor Longfeng smiled, once more the benevolent sovereign. "Please, be seated."

Yun Yanze’s hands trembled within his sleeves, his forehead damp with cold sweat.

So this was it.

All these years, while they privately nurtured advisors and conspired with their maternal families, His Majesty had watched silently—all for this moment.

His Majesty had confined them in the palace. The world knew they were being punished, but none knew their crimes.

Which of the princes’ maternal families hadn’t made covert moves?

Uncertain what His Majesty had uncovered, none dared gamble their family’s status and glory. Tonight’s banquet was His Majesty’s wager against these families.

He bet they wouldn’t dare oppose him. Bet they would fear. Bet they would yield.

Whether it was the Zhengs, his own mother, or himself—they were the slaughtered chickens, a warning to the other families and princes, the monkeys dancing in His Majesty’s palm.

A clichéd tactic, killing the chicken to scare the monkeys.

But also the most effective.

No one wanted to be the slaughtered chicken, even if being a monkey meant ridicule.

"Your Highness?" Sun Caiyao gently took his hand and offered him a pastry. "Try this delicacy."

"Thank you." Yun Yanze accepted the pastry, took a small bite, and set it down on his plate. By the time the cold appetizers were served, the pastry remained untouched.

"County Princess Ming, do try this lotus root sandwich." The elderly county princess seated next to Jiuzhu smiled warmly. "Crispy on the outside, fragrant on the inside—quite delicious."

"Thank you." Jiuzhu expressed her gratitude and picked up a lotus root sandwich to place in her bowl.

"County Princess Ming grew up in Lingzhou, did she not? This humble official has heard that Lingzhou is rich in mountains and rivers, renowned for its nine-holed lotus roots. When the segments are broken apart, they pull long, delicate threads. I wonder, which lotus roots produce longer threads—those from Lingzhou or the capital?"

Jiuzhu lifted her head, scanning the room for the speaker, but after a full circle, she still couldn't locate him.

"County Princess, this humble official is here." Vice Minister Yang, noticing that Ming Jiuzhu had looked everywhere but at him, stood up. "May I ask, County Princess, what is the meaning behind the phrase 'even when the lotus root breaks, its threads remain connected'?"

Ming Jingzhou set down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth, and cast a faintly amused glance at the Vice Minister of Revenue.

As for Prince Chen, seated among the imperial princes, his expression had darkened completely.

All eyes turned to Ming Jiuzhu. Sun Caiyao expected her to appear uneasy, but she did not. Instead, she sat there calmly, her large eyes filled with innocent confusion, as if she couldn’t understand why such a strange question had been posed.

"Esteemed sir, my sincerest apologies." Jiuzhu offered Vice Minister Yang a regretful smile. "I was raised in a Daoist temple and have never cultivated lotus roots myself. If you are truly curious, I could write to my elders and seek their wisdom before answering your question."

"Your Majesty, in this humble official’s view, no matter where the lotus root comes from, once cut, its threads remain connected—yet this does not mean they are truly bound to one another." Vice Minister Yang paid no heed to Jiuzhu’s response. Instead, he clasped his hands and addressed Emperor Longfeng from his elevated seat. "The relationship between Prince Qi and the Zheng family is much the same. From birth, he was their grandson by blood—a circumstance beyond his control. The Zheng family brought their downfall upon themselves, but Prince Qi is blameless. I implore Your Majesty to consider this fairly."

Jiuzhu finally understood—this man didn’t care about her answer at all. He had merely used her as a pretext to plead for Prince Qi’s case.

The people of the capital truly had devious hearts.

"But the threads can still be broken," Jiuzhu earnestly countered. "If you stand far enough apart when pulling them, they will snap. If they don’t, it simply means you haven’t stepped back far enough."

Vice Minister Yang turned to stare at her, taken aback that the Ming family’s daughter would speak up at such a moment.

A clever person would have known to stay silent.

"Sir, you must not have spent much time in the kitchen," Jiuzhu remarked kindly when she noticed his gaze. "But don’t worry—you’ll understand with practice."

Vice Minister Yang stiffened. "Thank you, County Princess, for enlightening this humble official."

Now, will you finally shut up?

"You’re welcome." Jiuzhu beamed. "If you’re still unsure, you could always try breaking one yourself."

Ignoring her, Vice Minister Yang strode to the center of the hall and addressed Emperor Longfeng loudly, "Your Majesty, I beseech you to restore the fourth prince’s title. Do not let outsiders come between the bond of father and son!"

Originally, he had intended to use the metaphor of the lotus root’s threads to sway the emperor emotionally. But this carefully laid plan had been derailed from the start by Ming Jiuzhu, leaving everything awkward and disjointed.

He had assumed a young girl raised in a remote prefecture, neglected by her family and timid by nature, would be easy to manipulate. Instead, she had completely disrupted his rhythm.

Had he known this would happen, he would never have chosen her as his pawn.

"It’s the New Year’s celebration—I had hoped to settle accounts after the festivities. Yet some insist on rushing the matter." Ming Jingzhou smiled faintly, his fingers brushing against something hidden in his robes as he waited for Vice Minister Yang to continue.

Ming Jinghai sipped his wine in silence. His younger brother had always been one to conceal daggers behind a smile. Whatever was about to unfold, he had likely anticipated it long ago.

Vice Minister Yang was impulsive by nature and held Prince Qi in high esteem. If he had heard rumors about the prince, it was no surprise he would seize the New Year’s banquet to plead for leniency.

But for Prince Qi at this moment, this was no plea—it was a shove straight into the fire.

"Vice Minister Yang, today is a banquet of reunion, a family gathering. Matters of court can wait until the new year begins." Emperor Longfeng raised a hand to silence him. "It seems the vice minister has had too much to drink. Perhaps he should step outside to sober up."

"Your Majesty, this humble official is not drunk." Vice Minister Yang waved off the eunuchs who moved to assist him. "Your Majesty calls this a family banquet—yet Prince Qi is your son. Why should his affairs not be discussed here?"

Consort Su glanced at Yun Yanze, whose face had turned ashen. Were it not for the emperor beside her, she might have laughed aloud. Perhaps even Yun Yanze hadn’t anticipated that Vice Minister Yang’s bluntness was a double-edged sword—one that could wound others just as easily as himself.

"Prince Qi is virtuous, humble, and considerate of his subordinates. His filial devotion to Your Majesty is unwavering. How could Your Majesty bear to cast aside such devotion for the sake of other princes?" Vice Minister Yang declared boldly. "Your Majesty’s actions have stirred not only this humble official’s sympathy but that of many others as well."

The ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‍officials seated near Vice Minister Yang shrank back in their seats. Whoever these "others" were, they certainly weren’t among them.

As for the "other princes" in question, Prince Chen merely sipped his wine with a faint smile, waiting for the next act of this performance.

"Imperial Father." Yun Yanze knew he could no longer let Vice Minister Yang continue. Before the eyes of the court, he had to step forward and make his stance clear.

"Your Majesty." Ming Jingzhou, seeing Yun Yanze rise, stood as well. "This humble official believes Vice Minister Yang makes a valid point. Prince Qi is your son—there is nothing about him that cannot be discussed at a family banquet."

He Tingyu stared at Ming Jingzhou in disbelief. This wasn’t like him. Vice Minister Yang was straightforward to the point of recklessness, but Ming Jingzhou was never one to act rashly.

With Ming Jingzhou now involved, the entire hall fell silent, an uneasy tension settling over the room.

"Before entering the palace, this humble official uncovered certain matters related to the Zheng family and Consort Zheng. Out of consideration for Prince Qi, I chose to remain silent rather than expose his family’s misdeeds on New Year’s Eve." Ming Jingzhou withdrew a thick stack of documents from his robes—loan agreements, testimonies of land seizures, even evidence of Consort Zheng bribing officials of the imperial stables.

"In the fifth year of Longfeng, Consort Zheng feigned grave illness to summon Prince Qi to her side, all while secretly sending assassins to Lingzhou to kill Consort Su and Prince Chen. Fortunately, Consort Su, in her kindness, rescued a drowning girl along the way and altered her travel plans."

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"In the sixth year of Longfeng, the Zheng family seized over a hundred acres of farmland, leaving dozens of families homeless."

"In the eighth year of Longfeng, the Zheng family accepted five thousand taels of silver in bribes to secure a magistrate’s position for an unqualified candidate."

"In the tenth year of Longfeng, Consort Zheng beat a palace maid to death, then concealed the crime by claiming the girl had died of illness. Her family still waits for her return."

"In the spring of the eleventh year of Longfeng, two eunuchs in Consort Zheng’s palace died suddenly under mysterious circumstances."

"In the year of Longfeng..."

As Ming Jingzhou listed each piece of evidence one by one, the grand hall fell so silent that even the sound of breathing could no longer be heard.

Before the assembled imperial relatives, court officials, and noblewomen, he laid bare every crime committed by the birth mother and maternal family of Prince Qi, stripping away all hope of the prince ever ascending the throne.

Unless every other imperial prince were to perish, the throne would forever remain beyond Prince Qi’s reach—even if he himself had little to do with these transgressions.

"Minister," Zhou Rui swallowed hard, shrinking his neck as he whispered to Li En, "What’s gotten into Brother Ming?"

To publicly humiliate Prince Qi, tearing apart both his dignity and reputation in front of so many, was an act even more ruthless than a feud steeped in blood.

Never before had Ming Jingzhou shown any hostility toward Prince Qi. Why today, of all days, was he dragging the prince through the mud with such ferocity?

Ming Jingzhou continued enumerating the crimes of Consort Zheng and the Zheng family, down to the last detail—even their unpaid debt of two hundred taels of silver to a fabric merchant.

"Your Majesty, here are the evidence and testimonies I have gathered." After presenting the full list of charges, Ming Jingzhou bowed deeply to Emperor Longfeng. "I implore Your Majesty to punish these corrupt officials severely, as a warning to others, and to deliver justice to the people."

As the thick stack of evidence was placed into the emperor’s hands, the onlookers couldn’t help but wonder—wasn’t Ming Jingzhou the Vice Minister of Rites, not the Vice Minister of Justice or a judge of the Court of Judicial Review?

As if this weren’t enough, Ming Jingzhou lifted his gaze to Yun Yanze, whose face had turned ashen. "Your Highness, my daughter once said something quite fitting: 'There is no lotus root thread that cannot be severed—only a cook who lacks diligence.' I hope Your Highness will not resent this humble official for exposing these matters today. My actions were not directed against you, but for the sake of the people."

"Your Highness, known for your magnanimity and compassion toward the common folk, surely understands the fervor that drives me." He turned to Vice Minister Yang, who stood frozen in shock, and sighed. "Had it not been for Vice Minister Yang, I would not have chosen this moment to speak."

Brutal. Absolutely brutal.

Not only had he slapped the prince across the face, but he also demanded the prince declare it didn’t hurt.

Prince Qi glanced at Ming Jingzhou and forced out a reply, "Minister Ming is not at fault. The wrongdoing lies with my maternal family."

"Not just the Zheng family," Ming Jingzhou added with a faint smile. "Your Highness’s birth mother, Consort Zheng, is also at fault."

"Father." Prince Qi dropped to his knees before Emperor Longfeng, his mind too dazed to care how the others were looking at him. He pressed his forehead to the floor, unable to even muster a plea for mercy.

If Ming Jingzhou dared to expose all this before the court, he must have irrefutable proof.

Out of the corner of his eye, Prince Qi noticed Ming Jiuzhu, seated at the head of the county princesses’ section, picking up a piece of lotus root fritter and eating it.

As if none of the drama unfolding in the grand hall mattered as much as the dish before her.

Sensing his gaze, she looked up and met his eyes.