Chapter 43

Xie Hengzhi left decisively, leaving Yiling alone to face Dr. Zhang.

They had woken him up before dawn, urgently summoned him, and he rushed over, only to find it was just a mild case of heat.

If this gets out, where should she put her face?

After considering the matter of face, Yiling decided that the one who should lose face was Xie Hengzhi.

She asked, “Is it really just heat?”

“Yes, it’s just heat, Madam. There’s no need to worry,” Dr. Zhang confirmed. “Madam should have a lighter diet these days, and the rash will go away on its own.”

Yiling immediately chimed in, “I had already guessed it was just heat, but my lord insisted on making a big deal out of it, afraid that it might be some kind of illness.”

Then she showed a clear expression of apology. “I said the weather is so cold, why trouble Dr. Zhang to come all the way, but he insisted you come to ease his mind. It must have been exhausting for you.”

“Not at all, not at all.”

Dr. Zhang, who had heard Yiling complain about Xie Hengzhi, quickly added, “The lord and madam have such a deep bond, it’s understandable that he’d be so concerned, truly admirable.”

“…”
This kind of flattery is pointless.

Yiling immediately lost interest in continuing the act, her face expressionless as she instructed Mallow to prepare the consultation fee and sent Dr. Zhang out.

The room suddenly fell silent.

Having experienced a false alarm early in the morning, Yiling was both sleepy and tired.

So, she sat down on the Luohan couch, fluffed the pillow until it was soft, and lazily leaned back.

“Madam, would you like to sleep a little longer?” Mama Cao, not knowing what had happened, expressed some concern. “It’s still early, and there’s nothing urgent.”

“No, if I take a nap now, I won’t be able to sleep tonight.”

Turning to her side, Yiling muttered, “It’s so embarrassing. All because he made a mountain out of a molehill.”

“This is not making a mountain out of a molehill.”

Mama Cao quickly reassured her, “It shows that the lord holds Madam in high regard, being so worried about you. If anyone hears about it, they will only envy you; who would dare to laugh at you?”

“…”
Here we go again. These people are really boring.

Yiling spoke in a low voice, “He’s just concerned about his political achievements.”

“Achievements and Madam are equally important.”

“Enough.”

Yiling didn’t want to hear more flattering words. She waved her hand, “Go prepare breakfast.”

From then on, things seemed to return to normal at Linfeng Yuan.

Xie Hengzhi continued his usual routine of coming and going early, saying little, and only speaking when absolutely necessary.

Only Yiling could tell that beneath his silence there was a subtle, almost imperceptible awkwardness.

Yiling prided herself on being understanding, and since Xie Hengzhi avoided the topic, she naturally wouldn’t press the issue.

After all, she was dealing with a man bold enough to frame even a prince. Yiling wasn’t about to go out of her way to offend him.

But sometimes… It was really hard to hold back.

For example, one evening when he returned early, just in time for Yiling’s dinner.

He wasn’t in a hurry, so he simply changed clothes and sat down to eat with her.

The two of them sat face to face, silent, with only the sound of spoons gently clinking against bowls.

The issue seemed to be in the past, but then Yiling accidentally caught sight of him hesitating for a moment after picking up a slice of beef with his chopsticks.

Yiling couldn’t help but laugh softly, “Pfft.”

Xie Hengzhi glanced up coolly, and Yiling immediately stopped laughing, sitting up straight with a serious expression.

Her gaze warned her for a long moment, but there was no response, and Xie Hengzhi lost his appetite.

He put down his chopsticks and instead began drinking soup.

Just as he took a sip, Yiling, with a calm expression, said, “Eat; the beef won’t cause any harm.”
Xie Hengzhi: “…”

Days passed without any awkwardness, and before long, it was the twelfth lunar month.

The emperor’s punishment of the crown prince was final, and those who had tried to intercede on his behalf gradually quieted down, accepting the reality and waiting for time to ease the emperor’s anger.

The gloom of the grand sacrificial ceremony was slowly dissipating, and the capital finally began to feel like the New Year was approaching.

That night, during the winter solstice, a heavy snow fell.

By morning, the entire capital was covered in a blanket of snow, thick snow piled in the streets and alleys. From noble households to common folk, everyone was busy clearing the snow in front of their doors.

A convoy from Hu Ba quietly entered the city, its tracks soon buried by the snow.
By evening, Linfeng Yuan had set a fragrant hot pot on the table, with meatballs rolling inside, mixed with the fragrant aroma of mushrooms, making one’s appetite stir.

Yiling had already started eating, savoring the food, when Mama Cao, glancing at the sky, suddenly said, “Why is the master so late today and still hasn’t returned?”

Indeed.

Since the crown prince returned from Shu, Xie Hengzhi hadn’t been as busy.

And with the crown prince’s incident, the prince was trying hard to make a good impression on the emperor, which had given Xie Hengzhi some free time.

For the past few days, he had been returning to the Xie residence as dusk fell, occasionally even finding time to go out and enjoy himself with the King Yan.

“Perhaps there’s something happening in the palace.”

After speaking, Yiling, without hesitation, ordered, “Send someone to check if the roads are blocked by the heavy snow.”

“Yes! Right away!” Mama Cao quickly went to make arrangements, leaving Mallow to keep Yiling company during dinner.

Seeing Mama Cao hurrying out, Yiling was momentarily distracted.

Why would she care if he was blocked by snow on the road?

At that moment, Mallow, trying to comfort her, said, “Don’t worry, Madam, the master may just be too busy.”

“I’m not worried,” Yiling quickly added, trying to prove herself, grabbing more food and eating it hastily.

Finally, when she could eat no more, she put down her chopsticks.

It was then that the servant sent by Mama Cao returned with news.

“The master is still in the palace and hasn’t come out.”

The servant looked anxious and lowered his voice. “I heard that the court received an urgent report today: the barbarian forces from Beiyou (Northern Judea) infiltrated Chiqiu, killing and looting; many local citizens have been killed; and the emperor is furious.”

So that’s what happened. No wonder Xie Hengzhi hadn’t returned.

Yiling nodded anxiously, instructing him to continue waiting for further news.

After all, she didn’t understand state affairs and couldn’t interfere, but a sense of unease inexplicably rose within her.

Mama Cao, seeing this, comforted her, “Don’t worry, Madam. Beiyou is a barbaric land, and the court will handle it. It won’t affect us.”

Yiling thought about it, and it made sense. Beiyou had been in conflict with the Great Liang for a long time, and there were occasional border disputes. She had heard about them all her life, and no matter how they were resolved, they never affected the capital.

As Xie Hengzhi’s wife, she needn’t worry so much.

News of Beiyou’s invasion of Chiqiu had already spread throughout the court, and everyone was outraged.

But what could be done?

Beiyou, though a barbarian land, was protected by the natural barrier of the Huihe Mountain, and the people were strong and battle-hardened.

Even at the height of Great Liang’s power, it had never managed to conquer them. Now, with the court’s generals aging and the new ones inexperienced, the emperor was aware of the state of the national treasury and what could be used to deal with Beiyou.

Fortunately, even in its weakened state, Beiyou was too cautious to launch a full-scale invasion. Over the years, they had only dared to make occasional border raids and steal supplies for the winter.

Given the current state of Great Liang after the emperor’s anger today, it would likely only result in a reprimand for General Ling, who was in charge of Chiqiu, instructing him to kill some Beiyou invaders to show a display of power.

When Shen Shufang learned of this, she thought the same.

Until she heard from Feng Yu that the second son of King Hu Ba entered the palace to meet the emperor today.

This matter seemed odd in many ways.
Beiyou bordered Great Liang, but Hu Ba was situated to the northeast of Beiyou.

Unlike the restless Beiyou, although Hu Ba and Great Liang didn’t share a direct border, they had long established a tributary relationship. Whenever a new king ascended the throne, they would petition Great Liang for an official title.

The two kingdoms had always maintained a friendly relationship.

But today, news of Beiyou’s invasion reached the court, and yet it was Hu Ba’s second son who had come to the capital?

Furthermore, when a tributary envoy came to the capital, they were always escorted with guards and treated with respect along the way.

How come, this time, there was no advance notice, and the second son of Hu Ba had quietly entered the palace?

Feng Yu also mentioned that the second son of Hu Ba entered the Ganqing Palace this afternoon, where he, the crown prince, and Xie Hengzhi were having a meeting.

Hours passed, and as dusk fell, no one had yet emerged.

Shen Shufang sensed that something was wrong.

After the You hour, when the crown prince finally returned to the Eastern Palace, Shen Shufang, no longer concerned about the fact that they hadn’t spoken in a long time, wrapped herself in a fox fur cloak and went to the warm chamber where the crown prince had been staying recently.

When the crown prince saw her, he was taken aback.

“Why are you here?”

She had intended to ask about the news, but upon hearing the crown prince speak, Shen Shufang couldn’t help but retort.

“The side consort hasn’t arrived yet, so is there a place in the Eastern Palace I can’t go?”

Upon hearing this, the crown prince fell silent, sitting down in contemplation, holding his teacup, deep in thought.

When Shen Shufang saw this, she no longer cared about the win or loss and walked over to ask, “Did the second son of King Hu Ba enter the palace today?”

The crown prince glanced up at her but did not answer.

Shen Shufang then asked, “Why did he come so quietly? And at a time when Beiyou is causing trouble?”

“You’ve already made some guesses, haven’t you?” the crown prince replied.

Shen Shufang opened her mouth but did not speak.

After all, they had grown up together, and even though there was some distance now, the crown prince could still read her intentions with a glance.

“Hu Yanqi has quietly entered the Beijing this time to show the emperor that he is willing to assist the country and join forces with Great Liang to attack Beiyou from both sides.”

“Well, that’s good news then.”
Shen Shufang said, “With Hu Ba’s help, Great Liang will have a much better chance of conquering Beiyou. But… if they do conquer Beiyou and divide the land, who’s to say we won’t end up creating a second Beiyou?”

The crown prince replied, “Hu Yanqi said that if they conquer Beiyou, all the land will belong to Great Liang. They won’t take a single piece.”

“Ah?”

Shen Shufang was shocked. “He… he is so sincere in submitting… offering the entire country’s help without taking any land. What does he want?”

Seeing that Shen Shufang had always admired Shang Yiling, the crown prince hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should tell her about this.

He stared into her eyes, thinking for a while, and then finally spoke, “He only wants one thing… Shang Yiling.”

“What… what?”

Shen Shufang did not understand. “What do you mean by ‘only wants Shang Yiling’?”

Outside, the snow was falling heavier, enough to cover all footsteps.

The Linfeng Yuan was silent. Even when Mallow accidentally dropped a teacup, it only made a dull thud.

The entire Xie residence was calm, with the doors and windows tightly closed and the incense smoke curling up. Yiling had taken out a book to read but was constantly distracted.

What time is it now?

If it were usual, Xie Hengzhi would have returned late and sent someone to report.

But today, there was no news at all. No one knew what was happening in the palace.

Could something big have happened?

Thinking of this, Yiling felt inexplicably restless.

She knew that such state affairs had nothing to do with her, but she could not calm herself.

Just then, there was the sound of hurried footsteps outside.

Yiling looked up and asked, “Has the master returned?”

The maid outside did not answer. The door was opened, and cold wind rushed in. It was Feng Yu, her hair covered in light snow.

She was alone, and her usually neat hairstyle had a few stray strands, indicating she had come in a hurry.

“Aunt Feng Yu? What are you doing here?” Yiling stepped forward and looked her up and down.

“Is something wrong with the princess?”

Feng Yu said that Shen Shufang was fine, but her face showed worry.

Yiling sensed something was wrong. She exchanged a look with Feng Yu, immediately dismissed the others, and led her into the room.

As soon as the door closed, Yiling immediately asked, “What exactly is going on?”

“The princess sent me to tell the madam to think of a solution quickly!”

Without even saluting, Feng Yu said urgently, “You are being sent to Hu Ba for a marriage alliance!”

After a long silence, Yiling unexpectedly smiled.

“Aunt Feng Yu, you must have heard wrong, right? How could I be sent to Hu Ba for a marriage alliance?”

“It’s true!”

Feng Yu saw that Yiling didn’t believe her and was so anxious that she almost grabbed her hand. “The crown prince himself told the princess!”

The air around them seemed to stop flowing. The two stood facing each other in silence for a long time, with only the smoke from the incense curling up delicately.

After a while, Yiling finally snapped out of it but still couldn’t believe it.

“This is absurd. The crown prince must have made a mistake.”

Feng Yu didn’t know how to convince Yiling. She took a deep breath and looked at her seriously, speaking slowly: “The second son of Hu Ba came to the palace today to ask the emperor for help in attacking Beiyou, with no intention of taking any land, but only asking for you to marry Hu Ba.”

The urgency of Hu Ba’s offer seemed to tie everything together.

But Yiling still couldn’t figure out how it was connected to her.

Hu Ba clearly intended to make a marriage alliance, and they should be seeking to marry a royal princess, not her.

“I have no royal blood, and I am already married. What value is there in this marriage alliance?

The crown prince and the princess must have made a mistake.”

“The princess is not mistaken. The second son of Hu Ba personally told the emperor that he has admired you for a long time and is devoted to you!”

“Had the palace not been in such an uproar today, the princess would have come out herself to tell you! This is absolutely true; there is no mistake!”

After saying this, Feng Yu looked at the sky and urgently added, “I must return to the palace now, madam; please think of a solution quickly!”

Just then, when Mama Cao entered with a bowl of hawthorn preserves, she happened to encounter Feng Yu leaving in a hurry.

“Why are you leaving so soon?” Mama Cao asked in confusion, seeing the door to the room was still open, and immediately stepped in to close it.

“Mallow really doesn’t know how to close the door when she’s outside. What if the madam catches a cold?”

After mumbling, she turned around and saw Yiling standing there, confused and dazed.

“Madam? What happened?” Mama Cao asked, walking over curiously. “What’s going on?”

Yiling stood there, not moving, and didn’t react for a long time.

Finally, she raised her eyes to look at Mama Cao and said, after a moment, “Aunt Feng Yu told me that Hu Ba wants me to marry into their family.”

With a loud “bang,” the hawthorn preserves in Mama Cao’s hands fell to the ground.

“You also think this is absurd, right? There must be some mistake,” Yiling said, as if she had found an ally. “Something must be wrong with this situation.”

Mama Cao, however, did not respond for a long time, as if she hadn’t heard Yiling speak at all.

She simply stared blankly at Yiling, carefully observing every change in her expression.

Confusion, shock, and disbelief were written all over her face.

“Yes, it’s impossible.”

After a long while, Mama Cao suddenly snapped out of her daze, not bothering to clean up the mess on the floor, and half-pushed Yiling toward the bed. “It must be a mistake, Madam; don’t worry, it must be a mistake.”

“Mm.”

Yiling nodded in agreement, still seemingly calm. “We’ll know when he returns.”

“Yes, Madam, just wait for the master to come back.”

Seeing Yiling sit down peacefully, Mama Cao said, “I’ll go to the kitchen and get some soup to warm you up.”

Without waiting for Yiling’s response, she hurried out.

After closing the door, she glanced around and saw Mallow chatting with a few maids. She called out to her and immediately gave her a glance.

Mallow, completely unaware of what had happened inside, followed her with a confused expression.

But Mama Cao’s steps were too quick. By the time Mallow entered her room, she saw that Mama Cao had already spread out ink and paper on the table.

“Grandmother, what’s going on?”

“Close the door first.”

Mallow sensed something unusual and quickly shut the door tightly.

“What’s going on?” she asked. “What happened?”

Mama Cao glanced outside the window to confirm no one was around, then said, “It’s bad; the Hu man has come back to look for the Madam!”

“What… what?”

Mallow was stunned. “How could he come back to look for the madam? Isn’t he…”

“Don’t ask!”

Mama Cao pushed her to the table. “Quickly write a letter to the master!”