Chapter 46

Unlike the bustling Taiyi Palace, the Xie residence was eerily quiet at this moment.

The weather after snow was always colder, and the Xie residence was spacious with few servants. When things were calm, there was often not a sound to be heard, as if it were a deserted place.

Thinking about Xie Hengzhi’s heavy expression when he left this morning, Yiling found it hard to settle her mind.

Though this year had been one full of turmoil, in terms of urgency, Xie Hengzhi must have rushed to the palace because of the matter of the marriage alliance.

Yiling couldn’t quite understand his attitude, and she didn’t know what he was planning to do.

On this side, Mama Cao and Mallow pretended to be deaf and dumb, unwilling to reveal the truth.

Yiling felt like a fish without the strength to struggle, with a knife hanging over her head, unsure of when it would fall.

She spent the whole morning thinking it over, and she felt she couldn’t just sit and wait to die; she had to come up with a plan.

She couldn’t just barely survive and then be sent off to the Hu Ba marriage alliance.

It would be humiliating enough; she had been pampered since childhood, and even the two years in Qingyang almost took her life. How could she endure the climate of Hu Ba?

Besides, King Hu Ba was already over sixty, older than her father. If the marriage alliance were to happen, they would likely have to live as real husband and wife. In that case, she might as well die!

Yiling’s mind was full of thoughts about life and death, and the lunch in front of her hadn’t been touched; it was already cold.

Mama Cao silently came over with someone, intending to take the food back to the kitchen to warm it up.

At that moment, their gazes suddenly met. Mama Cao’s eyes clearly dodged as she quickly picked up a dish of vegetables and was about to leave.

Suddenly, hurried footsteps sounded outside.

Yiling, startled like a bird shot from a bow, raised her head and anxiously asked, “What’s happened?”

It was a little maid from the outer courtyard who entered.

She poked her head in and loudly said, “Madam, the Crown Princess is here.”

It was so cold, and with Shen Shufang coming at this time, it was certainly not good news.

Yiling’s anxiety grew. When the person entered, she forgot to salute and immediately asked,

“Your Highness, is there any news?”

Shen Shufang didn’t even have time to take off her cloak, staring directly at Yiling: “I came to ask you; hasn’t Xie Hengzhi told you anything?”

Yiling shook her head: “No, he hasn’t said anything.”

Shen Shufang, having rushed over and caught a chill, didn’t have the strength to say much.

After removing her cloak and drinking some hot tea, she continued, “Ah, he’s good at keeping his composure.”

“He’s always like this, and I can’t do anything about it,” Yiling said anxiously. “Has Your Highness heard anything in the palace?”

If she had heard something, Shen Shufang wouldn’t have had to make this trip herself.

“The snow has been heavy recently, and the merchants in the city have taken the opportunity to raise prices for grain and firewood. The three departments are selling the palace’s stored supplies at low prices.

The Crown Prince and Xie Hengzhi were supposed to go inspect the situation today,” Shen Shufang said. “But just as they were about to leave, Xie Hengzhi was called into Taiyi Palace for a meeting, where the pavilion ministers and the six ministers are present, and he still hasn’t come out.”

“With the Crown Prince not in the palace, I naturally have no way to inquire.”

Because Xie Hengzhi had been stuck in Taiyi Palace for so long, Shen Shufang realized something was wrong, which is why she hurried over to the Xie residence.

Yiling understood what she meant and felt even more anxious.

“Could it be that they really intend to send me to the Hu Ba marriage alliance?” Yiling trembled and said, “I’m already married. How could they send me to another marriage alliance? Do they think I’m livestock?”

Hearing this, Shen Shufang’s heart twisted in pain.

“No, no, don’t say that. It won’t happen; I’m sure it won’t.”

While comforting Yiling, Shen Shufang stood up and began pacing.

In her heart, however, she did think that Xie Hengzhi could do such a thing.

Not to mention whether he could conquer North You; if he were willing to offer his wife to fulfill the Emperor’s ambition of expanding the borders, a title of nobility might be in his future.

Xie Hengzhi, being from a common background, how could he resist such temptation?

Unfortunately, even though Shen Shufang was the third most powerful woman in the dynasty, she had no say in Taiyi Palace.

The two of them fell into silence.

After a long time, Yiling’s mind was already imagining herself suffering in the bitter, cold land of Hu Ba.

And then…

She murmured, “I’ve heard King Hu Ba is cruel and ruthless, and he’s an old man. If I marry him, won’t it be a dead end?”

“Don’t worry, there will definitely be a way… Wait,” Shen Shufang suddenly said. “The one seeking to marry you isn’t King Hu Ba; it’s the King’s second son, Hu Yanqi.”

“Hu Yanqi?”

Yiling had never heard this name and couldn’t understand how, with the King of Hu Ba still alive, his second son could be the one seeking a marriage. “Who is this person?”

“This is a long story!” Shen Shufang changed her sitting posture, leaning towards Yiling. “Hu Yanqi was originally the second son of a side consort of King Hu Ba. When he was born, the King of Hu Ba was facing a crisis, but it was said that a great omen appeared when he was born, a sign of good fortune. Because of this, the King and his mother, the consort, were particularly wary of him, fearing he would threaten the crown prince position.”

“It’s said that the consort mother and son secretly plotted against him many times, even trying to kill him, but because of divine protection, Hu Yanqi survived all attempts.”

Yiling’s gaze froze, and she increasingly felt that things were not as simple as they seemed. She asked in a daze, “Is it true that Hu Yanqi is such a legend?”

“Absolutely!” Shen Shufang’s voice became more and more excited. “It is said that Hu Yanqi possesses innate divine strength, unmatched by anyone. He also speaks the language of beasts and can tame tigers and lions. Furthermore, in a place like Hu Ba, he can dive into an ice-cold river during the winter without harm, proving that he is no ordinary person.”

“Can he speak the language of beasts?” Yiling exclaimed in surprise. “He must be a deity then!”

“The people of Hu Ba treat him like a god!” Shen Shufang replied. “And compared to the barbaric people of Hu Ba, he’s not only literate but also skilled in poetry and composition. He’s written many grand and magnificent poems.”

Yiling was greatly shocked; it was hard to imagine a man raised in Hu Ba being so proficient in literature.

Shen Shufang continued, “The most important thing is, he’s the most handsome man in Hu Ba.
He’s tall, powerful, with starry eyes and sharp eyebrows. He’s very different from the weak men of the Central Plains.”

“Really?” Yiling asked. “How handsome is he?”

“I don’t know,” Shen Shufang said, “I’ve never seen him. But I’ve heard that he’s only twenty-three and already the object of affection for all the women in Hu Ba.”

Shen Shufang paused and added, “By the way, I also heard that two years ago, he gained the support of the Yuezhi tribe in Hu Ba and completely suppressed the Yu’an Clan. Now, the King Hu Ba is bedridden, and his eldest son has been exiled. Hu Yanqi has already taken control.”

“Strong and handsome, with literary skills, and now the sole ruler of Hu Ba—what woman wouldn’t want to marry him?”

Yiling nodded in agreement, “If he were from the Central Plains, I think all the families in Great Liang would be fighting to marry off their daughters to him.”

As they spoke, they turned to look at each other.

A dangerous thought quietly flashed in Shen Shufang’s eyes.

Suddenly, Yiling shook her head as if waking from a dream.

“Your Majesty! I’m already married!”

“Mm, mm, mm.”

Shen Shufang awkwardly turned her face away.

It felt more like matchmaking than anything else.

After calming down, Yiling, still puzzled, asked, “If he’s so wonderful, and there are many talented women in the Central Plains, surely some would be willing to marry him. Why does he want me?”

“Yes,” Shen Shufang realized something was off. “If he’s literate, he must know that women from the Central Plains value their chastity highly. What kind of husband marries a woman who is already married? Moreover, he’s about to become the king of Hu Ba, so why would he want to take another man’s wife?”

Following this line of thought, an absurd answer suddenly flashed in Yiling’s mind.

Though absurd, suddenly everything that had been chaotic these past days seemed to fall into place.

All the inconsistencies became reasonable with this answer.

“Then think about it more… No, think of another way.” Shen Shufang stood up and said, “I can’t be away too long, I’ll return to the palace now.”

—
Long after Shen Shufang left, the room remained quiet.

Mama Cao and Mallow were anxiously waiting outside, wanting to know what news the Crown Princess had brought.

But since Yiling didn’t call them in, they could only wait outside in silence.

Unknowingly, the sky grew darker.

Finally, there was movement inside the room, and Mama Cao and Mallow heard Yiling’s voice calling, “Come in.”

They hurriedly pushed open the door, glanced around, and found Yiling sitting in front of a mirror, shaping her brows and applying makeup.

She had even changed into a new outfit, a rare vermilion-red jacket and skirt, graceful yet adding a touch of liveliness.

Mama Cao and Mallow didn’t understand the scene in front of them and hesitated to act hastily.

After a while, Yiling finished applying her brows, placed the eyebrow pencil down, and slowly turned her head to look at the two of them, saying, “The Emperor has agreed.”

Mama Cao and Mallow were confused.

“Agreed? Agreed to what?”

Yiling replied, “He has agreed to marry me off to Hu Ba in an alliance.”

“W-what?” Mallow reacted slower while Mama Cao was already shocked and nearly fell over.

Seeing Mama Cao’s reaction, Yiling remained unmoved and asked, “Aren’t you happy for me?”

Seeing Yiling like this, Mama Cao, who had just been helped up by Mallow, collapsed again in shock, asking in panic, “M-madam, have you remembered everything?”

As expected!

Indeed, everything confirmed her suspicions. Yiling was in a mess of emotions and quickly turned around to face the mirror to calm herself down.

“Yes, I remember everything.”

She tried to pick up her rouge, but her hand trembled uncontrollably. With a ‘thud,’ the rouge fell to the ground.

Seeing this, Mama Cao thought Yiling was so excited to learn that she could marry the man she loved and immediately knelt down to stop her.

“Madam, you mustn’t!”

“You’re already married to the master! Marrying Hu Ba would be a great disgrace. Your father will not recognize you as his daughter anymore!”

“Don’t you remember when you planned to elope with that man from Hu Ba; your father had already said he would disown you?”

Yiling: “…”

Elopement???

She had suspected Shang Family was up to something big, but never thought it would be this extreme!

No wonder Xie Hengzhi had questioned her last night about whether she wanted to marry Hu Ba—turns out Shang Family and Hu Yanqi had already come this far.

For a long time, Yiling couldn’t calm herself down.

She had learned too much this afternoon and needed time to process.

“Stop kneeling,” Yiling said, her face stiff from the shock. “Just… just go out for now.”

Seeing her so indifferent, Mama Cao’s heart turned cold.

She had thought that marrying into the capital was a done deal, irreversible, and that Yiling would have no more ties to that man from Hu Ba.

Who could have predicted… that he would actually come back!

How could he have the audacity to return?!

Madam had finally managed to live a peaceful life, so why did he have to come back and disturb it?

Remembering those chaotic days in the Shang family, Mama Cao still felt a lingering fear.

The eldest young lady of the Shang family had always been a role model for women everywhere, even more outstanding than most young men. The master of the house always took pride in her.

No one could have imagined that such a rule-abiding young lady would pick up a man of unknown origin in the back mountain.

At that time, he was gravely injured, and the young lady, soft-hearted as she was, saved him.

Noticing that his appearance was not like someone from the Central Plains, she knew the Shang family wouldn’t tolerate him, so she secretly hid him in the back mountain. Day after day, she brought him food and medicine and even taught him to read poetry.

And yet, this man repaid her kindness with betrayal, seducing their young lady!

The young lady was naive, and before long, she was lured into a romantic entanglement with him, hiding him for two years.

If not for a tutor from the Shang family taking a whimsical stroll in the back mountain one day and stumbling upon the two of them shoulder to shoulder, enjoying the scenery, the whole family might have remained in the dark!

That day was nothing short of a storm of blood and tears in the history of the Shang family.

The young lady, locked in her room, cried her eyes out, while Hu Yanqi, who had been captured and brought back, stubbornly refused to repent. He even claimed to be the second son of King Hu Ba, demanding to marry the young lady.

What of being King Hu Ba’s second son?

Even if he were King Hu Ba himself, he was still a barbarian! How could he be fit to marry the eldest young lady of the Shang family?

Just hearing him utter the words “marry the young lady” was enough to deeply insult the master of the house, who immediately ordered him to be driven out that very night.

Who would have thought he’d sneak back to elope with the young lady?

What kind of decent man would deceive a proper lady into eloping with him?

Truly a barbarian, utterly shameless!

Fortunately, the servants of the Shang family were sharp and caught the young lady in time.

As for Hu Yanqi, he showed no sense of responsibility. Seeing he couldn’t take the young lady with him, he rode off alone without a backward glance.

Everyone thought this farce had come to an end and that as long as the Shang family kept the matter under wraps, no one would ever know of this disgrace.

But before peace could be restored, the young lady’s collection of over ninety love poems written to Hu Yanqi during those two years was maliciously leaked by a treacherous servant in the mansion.

Rumors spread like wildfire. In no time, the entire city of Jiangzhou was buzzing with gossip about the eldest young lady’s love poems.

The situation was beyond salvage, and with the Shang family’s reputation on the verge of ruin, the master of the house spent a sleepless night in his study before deciding to turn the situation around.

Since everyone already knew about his daughter’s infatuation with some man, why not attach this scandal to the most valuable unmarried man in the land?

As for the consequences…

The master of the house couldn’t care less at that point.

Fortunately, things turned out far better than expected.

The Emperor, upon reading those love poems, praised the young lady for her true heartedness and arranged her marriage to Xie Hengzhi.

A blessing in disguise!

It should be known that the master had spent considerable effort trying to match the young lady with Xie Hengzhi before, all to no avail.

In the end, the Shang family successfully sent the young lady off to the capital in marriage.

Although the young lady remained melancholy day after day, at least the Shang family’s reputation hadn’t suffered too much.

Even after that near-drowning incident, when the young lady woke up with a changed personality and no memory of the past, Mama Cao believed it was heaven’s way of helping the Shang family.

Forgetting was good—better to never remember at all!

As she watched the young lady grow closer to the lord, how could that barbarian… return now?

Thinking of this, Mama Cao’s tears streamed uncontrollably.

“This old servant won’t leave!”

Mama Cao banged her head on the floor again. “Madam, please don’t act on impulse! Do you know how harsh and bitter the conditions are in Hu Ba? You won’t be able to endure it!”

She raised her head, wiping her tears, and added, “And the capital is so prosperous, and the Lord treats you so well. Have you not forgotten about that barbarian?!”

Playing her part, Yiling replied without hesitation, “Of course—”

Before she could finish her sentence, she caught a glimpse of a familiar figure in the bronze mirror.

At this critical moment, her mouth moved faster than her brain, and she immediately corrected herself: “…I’ve forgotten.”

Mama Cao, halfway through another headbang, suddenly looked up, confused. “Madam, don’t say something so—huh?”

The room fell silent.

Yiling quickly added with feigned excitement, “The lord is a man of immense knowledge and grace, unmatched in elegance and charm, far superior to that barbarian in every conceivable way. How could I possibly think of remarrying? I have loved the Lord deeply, with no regrets, and will never waver!”

Mama Cao and Mallow both stared wide-eyed in shock at Yiling’s back.

Yiling, stiff as a board, slowly turned around with forced composure.

“Oh!” she exclaimed awkwardly, trying to feign surprise. “The Lord is back?”