Chapter 8 Wanting to hold it firmly in my hands

Chi Ying used the excuse of recuperating to stay at home and finally had a few days of peace.

Because she was suffering from a cold, the matters that she was supposed to handle, such as the treasury accounts and personnel affairs, had to be postponed. During this time, Aunt Qionglin often sent silks and precious medicines on the orders of Consort Zhuang. Chi Ying was flattered and had no choice but to temporarily put them into the storeroom.

When Qionglin came that day, she mentioned that since this marriage was bestowed by Emperor Yongcheng, it would be best for her to go to the palace with Prince Zhao to express her gratitude and fulfill the proper etiquette once she had recovered.

This was also Consort Zhuang's intention. Although she had developed a grudge against Emperor Yongcheng due to her hysteria, Prince Zhao was, after all, a prince, and she was the royal daughter-in-law. According to etiquette, they should have entered the palace to express their gratitude the day after the wedding. However, they had been delayed because Prince Zhao was seriously injured. The palace was also considerate of his blindness and inconvenience, and various rewards were sent directly to the Prince's residence. However, the two of them had not gone to express their gratitude for a long time, which was a breach of etiquette.

Chi Ying's relaxed heart tightened again.

Entering the palace to express her gratitude meant that she would meet many people, including Emperor Yongcheng, the Empress, and perhaps other members of the royal family. She was unsure whether Chi Yingyue had met these people before, and how she should respond.

Madam Yin had mentioned to her several of Chi Yingyue's close friends, as well as her grandparents' relatives, but she couldn't even match their faces one by one. Chi Yingyue had appeared at various flower viewing parties and polo matches, so even if she dressed up as her, it would be difficult to be completely convincing.

For several days, I was overthinking and couldn't sleep. Instead of getting better, my cold got worse.

After much deliberation, Chi Ying decided to have Xiang Qin return to the Chi residence under the pretext of visiting her mother.

Xiangqin was born into a household, and her mother, Zheng Mama, was a servant in the Yin family's courtyard. Letting her go back would not arouse suspicion.

After returning to the manor, Xiangqin went to see Madam Yin and truthfully reported what Chi Ying had told her.

"The Third Miss is worried that once she enters the palace to pay her respects, her true identity will probably be impossible to hide."

“His Highness Prince Zhao’s injuries have improved, and he is more gentle and polite than rumored. He is definitely not the kind of person who indiscriminately kills innocent people. So, Third Miss is thinking, before consummating her marriage with His Highness Prince Zhao, could she switch back with Second Miss as soon as possible?”

"The Third Miss also said that as long as the two of them switch identities, she will take Aunt Xue away from the capital and never return to the capital again."

It must be said that Lady Yin was truly tempted.

The rumors that King Zhao was seriously injured and died were just that—rumors. Her daughter cried and refused to marry, so she took a risk and had Chi Ying marry in her place. She originally planned to wait until King Zhao passed away before making plans for her daughter. Whether she was King Zhao's widow or Chi Ying was buried with him, her daughter could live on as the third daughter of the Chi family to hide her identity. It would be better than being tortured to death by King Zhao or being buried with him!

As for her cruel and tyrannical nature, Chi Ying is fine, isn't she? Xiang Qin said that she even applied medicine for King Zhao and served him closely, and King Zhao didn't twist her neck.

Madam Yin recalled the day the girl returned to her parents' home. The carriage of Prince Zhao's mansion was so magnificent, and the girl was dressed in brocade dresses, adorned with pearls and jade. She truly looked like a pheasant turned into a phoenix!

But all of this should have belonged to Yingyue.

Now that things have taken a turn for the better and King Zhao is in good health, wouldn't Chi Ying be getting a huge advantage by continuing to be the queen?

With Prince Zhao blind, he will have no chance of becoming the crown prince. But the princess will be a princess after all, and her life will be rich and glorious. With Prince Zhao blind and Consort Zhuang insane, Yingyue can take charge of the household affairs and manage the family. If she has a child in the future, that child will be Emperor Yongcheng's grandson!

With all these factors combined, how could the Yin family not be tempted!

She immediately went to discuss the matter with Uncle Changyuan.

But Earl Changyuan was not so optimistic: "That is the Princess Consort. Do you think you can just find someone to marry in her place and switch her back whenever you want? Do you think the Prince Zhao's mansion is your private property!"

Lady Yin said anxiously, "King Zhao is blind, and he has never seen what the Queen Consort looks like. Besides, Chi Ying and Ying Yue look so alike. If they were to switch people without anyone noticing, who would think of this? Even if they have doubts, where would they get the evidence?"

Marquis Changyuan: "What about the maids and servants who serve me in that room? Don't they recognize me either?"

Madam Yin: "Then let Chi Ying dismiss everyone and stay in bed while she is sick for the next few days. Only Bao Shan and Xiang Qin will be there to serve her. It will be at least half a month before she is fully recovered. She can imitate her mannerisms to some extent, and if her voice is off, she can say that she has been sick and her throat is injured. The maids in the Prince's mansion have only served her a few times. Who would dare to say that the Princess has changed her servants?"

Changyuan Bo paced back and forth in the room, still hesitant to make a decision.

"This matter cannot be delayed any longer!" Madam Yin said urgently. "Once her cold has subsided in the next few days, she will probably have to consummate her marriage with Prince Zhao. By then, it will be too late to change her! Do you want Yingyue to live a life of hiding and being unable to face anyone?"

Seeing that the Earl of Changyuan did not respond for a long time, she chased after him and said, "How have you treated her and her mother all these years? She harbors resentment in her heart. Do you think she would be willing to help you, her father, and her two brothers? Aren't you afraid that she will become arrogant and domineering in the future, acting like a princess and riding on our heads?"

The Earl of Changyuan's expression finally wavered.

Now that the person has been switched back, everything is back on track, and there's no need to worry about the substitute marriage being exposed. Yingyue has been pampered since childhood and will naturally help the family. But Chi Ying... Aunt Xue was beaten to death by him, and Chi Ying probably hates her father to the extreme!

Once the couple made up their minds, Madam Yin immediately ordered someone to prepare a carriage to go to the villa and bring Chi Yingyue back to the mansion.

Previously, Chi Yingyue was arranged to marry in place of Chi Ying, so she could not openly appear. Madam Yin originally wanted her to live with Consort Xue in Chunliu Garden using Chi Ying's identity. They would not be in the same place on weekdays. She prepared a separate room for her, and servants would serve her food and clothing. However, the girl refused, saying that she was afraid of catching a disease. Madam Yin had no choice but to temporarily settle her in a secluded villa in the capital.

Her diet, clothing, and daily necessities were not as luxurious as before. Madam Yin thought her daughter would suffer a bit, but to her surprise, Chi Yingyue not only did not lose any weight, but her body was even more plump than before.

Compared to her, Chi Ying was much thinner and more slender. If it weren't for the doctor's help last year to help her recover and make her look like a pampered young lady, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the girl was skin and bones.

Chi Yingyue was sitting idly on the couch embroidering a sachet when she saw her mother arrive. Her eyes lit up, and she hurriedly threw the embroidery basket under the kang table, stood up and asked, "Mother, why have you come? Is the Prince Zhao dead?"

Madam Yin glanced at her and said, "Prince Zhao is alive and well. Your mother has come to take you home. Tomorrow, let Chi Ying find an excuse to return to the manor, and you two can switch back as soon as possible."

"Change...change it back?" Chi Yingyue was dumbfounded, almost doubting that she had heard correctly.

Lady Yin said, “The rumor that King Zhao was seriously injured and on the verge of death is false. As for his cruel nature, it is just baseless speculation. Before they consummate their marriage, we should switch back as soon as possible to prevent future troubles.”

Chi Yingyue unconsciously clenched her sleeves, stammering, "But...but that's what everyone outside is saying. Didn't you also think that Prince Zhao's mansion was a pit of fire? What if, what if Chi Ying is lying to us?"

Compared to Chi Ying, Lady Yin believed Xiang Qin would not lie. "Chi Ying has applied medicine to King Zhao many times, and she is still alive and well, isn't she?"

Chi Yingyue looked distressed and said reluctantly, "No, Mother, I... I don't want to marry a blind man."

Madam Yin was furious. Her daughter had been spoiled rotten and was still being willful even now.

"So what if he's blind? Between a blind prince and a healthy poor man, anyone could tell who to choose."

Chi Yingyue muttered, "How could Mother know that I would only be able to marry a poor man in the future? What if..."

“There’s no such thing as ‘what if’,” Madam Yin said sternly. “If you don’t switch back, as long as Chi Ying remains the Princess Consort, you will never see the light of day. Do you want to hide in this villa for the rest of your life, and let the Earl’s Mansion bear the name of deceiving the Emperor for the rest of your life? This position of Princess Consort of Zhao originally belonged to you. Do you want to give it to that lowly maid’s daughter?”

Chi Yingyue still refused, racking her brains to find a reason: "If being a princess were really so easy, would Chi Ying willingly give it back to me? Why don't we wait and see? Rumors don't come from nowhere. What if that Prince Zhao is just pretending to be gentle and refined, but actually likes to torture people in bed? I've heard that disabled people often have some twisted fetishes. You don't want me to be tortured to death as soon as I enter the manor, do you..."

Madam Yin was so angry that she smacked her head hard.

But then I thought about it again, and what my daughter said might not be impossible. If I took a chance and acted too hastily, it would only harm her.

Furthermore, if my daughter refuses to cooperate with the replacement, even if we kidnap her to the Prince's mansion and force her to become the Princess, she will eventually be exposed.

Madam Yin sighed heavily, resenting that the royal family had bestowed such an honor upon the Changyuan Earl's family, yet also betrothed their daughter to a blind and hopeless prince, and that the lowly maid's daughter had gotten away with it for nothing.

For now, we can only wait and see what happens and find another way.

After Madam Yin left, Chi Yingyue took out a sachet from the embroidery basket, stroking the python pattern embroidered with gold thread. As if thinking of something, her eyes sharpened, and her ten fingers clenched into fists.

His Majesty has many sons, who says she can only marry Prince Zhao?

Let Princess Zhao enjoy her good fortune!

...

Xiangqin returned to the palace after dark, but the news she brought back surprised Chi Ying.

"You mean, Second Sister doesn't want to?"

"Yes," Xiangqin nodded and told the truth, "The Lord and Madam originally agreed, and Madam even planned to bring the Second Miss back, but the Second Miss was probably still scared and refused to return to the mansion with Madam, so Madam had no choice but to give up."

The light in Chi Ying's eyes dimmed, and the curve of her lips slowly faded completely.

She had originally planned to tell her all the details of her interactions with Prince Zhao over the past few days, but now that they disagreed and Prince Zhao was safe and sound, when could she leave the palace and take her mother with her?

Xiangqin said, "Madam has asked you to deal with this for now. Try to refuse if you can, but if you really can't refuse, you'll have to improvise. When you go out, you can take Baoshan and me with you. We've accompanied Madam and Miss to various banquets and gatherings in the capital, and we've met quite a few noble ladies. We can also help cover for you. As for going to the palace to express gratitude, Second Miss has never had the chance to see the Emperor. You can just follow Prince Zhao and bow your head to greet him."

As for Madam's words about keeping an eye on the Third Miss and forbidding her from seducing Prince Zhao, Xiangqin thought about it but still didn't say them.

The third young lady, with her gentle and cautious nature, would rather avoid such things than actively seek favor. Besides, King Zhao is blind; even if the third young lady were to take the initiative, wouldn't that be like casting a seductive glance at a blind man?

Seeing Chi Ying's gloomy expression, Xiang Qin sighed and advised, "Third Miss, please listen to Madam for the sake of Aunt Xue."

She left a crack in the window to let in some air, and the night wind blew in. Instantly, a chill crept up her spine, and Chi Ying shivered. She coughed twice, covering her lips with a handkerchief, her forehead covered in cold sweat, and her cheeks flushed a sickly red.

Her mother was her only weakness. She was isolated and helpless, with no money to her name, and was counting on the money and medicine in Yin's possession to save her mother's life.

A thought even flashed through her mind: why not just leave and ignore Chi Yingyue's mess, and take a few valuable pieces of jewelry from the dowry, which would be enough to pay for her mother's medicine?

But then she thought again, her mother was still ill, how could she possibly evade the eyes and ears of the Marquis of Changyuan's mansion and quietly bring the person out of the capital? Besides, the Prince's mansion's treasury had been robbed, how could this thief possibly escape...

Chi Ying sighed deeply. Right now, she had no choice but to let herself be manipulated.

...

Yan Gui Lou (Wild Goose Returns Tower).

Yuan De presented a pair of earrings he had selected from the storeroom, saying, "Your Highness, what do you think of this pair as a gift for the Princess?"

Yan Xuecui opened the sandalwood and mother-of-pearl inlaid box, her fingertips tracing the slender tassels, her voice tinged with amusement: "Is it pretty?"

Yuan De described the appearance to him in detail: "These earrings are tributes from the Jiangnan weaving industry. They are made of gold thread twisted into the shape of begonia flowers, with fine gold tassels hanging down with red carnelian. They are delicate and exquisite yet dignified. The princess has a fair complexion and a slender neck, so these are the perfect choice for her."

Yan Xuecui pondered for a moment, then suddenly said, "You also think that the Princess Consort is exceptionally beautiful?"

Yuan De immediately felt a chill run down his spine and knelt down with a thud. "Your Highness, please forgive me. It was a slip of the tongue..."

He blurted out something inappropriate, even commenting on the princess's appearance, especially since His Highness was blind.

The smile on King Zhao's lips remained unchanged, but there was no hint of amusement in his gray eyes. "Get up."

Yuan De wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with his sleeve and quickly got up to express his gratitude.

King Zhao stroked the delicate, slightly cool tassels, feeling fairly satisfied.

His queen was always very nervous in his presence. Even speaking ordinary words would make her tremble slightly, causing the hair ornaments in her hair and the tassels on her earlobes to sway. The clear, tinkling sound was like crushed gold, like ripples on the water, with a long, lingering resonance that made one want to grasp it tightly and hold it firmly in their hand.

She'll look beautiful wearing these earrings.

King Zhao smiled slightly, closed the mother-of-pearl inlaid box, and instructed, "Send it to Shuyu Zhai and check if the Princess Consort's cold has improved. If she has recovered, she can come with me to Shouchun Hall to visit the Princess Consort."

A note from the author:

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