Chapter 2. The Crown Prince smiled and sighed, "You've changed quite a bit..."

Jiang Yinyue, with her back to the door, closed her eyes and knew the identity of the visitor just from the sound of the knock.

She was unwilling to turn back, for looking back, she felt sorrow for the spring scenery, and the hardships and desolation that had consumed her youthful years.

After being kicked out of the family, Jiang Yinyue was unable to distinguish between true feelings and false intentions. Staying at home, she was often scolded by her father, who blamed her for being useless, losing to the daughter of an eighth-rank official, and bringing shame to the Jiang family.

Her marriage became a hot potato, with no powerful family in the capital willing to take on the Crown Prince's "discarded pawn".

In the eyes of powerful families, accepting a "discarded piece" that has been ridiculed is undoubtedly an insult to their reputation.

But after Jiang Yinyue became the target of public criticism, the ruthless Crown Prince said that he could grant her a marriage.

The Crown Prince's edict cannot be disobeyed, regardless of whether the noble families are willing or not.

Jiang Yinyue felt a lump in her throat and resolutely refused. In a fit of pique, she agreed to marry the poor man her father had chosen for her.

Wei Qin, a poor scholar who had just achieved the second-highest rank in the imperial examination, was chosen as a son-in-law by those who had not yet passed the exam and married into the Jiang family. However, just a few days after the wedding, Madam Yu, the matriarch of the Jiang family, suffered a relapse of her old illness and died.

Three years ago, the northern border was in turmoil, and the eldest son of the Jiang family, who was guarding the border, was unable to return in time. Jiang Yinyue, along with her elder brother, observed three years of mourning for their mother. Now that the mourning period has just ended, she is unwilling to change back into her bright clothes.

Her white dress was rather plain, and the cloak she wore over it was a dull, bluish-gray. She simply opened the door, stood there with her eyes downcast, until a soft cough came from Yan Zhuyi, who spoke up to remind her.

Jiang Yinyue knelt down with a serene gaze, paying homage to the Crown Prince of the Great An Dynasty.

The door was opened, and three years had passed in a flash. Wei Xichen subconsciously took Jiang Yinyue's arm and said, "No need for formalities."

His long, slender fingers clasped around the woman's arm, and he could feel her body trembling through her clothes.

It's probably because he was too frightened.

"Yinyue, how have you been?"

Jiang Yinyue looked up in surprise, thinking that the Crown Prince would wait for her to explain the musket matter with a serious expression. After all, three years had passed, and even the deepest feelings would have diminished, not to mention that they had parted on bad terms.

People who have no affinity should not associate with each other, and should be distant and aloof, but judging from his tone, it sounded more like he was meeting an old friend by chance.

Indeed, the feelings of hurting someone and being hurt are completely different.

The former can always find an excuse to feel at ease, while the latter has to heal itself little by little over the long years.

Jiang Yinyue withdrew her arm and stood by the door, silently preventing the Crown Prince from entering the small house.

It is inappropriate for a man and a woman to be alone together in public.

Before the Crown Prince could inquire about the muskets, Jiang Yinyue repeated the story she had told the guards. Thinking of the hunter she had buried in the snow, her beautiful eyebrows furrowed into a deep frown.

“My wife got separated from her husband and unfortunately encountered a brown bear that had just woken up and was looking for food. In order to protect herself, my wife used a musket to drive it away.”

Yan Zhuyi stepped forward and stood diagonally behind the Crown Prince, asking in confusion, "It's not even the end of the first month yet, will the hibernating bears wake up?"

Jiang Yinyue explained, "Some wild animals hibernate in winter and will awaken once every few days, each time for four to ten hours."

Yan Zhuyi was skeptical, but compared to Jiang Yinyue, who had been exposed to the teachings of the Eastern Palace since childhood, she was naturally no match for her knowledge. If she pressed for more information, she might reveal her ignorance. Yan Zhuyi pursed her lips and remained silent, feeling that the chance encounter with the brown bear was too bizarre.

Wei Xichen lowered his gaze slightly and asked, "Who gave you the musket?"

Jiang Yinyue was somewhat tired, but she forced herself to reply, "The journey to Yangzhou is long and arduous, so my father gave it to me for self-defense."

"According to the law, officials of the second rank in the three judicial departments can indeed carry guns, but their family members cannot."

Wei Xichen spread out his jade-white palm, his intentions clear, his eyes unconsciously tinged with the faint playfulness he had shown when he "confronted" the girl in his youth.

I saw through her forced composure.

When Jiang Yinyue was caught stealing the tribute fruit as a child, she had the same expression.

The musket was extremely precious, and Jiang Yinyue was naturally unwilling to hand it over; it was a "talisman" given to her by her father for self-defense. She lowered her brows, seemingly oblivious to the danger.

Wei Xichen didn't urge him. He withdrew his hand, gathered his sleeves, and said calmly, "When I return to court, I will hold Minister Jiang accountable."

"Take it."

Jiang Yinyue handed over the flintlock pistol, suppressing her emotions. She was no longer the same as when she was young; she was no longer easily provoked, nor did she vent her dissatisfaction directly or say anything out of anger.

Wei Xichen took the musket and sighed with a smile, "You've changed a lot."

The once unruly and arrogant girl has become quiet and reserved.

Wei Xichen twirled the musket, holding it behind his back with his hands behind his back. His gaze fell on Jiang Yinyue's face, but the woman lowered her head and avoided eye contact.

The smile froze on his lips.

"Yangzhou and Jiangning are not far apart. Since we've met, let's travel together so we can look out for each other."

"Your subject is here waiting for her husband."

"What if we keep waiting for Wei Qin but he never comes?"

"Wei Qin will come."

Jiang Yinyue didn't raise her head, her heels firmly planted on the ground to support her swaying body. She was not swayed by the Crown Prince and Yan Zhuyi's persuasion. She wanted to wait for Wei Qin and avoid frequent encounters with the Crown Prince.

The past is the final chapter. She didn't hold onto the grudges she had imagined. Letting go of the past is the key to a new life. This was Wei Qin's advice to her.

However, she didn't know Wei Qin very well. On their wedding night, she refused to consummate the marriage because she couldn't accept being touched by a strange man. She even demanded that the groom sleep on the floor and that he not go to her father to complain.

However, Wei Qin was more aloof than Jiang Yinyue had imagined. He was not submissive like a son-in-law. After being rejected once, he never proposed to consummate the marriage again. During the three-year mourning period that followed, the two kept to themselves.

Minister Jiang knew that he had forced the marriage, but he had no regrets. So after his daughter's mourning period, he coerced and lured the young couple to go to Yangzhou together. He also forbade his daughter's maid, Hongmei, to accompany them, hoping that they would spend time together and develop feelings for each other over time.

Seeing that Jiang Yinyue was not willing to agree, Wei Xichen did not press the matter further. He told her to rest well and then left with Yan Zhuyi.

The usually deserted courtyard was now quiet and desolate. Jiang Yinyue dragged her tired body toward the bamboo bed, and the door was knocked on again.

The visitor was the imperial physician accompanying the Crown Prince. He was a friendly man, and while taking Jiang Yinyue's pulse, he deliberately spread the word: "I just heard from the postman that Editor Wei came here two hours ago looking for you, and before leaving, he told the postman that if there was any news of you, he should set off fireworks to signal you."

The imperial physician withdrew his hand from taking the pulse and said, "The post station workers are preparing fireworks; they'll be more eye-catching if set off at night."

Jiang Yinyue breathed a sigh of relief. Fireworks shot into the sky, visible for miles around. She believed she would soon be reunited with Wei Qin.

**

As night fell and the cold moon brought a chill, Wei Xichen slowly walked up the hillside where the guards had discovered Jiang Yinyue.

A silver-colored cloak swept across the withered, snow-covered grass.

Behind him followed a white-haired eunuch.

The two stood on the hillside, waiting quietly for something. After a while, four guards ran from another direction. One of them found a clue that Jiang Yinyue was in danger.

"Your Highness, there is a bloodstain about a hundred feet southeast of here, which should have been left by the wounded crawling."

According to the accompanying imperial physician, Jiang Yinyue was physically fine, but her pulse was disordered due to fright. Wei Xichen had a guess about this, which is why he ordered four guards to search for her to verify his guess.

He glanced towards the southeast, his gentle demeanor gradually chilled by the cold moonlight. "Find that person, leave no survivors."

The old eunuch bowed and watched Wei Xichen leave. He then glanced back at the four guards, a veiled warning in his eyes: "This matter must not be mentioned to anyone."

Fortunately, Madam Jiang escaped unharmed; otherwise, he wasn't sure if His Highness the Crown Prince would have slaughtered that lecherous man's entire family.

His Highness the Crown Prince felt guilty towards Lady Jiang and could not bear to see her suffer such injustice any longer.

**

The winter night was long, and silver snow dotted the vast mountains and fields. A streak of blood spread along the boundless snow, gradually freezing into ice.

The hunter, who had been lightly buried in the snow by Jiang Yinyue, could no longer crawl. He rolled onto his back, clutching his chest, barely breathing. He hadn't expected to almost perish at the hands of a young woman. His wound couldn't be left untreated; if he couldn't crawl home soon, he feared he would die here.

"You're injured."

A clear, melodious voice suddenly rang out in the dead of night. It sounded ethereal and otherworldly at first glance. The hunter thought he was hallucinating. He struggled to lift his eyes, only to find the cold moon above obscured by a figure.

A young face appeared in the blurry vision.

Yao Ye was exquisitely beautiful, yet possessed a natural and upright demeanor that softened her appearance.

What a face it was! The hunter thought he had encountered a mountain god.

"Save me..." he said in a hoarse voice, his eyes full of pleading.

The man raised his lantern and shone it on the hunter's nearly dried-up chest. He pressed his unusually pale fingers against it, not caring whether the hunter could bear the pain. "It was caused by a musket. Who did it?"

"Help me."

"Answer my question first."

"A woman."

Why did I hurt you?

The hunter, barely breathing, opened his purplish-red, cracked lips and said with difficulty, "She got lost in the mountains, and I kindly took her in, but she didn't appreciate it and repaid kindness with enmity."

The man raised the lantern, illuminating the hunter's face.

The flickering firelight reflected in the man's dark pupils, with tiny specks of blue light falling into the depths of his eyes. "Where is she?"

"They ran away."

As soon as the words were spoken, clusters of fireworks exploded in the dim sky, shining like stars.

The man's slightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed. He stood up and stepped over the hunter, his hempen robe fluttering in the wind. The lantern in his hand illuminated the wooden plaque at his waist, on which were engraved the two characters "Wei Qin".

Seeing that the man showed no intention of helping, the hunter grew anxious, clutching his chest and attempting to get up, pleading, "Help..."

Before the words could be finished, a melodious whistle rang out.

As the hunter looked on with suspicion, he caught a glimpse of a horse galloping out of the thick darkness.

The horse, black and glossy, galloped toward the man holding the lantern, its hooves pounding heavily on the hunter's chest.

The muffled groan was swallowed up by the sudden blizzard.

Without turning around, the man named Wei Qin grabbed the saddle corner as he passed the horse, leaping onto it in one fluid motion.

The sound of horses' hooves echoed, and snow and mud flew everywhere.

When the guards arrived, they found only a body with its sternum crushed.

**

Jiang Yinyue woke up amidst the dazzling fireworks illuminating the windowpanes. After a short rest, she had regained much of her strength. She opened the window, looked up at the dark sky, and hoped that Wei Qin could come as soon as possible to take her away.

"You're awake."

Following the direction of the sound, Jiang Yinyue looked out the window at Yan Zhuyi, who was wearing a cloud-patterned purple dress. The vibrant color did not suit this woman; the blue dress and white skirt she remembered were more suitable.

Standing alone, like a pear blossom in the rain, evokes a protective instinct in people.

Jiang Yinyue did not push open the door to greet them, but stood by the window watching Yan Zhuyi's maid carry in bird's nest.

"Her Majesty instructed the postman to stew bird's nest for you, and to avoid disturbing your rest, she kept it on a warm plate. You should be grateful for this thoughtfulness."

"Han Xun, you talk too much."

Yan Zhuyi interrupted the maid, walked to the window, and personally picked up the porcelain cup and handed it to Jiang Yinyue.

Her delicate hands, adorned with nail polish, were meticulously chosen from her makeup and hair to her clothing.

In contrast, Jiang Yinyue, with her bare face and crooked hair, no longer appeared to Yan Zhuyi as the proud young woman who was exquisite from head to toe.

She still remembered their first meeting; the pampered young lady from a wealthy family, who never lifted a finger, mistook her for a maidservant from the Eastern Palace.

The proud daughter and the maid...

Yan Zhuyi felt her meridians were clear. She handed over the bird's nest soup and smiled, "Drink more. When you go to your husband's family in Yangzhou, you must be more restrained. I come from a poor family and know that poor families are not like rich families. We are often frugal in terms of food, clothing and daily necessities and have to be careful with our money."

High-class families are high-class families, and poor families are poor families. Even with Minister Jiang Song backing his daughter, the Wei family, being from a poor family, could not afford to produce top-quality bird's nest.

How could a spoiled young lady not despise cheap bird's nest?

"However, even the poorest families are much better off than ordinary families. If they can't afford the official bird's nest, they can eat some raw bird's nest or grass bird's nest, which are also nourishing."

"Do we really have to eat bird's nest?" Jiang Yinyue asked.

"What?"

"Bird's nest is sweet and neutral in nature, nourishing yin and moisturizing dryness. There are many foods with similar effects, and it is not irreplaceable just because it is expensive."

Jiang Yinyue took the porcelain cup and placed it by the window. She glanced at the yellow dog guarding the door and said, "Your Highness keeps referring to your humble origins. Do you look down on your own background from the bottom of your heart? A humble family can produce a noble son, and a noble family can produce a spoiled brat. Most families are rich for no more than three generations and poor for no more than five generations. Ability and cultivation are the foundation of one's life. Those who rely on crooked means to rise to the top should cultivate their magnanimity. Thinking you are clever by being sarcastic and mocking, respecting yourself and belittling others, will only make you look petty."

Yan Zhuyi was slightly taken aback. Jiang Yinyue, who had regained her strength, took the initiative to break the facade of propriety and stopped being a soft, submissive person. This made Yan Zhuyi feel as if she were seeing the spirited girl from three years ago again. Only the girl was no longer domineering and had learned to be calm and composed.

The maidservant beside her unconsciously raised her voice: "Madam Jiang, watch your words!"

"Speaking of being cautious in speech, was it a testimonial that made me the target of everyone's criticism when Her Majesty said 'I didn't see it'?"

Liangdi, whose status in the Eastern Palace was second only to the Crown Princess, was actually the Crown Prince's concubine.

A grand marriage between the crown prince and the daughter of an eighth-rank official took a sharp turn for the worse due to the intervention of Empress Dong and Chief Minister Dong. Yan Zhuyi eventually married the crown prince as a concubine, becoming another topic of conversation among the people of the capital after Jiang Yinyue.

That year, the feuds and grudges within the Eastern Palace were truly lively.

Yan Zhuyi's cultivated composure wavered slightly. She glanced at Jiang Yinyue indifferently, turned and left, leaving behind a lukewarm reply.

"Desertification in the face of battle is a sign of cowardice and a fear of death; it cannot be washed away."

Jiang Yinyue's fingers, which were gripping the windowpane, turned white as a barrage of insults surged forth, more turbulent than any mockery.

Over the past three years, she has thought back countless times about how that assassination attempt caused their childhood friendship to become tainted, and how the Crown Prince's indulgence of her turned into exploitation.

Besides her reputation for arrogance, she was also known as a coward who abandoned the unconscious crown prince and deserted the battlefield.

A note from the author:

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Thank you everyone for your support! [kissing emoji]