Night Discussion
The wind howled in his ears, and Lin Xu's ears had grown numb from standing there for so long. The snow fell thick and fast, never ceasing. In the long, dark night, everything was utterly silent; one could almost hear the sound of each falling snowflake. And because of this, the creaking sound of the palace gates slowly opening was all the more jarring.
She stopped and turned around abruptly.
Not far in front of him, the vermilion palace gate was slowly opening, and a beam of light shone through the crack. A cold wind blew in from the gap, and the person who came out from behind the gate was the eunuch who had personally handed him the letter an hour earlier.
The eunuch bowed to her. "Madam Dou, please come with me."
Lin Xu's heart skipped a beat, and she almost wondered if she was hallucinating from being chilled to death by the cold wind. But the next moment, she saw it all too clearly—
Deep within the two half-open palace gates, a tall, elegant man stood atop the high steps, draped only in an inner brocade robe, his head unadorned, as if he had hastily donned his garments. The man gazed at her calmly, his expression devoid of joy or anger, except for a faint, cold light that fell directly upon her brow.
This was the one person she had been seeking an audience with for so long, and one of the few who could help her at the moment.
The Third Prince remained calm, his eyes filled with the chill of the snow, his gaze fixed on her. His usually handsome, jade-carved face held no trace of a smile, and he remained silent, simply staring at her through the swirling snow.
It seemed like he was trying hard to see something out of her.
"Your Highness."
Lin Xu disregarded everything else, quickly suppressed his joy, stepped forward, and bowed in greeting.
In desperation, she had no other choice, and because of her recent encounter with the Third Prince, she could only think of seeking his help. She knew that if the Third Prince was willing to come out in person, there would be no hope...
Before Lin Xu could rise, she heard another series of light, hurried footsteps approaching in the quiet night. As the bright lights drew nearer, she curiously raised her eyes and saw a slender figure quickly chasing after the Crown Prince—
She is none other than the current Crown Princess.
The usually elegant Miao Yiyun was now dressed only in a moon-white jacket, her smooth hair cascading down her back, and a red fox fur coat haphazardly draped over her shoulders. Her hairpin was askew at her temple from running so fast.
Miao Yiyun hurriedly chased after him from the inner palace. She barely managed to stand firm before reaching the steps, her pale face etched with a deep sense of resentment. She couldn't understand how, despite having clearly kept the letter hidden, the Crown Prince had still managed to discover it!
She never expected that the Crown Prince, who had always treated her kindly, would immediately change his expression! She thought that she could simply act cute and silly to get away with it, but she never expected that the Crown Prince would ignore her and come out without even putting on his coat!
She had been chasing after him all the way, and could hardly believe what she was seeing. The Emperor had clearly made up his mind; the matter of Princess Kunrou was so thorny that it was unwise for anyone to interfere, let alone His Highness the Crown Prince, who now had to be extremely cautious in everything he did! How could he… how could he so rashly come out to see that vile woman, Lin Xu?
Miao Yiyun bit her lip, looked at Lin Xu, her eyes filled with resentment and disgust:
"How dare you, a mere commoner, trespass into the Eastern Palace and even disturb His Highness the Crown Prince! Guards, take this shrew away for questioning!"
Her usually beautiful face was now contorted with rage, almost burning to her lips.
After he finished speaking, the two palace maids behind the gate were about to step forward, but Lin Xu did not move. His fingers tightened slightly inside his cloak, and he only took a half step back.
"...What are you all standing there for?"
Just as Miao Yiyun was about to become impatient with the urging, she saw the man standing on the jade steps beside her speak in a low voice, but it was a word of obstruction.
"stop."
As the future crown prince, the crown prince's voice was extremely steady, carrying an unyielding resolve. Upon hearing this, the two palace servants immediately dared not approach Lin Xu again, and tremblingly retreated.
The prince's voice echoed amidst the quiet, snowy landscape.
"The matter concerning Princess Kunrou is urgent. Madam Dou is concerned about her old classmate and has come despite the snow. She is truly loyal and righteous. Let's come in and have a cup of tea to discuss this further."
Miao Yiyun was unwilling to accept this. How could she tolerate her husband favoring another woman? Just as she was about to speak, she saw the Crown Prince turn around and look at her again, raising the letter he was holding in his hand. It was the letter that Lin Xu had asked the eunuch to deliver to him personally.
"I never knew the Crown Princess had such skillful methods. Not only did she dare to withhold my letters without permission, but she also showed disrespect to Princess Kunrou. I remember that the Crown Princess was raised by the Eldest Princess since childhood and was always by the Princess's side. With such a deep affection, she should be able to understand Madam Dou's anxiety. So please go to the Buddhist hall and personally copy scriptures to pray for the Princess."
After saying this, he lowered his eyes slightly, and two guards stepped forward from the darkness. Regardless of how the Crown Princess explained, they took her away, her lips pale and her face full of grievance and resentment.
Lin Xu hadn't expected the Crown Prince to act this way, nor had she anticipated that the two would have a falling out in front of her. Unable to intervene immediately, she could only quietly watch as the surroundings returned to calm, and softly said:
"...Your Highness's kindness is appreciated. However, the situation is urgent and cannot be delayed. Tea is unnecessary. Otherwise, I wouldn't have come so late at night..."
The prince raised his eyes.
Lin Xu slowly bent down and said, word by word:
"If Princess Kunrou is buried under lies, even though she has made outstanding military achievements, it will be difficult to clear her name of all the rumors and slanders, no matter how great her military exploits. Therefore, Lin Xu implores Your Highness to plead with the Emperor for another seven days to allow for the search for the Princess. I also beg Your Highness to help me restore the Princess's reputation and prevent her from being wronged..."
Her eyes were lowered as she spoke, her face clearly gentle, yet incredibly resolute, making her impossible to ignore and impossible to refuse easily. Her clear, cold voice resonated powerfully through the snow.
He was constantly embroiled in the treacherous power struggles of the day, so he was naturally well aware of the recent turmoil. All factions had been arguing about this matter for quite some time, and the eldest princess had even lost the emperor's favor because of it. His best option now... was naturally to intervene and not interfere.
Even Princess Kunrou was his older sister whom he had grown up with since childhood.
The prince remained silent for a long time. The two stood facing each other in the snow, their heavy robes billowing in the wind.
In the pitch black, on the official road outside the palace gates, which had been quiet for a moment, a series of rapid hoofbeats could be faintly heard, approaching from afar, as rapid as thunderclaps.
In the blink of an eye, Xue Chen pounced on the ground, and a man and a horse came hurtling through the wind. Before anyone could announce their arrival, they stopped right in front of the stone steps outside the palace gate.
Wearing a cloak, Dou Yanxun tightened the reins with both hands, and before the horse beneath him had even come to a steady stop, he dismounted and strode to Lin Xu's side.
He had been rushing all the way, and his temples were already covered with snow, but he didn't have time to catch his breath. In his haste, he glanced at her.
He had been so nervous during the drive that his heart was pounding, but now he just wanted to catch a glimpse of her.
After confirming that Lin Xu was unharmed, Dou Yanxun turned to look at the Crown Prince on the steps and bowed to him.
"Your Highness is well."
The Crown Prince glanced down at Dou Yanxun, who had just arrived, then put his hands behind his back and simply nodded. "What brings Lord Dou here?"
Dou Yanxun's eyes darkened, and he subtly moved half an inch closer to Lin Xu. His voice, as soon as he spoke, carried the chill of a snowstorm:
"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. It was just a cold snowy night, and I was worried about the inconvenience for your pregnant wife, so I rushed over. Please do not take offense."
The Crown Prince laughed heartily. Before they could even stand still, they heard another series of hoofbeats. The Crown Prince raised an eyebrow and glanced at Dou Yanxun, quite surprised. "Lord Dou, have you called for reinforcements?"
Before the words were finished, the sound of horses' hooves slowly approached. This time, a man sat calmly on his horse, holding an umbrella in one hand. The man under the umbrella was handsome and had a gentle demeanor. Even from a distance, he curled the corners of his lips into a smile.
"...I have heard that the scenery of the Eastern Palace is the best for enjoying snow on a winter night, and it is indeed so."
Lin Xu was taken aback when Dou Yanxun and Jiang Heng arrived in such a short time. Dou Yanxun reached out from under his wide sleeves and took her cold fingers in his.
"Why are you here?" she asked him, mouthing the question as she parted her lips.
Dou Yanxun's eyes held a mixture of anger and heartache, but he didn't answer. Instead, he gripped her hand even tighter. Her fingers were slender and icy cold. He wondered how much wind and cold she had endured on her journey through the snow. He longed to pull her petite body into his arms immediately.
But in the next instant, the Crown Prince clearly saw their actions. Seeing that there were many people around, he shook his head, turned around and climbed the steps, flicking his sleeves and turning back with a smile:
"Did you two plan to come and disturb my rest tonight? Do you know what your punishment is?" She paused, then added, "Since you're all here, you may all come in."
.
The candlelight in the side hall was warm, and the air was filled with the fragrance of incense. Soon, a eunuch brought out tea and snacks, and steam rose from the jade cups.
Lin Xu had stood in the wind for half the night. Now that he was inside the warm room and had taken off his cloak, he felt a chill creep up his body, and even the hand holding the cup trembled slightly.
The group sat quietly in the hall, each with a sharp mind. Jiang Heng and the Crown Prince were already very familiar with each other, and had become even closer in recent days. They skipped the pleasantries and went straight to discussing the matter of Princess Kunrou.
The Crown Prince slowly put down his teacup. “Before court today, I had already reviewed the three draft edicts submitted by the Ministry of War, all of which suggested that the princess be posthumously honored according to custom. However, just now, I heard Lady Dou’s earnest request to postpone the ceremony, and I was deeply moved.”
Dou Yanxun knew Lin Xu had been troubled these past few days, and hadn't told her everything for fear of disturbing her. He hadn't expected her to try and enter the palace so abruptly while he was away. Luckily, she had approached the Crown Prince, and thankfully, the Crown Prince had opened the palace gates. Otherwise, given Lin Xu's eagerness at the time, if she had rashly requested an audience with the Emperor, who knows what kind of trouble she might have caused…
He was terrified that he couldn't protect her, or the baby in her womb, and that she would be bullied by others. If something were to happen... He closed his eyes slightly, trying to banish all those wild thoughts.
Now, as the head of the Censorate, Jiang Heng has many audiences with the Emperor. He is also quite distressed about Kunrou's situation. The group quietly pondered and discussed ways to postpone the matter. Lin Xu, meanwhile, lowered his eyes and sipped his hot tea, feeling the warmth returning to his body.
Each of them held some power, and with the situation urgent, they openly discussed how to utilize the current situation, how to balance dissenting officials, and how to submit memorials. Lin Xu, as a woman confined to the inner quarters, should have yielded, but tonight's events were caused by her, and this matter concerned Liao Yan's life and reputation, as well as her cousin, so she was unwilling to leave.
Lin Xu listened quietly for a moment, the ruby ring on her right hand gleaming in the flickering candlelight.
She suddenly spoke, "The princess has always been both scholarly and martial, brave and skilled in battle, truly a heroine among women. She is also... my closest confidante."
The hall fell silent for a moment, save for the soft rustling of the wind through the palace tiles. All three looked at her.
She didn't back down, but gently set down her teacup, folded her hands in front of her knees, and spoke in a gentle yet firm voice:
"When the princess went to war, she was filled with concern for her country and never thought about being rewarded or making meritorious contributions... I am not here tonight to investigate a case, nor do I intend to interfere in important military and political affairs of the court or make irresponsible remarks about politics... I just do not want her to be defined as 'dying for her country.' The princess did not die in battle; she is missing. Whether she will return in the future or whether she is safe is still uncertain."
Lin Xu slowly raised his head, his eyes gleaming:
"Tomorrow morning, I will request an audience with Your Majesty to ask you to reconsider the matter of posthumously honoring the princess and holding a funeral in my name as her former classmate."
The words had barely left his mouth when the Crown Prince and Dou Yanxun blurted out almost simultaneously:
"—No."
Upon hearing this, the two looked at each other.
Jiang Heng shook his head, as if letting out a soft sigh, and then smiled.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
