Under the city of Shuozhou, the smoke and dust gradually dissipated, and the five thousand soldiers brought by Pan Ren slowly retreated, leaving behind a more solemn atmosphere.
Yin Yao stood alone beside the carriage, her plain white dress fluttering slightly in the wind. She looked past the open city gate and took in the solemn scene inside the city.
"General Xiao, you and the soldiers will camp outside the city. I will go visit Zhao Muyun's two wives!"
"Princess, you absolutely cannot do this! Han Zhong and the others are hostile to us. Entering the city alone is like walking into a tiger's mouth! If anything were to happen, how would I explain this to the prince?"
Xiao Cheyun's face changed drastically and he hurriedly tried to dissuade him.
Yin Yao turned around, her face haggard but her eyes were firm, her voice as cold as ice:
"General Xiao, I am the legitimate wife of Zhao Muyun, personally granted by His Majesty. I have come to mourn my deceased husband and comfort the soldiers' families. What danger is there in this?"
"If you don't even have this much courage, how can you manage Shuozhou for your father?"
"If you insist on stopping me, then fine, escort me back to Jinyang immediately. I won't wade into this muddy water of Shuozhou anymore!"
"Princess!"
Xiao Cheyun looked troubled. He had heard the strict order from King Jin, and he must help the princess control Shuozhou. How could he lose the big picture for the sake of a small one?
He knew the princess's temperament very well. She looked weak on the outside but was strong on the inside. She would do what she said.
He gritted his teeth, weighed the pros and cons, and finally bowed helplessly: "I obey your command. But please be careful, my lady. I will be stationed outside the city. If anything unexpected happens, send a signal immediately!"
"Qingluan, follow me into the city."
Yin Yao said no more. She only took her personal maid with her. The two of them drove slowly towards the city gate and knocked loudly on the door.
On the top of the city wall, Xi Sheng, Guo Luo and others immediately became agitated when they saw this.
"Sima Han! How could you let the King of Jin's men in? That's like a weasel offering New Year's greetings to a chicken!"
"Exactly! Who knows what she's up to? Maybe she's here to test our strength, or even collude with us!"
Han Zhong was supported by his personal soldiers. His sallow face was staring at the lonely carriage with eyes as sharp as an eagle.
He coughed violently several times, his breath was weak, but his voice was full of unquestionable weight: "Open the city gate and let her in."
"Han Sima!"
"Listen!"
Han Zhong panted, his tone emphasizing, "She is the princess His Majesty has arranged for marriage. Etiquette requires us to refuse her. Emotionally, she is indeed Zhao Tou's widow in name only. Turning against her now will only invite criticism and give people something to talk about."
"Since she dared to come alone, if we were to treat her like a formidable enemy, we would only appear to be guilty."
"Let her in and keep a close watch on her. We'll discuss everything after we meet the Madam."
The heavy city gate slowly opened again, allowing only carriages to pass through.
Under the gazes of countless vigilant, suspicious, and even hostile eyes, Yin Yao's carriage drove into Shuozhou City and headed straight for the Captain's Mansion.
In the Captain's Mansion, Bai Ruolan was dressed in mourning clothes, looking thin and with red and swollen eyes, but she was forcing herself to preside over the affairs of the mansion.
Huan Naxue's belly was noticeably bulging. She was leaning on the couch with a pale face. She was carefully served by her maids. Her brows were filled with deep sorrow and depression.
Upon hearing that Yin Yao had arrived, both of their faces darkened.
"What is she doing here? To laugh at us?" Huan Naxue's voice was hoarse and filled with hatred.
Bai Ruolan took a deep breath, patted the back of Huan Naxue's hand, and forced herself to calm down:
"When the enemy comes, we will fight him; when the water comes, we will block it with earth. After all, the marriage is granted by the imperial decree. Avoiding it will only give people something to talk about. Let's see what she wants to do."
In the hall, the candlelight was bright, but it could not dispel the cold atmosphere that was almost frozen.
Yin Yao walked into the hall, glanced at Bai Ruolan and Huan Naxue, and nodded slightly: "Madam Bai, Madam Huan."
Although her posture was polite, the title of "Madam" subtly highlighted her status as the legal wife.
Bai Ruolan hasn't answered yet.
The maid behind her, Chunxiang, could no longer hold back. Looking at the equally arrogant maid Qingluan behind Yinyao, she could not help but sneer:
"As soon as my master passed away, some people couldn't wait to come to my house. I don't know if they are here to express their sincere condolences or if they have other motives!"
Qingluan was unwilling to show weakness and immediately retorted:
"My princess is married by imperial decree, and she is the wife of Lord Zhao!"
"The master has unfortunately passed away. The princess is heartbroken and has come thousands of miles to take charge of the situation. You are just concubines, how dare you be disrespectful?"
"You!" Chunxiang was so angry that her face turned pale.
"Alright! You're just a servant girl, you don't know the difference between high and low. Back off! lest anyone say I lack discipline!"
Bai Ruolan seemed to be shouting at Chunxiang, but in fact she was making a veiled statement.
When Yin Yao heard this, she immediately felt that although Bai Ruolan was the daughter of a merchant, she should not be underestimated.
"Qingluan, step back! The master hasn't spoken yet, why are you supposed to open your mouth?"
Yin Yao also responded sharply by making indirect accusations.
Before Bai Ruolan and Yin Yao officially confronted each other, they took advantage of their maids' unwillingness to be outdone to test their firepower.
What a great princess! She is not a naive naive person at all!
Bai Ruolan smiled slightly, then turned her gaze towards Yin Yao, her tone calm yet distant: "Your Highness is a noble princess, yet you have condescended to come to this bitter and cold border town. I wonder what you can do for me?"
"If you are just here to pay your respects, the mourning hall will be set up in the side courtyard. Princess, please feel free to do as you please. There has been a recent death in the mansion, so I'm afraid it won't be convenient to entertain many distinguished guests."
As he spoke, he had already classified Yin Yao as a "guest".
Yin Yao could not fail to hear the intention of expelling the guest. She smiled faintly, but the smile did not reach her eyes:
"I don't deserve your guidance. My husband passed away so suddenly, leaving behind such a vast Shuozhou and countless soldiers. I'm sure my two sisters must be exhausted."
"Since I'm Mu Yun's wife, it's only logical that I should share some of his burdens."
Huan Naxue suddenly raised her head, tears mingling with anger in her eyes, her voice trembling with excitement: "Who is your sister?! When Brother Zhao was alive, you were nowhere to be seen. Now that his body is still warm, you want to come and pick peaches?"
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