On the way back to Northern Chu, Princess Jiahua was both nervous and excited. She kept lifting the curtain to look outside and occasionally inquired about where she was.
"Master, it's Liang County. I estimate we'll reach the territory of Northern Chu in about seven or eight days." Xiu Shu handed a bag of dry rations to Princess Jia Hua, while holding a water bottle in her other hand. She had been braving the wind and sun, traveling day and night, and wished she could reach Northern Chu in a flash.
General Zuo did suggest finding a post station to rest, but Princess Jia Hua refused.
Staying even one more day means countless unknown changes.
She just wanted to escape southern Xinjiang as quickly as possible.
Unfortunately, the weather turned bad that day, with torrential rain pouring down and the carriage getting stuck in the mud. With no other option, they had to find the nearest post station to rest.
"Sister, you go first, I'll lead the horse to the backyard to feed some fodder." General Zuo stopped calling her Princess Consort and by her name, and the two decided to address each other as brother and sister halfway there.
This is also to avoid unnecessary trouble.
The name Jia Hua brings trouble to both the southern and northern border regions.
Princess Jiahua nodded, and holding an oil-paper umbrella, she quickly rushed into the post station with Xiushu in her hand. The waiter saw her and greeted her with a smile.
Xiu Shu responded.
After everything was settled, Xiu Shu instructed, "Serve us some food and wine, and also prepare some hot water."
The waiter nodded repeatedly.
While waiting, Princess Jiahua chose to sit down near the window. Xiushu poured a cup of hot water and handed it to her. She took it, held it in her palm, squinted at the torrential rain outside, which splashed up small puddles, and frowned.
“Master, the rainy season has arrived; it comes quickly and goes quickly,” Xiu Shu reassured her.
Princess Jia Hua nodded absentmindedly, but her brows remained furrowed, and she gazed out the window, unable to come back to her senses for a long time.
"The seventh prince fought a great battle and won. Logically, the position of crown prince should be his. Who would have thought that these things would happen?"
"That's fate!"
"Of all the sons, the seventh prince was sent to the battlefield to die. Ultimately, it's because the seventh prince's bloodline is impure and he is not a royal heir."
At another table, a few people were chatting idly, but what they said made Princess Jia Hua's expression suddenly change, and she subconsciously clenched the cup in her hand.
...
Phoenix Palace
Empress Yan stood under the eaves, leisurely pruning the flowers with a pair of scissors in her hand. Qingzhi stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, the Third Prince's Consort has arrived."
Creak!
A large peony flower was cut short and fell to the ground, shaking off a few petals.
Aokiji's eyelids twitched.
"Bring it in."
A moment later, the Third Prince's Consort was helped in by two palace maids, one on each side. Her face was deathly pale, and she stared at Empress Yan with a look of fear.
Their eyes met.
The Third Prince's wife collapsed to her knees, saying, "Your Majesty, I know I was wrong."
Empress Yan put down the scissors and walked step by step to the Third Prince's wife. She bent down, stretched out two fingers, pinched the Third Prince's wife's chin, and suddenly lifted it up: "Wrong? What wrong have you done?"
"Your Majesty..."
"That vile maid Zhao Jiahua tricked you into killing your own husband with just a few words, ruining my plans. And now she still dares to dream of enjoying a life as a concubine?" Empress Yan's tone gradually turned cold, and her fingertips tightened, causing the Third Prince's Consort to frown frequently.
Empress Yan suddenly released her grip, slowly stood up, and glanced at Qingzhi: "Go and bring the young prince here. I happen to have nothing to do, so from today onwards, the young prince will be raised under my care."
"Your Majesty!" The Third Prince's wife was terrified and knelt on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly to Empress Yan: "Your Majesty, please forgive me, please have mercy."
Empress Yan clicked her tongue and said, "Considering the years you have served me, I can point you in the right direction. After Jiang Cheng took charge of the Imperial Guard, he often opposed the Yan family and caused me trouble. You are also a daughter of the Jiang family. Tell me, what good does it do to oppose me?"
The Third Prince's wife bit her lip in fear, a wave of lingering dread washing over her.
She had already pleaded with the Seventh Prince to take the young prince to his fiefdom, promising never to return to Jincheng and to live a quiet life as a vassal king.
The Seventh Prince had already agreed, so she went back to pack her luggage.
Unexpectedly, Empress Yan suddenly sent someone to invite her to the palace to thoroughly investigate the cause of the Third Prince's death, and forcibly stopped her from leaving.
Three days of torture, relentless interrogation without sleep.
Finally, a clue was discovered in the backyard of the Third Prince's residence. The Third Prince had been drugged and deliberately thrown on the ground, and the doctor was only called when the man was on his last breath.
Not only that, even the Third Prince's daily medicine contained incompatible ingredients, specifically designed to kill him.
"Your Majesty, how can we ask for leniency?" the Third Prince's wife asked.
Empress Yan raised an eyebrow: "Plotting to harm a prince is a capital offense, and your father and brothers must have been involved as well."
"Your Majesty..." The Third Prince's Consort finally panicked and changed her words, "It was Jia Hua, Zhao Jia Hua gave me this method. She encouraged me to do it. Please, Your Majesty, have mercy."
Empress Yan revealed a triumphant smile, feigning surprise: "Really?"
"Your Highness, how could I dare to deceive you? I can stand up for you." For the sake of the Jiang family, the Third Prince's Consort had no choice but to betray Princess Jia Hua.
Empress Yan immediately sent someone to invite the Seventh Prince, and then ordered: "Send men on horseback to chase after him at top speed, and bring Zhao Jiahua back to me!"
"Furthermore, send a message to the Emperor of Northern Chu: Zhao Jiahua murdered the prince, a crime deserving of death. If Northern Chu dares to harbor him, Southern Frontier will definitely pursue the matter to the end!"
"yes!"
Soon the Seventh Prince arrived, and the Third Prince's wife recounted the whole story: "Zhao Jiahua's heart is not in the Southern Frontier at all. She already knew that the Northern Chu Emperor had ascended the throne. She stirred up trouble to create opportunities for Northern Chu. Seventh Prince, you have been deceived by her."
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