Chapter 1: Marriage in Place of Twin Sister and the Dandy Prince...
In the ninth month of autumn, an imperial decree for marriage was delivered to the cold palace of the Jiang Kingdom.
A few palace servants shrank their shoulders, lowered their heads and knelt on the ground. They were very anxious and did not dare to look up at the old eunuch who was holding the imperial edict.
The old woman scanned the surveillance line, narrowed her eyes, and said in a soft voice, "Why is there one person missing?"
The young palace maid in the center trembled with fear and said in a trembling voice, "My lord, Ying is fetching water in the backyard."
The old eunuch led the large group of people towards the backyard.
The walls of the cold palace were mottled with red paint, and there was a half-sized old well in the backyard. A circle of moss had grown around the edge of the well, growing wetly.
The crows made lonely calls, and a cool breeze blew. Several low osmanthus trees in the yard trembled in the wind, and the small golden flowers fell down and were blown to the side of the well.
The golden osmanthus rain fell on the lotus-colored dress that had almost faded to starched white. The girl straightened up with difficulty, pulled the bucket in her hand from the bottom of the well, and reached out to wipe the sweat from her forehead.
She had thin shoulders, with jet-black hair draped over her shoulders, a lone peach wood hairpin stuck on her head, and a pair of round, bright eyes.
She put down the wooden bucket at hand, her chest rose and fell gently, she breathed in small gulps, and clusters of red clouds appeared on her cheeks.
She stretched out her hand, pierced a tiny wooden thorn with her fingertips, and gently pulled out the thorn. The girl's eyes turned red and she gasped in pain.
Just when she was about to carry the bucket back to the house, disordered footsteps came from not far away. Ah Ying was slightly stunned and frowned unconsciously.
Judging from the footsteps, they definitely aren't the palace maids from the cold palace. Is there an outsider coming?
Her heart suddenly became very nervous. She pursed her lips, turned around and ran towards her room. Before she entered the room, she was stopped by someone. From the sound of the voice, it sounded like an old eunuch.
He stopped and never looked back.
"Jiang Yueying, please accept the order." The old eunuch stopped in the courtyard.
Jiang Yueying? She hadn't heard that name for so long she almost forgot it.
She turned around and saw the shock in the old eunuch's eyes. She couldn't help but smile bitterly. Yes, anyone who saw her face that was exactly the same as Princess Anyi would be surprised.
Thousands of thoughts flashed through her mind. Jiang Yueying lowered her eyelashes, turned around gently, and knelt down to receive the order.
"Crown Prince Xie Yuting of Northern Liang is a man of noble bearing and elegance, while Princess Jiang Yueying of Southern Jiang is respectful, chaste, and unrivaled in both talent and beauty. To maintain peace between the two states, I grant them this marriage, so that they may live together till old age, forever putting an end to war. I decree this."
After the old eunuch finished reading the imperial edict on the marriage between the two countries, Jiang Yueying's shoulders were so stiff and weak that she did not stand up to receive the edict for a long time.
"Eunuch, I am Jiang Yueying, not Princess Anyi Jiang Yueying."
The girl's voice was low, soft and weak, and even when she refuted, there was no trace of firmness.
"Your Highness, you are whoever His Majesty says you are," the old eunuch handed the imperial edict over her head. "From today on, you are Princess Anyi, and no one dares to question it."
Jiang Yueying's face turned pale and she took the imperial edict hesitantly.
Since she was marrying into a foreign country, she had to pay a visit to the Emperor of Jiang, her father, Emperor Jiang Kui, before leaving.
My knees are weak and my head is buzzing.
Along the way, Jiang Yueying walked slowly, her mind full of confusion.
Having been in the cold palace for a long time, she was not well informed about the news here. She only knew that the State of Jiang and its neighboring State of Liang had been at war for many years, and that in recent years the military strength of the State of Liang had become increasingly powerful, forcing the State of Jiang to retreat step by step, leaving it unable to fight back.
At this time, the two countries formed an alliance to show weakness to Liang State and express absolute submission, and to win over the powerful country and seek alliance status.
Marriage alliance sounds good, but in fact it means sending your daughter into danger. What kind of status and treatment can a princess of a defeated country get after marrying into a foreign country?
What's more, it is said that Liang's Crown Prince Xie Yuting is unruly, dissolute, and a complete playboy. It's only a matter of time before his other brothers take away his position as crown prince, leaving him in a miserable situation with nothing.
The Emperor of Jiang State doted on Princess Anyi, Jiang Yueying, extremely, and held her in his hands and in his mouth. How could he bear to give his beloved daughter away for a marriage?
Jiang Yueying pressed down the corners of her lips, and there was an indescribable bitterness in her mouth.
If Jiang Kui wants to keep his beloved without offending the State of Liang, the best way is to find a substitute. However, there is a risk that a substitute will be exposed, so he needs a substitute with no flaws.
She and Princess Anyi are twin sisters, look exactly the same, and are the biological daughter of Emperor Jiang.
In the entire Jiang Kingdom, who else could there be besides her, Jiang Yueying?
You are reluctant to let your sweetheart suffer, and finally remember that you have a daughter in the cold palace?
Jiang Yueying sniffed and comforted herself, it was okay, at least her father was finally willing to see her.
I came to the council hall with a lot of thoughts in my mind. A dazzling ray of sunlight split the window and shone on the corner of a bright yellow dress. An old man was sitting high on the rosewood dragon throne. His temples were gray, his thick eyebrows were deeply wrinkled, and his face was shrouded in gloom.
This was the first time Jiang Yueying saw him so close. When she sneaked out of the cold palace before, she only dared to look at him from afar, because her wet nurse told her that the emperor was her biological father, but she should not try to get close to him, otherwise her life would be in danger.
She stared blankly at the person in front of her, forgetting to greet him.
Emperor Jiang raised his eyelids and said in a deep voice: "Where are your rules?"
There was no kindness, no gentleness, only an unfamiliar majesty, as if the person standing here was not his own flesh and blood, but a palace maid who was not worthy of the emperor's attention.
The cold tone was like ice, and Jiang Yueying felt a chill all over her body. Her knees slammed to the ground, and her pale lips trembled. "Your Majesty."
She didn't know how to call herself. According to blood relationship, she was his daughter, and rationally she called herself a daughter-in-law. However, she had been kept in the cold palace since birth, and her life was no different from that of a palace maid, so it seemed more reasonable to call herself a slave.
Emperor Jiang glanced at her and said in a lukewarm tone, "From today on, you are Princess Anyi, Jiang Yueying. I give you three days to imitate Ying'er's words and actions. After marrying into Liang State, you must be careful and cautious, and not reveal any flaws. If it is discovered that you are not the real Princess Anyi, you will be the sinner who destroys the peace between the two countries."
The unquestionable voice was like thunder, striking people's hearts with pain.
Jiang Yueying's body was shaking and tears were streaming down her face. She didn't understand why, as both were biological daughters, her sister was doted on while she could only hide in the cramped and damp cold palace year after year.
What did she do wrong?
Emperor Jiang stared at her tearful face and said sternly, "Why are you dissatisfied with marrying into the Liang Kingdom and becoming the Crown Princess of a prestigious position?"
Why don’t you let your sister go for such a good thing?
Jiang Yueying's eyes were red and her lips were bitten.
"Go find Ying'er. We'll be leaving for Liang in the next three days. You're marrying as Princess Anyi, so your dowry will naturally be substantial."
Jiang Yueying stood up without a ripple on her face. Just as she was about to step out of the palace, a sudden impulse surged through her chest, breaking through all restraints. She turned her head with tears in her eyes and asked the questions that had been buried in her heart for many years.
"Father, why do you hate me?"
Years of grievances and complaints burst out in an instant.
Her round eyes were filled with water as she looked straight at the old emperor sitting firmly on the dragon throne. The other's expression changed from indifference to suffocating gloom.
Jiang Di's tone was as cold as hell: "Because you killed the person I love most in my life."
As expected, the wet nurse did not lie to her.
Jiang Yueying closed her eyes, raised her head slightly as if accepting her fate, and the last glimmer of hope in her heart was completely cut off.
Like a fallen leaf in autumn, it swayed and rolled out of the temple gate.
…
"You useless thing! You can't even catch a whip from me!"
A sharp and ostentatious voice came from the imperial garden, and the palace servants knelt on the ground, kowtowed and confessed their guilt.
Jiang Yueying had already recognized the domineering voice; it was her twin sister Jiang Yueying.
Not knowing what she was thinking of, she shrank her shoulders, timidly not daring to move forward, let alone look up.
The old eunuch behind him came forward with a smile on his face and said flatteringly: "Your Highness, why bother to get angry with a servant? I have good news to tell Your Highness. You will definitely calm down after hearing it."
Jiang Yueying was dressed in gorgeous clothes, with her hair covered with pearls and jade. Her face was as gentle as Jiang Yueying's, but she preferred gorgeous makeup. The flowers on her face and her lipstick were all extremely bright, which made her temperament even sharper.
She raised her neck high and said unhappily, "Tell me about it."
The old eunuch immediately said, "Your Majesty has found someone to marry the princess in her place. She is right here."
Jiang Yueying's angry expression softened instantly. She reluctantly looked at Jiang Yueying, who lowered her head, and frowned: "Whose girl are you from? You are so rude and don't even know how to greet me?"
Jiang Yueying took a step forward and raised her head slowly, her round and soft eyes sparkling in the sunlight.
The two looked at each other, and Jiang Yueying looked surprised.
"Where did you get this human skin mask?"
Jiang Yueying smiled bitterly in her heart and whispered, "Hello, sister."
"Who is your sister? Why are you yelling at me?"
Jiang Yueying stopped talking.
The old eunuch hurriedly explained, "Your Highness, this is indeed your twin sister...it's just that she has been kept in the cold palace for many years, so you don't know about it."
"What nonsense are you talking about? How come I didn't know I had a twin sister?" Jiang Yueying raised her voice, "Why is she kept in the cold palace?"
"This is a long story. Your Highness might as well ask His Majesty. In short, Princess Jiang Yueying will marry as Princess Anyi and replace you as the Crown Princess of Liang. Your Highness, you don't have to go to Liang to suffer." The old eunuch wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
"Her name is also Jiang Yueying?!" Jiang Yueying's eyes were almost murderous, and the whip in her hand was raised high, about to fall on the old eunuch's face.
The old eunuch was horrified and shouted, "No, she is the moonlight firefly, the firefly, only worthy of appearing in the dark night. How can she compete with the divine pearls and jades of His Highness Yueying!"
Fortunately, he spoke quickly and the extremely fierce whip did not fall on his face.
"Since you are my twin sister, why have you been staying in the cold palace?"
Jiang Yueying stammered, "Because my father doesn't like me."
What reason could there be to make a princess stay in the cold palace all year round and not be seen by anyone? Who else except the emperor could have such a great ability?
Jiang Yueying snorted coldly, walked away, and prepared to go find her father to find out the truth. After living for so many years, this was the first time she knew that she had a twin sister. It was ridiculous.
After she left, the depressed atmosphere dissipated, and the palace maids kneeling on the ground looked at each other, and some began to whisper.
"Isn't there only one princess in our palace?"
"A good friend of mine once delivered food to the cold palace. He said he saw someone who looked exactly like the princess there. He thought he saw a ghost, but it turned out to be real."
"If she is really His Highness's sister, why is she in the cold palace?"
"You're too young to understand, but this is actually related to the late queen..."
Jiang Yueying couldn't hear what they said clearly, and the old eunuch's words that Yueying was only fit to appear in the dark night were still echoing in her mind. Yes, her sister was a divine pearl and jade, and she was the dimmest firefly.
She is always her sister's shadow, and can only hide in dark corners, never seeing the light.
"Meow……"
The familiar cat's meow brought her back to her senses. Jiang Yueying looked up and saw a black kitten lying in the flowers, carefully spying on everything outside.
It's thinner.
Jiang Yueying reached out to hug it, but the old eunuch next to her suddenly spoke, "Your Highness, His Majesty has specifically instructed you to study hard for the next three days. Not only must you imitate the eldest princess's clothing, diet, and preferences, but your demeanor and temperament must also be impeccable."
This is too much.
Jiang Yueying really wanted to take a gamble and make this marriage a joke, but when she thought that her impulsiveness might lead to another war between the two countries, the anger was swallowed back into her throat.
Isn't it just playing another person for the rest of her life? No one in this world cares about her anyway. It would be better for her to marry to Liang State. Considering her good deeds and virtues, she might be reborn into a good family in the next life.
Few people know that what she is best at is imitation.
She had to learn all the chores in the cold palace, and few palace maids were willing to teach her a second time, so she had to learn it in one go.
But she never imitated anyone.
Jiang Yueying raised her head again, her hands trembling as she clenched them into fists. She glared at the old eunuch with her dark eyes and deliberately raised her voice: "How can I allow you to tell me what to do?"
As soon as the words fell, the whole audience fell silent.
The old eunuch stood there in a daze, almost frightened by Jiang Yueying's aura.
Her tone and demeanor just now were too similar to Jiang Yueying's. If she hadn't been wearing a faded dress, many people would have mistaken her for the real Princess Anyi.
They are indeed twin sisters, they can imitate so similarly.
But it was not without flaws. Although Jiang Yueying spoke fiercely, her arms were trembling slightly. After saying this, her neck turned red, and she seemed very embarrassed.
Jiang Yueying touched her face and sighed softly. Three days... She must adapt as soon as possible.
From that day on, Jiang Yueying followed Jiang Yueying closely, carefully observing her every move and memorizing all her little habits.
Those three days were really torture for Jiang Yueying, because her sister was always punishing the palace maids and would kick them to vent her anger if they walked unevenly.
Moreover, Jiang Yueying seemed to hate her twin sister and always said sarcastic words to her in a sarcastic tone. Jiang Yueying did not dare to refute her and just lowered her head and followed her silently.
Three days passed quickly. Before leaving for Liang State, Jiang Yueying's personal maid was assigned to her so that she could remind her at any time to avoid making mistakes.
Sitting on the carriage heading to Liang State, she looked back and saw her biological father standing at the palace gate with an expressionless face, eager to send her out.
Flags were flying and the emperor and his ministers were seeing her off, but she felt no joy in her heart, only sadness.
The cold wind blows along.
The carriage moved slowly, and Jiang Yueying stared blankly at the wall of the carriage. This road was dangerous, and one moment of carelessness could lead to eternal damnation. She had to be careful and hide her tracks.
The journey was long and she was bored, so she started thinking about her future husband.
The dandy prince... How dandy can he be? Will they fight on their wedding night?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
