Chapter 1: First Encounter. A Marriage Decree for Her and the God of Slaughter?
The Great Liang Dynasty, the 28th year of Jinghua.
The late summer sun blazed fiercely, baking every corner of the palace. The glaring afternoon sunlight pierced through the gaps in the leaves, dappling the entrance to the main hall of the Brocade Palace.
Zhao, the head maidservant of the Empress Dowager, stood under the edict in her hand and looked at the tightly closed door in front of her, asking, "Did the princess drink again last night?"
"Reporting to the nanny, since His Majesty fell seriously ill, the princess has been worried day and night. These days, she has also been constantly besieged by the princes because of the marriage, so she was in a bad mood and drank too much wine last night."
Granny Zhao looked serious; she had come on the Empress Dowager's orders again.
Jing Hui's personal maid, A Yu, stepped forward and explained in a low voice, "As you know, they aren't truly concerned about the princess's marriage. They just want her to leave His Majesty and the palace as soon as possible. The portraits they sent were so ugly they hurt my eyes, and their family backgrounds are completely unworthy of the princess..."
In fact, in the entire capital and even the Great Liang, no one could match the legitimate princess whom Emperor Jingwen cherished and raised.
As Zhao Mama listened to A Yu's rambling, she glanced at the imperial edict in her hand with a complicated expression.
"Ayu—"
A girl's soft voice came from inside the room; Jing Hui had woken up.
"Yes, sir!"
Ayu bowed to Granny Zhao, responded, and quickly walked into the room. Granny Zhao then held the imperial edict and followed her into the hall.
Thin curtains blocked the glaring light from outside, and the fragrance of jasmine wafted through the hall. The rare ornaments and priceless treasures displayed on the shelves reflected different lights, making it seem as if one had stepped into a fantastical palace.
Jing Hui loved these sparkly things, so Emperor Jingwen searched the world for treasures and sent them to his beloved daughter.
As they walked into the bedchamber, the girl on the bed was slowly stretching her limbs.
She was wearing a nightgown, her skin was as white as jade, her ten fingers were clenched into fists and raised high above her head, her slightly pink toes pressed down gently, her undulating body slowly pushed upwards, and with a soft moan, she sank softly into the bedding.
Granny Zhao greeted the princess, saying, "This servant greets the princess. May the princess be well."
Jing Hui drank two whole jars of Zijin wine last night, and was still a little dizzy when he woke up.
She was lying on her back, spacing out, waiting for Ah Yu to bring her water. She was startled when she suddenly heard Zhao Mama's voice.
"Get up."
Jing Hui turned her head and saw the imperial edict in Zhao Mama's hand. She sat up and asked, "Why are you here, Mama? Is there something from the Empress Dowager's side?"
Granny Zhao held up the imperial edict in her hand and said, "It is an order from the Empress Dowager. Please accept the edict, Princess."
Jing Hui got out of bed, wondering what had troubled the Empress Dowager so much, and reached out to take the imperial edict and open it.
As the contents of the memorial gradually came into view, Jing Hui gripped the imperial edict tighter and tighter the more he read.
Upon seeing the last line, she abruptly raised her head, her peach-blossom eyes filled with disbelief.
"Is the Lu Songyuan mentioned in the imperial edict the same Lu Songyuan who has been rumored in the capital recently to have committed massacres and abductions in the northern border, and who has done all sorts of evil deeds?"
Granny Zhao hesitated for a moment before nodding and saying, "It is indeed General Lu."
"The Empress Dowager has arranged a marriage between me and that wicked man?"
Jing Hui immediately flew into a rage, "This princess will not marry him! Is it Jing Ao who's behind this? I'm going to find that bastard and settle the score!"
Jing Ao was Emperor Jingwen's eldest son. Among all the princes and ministers, he was the one who was most at odds with Jing Hui, and he was also the one who was most anxious about Jing Hui's marriage.
"No, Your Highness..."
Jing Hui threw the imperial edict onto the bed, grabbed a thin gauze cloak from the side, and ran out of the palace. Zhao Mama and the maids were startled and hurriedly chased after her.
"Princess!"
"Your Highness, please wait!"
"Princess! The Second Prince did not get involved!"
Jing Hui rushed to the corridor with her head down, but was still blocked by Granny Zhao.
Granny Zhao ran up to Jing Hui and knelt down, stopping her and saying, "The Empress Dowager anticipated the princess's reaction. She instructed this old servant to tell the princess that if she wants to find the answer, she should go directly to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, where the Empress Dowager will be waiting for her."
After Emperor Jingwen fell seriously ill, he stayed in the Yangxin Hall to recuperate.
Jing Hui asked, "Has my father woken up?"
Granny Zhao said, "This servant does not know."
The impulsive impulse from before had subsided. Jing Hui took a deep breath and said, "Understood, A Yu, change your clothes!"
Ah Yu, panting, caught up with the dress in her arms. "Yes!"
-
When Jing returned to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, there was no chaos in front of the hall as it always was when Emperor Jingwen woke up; it was as quiet as ever.
When Ning Lu, the chief eunuch by Emperor Jingwen's side, saw that Jing had returned, he stepped forward with a smile and bowed, saying, "This old servant greets the princess. May the princess be well."
"No need for such formalities, sir."
Ning Lu exclaimed with a smile, "The Empress Dowager just arrived, and Your Highness has already come."
"Has Father woken up?"
Ning Lu shook his head and sighed, "No, His Majesty has slept for a whole day."
Since the beginning of this year's Lunar New Year, Emperor Jingwen's health suddenly deteriorated. During a grand court assembly, he vomited blood and collapsed on the dragon throne.
Emperor Jingwen had never shown any illness before; he appeared to be asleep. The officials and the Empress Dowager panicked and quickly summoned the imperial physician.
Despite numerous investigations, the imperial physicians were unable to find any cause for Emperor Jingwen's illness.
A few days later, Emperor Jingwen, who had only taken a tonic soup, slowly woke up. Upon waking, he was able to attend court and review the troops, as if he had never been sick.
From that time onward, Emperor Jingwen would fall into a coma every few days or months.
The imperial physicians eventually concluded that Emperor Jingwen's illness was due to his diligence in governing in his early years, which had left him too exhausted. They believed that a little rest would be a good thing.
While in a coma, Emperor Jingwen ate little and took a lot of medicine, and his body became much thinner. Jing Hui was always heartbroken whenever he came to visit.
"This princess will go in and take a look."
"Please, Your Highness."
Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, heavy curtains blocked most of the sunlight, making the daytime as dark as dusk. The bitter smell of the medicine wafted over, seemingly even stronger than when she arrived the previous morning.
Jing Hui walked in and immediately saw the Empress Dowager sitting on the couch by the window, looking down at a book.
The candlelight on the table cast flickering light on her face.
Jing Hui was never close to the Empress Dowager. In her vague childhood memories, her mother seemed to have some kind of conflict with the Empress Dowager.
"Granddaughter greets Imperial Grandmother. May Grandmother be well."
The Empress Dowager looked up, glanced down at Jing Hui, and said, "Get up and sit down."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Jing Hui sat to the side, looking at the Empress Dowager.
The late emperor died young, and Emperor Jingwen ascended the throne at a young age. At that time, the court was in turmoil, with powerful enemies on all sides eyeing the country covetously. It was the Empress Dowager who ruled from behind the curtain and helped govern the country.
Even when a powerful enemy attacked, the Empress Dowager disregarded all objections and forcibly took the young Emperor Jingwen to the battlefield to oversee the central army, ultimately achieving a great victory.
It can be said that the current prosperity of the Great Liang Dynasty is entirely due to the Empress Dowager's contributions.
Later, after Emperor Jingwen assumed personal rule, the Empress Dowager lived a peaceful life in the Cien Palace, tending to flowers and raising birds. Recently, Emperor Jingwen has fallen seriously ill, and at the invitation of the officials, the Empress Dowager has occasionally come out to preside over state affairs.
Over the years, her face has become more and more kind, but her dignity has not diminished in the slightest.
The Empress Dowager put down her book, poured Jing Hui a cup of tea, and went straight to the point: "Have you received my imperial decree?"
"yes."
Jing Hui looked at the Empress Dowager and asked, "May I ask, Grandmother, why have you arranged my marriage in this way?"
The Empress Dowager looked at Jing Hui's indignant expression and suddenly smiled.
"Do you think that I did this because the Emperor dotes on you too much and I'm afraid you'll cause trouble for the court like your mother did? Do you think I'm clearing obstacles for the princes?"
"The Empress Dowager is not the cause of chaos."
Jing Hui said, "Father was weak, and Mother took care of him while also assisting in governing the country, just like Grandmother did. At that time, the court was stable, and no one spoke ill of Mother. Why is it that when it came to Grandmother, Mother was considered a troublemaker?"
"I won't dwell on old matters with you."
The Empress Dowager smiled faintly, "Your mother is not the one who is causing chaos in the court, but you are one of the biggest reasons for the current turmoil in the court."
Jing Hui's lips curled slightly, and he looked at the Empress Dowager with a dark expression.
She's right.
It is common knowledge that Emperor Jingwen and Empress Huixiao, the birth mother of Jing Hui, were a loving couple.
As the only child of the two, Jing Hui was pampered by Emperor Jingwen from birth and grew up in his arms. She got whatever she wanted. After Empress Huixiao passed away, Emperor Jingwen loved her even more.
As she grew a little older, Emperor Jingwen saw that Jing Hui was intelligent, clever, and of noble character, so he personally invited the imperial tutor to come out of seclusion and secretly began to groom her as the crown prince.
Emperor Jingwen had many sons, including many princes. Even if Emperor Jingwen didn't say it, they were all well aware of his intentions and had long been dissatisfied with Jing Hui, a woman, occupying the position of crown prince in name only.
Therefore, when Emperor Jingwen suddenly fell seriously ill, the forces behind the princes began to stir, all arranging for Jing Hui to marry quickly and join their own camp.
Firstly, once she marries, she will be an outsider, and Emperor Jingwen will no longer be able to appoint Jing Hui as the crown prince and let her inherit the throne.
Secondly, if Emperor Jingwen wants to establish an heir in the future, he will definitely choose Jing Hui, who can support her and protect her prince for life.
The princes and ministers had no interest in state affairs and instead searched everywhere for portraits of Jing Hui, desperately stuffing them into her palace, which annoyed Jing Hui to no end.
When the old ministers in the court who were loyal to Emperor Jingwen learned of this, they naturally sided with Jing Hui.
Every time the court session began, the various factions would quarrel, turning the vast court into a marketplace, and causing instability in the political situation.
"Because of your marriage, isn't it?"
Before Jing could say anything, the Empress Dowager raised her arm to stop her. "I believe that even if the Emperor is ill, he can still handle the affairs of the court. But this engagement between you and Lu Songyuan is not only for the sake of stabilizing the court, but also for the sake of your father's health."
Jing Hui subconsciously looked at Emperor Jingwen and saw that Emperor Jingwen was sleeping soundly, his chest rising and falling rhythmically under the bed curtains.
She frowned. "What does Grandmother mean by this?"
"Your father was able to keep the court in turmoil. But the general in the far north, who was born and raised there and commands 200,000 troops on the border, and who has never even seen your father before, may not be so easy to control in your father's current state."
Jing Hui was taken aback.
"You are aware of the chaos in the North."
The Empress Dowager said, "Lu Songyuan is more powerful and more difficult to deal with than any previous commander of the Northern Border."
Daliang covers a vast area, divided into four parts: the northern border, the southern frontier, the eastern sea, and the western mountains.
The generals guarding the east, west, and south were all people who had rendered meritorious service to the court and were promoted after serving the emperor. Military power was in the hands of each emperor, and the officers in charge of the troops were personally dispatched by each emperor, except for the northern border.
The military power in the northern border has been lost since the time of the Holy Ancestor Emperor due to a wrong decision, and has been separated from the country for hundreds of years. Since then, it has been a major concern for every emperor.
This worry is not simply because military power is not held by the court.
Furthermore, because the northern border is located between the Great Liang Dynasty and several powerful foreign tribes, some people have personally witnessed that there are wanted criminals from the Great Liang Dynasty among the soldiers and generals of the northern border, while others have seen soldiers and generals of the northern border interacting with foreign tribes, and some even say that they will rebel sooner or later.
In short, the capital and the northern border had not been in contact for many years, and the information they received was mostly hearsay. Therefore, in the eyes of Emperor Jingwen and the court officials, the northern border was in chaos and even threatened the court, and sooner or later, troops would be sent to quell the rebellion.
Lu Songyuan's name has only recently spread throughout the capital.
Legend has it that he was a burly man with a blue face and fangs. He unified the northern border with only a thousand men, and then led his troops to sweep across foreign lands, massacring cities, torturing and whipping corpses wherever he went, leaving a trail of bloodshed and carnage.
After annihilating the Chongsha tribe, one of the three tribes that were eyeing the northern border, and incorporating them into the Liang Dynasty as Chongzhou, his power grew stronger and stronger, and he held all the military power he had gained in his hands.
He intended to wipe out the other two tribes in one fell swoop, but during the march he was assassinated and poisoned in both legs, and could no longer stand up.
News of this battle spread throughout the land, and the people both loved and feared this general.
After Emperor Jingwen and the Empress Dowager consulted with their ministers, they unanimously demanded that Lu Songyuan be summoned back to the capital while he was seriously injured, and that they could not allow him to continue in this manner.
Lu Songyuan, who held great power in the northern border, had returned to the capital, and absolutely could not be punished.
The fact that the Empress Dowager is now using marriage as a pretext to show closeness to Lu Songyuan shows how much Lu Songyuan is feared by the court.
While he was wary, Jing Hui couldn't help but feel a bit of admiration.
Everyone admires heroes.
But she was unwilling to let Jing Hui marry him.
"Since he was willing to obey the Emperor's order and return to the capital, it is clear that he has no ill intentions. Forcing him into marriage like this would only anger him if he does not want to."
“There is only one emperor in the world. As you said, if he has no ill intentions, he will not be provoked.”
The Empress Dowager stood up, glanced at the sleeping Emperor Jingwen on the bed, and said in a low voice, "My imperial decree has not yet been issued. If you are unwilling, I will not force you. It will only require your father, who is ill, to put in more effort to deal with him."
After the Empress Dowager finished speaking, she turned and left.
After taking a few steps, the Empress Dowager stopped and said, "Your father coughed up blood just now."
The door closed gently, and the candlelight on the table flickered in Jing Hui's eyes.
She closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, the entire candle had gone out.
The Empress Dowager truly lived up to her reputation; she could seize control of her vitals with just a few words.
She knew perfectly well that her biggest concern was the emperor's health.
Jing Hui stiffly stood up, walked to the bedside and looked at Emperor Jingwen's sleeping face. After a long while, he gritted his teeth and walked out.
Outside the door, Granny Zhao was already waiting there, holding a fine dress in her hands.
"Your Highness, this is the magnificent palace attire prepared for you by the Empress Dowager. A banquet will be held at Tai Luan Palace tomorrow evening to welcome General Lu. May I ask if Your Highness would like to attend?"
Going would mean obeying the imperial decree; not going...
There is no possibility of not going.
Emperor Jingwen doted on Jing Hui the most. Jing Hui knew that the military power in the northern border had always been a worry for Emperor Jingwen, and she could not disregard his health.
“Ayu”.
Ayu stepped forward and took the Chinese dress from Granny Zhao, following behind Jing Hui. A few rays of light before nightfall shone on her fluttering sleeves, leaving only the sound of the wind.
-
The following evening, Jing Hui put on the gorgeous clothes sent by the Empress Dowager and went to Tai Luan Palace in a sedan chair.
She hadn't slept a wink all night, and the fiery red dress actually gave her pale face a bit of color.
Upon arriving at the palace, Jing Hui ascended the steps and noticed that the guards on both sides were dressed in black armor with solemn expressions.
They exuded an imposing aura and carried a chilling presence. Although they were unarmed, anyone who dared to act rashly would be killed by them in an instant.
"These people do not appear to be Imperial Guards."
Following Jing Hui's gaze, A Yu replied in a low voice, "Your Highness, I heard that these people are the Northern Border Army brought back by General Lu."
With such imposing manners, one wonders what the person in charge looks like.
Jing Hui looked away and asked, "Has Father Emperor woken up?"
Ayu replied, "A palace servant reported that His Majesty is feeling well today and went to court early."
Jing Hui nodded and walked into the hall.
Inside the hall, the princes, princesses, ministers, and concubines who had come to attend the banquet had all arrived. Jing Hui walked in slowly and did not see anyone in a wheelchair, but she immediately spotted Jing Ao, who was facing away from the door, holding a wine glass and gesturing wildly.
Jing Ao was stout and his fine clothes looked bulky on him.
Jing Hui and he had never gotten along; he felt disgusted just looking at him.
Just as she was about to walk to her seat, she heard Jing Ao laughing and calling her name.
“Jing Hui is just a little girl. She didn’t choose the man I found for her a while ago and even spoke ill of me! Now look what’s happened. My grandmother has betrothed her to that devil. Everyone knows that Lu Songyuan is vicious and cruel, and he’s also a cripple! I’ll wait and see if she can leave the General’s Mansion after the wedding.”
They're eagerly looking for bad luck.
Jing Hui's face darkened, and he strode towards that direction.
When the officials saw Jing return, they frantically winked at him, but Jing, oblivious, only became more sarcastic.
"Father has nurtured her with great care since she was a child, yet she's still so dim-witted. Putting aside everything else, even Lu Songyuan can't satisfy her in bed, hahaha..."
Jing Hui was amused by this fool, and leaned close to Jing Ao's ear to ask in a sinister tone, "Is that so?"
"nature."
After Jing Ao finished speaking, he realized that the voice sounded strange and turned his head away abruptly.
With Jing Hui's beautiful face right in front of him, Jing Ao could even see the small mole on the bridge of her nose. He was so startled that he spilled most of the wine in his glass, and his face turned bright red.
"Speak up, why are you stopping?"
Jing Hui slowly straightened up, coldly looking at him, and asked, "Disrespecting the Emperor and Empress Dowager, spreading rumors behind the backs of meritorious officials who protect the country, and maliciously slandering this princess. Is this how Consort Yue has raised the eldest prince?"
Consort Yue is Jing Ao's birth mother. Because of a quarrel between them when she was serving the emperor during his illness, she is currently under house arrest by the Empress Dowager.
Jing Ao's stiff expression changed slightly. "To tell you the truth, Lu Songyuan has broken both legs..."
"So what? You can speak so eloquently here only because of him. He is a meritorious official of our Great Liang. After returning to the capital, my father will reward him. By what right do you speak of him like this?"
Jing Hui raised her long eyebrows slightly and glanced at Jing Ao sideways. "Furthermore, if he is truly my consort, only I can comment on his conduct and health. When did it become your place to speak on these matters?"
Jing Hui is extremely protective of her own, as everyone close to her knows.
With the Empress Dowager's decree, she naturally accepted that Lu Songyuan was on her side.
To humiliate him in court was no different from humiliating himself in Jing Hui's mind.
Actually, Jing Hui just wanted to find an excuse to beat up Jing Ao and vent her frustration.
The hall fell silent for a moment. Jing Ao, having been reprimanded by Jing Hui, was embarrassed and wanted to say something, but Jing Hui simply reached for a wine cup on the table and splashed it at Jing Ao.
"Wash your dirty mouth."
"ah!"
The wine splashed into Jing Ao's eyes, stinging him and making him scream.
Before Jing Ao could react, Jing Hui kicked him in the knee. Jing Ao lost his balance and stumbled back a few steps before falling onto the chair.
"Jing Hui! You're insane! How dare you hit me, Your Highness..."
"Your Highness!"
Are you alright?
His ministers and guards rushed forward to support him, creating a chaotic scene.
"I'll hit you then, so what?"
Jing Hui didn't want to see Jing Ao's ugly behavior. She snorted and prepared to sit down.
But as soon as he turned around, Jing Hui froze on the spot.
Three people appeared behind them without their noticing.
A note from the author:
----------------------
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My next book is "Eldest Sister-in-Law Becomes Wife," feel free to add it to your favorites if you're interested!
Cunning, innocent little rabbit X Dark, crazy little wolf
On the night Song Zhiwan married He Qing, He Qing received an imperial edict.
The enemy launched a surprise attack and ordered him to set off for the frontier immediately.
Before leaving, he entrusted Song Zhiwan to his younger brother and left without even having a proper house.
Less than half a month later, news came from the frontier that He Qing had died in battle.
Having just entered the family, Song Zhiwan was forced to observe mourning. Holding the death notice, she listened to accusations of being a jinx coming from all directions, and stood there dumbfounded, not knowing what to do.
Someone suggested kicking her out of the mansion and went forward to pull her away.
Just then, someone blocked her way.
Song Zhiwan clung to the person's waist as if grasping at a lifeline, shaking her head desperately, "No, I won't leave, don't send me away..."
He Hanshan looked down at his elder sister-in-law, who was crying and desperately trying to burrow into his arms. He remembered He Qing's entrustment before she left and swallowed hard.
"Once she marries into the family, she will live and die with the He family."
-
After that day, He Hanshan became the head of the family. Song Zhiwan knew that if she wanted to stay, she had to build a good relationship with He Hanshan.
then……
Spring flowers, summer ice, autumn clothes, winter charcoal.
While trying to please He Hanshan, Song Zhiwan was also helping him with household chores.
Song Zhiwan would do anything that could help He Hanshan.
Including his marriage.
One day, it was rumored that the woman He Hanshan liked came to the mansion and asked Song Zhiwan to give He Hanshan a nourishing soup that she had made herself.
In the study, He Hanshan looked down at the tonic soup that had been laced with medicine, then looked up at Song Zhiwan, who was looking at him expectantly.
"You did this?"
Song Zhiwan nodded, remembering the girl's request.
"Then you eat it."
Song Zhiwan blinked and ate without asking why.
After she swallowed, He Hanshan's eyes instantly turned bloodshot, and he stepped forward to embrace Song Zhiwan's burning hot body.
"Sister-in-law, do you know how long I've waited for this day..."
-
The Song family had practiced medicine for generations, but were tragically wiped out.
To seek revenge, Song Zhiwan disguised herself and stayed in the capital.
Just as they were about to leave after uncovering the truth through the He family, news arrived that He Qing was not dead and would be returning soon.
At the welcoming banquet, He Hanshan placed Song Zhiwan against the wedding bed she and He Qingcheng had used when they got married.
"Is my sister-in-law going to sleep in the same room as my brother tonight? What should I do?"
Their clothes were tangled together. Song Zhiwan watched helplessly as He Hanshan went mad. Just as she was about to comfort him, there was a knock on the door. It was He Qing's voice outside.
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