Chapter 82 Having shed their identities, the dragons and phoenixes of Jian'an are too numerous to count…
Can they escape?
Yu Nie had considered this question before.
As the saying goes, it's easy to get on a pirate ship but hard to get off.
Even though it was difficult, she had to think of a way to escape Jian'an.
She did not say these words to Prime Minister Gu's face.
He advised her, "Princess, you'd better think twice before you act. Sometimes, acting blindly can harm not only others but also yourself."
As if he didn't want to wait for her reply, he left the bedchamber after saying those words.
No sooner had he stepped out of the room than Cuiwei rushed into the palace and came to the bedside with lingering fear, asking her if she was alright and if he had made things difficult for her again.
Yu Nie shook his head in denial, and then told her everything about falling into the water that day and how he saved him.
Cuiwei had the same reaction as her, thinking that the Junior Supervisor of the Imperial Horse Administration was unaware that they had reached an agreement with the Jie people and was worried about losing the chosen bride, which was why he did such a dangerous thing.
As Yu Nie listened, he became even more concerned about the seeds.
Cuiwei replied, "Princess, don't worry. When soaking the seeds, I followed the exact time you specified. The first bag of seeds will be ready for drying soon."
“Oh, right…” Cuiwei said to her as if she remembered something, “When you left the pavilion around noon, Prince Guangning came by. He said he got revenge for you and that Li Yunsheng would probably have to lie in bed for a few days before he could get out of bed and walk.”
Yu Nie suddenly remembered what Xiao Chengyan had said when he came that day.
Unexpectedly, he actually put it into action.
Given his status, he did his best to achieve this.
Li Yunsheng himself forcibly abducted women and also condoned his subordinates' indiscriminate killing of innocent people.
It is precisely this group of evil people who cannot be brought to justice in a fair and square manner. It seems that all they can do is teach them a lesson in secret.
When powerful clans and aristocratic families commit crimes, they rarely face judicial proceedings. Instead, the victims live in constant fear, worrying about retaliation and the possibility of losing their lives.
What kind of logic is that?
But giving them a lesson would be too lenient.
But what could she do? She was already in trouble herself; if she insisted on taking the lead, she would only harm that family.
As soon as Cuiwei finished speaking, Yu Nie sighed softly: "Xiao Chengyan has really gone to great lengths."
She paused for a moment: "Did he say anything else?"
"Yes, yes..." Cuiwei responded, got up and walked to the dressing table, carefully picked up a brocade box, turned back to her, and handed it over with both hands: "The Prince of Guangning said that there will be a star-gazing banquet in the palace in a few days. He specially selected a light gauze cross-collar ruqun from Baifu Embroidery Room and specially sent it to you."
Cuiwei leaned closer: "This light gauze is extremely rare. Even the concubines in the palace might not be able to get a few bolts. Moreover, the 'Baifu Embroidery Studio' is an official kiln that has been passed down for generations. Generation after generation, they have only made clothes for the palace. The fabric they weave and the flowers they embroider are so exquisite and beautiful that they cannot be compared with any other shop outside."
Mentioning such clothes, Yu Nie couldn't help but think of her junior sister Lang Xi, who was far away in Huaiyuan.
Counting the days, Langxi's birthday had already passed.
She thought that the owner of Xiangyun Pavilion should have already delivered the brocade cloak to her.
She wondered if her junior sister would like this gift.
Having accepted the gift from Xiao Chengyan, and in accordance with the etiquette of reciprocity, and having learned from her visit to Yongxing Temple that he was fond of calligraphy, she personally went to the pile of items bestowed upon her by the emperor and selected a priceless Chengni inkstone to give to him.
After finishing all that, she did not follow the doctor's advice, but instead went to the yard to continue working on the prickly pear seeds.
When Song Ai returned after dropping off the person, her attempts to persuade her to go back and rest were to no avail.
Even the next morning, she got up earlier than usual and soaked all the unsoaked prickly pear seeds in the inner courtyard.
She did these tasks with trepidation, while waiting for the imperial edict to arrive.
Song Ai heard from somewhere that the Jie people seemed to be plagued by strange things these past two days. Their high priest's sacred eagle had suddenly died for some unknown reason, and Jie special agents had been running to the palace for two consecutive days.
Listening to these words, Yu Nie stirred the seeds in the water tank, lost in thought.
She thought to herself that Meng Xun had indeed not lied to her; he had been taking action step by step.
As long as you're taking action, it's a good thing.
Song Ai said, "This is not a good omen."
It's not a good omen, but it's the best thing for Yu Nie, as it will only benefit her more.
But she couldn't say it outright, so she could only echo, "I wonder how that Jie special agent is doing now. Didn't he say he wasn't feeling well a few days ago?"
Song Ai replied: "I'm afraid the situation is not optimistic. I heard from the Imperial Medical Bureau that he developed other symptoms yesterday, such as chest pain, which even the imperial physicians could not find."
Yu Nie nodded slightly, as if he were deep in thought.
She didn't know exactly what method Mengxun had used, but judging from the current situation, it must have been based on the excuse of divine punishment and strange phenomena.
However, she continued with what she was doing and didn't say anything more.
Song Ai seemed to remember something and advised, "When you go to the palace in a few days, it's best to be careful with what the princess says and does."
Yu Nie asked, puzzled, "Why does Ju Ling say that?"
Song Ai said, "It is said that the emperor has been furious these past few days because of the history compilation issue. He has imprisoned several civil officials, and several ministers have not been released from the Censorate yet. Even the imperial concubine selection next month has been postponed."
Upon hearing this, Yu Nie agreed and indicated that he would be careful.
In order not to delay her deal with Monson, she didn't go out during the day and went to bed quite late at night.
Gu Xiangzhi, who was observing everything from the shadows, remained calm and didn't say a word.
The seed project is progressing smoothly.
On the day agreed upon with Mengxun, Yu Nie did not sleep all night and got up exceptionally early during the day.
When Chen Qing came to teach as usual, her usually focused student was completely absent-minded, frequently glancing out the window towards the front yard.
Her heart was already hanging on the imperial edict that had been delayed for so long.
But even as the sun was about to set, Feng Changshi still hadn't appeared.
She began to feel uneasy, wondering if something had gone wrong with Mengsun.
Should she have Cuiwei send a message to Huan Xun, asking him to inquire about the news again?
The sky gradually faded from orange-red to gray-black.
She sat at the table, her silver chopsticks unconsciously stirring the food in her bowl, her heart growing cold.
Just as she was feeling disheartened, Sui En's panting voice came from outside the door: "Your Highness... Your Highness! Attendant Feng is here!"
Upon hearing the news, she jumped up and walked outside, almost tripping over the threshold.
When she left the palace gate, Attendant Feng had already entered the inner courtyard.
The old eunuch, with his usual smiling face, looked at her without exchanging pleasantries and announced loudly, "Princess Shunhe, His Majesty has issued a decree. Quickly receive the decree."
Yu Nie quickly gathered his robes, and a group of palace servants behind him knelt down in unison.
Feng Changshi slowly unfurled the bright yellow imperial edict in his hand, and under her breathless gaze, read it aloud with measured intonation:
[Disciples:]
My younger sister, Shunhe, has been intelligent and sensible since childhood, gentle and prudent, and bears a heavy responsibility for the nation, willing to dedicate herself to the friendship between our two countries. This heart and aspiration truly please me.
However, I recently received an envoy from the Great Khanate, Tegin Helian Hu Mengxun, who presented a letter of state, stating that there were unusual celestial phenomena in his country. In his letter, the Great Khan Helian Hu repeatedly pleaded that "since the two countries have formed an alliance, they should follow the will of Heaven and the people, and should not go against the prophecies because of a marriage ceremony."
However, since Khan Helian Hu has his concerns, it would be against the way of a benevolent ruler for me to force him. Furthermore, a month ago, a white rainbow appeared in Xuzhou, piercing the sun. An ancient saying goes, "The root of calamities and anomalies lies in the loss of the state. When the loss of the state begins to sprout, Heaven sends calamities to warn it." The simultaneous appearance of ominous signs in two places is truly not a good omen, and I fear it will be detrimental to the marriage.
For the sake of the people of both countries, this marriage must be postponed. Although the auspicious union has not been realized, the friendship between the two nations remains unaffected.
Now that things have come to this, I have ordered the Court of State Ceremonial to return the betrothal gifts and to halt all wedding ceremonies. My sister, please rest peacefully at Hongzheng Pavilion. The palace maids and female officials previously transferred from the palace will henceforth be at your service. In the future, I will surely find another suitable match for you.
In addition, I bestow upon you ten bolts of purple silk with conch shells, ten bolts of gold brocade, and a pair of jade ruyi scepters, to comfort your heart.
July 15th, the first year of Xuande
[By Imperial Decree]
Upon hearing this, Yu Nie felt as if he had just escaped from hell, and he secretly breathed a sigh of relief, finally putting his mind at ease.
She raised her hands above her head and said in a loud voice, "Your Majesty, I thank you for your grace."
Upon receiving the decree, Yu Nie rose to his feet.
Feng Changshi comforted her, saying, "Princess, please rest assured. There are countless outstanding talents in Jian'an. His Majesty will find you a suitable one in the future."
Yu Nie feigned a sorrowful expression and said in a listless voice, "Your Majesty is busy with many affairs of state. It's alright to discuss such trivial matters of love and affection later."
"His Majesty will surely be very pleased that the princess is so considerate of him."
As Feng Changshi spoke, his gaze swept over the furnishings of the hall before finally settling on Yu Nie: "Princess, please stay here for now. Once the palace finds you a suitable place to live, you can move in later."
Upon hearing that they were to move into the deep palace, Yu Nie felt as if he were facing a formidable enemy, but he could not show it and could only respond in a low voice, "I'm sorry to trouble you, Attendant Feng."
Feng Changshi flicked the whisk in his hand: "Alright, I've delivered the imperial edict. It's getting late, I should head back now."
"Attendant Feng, please take care." Yu Nie turned his eyes to Song Ai beside him and instructed, "Song Juling, see the attendant off for me."
"Yes." Song Ai bowed and quickly followed in the footsteps of Feng Changshi and his entourage.
Yu Nie stood in the courtyard, watching the figures of the group of people from the palace disappear outside the gate, then turned and stepped into the bedroom.
She raised her hand and waved, dismissing the palace servants who were serving in the hall, leaving only Cuiwei behind.
The smile that I dared not show just now is finally free.
After all the palace servants had left, she and Cuiwei exchanged a glance, then covered their mouths and burst into laughter.
Yu Nie held the bright yellow imperial edict in her hands, unfolded it, and examined it carefully. Only after confirming that it was not fake did she truly feel relieved.
Cuiwei was equally happy for her, saying, "Your Highness has accomplished something that others wouldn't even dare to dream of. It's clear that Your Highness's wisdom and fortune are truly extraordinary."
"Fortunately, Your Highness is resourceful and knowledgeable; otherwise, I don't know how this matter could have been resolved."
Yu Nie looked at the words on the imperial edict and muttered:
"May the Three Pure Ones bless me, may the Three Pure Ones bless me... If I hadn't unexpectedly met the Jie envoy at Yongxing Temple that day and learned that they were suffering from scurvy, I would probably still be running around like a headless fly right now."
"It's truly a stroke of luck! In fact, I should thank Lady Dugu. The methods recorded in her medical book were of great help. It's just a pity that I don't know where she is now, otherwise I would definitely prepare generous gifts and personally visit her to express my gratitude."
Cuiwei nodded repeatedly, deeply agreeing.
The biggest problem has been solved; only the seeds remain.
Fortunately, she had already discussed this matter with Huan Xun when she returned that night.
Tomorrow at the end of the day, she will send someone to deliver these seeds to Yongxing Temple under the guise of a donation.
When he passes by a house with an osmanthus tree in the west of the city, he will stop briefly to rest and find an opportunity to have someone switch the seeds.
That evening, he personally delivered the seeds and the prescription to Monson.
The thought that the marriage alliance was over immediately relieved her of much of the pressure.
She thought that Huan Xun had helped her a lot in this matter. She could no longer keep the promise she made to him in order to save her life, but she could not accept his kindness for nothing.
She thought that since the emperor had bestowed many things upon her, she would give him all the valuable items when the time was right.
In a way, I've repaid his kindness.
With that in mind, she began to arrange things for Cuiwei the next day.
She should think about how to break free from the identity of Shunhe.
-----------------------
The author writes: The root of calamities lies in the decline of the state. The decline of the state begins with budding disasters, which Heaven sends as a warning. This comes from the *Chunqiu Fanlu* (Luxuriant Dew of the Spring and Autumn Annals).
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
