Chapter 151 Twins are covered in snow from both her lifetimes, unseen by anyone. ...
Yue Yining tormented Xie Qingyu for four or five days in a row.
Xie Qingyu willingly spent most of the day in her room, even though most of the time Yue Yining didn't touch him directly, but instead used rattan whips, hemp ropes, iron chains, bamboo boards, and silver handcuffs to replace his fingers.
Sometimes, Yue Yining would simply restrain him, do nothing but make him kneel on the spot, while she sat at the desk with her eyes down, flipping through books and drinking tea for an entire afternoon.
She remained steadfast, unmoved, as if she were a mountain, letting time slip by in vain.
Only on certain special occasions could Xie Qingyu see through the flaws beneath Yue Yining's perfect disguise.
Once, after he was released from his torture, he stood up, put his clothes back on, went around to Yue Yining, knelt down, took her hand, and kissed her palm.
Xie Qingyu felt Yue Yining's stiffness, and the slight tremor when his lips touched hers.
The two of them kept their tacit agreement and maintained a facade of calm.
Meanwhile, in the capital, this long-standing missing person case is causing anxiety and loss of control among various forces.
"Are you kidding me!"
As Rong Xuan passed by the corridor, he happened to hear Zhao Xizhi, the Vice Minister of War, yelling at his subordinates. His angry roar almost blew the roof off.
"I've warned you a thousand times! Be careful! Be careful! Have you all had your ears plugged with donkey hair?!" Zhao Xizhi's roar echoed through the door, making everyone's eardrums buzz. "...Such important stuff! Ironclad evidence that could prove Yue Yining's treason and collusion with the Di Rong! And you're telling me you've lost it?!"
Upon hearing the familiar name, Rong Xuan's eyebrows twitched slightly.
"Are those chamber pots you're carrying around your necks?! Do you want them or not?!"
The servant who led the way hurried inside and soon came out again, and the noise inside subsided a little.
The servant bowed awkwardly to Rong Xuan, stammering, "Lord Rong, Lord Zhao... he has urgent business to attend to and must finish it before he can see you..."
Today is another day of heavy snow. The snow is falling heavily, but it falls silently outside the hall, very light and ethereal.
Wearing a cloak, Rong Xuan smiled slightly. He always appeared very amiable in front of these low-ranking officials. "It's alright, then I'll go sit in the side room first."
"Okay, okay! This way please!"
The servants settled Rong Xuan and his entourage in a side room and hurriedly left to prepare tea. Taking advantage of this moment, the subordinate official who had come with Rong Xuan peeked out and whispered to him, "It seems that the Ministry of War is now desperate."
The sound of boiling water filled the air, a comforting sound. Rong Xuan didn't speak, but gave him a meaningful look.
He said, "Do you think that princess is just a paper tiger with no real power? When she went to the palace to pay homage that time, she must have sorted out the case of the border army reform and presented it to the emperor."
"She's really decisive, even though she hasn't gathered much evidence yet, has she?"
Rong Xuan: "It doesn't matter if there are fewer of them. She has long grasped the Emperor's intentions. After the Crown Prince died two years ago, the Emperor began to guide the princes to compete for the throne after he recovered from his illness. It is obvious to anyone with eyes that he wants to get rid of the old officials."
Unfortunately, some people, having held their positions without contributing anything for so long, have lost their keen political awareness and are unable to see the bigger picture.
"He is still willing to find evidence against himself before taking action now, but who knows what might happen when he becomes weak and impulsive."
Therefore, it doesn't matter if Wei Yihua's evidence is weak for the time being.
The emperor wouldn't let this opportunity slip by, and might even be happy to help her out.
After a long silence, I couldn't help but say, "...Even so, this move could easily alert the enemy. Just to rescue her strategist? Such a reckless act that sacrifices the overall situation, to be honest, is truly the mind of a woman."
"How is this a woman's mind? If you were in Yue Yining's shoes, wouldn't you have done everything in your power to save her?"
"......."
Rong Xuan saw the answer in his subordinate's expression. He clearly disliked this princess.
Previously, Wei Yihua was a highly learned, quiet, and well-behaved princess with an excellent reputation. However, in the past year, she has been too active in important political affairs, which has attracted a lot of gossip.
Some people criticized her, saying that she frequently interfered in politics because she was both the strategist of the third prince and a princess of the court. Now, she even ordered the Imperial Guards to search the mansions of noble families for the sake of a strategist of humble origin, causing panic and chaos among the people.
Rong Xuan had also heard about it.
This behavior offended some of the senior officials from powerful families, and this subordinate official had most likely heard rumors and gossip about it.
He understood and didn't continue the topic. Instead, he said gently, "In short, there are certain people in the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Works, and those from humble backgrounds, as well as the Left Chancellor."
"The good days for this group are over."
The cold wind swept over the red walls and the frozen imperial city, carrying the snowflakes far away.
Inside the princess's residence, a flurry of jade-like snowflakes danced in the air.
Wei Yihua dealt with government affairs last night and didn't rest until very late. Su Yue specifically instructed the maid not to disturb the Princess in the morning so that the Princess could sleep a little longer.
They didn't know that Wei Yihua hadn't woken up yet because she had a dream from a long time ago.
Perhaps it was because she had been thinking about it during the day that she dreamed about it at night, because she dreamed about Yue Yining from her past life for the third time.
Outside the palace, a vast expanse of snow covered the red walls, withered flowers adorned the walls, and the scene was utterly silent. The palace maids and eunuchs coming and going were filled with unease.
It was the dead of winter in the twenty-fifth year of the Jiahe era, and Wei Yihua remembered this day. A few days earlier, Wei Ye had ascended the throne as emperor, but he went mad during the enthronement ceremony and publicly chopped down the memorial tablet of the previous emperor in the imperial ancestral temple.
Three days have passed, and rumors are flying everywhere in the capital, with much discussion taking place in the court, and a storm is brewing.
The new emperor, however, remained secluded within the Zichen Palace, refusing to see anyone who came to see him.
Including the Imperial Advisor Yue Yining.
As the eldest princess, Wei Yihua was supposed to attend the enthronement ceremony, but she never expected such a huge mess to happen. She should have left the palace immediately after the ceremony, but she was worried about her mother, Consort Gu's, safety, and has been delaying her departure until today.
She stayed inside the palace reading documents, but couldn't concentrate on a single word, constantly getting distracted, until Su Yue, who had gone out to inquire about news, returned.
Su Yue, who had folded her umbrella and entered the palace, looked nervous and uneasy. "Your Highness, I have found out."
"The Lord of Yue has also entered the palace today, and he is currently in the Taiji Hall."
Wei Yihua was taken aback: "Didn't Wei Ye say he wouldn't see anyone? Why is she still here?"
"This servant is not sure either. Perhaps Lady Yue wanted His Majesty to see her persistence, so she used such a stubborn method. Maybe in a few more days, His Majesty will agree to see her."
Yue Yining had been requesting an audience with Wei Ye for three consecutive days, but Wei Ye refused to see her. In the past few days, the new emperor had not shown his face, and the officials had simply stopped court. Only this female national advisor, who was second only to the emperor, entered the palace every day in the wind and snow and knelt in the Taiji Hall for a long time without getting up.
Wei Yihua turned her head. In the courtyard separated by a window, all she could see was a blanket of snow, the red walls and green tiles all buried beneath a vast expanse of white.
She couldn't imagine how Yue Yining had endured such weather. The snow was knee-deep, and she had to make several round trips every day, arriving early in the morning and returning at dusk, kneeling in the Taiji Hall for the entire day.
The wind and frost outside the window have fallen silent. In this silent, deep winter, all the greenery is desolate and all the red flowers have withered, only the pine and winter plum can still uphold their integrity, their colors undiminished and their posture unchanged.
Su Yue waited for a while without receiving a response from the Princess. She looked up and found Wei Yihua staring blankly out the window, seemingly lost in thought.
"Your Highness," Su Yue asked cautiously, "shall we do your hair and makeup now? It's almost time to pay our respects to the Dowager Consort."
Wei Yihua snapped out of her daze. Her mother was still waiting for her.
"good."
After Wei Ye ascended the throne, for political reasons, he did not honor Consort Li, who held the highest rank in the palace, as Empress, but only bestowed upon her the title of Imperial Concubine Dowager. Wei Yihua understood this, after all, her mother was the birth mother of the Fourth Prince and the daughter of a powerful military general.
Since the death of the late Emperor Wei Tianxuan, Consort Gu had been a devout Buddhist, detached from worldly affairs, and rarely received officials except for her two children. Wei Yihua had witnessed her mother's aging and exhaustion, so despite the gloomy political situation and the heavy atmosphere in the palace, she insisted on staying with her mother.
"Hua'er, you should leave the palace tomorrow."
Inside the Cining Palace, Consort Gu said these words to Wei Yihua.
“I know, my Hua’er wants to stay with me. But recently the palace has been turbulent, and your mother does not want you to be caught up in this quagmire.”
How could Wei Yihua not understand the implication of Consort Gu's words? Her face immediately paled, "Mother..."
Consort Gu gently patted her daughter's hand, seemingly weary yet relieved. Her brows relaxed, and she looked at her tenderly. "I have no choice in this matter; I will spend the rest of my life in this palace. But I hope you will be safe and sound."
Wei Yihua said nothing. She felt powerless and could only hold her mother tightly.
As the sun set, she left the Cining Palace, still somewhat dazed.
Instead of taking the usual palace path, Wei Yihua had Su Yue lead her up the steps of the city tower.
Su Yue, unsure of Wei Yihua's intentions, said with great concern, "Your Highness, the snowstorm is too heavy. Let's go back as soon as possible..."
"It's alright," Wei Yihua said, exhaling a cloud of white mist. "I'll stay on the city wall for a while before I leave."
She didn't know how long she had waited, but as the enormous sun was about to sink into the sea of clouds, she finally saw the person she had been waiting for.
A dark blue figure emerged from beneath the overlapping golden eaves.
The snow was above her knees, freezing her skin blue, yet she trudged forward, her steps uneven but steady and straight. Though there were ups and downs, her path remained consistent.
That was Yue Yining, who was preparing to leave the palace.
Su Yue said softly, "...It seems His Majesty still hasn't seen Lord Yue."
Wearing a red fox fur coat, Wei Yihua stood on the city tower, her fingertips trembling slightly as she gripped her sleeve.
The palace road was covered in snow, which stung Wei Yihua's eyes. As far as the eye could see, there was only an overwhelming expanse of white. The only thing that stood out was the figure wearing a dark blue crane cloak, which was like a thorn stuck in her eyes.
She was getting further and further away from her. The wind and snow were so heavy, and she was so thin. The frost on her shoulders was about to engulf her, but she still kept walking forward step by step, without stopping for a moment or looking back.
Wei Yihua couldn't take her eyes off that figure.
A few snowflakes drifted into her eyes, melting into icy tears as her eyes burned. Her vision blurred, and Wei Yihua quickly lowered her head, blinking away the tears. When she looked up again, Yue Yining's figure had already disappeared into the swirling snow.
The world was a blanket of white, with only the trail of footprints still winding through the snow and the distraught princess remaining.
The devastating snow swept everything away, leaving no trace.
Later, her fourth brother stormed the palace and burned the Forbidden City. Amidst the crimson sky, she finally bid farewell to her innocence and youth. She personally saw Yue Yining off on her journey, and was then forced by Wei Jing to leave the capital.
Later, the fragrance faded, the clothes and bedding were covered in dust, the red doors were locked tightly, and the green curtains remained unrolled. She fell ill, and despite seeking medical help, medicine could not save her, and she remained bedridden day and night.
Wei Yihua wasted ten years in his fiefdom.
Although she was seriously ill, she lived to be thirty years old. As a result, after her rebirth, she could not remember many things from her youth. However, whenever she thought of the day when she stood on the city wall and looked at Yue Yining's departing figure, it seemed as if it were just yesterday.
Love and hate are the most intense emotions in her memories, but when she thinks of Yue Yining, she feels neither love nor hate, only regret. She can't pinpoint what she regrets; she has made far too many mistakes in her life, and there are countless things she wants to undo. Her regret is beyond words.
Just thinking about the scene of Yue Yining smilingly facing death while holding up the poisoned wine makes the flowing years turn into a sharp blade.
Wei Yihua woke up.
Her cheeks felt unusually cold, and when she reached up to touch them, she found two tear tracks under her eyes.
Snow buries jade bones deep beneath the spring, the cold moon shines on clothes covered in dust.
The snow in her dream turned into snow in this life, covering both of her lifetimes.
Upon hearing the commotion inside the hall, Su Yue immediately ordered someone to prepare breakfast, while she herself carried a basin of water and a towel into the room.
She pushed open the door and saw Wei Yihua sitting motionless by the bed. She quickly said, "Your Highness is awake? Please wash up first. I have already sent someone to prepare breakfast."
"Your Highness has slept for so long, you must be hungry. You can have your meal after you've finished dressing."
Su Yue bent down to put on Wei Yihua's shoes and socks, but heard a very soft murmur: "...That day, it snowed just as heavily."
Su Yue paused, then looked up. Wei Yihua looked out the window at the snow-covered world, her dark eyes reflecting a pure white light.
"What is Your Highness referring to?" Su Yue asked, confused, but a sense of unease crept in as Wei Yihua remained silent. "What snow...?"
“…It’s nothing.” Wei Yihua lowered her head.
Wei Yihua seemed much quieter than usual today. Su Yue kept repeating those few words, but she couldn't figure out what she was thinking. She could only slowly serve the princess until she finished her meal and then follow her to the side hall to handle official business.
"Your Highness, some of our spies planted in the Xie residence have been eliminated. Only a few remain, but they can only move around in other courtyards and cannot get close to Vice Minister Xie's courtyard."
"According to their inquiries, Vice Minister Xie has been staying in the courtyard these past few days, rarely leaving the gate. His personal guards have been patrolling the area around the courtyard, keeping a very tight watch," the guard reported methodically. "Furthermore, according to their observations, although the physician visits regularly every day, the prescriptions he prescribes are not for treating colds and fevers, but rather just ordinary prescriptions for conditioning the body."
Wei Yihua gripped the armrests of the wooden chair tightly.
As soon as the news came back today, she had almost made up her mind.
A while ago, she specifically sent Qiu Yuebai to visit Xie Qingyu at his residence, also to find out the situation. Based on her observations over the past few days, she was almost certain that Xie Qingyu had kidnapped Yue Yining, and that the girl was currently at his Xie residence.
As for why the Imperial Guards' search that evening yielded no results, she had no idea.
Upon confirming this, Wei Yihua felt more anger than shock. According to the information relayed by his undercover agents, Xie Qingyu had undoubtedly placed Yue Yining in his courtyard.
Given that he was capable of hijacking a car, Xie Qingyu's image as a gentle and refined gentleman in her mind was no longer believable. He took such a big risk to kidnap Yue Yining, who knows what important information he might try to extract from her, and what he might do to her.
No matter how intelligent Yue Yining is, she is still just a weak woman without any martial arts skills. If Xie Qingyu forces her, how can she resist?
If he really dares to touch Yue Yining...
She, Wei Yihua, will make him regret ever being born!
Su Yue had no idea what Wei Yihua was thinking. She only saw that Wei Yihua's fingers were clenched and white as she gripped the armrest. Looking closer, she saw that the princess's eyes were full of frost and she exuded a dangerous and intimidating aura.
Suddenly, the voices of other maids came from outside, sounding very anxious: "Your Highness, Your Highness! A Celestial Master named Zhang Wangyuan has arrived, saying he has news of the Great Yue Lord and wishes to see you!"
Wei Yihua stood up with a joking expression.
"Bring him here immediately!"
Zhang Wangyuan came to try his luck.
He was surprised that his connections in the capital were able to get him out of prison so early. After he got out, he asked around and found out that it was because a serious criminal had been abducted recently, which caused a lot of personnel changes and gave him the opportunity to be released early.
Curious, Zhang Wangyuan asked who the kidnapped criminal was, only to learn that it was Yue Yining.
In his shock, he couldn't help but hatch a wicked plan.
In Zhang Wangyuan's opinion, Yue Yining's chances of survival were slim. His skills were inferior to hers, so he couldn't possibly do anything for her.
But Zhang Wangyuan was unwilling to give up. Yue Yining could have helped him avenge himself, but he couldn't find another person who could help him punish the powerful and influential!
Then, Zhang Wangyuan had a sudden inspiration and remembered that he still had a message that Yue Yining had instructed him to deliver to the Princess.
If what Yue Yining said was true, he might be able to use this statement to make the princess believe the lie he fabricated, and then he could get the princess to help him take revenge in place of Yue Yining!
Zhang Wangyuan, full of scheming, was led all the way to Wei Yihua's palace.
When he entered the hall, he saw a figure in a crimson dress sitting on a high seat in the distance, but he only had time for a fleeting glance.
This renowned Princess Dongxi deserves every exaggerated compliment. With her high-piled hair, graceful figure, delicate features, radiant complexion, and willow-leaf eyebrows, she exudes an aura of majesty.
“Celestial Master Zhang Wangyuan, I heard you have news about the affairs of Yue Du,” Wei Yihua said slowly. “Where did you get this information from?”
Zhang Wangyuan knelt, and although the hall was warm, he unconsciously broke out in a cold sweat.
"Yes, in prison," Zhang Wangyuan said. "I was just released from the Tai prison not long ago. At that time, Lady Yue was in the cell next to mine. We are both Celestial Masters and we met back in Jinling. I never expected to meet her in the Tai prison. She once told me that her imprisonment was only a temporary measure and that she would leave soon. At that time, she would help me severely punish the powerful and influential people who framed me and put me in prison."
"She also gave me a message, saying that if I came out first, I should bring this message to see the Princess. Once the Princess heard it, she would believe that I was one of her people."
Upon hearing the phrase "a stopgap measure," Wei Yihua was already half convinced, but she still couldn't help but ask, "What did she tell you?"
Zhang Wangyuan repeated Yue Yining's original words.
Su Yue looked completely bewildered after hearing this. She couldn't help but look at Wei Yihua, only to find that the Princess hadn't reacted for a long time. Upon closer inspection, she seemed to be completely stunned.
All that remained in Wei Yihua's mind were Zhang Wangyuan's words.
"Your Highness previously took the initiative to show me goodwill, but I declined due to etiquette. Please forgive my past ungratefulness."
“I always have a lot of concerns. Now that I think about it, you've always been calling my name.”
"From now on, I want to call you by your name, Yihua."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
"Call me Yihua."
"...No, that would be far too presumptuous. I cannot be so rude."
That was the first time Wei Yihua had taken the initiative to be friendly, but she was rejected. She was both ashamed and angry, and wanted to turn her head away and ignore her, but unexpectedly she met Yue Yining's clear and gentle eyes.
She said, "However, from now on, the princess may call me Yining."
Zhang Wangyuan didn't know whether Yue Yining was reliable or not. He knelt down, anxiously waiting for Wei Yihua's reaction, when he suddenly heard a very soft gasp.
He froze. Realizing what had happened, his neck stiffened.
Su Yue was also shocked. She quickly went over to hand the handkerchief to Wei Yihua, "Your Highness..."
With tears welling in her eyes, Wei Yihua shook her head, pushed her hand away, and said in a hoarse voice, "...No need. I'm fine."
That's what she said.
At this moment, the eldest princess pursed her lips, trying hard not to let her tears fall, but the corners of her eyes were already red.
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Author's Note: I'm here! [heart emoji]
Attentive readers might notice that I'm writing the friendship story between Ningning and the princess in the style of a dream.
The three dreams of the eldest princess correspond to important moments in the lives of Yihua and Yining in their previous lives, and their emotions become increasingly intense and clear. At the same time, the eldest princess's perspective is used to refine the image of Ningning in the real history.
Frequent flashbacks to past lives would weaken the story's pace and cause too many perspective shifts, so I came up with this format. All three dreams are now complete! However, the climax of the princess's friendship storyline hasn't arrived yet; it will be at the end of the third volume.
I hope I've finished writing it. [pats head]
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