Chapter 104 A Drink and a Peck
The Empress Dowager was also extremely agitated. She slapped the edge of the bed and stood up, pacing back and forth. Just when she was at her wit's end, she caught a glimpse of Eunuch An winking at her from the doorway, so she went out.
The eunuch leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Your Highness, after you left the day before yesterday, the Prince woke up and urgently summoned the palace attendant, Ruan, and his concubines. He even drove everyone out. I don't know what they said, but the Prince vomited blood again and then refused to eat or take his medicine."
The Empress Dowager raised an eyebrow, knowing from the name "Ruan Duzhi" that it was related to Ruan Bi.
The eunuch An continued, "Later, I heard the prince's personal guard, Luo Youde, making a fuss about how she was heartless. Even though the prince was injured like this, she refused to come to see him. She also said that the prince was so eager to see her that he rushed back to the capital before his internal injuries had healed. The journey was so bumpy that he might suffer long-term health problems."
The Empress Dowager suddenly realized, turning to glance at the disheartened Prince Jin lying quietly. She sighed inwardly; those two words had already deeply rooted her feelings. So be it, so be it. He was just a woman after all; what harm was there in granting his wish? However, this matter involved the Shen and Ruan families, as well as Princess Huiwen; she couldn't force the issue. After pondering for a long time, she made up her mind and said to Eunuch An, "Go to the Ruan family residence in Jingxi and summon Fifth Miss Ruan to see me."
"Yes." Attendant An nodded in understanding and left to carry out the order.
The Empress Dowager still went into the bedroom, sat on the edge of the bed, patted Prince Jin's hand and said, "Xi'er, your mother will grant your wish."
The Prince of Jin was startled and looked at the Empress Dowager in disbelief. His lifeless eyes suddenly lit up.
The Empress Dowager had initially hesitated, but seeing the sudden gleam in his eyes, her last bit of hesitation vanished. She bent down, reached out and lovingly touched his cheek, saying, "You must get better soon. Seeing you like this makes your mother very sad."
The Prince of Jin felt guilty seeing how much weight she had lost these days and nodded slightly.
After waiting for half an hour, the eunuch An trotted to the door, stopped, dusted himself off, and quietly entered, bowing and saying, "Your Highness, Your Highness, I have brought the person."
Prince Jin's eyes lit up, and he quickly looked behind him, but there was no one there. He looked at the eunuch An in confusion.
The Empress Dowager asked, "Wasn't he brought? Where is he?"
The eunuch glanced at Prince Jin lying on the bed and said softly, "She's still at the entrance of the Prince's residence." He paused and said, "When she saw the carriage parked at the entrance of Prince Jin's residence, she resolutely refused to get off and asked me to pass on a few words to the Empress and the Prince."
The Empress Dowager was not surprised by her reaction, and said coolly, "How audacious! She dares to defy the imperial decree. Tell me, what message did she ask you to convey?"
"The message she asked me to convey to Her Majesty and the Prince was..." Eunuch An thought for a moment, then cleared his throat and said, "In a person's life, whether rich or poor, noble or lowly, short-lived or long-lived, wise or foolish, one's nature and destiny are predetermined, just as a kite soars to the sky and a fish leaps in the abyss. I am but a willow in appearance, and dare not hope to be accompanied by the pine and cypress. I beg Your Majesty to have mercy and allow me to fall in autumn. In the next life, I will surely repay Your Majesty and the Prince's kindness by carrying a ring and repaying with grass."
During the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Gu Yue was diligent in his duties, and by his thirties, his hair was completely white. Emperor Jianwen, who was the same age, was surprised to see him. Gu Yue then described himself as having the appearance of a willow branch, while praising Emperor Jianwen as having the character of a pine and cypress. Ruan Bi's words meant: I know I am nothing special, and dare not hope to be with the Prince of Jin. I beg the Empress Dowager to spare my life; I will repay her kindness in the next life.
The Prince of Jin turned his head away upon hearing this.
The Empress Dowager snorted coldly and said, "She has suddenly become self-aware now, but unfortunately, it's too late."
The Prince of Jin closed his eyes and said wearily, "Mother, I am tired. Send her back."
"Go back? Why should we let her go back?" the Empress Dowager said indignantly. "Who gave her permission to manipulate me like this? You were willing to travel thousands of miles and die for her, but she's concerned about titles and status and refuses to step into the Prince's mansion. This selfish girl, she only cares about herself, she doesn't think of you at all!"
Prince Jin remained silent, a resentment welling up within him—she certainly had her reasons for not visiting the palace, but she was far too heartless. Her ruthlessness made him feel like he was carrying a load on his own, and that everything he had done was a joke.
The Empress Dowager saw his ashen face and heartbroken expression, and her heart was filled with hatred. "She used to fawn over you, all for the position of Princess Jin. Now that there's no hope, she's backing down and trying to settle for something else. Why are you still attached to such a cunning and fickle girl? She's not wrong, she's just a plain-looking girl, completely unworthy to be your principal wife. Even making her a concubine would be an honor for her."
He paused, then said to Eunuch An, "Bring her in. If she disobeys the imperial decree again, have the Imperial Guards bring her in."
"yes."
An Nei responded and left the main hall, running all the way to the gate. He approached the carriage where Ruan Bi was sitting and said coldly, "Fifth Miss Ruan, you'd better get down. Disobeying an imperial decree is punishable by death. Besides, the Empress Dowager has instructed that if you don't get down, the Imperial Guards will bring you here, and that would be embarrassing."
Finally, they had reached this point. Inside the carriage, Ruan Bi closed her eyes in frustration, lifted the curtain, and stepped down. As soon as she stood still, a cacophony of hoofbeats and carriage wheels approached from afar. Turning around, she saw a procession almost within reach, with a spirited young man riding a tall horse at the head of the procession—it was none other than Gu Xiaobai.
He saw her too, looked surprised, and reined in his horse, asking, "What are you doing here?"
Before Ruan Bi could answer, Princess Huiwen's voice rang out again: "Xiao Bai, who are you talking to?" A clear, clinking sound followed. She peeked out from behind the beaded curtain, saw Ruan Bi standing at the west corner gate, and asked with wide eyes, "What are you doing here?"
Ruan Bi knelt and bowed before the carriage, saying, "Your Highness, it is the Empress Dowager who summoned me to pay my respects."
"An audience? An audience at the Prince of Jin's residence?" Princess Huiwen frowned, pondered for a moment, and vaguely understood something. Her face darkened, and she asked sternly, "What exactly is going on?"
Ruan Bi smiled bitterly, looking at the princess with a hint of pleading.
The eldest princess finally understood, her face turning ashen, and she repeatedly said, "Absurd, absurd."
Gu Xiaobai, however, was still confused, looking at the princess and then at Ruan Bi.
Ruan Bi stared longingly at the princess, thinking to herself, "Didn't they say we hit it off immediately, that we'd met in a past life?" But then she heard the princess angrily shout, "Go back! Go back!" The entire group began to stir, turning their horses around.
Gu Xiaobai glanced at Ruan Bi again, puzzled, but still turned his horse around.
Ruan Biwei sighed. She had done her best to survive this difficult journey. She didn't want to end up like this, but it wasn't her choice. No matter how hard she tried, her fate was entirely in the hands of those in power.
After passing through many vermilion gates, we finally arrived at the Prince of Jin's sleeping quarters.
Upon entering, the strong smell of medicine nearly made Ruan Bixun faint. She lowered her head, knelt on the ground, and kowtowed. "This humble woman greets the Empress Dowager and Prince Jin."
No sooner had he finished speaking than the Empress Dowager snorted coldly and said, "Ruan Wu, you have quite the airs, making me have to beg you three or five times."
"This humble woman dares not..."
"Dare not? Is there anything you wouldn't dare to do? Disobeying imperial orders, seducing members of the royal family, showing contempt for the imperial clan—is there anything you wouldn't dare to do..."
The Prince of Jin couldn't help but interrupt her: "Mother..."
The Empress Dowager gave him a meaningful look and continued, "...If it weren't for the Prince of Jin's sake, I would have killed you ten or eight times over..."
Upon hearing this, Prince Jin suddenly realized that the Empress Dowager's words were merely an attempt to suppress Ruan Bi's arrogance and make her submit to him. However, given her personality, it might backfire. Worried, he turned to look at her, only to see that her head was bowed very low, her expression completely hidden, and a few strands of her black hair clung to her snow-white ears, motionless.
It has been more than a month since we parted from the palace, and it still feels like a dream.
"I know you are resentful, but think about it, who caused all this? Buddhist scriptures say, every drink and every bite is preordained. Don't think that I wanted things to come to this. Blame yourself for your wishful thinking and attempts to climb the social ladder."
Ruan Bi said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, I have no intention of currying favor with the powerful." Although she knew that crying out for justice was useless, she still had to do it, otherwise wouldn't that be tantamount to admitting guilt?
An, the eunuch, stepped forward and said, "How dare you contradict the Empress Dowager!"
The Empress Dowager waved her hand, signaling him to leave, and said, "Fine, considering your youth and ignorance, I will forgive you this time. I hope you will take this as a lesson, respect yourself in the future, and not do wrong again." After saying this, she ignored her and turned to look at Prince Jin, saying softly, "Xi'er, your mother has been out of the palace for a long time and will be going back now. You should take good care of your injuries, and I will come to see you again another day."
"Yes, I respectfully see off the Empress Dowager."
The Empress Dowager gently patted his hand again before standing up. Without even glancing at Ruan Bi, who was lying on the ground, she led a group of eunuchs and palace maids away.
Ruan Bi lay prostrate on the ground, listening to the footsteps of the group gradually fade into the distance until silence fell. After a while, she heard the Prince of Jin say coldly, "The Empress Dowager has left. Get up."
That tone, that voice, was just like the north wind outside. Ruan Bi felt a pang of desolation, and recalling the Empress Dowager's series of accusations of "climbing the social ladder" and "seducing the imperial family," she was instantly disheartened and said stiffly, "This humble woman dares not."
The simple phrase "this humble woman" instantly distanced the two. The Prince of Jin, thinking of his own serious injuries and confined to his sickbed, felt utterly disheartened by her lack of concern and eagerness to sever ties with him.
One was lying down, the other kneeling; both were disheartened and didn't want to speak.
After a short while, faint footsteps sounded outside the door, followed by Yu Qing's voice: "Your Highness, it's time for your medicine."
The Prince of Jin said dejectedly, "Take it back, I don't want to drink it."
Ruan Bi said coldly, "You'd better drink it, otherwise I'll have to take on another crime."
The King of Jin was furious and asked, "What crime have I made you bear?"
"Didn't you hear me just now? Seducing a member of the royal family, climbing the social ladder. May I ask, Prince Jin, how did I seduce you, and how did I climb the social ladder?"
The Prince of Jin slightly suppressed his anger and said, "That was just something the Empress Dowager said in anger. Why did you take it so seriously?"
"It doesn't matter if I take it seriously, it's others who take it seriously. Anyway, take your medicine, get well sooner, and I'll be free sooner."
"Fine, fine, fine." The Prince of Jin laughed in anger. "Why drink any more medicine! The sooner I die, the more you'll be free. What do you mean by 'beautiful as a willow' or 'resilient as a pine tree'? Why don't you just say you want to marry Xiaobai? What a fine saying, 'A living thing is better than a dead thing.' In your eyes, I'm already a dead thing!"
"Then what am I in your eyes? We met and got to know each other because I seduced a member of the royal family. You were disgusted, pushed me away, and ran away without a trace. Then you were forced into marriage without saying a word. What am I! What am I!" Ruan Bi was also furious, raising her voice to ask, "You came back injured from the assassination attempt, and just because I refused to come see you, you became heartless again, even going so far as to have the Empress Dowager issue an edict to force me. Prince Jin, have you ever thought about whether I would have any way to retreat once I walked through the gates of the Prince Jin's mansion? Why don't you ever think about me?" Tears streamed down her face.
These words were like cold water poured down on the Prince of Jin's anger. Indeed, she didn't know he had run to Yanzhou to find a witness, nor did she know what had happened in the palace that day. He had indeed pushed her away, and he had indeed been betrothed. Her reaction was understandable, and thinking of this, his heart softened. But the thought that she was still thinking about her escape route filled him with anger again. "These matters are a long story, filled with misunderstandings. Please rise, and I will tell you slowly."
Ruan Bi shook her head sadly, saying, "What's the point of saying anything now? Before long, the people of the capital will all know that I, Ruan Bi, have entered the Prince of Jin's residence."
"So what if all the people in the capital know? I will never treat you unfairly."
Upon hearing this, the last glimmer of hope was extinguished.
Ruan Bi looked up at him with disappointment, her eyes brimming with tears.
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