Chapter 2. The heir apparent is the princess's 'lucky star'...
"What were you thinking? How could you knock Qingping into the water right in front of His Majesty?" Consort Rou leaned against a sandalwood couch covered with a gold-embroidered soft mattress, rubbing her forehead with one hand as if she had a headache. Beside the couch, a Hetian jade Boshan incense burner was burning with calming and soothing incense, and wisps of smoke swirled around it.
Chu Jinglian knelt before Consort Rou, looking aggrieved: "Your daughter didn't bump into her in front of Father..."
"That's what everyone in the palace is saying now. You think it's not true?" Consort Rou's voice was gentle, without any hint of reprimand, only helpless indulgence towards her beloved daughter: "Didn't I tell you not to cause trouble for Qingping these next few days?"
"I refuse to accept this!" Chu Jinglian suddenly exploded like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "I am clearly Father Emperor's daughter, so why does Father Emperor always think of her first? He specially held a spring banquet to examine the newly appointed scholars and to choose a husband for her, but he wants to marry me off to that barbaric land in the northern frontier?"
Chu Jinglian was about to burst into tears: "Mother, I don't want to get married!"
Consort Rou frowned, her nails, painted with henna, unconsciously digging into her soft palms. She sneered, "Is this the first time you've known he favors Qingping? Qingping is the only bloodline left in this world by your father's beloved older sister, Princess Anle. She's a pitiful girl who lost both her parents, and she's growing more and more like Princess Anle back then. How could your father not pity her?"
Feng Mian's mother, Princess Anle, was the youngest daughter of the late emperor, two years older than Emperor Jiayu. She took good care of him from a young age. Emperor Jiayu greatly respected and loved this older sister. Unfortunately, Princess Anle died young, succumbing to complications during childbirth while her husband, the Grand General of the State, was far away in the southern border region.
At that time, Emperor Jiayu had just ascended the throne. He was furious that General Feng Cixu had neglected his elder sister, which indirectly caused her to have a difficult childbirth. Despite the opposition of the court officials and the Empress Dowager, he issued an edict to divorce Princess Anle's husband and bring Feng Mian into the palace to raise her personally, taking care of everything himself.
A cold, unsettling light flickered in Consort Rou's eyes. The living can never truly contend with the dead. Even if she were the most favored concubine, her Lian'er's place in the Emperor's heart could not compare to that of Feng Mian.
But Lian'er still has her, and she will plan everything well for Lian'er.
"His Majesty only hinted at it to the Empress Dowager, and hasn't even issued an imperial edict yet, so there's still room for maneuver." Consort Rou got up from the bed, gently put her arm around Chu Jinglian, and affectionately patted her head. "Your unfortunate mistake caused Qingping to have a high fever and not wake up, which gave your mother a good idea."
"You shall stay obediently in your palace for the next few days to receive your punishment, and do not let your mind wander. With your mother here, you will not be wronged."
Chu Jinglian nestled affectionately into Consort Rou's arms.
Outside the window, the sun shines brightly.
Summer Moon Palace.
The four carved vermilion windows were wide open, letting in bright sunlight. A warm breeze swept through the room, carrying in a few apricot blossoms that brushed against the shoes of a hurried traveler.
Liu Ying carried a bowl of medicine to the bed with its heavy curtains and looked anxiously at Wu Liu, who was standing guard beside her: "Is she awake?"
Wu Liu frowned and shook her head.
"That damn fortune-telling is definitely a lie. What's the use if the princess's fever has gone down but she can't wake up..." Liu Ying muttered, pouting. She was glared at by Wu Liu and covered her mouth, not daring to say anything more.
Inside the embroidered curtains adorned with rich and luxurious patterns, Fengmian's thick, dark eyelashes trembled slightly before she slowly opened them, revealing a tasseled canopy swaying gently in the sunlight.
My head was still foggy after waking up from a serious illness, and my limbs slumped weakly in the soft mattresses piled up beneath me.
She was still disoriented, wondering what day it was, when a head with double buns suddenly popped into Chu Fengmian's field of vision. Liu Ying exclaimed in delight, "She's awake! She's awake! The princess is awake!"
"Quickly bring the tea." Wu Liu instructed, gently supporting Feng Mian's back with one hand, helping her sit up straight, and just then a cup of warm tea was brought to Feng Mian's lips.
Feng Mian sipped a cup of tea from Liu Ying's hand, finally regaining her senses and easing her dry throat. She cleared her throat and asked, "What time is it?"
"It's past 9 AM." Liu Ying was overjoyed to see Feng Mian finally awake, but afraid of disturbing her, she waited eagerly for her to ask a question before speaking.
Wu Liu added from the side, "The princess has been unconscious for five days."
Liu Ying chimed in, seizing the opportunity, "This is so frustrating!"
Feng Mian was startled. She had been unconscious for five days?
It's over. That day, due to the sudden accident, she forgot about the Spring Banquet and the top scholar. Before she fainted, she didn't even see the top scholar, let alone "request for marriage at the palace gate"!
How could events recorded in history books be untrue? Was she reading some kind of unofficial history?
"Princess? Princess?" Liu Ying shook Feng Mian's arm worriedly. "Why are you suddenly not talking? Are you feeling unwell? Oh right, medicine, Princess, please drink your medicine first?"
Her repeated calls made Feng Mian notice something else amiss: "What did you call me?"
Feng Mian took the medicine without batting an eye, tilted his head back and drank the dark medicine clean. He picked up a candied fruit to get rid of the bitterness in his mouth, and then heard Wu Liu reply: "His Majesty has decreed that you be promoted to Princess Qingping and, exceptionally, enjoy the same fiefdom as Princess Zhaoning."
This isn't right. Even if this is compensation for falling into the water, it's far too generous.
At this moment, Chu Fengmian noticed that Liu Ying's expression was off. When he asked her questions earlier, Liu Ying, who was usually very talkative, had fallen silent. Now, she looked dejected, clearly preoccupied with something. Wu Liu, who was usually calm and composed, now had a hint of worry in her delicate eyebrows and long eyes.
"What happened?"
Liu Ying's eyes reddened and tears were about to fall, but Wu Liu forcefully covered her eyes with a handkerchief. After all, the emperor's bestowal of a marriage was a joyous occasion, and if she were to wail and cry in front of others, everyone would be in trouble.
Wu Liu carefully chose her words: "The other day, His Majesty was extremely anxious when he saw that the princess was unconscious and had a persistent high fever. The imperial physicians were helpless, so Consort Rou invited several diviners to come and see her. His Majesty also summoned the Directorate of Astronomy. They all said that according to the princess's horoscope, she was born under a lonely star, which would bring misfortune to her family. In addition, the Illness Star was invading her Palace of Illness, which is why she has been weak and sickly since childhood and has been constantly taking medicine."
"Her current high fever and unconsciousness are also due to this fate; she has one foot in the grave and is likely beyond saving. His Majesty sought a way to counteract it. The Imperial Observatory suggested that perhaps the fate of her future husband could be used to suppress it. Consort Rou then collected the birth charts of all the talented men in the capital, and somehow, the birth chart of the Prince of Dingbei's heir was mixed in..."
Feng Mian immediately understood: "So they said that the Prince of Dingbei's son and I are compatible in terms of birth dates?"
Wu Liu nodded: "The Imperial Observatory and several sorcerers all said that the Crown Prince is the 'Heavenly Nobleman' and 'Relief Star' in the Princess's destiny, which can turn adversity into prosperity and avert disaster. They also said that the Princess and the Crown Prince's marital palaces resonate with each other, bringing long-lasting blessings. In the long run, the Princess will be able to 'remove the disaster star and welcome the auspicious star,' and finally achieve peace, prosperity, and longevity."
"Upon hearing this, His Majesty immediately promoted you to the rank of Princess and bestowed upon you a marriage with the Prince of Dingbei."
"As soon as the imperial edict was issued, your fever subsided that very night. His Majesty thus became a firm believer in the theory of destiny and chose the nearest auspicious day, which was the sixth day of the sixth lunar month, as the wedding date."
"We'll be setting off for the Northern Frontier by the end of the month at the latest..." Liu Ying covered her eyes and sobbed, "How could His Majesty bear to marry the Princess off to such a barbaric land as the Northern Frontier? And to such a husband... I've heard that the Crown Prince is nine feet tall, with a blue face and fangs, capable of tearing apart barbarians with his bare hands. He's a savage who eats raw meat and drinks blood. How could he be worthy of the Princess?"
The fireflies murmured, their voices barely audible.
Feng Mian sat on the couch for a long time, becoming more and more convinced that she must have read some unofficial history in her dream. She could only put the top scholar out of her mind and asked instead, "How come Consort Rou has the birth date and time of the Prince of Dingbei?"
The Prince of Dingbei's family is far away in the northern frontier, guarding the border for many years and has not returned to the capital. How could such private information as the young prince's birth date have fallen into the hands of a concubine in the Shengjing harem?
Wu Liu had already secretly found out the answer to this question after Feng Mian's fever subsided: "This servant has learned that His Majesty once intended to bestow a marriage between the Crown Prince and Princess Zhaoning."
Liu Ying's eyes widened in shock, and her lips trembled as she said, "So, so she didn't want Princess Zhaoning to marry far away, so she plotted to push our princess away? This is outrageous! Princess, please go and beg His Majesty!"
Wu Liu shook her head: "His Majesty now completely believes in the theory of fate and is convinced that the Crown Prince is the Princess's 'lucky star' and will never easily break off the engagement."
Feng Mian was frail from childhood, and Emperor Jiayu often worried about her health, fearing that she would die young. He finally raised her to this age, and she is much healthier than when she was young. When the accident happened, Emperor Jiayu naturally tried anything to cure her.
This time, Consort Rou has finally grasped the key to her fate.
Feng Mian sighed; Feng Mian had a headache. Several days of high fever had worsened her already weak constitution. Since there was still some time until the end of the month, she decided to go to sleep first.
After having a simple bowl of porridge, Feng Mian fell into a deep sleep again. When she finally woke up, it was almost dusk.
The bedchamber was quiet. Feng Mian stretched her limbs and yawned, her fatigue and weariness after the illness having mostly subsided. When she lifted the bed curtains to call for someone, she saw a small table beside the bed, behind which the tall and long-legged Emperor Jiayu was sitting with his legs bent, reviewing memorials.
"Uncle?" Feng Mian was stunned for a moment before getting off the bed.
"Sit still." Emperor Jiayu put down the words he had just written and sat down on the edge of the bed. He pressed Feng Mian back into the quilt, checked the temperature of her hands, and then checked the temperature of her forehead.
Feng Mian knelt obediently on the bed. When she saw the dark circles under Emperor Jiayu's eyes, she knew that he hadn't slept well during the days she had been burning up. She felt both touched and guilty.
"I'm fine now. When did your uncle arrive? Why didn't he wake me up?"
After confirming that Feng Mian showed no signs of fever again, Emperor Jiayu finally breathed a sigh of relief: "I came over half an hour ago after finishing our business. Seeing that you were sleeping soundly, I didn't ask anyone to disturb you. You have just recovered from a serious illness and need to rest your energy and spirit. You should rest well in your bedchamber for the next few days."
"I've been lying down for five days already, I've had enough, do I need to rest again?" Feng Mian complained slightly.
Emperor Jiayu snorted coldly: "You still have the nerve to bring that up? How did I teach you before? A son of a thousand pieces of gold would not sit under a leaning roof. A son of a hundred pieces of gold would not ride on a crossbar. Do you still remember what that means?"
He was born with a gentle and handsome appearance, and seemed to have a good temperament, but his phoenix eyes were sharp and stern, and when he was serious, his gaze made people feel uneasy.
Feng Mian had already guessed that he would criticize her, and with a meek and submissive expression, she lowered her head and said, "It means that wealthy people should stay away from dangerous places to avoid disasters."
"Since you knew that, why did you despise your own life to save a mere servant? Do you know that you almost didn't wake up this time?" Emperor Jiayu said, becoming increasingly angry. If he were a foolish ruler, the Imperial Hospital would have been deserted these past few days.
Feng Mian admitted her mistake smoothly: "Uncle, I was wrong."
Her pitiful, obedient, and remorseful appearance calmed Emperor Jiayu down considerably, and he couldn't bear to punish her any further. He simply said, "A few days ago you were ill and needed someone to take care of you, so I didn't punish that maid. Now that you've recovered, let her go to the Palace Justice Department to receive her punishment."
Fengmian nodded like a chick pecking at rice, seemingly the most obedient person in the world.
After a moment, she hesitated again and said, "If we're talking about the crime of putting me in danger, Uncle, you can punish her however you want. But Liuying fell into the water to save me, so it would be disheartening to punish her. Uncle, why don't you spare her the torture of being tortured and only deduct three months' salary, considering that she risked her life to protect her master?"
Emperor Jiayu tapped her forehead, shook his head, and said, "You are just as soft-hearted as your mother, unable to bear seeing those around you suffer. If you fine her, won't you make up for it?"
"Absolutely not!" Feng Mian swore, then added, "Even if they set off for the Northern Frontier at the end of the month, I will absolutely punish them severely!"
When the northern frontier was mentioned, Emperor Jiayu's initial dissatisfaction instantly turned into heartache, and under Feng Mian's earnest gaze, he agreed: "As you wish."
"Thank you, Uncle!" Feng Mian affectionately took Emperor Jiayu's arm, feeling a sense of relief. The tactic of feigning retreat always worked on Emperor Jiayu. Young Feng Mian had proven this truth through her own bloody experience, and from then on, she knew that discretion was the better part of valor.
Emperor Jiayu patted Feng Mian's head affectionately and said thoughtfully, "I have heard some rumors about the heir of the Prince of Dingbei. Do not worry, most of them are exaggerated and untrue."
"The Prince of Dingbei would occasionally mention a few words about trivial family matters in his memorials, saying that his only son was brave and good at fighting, courageous and resourceful, and most filial and obedient. The neighbors all praised him as a tall and imposing man, a young hero."
In fact, Feng Mian also realized that Emperor Jiayu was not a cruel father. Since he intended to marry Chu Jinglian to the heir of the Prince of Dingbei, it meant that he also had some extraordinary qualities.
"I recently ordered the Prince of Dingbei to make a portrait of the Crown Prince and send it over. I'd like to show it to you today." Emperor Jiayu summoned the eunuch who was waiting outside the palace.
A young eunuch, holding a scroll in his hands, stood before Emperor Jiayu and Feng Mian, who were both looking on expectantly, and then unfurled the scroll.
Feng Mian: "..."
Emperor Jiayu: "..."
The two fell silent after seeing the contents of the portrait.
It's clear that this remote and war-torn northern frontier region doesn't have many good painters; the creatures in the portraits can only be described as having a rudimentary human form.
Emperor Jiayu said dryly, "This child was born with two eyes and one mouth; he certainly doesn't have the fierce, menacing appearance of a blue-faced demon with fangs..."
Having racked his brains to come up with such a compliment, Emperor Jiayu was speechless.
Feng Mian could only nod in agreement, dryly echoing, "The style of painters in the Northern Frontier is quite different from that in Shengjing. I guess they only aim for a likeness, and the actual artist might not..."
Emperor Jiayu suddenly turned his head and asked, "Do you have someone you love?"
Sealing sleep: ?
Emperor Jiayu: "If you have someone you love, I will include him in the wedding procession and make him your male concubine."
Feng Mian's eyes widened: "Uncle?"
Emperor Jiayu: "No? Fine, you spend all your time in the palace, you certainly don't see any outstanding men. Here's what I'll do, I'll add more talented young men to your wedding procession. After you go to the Northern Frontier, if you don't like the Prince of Dingbei's heir, you can build another residence and find another husband."
"But since his fate is beneficial to you, you should still be husband and wife."
They were practically saying out loud, "We only care about his destiny, not him as a person."
Feng Mian found it both amusing and touching. Although this marriage was a conspiracy orchestrated by Consort Rou, Emperor Jiayu genuinely cared for her.
Even if all of this is only because she resembles her mother, it is still extremely good.
Emperor Jiayu was determined to do what he thought of. After instructing Feng Mian to rest well, he hurriedly went to arrange the wedding procession.
With nothing to do, Fengmian lay down and drifted off to sleep again.
He slept until midnight.
Only a single candle illuminated the bedchamber, casting a faint shadow of a woman who had been startled awake from her slumber within the bed curtains.
Hearing the noise, Wu Liu, who was keeping watch at night, held up a lamp, lifted the bed curtains, and asked worriedly, "Princess, were you having a nightmare?"
Fengmian closed his eyes, feeling exhausted and terrified.
In her dream, she traveled to the future and searched everywhere, discovering that all historical records mentioned her being betrothed to the heir of the Prince of Dingbei. The top scholar's court visit had vanished without a trace, followed by another historical fact that shocked her. She initially suspected she had read unofficial histories, but after extensive investigation, she found that all the accounts were strikingly consistent—
"In the tenth month of the winter of the twenty-first year of Chengping, the heir apparent of the Prince of Dingbei plotted to assassinate the emperor and rebel, but the plot failed and he was executed. The crown prince quelled the rebellion and exterminated his entire clan."
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