Chapter 109 Huan Lingxian
"When it comes to fortune-telling and divination, fate is paramount, and it shouldn't be taken lightly." After a while, Huan Lingxian said softly to Yu, "Mother, the princess is also doing this for Zilang's own good."
Yu nodded and said, "That's quite true."
After that, she said to Sun Wei, "I heard that the princess is going to Jiangzhou?"
"That's right." Sun Wei said.
"On our way back to Jingzhou, we passed through Jiangzhou," Yu said. "I'm so happy to meet the princess today. It's a good opportunity for us to travel together. What are your thoughts?"
Sun Wei said: "In that case, I am very honored."
The two talked for a while, and then Sun Wei said goodbye and left.
"What Princess Yuzhang? She's just a country girl, yet she dares to be rude in front of the Madam." Yuan Shi was insulted, and as soon as Sun Wei left, she complained, "When she was in Jiankang, the Empress Dowager never mentioned her. Who among the nobles in the capital knew her? Now she's been sent to Xunyang Palace, and there's no place for her in Jiankang. Madam is the mistress of the Huan family, and she's the daughter of a mere alchemist, yet she dares to act so pretentiously in front of you! Madam, we, the Huan family, have suffered the great injustice of the late Crown Princess, and now we're still being looked down upon by this woman. I'll definitely report this to the Duke of the County and have him punish her!"
Yu looked at her and said, "She is the Princess of Yuzhang after all. We are going to Jiangzhou tomorrow, so please be quiet."
"Don't be angry, Fifth Aunt." Huan Lingxian also comforted her from the side, "Grandfather and Fifth Uncle will definitely not let Fifth Aunt suffer this injustice."
As soon as she spoke, her aunts and sisters-in-law came forward to comfort her.
After hearing these kind words, Yuan's expression became better.
"What do these people from the Huan family think of the princess?" As they walked down the corridor, A'ru said to Sun Wei in dissatisfaction, "Are they fortune tellers setting up stalls on the roadside?"
Sun Wei said calmly, "The Huan family is a wealthy family, and the Queen Mother should give them some respect. However, Madam Yu has always been reasonable. I'm afraid there are other reasons for what happened today."
Aju wanted to ask, "How do you know?" Just as she was about to speak, a voice suddenly came from behind.
"Please stay, Princess."
The two turned around and saw that it was Huan Lingxian.
She held a cloak in her hands and said, "The wind is strong on the river. My mother was afraid that the princess would catch a cold, so she asked me to bring you this newly made cloak. Although it is crude, it can keep you warm. I hope the princess will not refuse it."
Sun Wei took a look at the cloak. It was made of brand new Shu brocade and it was obvious that it was of great value.
"Thank you, Madam." Sun Wei let A'ru accept it and asked knowingly, "May I know your name?"
"My concubine's name is Lingxian."
"So it's you, Fairy Lady." Sun smiled and said, "I've heard of your splendid reputation for a long time, and seeing you today, it's true."
Huan Lingxian said modestly, "Princess, you are too kind."
"Please ask your majesty to thank Madam Yu on my behalf," Sun Wei said. "If there is nothing else, I will return to my room first."
After she said that, she turned around.
But Huan Lingxian hurriedly said, "Princess, please stay!"
Sun Wei sighed softly and turned to look at her.
"If my lady wants to see me, there's no need to go through so much trouble."
Huan Lingxian was stunned.
"Madam Yuan asked for divination to test my accuracy. This was arranged by the Lady. I guess the Lady wants to ask about the selection of the Crown Princess, right?"
Huan Lingxian looked at her, her cheeks flushed.
"I have never..."
"Then just pretend I didn't say anything. Please don't chase me again, my lady."
After Sun Wei finished speaking, he made a gesture to leave.
"Your Highness is right!" Huan Lingxian suddenly said. She stepped forward, blocking Sun Wei's way, and whispered, "I have offended Your Highness. Please forgive me. But if Your Highness knows who will be the Crown Princess, please tell me. If you don't know, please tell me a fortune for me, okay?"
Sun Wei didn't say much, just took her to a secluded place and asked Aju to keep watch outside.
"What do you think about this marriage, my lady?" she asked.
Huan Lingxian lowered her head and twirled her fingers. "When we were in the capital, the Crown Prince once told me that he was interested in me."
Sun Wei was not surprised.
"Oh? How do you answer, lady?"
"I was so frightened that I dared not say anything."
"The prince is interested in the lady, isn't that a good thing? Why are you so frightened?"
Huan Lingxian shook his head.
"My sister likes the prince, not me. And that place..." She hesitated, then said, "My sister was murdered there, so why do you want me to go? Is it because of my grandfather's obsession that I have to risk my life? My sister certainly doesn't want me to follow in her footsteps."
She looked lost. "But I dare not say it. No one in my family dares to disobey Grandfather, including my mother. I asked my mother to ask the princess about the intentions of the palace, but she thought I was eager to become the crown princess. I can only keep my thoughts to myself."
After saying this, she looked up at Sun Wei with a sad expression: "Can I ask the Princess for one thing? I have only told you what I feel. Even if you don't want to tell me the truth, please don't tell my mother about my feelings, okay?"
"I and the lady just met by chance, and I will forget everything we said as soon as we heard it. There is nothing to tell Madam Yu." Sun Wei said.
"In that case." Huan Lingxian noticed her indifference and bowed, "Thank you, Princess."
Sun Wei watched her lower her head and turn away, and said leisurely: "The lady will marry the person in her heart."
Huan Lingxian stopped in his tracks.
She looked at Sun Wei, her expression unrecognizable as either happy or angry: "Who are you thinking of? Why would I think of someone like that?"
Sun Wei said nothing, just walked towards the corridor without looking back: "Then pretend that I didn't say anything."
——
"This Lady Huan is quite genuine." Aju said after returning to the house.
Sun Wei didn't take it seriously: "A person from a wealthy family wouldn't be so true to himself for no reason. She came to me for help because she had nowhere else to turn."
"The princess doesn't seem to like Lady Huan." Aju said.
"I just don't like people playing dirty tricks on me. Why do you think she's instigating this between Yu and Yuan?"
"I don't know."
"She's unfamiliar with me, yet eager to ask crucial questions. She knows she can't win, so she's orchestrating this to test the waters," Sun Wei said. "If I get angry, it's at the Yu and Yuan families, not her. She can still feign innocence and continue testing me. She even schemes against my mother and sister-in-law. How kind can she be?"
"That's true." A'ru accompanied Sun Wei into the house. "But she finally lost her composure. Even if the princess hadn't seen through her, she would still have to show up if she wanted to ask you for something. Why would the princess tell fortunes for her?"
Sun Wei smiled faintly, "I'm also involved in this situation. The more complicated she is, the more I have to show her some mercy. She comes from the Huan family, so she shouldn't be underestimated based on her status. Perhaps there will be a time when I need her help."
——
At the end of September, when autumn began to appear, Sun Wei still came to Xunyang City.
When the boat arrived outside the city, it was already late, and the river breeze was rising, with a hint of chill in the wind.
The air was slightly cool, completely overlapping with the memory, making Sun Wei unable to distinguish between the past life and the present life.
"The princess doesn't look well," A'ru said, then returned to the boathouse, fetched a cloak, and draped it over Sun Wei's shoulders. "It'll take a while to get ready before we get off the boat. Why don't we go back to the boathouse first?"
Sun Wei didn't say anything.
She looked at the towering city wall not far away.
I remember that at that time, the southeastern city wall was the first to be breached. Stones were thrown through it, and corpses were scattered all over the ground.
The sound of killing is still ringing in my ears.
"Princess?" Aju's voice interrupted the memories.
"I see." She turned her head and said softly, "It's time to go back."
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