Chapter 29 Stars and Frost, How Many Times Have Old Friends Returned (Part 5) If... If only...
"The prince consort who is fortunate enough to marry Your Highness must have accumulated merits for three generations. He will surely cherish Your Highness and treat you like a precious jewel."
Princess Chonghua withdrew her gaze from the distance and looked at Ye Yixiang's face, a faint bitter smile on her lips: "Enjoying the support of all the cities under heaven and receiving the worship of all the people, one must naturally bear the responsibility of protecting the country and ensuring peace and prosperity."
“This is the inherent mission of a member of the royal family, which cannot be shirked.” She paused, her tone shifting subtly, becoming more profound, “Take Shuoqing, for example… He was born during a turbulent time. The incompetent Imperial Astronomical Bureau of the previous dynasty spouted nonsense, saying that his fate was cursed and would bring misfortune to the country.”
"At that time, my elder brother had no choice. Under pressure from all sides, he could only reluctantly order the eunuchs to take him out of the palace and find a secluded place to abandon him."
Ye Yixiang's heart sank suddenly, and she tightened her grip on the teacup slightly.
"Perhaps it was a blessing from heaven that this child was not destined to die. He was taken in by a kind-hearted farming family, and although they were poor, he grew up safely." Princess Chonghua continued slowly, her tone filled with complex emotions. "Later, after many twists and turns, we finally found him."
"My brother feels guilty, so he treats him differently from the other princes in the palace. Although he has never publicly announced his identity to the world due to various considerations, he has bestowed the imperial surname on him early on and included him in the family genealogy. Over the years, my brother has been trying his best to make amends to him and find him a marriage that would greatly benefit his future, so as to comfort him for the hardships he suffered in his early years."
“But this child… is stubborn. He insists he’s already married and can’t accept anyone else. To postpone the marriage proposal, he’d rather volunteer to lead troops into battle time and time again, heading to the battlefield where swords have no eyes!” Her voice carried a hint of genuine worry and heartache. “The battlefield is so dangerous; he almost didn’t come back several times…”
Ye Yixiang listened quietly, her fingertips curling slightly inside her sleeve. She recalled the crisscrossing scars on that person's back under the candlelight last night—old wounds layered upon new ones, leaving shocking marks on his wheat-colored skin.
Those scars are not only marks of the battlefield, but also proof of his unwavering commitment.
Her heart felt like it was being washed by a warm tide, aching and throbbing, making it hard to breathe. She raised her slightly damp eyelashes and looked at the princess, her voice so soft as if afraid of disturbing something: "Then... now, has it... been chosen?"
Princess Chonghua met her gaze, her tone calm yet resolute: "He is the prince whom my brother cherishes most and feels most indebted to. His principal wife should naturally be the most outstanding girl in the world in terms of family background, talent, appearance, and character. After careful consideration, we have tentatively chosen Xiao Lingyi, the eldest daughter of the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat Xiao family."
The Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, the Xiao family… Ye Yixiang’s heart sank completely.
That was a top-tier aristocratic family in Guanzhong that had stood for centuries, with disciples and former officials spread throughout the court and the countryside. Despite the changing of four dynasties, it never showed any signs of decline; on the contrary, its foundation grew even stronger. Before the fall of the Ling Dynasty, the Xiao family had already produced two prime ministers, demonstrating its considerable influence.
Chu Huaili is a military general who holds military power. If he also receives strong support from the Xiao family, represented by civil officials, the combination of civil and military power... what that means is self-evident.
It seems that His Majesty has truly decided to make him the Crown Prince!
But his own identity is awkward.
A former dynasty remnant who had married another man was clearly an indelible stain on his illustrious future, a hidden danger that could explode at any moment...
Princess Chonghua observed her reaction discreetly, then raised her hand and took a lustrous white jade hairpin, carved with intricate phoenix and peony patterns, from her cloud-like hair bun, and handed it to the palace maid beside her.
The palace maid understood and carefully presented the jade hairpin to Ye Yixiang.
"This jade hairpin is of acceptable quality, and the carving is barely passable." Princess Chonghua's voice remained gentle, yet carried an air of undeniable authority. "In my opinion, it suits Miss Ye's peerless beauty quite well. It's just a small trinket, so please don't be offended that it's something I've worn before."
When Ye Yixiang's eyes fell on the jade hairpin, she knew that this item was priceless and was by no means an ordinary "trinket".
The jade was smooth and flawless, and the carving was exquisite, clearly the work of a top craftsman from the Imperial Workshops.
A profound emptiness filled her heart, a chill running through her. How could she not understand the deeper meaning behind the princess's words and this "generous gift"?
This was a reminder and a warning to her that her existence would only become a stumbling block on Chu Huaili's path to the supreme position, causing him to be criticized by the world and condemned by the censors.
She reached out her slightly cold, trembling hand and took the heavy jade hairpin, as if she had caught a block of ice, chilling her to the core. "This humble woman... thanks Your Highness for your kindness." Her voice was dry and almost incoherent.
If only... if only I had recognized him as Yan Qing sooner...
The thought resurfaced uncontrollably, bringing with it a sharp pain.
But then, an even greater despair overwhelmed her—what difference would it have made if she had recognized him sooner?
He was, after all, a prince who had fallen into obscurity, the future crown prince, and perhaps even the future master of this vast empire.
She was an orphan who had survived the fall of the previous dynasty, a "remnant" whose identity was sensitive and who was not tolerated by the world.
The difference between them is like heaven and earth; from the very beginning, it was destined to be a dead end.
The cold jade hairpin pressed against her palm, as if freezing her last shred of hope.
She rose, bowed respectfully to Princess Chonghua once more, then turned around dejectedly and wandered aimlessly along the corridor she had come from.
I felt as if all the strength in my body had been drained in an instant, and my steps were unsteady, as if I were walking on cotton.
She leaned against the cold pillar, staring blankly at the withered branches in the courtyard, her eyes vacant and dazed. If only those twists of fate hadn't happened, if only she were just an ordinary woman with a respectable background... But in this world, there are never any "what ifs".
She was lost in thought and didn't even notice when someone quietly appeared beside her.
Until a thick cloak, carrying body heat and a familiar, cool scent, gently and irresistibly wrapped around her slightly chilly shoulders. She suddenly snapped back to reality, turned her gaze, and met Chu Huaili's figure, who had somehow appeared beside her.
He stood there, his posture upright like a lone pine tree on a cliff. Even though he was not wearing military uniform, but only a dark blue brocade robe with dark patterns, it could not hide his profound and majestic temperament.
The light and shadows in the corridor cast deep shadows on his sharply defined profile, making his nose appear even higher, his lips tightly pressed together, and his jawline smooth and resolute. His deep eyes, as dark as stars in a cold night, were now fixed on her, filled with concern and a hint of barely perceptible sharpness.
"What did the Princess say to you?" He asked softly, carefully tying the ribbons on his cloak as if handling a fragile treasure, his eyes lowered, his voice filled with unmistakable worry. "Did she make things difficult for you?"
Ye Yixiang shook her head absentmindedly, appearing all the more pitiful in her silence and disorientation.
Sunlight streamed through the eaves, casting a soft glow on her face. Her skin was so pale it was almost translucent. Her long eyelashes drooped, casting fragile shadows beneath her eyes. Her forced composure couldn't conceal her panic and helplessness, making her resemble a butterfly shivering in the cold wind, soaked by rain. It evoked pity and a desire to protect her under one's wings.
“His Highness just… chatted with me casually about everyday things,” she tried to force a smile to reassure him, but it sounded incredibly strained, and her voice was light and airy. “He also… gave me a hairpin.” As she spoke, she raised her hand and held the jade hairpin, which she had been holding tightly in her palm and which was still cold to the touch, out to him.
Unexpectedly, Chu Huaili only glanced at it before his brows furrowed slightly, a dark glint flashing in his eyes. He snatched the jade hairpin, and without even looking at it again, threw it violently onto the stone steps beside him!
With a crisp clang, the valuable jade hairpin broke into several pieces, the shards of jade scattering and reflecting a dazzling light in the sunlight.
"Don't listen to those pointless words!" His voice was filled with suppressed anger. He grabbed her hand, which she instinctively tried to pull away from, and held it tightly in his warm, broad palm, with a force that prevented her from breaking free. "These things are not worthy of you keeping them!"
He pulled her away from this place of trouble, his steps quick and urgent, carrying an undeniable determination.
She had only taken a few steps when she ran into Princess Chonghua, who was walking slowly from the direction of the flower hall. She had obviously seen what had just happened, but she was not angry; her face still wore that dignified and graceful smile.
"Shuoqing," she called him by his childhood name, her tone gentle and filled with the concern of an elder, "Where are you in such a hurry to take Miss Ye? I've come all the way from Chang'an, and you didn't even bother to pay your respects. Instead, you're about to leave with someone as soon as we meet?"
Chu Huaili stopped, his face cold and stern. He gave a perfunctory bow to Princess Chonghua, his tone distant and indifferent: "This humble general is of lowly status and his words carry little weight. I dare not disturb Your Highness's journey."
Princess Chonghua looked at his tightly gripping Ye Yixiang's hand, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes, but she did not blame him. Instead, her tone became even gentler: "Why be so formal? After all, I am your aunt, we are connected by blood."
Chu Huaili kept his jaw taut and did not respond.
Princess Chonghua sighed softly and continued, "Your father... he has always been thinking of you. He has missed you very much since we last met. Now that you have returned to Chang'an, he plans to choose an auspicious day to formally issue an imperial edict, to include your name in the imperial genealogy, to announce it to the world, and to allow you to be recognized as a member of the imperial family."
"I have never cared about these things." Chu Huaili's dark eyes remained completely still, his tone icy cold, as if he were talking about something that had nothing to do with him.
"I know that you have always resented your father, and that your mother had her own reasons for what happened back then."
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Author's Note: Ahem, get ready for super sweetness! [Facepalm peeking]
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