Chapter 32.32 Whom did she hug?
When Yuezhi's carriage left the palace at night, it was stopped.
Duan Yunting, newly appointed to his post, found everything in the palace fascinating. After rotating through various posts, he returned to find Princess Ning'an's carriage leaving the palace.
He was well aware of the Emperor's high regard for this woman, and since he was about to return home after finishing his duty for the day, he volunteered to escort her carriage back to her residence.
"It is late at night. Please allow me to escort the princess back to her residence."
When Yuezhi entered the palace, she already knew this young General Duan. He was the same young general who had escorted her on the way from Yanjing to the capital. At that time, he was still a naive young general, but now he was a powerful and respected military officer.
"Thank you for your kindness, General. I'll have to trouble you now." She replied through the curtain, listening as the young man led in the horses, mounted them, and rode alongside the carriage in silence.
Yuezhi thought that this young general must be tired, otherwise he would have been so quick-witted when he caught her in the palace, but now he was silent.
It was late at night, and she was sleepy, so she didn't initiate a conversation with him.
Outside the carriage, the handsome young general couldn't help but glance into the window, but unfortunately it was too dark and the lanterns hanging on the carriage couldn't shine through the window, preventing him from seeing the stunning beauty sitting inside.
The emperor is an exceptional man, possessing a handsome appearance himself. How beautiful must the princess be to be, to be able to make the emperor unable to forget her?
Having not caught a glimpse of the princess's face for a long time, Duan Yunting regretted not having dared to steal a glance at her in the past. Now, his curiosity was so intense that even ordering ten or eight musicians and dancers from the music hall couldn't satisfy his curiosity.
He kept an eye on the deserted street with one eye and kept looking into the carriage window with the other, but he didn't see Princess Ning'an's face until the carriage was delivered to the gate of the princess's residence.
The carriage stopped outside the mansion gate, and Huachun helped Yuezhi alight from the carriage.
As Yuezhi walked up the steps, she heard the young general dismount and turned around to thank him, "Thank you for tonight, General. It's getting late, General, please go home soon."
Duan Yunting knelt on one knee at the bottom of the steps. "I'm glad the princess is well. This humble general will be leaving now."
As he stood up, he secretly glanced up at her.
He was surprised to see Princess Ning'an standing in the candlelight in front of the mansion, casting a gentle gaze in his direction.
Duan Yunting subconsciously turned his gaze away, but in an instant, it was drawn back.
The princess stood there, bathed in the faint light filtering through the lintel, her lowered eyelashes casting trembling shadows on her fair cheeks.
Her jet-black hair was adorned only with delicate jade ornaments, and a few brightly colored velvet flowers were pinned to the side of her hair bun, which made her complexion look rosy and even her unintentional smile was so charming.
Duan Yunting was naturally carefree and thought he had seen countless beauties. But after meeting Princess Ning'an today, he realized that true beauty lies in character, not appearance. She was also beautiful, but her every move exuded a gentle and tolerant grace, like a delicate flower blooming in the spring breeze, so vibrant and captivating that it inexplicably aroused one's protective instincts.
Noticing the warning look from the princess's maid, he hurriedly lowered his eyes, mounted his horse, but his slightly flushed cheeks betrayed the hidden panic in his heart.
He coughed lightly twice. "Princess, please enter the manor. I will watch you go in and then leave."
Yuezhi nodded slightly in his direction, and with Huachun's help, turned and walked into the mansion.
The princess's servants led the carriage to the side gate, and soon only one person and one horse remained in front of the main gate.
Duan Yunting sat on his horse, grinning foolishly. He thought to himself, no wonder the Emperor wasn't very interested in other women. If he had such a beautiful older sister, he would have eyes only for her and wouldn't even notice any other beauties.
As I thought about it, I forced myself to suppress my smile.
He could peek, but he couldn't make it too obvious. If the emperor found out, he'd be in deep trouble.
"Who is he? Why isn't he leaving?"
He only stayed for a moment, but he heard some strange noises coming from the corner of the outer wall of the princess's mansion.
Duan Yunting pretended to leave in the opposite direction, temporarily put down his horse, used his light footwork to climb the wall, and leaped down from the top of the wall, landing right on the most valuable person in that group of people.
The gold hairpins, combs, and earrings were so dazzling that they hurt his eyes even at night.
He pinned the man to the brick floor and interrogated the woman, while also glancing around at the several servants nearby. "Where did this petty thief come from, daring to set his sights on the princess's residence?"
Shen Xian's shoulders felt like they were about to break. "You rude wretch, do you know who I am? How dare you be so insolent!"
That voice, that demeanor...
Duan Yunting recalled that a few months ago, on the way to the capital, in the escorting caravan, besides the gentle and graceful Princess Ning'an, there was also a quirky Princess Shen, who was the woman in front of him.
He released the person, stood up, took two steps back to avoid suspicion, gave a casual bow, and asked, "What is the princess doing here in the middle of the night?"
Shen Xian glanced at him, but couldn't remember who he was. Judging from his clothes, she guessed he was a military officer.
She said irritably, "This princess's affairs are none of your business."
“If the princess wants to befriend the princess, she can just come into the manor openly. Otherwise, it’s not very proper to be secretly squatting in a corner in the middle of the night. Weren’t you also betrothed? Why are you here instead of squatting in a corner of the Chen family’s house?
Shen Xian was speechless, choked by his questioning. She glared at him impatiently, her innocent smile masking her sharp tongue.
I went out tonight and failed to catch Yuezhi and her lover. Instead, I got caught red-handed by this brat. What bad luck!
"I can be wherever I want, it's none of your business." After saying that, she walked past him rudely, deliberately bumping his arm, and left with her entourage with an arrogant expression.
Duan Yunting was knocked off balance by her bump and chuckled helplessly.
This Princess Shen isn't ugly, so why is she so ill-tempered? Both are women bestowed titles by the Emperor, but compared to the princess, she's worlds apart.
It was just a minor incident, and he didn't pay much attention to it. The next day, he told the emperor about it, but the emperor didn't take it to heart.
Last time, when Shen Xian's servants followed him, Pei Heng wanted to take the opportunity to punish her. But after looking at it from all angles, no matter what bad things she was trying to do, it all turned out to be a joke and was really not worth mentioning.
Seeing his boundless energy, Pei Heng instructed him: "If you see Shen Xian being disrespectful to the princess again, there's no need to ask for my decree. Just teach her a lesson directly."
"This humble general obeys the order."
The two tacitly agreed to leave the matter temporarily unresolved.
*
On the day of the Duke of Dingguo's birthday banquet, Princess Ning'an, who only existed in rumors, sat down with the young mistress of the Liang family, attracting the attention of almost all the women in the inner quarters.
The Duke of Dingguo is a veteran official of three reigns. He lost real power during the reign of the previous emperor and only held the empty title of Duke. Now, more than 20 years have passed, and his family is not wealthy. Among the officials in the capital, they are not considered a prominent family.
For the 80th birthday of such an unfavored old minister, there were not many guests who came to congratulate him.
Someone spread the word that Princess Ning'an, the emperor's favorite, had personally visited the Duke of Dingguo's mansion. In just one morning, dignitaries from all over the capital flocked to the mansion, and the threshold was almost worn down.
"Princess Ning'an usually only sends gifts and doesn't attend events, but today she actually came to the Duke's mansion. Could it be that she received the Emperor's permission and intends to give the Duke's mansion an important position?"
"Didn't the princess marry Liang Erlang? Liang Erlang is a third-ranked scholar and is still in the Hanlin Academy. The emperor must have other important tasks to entrust to him. I'm afraid these tasks are related to the Dingguo Gongfu, which is why the princess came to visit in person."
"I've heard that the princess comes from a humble background and is unwilling to go out to banquets. Isn't it because she's ugly and petty? Her supposed weakness and illness are just excuses."
“I saw the princess from afar. She was beautiful and charming, but her attire was rather plain. Standing among those noble ladies and princesses, it was really hard to tell who the princess was just by looking at her clothes.”
Various speculations spread everywhere, unbeknownst to Yuezhi.
The person everyone was talking about was now being invited to the main seat by the Duchess of Dingguo at the women's table in the inner quarters.
"Your Highness's presence graces my humble abode, bringing honor to our home. I would like to offer you a toast first."
The Duchess offered tea instead of wine with exceptional hospitality, which Yuezhi found difficult to refuse, so she accepted and drank it.
The grand banquet hasn't started yet, but right now there's an opera troupe performing in the Duke's mansion garden, people playing pitch-pot and archery, and others gathering around the stone canal to recite poems and drink wine—it's quite lively.
After some polite greetings, Hua Chun and He Zhiyan, who were accompanying Yue Zhi, saw that she was struggling to deal with the constant stream of noblewomen, so they quickly took the opportunity to help her to a quieter place in the mansion.
In late autumn, red leaves drifted into the covered walkway beside the artificial hill.
He Zhiyan was sweating profusely. "In the past, when I was at the banquet, no one would even talk to me. Who would have thought that as soon as the princess arrived, they all changed their attitudes."
Hua Chun carefully straightened Yue Zhi's clothes, frowning: "It is because the Emperor values our princess that the court officials are all relying on the Emperor's favor and protection. They can't wait to use the princess as a stepping stone to gain the Emperor's trust and favor."
Yuezhi could only hear the slightly fawning laughter of the noblewomen, but she couldn't see the greed and impatience on their faces.
Feeling a bit suffocated from being surrounded by people, she instructed Huachun, "I'm thirsty, go find a place to get me a cup of tea."
Hua Chun was about to get up when He Zhiyan pressed her back down. "I'll go. You guys stay here and don't move. Otherwise, if we get spotted and surrounded, we won't be able to escape."
Yuezhi agreed, so she nodded and called her over.
Only the two of them remained. Hua Chun muttered softly, "Princess, you really didn't need to come all this way. You've only made yourself suffer in order to please Young Madam Liang."
Yuezhi didn't take it seriously. "I am the Emperor's confidant, so it's not appropriate for me to keep avoiding people."
“But you are a princess personally appointed by the Emperor. Apart from the Emperor, you don’t need to care about anyone’s feelings. Besides, the Duke of Dingguo’s family is not a prestigious family. Your coming here would be demeaning to yourself and giving them face for nothing.”
Yuezhi frowned, patted the railing under the corridor beside her, and gestured for her to come over and sit for a while.
Hua Chun sat down and listened to what she had to say.
"It is precisely because the Emperor trusts me that I need to do more to help him network among the court officials. If it weren't for my poor eyesight, I would have already made the first move to get to know these powerful and influential families when I entered the capital."
"The Emperor treats me well because he is kind-hearted, but I cannot take his kindness for granted and become arrogant. I must share some of his burdens."
"Did you see any outstanding young ladies just now? Ah Heng doesn't have anyone he likes by his side. He rarely has time to leave the palace and doesn't want to go through the trouble of holding a selection of ladies. I'm thinking of choosing a few eligible noble ladies for him to see. If there are any he likes, that would be even better."
Hua Chun watched as she laughed easily and naturally, seemingly unconcerned about the excessive enthusiasm of the people at the table, and not feeling that they were being offensive. This made Hua Chun feel rather petty.
“The princess is truly kind and benevolent; even at a time like this, she is still thinking about choosing a suitable spouse for the emperor.”
She pouted strangely, keeping what she had seen in the past to herself, not daring to utter a single word about it in front of the princess.
The only suggestion was to subtly hint, "The Emperor's biological mother is still alive, and there are several concubines in the inner palace who are concerned about the Emperor's marriage. Princess, you don't need to worry about it."
Hearing the logic in her words, Yuezhi began to waver.
Hua Chun continued, “If you really choose, it’s one thing if the Emperor likes you, but if he doesn’t, not only will the Emperor complain about you, but even the noble ladies who are not chosen will harbor resentment. Why do something that pleases neither side?”
Yuezhi was dazed, then chuckled helplessly, "You're right, I always worry about this and that for him whenever I see him..."
But he was already the emperor, and she no longer needed to worry about him.
As the master and servant were talking, a rustling sound came from behind the corner of the corridor, followed by a thud as something was violently thrown to the ground.
"Is an ominous person worthy of attending the banquet? Your father has spoiled you too much. If you ask me, I should lock you up at home and send you to Qingzhou to get married as soon as possible, so that you won't be so restless and always have your eyes on other people's good sons."
Judging from the voice, it was a young girl.
Another woman's voice rang out, "Alright, alright, let's not hold a grudge at home. Dress up nicely for the banquet, why let her ruin our good mood? Let's go."
Several footsteps faded away, leaving only the suppressed yet unwilling breathing of the person leaning against the corner of the wall.
Cui Xianglan snorted angrily, "Pah, a pair of scoundrels! They can't stand a good family, so they're trying to prevent me from marrying well. When I finally get ahead, I'll make them taste the bitterness of retribution."
She reached up to straighten her disheveled hair, which had been pulled loose from the top of her head; even her only presentable hair accessory had been broken.
The mother and daughter were deliberately trying to disgust her, either making her look foolish at the banquet or sending her home in disgrace.
Cui Xianglan began to sob aggrievedly, but then she heard soft footsteps approaching slowly from the other side. She scrambled to her feet like a startled bird and saw the broken gold hairpin with pearls on the ground. Thinking that it could be repaired and worn again, she hurriedly picked up the hairpin and the small jade beads scattered on the ground.
Before they had finished picking up their things, the person had already walked up to them. Looking up, they saw a face that was breathtakingly beautiful.
Her skin was fair and translucent, her eyebrows and eyes were delicate, and her bright eyes were like autumn water, with an innocent and pure look. She was clearly a rich young lady who had been pampered and raised in luxury.
In contrast, Cui Xianglan was disheveled and helpless.
In front of them, she couldn't escape, nor could she offer a greeting; she could only lower her eyes and await their surprise and ridicule.
But then the person who came in asked, "Was someone bullying you just now? I heard you crying..."
In the Cui family, she was a young lady whom everyone could bully. Everyone knew that she was bullied by her stepmother and younger sister, even her father knew, but no one dared to mention it.
Caught off guard by someone pointing it out, a simple question felt like a belated expression of concern, and Cui Xianglan couldn't help but burst into tears.
Yuezhi panicked immediately and whispered to Huachun, "Did I say something wrong? Why is she crying even harder?"
Huachun: "Princess, this young lady's hair is disheveled and her hairpin is broken. She is probably ashamed to see anyone."
"I see." Yuezhi understood, took a carved silver hairpin from her hair, and asked Huachun to give it to her.
“I didn’t mean to make fun of you. I can’t see clearly and I don’t know you. I won’t tell anyone about this. I’ll give you this hairpin. Please fix your hair before you take your seat.”
After saying that, she took Huachun back, leaving Cui Xianglan alone, holding the silver hairpin, looking at her back with a puzzled expression.
As soon as the two returned to their original spot, He Zhiyan came over with a teacup.
"You drink first, I have something to tell you."
Yuezhi was confused. After drinking tea to quench her thirst, she heard He Zhiyan say nervously.
“When I came over just now, I saw a woman blocking Erlang’s way in front of the rockery, preventing him from leaving. How shameless! If I hadn’t been holding tea, I would have definitely gone over to argue with her. They should still be there now. Would you like to come with me to take a look?”
Yuezhi asked in confusion, "This place is far from the men's seating area and the reception area. Why would the Second Young Master come here?"
He Zhiyan cleared her throat and said, "I told him in advance so that you could meet, but when he arrived, before I could even invite you over, a woman came up to him."
In order to arrange for the two lovers to meet, she ran around doing everything she could and even bribed the servants in the Duke's mansion. Just when things were about to be settled, someone intercepted the plan halfway through. No matter how good-tempered He Zhiyan was, she couldn't let it go.
Together with Huachun, they helped Yuezhi to the foot of the artificial hill.
Upon arriving at the destination, they found neither Liang Zhang nor the woman.
Not far away, Duan Yunting grabbed Shen Xian by the back of her collar and dragged her away, ignoring her personal maid's attempts to stop him, and dumped her in an empty room.
"The marriage between the princess and the young master of the Liang family is arranged by the Emperor. Please do not have any ulterior motives, Princess. If you make the princess cry, you will not have a good time."
He crossed his arms and examined the stubborn woman, who had done something wrong but looked completely self-righteous, with amusement.
If he hadn't discovered it in time and taken Shen Xian away, who knows what kind of nonsense she would have said to Liang Zhang.
"It's you again! You're meddling in other people's business. I, the princess, will not let you get away with this!" Shen Xian said fiercely, showing no remorse.
Duan Yunting sneered, kicked up her skirt, grabbed the hem, and with a ripping sound, tore a large piece of cloth from the beautiful silk dress, quickly tying her up.
"You bad person, you're not allowed to bully my young lady!"
Little Sparrow barged in and was picked up by the young general like a chick, and tied up tightly like He Chenxian.
"You won't be able to enjoy the feast today." Duan Yunting clapped his hands and pointed to the edge of the bed. "You can use this to rub the cloth strips through. You two can rub them slowly. I'll take my leave now."
"Ugh!" The master and servant were bound hand and foot, and their mouths were gagged, so they could not speak out.
Duan Yunting went out, closed the door, dusted himself off, and left.
Above the artificial hill, a tall, slender figure in bamboo green watched General Duan leave. Only when no one else came out of the room did he turn away with peace of mind.
He was engaged to the princess, so how could he be alone with other women? Fortunately, General Duan came to his rescue; otherwise, his reputation would have been damaged, and the Liang family and the princess would have lost face as well.
Liang Zhang felt relieved, thinking that there were too many people in the garden today, and he probably wouldn't be able to meet the princess as his sister-in-law had arranged.
After taking a few steps, I caught a glimpse of a moon-white figure in the artificial hill out of the corner of my eye.
Looking back, the woman standing sideways in the wind had a smile on her face, her cheeks were flushed, and her lips, which were adorned with lipstick, opened and closed, her expression gentle and playful. The bright sunlight seemed to melt into her eyes, or flow down her slender, jade-like neck, making her as beautiful as a gardenia swaying in the wind.
He took a deep breath, feeling slightly uneasy.
That was his future wife; he had finally met her.
Liang Zhang stopped, wanting to take one more look from afar, but a woman with tears streaming down her face hurriedly ran past him from behind the corridor. As she passed by him, she glanced at him nervously.
He panicked and quickly averted his gaze from Princess Ning'an, pretending nothing had happened, and left the area.
*
In the afternoon, the grand banquet began.
Men and women sat separately, separated by a screen.
Due to the Duchess's warm hospitality, Yuezhi sat in the main seat, while the Duchess sat in the lower right seat. He Zhiyan, who accompanied Yuezhi, also received special honor and sat in the lower left seat.
With her mind preoccupied with the unfulfilled good deed of the day, He Zhiyan couldn't feel happy. She muttered to herself, "If it weren't for that person's interference, you and Erlang would have been able to meet. All my efforts have been in vain."
Yuezhi whispered back, "Don't think about it anymore. There are too many people here, and it's not good for anyone to hear... Try the salt and pepper pork, it's delicious."
Huachun served her food, and when she heard her mention salt and pepper pork, she put some into her spoon.
The Duchess was even more enthusiastic. Seeing that she was very interested in the dishes at the banquet, she personally served the dishes to her, saying, "These are dishes made in the kitchen of the manor. Princess, please try these meatballs wrapped in oil, crispy fried dough sticks with sugar, and stir-fried lotus root. These are dishes that you can't find outside."
As Su Jingyun said, her blood and energy have improved a lot, and her appetite has been quite good lately. She is in a great mood when she eats dishes she has never tried before.
The Duchess presented a bottle of fine wine: "This is plum wine brewed in my household. It's sweet and sour and delicious. Would the princess like to try some?"
Yuezhi still remembered Pei Heng's instructions not to drink alcohol.
Hearing that He Zhiyan was not in a good mood, he said, "I can't drink alcohol, so why don't I pour a glass for Madam Liang and ask her to try it for me?"
He Zhiyan tasted the wine and smiled with satisfaction, "It's quite flavorful, and it warms my heart after drinking it. It's truly a fine wine."
"Of course, it was made last autumn using two large baskets of plums. There are only two small jars left, and we used them to entertain guests. After we finish these, we'll have to wait until next year to taste this flavor again."
The Duchess smiled and sighed, which made Yuezhi's mouth water. She had just eaten quite a few dishes, and if she could drink a glass of sweet and sour plum wine to cleanse her palate, it would surely be a unique experience.
He said, "Since this is a rare and fine wine, please pour me a cup, so that I won't miss out on this wonderful drink and keep thinking about it."
A maid from the Duke's mansion poured her wine.
Yuezhi touched the wine glass, picked it up and took a small sip. The initial taste was sweet and sour plum flavor, followed by a slightly bitter wine aroma. Only after swallowing did a refreshing sweetness emerge. It was truly delicious.
Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she nodded repeatedly. The banquet began with drinking, laughing, and toasting, creating a lively atmosphere.
As dusk fell, Yuezhi, her face flushed from intoxication, was helped out of the garden by Huachun. She came to her senses in a daze, asking, "Where's Zhiyan?"
Huachun: "Young Madam has already been taken away by Young Master Liang. Princess, watch your step. You really are something, how can you drink sweet wine like water? You can't even walk steadily anymore."
Yuezhi felt dizzy, as if she could vaguely see the sky above her head dyed red by the sunset, the cool breeze blowing in the air, and the warmth in her heart.
No worries, only happiness—it's a wonderful feeling.
Yuezhi wasn't heavy, and even when drunk, she didn't make a fuss. She obediently let herself be helped to walk. As they walked out of the Duke's mansion, Huachun called out to the maids guarding the carriage outside to come and help, not noticing that Yuezhi had taken an extra step.
Seeing her stumble and fall forward in a daze, Huachun quickly reached out to catch her, only to see a blue sleeve extend from the side and embrace Yuezhi's swaying body from the chest.
Upon closer inspection, the tall and handsome man turned out to be none other than the Second Young Master Liang, whom they had not met earlier that day.
"Thank you for saving me, young master." Hua Chun was instinctively nervous because she had done a lot of underhanded things behind the scenes and gained the emperor's trust. She couldn't help but feel guilty in front of the second young master Liang.
She wanted to take the princess, but she saw him bend down and lift the princess by the knees, holding her drunken, limp body in his arms.
The guests from the Duke's mansion were escorted out one after another, all watching this scene with wide eyes; some laughed, some were surprised.
—The upright and well-mannered young master of the Liang family actually hugged Princess Ning'an in the street, which shows that the two were truly in love. Could it be that they had already fallen in love before the Emperor's marriage?
They were a perfect match, a match made in heaven.
—Isn't it improper for them to be so affectionate before the wedding? It's one thing if the princess is drunk and unaware, but the Second Young Master Liang is perfectly sober. Isn't he afraid that such behavior will ruin the Liang family's reputation?
Liang Zhang ignored what others were saying, and, holding the princess's petite and frail body, asked Hua Chun to lead him to the princess's carriage.
As he stepped down the stairs, the movement of his steps caused the person in his arms to tremble slightly. In her drunken haze, her hot face was pressed against his chest, almost melting his heart even through their clothes.
Yuezhi breathed out warm breath, the heat from the wine spreading from her stomach. Unable to bear it any longer, she stretched her arms out from her sleeves, feeling a little more comfortable as the cool autumn breeze blew over them. She let her arms hang down and naturally placed them on the man's shoulders.
"Hmm?" Who did she hug?
"Princess, please rest in peace. Your humble servant will escort you back to your residence."
The strange man's voice amplified in her mind. She couldn't recognize the voice, only thinking: This embrace felt so reassuring, this feeling so familiar, as if someone had held her like this sometime before...
The scent of wine emanating from her body masked the man's aura, and she felt only comfort in his broad arms; it was truly a wonderful place to sleep.
"Then... I'll trouble you, young master." She drifted off to sleep, her arms wrapped around the man's neck, sleeping peacefully.
Liang Zhang's heart tightened, filled with the sweet aroma of wine. He looked down at her flushed cheeks, slender neck, and the chest rising and falling gently with her breath.
The noble person, whom he could only admire from afar during the day, now leaned against him without any guard.
Liang Zhang looked up in a panic, his ears turning bright red.
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