Chapter 34 [34] Can anyone be more vicious than Sima Jing? ...
【34】/First release
Li Wanrong noticed that Yun Ran had the intention of making friends with two young ladies of similar age, and whispered it to the eldest daughter-in-law of the Lu family.
Most of the eldest daughters-in-law of each mansion were very good at dealing with people. The young lady of the Lu family immediately ordered people to set up tea, snacks and fruits in the flower pavilion not far away. She then said to Lu Jiuniang, "Jiuniang, didn't you just learn 'Xiaoxiang Shuiyun' a while ago? Why don't you play it for the princess to appreciate."
Today is an elegant banquet, and the talented ladies from various mansions are not shy about showing off their skills.
Hearing her sister-in-law say this, Lu Jiuniang understood what she meant and turned to Yun Ran: "If your Highness does not mind, then I will perform my humble service."
Yun Ran was more than happy to have a beautiful young lady willing to play the zither for him. However, he said, "I am a layman and don't know much about music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Madam Lu, please don't look down on me for being a cow chewing a peony."
Lu Jiuniang hurriedly said, "Your Highness, your words are truly humiliating to me. It's my vulgarity that makes me afraid of polluting your ears."
"Okay, stop being polite to each other."
Li Wanrong watched these fifteen or sixteen-year-old girls exchanging polite greetings and couldn't help but laugh. "It's rare to get along so well. Let's go sit down and chat in the flower pavilion."
Yun Ran felt a little embarrassed after being teased by his sister-in-law.
But if she had a choice, she wouldn't want to be so polite and courteous. After all, she was a princess and it was hard for her to make friends.
As they were talking, the maid from the Lu Mansion had already placed fragrant tea and cakes in the flower pavilion, lit incense, and brought out a guqin with purple tassels.
"This is the work of the famous luthier Lu Jiuxuan, named Yuewei."
Yao Yingying made tea for Yun Ran while explaining, "This zither was originally given to Grand Tutor Lu during the reign of the late Emperor. Two years ago, Grand Tutor Lu gave it to Jiu Niang as a coming-of-age gift."
"No wonder this piano looks so unusual."
Yun Ran smacked his lips. Seeing Yao Yingying standing beside him, he softened his expression and said to her, "Madam Yao, you don't have to be so reserved. Please sit down."
Yao Yingying then sat down: "Thank you, Princess."
While Lu Jiuniang was tuning the piano, Yun Ran and Yao Yingying started chatting.
"Why were you and Madam Lu hiding behind the pillars to watch me?"
After saying that, seeing Yao Yingying about to stand up again, Yun Ran held her hand and said, "Hey, I'm not a man-eating tiger. I'm just asking casually. You really don't have to be so restrained."
Perhaps it was the warmth of the soft hand resting on the back of her hand, and the friendly look in Princess Jing's eyes, that made Yao Yingying gradually relax.
She took her seat again, looking at Yun Ran shyly. "Don't be surprised, Princess. Ever since you were brought back to Chang'an by the wife of the Marquis of Changxin, everyone has been very curious about you. We originally thought we'd be able to see you at the banquet at your mansion. But soon after, we heard the news that you were being granted marriage to Prince Jing. Now... everyone is even more curious about you."
When Yun Ran heard this, he expressed his full understanding.
If it were her, she would also be curious about what the princess who married into Prince Jing's mansion alive looked like.
"Now that you've seen me, what do you think of me?"
Yun Ran winked slyly: "But is it what you imagined it to be?"
Yao Yingying is also a carefree and straightforward person. After chatting with Yun Ran for a few sentences, she has a little understanding of his temperament.
Well, just like the girl next door.
Yao Yingying said, "The princess is not only beautiful, but also very approachable. She is very different from what we thought before."
Yun Ran: "Then what did you think of me before?"
Yao Yingying hesitated for a moment, her voice lowered. "I used to think the princess must be a very powerful person... Princess, don't misunderstand me. It's not that you're not powerful now, I just thought you must be that kind of... well, a master with powerful magic and unfathomable depths."
Yun Ran chuckled, then looked at him with a knowing expression: "In your minds, am I the eight-foot-tall, furious-haired, powerful female warrior who can uproot weeping willows, holding a peach wood sword in her left hand and a demon-subduing pestle in her right?"
Yao Yingying smiled awkwardly.
Apart from the eight-foot height, everything else is pretty much the same.
After all, a woman who can subdue the "living devil" must be an extraordinary person.
Like the previous lady from the Cui family, and the ladies from the Wang family and Zhou family before them, weren’t their lives as fragile as paper, and they were killed by obstacles before they even got married?
But I didn't expect that the legendary Princess Jing would be so pretty and delicate.
In terms of height alone, she is two inches shorter than the lady from the Cui family mentioned earlier.
"It's true that three people can make a tiger. Rumors can hurt people. Princess, please don't take it to heart." Yao Yingying said.
"I won't take it personally."
Yun Ran shrugged. "To be honest, before I married into the palace, I also regarded my prince as a monster. But after I married him and got along with him, I realized that he was not as scary as people said."
Yao Yingying: "Really?"
Yun Ran: "Why would I lie to you? Look at me, do you think I'm scary or weird?"
Yao Yingying looked at the little princess who was one year younger than herself and shook her head: "No."
"That's it."
Yun Ran said, "If it weren't for the fact that my prince really doesn't like to go out, I would have dragged him out for a walk. That way, those rumors outside would be dispelled by themselves and a lot less spread."
When Yao Yingying heard her calling him "my prince" all the time in such an intimate and natural tone, she began to waver in her heart about the rumors outside.
At this time, Lu Jiuniang also tuned up the piano and began to play "Xiaoxiang Water Clouds".
Yun Ran and Yao Yingying stopped talking and listened to the piano quietly.
For a moment, the morning horns rang in the frosty sky, the aroma of tea wafted in the air, and the sound of the piano was faint.
Even though Yun Ran didn't understand music theory, he could still feel the infinite freshness from the weeping and plaintive music of the piano.
She sat at the table, looking at the elegant Ninth Lady of the Lu Family. She also saw that the women not far away had also fallen silent, listening to the music with an intoxicated look on their faces. She couldn't help but sigh inwardly -
It turns out that this is what a gathering of noble ladies looks like, with perfume and music, extremely elegant.
Although she was honored with the title of "Princess", she was not good at anything except playing the zither, chess, calligraphy, or painting...
Fortunately, because of her status, no one dared to ask her to show any talents or test her poetry, calligraphy and writing, otherwise she would have brought shame to Prince Jing's Mansion and Marquis Changxin's Mansion.
The song ended while I was daydreaming.
Praises immediately rang out from all around, and Yun Ran also smiled and praised: "You played this song so beautifully, it made my soul fly away."
Lu Jiuniang blushed, "You are too kind, Princess."
Yun Ran looked at her drooping eyebrows and said: "From this angle, you look more like my second sister-in-law. You are indeed sisters."
Mentioning her sister, Lu Jiuniang relaxed a lot, and said softly, "Everyone who has seen my sister and I says we look alike, except that my sister has a fairer complexion and a slimmer figure."
It is easy for two strangers to become familiar with each other as long as they have an acquaintance.
Yun Ran used his second sister-in-law as a medium and quickly started chatting with Lu Jiuniang and Yao Yingying.
As they chatted, she also learned that both Lu Jiuniang and Yao Yingying were older than her. Jiuniang was one and a half years older than her. She had been engaged last year to a man from the Wang family of Langya, and would marry into the family in July of next year.
Yao Yingying is one year older than her and is not engaged yet, but she is the only daughter in the family, so Lord Yao is not in a hurry and plans to slowly find a reliable man for her.
The conversation turned to the Yao family, and Yun Ran asked Yao Yingying, "Is your father coming to the banquet today?"
Yao Yingying said, "They are here, but the men are all in the outer courtyard."
Yun Ran rubbed his fingers holding the teacup twice: "Then can you take me to meet your father? I have something to ask him."
Yao Yingying was slightly startled, but quickly realized: "Princess, do you want to ask about His Royal Highness Prince Jing?"
Yun Ran hummed, "I heard that it was your father who brought him back from Rongdi."
"That's true, but..."
Yao Yingying hesitated for a moment and said, "To be honest, Princess, I once asked my father about his diplomatic mission out of curiosity, but every time he had a stern face and told me not to ask about things I shouldn't ask. He was really fierce..."
As the only daughter in the family, her father has always doted on her and obeyed her in everything.
But on this matter, my usually gentle father was exceptionally serious.
"But if the princess asks, maybe my father will relent?"
Yao Yingying thought that the princess was not an ordinary person. She was a first-rank imperial concubine and the first wife of Prince Jing. Even if her father was unwilling to say it, he would certainly not dare to be mean to the princess.
Yun Ran also thought of this -
But she is not afraid of being bullied.
No matter how vicious Lord Yao is, can he be more vicious than Sima Jing?
"Please Yingying, please introduce me to someone."
Yao Yingying was flattered by Yun Ran's polite request. After only two breaths of hesitation, she agreed: "It will take a while before we leave. If it's convenient for you, Princess, please come with me."
As she spoke, she looked at Lu Jiuniang again: "Jiuniang, this is your home, you are more familiar with it, please lead the way."
Not to mention that the princess's intention was irresistible, even considering their kinship, Lu Jiuniang had no choice but to agree.
Soon, the three young ladies stood up.
Yun Ran just said that he wanted to go out for a stroll in the garden of the Lu Mansion, so Zheng and Li Wanrong didn't ask any more questions.
The eldest lady of the Lu family instructed Lu Jiuniang: "Entertain the princess well."
Lu Jiuniang responded, "Don't worry, mother."
After the three of them left, Zheng sighed softly, "If Ranran hadn't gotten married so hastily, these three girls would have been such great playmates."
Li Wanrong said gently, "It's not too late to get to know each other now. Look, mother, don't you think they get along well?"
"That's what Wanniang said."
The eldest lady of the Lu family nodded and said, "I saw that Princess Jing looked radiant and energetic today, which shows that she is living well in the palace. Mother-in-law, you can rest assured."
Zheng thought about the appearance of her daughter these past few times, and how she had indeed been content and happy. Her fear that King Jing would be unlucky in marriage also largely disappeared.
Since there is no need to worry about their lives, as a mother-in-law, she naturally hopes that the young couple can get along harmoniously and live a stable life.
Therefore, she no longer said a bad word about King Jing. If she heard others spreading rumors about King Jing, she would refute them or roll her eyes.
Husband and wife are one, sharing honor and disgrace. Saying bad things about King Jing is like slapping her daughter Ranran in the face, and she won't allow it!
***
Under the arrangement of Lu Jiuniang and Yao Yingying, Yun Ran met Lord Yao Guangyao smoothly.
Because he was attending a banquet today, Yao Guang did not wear official uniform. He wore a dark blue casual suit and a fu hat, which was a very common attire for men in Chang'an.
Yao Guang looked to be about fifty years old, tall, with thick eyebrows, big eyes, and a short beard. He looked honest and steady, like a civil official with the body of a military commander.
Just now, when the maid suddenly sent a message saying that his daughter wanted to see him for something, he thought his daughter had encountered some difficulties, but he did not expect that he would be called to meet Princess Jing.
"Your humble servant greets the princess, may the princess live long and happily."
Yao Guang saluted with deep trepidation as he faced the princess, who was seated in the octagonal pavilion in the garden. "My daughter has been rude and unruly. If I have offended you, Your Highness, please forgive me."
Yun Ran called the middle-aged official in front of her to her feet, and then, with the calm demeanor expected of a princess, she spoke slowly, "Your daughter is well-educated, well-mannered, and warm-hearted. I get along very well with her. However, I do hope you will forgive me for taking the liberty of asking to see Lord Yao today."
Yao Guang bowed and said, "I dare not."
Yun Ran thought that the dinner would start soon, so he stopped being polite with him.
After temporarily dismissing Lu Jiuniang and the others, and when only she and Yao Guang were left in the pavilion, she said straight to the point, "I'm here to see you today, sir, to inquire about some past events of my prince."
"How was he during those years as a hostage in Rongdi? What was he like when you went to Rongdi to pick him up? And those snakes of his? I heard he brought them back from Rongdi all the way. I wonder why?"
Hearing her series of questions, Yao Guang frowned.
After a while, he raised his eyes and looked at the beautiful and graceful Princess Jing who was sitting on the seat above.
She was younger than her own daughter Yingying, but she married that guy by mistake...
For a moment I didn't know whether to express more emotion or sympathy.
After calming down a bit, Yao Guang said, "The princess and the prince are husband and wife. If the princess has any doubts, wouldn't it be more convenient to ask the prince directly?"
"If he had told me, I wouldn't have to ask you, sir."
Yun Ran gave a dry laugh and sighed, "Actually, I can guess that he must have had a hard time in Rongdi. But I don't know exactly what happened. If I ask him directly, I'm afraid it would expose his scars and make him feel uncomfortable. So, I can only come to you, sir, to ask indirectly and find out something."
"Master Yao, I have no ill intentions in asking these questions. It's just that now that I've married him and become his wife, I naturally want to know him better. This will allow us to get along better when we live under the same roof. If you can help me clear up my confusion, I'd be very grateful."
As she spoke, she stood up and bowed to Yao Guang.
Yao Guang hurriedly stepped back: "No, no, Princess, you are embarrassing me."
Yun Ran raised his eyes and looked at him: "Sir, answer my question, and I won't be embarrassed."
Yao Guang: “…”
For a moment, it seemed as if I saw my own Yingying acting like a rogue.
After a pause, Yao Guang said, "Since the princess has asked, I will tell you what I have seen and heard truthfully."
Six years passed in a flash, but Yao Guang still remembered the scene of his mission to Rongdi and bringing back King Jing, as if it were yesterday.
Today he formally repeated to Yun Ran how he had reported to the Queen Mother and His Majesty.
However, he did not mention the fact that King Jing was almost molested by the right general of Rongdi.
After all, this is not a glorious thing and it also damages the husband's dignity in front of his wife.
Even though this part was concealed, Yun Ran still frowned and felt heavy in her heart when she heard the rest of Yao Guang's description.
Or maybe she was thinking too simply.
She thought that being held hostage in an enemy country was probably like being a prisoner in a jail, with restricted movement, poor food and accommodation, and spending day after day in a cell filled with snakes, insects, rats and ants, suffering loneliness and torment.
He never imagined that those ruthless Rongdi people would imprison him in a snake den, beating and scolding him at every turn, and even feeding him raw meat with fur on it every day...
How did he manage to swallow all that stuff during his ten years as a hostage, over three thousand days and nights? And how did he survive in the cave surrounded by snakes?
Seeing the princess's heavy face and red eyes, Yao Guang couldn't help but sigh in his heart -
His Royal Highness Prince Jing can finally be said to have finally reaped the rewards of his hardships by meeting such a passionate and affectionate princess.
"Ever since His Highness returned to the capital, rumors about him have never ceased, some of which are even more absurd. I hope the princess can distinguish right from wrong. His Highness Prince Jing...is actually not as the rumors say."
After all, he was the one who brought the prince back personally. During the three months of living together on the way back, Yao Guang could see that Prince Jing had a good character.
Now that King Jing has met a princess who is willing to care for him and understand him, Yao Guang also hopes that the couple can live in harmony and happiness, and he couldn't help but say some good things about Sima Jing.
Yun Ran also came back to her senses from the heavy and painful experiences. Looking at the Minister of Rites in front of her, she forced a smile: "I know he is not a bad person."
In other words, a poor man who was demonized.
"Master Yao, I still have a doubt."
Yun Ran clenched his palms, took a deep breath, and then looked at Yao Guang calmly, "Logically, returning to his homeland and reuniting with his family should be a happy thing. Why is His Highness... so distant and cold from the Queen Mother and His Majesty? Could there be some connection between them?"
Hearing this, Yao Guang's eyes flashed quickly.
He lowered his head and raised his sleeves in a bow. "I only know that I am following orders to bring back King Jing. As for what I did not see or hear, I dare not speak rashly, and I am not aware of it."
Seeing this, Yun Ran frowned even more tightly.
I wanted to ask a few more questions, but Lu Jiuniang sent a maid over to remind me: "Princess, the ladies are waiting for you to start the meal."
Yao Guang took advantage of the opportunity and bowed to take his leave. "I have already told the princess everything I know. I know nothing else. If the princess has no other instructions, I will take my leave now."
Yun Ran had no choice but to let him go.
All the way back to the banquet, her mind was still recalling Yao Guang's account of the Rongdi experience -
She was a person with a very rich imagination. Even though Yao Guang tried to describe it as detached and concise as possible, she could still imagine the inhuman treatment Sima Jing received in Rongdi with just a few words.
No wonder he became so distant and indifferent...
After ten years of torture, it's a blessing that he didn't go crazy. Asking him to remain optimistic and cheerful is a bit too much to ask.
Anyway, if it were her, she would have fainted from shock on the first day she was thrown into the snake cave, not to mention the countless days and nights she would have stayed in the snake cave afterwards...
Just thinking about it gave her goose bumps on both arms.
By feeding time, the sky was getting dark and this winter banquet was about to end.
When they parted, Zheng held Yun Ran's hand and whispered, "Did something happen? You've been absent-minded since you came back from the garden."
Yun Ran didn't want to make her worry, so he smiled and said, "It's nothing. Maybe my period is coming. My chest is a little swollen and uncomfortable."
Zheng was surprised: "You have this problem too? Alas, I'm afraid you inherited it from me."
However, this symptom cannot be cured completely. She told Yun Ran to keep warm for the next few days and go back to cook some brown sugar eggs, which might help relieve the symptoms.
Yun Ran agreed and said goodbye to Zheng and Li Wanrong. She also asked them to bring a greeting to her third sister-in-law who was feeling cold and didn't want to go out.
After leaving Tutor Lu's residence, Yun Ran sat alone in the dim and quiet carriage, listening to the rumbling of the wheels, but his thoughts drifted to Sima Jing again.
Thinking back on everything that happened after she married into the palace, he treated her... actually quite well.
And she treated him... not badly.
Several times he used words to choke her or make her angry, but she forgave him.
Now that she knew he had a difficult past, she thought that if they had another argument in the future, she would try to be tolerant as much as possible.
Give him some space and it will be a blessing.
But she still couldn't understand Sima Jing's hostility towards the Empress Dowager and Emperor Wenxuan.
He was captured as a hostage by the Rongdi people and suffered a lot. What he should hate the most are the evil, cruel and brutal Rongdi people.
Just like when she was kidnapped and stranded in a foreign land, what she hated most were those beggars.
If I blame my parents and brother for the hardships I have experienced over the years, wouldn't that only make my relatives hate me and my enemies happy?
While I was daydreaming, a tempting fragrance suddenly hit my nose.
Yun Ran was preoccupied at the table and hadn't eaten much to begin with, but when he smelled the fragrance, his appetite was aroused.
"parking."
She lifted the curtain and looked outside, and saw that it was a shop selling roast chicken. The freshly roasted chickens were well-proportioned and shaped like ingots. They were roasted on fruit charcoal until they were golden and juicy, and the aroma was everywhere.
Just looking at the bright red and crispy appearance, Yun Ran couldn't help swallowing his saliva. Seeing that there was a sweet soup shop selling fermented rice balls and sesame paste next to the roast chicken shop, his appetite was even more whetted. He immediately called Qing Ling and said, "Buy two of each of the roast chicken, fermented rice balls, and sesame paste."
"Why did you buy so much?" Qingling was surprised.
"His Highness stays at home every day, so I'm afraid he's never eaten these street snacks. Today is a good time to bring him some to try."
Yun Ran looked at the darkening sky not far away and said, "Just treat it as dinner."
When Qingling heard that his wife was bringing it to the prince, he smiled secretly, and without asking any more questions, he hurried to buy it.
***
In the evening, dusk fell.
Sima Jing stood by the window of Shenliu Hall with his hands behind his back, gazing at the black cumulus clouds in the distance.
"Your Highness, it's getting late. Do you want to ask the kitchen to deliver dinner?" Chang Chun asked with a bow.
Sima Jing was silent for a long time, then said in a deep voice: "She hasn't returned home yet?"
Without being pointed out, Chang Chun also understood who the "she" his prince was talking about was.
In such a huge palace, the only human being that His Highness cares about is their restless princess.
"It's almost dark, the princess should be back soon."
Chang Chun lifted his eyelids and glanced forward, choosing his words carefully: "Your Highness, do you wish to wait for the princess to have dinner together? Then I will wait at the front door and invite you over as soon as the princess returns home."
Sima Jing lowered his eyes. She had just recovered from her illness and had left early this morning. She would definitely have a great time and chat with her family at the banquet...
I'm afraid I must be very tired by now.
"No need."
He said calmly, "I'm afraid it's going to snow again tonight. Go and tell the servants in Zhanlu Hall to be more alert during the night and not let her catch a cold again."
It's amazing that His Highness is so considerate.
Chang Chun was secretly surprised, but he just replied politely, "Yes, I'll go right away."
The room returned to silence, and Sima Jing looked out the window again.
The sky was dark and silent, which was the most common appearance of Shenliu Hall in the past six years.
He looked away and raised his hand to close the window.
At the moment when the two carved window lattices were closed, a bright and spring-like light yellow figure broke in from the afterglow of the night.
"Your Highness, I'm back!"
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