Chapter 16 "With me here, I will always be with you..."
The early summer sun shone on the plaque above the gate of the Princess's Mansion, and the brocade curtains around the polo field inside the mansion swayed gently in the breeze.
Palace maids carried golden bowls and served chilled grape wine to the table.
With a notification, Ling Zhenli, supported by Pei Xuanlin, slowly stepped down from the carriage.
She was dressed in a wisteria-colored gown, with a headdress adorned with moth-shaped flowers and a hairpin inlaid with turquoise. The pearl necklace she wore had a dazzling sheen, and her makeup was exquisite, clearly the result of careful preparation. Today was her first time attending a noble banquet as the Crown Princess, and she had to be grand and dazzling.
After entering the banquet, Ling Zhenli looked around curiously, as she had never seen such a grand occasion before.
As she looked around, she became attracted to Princess Pei Shang'er of Jin'an, who was sitting on the other side.
Her exquisite figure was wrapped in silk and satin, and her beautiful face was adorned with gold hairpins and floral ornaments.
She was chatting and laughing with Yang Chengxiu, who had recently been granted the title of Prince of Huainan. She raised her cup to drink with him, and when she felt Ling Zhenli's gaze, she raised her eyebrows at her and smiled.
The noble ladies who came to admire and chat covered their mouths with round fans, their eyes constantly glancing at Ling Zhenli.
"The eldest daughter of the Prime Minister's family truly lives up to her reputation."
"Someone's title of the most beautiful woman in the world is probably not going to be kept."
"Princess Jin'an doesn't seem to have bowed to the Crown Princess..."
"She doesn't even think much of the Crown Prince, let alone the Crown Princess."
These words reached Ling Zhenli's ears faintly, but she seemed not to hear them.
Pei Xuanlin was right next to her at that moment, and he heard these gossips, but he didn't say anything.
"The Crown Princess has arrived."
At this moment, a clear and polite voice came from behind. Ling Zhenli turned around and saw that it was Princess Pei Shen'ai of Wuyang, who was walking towards her.
With a jade-like face and crimson lips, her phoenix eyes held a hint of power, and every frown and smile concealed a calculating mind.
This is Pei Shen'ai, the mastermind behind the murder of her entire family.
Ling Zhenli wanted to remember her face, and dared not look at it day or night.
Seeing Pei Shen'ai approach, Ling Zhenli concealed her disgust and forced a polite smile at her.
Pei Shen'ai grasped Ling Zhenli's hand with her jade-armored hand and turned to introduce Xiao Yuzhen to her, "This is my daughter, Princess Yongtai. She met you at the Prime Minister's residence before."
"Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince and Your Highness the Crown Princess."
Xiao Yuzhen smiled happily at Ling Zhenli, and seemed to like her very much.
Pei Xuanlin nodded and smiled. Ling Zhenli looked at Xiao Yuzhen, who was bowing to her, and felt a strange change in her heart.
The last time they met, she and Xiao Yuzhen were separated by the distinction between ruler and subject. This time, the distinction remains the same, except that she has ascended to the throne.
Pei Shen'ai's ambition was written all over her face, while her daughter Xiao Yuzhen looked innocent.
"My sister is still as lovely as ever."
Ling Zhenli offered a token compliment.
She couldn't bring herself to genuinely praise the daughter of her enemy, especially since the girl's brother harbored deep hatred for her.
As they were exchanging pleasantries, the clear sound of horse bells suddenly came from the sidelines.
Xie Daojian rode in on a pure white steed from the Western Regions, his indigo riding attire making him appear as tall and straight as a bamboo shoot.
After dismounting, the servant led his horse back to the stable, while Xie Daojian headed this way.
Upon seeing Xie Daojian, Ling Zhenli's mood improved involuntarily, her heart beat faster, and even her breathing became uneven.
Xie Daojian was her first love, and he would always hold a place in her heart. She missed him terribly, and she didn't want to pay any attention to Pei Shen'ai and Xiao Yuzhen.
Pei Xuanlin noticed her subtle change and followed her gaze, spotting Xie Daojian.
Xie Daojian was skilled in both literature and martial arts. As the only son of a general, his career was going smoothly, and many noble ladies in the capital hoped to marry him.
Of course, the main reason is his handsome appearance.
Pei Xuanlin was slightly impatient. Was Xie Daojian really that good-looking? Could he be even better looking than him? Why was Xue Yingyue staring at him so intently?
Upon seeing Xie Daojian, Xiao Yuzhen immediately lifted her skirt and ran towards him. The golden hairpin that swayed as Xiao Yuzhen ran seemed to transform into a poisonous needle, piercing Ling Zhenli's heart.
Her gaze darkened and became melancholic.
"Cousin," Xiao Yuzhen's voice was sickeningly sweet, "could you teach me to ride a horse today? Mother finally agreed to let me ride a horse today."
Seeing this, Ling Zhenli was extremely displeased and unconsciously clenched the fan in her hand until her knuckles turned white.
Just then, a glass of grape wine was handed to her. Ling Zhenli was too angry to look away, and before she knew it, she turned around and bumped into the maid carrying the drink, getting the wine spilled all over her.
The maidservant immediately knelt down in terror: "This servant deserves to die. I have disturbed the Crown Princess. Please forgive me, Crown Princess!"
It wasn't anything serious. Ling Zhenli waved for her to get up and leave, then excused herself and had a maid take her to change.
Pei Xuanlin noticed that she was in a bad mood, and his gaze towards her became deep.
*
On the way, Tang Qiu reminded Ling Zhenli that Xue Haoting was also attending the banquet today.
Ling Zhenli, who was already irritable, became even more annoyed. After changing her clothes, she told the maids to leave first, as she wanted to walk around alone.
As I walked, I came to the rockery in the backyard. I thought it was a secluded place, a place where I could relax and not be disturbed.
As I walked, without noticing, I was pulled deep into the bamboo forest by a force.
She instinctively thought that there was an assassin or Princess Wuyang trying to harm her. Just as she was about to call for help, she looked up and saw Xie Daojian.
So Ling Zhenli didn't make a sound and followed his steps.
Xie Daojian's palms were sweaty, and his grip made her wrists ache.
They stopped at a pavilion, and Ling Zhenli hurriedly brushed the bamboo leaves off his sleeves: "Are you crazy? Why did you follow me here? What if someone sees us..."
"Don't worry, I've sent everyone away."
Xie Daojian smiled, took her hand, and was about to be affectionate with her when he suddenly remembered his business.
"Back then, your father caught the Prime Minister embezzling military funds. Since the military funds disappeared in the territory under your father's jurisdiction, your father investigated the matter and took the blame for the Prime Minister."
Ling Zhenli stared blankly after hearing this.
Just as she expected, the prime minister had lied to her.
The Prime Minister was also one of the murderers who ruined her family. He not only caused her family to be destroyed, but also took advantage of her because she looked like Xue Run, squeezing every last drop of value out of the Ling family.
Xie Daojian's voice was filled with suppressed resentment, "By the time your father realized something was wrong, it was too late. Princess Wuyang and Prime Minister Xue had been enemies for many years. The clues they had finally found were then framed by the Prime Minister for someone else. Naturally, the princess wanted to kill someone to vent her anger..."
Ling Zhenli staggered backward, her back hitting a cold pavilion pillar.
She suddenly remembered the day her father died. The sky was so dark, and it was raining incessantly. There was also Xiao Chongheng, who had personally killed her father and cut off his head, yet he still approached her, tormenting her mind, and ultimately causing the death of her unborn daughter, almost killing her as well...
If she had been any more delicate or less resilient, and had given up on herself after Xiao Chongheng's wedding, she would be nothing but a skeleton by now.
"It's all their fault...they ruined me, turning me into that inhuman, ghostly mess..."
Her voice trembled out of tune.
Xie Daojian stepped forward and quickly caught her. "Ali, you must pull yourself together and not let hatred blind you."
Ling Zhenli broke down emotionally, grabbed Xie Daojian's shirt tightly, buried her face in his chest, and cried bitterly.
All the underhanded tricks learned at Zuixianlou, the dignified demeanor cultivated under mistreatment and disdain at the Prime Minister's residence, and the cautious performance in front of Crown Prince Pei Xuanlin at the Eastern Palace, all crumbled at this moment.
She cried so hard, as if she wanted to cry out all the grievances she had accumulated over the past year, and her tears quickly soaked through Xie Daojian's clothes.
Xie Daojian patted her back gently, his technique clumsy, like comforting a frightened kitten: "I'm here. I'll always be with you and will never leave you again, so you'll never have to worry about me."
Ling Zhenli slowly raised her head, her eyes sharp beneath her damp eyelashes: "Even if the truth is found, the dead cannot be brought back to life..."
Only revenge.
Only by making them pay for their crimes in blood can we achieve our goal.
Xie Daojian was taken aback by what she said, but she couldn't refute it; she was right.
"Yes, Ahri, making a good life from now on is the most important thing. You need to ensure your safety first."
No sooner had Xie Daojian finished speaking than footsteps came from outside the bamboo forest.
"Someone's coming! You'd better hide!" Ling Zhenli panicked when she heard footsteps.
This place is not safe to stay in for long. Xie Daojian knew that he could not let anyone discover that he had any relationship with the Crown Princess. He had to find a place to hide as soon as possible.
Before leaving, Xie Daojian hurriedly left a message: "Ali, you must take care. You can contact me anytime you want to see me."
After saying that, he disappeared behind the artificial hill.
Just as Ling Zhenli tidied her messy hair, Pei Xuanlin pushed aside the bamboo branches and walked over.
Upon seeing that the person who came was Pei Xuanlin, Ling Zhenli felt a strange sense of peace amidst her panic.
He was wearing a filigree gold crown today, which was dazzling in the sunlight.
"What are you doing here? I've been looking for you everywhere."
As he drew closer, Pei Xuanlin saw the tear tracks on Ling Zhenli's face. He reached out and touched her cheek, his thumb rubbing away the undried tears. His expression was angry, but it was clear he was worried. "What happened? Why are you crying? Who upset you?"
Ling Zhenli, quick-witted, came up with a plan and then began to sob without any flaws: "When I heard that my brother had come, I remembered that before I got married, I was beaten and scolded in the Prime Minister's mansion if my etiquette was not up to standard. My father didn't like me, and my brother always bullied me..."
Pei Xuanlin's eyes darkened, and he gently pulled her into his arms to comfort her.
"Aren't the Prime Minister and the Minister of Ceremonies good to you?" he asked.
In the past, Pei Xuanlin always addressed Xue Wenmian as "father-in-law" and Xue Haoting as "brother-in-law" in front of her...
"Yeah, I'll get punished if I don't do well, and I'm scared."
Ling Zhenli continued to pretend, nestled in his arms.
"Don't be sad. From now on, you can do whatever you want. You don't have to care about those rules and etiquette if you don't want to... My Ahri has suffered."
Listening to his beloved wife in his arms, her voice soft and tender as she recounted her grievances, Pei Xuanlin felt as if his heart was being torn apart.
In the past, he was angry that he didn't care who his wife married, as long as she could become the crown princess. Now, he only blames himself for not protecting her well, which caused her to be pushed around with the rise and fall of the dynasty.
Ling Zhenli pressed her face against his chest, hearing the rapid heartbeat in her ear.
She felt an urge to laugh for no reason, but only managed a bitter laugh inside.
Pei Xuanlin, you actually believe such a clumsy lie?
He was truly heartbroken.
Taking this opportunity, she needed to find out how Pei Xuanlin knew she was here, and whether he had seen her being dragged in by Xie Daojian.
"How did you know I was here?" Ling Zhenli snuggled against him and asked coquettishly.
Pei Xuanlin explained, "Your maid is outside this courtyard, and there's no one inside. You must be in this bamboo grove. The bamboo grove isn't big; we'll find you if we look around a bit."
He had heard from his subordinates that Pei Shang'er was having a secret rendezvous with Yang Chengxiu in a side hall. He needed to bring the Crown Princess along to catch them in the act so as not to seem too obvious, so he came to look for them.
So Pei Xuanlin didn't mention why he came here, but instead comforted her by gently patting her back.
Hearing the answer, Ling Zhenli felt relieved for the moment and leaned against him with peace of mind: "My makeup is ruined by crying."
"You are beautiful as you are."
Ling Zhenli was not satisfied with his answer. She lifted her head from his embrace and stared at him with her big, watery eyes.
"Alright, alright, let's redo the makeup." Pei Xuanlin sighed with a smile.
Xie Daojian, hiding behind the artificial hill, saw that Pei Xuanlin treated Ling Zhenli quite well, and although he felt jealous, he was relieved.
As long as she's doing well, that's all that matters.
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