Chapter 26 "You always go along with me, you're the best in the world..."
During dinner, Pei Xuanlin took Ling Zhenli to the Linde Hall in the palace to dine with the emperor and empress. Just then, General Chen Rao brought Madam Xie and Xie Daojian to the palace to pay their respects to the empress, so the empress simply invited them to stay and have dinner with her.
From the moment she took her seat, Pei Shang'er's eyes were fixed on Ling Zhenli, but her gaze wasn't offensive; it just made Ling Zhenli uncomfortable.
The coincidence was that Ling Zhenli was in a bad mood today and didn't want Pei Shang'er to keep staring at her.
"Is there something on my face? Why is Your Highness staring at me like that?"
Pei Shang'er thought the Crown Princess was dissatisfied but dared not say it openly, but she did not expect her to suddenly make trouble, which caught her off guard.
"Ah... I just thought the Crown Princess was very beautiful and couldn't help but take a few more glances. I didn't expect to offend the Crown Princess."
After Pei Shang'er finished speaking pitifully, she looked at the Empress on the throne and instantly transformed into a child seeking her mother's protection, her eyes losing their initial arrogance.
Pei Shang'er's two-faced nature, especially her malicious attitude towards Ling Zhenli, caught Xie Daojian's attention, causing him to frown.
Seeing this, Chen Xiang naturally tried to excuse her daughter: "Shang'er is just a child and was impolite for a moment. Your Highness, please don't blame her."
Since the Empress had spoken, what more could Ling Zhenli, the Crown Princess, say? She could only agree.
Ling Zhenli softened her stance, but Pei Xuanlin disagreed with the Empress's words. He chuckled and said directly to Pei Chang'er, "Sister Jin'an is about to become a mother, how can you still act so recklessly like a child?"
Hearing this, Pei Chang'er was furious and retorted with a cold laugh: "Yes, I'm about to become a mother, why haven't my brother the Crown Prince and sister-in-law the Crown Princess made any progress yet? Could it be that they're not getting along?"
These words reignited Ling Zhenli's anger, which she had barely managed to suppress. Just as she was about to retort, Pei Xuanlin stopped her.
Pei Xuanlin thought he couldn't let the Crown Princess continue to offend Pei Shang'er, lest she suffer retaliation. He wanted to speak up for her and teach Pei Shang'er a lesson, but Xie Daojian couldn't stand it and spoke up for Pei Shang'er first.
"Jin'an, as a princess, how dare you criticize the Crown Prince and Crown Princess? You should apologize to the Crown Princess immediately."
After Xie Daojian finished criticizing her, Pei Chang'er still looked unwilling. Pei Xuanlin didn't tolerate Pei Chang'er's bad temper anymore. Anyway, Yang Chengxiu wasn't around, and Pei Chang'er couldn't understand.
The next second, Pei Xuanlin personally mocked Pei Chang'er: "My love for the Crown Princess is genuine, and the matter of the imperial heir will naturally fall into place. Unlike you, Sister Jin'an, who is eager for quick success. If it weren't for the fact that the Prince Consort is concerned about your young age, Emperor Shizong would probably be able to see his great-grandson by now."
"you!"
When did Pei Xuanlin dare to speak to her like that, especially in front of her father and mother? Pei Chang'er was so angry that her face turned pale. She was also terrified that her father and mother would find out that she had slept with Yang Chengxiu and would no longer dote on her as before.
Pei Lian and Chen Xiang, who were seated at the table, had also heard about this matter. Most of the time, they turned a blind eye. Pei Lian was kind-hearted and would just shake his head and sigh when he heard the two children arguing.
"Zhen'er, Le'er, it's not easy for the whole family to get together, so you two should stop arguing. Aren't you afraid of making your uncle's family laugh at you?"
Chen Rao, who had been observing the situation closely, had no choice but to stand up and offer a toast: "Your Majesty, how dare I laugh at His Highness the Crown Prince and Princess Jin'an? Besides, it's just a child's quarrel. They're back to being as good as ever after they've had their little tiff."
Madam Xie and Xie Lingrong rose together to offer a toast. Her eyes swept over Ling Zhenli, and she smiled slightly at her without saying a word.
Xie Lingrong was not yet forty. She was well-maintained, with fair skin and a plump figure. Today, she wore a green outfit and had her hair styled in a high spiral bun, making her look exceptionally elegant. Her eyes and brows conveyed both authority and kindness, and she had a hint of a smile even before she spoke.
Ling Zhenli thought that Madam Xie had probably already heard Xie Daojian mention her, otherwise she would have been greatly surprised to see her today.
After the banquet, Pei Xuanlin went to the Taiji Hall with Pei Lian, saying that he had important matters to discuss and asked Ling Zhenli to stay in the Liangyi Hall to talk with the Empress and Madam Xie for a while.
Xie Lingrong's eyes revealed affection as he took Ling Zhenli's hand and spoke to her, saying, "I have long heard of the Crown Princess's beauty and talent, and now I find you even more intelligent and quick-witted. To be honest, I felt an instant connection with you the moment I saw you."
How could it not be heartwarming? If she hadn't brought Xie Daojian with her when she married into the capital to become a general's wife, or if the Ling family hadn't been convicted, Ling Zhenli would be her daughter-in-law now.
"Madam Xie, I dare not accept such praise. The rumors about me are nothing but my father's glory. I am not truly a woman of both beauty and talent."
"Your Highness is too modest."
Xie Lingrong clearly liked the Crown Princess. Chen Xiang knew that she and the Emperor were loved and supported in the court partly because the Emperor was kind-hearted, and partly because she, as the Empress, had a great general brother who had made great military achievements protecting her.
Her brother, the general, doted on his sister-in-law the most. Since his sister-in-law liked the Crown Princess, even if the Crown Princess and her daughter, Pei Shang'er, didn't get along, she still had to cater to her preferences and take care of the Crown Princess.
"Yes, I've been telling His Majesty that the Crown Princess is sensible and charming, truly worthy of being from a prestigious family," Chen Xiang said with a smile.
"The Crown Prince is truly blessed to have married such a wonderful woman as the Crown Princess... but my son will never be able to marry one..." Xie Lingrong said with a hint of sadness.
Xie Daojian was so distraught during the days leading up to the Crown Prince's wedding that he fell seriously ill and couldn't attend the ceremony. His mother, seeing this, was heartbroken. After pressing him for answers, she learned that the Crown Princess was actually the daughter of the Ling family whom Xie Daojian had been so determined to marry, and that she had come in his place as a substitute bride.
I just don't know what kind of crazy idea the Prime Minister is up to, that he would dare to do that.
Chen Xiang said gently, "Sister-in-law, there's no need to worry. There are plenty of good girls in the capital. There's bound to be one that will catch Yu'er's eye."
During the conversation, a palace maid came to announce that Princess Jin'an wanted the Empress to accompany her. Chen Xiang knew that Pei Shang'er was unhappy at the banquet, so she didn't care about anything else and hurried to coax her, leaving Ling Zhenli and Xie Lingrong to rest in the Liangyi Hall.
"Ah Li, let me see you, my good child." Xie Lingrong was overjoyed to see that Ling Zhenli was safe and sound.
Ling Zhenli was also thrilled to meet an old friend in a foreign land: "Auntie, I never thought we would meet again."
Xie Lingrong smiled, then said earnestly, "It's good that we've reunited. I've heard about what happened to you from Yu'er, but Ali, don't you find it strange? The more I think about it, the more uneasy I feel, and the more chills I get. How could the real Xue Run just die like that? There were so many people in the Xue family who couldn't marry in her place, so why did they choose you...? Perhaps Prime Minister Xue wants to use your hatred to manipulate the royal family, so that you can overthrow Wuyang and become Empress. Then, without checks and balances, and as a member of the imperial family, he'll have absolute power..."
"I don't understand Xue Xiang's thoughts either. Now that things have come to this, some things are beyond my control, and I can only be pushed along."
Ling Zhenli felt a deep sense of powerlessness. Her false identity made her anxious, and she had to struggle to cover up her embarrassing past. It was exhausting.
"Alas, now that things have come to this, you must take good care of yourself and not be careless. Whether Prime Minister Xue is well-intentioned or has ulterior motives, you must live well."
"Thank you, Auntie."
Ling Zhenli was somewhat saddened. Of all the women, why was she chosen to be the Crown Princess in her place? Was it simply because she was a daughter of the Ling family and harbored a heart of revenge?
She became increasingly unpredictable...
*
"Oh dear, Chang'er, what happened to you? Did you fall?"
As soon as Chen Xiang entered the room, he saw Pei Shang'er leaning against the table and lying on the ground. He hurriedly went over to help her up, held her in his arms, and looked up to criticize the palace maids for not taking good care of her.
"Mother, don't blame them. I just felt dizzy and fell down." Pei Chang'er pretended to rub her forehead, as if she was about to faint at any moment.
"Why are you suddenly feeling dizzy? Should we summon the imperial physician to take a look at you? What are you all standing there for? Hurry up and go call the imperial physician!"
If the imperial physician arrives, wouldn't he immediately see through her feigned illness? That would be terrible!
Pei Shang'er quickly grabbed Chen Xiang's sleeve: "It's alright, Mother. I was just upset by the Crown Prince today and cried until I felt dizzy."
"What did you say? Chang'er, why are you crying? Your father and mother will take care of everything for you. Don't be afraid, my good child."
Chen Xiang felt even more sorry for her precious daughter. Pei Chang'er was so thin and weak. She had been bullied in the palace before. Now that she and Pei Lian had regained the throne, she could not let Pei Chang'er suffer even the slightest grievance again.
"Mother...you must avenge your daughter..." Pei Chang'er cried as she spoke.
"Alright, alright, don't cry, don't cry. Your mother will go and talk to your father in a little while!"
Pei Shang'er was secretly delighted, but her face still showed signs of crying.
That's how the world is; the squeaky wheel gets the grease.
***
The Prime Minister's residence is not peaceful tonight.
The real Xue Yingyue was moved and softened after talking with Yang Chengxiu. She took the initiative to contact the people sent by the Prime Minister's Mansion to find her, hoping to meet the Prime Minister and his wife and her brother in a place in Jiangnan.
The Prime Minister and his wife were both happy and worried upon learning of Xue Yingyue's whereabouts.
Xue Wenmian believed that Xue Yingyue had abandoned her family at a crucial moment and eloped with a stranger, which was a disgrace to her reputation. Therefore, he was unwilling to see this daughter and even refused to acknowledge her as his daughter again.
Cui Yuerong was soft-hearted. After all, Xue Yingyue was her own daughter. She felt sorry for her, wandering alone and helpless. She was determined to go and see her.
Cui Yuerong sat in the armchair with a worried expression, while Xue Wenmian paced restlessly in the room.
"Alright, alright! Stop walking, it's so annoying, you're making my head spin!" Cui Yuerong said irritably to Xue Wenmian.
"You...I...sigh!" Xue Wenmian was annoyed and plopped down on the stool next to him, holding his forehead.
Cui Yuerong took a sip of hot tea to calm herself down: "Since the people we sent out saw our daughter, it means she might still be able to come back."
Upon hearing this, Xue Wenmian became even angrier: "What do you mean 'go back'? My daughter is Xue Run, and her current name is Xue Qing!"
"What? What's wrong with calling her Xue Qing? Does that mean she's not your daughter? You're a damn fool! If you hadn't pushed your daughter so hard, would she have run away?!" Cui Yuerong was furious and pointed at Xue Wenmian, cursing him.
Xue Wenmian, not to be outdone, glared back, and after a while, spoke again:
“I have already sent someone to give her one hundred taels of gold, enough for her to live on for a while.”
Cui Yuerong immediately retorted, "What good is a hundred taels? It's not even enough for a set of jewelry! My daughter has to worry about money! It's all because of you!"
“If we give her too much, she can’t take it all!” Xue Wenmian felt that Cui Yuerong was being unreasonable.
Overwhelmed with longing for her daughter, Cui Yuerong disregarded everything else: "I'll set off right now to bring her back."
"Bring her back? She already has a Crown Princess. How are we supposed to explain this to the Crown Prince, the Emperor, and the Empress?" Xue Wenmian said, dissatisfied.
Cui Yuerong was furious and glared at him fiercely.
"Why not just keep this a secret? The child said she'd kill herself if she became the Crown Princess. Do you still want her to be the Crown Princess? Just let her stay at her uncle's house obediently. After a while, bring her back to the manor and say she's an adopted daughter. You damned bastard, do you want your daughter to keep wandering outside? I don't even know if she'll have enough to eat or wear, or if she'll have a place to live. What if she gets pregnant with that man's child... Fine, I'm going to bring her back no matter what."
"Adopted daughter? You make it sound so easy. What if the Crown Princess comes back to the manor and sees her? How are you going to introduce her to someone who suddenly has an older sister? Oh, I almost forgot. What about that man?" Xue Wenmian frowned.
Cui Yuerong thought it was no big deal and said indifferently, "What else can we do? If Run'er likes it, let her raise it. Is she short of money for food? What's wrong with the Crown Princess having another sister? It doesn't bother her. We can still be sisters."
Xue Wenmian disagreed: "Run'er is so willful and reckless, and you still indulge her and bring her back to the mansion, and even keep a man? I'm not going to see her anyway, and from now on I'll pretend I don't have a daughter like her."
"Fine, fine, I'll love my own daughter. Ling Tang is Xue Run now, she's your daughter. You can wait for her to go and pay respects to you with the Crown Prince. You senile, heartless dog, if you don't want to see my daughter, fine, I'll take my son with me."
Cui Yuerong was too lazy to waste words with her husband. She packed her luggage and prepared the carriage to head to Jiangnan overnight.
After Xue Yingyue defected, she changed her name to Xue Qing, with the courtesy name Xianzhu. Cui Yuerong had been thinking since she got on the carriage that she should just say that she had taken in an adopted daughter in Jiangnan. At worst, she could switch places with Ling Zhenli and Xue Yingyue. Ling Zhenli would become her nominal biological daughter, Xue Run, while her biological daughter, Xue Yingyue, would become her adopted daughter and change her name to Xue Qing.
She was afraid that Ling Zhenli would become suspicious, after all, she hadn't treated Ling Zhenli well in the past.
Cui Yuerong thought about it carefully and felt very regretful. Ling Zhenli had fallen into prostitution because of her husband, Xue Wenmian.
At the time, she was only focused on being angry that Ling Zhenli wanted to live a better life for her own daughter, forgetting that Ling Zhenli was just a sixteen-year-old orphan with no parents, and was being forced and humiliated by her own son.
She also forgot that becoming the Crown Princess was not what her daughter wanted to be.
Sitting opposite Cui Yuerong, Xue Haoting looked at his mother's worried face and couldn't help but ask softly:
"Mother, aren't you happy to see my sister?"
"You're happy, but I haven't seen you smile." Cui Yuerong was very annoyed and also had a bad temper with her son.
Xue Haoting was speechless for a moment. In the past, he mistook familial affection for romantic love, thinking that he had committed the heinous crime of liking his own sister. Fortunately, he met Ling Zhenli and realized that the love of family and the possession of romantic love are two completely different things.
Unfortunately, he personally pushed her into the Eastern Palace, making any possibility between them impossible.
"Your sister is Crown Princess Xue Run, and we're going to see Xue Qing now. Remember that?" Cui Yuerong glared at Xue Haoting and reminded him.
Xue Haoting nodded.
"You don't need to pretend to be honest in front of me. If the Crown Prince finds out what you did to the Crown Princess and Run'er, he wouldn't be able to cut off ten heads. It's my fault for not disciplining you because I didn't like her back then. But luckily, Run'er doesn't hold it against you. When we get back, I'll call her back to the Prime Minister's residence. You apologize to her, do you hear me?"
"……knew."
Xue Haoting felt a little uncomfortable. He had a strange possessiveness towards Ling Zhenli, but he couldn't bring himself to coax or pamper her.
Unfortunately, she is now Xue Yingyue. Before, her parents knew perfectly well that Ling Zhenli had no blood relation with him and looked down on her for being a courtesan, so they let him bully Ling Zhenli and did nothing. But her mother just insisted that she was Xue Yingyue...
Since that's what they've said, then it won't change from now on, and Mother will even truly love Ling Zhenli like her own daughter.
Then there's really no possibility for him and Ling Zhenli anymore.
Sigh, what am I thinking about?
Ling Zhenli was forced by him from the very beginning. Every time he did something with Ling Zhenli, she felt no joy whatsoever. All she did was endure and cry.
Xue Haoting felt increasingly troubled, unsure how to salvage his image in Ling Zhenli's heart.
***
In the imperial study, Pei Xuanlin explained to the emperor that he and Crown Princess Xue Yingyue had witnessed the princess's guards oppressing the people during the day, and that the Crown Princess had been frightened as a result.
"Was the Crown Princess frightened? Alas, Chang'er is too unruly, but her pregnancy is unstable, and she shouldn't be upset. You can see how thin she has become. Emperor Shizong didn't give her any food for years; she could only eat spoiled rice and drink swill... The Imperial Son-in-Law is already on his way back. I asked him to talk to Chang'er, but she only listens to him. If anyone is to blame, it's me and the Empress for not being good parents; we couldn't even protect our daughter..."
Pei Lian spoke, then felt sorry for his daughter.
Seeing this, Pei Xuanlin could no longer impeach Pei Shang'er, as it was a fact that she had experienced extreme hardship in the past.
"You still need to appease the Crown Princess. Zhen'er, please understand me. I really can't bear to punish Jin An. Once you and the Crown Princess have a child, you'll understand my predicament."
"Your subject understands. Your subject will comfort the Crown Princess properly when he returns tonight."
"Speaking of the Crown Princess... I've heard that you dote on her, but you must remember that she is the daughter of a clan. You must not give her and her maternal family too much power. The Xue family is at the height of its power, and they are a threat to the throne."
"Your subject understands, but today Jin'an's words offended your subject and the Crown Princess..."
"I saw it. I'll go and have a good talk with her tonight. It's getting late, you should go back now, don't keep the Crown Princess waiting."
It was another perfunctory response. Pei Xuanlin grew irritated and, not wanting to say anything more, bowed and took his leave.
When Pei She was a prince, he led troops into battle and accumulated many old subordinates and confidants for Pei Xuanlin. In addition, Yang Mingkong doted on Pei She, so Pei Xuanlin was able to survive and go to the battlefield with the generals left to him by his father. Although it was dangerous, it also gave him the opportunity to make merits.
He knew that Pei Shang'er had her pitiful side. Yang Mingkong disliked his son Pei Lian, and by extension, his daughter Pei Shang'er, causing her to become thin and pitiful in the palace. But this was not a reason for her to harm others, nor was it a reason for Pei Lian to brazenly aid and abet evil.
*
Back at the East Palace, Pei Xuanlin and Ling Zhenli were both preoccupied with their own thoughts and neither spoke. As they prepared to retire for the night, they lay quietly on the bed.
Finally, Ling Zhenli broke the silence first.
"Sanlang, is the recent flooding in Jiangnan causing you headaches and worries?"
Despite her own bad mood, Ling Zhenli still felt sorry for Pei Xuanlin and was the first to speak up to him. Even though he was so busy, he still took a day to be with her and even went with her to pay respects to the child.
Pei Xuanlin looked dejected and let out a long sigh: "I'm fine. I just remembered that Princess Jin'an's guards frightened you today, so I mentioned it to the Emperor. But the Emperor, mindful of Princess Jin'an's suffering at the hands of Emperor Shizong, only sent me back to comfort you and didn't intend to punish her."
Upon hearing this, Ling Zhenli immediately understood and quickly comforted Pei Xuanlin: "Sanlang, I'm fine, you don't need to worry about me. Just spend more time with me, and I won't be afraid anymore."
She spoke sweet and coquettish words, but what she was thinking was how to scheme.
The exact motives behind the Prime Minister's decision to have her marry in his place are unknown, but one thing is certain: he wanted her to bring glory to the Xue family.
Ling Zhenli thought that if she wanted to get rid of Princess Jin'an, who was blocking Pei Xuanlin's path to the throne, the Prime Minister would definitely support her.
"Ah Li..."
Pei Xuanlin was a little tired, so he gently rested his head on Ling Zhenli's chest. Ling Zhenli's heart softened, and she gently comforted him.
"It's alright, you've done a great job. You always go along with me, you're the best husband in the world."
"Do you really think so?" Pei Xuanlin asked childishly, nuzzling against her chest.
Of course.
"Then I'll have to work even harder tonight to repay Ahri for her kindness..."
Pei Xuanlin's fingertips brushed against her loose black hair on the pillow. Her fair and smooth skin was revealed from the half-undone part of her silk robe. The ties had loosened considerably and trembled slightly in the candlelight with her rapid breathing.
"Don't look..."
Ling Zhenli turned her head to dodge, but instead offered a section of her snow-white neck to his lips.
Outside the window, the bamboo shadows swayed. Suddenly, a night breeze swept through the corridor, startling the candlelight so much that the nightgown finally slipped off completely, was thrown out of the bed curtains, and fell to the ground.
Pei Xuanlin picked up her icy hand and pressed it against his heart, which was burning with emotion. Under their thin clothes, their skin seemed to be on fire.
Between intertwined fingers, a duet of ice and fire, feeling each other's warmth.
"Bite it if it hurts."
Like a lotus emerging from the water, Pei Xuanlin guided his fingertips between her teeth.
Outside the tent, the water clock dripped slowly, and two silhouettes on the screen gradually merged into the outline of layered spring mountains.
Parting the clouds and stirring up the rain, kneading powder and shaping cinnabar.
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