Chapter 55 I am willing to go and make peace with the Xiongnu.
In August of the same year, the Huns invaded the border areas and entered Daijun, Dingxiang and Shangjun, killing and plundering thousands of people.
The Southern Dynasty was beset by internal and external troubles. In the court, the pro-war and pro-peace factions were embroiled in a heated debate. The military generals, led by the Pei family, advocated for war, while the civil officials, led by the Zheng family, advocated for peace. Even the once bustling capital city of Chang'an fell silent, no longer the same as before.
Three days later, His Majesty accepted the advice of the peace faction and sent envoys to discuss peace and a ceasefire with the Xiongnu Chanyu, Hudan. At this critical juncture, when a storm was brewing, Pingrong's disappearance was like a pebble thrown into the sea, leaving no ripple.
Five days later, the peace envoy brought back a letter from Hudan, the Xiongnu Chanyu. In it, Hudan requested that the Southern Dynasty provide the Xiongnu with food and salt, and also stated that he wanted to marry Princess Suiyang of the Southern Dynasty. He said that if the princess would marry him, he would be willing to establish a friendship between the two countries and not invade each other's territory.
Inside the Linshui Pavilion, He Jiaying vividly recounted the events she had heard to Huiyin. Finally, she angrily slammed her hand on the table and said, "Barbarians dare to ask for the hand of my Southern Dynasty princess? They're dreaming!"
Huiyin frowned upon hearing this. This matter was far too strange. Why would the Xiongnu Chanyu directly request to marry Suiyang? Our dynasty had precedents of sending princesses to marry foreign rulers, but in the past, they were always selected from palace maids of superior manners and appearance to be made princesses. When they married into the Xiongnu, at the very least, they were selected from members of the imperial clan. There had never been a precedent of a princess being married off to a real princess.
The Southern Dynasty is currently suffering from a severe drought and famine during the autumn harvest. The Xiongnu are also not immune to natural disasters. It is likely that the grasslands are not lush with water and grass. The Xiongnu chose to plunder the Southern Dynasty at this time, and their purpose was naturally to obtain food and other supplies. However, they just happened to propose a princess for marriage at this moment. Who is behind this?
He Jiaying didn't hear Huiyin's voice for a long time. She looked up in confusion and found Huiyin with a gloomy face and a heavy heart. She took a sip of tea and comforted her, "Don't worry, Princess Suiyang is His Majesty's legitimate princess. His Majesty will not agree to her marriage."
Huiyin didn't have such a naive idea. "It's not that simple. His Majesty is a ruler first and a father second. He is capable of sacrificing a daughter for the sake of the country."
"You mean His Majesty will send His Highness to marry a foreign prince?" He Jiaying was stunned.
Huiyin glanced at the gloomy sky; it seemed raining was imminent, but the rain had come at the worst possible time. If it had come a month earlier, everything would have been very different.
Huiyin asked, "If you were His Majesty, and sacrificing one of your daughters could quell a major war, what would you do?"
He Jiaying's throat tightened. "I... Her Majesty the Empress won't agree, and neither will my cousin!"
Boom—
After half a year, the heavy rain finally came down. The rain was fierce, as if it wanted to wash away all the filth in the world. Huiyin stood by the window, and the drifting drizzle hit her body, bringing a chill.
Autumn has arrived.
These past few days, she has been perfectly aware of who in the court advocates peace and who advocates war. Pei Yu also understands very well that His Majesty will not advocate war; if war is to be fought, it will not be now.
The princess's marriage was a must, there was no room for negotiation. She knew this, and Pei Yu knew it too.
Huiyin closed the window and turned around, noticing He Jiaying staring at her with red eyes. Her lips trembled slightly, "Will the princess really be sent to a political marriage?"
Huiyin lowered her eyes and nodded gently.
Before she could comfort the weeping He Jiaying, an imperial decree arrived, summoning her to the palace.
On her way to the palace, Huiyin kept wondering what was going on inside and why the Empress had summoned her. Was she to persuade Suiyang to agree to a marriage alliance?
She followed the palace maids into the Jiaofang Palace. Rainwater meandered on the ground, and her sticky clothes clung to her body, making it unbearable.
Huiyin entered the main hall. Dark clouds rolled in, and the hall was dimly lit. She could vaguely see a thin figure kneeling in the center of the hall, with slumped shoulders, wearing a diamond-colored blouse. In the dim light, even the bright colors of the dress looked dull and lifeless.
Empress Pei sat on the throne in the main hall, her usual dignified and graceful demeanor gone. She propped her head up with one hand, her expression ashen, and bamboo slips were scattered all over the table in front of her.
Huiyin walked over and knelt beside Suiyang, bowing deeply in greeting, "Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress."
Sui Yang's ears twitched slightly. She turned to look at Hui Yin, who was weeping. Hui Yin moved her lips but said nothing and lowered her head again.
At that glance, Huiyin saw the red mark on her face—a bright red handprint. All the signs in the hall indicated that Empress Pei and Suiyang had a huge argument, and even came to blows.
Huiyin's heart sank to the bottom. She slowly raised her eyes to look at Empress Pei at the head of the table. Empress Pei sat up wearily, her eyes red and her voice hoarse, "You've come. Help me persuade her. She can listen to what you say."
Huiyin lowered her eyes: "If Your Majesty wants me to persuade the princess to marry a foreign ruler, I cannot do it."
Suiyang raised her head and forced a smile that looked more like a grimace. "The Empress Dowager asked my elder sister to persuade me not to go on this marriage alliance."
Huiyin was taken aback, not understanding why.
Empress Pei looked heartbroken. This was the first time Huiyin had seen her shed tears—tears of a mother loving her daughter. She said, "Your mother has a plan. Just do as I say, and I will definitely be able to protect you!"
Suiyang raised her head, letting her tears fall. "Is the method Mother Empress mentioned just to have someone else go and marry into a foreign land in my place?"
Huiyin couldn't help but ask, "Your Majesty, may you please speak plainly?"
Empress Pei rose, leaning on the table, her brow furrowed, the trailing hem of her skirt rustling softly. Her voice held a hint of helplessness. "The world only knows that His Majesty has two daughters, Suiyang and Guangling, but they do not know that he has another daughter. Her mother was of lowly birth and disliked by His Majesty. She was abandoned outside the palace at birth. She is older than Suiyang. I plan to bring her back to the palace, bestow upon her a title, and then publicly declare that Suiyang has fallen seriously ill, so that she may marry in Suiyang's place."
After hearing this secret of the royal family, Huiyin remained silent for a long time. What Empress Pei said was indeed a solution. Although the Xiongnu Chanyu had specifically requested that the Southern Dynasty marry Princess Suiyang, there was still room for maneuver. If they married a real princess and offered some additional benefits, they might accept it.
That princess was truly pitiful.
Huiyin took out a handkerchief from her bosom and gently wiped away the tear stains on Suiyang's face. Suiyang was visibly thinner, and his once bright smile had disappeared, leaving only a frown between his brows.
Sui Yang blinked, tears streaming down her long eyelashes. She sniffed, her voice muffled, "Sister Huiyin, I... I can't accept trading someone else's life for my own."
Huiyin was also filled with mixed feelings. She was close to Suiyang, but she was a complete stranger to the princess. For her, protecting Suiyang was the most important thing at the moment, and she didn't care about anyone else.
"Your Highness, many things in this world are not simply black and white. People should be a little selfish; protecting oneself is the most important thing."
Sui Yang trembled all over, her voice hoarse: "Sister, I understand the reasoning, but... I am the one who is admired by all people and enjoys boundless honor, not her! As a princess of the Southern Dynasty, when the country is in trouble, I should naturally rush to the rescue. This is my duty as a princess."
Empress Pei also shouted, "You are a princess, and she is a princess too. Why can you marry her, but she can't!"
Sui Yang wiped away her tears, stubbornly raised her head and asked, "Mother said she is a princess, so why has she never been given a title? Why does no one in the world know her as a princess? Why does she, as a princess, live a life worse than a servant? Now that something has happened, she remembers that she is a princess and tells her to spend the rest of her life in my place!"
Empress Pei retreated repeatedly under the pressure of these questions, "You... perhaps I shouldn't have raised you like this..." She had raised this daughter too well.
Huiyin looked at Suiyang with heartache, shook her head and shed tears, "Your Highness... perhaps, she is willing."
Upon hearing this, Empress Pei recovered from her shock and quickly ordered Yao Lan to bring the person in. Huiyin turned around to look, and the dim candlelight in the hall shone on the woman, gradually revealing her appearance.
She was very thin, her shoulders and neck trembled slightly, and her face did not resemble His Majesty's. She looked more like her mother, with delicate and gentle eyebrows and eyes, a sallow complexion and timid eyes.
She was unfamiliar with palace etiquette. After entering, she only glanced at the people in the hall before hurriedly lowering her head, not daring to look any further. She lagged behind and only slowly knelt on the ground, bowing her body low, after watching Yao Lan's movements.
Empress Pei regained her usual dignified demeanor, personally rose to help her up, and examined her appearance. After a long while, she sighed inwardly, "I heard from the palace servants that your name is Dong'er?"
Dong'er lowered her eyes and nodded shyly.
Empress Pei then asked, "Who gave you this name?"
Dong'er glanced at the Empress secretly and said in a soft voice, "She is the nanny who took care of me as I grew up. She was named after the winter day I was born."
Empress Pei nodded, took Dong'er's hand and led her to the kneeling Suiyang. She put their hands together and whispered, "Dong'er, this is your sister Suiyang. You can also call her Yangyang."
Dong'er slowly raised her head, her gaze suddenly stopping. She had met Suiyang once before. Many years ago, Suiyang had accompanied Empress Pei out of the palace and stayed at her place for a few days. At that time, Suiyang was as beautiful as a snow-white dumpling. When she saw Dong'er in her tattered state, she gave her a piece of pastry, which was sweet and warmed her heart. Dong'er liked her very much.
She spoke in a low, ingratiating voice, "Yangyang, little sister."
Sui Yang's eyes were filled with complicated emotions as she pulled her hand away and left, saying, "Who's your sister? I don't have a sister like you!"
Dong'er was frightened and hurriedly knelt down, kowtowing and begging for forgiveness, "Your Highness, please forgive me and punish me."
Sui Yang was startled and quickly grabbed her shoulders to help her up, angrily saying, "What are you doing? Who gave you permission to kneel and kowtow!"
Dong'er said somewhat fearfully, "The nanny said we mustn't anger the nobleman, Your Highness, please don't be angry."
Sui Yang felt her eyes well up with tears, and she pushed Dong'er away, saying fiercely, "Do you know what it means when you call me 'sister'?"
Empress Pei gently called out in an attempt to stop her, "Yangyang!"
Suiyang spoke very quickly, "You call me 'sister,' which means you're my older sister and have to go to the Xiongnu for a marriage alliance on my behalf! Do you even know what the Xiongnu are?!"
Dong'er was pushed to the ground and stared blankly at Suiyang. Seeing her tears, she went up to her helplessly, "Don't cry, I know, I know everything. I am willing, Your Highness, I am willing to go and marry in your place."
Sui Yang's breathing stopped abruptly, and he asked, trembling, "Why?"
Dong'er frowned slightly, "Because I'm your older sister."
"You're not...you're not my sister!" Sui Yang's tears fell even harder, and she could barely speak.
Empress Pei breathed a sigh of relief, holding Dong'er's hand with great satisfaction, "You are a good child. Our Pei family will remember your kindness for the rest of our lives."
Dong'er glanced at Suiyang with concern, then shook her head at Empress Pei, "This is what I should do."
Empress Pei patted her hand and said gently, "These days, you should stay in Jiaofang Palace and study the palace rules carefully. The day of the marriage alliance will probably be in three months."
"After some time, I will submit a memorial to His Majesty, requesting that you be granted the title of Princess Jiuzhen."
Dong'er responded and followed Yao Lan out, glancing back at Suiyang with worry as she left.
Huiyin watched the whole thing and felt extremely sad. She never imagined that this princess, who had grown up outside the palace, would harbor no resentment and instead be so righteous. She should have been happy with this ending, but for some reason, she felt a tightness in her chest.
She looked at Suiyang's thin body kneeling there, his hands clenched into fists at his sides, and her heart skipped a beat.
The next moment, she saw Suiyang straighten up, his gaze firm, "Mother, I am unwilling to accept your method, and I will not compromise."
Empress Pei froze as she turned to leave, ignoring Sui Yang's words. Just as she was about to leave the palace, she heard Sui Yang shout, "Your subject will not agree to Your Majesty's plan! Your subject will go to the Xiongnu for a marriage alliance!"
Empress Pei could no longer contain herself. She turned around and slapped Suiyang hard across the face, angrily saying, "I gave birth to you, and this is how you repay me! Disobeying your mother and disregarding the emperor, you unfilial daughter!"
Suiyang was knocked to the ground, her face swollen and red. She bent down, touched her forehead with her hand, and respectfully performed a deep bow, saying with tears in her eyes, "She has never enjoyed the honor of being a princess, yet now Mother Empress wants her to bear this great responsibility for me. For the past decades, I have never called her 'elder sister,' and I will never acknowledge her as my elder sister again. She cannot marry in my place. It is my filial impiety that I can no longer serve Mother Empress. I hope Mother Empress will take good care of herself and enjoy lasting happiness."
Empress Pei's back slumped, all her energy dissipated. She understood her daughter's nature; seemingly gentle and kind, but in reality, once she made up her mind, she would never look back. She was filled with immense regret for raising her daughter so well; she should have taught her to be more selfish.
Empress Pei angrily said, "What about Prince Shao! You two grew up together as childhood sweethearts, and you're getting married next spring. Can you really abandon him?!"
Sui Yang nodded with tears in her eyes, pain flashing in them. She remembered many things, including the boy who had been devoted to her, and her heart ached as if it were being torn apart.
She wiped away her tears, took a deep breath, and said in a hoarse voice, "We were destined to meet but not to be together, I will remember this for the rest of my life."
"you!"
Empress Pei turned back to look at Huiyin with tears in her eyes. Her steps were unsteady and her voice trembled as she said, "Huiyin, please help me persuade her, please talk to her."
Huiyin looked at Suiyang, who was lying on the ground crying and unable to get up, and Dong'er, who was trembling but had a worried look in her eyes. She sighed and got up to help Suiyang up and walk outside.
"Your Majesty, please send someone to take us to the Imperial Prison. The two princes are still young and do not know what the Xiongnu are like. I would like to take them to see for themselves."
Empress Pei nodded silently, handed the phoenix and dragon jade pendant she wore to Huiyin, and said wearily, "Let Yao Lan take you there."
——
The dull sound of chains scraping against stone slabs echoed from the depths of the alley, and the lingering stench of blood clung to the air. The mournful wails from the dungeon grew louder as they approached. Not only were the two princesses uncomfortable, but even Huiyin found the dark and damp atmosphere of the dungeon unbearable.
The ceramic lamps on the stone wall flickered on and off. In the wooden-barred cell, three bloodied and disheveled prisoners lay on the straw on the ground, their ankles locked in heavy black iron shackles.
The jailer who had led the way stopped outside the cell and bowed respectfully to the three noblemen behind him, saying, "My lords, this is it. These three Huns are captured spies; they are fierce and brutal. Do not get too close."
Huiyin nodded: "I understand, you can go now."
The jailer hesitated, but his superior in the passageway gave him a wink, and he didn't linger any longer, hurriedly taking his leave.
After he left, the three Xiongnu men in the prison noticed three delicate Southern Dynasty women standing outside. The fiercest of them suddenly raised his head, lunged at the bars and roared, the bone chain around his neck rattling as he pulled, howling in an unintelligible Xiongnu language.
Suiyang and Dong'er were startled by his sudden outburst and turned pale. Suiyang, who had grown up in the deep palace and was the emperor and empress's beloved little princess, was usually so pale that she rarely even saw blood in her eyes, let alone in this hellish Yongxiang Palace.
Her lips trembled, her throat was dry, "What is he saying?"
Huiyin pursed her lips, her expression grim. "I don't know, it's never a nice thing to say."
The roar of the Hun woke the other two, who also collapsed onto the edge of the cell, blood trickling from their wounds. These two were much cleaner than the first, their faces clearly visible.
They had narrow, elongated eyes, high cheekbones, coarse hair, and sharp, hawk-like eyes that remained even in prison. They were stocky and robust with rough, dark skin, a far cry from the delicate and frail men of the Southern Dynasties.
Huiyin couldn't hear what they were saying in their gibberish. When she turned around, she saw the two princesses looking pale with fright. Seeing that it was about time, she pulled them away.
The night guard, carrying an iron bar, brushed past them. A moment later, the sound of the iron bar striking the wooden railing came from behind, along with the roars of the Huns mixed with cries of pain.
Dark clouds gathered outside Yongxiang, and a cool breeze began to rise, dispelling the bloodlust from the three women. Huiyin led the two women into the carriage, poured them each a cup of hot tea, and carefully began to speak, “A marriage alliance is not as simple as you two think, but means leaving your homeland. You may never be able to return to the land that gave you birth and raised you, and you may never see your parents and friends again.”
Suiyang and Dong'er trembled simultaneously, neither of them speaking, silently listening to Huiyin continue: "You saw it just now, the Xiongnu are different from the ones we usually see. These are just three prisoners, but the Xiongnu have thousands upon thousands of such soldiers."
"I couldn't understand their language. Unlike the Southern Dynasties, they didn't live in houses, but lived on grasslands and migrated according to the seasons. The Xiongnu people admired the brave and believed in the law of the jungle."
Huiyin paused for a moment, then stated the most cruel point: "They follow the custom of father-to-son succession. When a father dies, his son can inherit all of his father's women, which is completely contrary to the Southern Dynasty's concept of the Three Obediences and Four Virtues. The current Xiongnu Chanyu, Hudan, is over fifty-six years old and has four young and strong sons."
"The Xiongnu have repeatedly invaded the border. His Majesty is not one to value civil affairs over military matters. On the contrary, he attaches great importance to military affairs. If it weren't for the great disaster this year and the people's suffering, His Majesty might not have agreed to the marriage alliance. Within ten years, the Xiongnu and the Southern Dynasty will definitely have a war. At that time, the princess who was sent for the marriage alliance will be a pawn to be discarded, and she may be killed by the Xiongnu as a sacrifice to their flag."
"Tell me now, do you still want to arrange a marriage alliance?"
The carriage was completely silent. Huiyin could even hear the breathing of the attendants outside. She didn't want to reveal these cruel truths to the two young girls, but now she had to tell them what the real Xiongnu were like and what it would be like after they married into the Xiongnu.
"I am willing to go for a political marriage."
Huiyin and Suiyang looked up at the same time. Dong'er's face was still pale and she looked very scared, but she repeated the same sentence again, saying word by word: "I am willing to go for the marriage alliance."
"Why?" Huiyin found her voice.
Dong'er lowered her head and smiled, her hands nervously twisting together. "Although I haven't read many books, I know what war brings. This autumn harvest, I saw with my own eyes the farmers weeping bitterly after losing their entire harvest. Just now, this elder sister said that the Southern Dynasty can't fight the Xiongnu right now. If I alone can bring about peace and give the Southern Dynasty a chance to breathe, it would be my good fortune."
She looked up at Suiyang gently, "May I call you that, Yangyang?"
Sui Yang forced a smile, nodding with tears glistening in his eyes.
Dong'er nodded happily, her eyes as clear as a stream. "Do you remember eight years ago when you gave me a piece of pastry? I've never thanked you."
Sui Yang covered his mouth and cried, "I don't remember."
"If you don't remember, you don't remember, it's alright." Dong'er saw her crying and took out a clean handkerchief from her sleeve and handed it to her, saying hurriedly.
Sui Yang choked up and said, "What I said in the Empress Dowager's palace just now was a lie. You are my own elder sister. From the moment I knew you, I recognized you."
Huiyin couldn't bear to stay any longer. Afraid that she would have to listen any longer, she couldn't help but hug the two princesses and weep bitterly. Why is it that everything in this world is so difficult to have both?
After Suiyang finished crying, her eyes and nose were red. She took a warm jade pendant from her waist and handed it to Huiyin. She took a deep breath and said, "Sister Huiyin, please help me return this to Prince Shao and tell him that we are destined to be apart and that I hope he will find another good match."
Huiyin grabbed her in disbelief, "You..."
Suiyang seemed to have grown up overnight, his expression solemn. "I am also willing to sacrifice myself to quell the war."
She turned to look at Dong'er and smiled at her, saying, "Sister suffered a lot in the past years, but things will get better in the future."
Dong'er was puzzled. "Why? I heard that you and the young master of the Wang family have a deep affection for each other and are going to get married next spring. I am willing; no one is forcing me. It is my own choice!"
The carriage slowly came to a stop. Sui Yang shook her head, offering no further explanation. She got out of the carriage alone and walked towards the deep palace. A dark mass followed behind her, her slender and frail figure slowly disappearing into the night.
Dong'er was in tears. "Why?"
No one responded.
Huiyin held the jade pendant tightly and let out a heavy breath. Suiyang had even severed his ties with Prince Shao; she would never look back.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
