CXD - 91

The following afternoon, in the inner palace hall.

Jiang Zhiyi sat at the lower end of the hall, taking the teacup handed to her by a eunuch and cradling it in her hands. Her eyelashes were lowered as she gazed at the steaming tea inside the cup.

The rising heat swirled like mist around her eyes, obscuring the depths beneath.

When she returned from Taiqing Temple yesterday, she received a message from Xueqing A-jie late at night. It said that Prime Minister Pei had been summoned to the palace to participate in discussions about the marriage alliance. Most of the senior ministers opposed it, so Daye was unlikely to agree to the proposal.

After hearing Xueqing A-jie’s message, Jiang Zhiyi calmed down from her initial shock. She spent the entire night tossing and turning, telling herself not to blindly believe the handwritten note she had received.

Before leaving Taiqing Temple yesterday, she had asked about the whereabouts of Grandmaster Jianwei. Zhang Daolong informed her that Jianwei had altered the mandate of heaven, exhausting his lifespan, and passed away last winter.

Without seeing the Grandmaster himself, how could she accept such a bizarre letter—claiming resurrection and foreknowledge of future events—as truth?

Moreover, the outcome described in the letter didn’t make sense. If she only realized that Yuan Ce wasn’t Shen Yuan Ce after his death, then during the time she mistakenly believed he was Shen Yuan Ce, she wouldn’t have treated him kindly. Why would he surrender everything for someone like her?

What if this letter was planted by someone trying to sow discord, intending to unsettle her?

The emperor had summoned her to the palace but hadn’t yet expressed his stance. Since she had advance knowledge and time to prepare her arguments, this was still her chance to maneuver.

At the head of the hall, Emperor Xingwu appeared weary. His complexion was sallow, his brows furrowed with worry. Since her arrival, he had kept his eyes closed, pressing his forehead with his hand. After a long while, he finally rubbed his temples and spoke: “Do you know why your Royal Uncle summoned you to the palace?”

Suppressing her unease, Jiang Zhiyi lifted her gaze: “I’ve heard.”

The emperor had received a petition from Xiluo two days ago. The senior ministers learned of it yesterday, and this morning, the matter was formally presented to the court through the Honglu Temple for discussion. Everyone now knew about it, sparing her the need to feign panic.

Emperor Xingwu looked at her, surprised by her calmness: “Your uncle is worried sick here, but you’re acting so composed. Aren’t you even a little concerned?”

“What’s there to be concerned about? My Royal Uncle will protect me. He would never agree to their demands!” Jiang Zhiyi raised her chin defiantly.

The emperor’s eyes narrowed slightly: “So you think you understand my thoughts?”

“Of course. Just half a year ago in this very hall, when I wanted to go to Hexi with General Shen, you refused, saying I was born and raised in Chang’an and wouldn’t be accustomed to life in Hexi. Xiluo is even farther than Hexi, with a colder and drier climate. How could you bear to send me there, let alone marry me off to someone older than my father!”

“...But I admit I’ve caused trouble for my Royal Uncle,” Jiang Zhiyi sighed. “You’ll have to explain to the Xiluo envoys that I’m already betrothed and will soon be married.”

The eunuch behind the emperor stiffened.

For an unmarried young lady to preemptively counter the emperor like this showed remarkable intelligence and boldness. However—

Emperor Xingwu stared at Jiang Zhiyi for a moment before shifting his gaze and sighing deeply: “Indeed, your Royal Uncle can’t bear to part with you. Besides, how could we send a princess who is already betrothed for a marriage alliance? But if we reject Xiluo on the grounds of your betrothal, it implies that Daye isn’t unwilling to form a friendly alliance—it’s just that the candidate isn’t suitable. If Xiluo then requests another princess who isn’t betrothed, like your sister Baojia, I’ll have no reason to refuse… What can we do then?”

Jiang Zhiyi’s hand trembled under her sleeve.

“And if I refuse again, it will seem like I’m making excuses. This would damage Daye’s reputation and make Xiluo feel mocked, potentially reigniting conflict between our nations. Your Royal Uncle has heard you’ve experienced much in Xingyang and should understand my concerns. The Xuan Ce Army has just endured years of war in the north and recently quelled a rebellion. I cannot bear to see them return to the battlefield and sacrifice more lives. Peace is precious—aren’t all lives equally valuable?…”

Jiang Zhiyi’s prepared arguments caught in her throat. She couldn’t utter another word.

“I am your Royal Uncle, but I am also the parent of all people under heaven. Princess Deqing married into Xiluo over a decade ago, maintaining peace for those years. If I become the one to break that peace, I’ll have no face to show the people. But if I send you away like this, I’ll also have no face to meet your father or the Shen family,” Emperor Xingwu rubbed his temples wearily. “Perhaps I’m old and useless. After much thought, I still haven’t found a perfect solution. Zhiyi, you’ve always been clever—can you help ease your Royal Uncle’s worries?”

...Of course, there was a perfect solution: to prevent her Royal Uncle from having to play the villain, she could voluntarily agree to the marriage alliance, demonstrating her sense of duty by sharing the burden of governance and resolving the nation’s difficulties. This way, her Royal Uncle wouldn’t face criticism from the public or his subjects.

Jiang Zhiyi looked again at the now-cooled tea in her hands. The steam had dissipated, revealing the emperor’s intentions with crystal clarity.

“Enough. Let your Royal Uncle think it over. You think about it too and return for now,” Emperor Xingwu waved his hand dismissively.

Jiang Zhiyi placed the teacup down, rose to bow, and silently withdrew.

In the inner hall, Emperor Xingwu watched Jiang Zhiyi’s retreating figure until she disappeared at the end of the corridor. He sighed and shook his head: “She’s a girl I’ve watched grow up since childhood. How could I want her to walk this path? But this is the road she herself has chosen…”

The eunuch poured another cup of tea for Emperor Xingwu: “Your Majesty is caught between a rock and a hard place. Once the princess returns, she’ll surely understand your painstaking intentions.”

“What painstaking intentions?” A cold, mocking female voice suddenly rang out from outside the hall.

The eunuch jumped in surprise, about to reprimand the guards at the door. But upon seeing Princess Baojia followed by visibly troubled guards, he immediately fell silent.

Emperor Xingwu gestured for the guards to leave, then looked toward Baojia.

Baojia stepped across the threshold into the hall: “Your Majesty’s painstaking intentions—to bind her using her elder sister’s future, the lives of the Xuan Ce Army, and the righteousness of Princess Deqing?”

“Your Majesty’s painstaking intentions—to force her to publicly declare her willingness to marry despite your decision to sacrifice her, just to silence those who criticize your resolution?”

“With such painstaking intentions, I wonder if Lord Ningguo regrets risking his life to bring you back to the capital. Do you ever feel guilty in the dead of night?”

Emperor Xingwu glared at Baojia, his chest heaving as he coughed. The eunuch turned pale, patting the emperor’s back while frantically signaling Baojia to stop.

“...I seek peace for all under heaven and spare the lives of border troops. What wrong have I done? Why should I feel guilty?”

Baojia laughed bitterly: “Are you truly sparing the lives of border troops, or are you afraid that your general, after defeating the Northern Jie, pacifying Hedong, and now possibly stabilizing Xiluo, will overshadow you? Hexi clearly has the strength to fight. The Xuan Ce Army has never feared war—it’s you who’s afraid. You fear that once this war begins, the world will recognize only the Shen family and no longer you!”

A porcelain teacup shattered loudly as it was thrown at Baojia’s feet.

Baojia slowly lowered her head, looking at the scalding tea splashed onto her skirt. Her lips trembled faintly.

The eunuch anxiously interjected: “Your Majesty’s wounds from suppressing the rebellion haven’t healed yet. Princess, please choose your words carefully—”

Emperor Xingwu panted heavily, pointing at Baojia: “…Sitting on this throne, there are things I must do. When I suspected Hedong, they rebelled as expected. Was I wrong? If I hadn’t acted, would you even have the chance to stand here and lecture your father now? Since you understand my suspicions about Hexi, dare you say the Shen family harbors no rebellious thoughts? If they truly have nothing to hide, why not sacrifice a fiancée for the sake of loyalty and the country? If he agrees, I can always reward him with ten or a hundred more fiancées later!”

Baojia took a deep breath and nodded.

Eight years ago, kneeling here all night to beg her father to pardon the Li family, her father had said—”It’s just a son-in-law. I’ll find you a better one.”

She should have realized earlier—everything in this world, all emotions and love, meant nothing to her father. Every lover could be replaced.

“Whether they harbor guilt or not, I don’t know. But it’s certainly better than you having no heart at all. I hear Your Majesty suffers nightmares nightly, waking in terror, thinking rebels are beside you. I wish Your Majesty truly attains peace by sacrificing the daughters and wives of your loyal ministers!”

At dusk, in Yaoguang Pavilion, Jiang Zhiyi watched Lady Shen, the stepmother of the Shen family, arrive late at night. She instructed Jingzhe to serve her a cup of hot tea.

Until now, Jiang Zhiyi only knew that Lady Shen was the younger sister of the late Lady Yuan. Everyone called her Little Lady Yuan, assuming they might resemble each other. After Lady Yuan’s passing, Governor Shen remarried her younger sister as his wife.

Only after arriving in Hexi did she learn the truth: Little Lady Yuan had known from the start that her sister bore twins. After Lady Yuan’s death, if Governor Shen didn’t remarry, the children would have no mother. But if he married someone else, their secret might be exposed. To ensure her sister’s peace in heaven and for the sake of her sister’s children, Little Lady Yuan married into the Shen family.

However, until Governor Shen’s death, Little Lady Yuan remained childless. Jiang Zhiyi guessed it might be because Little Lady Yuan wasn’t there to be the Shen family’s wife but rather their ally. Or perhaps both she and Governor Shen had developed a shadow over childbirth.

Little Lady Yuan accepted the hot tea, her face heavy with worry: “In Your Highness’s opinion, is there any chance for His Majesty’s decision to change?”

Jiang Zhiyi pursed her lips tightly and shook her head.

The palace had already inquired about my intentions, and though I did not answer rashly, I fear His Majesty may have already sent an imperial envoy to test A Ce. I’m worried—”

Jiang Zhiyi stared vacantly toward the northwest outside the window: “Madam fears he will defy the emperor’s will.”

Little Lady Yuan closed her eyes for a moment: “His Majesty’s testing of A Ce is merely to see if he harbors any disloyal thoughts. It was the general who brought this calamity upon A Ce…”

Jiang Zhiyi started, her gaze snapping back from the distance: “What do you mean by that, Madam?”

“Now that this matter depends entirely on Your Highness’s decision, I will tell you everything as it is… In truth, the general had indeed been amassing strength for rebellion over the years, and His Majesty’s suspicions toward Hexi are justified. But A Ce is innocent…” Little Lady Yuan’s eyes brimmed with tears. “The general placed great hopes on A Ce, wishing him to achieve what he himself could not. I once tried to persuade the general, saying that given the hardships of the child’s birth, even if he were to live obscurely, a peaceful and ordinary life would be better than risking death in perilous endeavors. But the general insisted that it was his mission as a son of the Shen family.”

Jiang Zhiyi’s face paled.

“The year before the general met his end, during the New Year festivities when he returned to the capital, he told me that he increasingly felt powerless on the battlefield. Perhaps his schemes had gone awry, leaving him unable to triumph as effortlessly as before. At that time, I grew increasingly worried about the child stationed at the border… The general, once so formidable in battle, had exhausted himself after years of immersing himself in hatred. What then of the child who grew up steeped in that same hatred?”

Jiang Zhiyi lowered her head, slowly covering her face with her hands.

In the silent room, Jiang Zhiyi and Little Lady Yuan both silently endured their tears.

After a long while, Little Lady Yuan withdrew a fortune-telling document from her sleeve: “There is one more thing I previously concealed from Your Highness. A Ce forbade me from telling you, but now…”

Jiang Zhiyi raised her eyes, her heart skipping a beat: “This is…?”

“The fortune-telling document you saw when you and A Ce were betrothed was forged at his request. This is the true document.”

Jiang Zhiyi took the document handed to her by Jingzhe, her gaze fixed on the words “great misfortune,” causing her to feel dizzy and disoriented.

As night fell, the autumn wind rustled, and the sound of dripping water echoed through the stillness. Jiang Zhiyi sat alone by the window, gazing at the yellowing ginkgo leaves outside, as if quietly waiting for something.

A sudden cool breeze swept through, sending the ginkgo leaves spiraling down into the dust.

In the quiet autumn night, steady footsteps sounded in the corridor, drawing closer step by step.

Jiang Zhiyi straightened her posture and looked toward the figure brought by Jingzhe.

Qi Yan wore a dark cloak, his tall silhouette almost blending into the night. His phoenix-like eyes exuded authority, and every movement carried the air of a future emperor.

Jiang Zhiyi watched him from afar for a moment before coming to her senses and stepping forward: “Forgive me for summoning you with a letter. Thank you for coming.”

Qi Yan lowered his gaze to the figure bathed in light, noticing her reddened eyes. After a brief silence, he shook his head: “Even if you hadn’t sent a letter, I intended to seek you out.”

Jiang Zhiyi gestured for Qi Yan to enter and asked: “Your Highness, has your visit—”

Qi Yan removed his cloak and sat down by the long table: “Rest assured. If I couldn’t even conceal my movements, I wouldn’t have survived in Chang’an until now.”

Jiang Zhiyi sat across from him and nodded.

She wanted to meet Qi Yan but dared not approach the prince’s residence at such a critical moment, unsure how to hide her tracks. Thus, she decided to ask Qi Yan to come to her, relaying a message through Princess Baojia at dusk.

Jiang Zhiyi signaled Jingzhe to bring tea and asked: “Your Highness mentioned earlier that you intended to find me. Do you have something to say?”

Qi Yan nodded: “Regarding the marriage alliance, you need not heed the emperor’s words or consider maintaining peace your mission.”

Jiang Zhiyi lowered her eyes slightly.

She admitted that when Emperor Xingwu spoke of not wanting further sacrifices from the Xuan Ce Army, the faces of those 101 soldiers flashed through her mind. For a moment, she thought His Majesty might be right.

“You likely don’t know this, but before Aunt Deqing departed for the marriage alliance, she recited a poem.”

“What poem?”

“‘Entrusting my body to secure the nation, but where shall we place the generals?’”

Jiang Zhiyi was momentarily stunned.

“Peace achieved through marriage alliances is always temporary. Moreover, this entire matter is part of Xiluo’s scheme to divide Daye. Their second prince harbors such wolfish ambitions. Even if you marry into Xiluo, how long can this peace last? If war is inevitable, why should you sacrifice yourself in vain?” Qi Yan’s tone was calm, but his brows furrowed deeply.

“When my grandfather reigned, our empire lacked the strength to fight and relied solely on marriage alliances to survive. At that time, my father dreamed that if he ascended the throne, he would restore our military might and free Daye from such humiliation. Lord Ningguo supported him because of this ambition. My father adopted the era name ‘Xingwu,’ and these years have indeed revitalized Daye’s military power, but they have also left lingering problems, allowing Hedong to amass troops and foster disloyalty. After this war, my father’s suspicions have grown heavier, and now he suffers nightmares nightly. I fear his current decisions may no longer be clear-minded.”

“And what about you, Your Highness? Do you trust Hexi? Do you trust General Shen?”

Qi Yan nodded: “He missed the best opportunity. Since he chose to remain idle at that critical moment, I believe he has already made his choice.”

“But today, the emperor remains the ruler of Daye,” Jiang Zhiyi choked out. “If His Majesty does not trust, what can I do?”

“Even the emperor cannot act against the tide. If you trust me, I will lead the court officials in remonstrating and make every effort to dissuade him.”

Jiang Zhiyi gave a bitter smile: “Even if Your Highness manages to protect me, can you protect General Shen? The more the court opposes the marriage alliance, the more suspicious His Majesty will become of Hexi. If His Majesty decides to accuse General Shen, what then?”

Qi Yan was momentarily silent.

Jiang Zhiyi drew a deep breath: “Your Highness, if one day you ascend the throne and must choose an era name, what would it be?”

Qi Yan hesitated slightly: “…Why do you suddenly ask this?”

“I know this question is presumptuous, but it is important to me. I hope Your Highness will answer honestly.”

After hearing Xueqing A-jie’s message last night, she thought the marriage alliance might not reach a dead end and still clung to some hope.

But today, the emperor’s resolve seemed firm, and he might have already sent an envoy to test Yuan Ce. If Yuan Ce refused, he could be accused of defiance, just as the handwritten note from Grandmaster Jianwei foretold.

Lady Shen also revealed that the Shen family had been amassing strength for rebellion over the years—indicating that the Xuan Ce Army truly needed only a single command to march eastward.

And then there was the final fortune-telling document with its verdict of “great misfortune”—she had specifically asked Lady Shen if this divination came from Taiqing Temple, but Lady Shen said that Zhang Daolong of Taiqing Temple was a disciple of Grandmaster Jianwei. She hadn’t sought divination there but instead visited another Daoist temple.

Yet the other temple delivered the same prophecy. Now, all signs seemed to point toward the outcome described in the handwritten note. What hope could she possibly cling to?

Her last shred of hope rested on Qi Yan’s next answer. That was why she absolutely had to ask this question tonight.

Jiang Zhiyi fixed her gaze firmly on the person across from her.

After deep thought, Qi Yan looked at her steadily and spoke two words: “Yongning.”

—The fourth imperial prince ascends the throne as emperor, adopting the era name “Yongning.”

The handwriting from the handwritten note seemed to reappear before her eyes.

Jiang Zhiyi’s heart plummeted completely. In an instant, her limbs turned icy cold, and a chill ran down her spine.

Zhang Daolong hadn’t lied to her, and neither had Grandmaster Jianwei. That seemingly illogical ending, those bizarre and fantastical events—they were the truth.

Even though Grandmaster Jianwei had exhausted his lifespan and tried every possible means to change the course of events, it seemed they were still destined to tread that same path.

In this moment, she felt as though she could see the changing seasons of Taiqing Temple, envisioning herself spending countless lonely, hopeless years there.

After Yuan Ce’s death, she hadn’t followed him in death but instead imprisoned herself there for so many years—was this her way of punishing herself?

If such punishment were to come again…

Jiang Zhiyi closed her eyes. If in that ending she fell into Emperor Xingwu’s hands, perhaps the only way to avoid repeating the past was to leave Chang’an.

“Your Highness, I’m deeply grateful for your willingness to do everything in your power for me. But even if I stay and refuse the marriage alliance, Chang’an will become my prison. Your Highness, I no longer wish to be someone who stays behind. I want to leave here—I want freedom…”

Qi Yan’s hand resting on the table slowly clenched into a fist: “You want to leave now—”

Jiang Zhiyi opened her eyes and tilted her head back with a bitter laugh: “The only way for me to leave now is to agree to the marriage alliance, don the bridal gown, and walk out of Zhuque Avenue openly, gloriously, and with great fanfare.”