#28: Entering the Palace (2)

Shi Wenchang handed the cloisonné jar to a maidservant, instructing her to deliver it to the Imperial Medical Institute and give it to the Imperial Physician, Liu. Afterward, he returned to the imperial garden.

In the imperial garden, Changsun Yuming sat close to Empress Chen, occasionally telling Di Jiang anecdotes about the palace and the various events, both big and small, that had happened in the capital during the three years they were away.

From their conversation, Empress Chen learned that Wu Ruian had spent the three years he was missing with Di Jiang. Empress Chen’s smile became more complex, and her eyes held an indescribable, subtle expression as she looked at Di Jiang.

Empress Chen instructed Shi Wenchang to prepare dinner and then nodded at An Suyun. The two understood her meaning and bowed before leaving.

Di Jiang frowned at the sight of An Suyun’s back but quickly regained her composure.

“What’s wrong?” Wu Ruian noticed the small detail and asked in her ear.

“Nothing, I must have seen it wrong,” Di Jiang shook her head slightly and smiled.

“That’s good,” Wu Ruian held Di Jiang’s hand under the table. The warmth of his palm made Di Jiang feel momentarily dazed. This warmth seemed to instantly melt the ice in her heart, opening up a corner of herself that she had not even been aware of.

Before dinner, Di Jiang asked the Empress for permission to go to the side hall. Changsun Yuming also followed her, and after washing up, she blocked Di Jiang’s path.

“Miss Yuming, what is this?” Di Jiang was a little confused.

Changsun Yuming took a deep breath and said, “Sister Di, I’m sorry... Yuming was very disrespectful today.”

Di Jiang was puzzled and didn’t understand why she would say that.

“Yuming is not usually like this... I don’t talk to people much, and I don’t deliberately try to please others. I just wanted to get closer to you and the Prince, so I talked a lot. Please forgive me,” Changsun Yuming said, looking down at her toes, sounding a little incoherent.

“...” Di Jiang was still a little dazed.

“Sister Di, I won’t hide it from you. I like the Prince. As long as I can stay by his side, I don’t mind being his concubine,” Changsun Yuming looked up, her eyes filled with hope, and her gaze was intense.

Hearing this, Di Jiang’s heart ached. Looking at her, so cautious, Di Jiang found it incredible.

As the eldest daughter of the Right Chancellor, Changsun Yuming was the Crown Princess of the Xuánwǔ Kingdom and the future Empress. For someone as high and mighty as her to say such a thing, how desperate must she be, and how much must she love Wu Ruian...

Di Jiang smiled and shook her head gently. “To answer Miss Changsun, it is not for a commoner to decide whether the Prince marries you or not. You should work on winning the Prince’s heart.”

Changsun Yuming bit her lower lip and twisted her handkerchief. After a long pause, she finally dropped her shoulders and said, “It was presumptuous of me, Sister Di. Please don’t blame me.” As she spoke, she forced a smile that looked more like she was about to cry.

“It’s okay,” Di Jiang said with a smile, patting her on the shoulder and turning to leave. Changsun Yuming watched Di Jiang’s calm back, her legs feeling like they were filled with lead, unable to move for a long time.

When Di Jiang returned to her seat, Wu Ruian was also gone, and only Empress Chen remained at the table. After bowing to her, Di Jiang returned to her seat.

Empress Chen smiled at her with a hint of aloofness and then had a maidservant bring a cup of wine and place it in front of Di Jiang. The cup was gilded and looked exceptionally beautiful.

Di Jiang picked up the wine cup and said calmly, “This commoner thanks Your Majesty for the gift.”

Empress Chen looked at Di Jiang and found her smiling eyes very familiar. That calm and composed demeanor was very much like a certain person. But she couldn’t remember who that person was.

She also felt that she had seen Di Jiang once before. Not at the Huanyi Pavilion, nor at Prince Wu’s mansion, but even earlier. Maybe it wasn’t even in Taiping Prefecture... But she couldn’t remember where it was. Perhaps... she just resembled someone from her memory.

“What do you think of Miss Changsun?” Just before Di Jiang’s lips touched the cup, Empress Chen suddenly spoke, which surprised Di Jiang.

Di Jiang put down the wine cup, thought for a moment, and said, “Miss Changsun is different from others.”

Empress Chen looked at Di Jiang, waiting for her to continue.

Di Jiang continued, “Miss Yuming has no low self-esteem and no scheming thoughts. Whatever she says is exactly what she is thinking.” In the end, she added, “She is a truly good person, with a pure heart, untouched by the world.”

After Di Jiang finished speaking, she did not touch the wine cup in front of her again.

“Yuming is no match for Di Jiang.”

Empress Chen understood this, but her heart also suddenly felt at ease. She couldn’t bring herself to be ruthless and cut all ties.

Empress Chen smiled, summoned a maid, and had her exchange the wine for a new cup. Di Jiang did not show any confusion or surprise. She pretended not to know anything and bowed her head to eat.

The two sat at the table and chatted for a while. When Wu Ruian returned, he saw a scene of a benevolent mother and a respectful daughter-in-law getting along well.

And that whole night, Changsun Yuming did not return home. She only left a message with Aunt Suyun and then hastily left the palace.

________________________________________

After dinner, Wu Ruian and Di Jiang left the palace. After they left, Empress Chen returned to the Hanguang Palace, bathed, changed her clothes, and prepared for bed. As she lay in bed, she smelled a long-lasting fragrance that was different from the usual calming incense. She asked, “What incense was lit today?”

Shi Wenchang bowed and replied, “To answer Your Majesty, it is the incense from the jar that Miss Di brought.” As he spoke, he held the jar from the bedside and handed it to Empress Chen.

“What is in here?” Empress Chen glanced at it and asked.

“To answer Your Majesty, this servant asked Imperial Physician Liu, and he said there is jianan in the jar.”

“Jianan?” Empress Chen pondered for a moment. “Is that a type of agarwood?”

Shi Wenchang nodded. “To answer Your Majesty, jianan is the rarest type of agarwood, also known as qinan. It is extremely rare. Its main function is to calm the mind and help with sleep. Placing it by the pillow can soothe the heart and calm the spirit.”

“She is thoughtful, but unfortunately...” Empress Chen said, then suddenly realized that she was paying too much attention to this person. Thinking that she shouldn’t be preoccupied with such small matters, she let out a long sigh and shook her head with a wry smile. “Leave it there.”

“Yes.”

After Empress Chen lay down, Shi Wenchang lowered the curtains and bowed out.

After Wu Ruian and Di Jiang left the palace, Wu Ruian dismissed the servants and walked with Di Jiang, holding her hand, toward South Street. The night patrol guards saw them but pretended not to and went to patrol elsewhere.

Wu Ruian chatted with Di Jiang and couldn’t help but ask, “What was that thing you gave Mother Empress today?”

“That? It was jianan.”

“What is jianan?”

Di Jiang said slowly, “Today I saw that Your Majesty’s face was not radiant, and I knew that she was tired from state affairs, and her eyes lacked proper nourishment. The Empress has a dark tinge to her face, so her eyes are dark, and she naturally doesn’t sleep well at night. Jianan can calm the mind and soothe the liver energy, which will nourish her eyes.”

Wu Ruian was stunned by her words. Although he didn’t quite understand the professional terms she was using, he got the general idea. He then asked, “When did you prepare it? I didn’t know about it.”

“I always have it on hand,” Di Jiang said frankly.

“And it was in your sleeve again?” Wu Ruian looked at Di Jiang’s wide sleeves, finding it incredibly curious. Weren’t these clothes just made last night? What else did she have in there?

Di Jiang seemed to have read Wu Ruian’s mind. She pulled out two salted fish from her sleeve and said, “What else do you want to know?”

“You actually carry these?” Wu Ruian pinched his nose and pushed the salted fish away from him. He then said, “Why do you always carry salted fish?”

“To feed the stray cats,” Di Jiang said with a calm face, but her explanation made Wu Ruian laugh.

Di Jiang asked, “What are you laughing at?”

Wu Ruian shook his head and laughed. “I’m laughing at how cute you are.” In his heart, it seemed that no matter what Di Jiang did, he would find it normal and genuinely appreciate it.

Di Jiang smiled slightly. “Thank you.”

The two walked hand in hand, laughing and talking all the way. It was almost midnight when they walked from Danfeng Gate to the end of South Street.

Everyone in the Jiansu Clinic was already asleep. After saying goodbye to Wu Ruian, Di Jiang returned to her room to wash up. As she changed into her nightgown, she suddenly remembered something, opened the window, and saw Wu Ruian was still standing downstairs.

Wu Ruian smiled slightly at her. “Good night.”

“Good night,” Di Jiang nodded, watching him leave.

Wu Ruian’s steps were light, and it was clear that he was in a good mood. He looked back three times with every step, laughing at Di Jiang over and over again.

Di Jiang leaned against the window frame until he turned the corner. Only then did she close the window and get into bed with her clothes on.