A Single Tie Of Long Hair Seals A Lifelong Commitment - Chapter 56.2

“Good,” Xie Yuan considered it and said, “Then I shall bestow the title ‘Roujia.’ This child resembles her mother. I hope her character in the future will also be like her mother’s—gentle and sincere, with admirable words and conduct. How is that?”

Xie Wenjun said, “It is excellent, of course.”

Xie Yuan returned the child to Granny Ji, instructing her, “Take good care of the Princess Consort and the little Princess. Everyone, go and claim your rewards!” As he was walking out, he suddenly thought of something. He beckoned to someone next to him, “Xingqian, bring the painting.”

Chen Luan held the rolled-up scroll in both hands and presented the mounted portrait to Xie Wenjun. Yuan Rong stepped forward to receive it, and Chen Luan then retreated back to the outer courtyard.

Xie Yuan said, “Jiangning, I entrust the care of the Princess Consort and Roujia to you.”

“Your Imperial Sister-in-Law understands.”

The crowd dispersed, and the inner courtyard grew quiet again.

To the east of the Prince’s estate, separated by a river, was a patch of open grassland. The faint sounds of children playing could be heard, and a gentle breeze blew a broken-stringed kite over the high wall.

Rong Jun swiftly intercepted it in the air. He examined it closely and confirmed it was just an ordinary kite, with eagle wings painted on its dual wings and a colorful tail attached to its rear.

Xie Wenjun took it to look at. The string was not neatly broken.

“It’s like you.”

Chen Liangyu: “Like me?”

“Yes, very much like you. You both have a world of your own to go to. Seemingly close, yet untouchable. If one grips too tightly, it would rather snap the string.”

Chen Liangyu, however, said, “What is willingly placed in someone else’s hands will not break.” She tilted her head and teased, “Why don’t you try holding on tighter?”

Xie Wenjun’s gaze unintentionally glanced towards her.

She took a brocade handkerchief with a flowing cloud pattern from her sleeve, lowered her head, and threaded it through the leather belt at Chen Liangyu’s waist, tying a dead knot.

Chen Liangyu let her act. In the end, she couldn’t help but ask, “Is there some custom to this?”

Tying a handkerchief at the waist—please don’t let it be some bizarre custom like the carved willow hairpin, resulting in another embarrassing misunderstanding.

“Just treat it as the kite string.”

It wasn’t a bizarre custom after all. A slight feeling of disappointment arose in Chen Liangyu’s heart.

How can it not be?

Something as tedious as carving a hairpin could become a custom.

A kite string works too.

Chen Liangyu always carried a needle and thread with her, ready to mend her clothes if they tore during fighting. The brocade’s surface was smooth, and the knot could easily come undone; no one would need to untie it, it would just fall apart after a couple of steps.

She untangled the thread, used a needle to cross-stitch and vertically stitch the knot Xie Wenjun had tied, sewing the handkerchief permanently onto her belt. “Send me word when you head to the Southern territories. Prince Qi won’t commit his full force just yet. He will definitely send a vanguard army first to test Linxia’s military strength. I should be free once I deal with their vanguard. Even if I ride at full speed, it will take me a full day to reach Lu Pinghou’s estate in the Southern territories from the front lines. Although you have Rong Jun, and Qingge and Zhao Mingqin also have their own men, Heng Jinan has commanded troops in the Southern territories for many years and still holds significant authority in the army. Be very careful to know when to advance and when to retreat, and do not push him too hard.”

“I’m a little confused.”

“Don’t be confused. This is not the time to be. Not a single word about such a major event as installing a new Emperor leaked from your mouth. You are not a person whose heart is easily unsettled by events.” Chen Liangyu finished tying the knot and put her needle and thread back into her cloth pouch. She looked up and happened to see a bright, clear light in Xie Wenjun’s eyes, like the moon.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

She wanted to say more, but the words caught in her throat as she suddenly remembered that the last time she had asked that question, something that made her dizzy had followed.

Her cheeks felt slightly warm. Fortunately, the passing breeze swept across her face, carrying away that subtle, almost imperceptible flutter.

Chen Liangyu said, “I should go.”

Xie Wenjun said, “Take care in all things. I will handle all matters here.”

“Please take care of yourself.”

Chen Liangyu walked alone towards the arched gate. The sunlight outlined her figure, making it seem slightly unreal. Her blue-ink robe billowed and disappeared beyond the gate.

Soon after, the horses neighed and galloped away, leaving only the receding sound of hoofbeats echoing below the high wall.

Xie Wenjun: “Rong Jun.”

Rong Jun poked his head out from beyond the arched gate, “Your subordinate is here.”

“The new Emperor has ascended, and we have happily received a precious daughter. It is a double celebration. Go and invite all the officials of Linxia to the estate for tea.”

Rong Jun: “Invite all of them?”

“All officials of the seventh rank and above.”

Gu Xie said, “The officials remaining in Linxia City are merely civil servants. We can just have Xingqian go in place of Sir Rong to visit the various officials’ residences.”

“Currently, the atmosphere is one of panic. Everyone fears that coming to the Prince’s estate this time means they will not return. Those people will surely find excuses not to come. Chen Xingqian’s appearance as a frail scholar cannot command the situation. Rong Jun, after you finish this task, there will be plenty of people from other prefectures and counties waiting for you to invite.”

Xie Wenjun turned to Rong Jun and instructed, “Invite them properly, use minimal force, and you don’t need to bring any gifts, lest I be secretly criticized later for taking advantage of the situation to extort money from them.”

Rong Jun: “Understood.”

Calming incense was lit in the warm pavilion. Because the inner room was heavy with the smell of blood, Xun Shuheng had been moved to the warm pavilion to recuperate and was still asleep. Zhu Ying checked her pulse every zhuxiang (time it takes for an incense stick to burn, approx. 15 minutes). After checking her pulse again, she placed Xun Shuheng’s hand back under the silk quilt, “Her pulse is already steady.”

Xie Wenjun sat beneath the hall, her hands gently resting on the armrests of her chair, and said, “Merit must be rewarded. What reward do you desire?”

Zhu Ying did not mention a reward. Her eyes were bright and turned over Xie Wenjun’s face, “Your body is not suited for excessive exertion. Live a leisurely life and take good care of yourself, and you can live to a hundred.”

“Thank you for the reminder.”

“I find it very strange. Why are there signs of the ‘Soul-Severing Potion’ in the pulse of a descendant of the Emperor? Grand Princess.”

So that harmful secret art from Dongyin is called the Soul-Severing Potion.

Xie Wenjun said, “Bad luck. I repaid a wrongful debt for someone else.”

“This Soul-Severing Potion was originally created by the You Family of Dongyin, specifically for raising assassins for high-ranking officials and nobles. The You Family was originally a medical family, but later went into politics. That second-generation Emperor of Dongyin suddenly died violently, and a collateral relative seized the throne. It is hard to say whether the You Family was involved, but it is known that the new Emperor greatly favored the You Family. After the older generation had mostly passed away, the descendants of the You Family suddenly grew a conscience and destroyed this disastrous thing themselves.”

“When I was very young, children were often lost in Liangxi City. I once saw an assassin who had taken the Soul-Severing Potion. He must have been one who hadn’t fully developed. He no longer looked human, either, having escaped from somewhere, stealing food and hurting people everywhere. He was caught and beaten half to death. My father wanted to save him, so he brought him back to the mountain villa for treatment, but when he woke up, he nearly cut my father’s throat. In the end, he couldn’t be saved.”

Zhu Ying moved a crane-head oil lamp with long legs closer. The crane’s belly was the oil reservoir for the lamp. “People are like the lamp oil in this oil pot. They need to be slowly burned with a wick inserted. The Soul-Severing Potion is like lighting a fire inside the oil pot. It burns out quickly, and to prolong life, one can only rely on medicine. External measures, after all, are not as good as the body’s own internal strength. Although your symptoms are mild, it is like a spark; if you are not careful, it will flare up.”

Xie Wenjun was not intimidated by her words. She smiled and said, “This Princess is perfectly fine.”

“I doubt it.”

Dai Qing: “How dare you!”

Zhu Ying: “I offered a kind reminder. If you choose to ignore it, so be it. I couldn’t be bothered otherwise. The person on the bed is fine now. Take the prescribed medicine and rest for a while longer. If there are no other patients here, I shall take my leave.”